KANSAS CITY—Four puppies were rescued after they were found outside Monday and nearly froze to death, according to the&nbsp; Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.

These four pups were rescued by a kind community member who found them outside, alone, nearly frozen to death. They are now in the care of the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, receiving the care they need.  Once stabilized, they will go to foster homes and will be available for adoption in a few weeks.

If you feel inclined to support the work of the Humane Society, please donate today.&nbsp;info@hsgkc.org

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768879782834.png" alt="Photos Humane Society of Greater Kansas City" />
 <figcaption>Photos Humane Society of Greater Kansas City</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Four puppies were rescued after they were found outside Monday and nearly froze to death, according to the&nbsp; Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768879588352.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>These four pups were rescued by a kind community member who found them outside, alone, nearly frozen to death. They are now in the care of the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, receiving the care they need. Once stabilized, they will go to foster homes and will be available for adoption in a few weeks.If you feel inclined to support the work of the Humane Society, please donate today.&nbsp;info@hsgkc.org

Humane society: Nearly frozen puppies rescued near Kansas City

KANSAS CITY —A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court earlier this month for fentanyl distribution and illegally possessing firearms.

Darius Burnett, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a total sentence of 13 years in federal prison without parole, according to the United State's Attorney.

Burnett pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 8, 2025.

On Nov. 8, 2023, investigators with the ATF, DEA, and Springfield Police Department executed a search warrant at Burnett’s residence. During the search of Burnett’s apartment and vehicle, officers located four loaded semi-automatic pistols, including two with extended magazines, body armor, ammunition, marijuana, over 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, and $78,935.80 in cash. 

In an interview, the defendant described himself as the “top dude” in Springfield, Missouri, for fentanyl sales, stated that he was purchasing 5,000 pills a month from a source in St. Louis, Missouri, and admitted that the cash located by law enforcement were drug proceeds.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768861591490.png" alt="Burnett photo Greene County" />
 <figcaption>Burnett photo Greene County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court earlier this month for fentanyl distribution and illegally possessing firearms.Darius Burnett, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a total sentence of 13 years in federal prison without parole, according to the United State's Attorney.Burnett pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 8, 2025.On Nov. 8, 2023, investigators with the ATF, DEA, and Springfield Police Department executed a search warrant at Burnett’s residence. During the search of Burnett’s apartment and vehicle, officers located four loaded semi-automatic pistols, including two with extended magazines, body armor, ammunition, marijuana, over 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, and $78,935.80 in cash. In an interview, the defendant described himself as the “top dude” in Springfield, Missouri, for fentanyl sales, stated that he was purchasing 5,000 pills a month from a source in St. Louis, Missouri, and admitted that the cash located by law enforcement were drug proceeds.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Prison for man who described himself as 'top dude' in fentanyl sales

KANSAS CITY—One firefighter was injured working a fire Sunday inKansas City, Missouri.

Just after 5:30a.m. Sunday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported fire in the Cargill plant, 2334 Rochester Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. 

At the scene, fire department companies were met by Cargill staff stating there was a fire located in a material hopper housing soybean product. The hopper is located approximately 4 stories above the ground level. 

Working with on-site personnel, KCFD secured the power and electronics to the hopper and were able to access and extinguish the fire. The fire was placed under control a little before 7:00 a.m., according to Hopkins.

One KCFD firefighter sustained an injury and was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated. The firefighter was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.&nbsp; The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768833465554.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—One firefighter was injured working a fire Sunday inKansas City, Missouri.Just after 5:30a.m. Sunday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported fire in the Cargill plant, 2334 Rochester Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. At the scene, fire department companies were met by Cargill staff stating there was a fire located in a material hopper housing soybean product. The hopper is located approximately 4 stories above the ground level. Working with on-site personnel, KCFD secured the power and electronics to the hopper and were able to access and extinguish the fire. The fire was placed under control a little before 7:00 a.m., according to Hopkins.One KCFD firefighter sustained an injury and was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated. The firefighter was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.&nbsp; The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

KC firefighter injured working fire in fourth-floor soybean hopper

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

Just before 2p.m Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 8700 block of Chestnut Circle on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil Dimartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to a parking lot within the apartment complex. There they located a victim later identified as 36-year-old Charles Brown, Jr., suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures while KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously. Medics pronounced Brown deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

This is being investigated as a homicide. The officers on scene took a subject of interest into custody pending further investigation. Preliminary information revealed there was a disturbance in the parking lot between several individuals that led to shots being fired and Brown being struck.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768791527783.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 2p.m Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 8700 block of Chestnut Circle on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil Dimartino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768791548732.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>As officers arrived they were directed to a parking lot within the apartment complex. There they located a victim later identified as 36-year-old Charles Brown, Jr., suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures while KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously. Medics pronounced Brown deceased at the scene.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide. The officers on scene took a subject of interest into custody pending further investigation. Preliminary information revealed there was a disturbance in the parking lot between several individuals that led to shots being fired and Brown being struck.&nbsp;If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD: Suspect in custody for deadly apartment parking lot killing

In the past decade, more than 50,000 Missouri women sought abortions in Kansas and Illinois. The rare complications suffered are at the heart of arguments over its safety

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

KANSAS CITY — Roughly 1% of the more than 53,000 Missourians who received abortions over the last 10 years in Illinois and Kansas experienced complications, ranging from infection to incomplete abortions to hemorrhaging.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are dissecting dozens of Missouri’s Targeted Regulation of Abortion, or TRAP laws, as a judge decides which, if any, should remain in place. The safety of abortion is at the heart of the debate.

As the trial enters its second week on Tuesday in Jackson County, the state is trying to make the case that the potential for complications justifies strict regulations on abortion providers.&nbsp;

“The risks associated with abortion don’t just exist in the abstract,” said Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash. “Real women, Missouri women have suffered.”

Experts called by Planned Parenthood say that’s not the case. Abortion, they said, presents less risk than many medical procedures, including child birth.

“But there’s nothing like sitting in your patient’s pool of blood as she’s bleeding out four liters of blood to realize that a healthy term pregnancy has a whole hell of a lot of risk,” Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, testified Friday.

Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2024 overturning the state’s abortion ban and enacting protections for reproductive health care. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri quickly filed a lawsuit seeking to repeal abortion regulations it argues now violate the new constitutional amendment. The 10-day trial in the case began last week.

Among the laws being challenged is a requirement that only doctors provide abortions, a ban on prescribing medication abortion through telehealth, facility licensing requirements, admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital and a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">state-approved complication plan</a>&nbsp;for medication abortions.&nbsp;

These regulations eventually halted nearly all access to abortion in Missouri as more and more women seeking to terminate a pregnancy sought care in Illinois and Kansas. By the time Missouri’s abortion ban went into effect in 2022,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;thousands of Missourians were already leaving the state</a>&nbsp;each year to end their pregnancies.&nbsp;

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is seeking to access records for patients who traveled to Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and Kansas for abortions and experienced a complication.

In December, the state tried to impose sanctions to force Planned Parenthood to turn over these patient complication reports. Planned Parenthood refused, saying the records would violate patient privacy. A separate judge intervened, ordering the clinics to only turn over a summary chart outlining the complications.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">The state is appealing&nbsp;</a>this decision.

Over the past decade, nearly 29,000 Missourians had abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Kansas, Overland Park, and Pittsburg, Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, testified Tuesday. Of 28,764 who had abortions between 2015 and 2024, 248 had complications as defined by the state, bringing the complication rate to .86%, according to data later provided by Planned Parenthood to The Independent. &nbsp;

“We are significantly better when it comes to complication rates than the national average,” Wales said, noting that the complication rate for Missouri women at each of the three clinics is regularly under 1% and has been for the past decade.&nbsp;

Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue asked if some patients had to have follow-up procedures at local hospitals, and if Planned Parenthood Great Plains has advised patients to go to the ER?&nbsp;

Yes, Wales said, but they’ve never had to transport a patient from a clinic to a hospital.

Under state law, Planned Parenthood must report any abortion complications to the health department. But how the health department and how Planned Parenthood defines complications differs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2022, the most recent year Department of Health and Senior Services data is available,&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalstatistics/mvs22/Table12c.pdf" target="_blank">115 complications were reported</a>. Fifty-five involved procedural abortions, which happen in-clinic, and 60 were the result of medication abortions.

Gillian Wilcox, litigation director for the ACLU of Missouri, said state attorneys were misrepresenting the safety of abortions and said the practice doesn’t necessitate special regulations.&nbsp;

“All medical care carries risk of complications. And when you look at it in isolation, you don’t get a full picture,” Wilcox said in an interview. “Because when you get the full picture it is that they are providing thousands of abortions. And the complication rate actually percentage-wise is very low.”&nbsp;

Complications associated with abortion included hemorrhaging, fever, uterine perforation, pregnancy tissue left in the uterus, cervical lacerations, incomplete abortion and failed abortion.&nbsp;

The latter, which is a circumstance where the abortion doesn’t work and the pregnancy continues, is not generally considered a complication, but rather a possible outcome, Dr. Daniel Grossman, director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health based at the University of California-San Francisco, testified Tuesday.

State-mandated complication reporting requirements “create the impression that abortion is riskier than it really is,” said Grossman, who is a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.

Missouri is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-reporting-requirements" target="_blank">one of 27 states</a>&nbsp;that requires providers to submit complication reports.

Grossman pointed to a section on the complication report marked “death.”

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">Bleeding and cramping are expected side effects</a>&nbsp;of both medication and procedural abortions. Hemorrhaging and infection are among the rare complications.&nbsp;

Since mifepristone was approved for use in medication abortions 28 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">32 deaths have been associated with its use,</a>&nbsp;according to the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA evaluated data from 5.9 million women who took mifepristone between 2000 and 2022. Of the three dozen deaths, 11 were the result of sepsis, 20 were homicides and two were suicides.

Ingrid Skop, an OB-GYN in Texas and a board member at the anti-abortion Charlotte Lozier Institute, was called to testify Friday by the Attorney General’s Office. She has treated dozens of women for abortion complications, Skop said, and she believes national data is lacking.

“It appears safer than it actually is,” she said.

That’s because abortion clinics are not generally mandated to report complications, Skop said.&nbsp;

Complications can happen after women leave clinics, and women presenting in hospital emergency rooms do not always tell doctors about their abortions. Skop said abortion providers do little follow up, unlike a routine doctor that has built a relationship with their patients.&nbsp;

“The assumption seems to be no news is good news,” she said of abortion providers who may not hear from patients after procedural or medication abortions.

On cross examination, a plaintiff’s attorney noted that Skop has never performed abortions and disagrees with mainstream medical associations like the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians &amp; Gynecologists. Skop was also questioned about the fact that several of her articles were&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928231216699" target="_blank">retracted</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/09/1230175305/abortion-pill-mifepristone-retraction-supreme-court" target="_blank">methodology issues&nbsp;</a>from peer-reviewed journals, though she maintained those were politically motivated moves.

On Thursday, Overcash questioned Margot Riphagan, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers president and CEO, extensively about complications.

Overcash entered into evidence a spreadsheet summarizing complications reported among the nearly 24,000 Missourians who traveled to Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Fairview Heights for abortions in the last decade. Planned Parenthood later told The Independent there were 418 complications among 24,350 Missourians at the clinic between 2015 and 2024, or a 1.72% complication rate as defined by the state.

Overcash then highlighted nine instances of ectopic pregnancies, a dangerous condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus that, if left untreated, can lead to death.&nbsp;

Doctors testifying on behalf of Planned Parenthood said taking mifepristone doesn’t increase a patient’s risk of dying from an ectopic pregnancy. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, including abdominal pain, would disqualify someone from being able to be prescribed medication abortion without first seeing a doctor in-person.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">Two people over three decades have died from ruptured ectopic pregnancies&nbsp;</a>after taking mifepristone, according to the FDA. The FDA reported an additional 95 cases of mifepristone taken during an ectopic pregnancy. The patients were hospitalized in a majority of those cases.&nbsp;

Overcash also pointed to several cases documenting failed or incomplete abortions in which the patient later chose to stay pregnant.&nbsp;

“So once again, a woman decided to continue her pregnancy?” she asked.

“It’s critical that women make decisions about their own bodies, yes” Riphagan responded.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who was<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/catherine-hanaway-missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey/">&nbsp;appointed to the job in September,&nbsp;</a>made her first appearance at the trial Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;

“There are real concerns about the safety for women if these treatments are not medically supervised in the appropriate way,” she told The Independent.&nbsp;

Asked whether the state viewed abortion as unsafe Hanaway said: “Remember, we all have a job, which is to represent the state. And these are the laws that were adopted by the state, and we’re defending them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768828924754.png" alt=" The Planned Parenthood Great Plains office in Overland Park, Kansas, is pictured in June 2024 (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Planned Parenthood Great Plains office in Overland Park, Kansas, is pictured in June 2024 (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>In the past decade, more than 50,000 Missouri women sought abortions in Kansas and Illinois. The rare complications suffered are at the heart of arguments over its safety</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>KANSAS CITY — Roughly 1% of the more than 53,000 Missourians who received abortions over the last 10 years in Illinois and Kansas experienced complications, ranging from infection to incomplete abortions to hemorrhaging.&nbsp;Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are dissecting dozens of Missouri’s Targeted Regulation of Abortion, or TRAP laws, as a judge decides which, if any, should remain in place. The safety of abortion is at the heart of the debate.As the trial enters its second week on Tuesday in Jackson County, the state is trying to make the case that the potential for complications justifies strict regulations on abortion providers.&nbsp;“The risks associated with abortion don’t just exist in the abstract,” said Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash. “Real women, Missouri women have suffered.”Experts called by Planned Parenthood say that’s not the case. Abortion, they said, presents less risk than many medical procedures, including child birth.“But there’s nothing like sitting in your patient’s pool of blood as she’s bleeding out four liters of blood to realize that a healthy term pregnancy has a whole hell of a lot of risk,” Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, testified Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718794587714.png" alt="Jennifer Smith, an OBGYN, speaks about medical challenges without legal abortions in Missouri in 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Smith, an OBGYN, speaks about medical challenges without legal abortions in Missouri in 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2024 overturning the state’s abortion ban and enacting protections for reproductive health care. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri quickly filed a lawsuit seeking to repeal abortion regulations it argues now violate the new constitutional amendment. The 10-day trial in the case began last week.Among the laws being challenged is a requirement that only doctors provide abortions, a ban on prescribing medication abortion through telehealth, facility licensing requirements, admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital and a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">state-approved complication plan</a>&nbsp;for medication abortions.&nbsp;These regulations eventually halted nearly all access to abortion in Missouri as more and more women seeking to terminate a pregnancy sought care in Illinois and Kansas. By the time Missouri’s abortion ban went into effect in 2022,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;thousands of Missourians were already leaving the state</a>&nbsp;each year to end their pregnancies.&nbsp;The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is seeking to access records for patients who traveled to Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and Kansas for abortions and experienced a complication.In December, the state tried to impose sanctions to force Planned Parenthood to turn over these patient complication reports. Planned Parenthood refused, saying the records would violate patient privacy. A separate judge intervened, ordering the clinics to only turn over a summary chart outlining the complications.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">The state is appealing&nbsp;</a>this decision.Over the past decade, nearly 29,000 Missourians had abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Kansas, Overland Park, and Pittsburg, Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, testified Tuesday. Of 28,764 who had abortions between 2015 and 2024, 248 had complications as defined by the state, bringing the complication rate to .86%, according to data later provided by Planned Parenthood to The Independent. &nbsp;“We are significantly better when it comes to complication rates than the national average,” Wales said, noting that the complication rate for Missouri women at each of the three clinics is regularly under 1% and has been for the past decade.&nbsp;Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue asked if some patients had to have follow-up procedures at local hospitals, and if Planned Parenthood Great Plains has advised patients to go to the ER?&nbsp;Yes, Wales said, but they’ve never had to transport a patient from a clinic to a hospital.Under state law, Planned Parenthood must report any abortion complications to the health department. But how the health department and how Planned Parenthood defines complications differs.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2022, the most recent year Department of Health and Senior Services data is available,&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalstatistics/mvs22/Table12c.pdf" target="_blank">115 complications were reported</a>. Fifty-five involved procedural abortions, which happen in-clinic, and 60 were the result of medication abortions.Gillian Wilcox, litigation director for the ACLU of Missouri, said state attorneys were misrepresenting the safety of abortions and said the practice doesn’t necessitate special regulations.&nbsp;“All medical care carries risk of complications. And when you look at it in isolation, you don’t get a full picture,” Wilcox said in an interview. “Because when you get the full picture it is that they are providing thousands of abortions. And the complication rate actually percentage-wise is very low.”&nbsp;Complications associated with abortion included hemorrhaging, fever, uterine perforation, pregnancy tissue left in the uterus, cervical lacerations, incomplete abortion and failed abortion.&nbsp;The latter, which is a circumstance where the abortion doesn’t work and the pregnancy continues, is not generally considered a complication, but rather a possible outcome, Dr. Daniel Grossman, director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health based at the University of California-San Francisco, testified Tuesday.State-mandated complication reporting requirements “create the impression that abortion is riskier than it really is,” said Grossman, who is a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.Missouri is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-reporting-requirements" target="_blank">one of 27 states</a>&nbsp;that requires providers to submit complication reports.Grossman pointed to a section on the complication report marked “death.”<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">Bleeding and cramping are expected side effects</a>&nbsp;of both medication and procedural abortions. Hemorrhaging and infection are among the rare complications.&nbsp;Since mifepristone was approved for use in medication abortions 28 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">32 deaths have been associated with its use,</a>&nbsp;according to the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA evaluated data from 5.9 million women who took mifepristone between 2000 and 2022. Of the three dozen deaths, 11 were the result of sepsis, 20 were homicides and two were suicides.Ingrid Skop, an OB-GYN in Texas and a board member at the anti-abortion Charlotte Lozier Institute, was called to testify Friday by the Attorney General’s Office. She has treated dozens of women for abortion complications, Skop said, and she believes national data is lacking.“It appears safer than it actually is,” she said.That’s because abortion clinics are not generally mandated to report complications, Skop said.&nbsp;Complications can happen after women leave clinics, and women presenting in hospital emergency rooms do not always tell doctors about their abortions. Skop said abortion providers do little follow up, unlike a routine doctor that has built a relationship with their patients.&nbsp;“The assumption seems to be no news is good news,” she said of abortion providers who may not hear from patients after procedural or medication abortions.On cross examination, a plaintiff’s attorney noted that Skop has never performed abortions and disagrees with mainstream medical associations like the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians &amp; Gynecologists. Skop was also questioned about the fact that several of her articles were&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928231216699" target="_blank">retracted</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/09/1230175305/abortion-pill-mifepristone-retraction-supreme-court" target="_blank">methodology issues&nbsp;</a>from peer-reviewed journals, though she maintained those were politically motivated moves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768301874356.png" alt="Margot Riphagan, left, stands next to Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, as she speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Jan. 12 in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Margot Riphagan, left, stands next to Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, as she speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Jan. 12 in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, Overcash questioned Margot Riphagan, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers president and CEO, extensively about complications.Overcash entered into evidence a spreadsheet summarizing complications reported among the nearly 24,000 Missourians who traveled to Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Fairview Heights for abortions in the last decade. Planned Parenthood later told The Independent there were 418 complications among 24,350 Missourians at the clinic between 2015 and 2024, or a 1.72% complication rate as defined by the state.Overcash then highlighted nine instances of ectopic pregnancies, a dangerous condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus that, if left untreated, can lead to death.&nbsp;Doctors testifying on behalf of Planned Parenthood said taking mifepristone doesn’t increase a patient’s risk of dying from an ectopic pregnancy. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, including abdominal pain, would disqualify someone from being able to be prescribed medication abortion without first seeing a doctor in-person.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">Two people over three decades have died from ruptured ectopic pregnancies&nbsp;</a>after taking mifepristone, according to the FDA. The FDA reported an additional 95 cases of mifepristone taken during an ectopic pregnancy. The patients were hospitalized in a majority of those cases.&nbsp;Overcash also pointed to several cases documenting failed or incomplete abortions in which the patient later chose to stay pregnant.&nbsp;“So once again, a woman decided to continue her pregnancy?” she asked.“It’s critical that women make decisions about their own bodies, yes” Riphagan responded.Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who was<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/catherine-hanaway-missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey/">&nbsp;appointed to the job in September,&nbsp;</a>made her first appearance at the trial Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;“There are real concerns about the safety for women if these treatments are not medically supervised in the appropriate way,” she told The Independent.&nbsp;Asked whether the state viewed abortion as unsafe Hanaway said: “Remember, we all have a job, which is to represent the state. And these are the laws that were adopted by the state, and we’re defending them.”

Abortion safety takes center stage as Missouri trial enters second week

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Police investigating a deadly shooting in Lawrence have released the name of the teen who died as 18-year-old Aidan Knowles, according to a social media report from Lawrence police and the victim's father.

Just after 2a.m. Saturday, police were called to a reported shooting at the Hawk, 1340 Ohio Street in Lawrence, according to an online report from Lawrence Police.

First responders found two victims with gunshot wounds and several potential witnesses who told officers the suspects took off. While officers on scene tended to the victims, others flooded the surrounding area. Soon after, officers found a group of people matching the suspects’ descriptions walking just blocks away.

They were taken to the Lawrence Police Department to be questioned by detectives. Through the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed to suggest requesting charges on one suspect for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated assault and requesting charges on a second suspect of felony murder and aggravated assault.

Both were booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility.

Aidan Knowles, 18, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The second victim, a 16-year-old boy, was taken to an area trauma center for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768661951509.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Police investigating a deadly shooting in Lawrence have released the name of the teen who died as 18-year-old Aidan Knowles, according to a social media report from Lawrence police and the victim's father.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLawrenceKansasPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02HsMHi3uEe6EjkSWQcvMn3p2F31KdhE5Jnzsds9yW1e2NNwV5rC5Qr2HWeKe7HnjKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="307" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Just after 2a.m. Saturday, police were called to a reported shooting at the Hawk, 1340 Ohio Street in Lawrence, according to an online report from Lawrence Police.First responders found two victims with gunshot wounds and several potential witnesses who told officers the suspects took off. While officers on scene tended to the victims, others flooded the surrounding area. Soon after, officers found a group of people matching the suspects’ descriptions walking just blocks away.They were taken to the Lawrence Police Department to be questioned by detectives. Through the course of the investigation, probable cause was developed to suggest requesting charges on one suspect for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated assault and requesting charges on a second suspect of felony murder and aggravated assault.Both were booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility.Aidan Knowles, 18, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The second victim, a 16-year-old boy, was taken to an area trauma center for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp;

Police ID teen who died in shooting outside bar near KU campus

KANSAS CITY —A firefighter was injured fighting a house fire Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 11a.m., Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire at Rochester and North Garland, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Crews reported smoke and fire showing from what appeared to be a vacant house in the 2500 block of Rochester Avenue.

 An offensive attack fire attack was initiated with 3 hose lines. A house to the west was exposed, suffering some fire damage to its exterior.&nbsp;While advancing the hose line, a partial roof collapse occurred and companies evacuated, continuing to fight the fire from the exterior.&nbsp;The fire was placed under control at 11:21 a.m.

One KCFD firefighter was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a minor injury. The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCPD Bomb and Arson. &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene. Red Cross has also been requested to assist with the occupants of the house to the west that was damaged.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768791660316.jpeg" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A firefighter was injured fighting a house fire Sunday in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 11a.m., Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire at Rochester and North Garland, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Crews reported smoke and fire showing from what appeared to be a vacant house in the 2500 block of Rochester Avenue. An offensive attack fire attack was initiated with 3 hose lines. A house to the west was exposed, suffering some fire damage to its exterior.&nbsp;While advancing the hose line, a partial roof collapse occurred and companies evacuated, continuing to fight the fire from the exterior.&nbsp;The fire was placed under control at 11:21 a.m.One KCFD firefighter was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a minor injury. The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCPD Bomb and Arson. &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene. Red Cross has also been requested to assist with the occupants of the house to the west that was damaged.

Firefighter injured fighting Kansas City house fire

KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a Kansas City man for his involvement in a fatal shooting that took place at a gas station last year.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2801/Ramel-Morgan-Complaint-Red">Ramel A. Morgan</a>,20,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2800/Morgan-PC-Red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at a gas station on December 7, 2025, and canvassed the area, but could not locate a victim or suspect.&nbsp;

Detectives later learned the shooting victim from the gas station drove to a nearby hospital for treatment but died a short time later. The vehicle the victim arrived at the hospital in had multiple bullet strikes to the rear window frame, the rear windshield was shattered, and a bullet fragment was observed on the passenger-side spoiler. Officers recovered a handgun on the front passenger floorboard.&nbsp;

Surveillance footage from the gas station showed that a gray Hyundai Sonata arrived and parked at the gas pumps. Several individuals exited the vehicle and entered the store. A short time later, a silver Ford Mustang, the victim’s vehicle, drove through the parking lot.

While inside the store, the defendant was observed walking around holding a handgun. Eventually, he exited the store with a handgun visible in his left hand and approached the passenger side of the silver Mustang. The defendant and victim appeared to converse and after a brief exchange, the suspect pointed a firearm at the driver and fired multiple rounds into the vehicle before fleeing on foot. The silver Mustang left the parking lot.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $200,000 cash only.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768397290092.png" alt="Morgan photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Morgan photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a Kansas City man for his involvement in a fatal shooting that took place at a gas station last year.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2801/Ramel-Morgan-Complaint-Red">Ramel A. Morgan</a>,20,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2800/Morgan-PC-Red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at a gas station on December 7, 2025, and canvassed the area, but could not locate a victim or suspect.&nbsp;Detectives later learned the shooting victim from the gas station drove to a nearby hospital for treatment but died a short time later. The vehicle the victim arrived at the hospital in had multiple bullet strikes to the rear window frame, the rear windshield was shattered, and a bullet fragment was observed on the passenger-side spoiler. Officers recovered a handgun on the front passenger floorboard.&nbsp;Surveillance footage from the gas station showed that a gray Hyundai Sonata arrived and parked at the gas pumps. Several individuals exited the vehicle and entered the store. A short time later, a silver Ford Mustang, the victim’s vehicle, drove through the parking lot.While inside the store, the defendant was observed walking around holding a handgun. Eventually, he exited the store with a handgun visible in his left hand and approached the passenger side of the silver Mustang. The defendant and victim appeared to converse and after a brief exchange, the suspect pointed a firearm at the driver and fired multiple rounds into the vehicle before fleeing on foot. The silver Mustang left the parking lot.&nbsp;A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $200,000 cash only.&nbsp;*

KC gas station shooting victim drove to a hospital where he died

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Junction City.

Just after 4p.m. on Saturday, police were dispatched to the 300 block of West 4th Street in Junction City for a subject reported to be suffering from possible gunshot wounds, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers located 66-year-old John Day of Junction City suffering from what was believed to be a gunshot wound. Day was transported to Stormont Vail Flint Hills Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

This incident remains an active investigation. The Junction City Police Department has identified and interviewed all individuals present during the incident. At this time, no arrests have been made.

There is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident.

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Junction City.Just after 4p.m. on Saturday, police were dispatched to the 300 block of West 4th Street in Junction City for a subject reported to be suffering from possible gunshot wounds, according to a media release.Upon arrival, officers located 66-year-old John Day of Junction City suffering from what was believed to be a gunshot wound. Day was transported to Stormont Vail Flint Hills Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.This incident remains an active investigation. The Junction City Police Department has identified and interviewed all individuals present during the incident. At this time, no arrests have been made.There is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident.

Homicide: 66-year-old dies from gunshot wound in Junction City

KANSAS CITY – German Alvarez-Rubio, 28, of Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and psilocybin as well as firearms offenses.

Alvarez-Rubio made his first appearance in federal court after his arrest on January 12, 2026.

The indictment alleges that on July 22, 2025, the Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine.&nbsp; On July 29, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine and methamphetamine and illegally sold ten firearms.&nbsp; On August 19, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocybin (mushrooms) and illegally possessed a machinegun.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729270102470.png" alt="Photo Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor" />
 <figcaption>Photo Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – German Alvarez-Rubio, 28, of Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and psilocybin as well as firearms offenses.Alvarez-Rubio made his first appearance in federal court after his arrest on January 12, 2026.The indictment alleges that on July 22, 2025, the Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine.&nbsp; On July 29, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine and methamphetamine and illegally sold ten firearms.&nbsp; On August 19, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocybin (mushrooms) and illegally possessed a machinegun.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Indictment: KC drug dealer also illegally sold firearms

While some states are seeing more enrollees, there has been a drop nationwide.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/nhassanein/">Nada Hassanein</a>

Nationwide, the number of people buying health plans on Obamacare insurance marketplaces is down by about 833,000 compared with a year ago, according to federal data released this week.

Many states are reporting fewer new enrollees, more people dropping their coverage, and more people choosing cheaper and less generous health insurance plans with higher deductibles.

Across most states, Thursday was the last day to enroll for plans that start in February. But nine states and Washington, D.C., have deadlines later this month, so the numbers could change.

There are 21 states with state-run health insurance marketplaces, and the rest use the federal website. The vast majority of states have seen declines in enrollment&nbsp;so far, compared with around this time last year.

Preliminary data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2026-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-0#AnchorFour" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;Monday by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services shows 22.8 million enrollees, down from a record total of 24.3 million last year.

Premiums have surged as a result of the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/inflation-reduction-act-health-insurance-subsidies-what-is-their-impact-and-what-would-happen-if-they-expire/#:~:text=The%20Inflation%20Reduction%20Act%20(IRA,three%20years%2C%20ending%20after%202025." target="_blank">enhanced federal subsidies</a>&nbsp;first made available by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and later extended through the end of 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. The availability of the subsidies spurred a sharp increase in the number of people buying health plans on the marketplaces. In 2020, 11.4 million people were enrolled in marketplaces through Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act. More than double that amount enrolled last year.

Congress failed to reach an agreement on extending the subsidies before the end of last year and still hasn’t reached one. As a result, premiums were expected to increase this year by 114% on average — from $888 last year to about $1,904, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;made in September by health policy research organization KFF.

The higher costs appear to be driving many people to forgo insurance or opt for cheaper, less generous plans this year, health officials and analysts say. Several states with state-based marketplaces — including Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — are reporting fewer enrollments this year in comparison with enrollments through early January 2025, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/state-indicator/marketplace-enrollment-snapshot-for-open-enrollment-2026/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">early data</a>. Other states, such as California, are reporting fewer new enrollees.

“It’s important to consider that this is preliminary data, so this represents people who have signed up and selected the plan — but they probably haven’t received their first premium bill,” said Elizabeth Lukanen, executive director of the health policy research organization State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota. “Once that happens, I think there’s concern — and it seems very possible — that people may decide to drop coverage. So, the decline could get bigger.

“On the other hand, open enrollment hasn’t closed, so you have two things sort of competing. It seems pretty likely that there will be a decline,” she said.

If the downward trend continues, the nation could see the first decline in enrollment since 2020, Lukanen said, adding that a full picture of income levels and demographics of people who have dropped coverage&nbsp;won’t be clear&nbsp;until the summer.

In Pennsylvania, data updated through Tuesday shows more than 15,000 previously enrolled adults between the ages of 55 and 64 have dropped coverage entirely — the most of any age bracket.

Pennsylvania’s state-based exchange, Pennie, has seen about 15% fewer new enrollments compared with last year. The state is also reporting 1,000 residents dropping coverage per day during open enrollment — with the most coverage losses among people with incomes 150% to 200% of the poverty level. These could include families of two adults and two children with an income between $48,225 and $64,300.

The state is seeing an “unprecedented” number of previously enrolled people dropping coverage, said Devon Trolley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority.

California is reporting 31% fewer new enrollees this year compared with last year, and more than a third of new enrollees are choosing bronze plans — the lowest, least generous coverage tier — up from less than a quarter at this time last year.

In Minnesota, data as of Dec. 3 shows more than half of active enrollees are opting to keep their coverage tier. But of those changing plans, more than a third — 37% — are going to cheaper plans. The state notes a full picture won’t be available until March.

Meanwhile, some states are seeing roughly the same number of enrollees or more. Texas, for example, is reporting about 4.1 million people enrolling this year compared with 4 million last year.

Charles&nbsp;Miller, health and economic mobility policy director at&nbsp;Texas 2036, a policy research nonprofit, said it’s unclear why enrollments are up, but pointed to some clues.

“Texas had a uniquely large population of uninsured individuals eligible for free and inexpensive plans that hadn’t enrolled previously … [and] has more affordable bronze and gold plans than many states,” he said.

He attributes that to a bipartisan state law, enacted in 2021, that had the effect of increasing subsidies for those plans, Miller said.

Nevada is seeing fewer enrollees overall. But compared with this time last year, the state is seeing 29% more people who are actively shopping the website to explore plans, said Katie Charleson, communications officer at the Nevada Health Authority Division of Consumer Health Services.

The state introduced a new public option, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/01/08/with-health-insurance-premiums-rising-nevadas-new-public-option-is-proving-popular/" target="_blank">Nevada Current</a>, and health officials told lawmakers last week that about 1 in 5 active shoppers are opting for that plan.

In addition to the expiration of the subsidies, the cost of coverage has risen because of other factors, according to insurers. They say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/#Distribution%20of%20proposed%202026%20rate%20changes%20among%20312%20ACA%20Marketplace%20insurers" target="_blank">they’ve had to raise premiums</a>&nbsp;because of rising prescription drug costs, inflation and workforce challenges, such as provider shortages.

But the enhanced premium tax credits were aimed at buffering those year-to-year changes for Americans with lower incomes, said Trolley, adding that the tax credit structure “helps make sure that [enrollees] don’t see those really larger drops that happen from time to time, sort of from those market forces.”

“When there are broader rate increases of … the total cost of the coverage, the tax credits are structured so that people who get a tax credit don’t feel a lot of that increase. They’re sort of sheltered from it on a year to year basis,” Trolley said. “The tax credit is tied to someone’s income and limits what they pay as part of their income, not necessarily tied to the cost of the coverage.”

She added that she’s also heard from some residents who say they are waiting to enroll in a plan to see if Congress takes action.

“People are leaving the ACA marketplace because the trade-offs have just become harder to justify,” Lukanen said. “What worries me is that when the coverage becomes unaffordable, it isn’t that people suddenly stop needing care. They just lose the protection that insurance offers, and those health care costs don’t go away.”

Lukanen added that if more people forgo coverage, health care services may end up costing the nation more overall.

“If people are going to the doctor and they don’t have insurance, these costs are then just shifted. They’re shifted to hospitals, ultimately to the community and the taxpayer.”

Trolley echoed that, saying she’s concerned about the overall burden on providers in rural counties, which are seeing the highest drops in Obamacare coverage in Pennsylvania.

“Any increase in the uninsured rate is going to further strain providers that are in rural areas, especially — further strain their financial situation,” she said. “We are very concerned about that in Pennsylvania.”

Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nhassanein@stateline.org">nhassanein@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758122115940.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>While some states are seeing more enrollees, there has been a drop nationwide.</h2>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/nhassanein/">Nada Hassanein</a>Nationwide, the number of people buying health plans on Obamacare insurance marketplaces is down by about 833,000 compared with a year ago, according to federal data released this week.Many states are reporting fewer new enrollees, more people dropping their coverage, and more people choosing cheaper and less generous health insurance plans with higher deductibles.Across most states, Thursday was the last day to enroll for plans that start in February. But nine states and Washington, D.C., have deadlines later this month, so the numbers could change.There are 21 states with state-run health insurance marketplaces, and the rest use the federal website. The vast majority of states have seen declines in enrollment&nbsp;so far, compared with around this time last year.Preliminary data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2026-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-0#AnchorFour" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;Monday by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services shows 22.8 million enrollees, down from a record total of 24.3 million last year.Premiums have surged as a result of the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/inflation-reduction-act-health-insurance-subsidies-what-is-their-impact-and-what-would-happen-if-they-expire/#:~:text=The%20Inflation%20Reduction%20Act%20(IRA,three%20years%2C%20ending%20after%202025." target="_blank">enhanced federal subsidies</a>&nbsp;first made available by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and later extended through the end of 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. The availability of the subsidies spurred a sharp increase in the number of people buying health plans on the marketplaces. In 2020, 11.4 million people were enrolled in marketplaces through Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act. More than double that amount enrolled last year.Congress failed to reach an agreement on extending the subsidies before the end of last year and still hasn’t reached one. As a result, premiums were expected to increase this year by 114% on average — from $888 last year to about $1,904, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;made in September by health policy research organization KFF.The higher costs appear to be driving many people to forgo insurance or opt for cheaper, less generous plans this year, health officials and analysts say. Several states with state-based marketplaces — including Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — are reporting fewer enrollments this year in comparison with enrollments through early January 2025, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/state-indicator/marketplace-enrollment-snapshot-for-open-enrollment-2026/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">early data</a>. Other states, such as California, are reporting fewer new enrollees.“It’s important to consider that this is preliminary data, so this represents people who have signed up and selected the plan — but they probably haven’t received their first premium bill,” said Elizabeth Lukanen, executive director of the health policy research organization State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota. “Once that happens, I think there’s concern — and it seems very possible — that people may decide to drop coverage. So, the decline could get bigger.“On the other hand, open enrollment hasn’t closed, so you have two things sort of competing. It seems pretty likely that there will be a decline,” she said.If the downward trend continues, the nation could see the first decline in enrollment since 2020, Lukanen said, adding that a full picture of income levels and demographics of people who have dropped coverage&nbsp;won’t be clear&nbsp;until the summer.In Pennsylvania, data updated through Tuesday shows more than 15,000 previously enrolled adults between the ages of 55 and 64 have dropped coverage entirely — the most of any age bracket.Pennsylvania’s state-based exchange, Pennie, has seen about 15% fewer new enrollments compared with last year. The state is also reporting 1,000 residents dropping coverage per day during open enrollment — with the most coverage losses among people with incomes 150% to 200% of the poverty level. These could include families of two adults and two children with an income between $48,225 and $64,300.The state is seeing an “unprecedented” number of previously enrolled people dropping coverage, said Devon Trolley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority.California is reporting 31% fewer new enrollees this year compared with last year, and more than a third of new enrollees are choosing bronze plans — the lowest, least generous coverage tier — up from less than a quarter at this time last year.In Minnesota, data as of Dec. 3 shows more than half of active enrollees are opting to keep their coverage tier. But of those changing plans, more than a third — 37% — are going to cheaper plans. The state notes a full picture won’t be available until March.Meanwhile, some states are seeing roughly the same number of enrollees or more. Texas, for example, is reporting about 4.1 million people enrolling this year compared with 4 million last year.Charles&nbsp;Miller, health and economic mobility policy director at&nbsp;Texas 2036, a policy research nonprofit, said it’s unclear why enrollments are up, but pointed to some clues.“Texas had a uniquely large population of uninsured individuals eligible for free and inexpensive plans that hadn’t enrolled previously … [and] has more affordable bronze and gold plans than many states,” he said.He attributes that to a bipartisan state law, enacted in 2021, that had the effect of increasing subsidies for those plans, Miller said.Nevada is seeing fewer enrollees overall. But compared with this time last year, the state is seeing 29% more people who are actively shopping the website to explore plans, said Katie Charleson, communications officer at the Nevada Health Authority Division of Consumer Health Services.The state introduced a new public option, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/01/08/with-health-insurance-premiums-rising-nevadas-new-public-option-is-proving-popular/" target="_blank">Nevada Current</a>, and health officials told lawmakers last week that about 1 in 5 active shoppers are opting for that plan.In addition to the expiration of the subsidies, the cost of coverage has risen because of other factors, according to insurers. They say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/#Distribution%20of%20proposed%202026%20rate%20changes%20among%20312%20ACA%20Marketplace%20insurers" target="_blank">they’ve had to raise premiums</a>&nbsp;because of rising prescription drug costs, inflation and workforce challenges, such as provider shortages.But the enhanced premium tax credits were aimed at buffering those year-to-year changes for Americans with lower incomes, said Trolley, adding that the tax credit structure “helps make sure that [enrollees] don’t see those really larger drops that happen from time to time, sort of from those market forces.”“When there are broader rate increases of … the total cost of the coverage, the tax credits are structured so that people who get a tax credit don’t feel a lot of that increase. They’re sort of sheltered from it on a year to year basis,” Trolley said. “The tax credit is tied to someone’s income and limits what they pay as part of their income, not necessarily tied to the cost of the coverage.”She added that she’s also heard from some residents who say they are waiting to enroll in a plan to see if Congress takes action.“People are leaving the ACA marketplace because the trade-offs have just become harder to justify,” Lukanen said. “What worries me is that when the coverage becomes unaffordable, it isn’t that people suddenly stop needing care. They just lose the protection that insurance offers, and those health care costs don’t go away.”Lukanen added that if more people forgo coverage, health care services may end up costing the nation more overall.“If people are going to the doctor and they don’t have insurance, these costs are then just shifted. They’re shifted to hospitals, ultimately to the community and the taxpayer.”Trolley echoed that, saying she’s concerned about the overall burden on providers in rural counties, which are seeing the highest drops in Obamacare coverage in Pennsylvania.“Any increase in the uninsured rate is going to further strain providers that are in rural areas, especially — further strain their financial situation,” she said. “We are very concerned about that in Pennsylvania.”Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nhassanein@stateline.org">nhassanein@stateline.org</a>.

Far fewer people buy Obamacare coverage as insurance premiums spike

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education, for now, is backtracking on plans to garnish wages and seize tax refunds of student loan borrowers in default, the department announced Friday.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-garnish-wages-defaulted-student-loans" target="_blank">Less than a month</a>&nbsp;after the agency said it would begin garnishing wages by sending notices to roughly 1,000 borrowers in default the first full week of January, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-delays-involuntary-collections-amid-ongoing-student-loan-repayment-improvements" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;that the temporary delay would allow it to implement “major student loan repayment reforms” under Republicans’ tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025.

The delay would “give borrowers more options to repay their loans,” the department said.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear from the announcement how long the pause would last.&nbsp;

Education Secretary Linda McMahon signaled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/AsuO9zf7WxY?t=685s" target="_blank">earlier this week</a>&nbsp;during the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/01/12/us-education-secretary-promotes-returning-school-autonomy-to-states/" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;portion of her Returning Education to the States Tour that wage garnishment has been “put on pause for a bit.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The agency resumed collections for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-restart-defaulted-student-loan-collections" target="_blank">defaulted federal student loans</a>&nbsp;in May after a pause that began during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A borrower can have their wages garnished as a consequence of defaulting on their loans, and a loanholder can order an employer to withhold up to 15% of their disposable pay to collect defaulted debt without being taken to court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-wage-garnishment" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid</a>, an office of the Education Department.

The delay also applies to the Treasury Offset Program, which “allows the federal government to collect income tax refunds and certain government benefits (for example, Social Security benefits) from individuals who owe debts to the federal government,” per&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/offset" target="_blank">FSA</a>.&nbsp;

Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers, said in a Friday statement that “after months of pressure and countless horror stories from borrowers, the Trump Administration says it has abandoned plans to snatch working people’s hard-earned money directly from their paychecks and tax refunds simply for falling behind on their student loans.”&nbsp;

“Amidst the growing affordability crisis, the Administration’s plans would have been economically reckless and would have risked pushing nearly 9 million defaulted borrowers even further into debt,” she added, while pointing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-analysis-finds-that-a-student-loan-borrower-defaulted-every-nine-seconds-in-2025-as-trump-restarts-wage-garnishment/" target="_blank">Jan. 7 letter</a>&nbsp;from Protect Borrowers and other organizations calling on McMahon to “immediately halt its plan to resume garnishment of millions of struggling borrowers’ wages.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768689690412.png" alt="U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon takes in a selection of grade school students’ patriotic artworks and high schoolers’ recent output in a special installation set up at Exeter-West Greenwich Regional Junior High and High School in Rhode Island on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon takes in a selection of grade school students’ patriotic artworks and high schoolers’ recent output in a special installation set up at Exeter-West Greenwich Regional Junior High and High School in Rhode Island on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education, for now, is backtracking on plans to garnish wages and seize tax refunds of student loan borrowers in default, the department announced Friday.<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-garnish-wages-defaulted-student-loans" target="_blank">Less than a month</a>&nbsp;after the agency said it would begin garnishing wages by sending notices to roughly 1,000 borrowers in default the first full week of January, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-delays-involuntary-collections-amid-ongoing-student-loan-repayment-improvements" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;that the temporary delay would allow it to implement “major student loan repayment reforms” under Republicans’ tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025.The delay would “give borrowers more options to repay their loans,” the department said.&nbsp;It was not immediately clear from the announcement how long the pause would last.&nbsp;Education Secretary Linda McMahon signaled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/AsuO9zf7WxY?t=685s" target="_blank">earlier this week</a>&nbsp;during the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/01/12/us-education-secretary-promotes-returning-school-autonomy-to-states/" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;portion of her Returning Education to the States Tour that wage garnishment has been “put on pause for a bit.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The agency resumed collections for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-restart-defaulted-student-loan-collections" target="_blank">defaulted federal student loans</a>&nbsp;in May after a pause that began during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.A borrower can have their wages garnished as a consequence of defaulting on their loans, and a loanholder can order an employer to withhold up to 15% of their disposable pay to collect defaulted debt without being taken to court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-wage-garnishment" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid</a>, an office of the Education Department.The delay also applies to the Treasury Offset Program, which “allows the federal government to collect income tax refunds and certain government benefits (for example, Social Security benefits) from individuals who owe debts to the federal government,” per&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/offset" target="_blank">FSA</a>.&nbsp;Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers, said in a Friday statement that “after months of pressure and countless horror stories from borrowers, the Trump Administration says it has abandoned plans to snatch working people’s hard-earned money directly from their paychecks and tax refunds simply for falling behind on their student loans.”&nbsp;“Amidst the growing affordability crisis, the Administration’s plans would have been economically reckless and would have risked pushing nearly 9 million defaulted borrowers even further into debt,” she added, while pointing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-analysis-finds-that-a-student-loan-borrower-defaulted-every-nine-seconds-in-2025-as-trump-restarts-wage-garnishment/" target="_blank">Jan. 7 letter</a>&nbsp;from Protect Borrowers and other organizations calling on McMahon to “immediately halt its plan to resume garnishment of millions of struggling borrowers’ wages.”

US Education Dept. delays plan to garnish wages of student borrowers in default

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 7800 block of 48th Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported the 1-story home was fully involved in fire. All residents were reported to be out of the house, and after performing searches, crews confirmed it was all clear

One occupant was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for burns sustained in the fire.&nbsp;

The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD and Bomb and Arson. &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768702275302.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 7800 block of 48th Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.On arrival, crews reported the 1-story home was fully involved in fire. All residents were reported to be out of the house, and after performing searches, crews confirmed it was all clearOne occupant was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for burns sustained in the fire.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD and Bomb and Arson. &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene.&nbsp;

One hospitalized after fire at home in Kansas City

DAMASCUS — U.S. forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria on Friday that resulted in the death of a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.

Additionally, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739746302792.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS — U.S. forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria on Friday that resulted in the death of a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.Additionally, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security.

U.S. forces kill Al-Qaeda affiliate leader linked to ISIS ambush on Americans

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Ford F150 driven by Craig&nbsp; Silvey, 37, Cherokee, was westbound on Kansas 126 approximately two and one half miles west of U.S. 69.

The pickup was passing multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed and&nbsp; collided&nbsp; head-on with an eastbound 2023 Chevy Malibu driven by Layla&nbsp; Sharbutt, 16, Girard.&nbsp; After impact the pickup traveled off the&nbsp;roadway to the north and rolled.

Silvey was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Sharbutt and a passenger in the Chevy identified as Heather&nbsp;Burgess, 48, Girard, to Pittsburg Mercy. Silvy was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the KHP.

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Saturday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Ford F150 driven by Craig&nbsp; Silvey, 37, Cherokee, was westbound on Kansas 126 approximately two and one half miles west of U.S. 69.The pickup was passing multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed and&nbsp; collided&nbsp; head-on with an eastbound 2023 Chevy Malibu driven by Layla&nbsp; Sharbutt, 16, Girard.&nbsp; After impact the pickup traveled off the&nbsp;roadway to the north and rolled.Silvey was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Sharbutt and a passenger in the Chevy identified as Heather&nbsp;Burgess, 48, Girard, to Pittsburg Mercy. Silvy was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dead, 16-year-old driver injured after head-on crash

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of killing his estranged wife is going to prison.

This week, 34-year-old Miguel Flores was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for at least 25-year-old, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

The sentence follows his conviction of first degree murder in the shooting death of his wife 23-year-old Loren Flores on November 21, 2022.

Detectives reported the couple were married, but in the process of a divorce when he shot her outside a residence.

Flores then fled the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later by police.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670279334296.png" alt="Flores photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Flores photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of killing his estranged wife is going to prison.This week, 34-year-old Miguel Flores was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for at least 25-year-old, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;The sentence follows his conviction of first degree murder in the shooting death of his wife 23-year-old Loren Flores on November 21, 2022.Detectives reported the couple were married, but in the process of a divorce when he shot her outside a residence.Flores then fled the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later by police.&nbsp;

Kansas man going to prison for killing his wife

KANSAS CITY– A member of the Los Valerosos Motorcycle Gang, a support club for the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of rival motorcycle club, according to the United State's Attorneyh.

Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 41, of East Ridge, Tn., pleaded guilty this week to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

On Sept. 17, 2022, Gattis and other members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo.&nbsp; Various members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.&nbsp; Gattis and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.

Under federal statutes, Gattis is subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to life 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. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI,&nbsp;<a></a>the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723844162274.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A member of the Los Valerosos Motorcycle Gang, a support club for the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of rival motorcycle club, according to the United State's Attorneyh.Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 41, of East Ridge, Tn., pleaded guilty this week to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.On Sept. 17, 2022, Gattis and other members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo.&nbsp; Various members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.&nbsp; Gattis and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.Under federal statutes, Gattis is subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to life 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. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI,&nbsp;<a></a>the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.&nbsp;

Biker gang member admits KC area armed assault against rival

LYON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Lyon County.

The Lyon County Sheriff's office reported a John Deere tractor driven by 78-year-old Kenneth DeDonder of Reading was eastbound in the 1700 Block of of Road 270 in rural Lyon County. The tractor struck a guardrail and overturned.

First responders&nbsp;located DeDonder still in the cab of the tractor. Emporia EMS was able to extricate him from the cab of the tractor. EMS and LifeSave personnel provided care for him. However, he was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.

LYON COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Lyon County.The Lyon County Sheriff's office reported a John Deere tractor driven by 78-year-old Kenneth DeDonder of Reading was eastbound in the 1700 Block of of Road 270 in rural Lyon County. The tractor struck a guardrail and overturned.First responders&nbsp;located DeDonder still in the cab of the tractor. Emporia EMS was able to extricate him from the cab of the tractor. EMS and LifeSave personnel provided care for him. However, he was pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who died in farm tractor accident

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in accident just after 3:30a.m. Saturday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by&nbsp;Hinman, Dakota Ray&nbsp;Hinman, 34, Parsons, was westbound on&nbsp;County Road 2800. The driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic at U.S. 169. A northbound 2025 Freightliner semi driven by Said&nbsp;Bouchelarm, 43, Lenexa, struck the pickup on the driver's side.

Hinman was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Bouchelarm was not transported for treatment.&nbsp; Hinman was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —One person died in accident just after 3:30a.m. Saturday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by&nbsp;Hinman, Dakota Ray&nbsp;Hinman, 34, Parsons, was westbound on&nbsp;County Road 2800. The driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic at U.S. 169. A northbound 2025 Freightliner semi driven by Said&nbsp;Bouchelarm, 43, Lenexa, struck the pickup on the driver's side.Hinman was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Bouchelarm was not transported for treatment.&nbsp; Hinman was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.