James Pointer was in his housing unit at the Moberly Correctional Center when the cap on a femoral catheter became dislodged

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

James Pointer’s life sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections ended abruptly last week when he bled to death from an opening in his leg used to administer dialysis treatments.

Pointer, 76, was housed at the Moberly Correctional Center, where the state prison agency keeps offenders with kidney disease because it has a dialysis center, department spokeswoman Karen Pojmann wrote in an email to The Independent.

Pointer was pronounced dead at 5:13 p.m. last Friday and “had been on dialysis for many years, had been incarcerated since 2009 and had been at Moberly Correctional Center for 10 years,” Pojmann wrote.

Pointer was sentenced to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=0822-CR03825-01&amp;inputVO.courtId=CT22#charges" target="_blank">life in prison without parole</a>&nbsp;in 2009 after pleading guilty in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/former-dps-principal-murdered/73-342958055" target="_blank">murder of his estranged wife</a>&nbsp;in St. Louis.

An autopsy has been ordered, local law enforcement was notified and an investigation of the death is underway, Pojmann wrote.

Pojmann did not share any information regarding the manner of Pointer’s death. The Independent learned how he died from Déna Notz, a former corrections officer who founded an organization called Collectively Changing Corrections. Notz shared an email from a man incarcerated at the Moberly prison who saw Pointer bleeding.

“Friday night I witnessed a man I loved, James Pointer, a Vietnam veteran, bleed out from his femoral artery on a cold, dirty prison floor,” the inmate wrote. “It took medical so long to get to him that he died.”

“It doesn’t surprise me because of all the stuff I hear,” she said,“but I still cannot believe that something like this happened.”&nbsp;

The description of events was confirmed by Tammy Mogab, a woman whose brother Shawn Scrivens is an insulin-dependent diabetic housed at the Moberly prison. Scrivens told a Phelps County judge he had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/tony-messenger/messenger-missouri-man-pleads-guilty-because-he-doesn-t-want-to-die-in-a-county/article_6284eb18-7352-11ee-8516-1fcd5d1a2d33.html" target="_blank">not received an insulin shot in 124 days</a>&nbsp;when he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Mogab said she spoke to her brother on the telephone on Saturday as well as other men incarcerated at the prison.

“There are witnesses to the death of Mr. Pointer,”&nbsp; Mogab said, “and now all the dialysis patients are afraid to take their treatments.”

The Randolph County Ambulance District received an emergency call for the prison at 4:37 p.m. Friday and arrived on the scene at 4:49 p.m., district Superintendent Clay Joiner said.

“We did everything we could in this situation,” Joiner said.

Dialysis treats kidney failure and over time, preferred access points in a person’s arms can become scarred or otherwise unusable. A permanent catheter inserted into a blood vessel in the upper leg is a last-resort method.

Rapid bleeding can occur if the access port at the end of the tube becomes dislodged and there is no clamp to close off the tube.

The femoral artery is one of the largest in the human body. A person can bleed to death&nbsp;<a href="https://truerescue.com/blogs/knowledge/how-long-does-it-take-to-bleed-out-from-artery?srsltid=AfmBOorfNW_rbuszcmlUdMcgQ8B9fcaDz6QLvm2frF7sR-K9MDL_umXW" target="_blank">in 2 to 5 minutes</a>&nbsp;if no action is taken to staunch the flow of blood.

Joiner said he has responded to similar emergencies among dialysis patients in their homes.

“When your femoral artery is bleeding out, you have very little time,” Joiner said.

Randolph County Coroner Charlie Peel will rule on the cause of death for Pointer. He said that he is not ready to release any information about what he observed or was told by the department.

“We are in the middle of an investigation,” Peel said.

Many of the autopsies on people who die in the custody of the department are conducted at the Boone County Medical Examiner’s office in Columbia. Autopsy records obtained by The Independent for deaths at the Algoa and Jefferson City correctional centers show that in the past two years, the time elapsed from the date of the death to a completed report has ranged from 30 to more than 250 days.

There were 11 deaths at Moberly Correctional Center in 2024, fifth most among the 19 adult prisons operated by the department. The prison system recorded 139 deaths in 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/14/missouri-prison-deaths-increase-bringing-renewed-calls-for-scrutiny/">highest number of deaths in custody</a>&nbsp;in its history.

The inmate who wrote to Notz stated that it was the fourth time in the past month that Pointer’s access point opened. He blamed medical staff working for contractor Centurion Health, not department officers.

“How inept does a nurse have to be, does a company have to be, to allow this man to bleed out of an open artery four times in one month?” the inmate wrote. “DOC staff is not to blame for this atrocity.&nbsp; Medical staff is responsible and they alone must pay.”

Health care in Missouri’s prisons is performed by Centurion Health under a contract, recently renegotiated, that pays the company&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/30/missouri-supplemental-budget-shows-shortfall-in-medicaid-education-funding/">$21.65 per day</a>&nbsp;for each person in custody.&nbsp;

The state will pay Centurion approximately $203 million in the coming fiscal year, an increase of about 11% from the previous rate.

Centurion did not respond to telephone and email messages seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738926865477.png" alt="James Pointer, who died Jan. 31 at the Moberly Correctional Center when a problem developed with a femoral catheter for dialysis treatment. Pointer, 76, was serving life without parole for a 2008 murder (Department of Corrections photo)." />
 <figcaption>James Pointer, who died Jan. 31 at the Moberly Correctional Center when a problem developed with a femoral catheter for dialysis treatment. Pointer, 76, was serving life without parole for a 2008 murder (Department of Corrections photo).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>James Pointer was in his housing unit at the Moberly Correctional Center when the cap on a femoral catheter became dislodged</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>James Pointer’s life sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections ended abruptly last week when he bled to death from an opening in his leg used to administer dialysis treatments.Pointer, 76, was housed at the Moberly Correctional Center, where the state prison agency keeps offenders with kidney disease because it has a dialysis center, department spokeswoman Karen Pojmann wrote in an email to The Independent.Pointer was pronounced dead at 5:13 p.m. last Friday and “had been on dialysis for many years, had been incarcerated since 2009 and had been at Moberly Correctional Center for 10 years,” Pojmann wrote.Pointer was sentenced to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=0822-CR03825-01&amp;inputVO.courtId=CT22#charges" target="_blank">life in prison without parole</a>&nbsp;in 2009 after pleading guilty in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/former-dps-principal-murdered/73-342958055" target="_blank">murder of his estranged wife</a>&nbsp;in St. Louis.An autopsy has been ordered, local law enforcement was notified and an investigation of the death is underway, Pojmann wrote.Pojmann did not share any information regarding the manner of Pointer’s death. The Independent learned how he died from Déna Notz, a former corrections officer who founded an organization called Collectively Changing Corrections. Notz shared an email from a man incarcerated at the Moberly prison who saw Pointer bleeding.“Friday night I witnessed a man I loved, James Pointer, a Vietnam veteran, bleed out from his femoral artery on a cold, dirty prison floor,” the inmate wrote. “It took medical so long to get to him that he died.”The email was chilling, Notz said.“It doesn’t surprise me because of all the stuff I hear,” she said,“but I still cannot believe that something like this happened.”&nbsp;The description of events was confirmed by Tammy Mogab, a woman whose brother Shawn Scrivens is an insulin-dependent diabetic housed at the Moberly prison. Scrivens told a Phelps County judge he had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/tony-messenger/messenger-missouri-man-pleads-guilty-because-he-doesn-t-want-to-die-in-a-county/article_6284eb18-7352-11ee-8516-1fcd5d1a2d33.html" target="_blank">not received an insulin shot in 124 days</a>&nbsp;when he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.Mogab said she spoke to her brother on the telephone on Saturday as well as other men incarcerated at the prison.“There are witnesses to the death of Mr. Pointer,”&nbsp; Mogab said, “and now all the dialysis patients are afraid to take their treatments.”The Randolph County Ambulance District received an emergency call for the prison at 4:37 p.m. Friday and arrived on the scene at 4:49 p.m., district Superintendent Clay Joiner said.“We did everything we could in this situation,” Joiner said.Dialysis treats kidney failure and over time, preferred access points in a person’s arms can become scarred or otherwise unusable. A permanent catheter inserted into a blood vessel in the upper leg is a last-resort method.Rapid bleeding can occur if the access port at the end of the tube becomes dislodged and there is no clamp to close off the tube.The femoral artery is one of the largest in the human body. A person can bleed to death&nbsp;<a href="https://truerescue.com/blogs/knowledge/how-long-does-it-take-to-bleed-out-from-artery?srsltid=AfmBOorfNW_rbuszcmlUdMcgQ8B9fcaDz6QLvm2frF7sR-K9MDL_umXW" target="_blank">in 2 to 5 minutes</a>&nbsp;if no action is taken to staunch the flow of blood.Joiner said he has responded to similar emergencies among dialysis patients in their homes.“When your femoral artery is bleeding out, you have very little time,” Joiner said.Randolph County Coroner Charlie Peel will rule on the cause of death for Pointer. He said that he is not ready to release any information about what he observed or was told by the department.“We are in the middle of an investigation,” Peel said.Many of the autopsies on people who die in the custody of the department are conducted at the Boone County Medical Examiner’s office in Columbia. Autopsy records obtained by The Independent for deaths at the Algoa and Jefferson City correctional centers show that in the past two years, the time elapsed from the date of the death to a completed report has ranged from 30 to more than 250 days.There were 11 deaths at Moberly Correctional Center in 2024, fifth most among the 19 adult prisons operated by the department. The prison system recorded 139 deaths in 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/14/missouri-prison-deaths-increase-bringing-renewed-calls-for-scrutiny/">highest number of deaths in custody</a>&nbsp;in its history.The inmate who wrote to Notz stated that it was the fourth time in the past month that Pointer’s access point opened. He blamed medical staff working for contractor Centurion Health, not department officers.“How inept does a nurse have to be, does a company have to be, to allow this man to bleed out of an open artery four times in one month?” the inmate wrote. “DOC staff is not to blame for this atrocity.&nbsp; Medical staff is responsible and they alone must pay.”Health care in Missouri’s prisons is performed by Centurion Health under a contract, recently renegotiated, that pays the company&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/30/missouri-supplemental-budget-shows-shortfall-in-medicaid-education-funding/">$21.65 per day</a>&nbsp;for each person in custody.&nbsp;The state will pay Centurion approximately $203 million in the coming fiscal year, an increase of about 11% from the previous rate.Centurion did not respond to telephone and email messages seeking comment.

Inmate on dialysis bleeds to death while serving life sentence in Missouri prison

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a home in Topeka.

Just after 2:30 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported two-story house fire at 1110 NE Monroe Street in Topeka, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols. First crews on the scene found smoke and flames coming from the home and were able to extinguish the fire, keeping it contained to the house where it originated.

&nbsp;Investigators determined&nbsp; the fire started in the attic.&nbsp; There were no injuries. The total estimated loss is approximately $30,000, with $20,000 associated with structural loss and $10,000 associated with content loss. The home did not have working smoke detectors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738927479729.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a home in Topeka.Just after 2:30 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported two-story house fire at 1110 NE Monroe Street in Topeka, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols. First crews on the scene found smoke and flames coming from the home and were able to extinguish the fire, keeping it contained to the house where it originated.&nbsp;Investigators determined&nbsp; the fire started in the attic.&nbsp; There were no injuries. The total estimated loss is approximately $30,000, with $20,000 associated with structural loss and $10,000 associated with content loss. The home did not have working smoke detectors.

$30,000 damage after fire at Kansas home

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Kansas City, Kansas Police Officers respond to approximately 320 calls daily, never knowing exactly what they will encounter, according to a media release from the department.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, a “routine” call for service resulted in the seizure of weapons and illegal drugs, with multiple individuals taken into custody. 

"While the call was anything but routine, it is the routine schedule of trainings which officers are required to take annually that allowed them to close out this potentially dangerous call without incident or injury to anyone involved."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738772008558.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Kansas City, Kansas Police Officers respond to approximately 320 calls daily, never knowing exactly what they will encounter, according to a media release from the department.&nbsp;On Tuesday, a “routine” call for service resulted in the seizure of weapons and illegal drugs, with multiple individuals taken into custody. "While the call was anything but routine, it is the routine schedule of trainings which officers are required to take annually that allowed them to close out this potentially dangerous call without incident or injury to anyone involved."

Kan. officers seize weapons, drugs during 'routine call'

The Kansas City Chiefs are going for an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title when they face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. It's a rematch of a championship game from two years ago that Kansas City won in Arizona. Among the first elected officials from Kansas to announce a friendly wager is Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach.

The Kansas City Chiefs are going for an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title when they face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. It's a rematch of a championship game from two years ago that Kansas City won in Arizona. Among the first elected officials from Kansas to announce a friendly wager is Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">To my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/PAAttorneyGen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PAAttorneyGen</a> Dave Sunday, I propose a gentlemen&#39;s bet on the Big Game. May the best team, the <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>, win. <a href="https://t.co/oIGU0GUlf9">pic.twitter.com/oIGU0GUlf9</a>&mdash; Kansas AG&#39;s Office (@KSAGOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSAGOffice/status/1887524104330240256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Kansas AG announces friendly Super Bowl wager

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported an eastbound train struck a 2002 Toyota Tacoma driven by Adam P. Foster, 51, Rossville, that was&nbsp;stopped facing north on the railroad tracks just north of 94th Road on a Private drive.

Foster was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Forensic Medical.&nbsp; There were no injuries on the train. Foster was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; &nbsp;The patrol had no additional details on why the driver was at that location at the time of the accident.

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported an eastbound train struck a 2002 Toyota Tacoma driven by Adam P. Foster, 51, Rossville, that was&nbsp;stopped facing north on the railroad tracks just north of 94th Road on a Private drive.Foster was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Forensic Medical.&nbsp; There were no injuries on the train. Foster was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; &nbsp;The patrol had no additional details on why the driver was at that location at the time of the accident.

KHP investigating a fatal train, pickup crash

Wendell Payton, the man accused in fatal fire that killed 32-year-old Kelsey Payton, and a juvenile made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Thursday and was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson and one count of aggravated endangering a child, and two counts of interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

Court records show that Payton is alleged to have concealed, destroyed or altered evidence. &nbsp;Records also show that he gave false information when questioned by police. &nbsp;

&nbsp;Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Saturday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home in the 1000 block of East 3rd Street in Hutchinson with possible people trapped, according to a media release.

First responders&nbsp; located four individuals at the residence. Two of the individuals 32-year-old Kalsey M. Payton and one juvenile female were found deceased. The other two individuals 37-year-old Wendell Payton and one juvenile female, were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and later to Saint Francis in Wichita. The girl&nbsp; was later released from the hospital. Police arrested Payton.

He has a bond modification hearing scheduled for Friday and a waiver status hearing on March 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738764384897.png" alt="Payton -photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Payton -photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostWendell Payton, the man accused in fatal fire that killed 32-year-old Kelsey Payton, and a juvenile made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Thursday and was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson and one count of aggravated endangering a child, and two counts of interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;Court records show that Payton is alleged to have concealed, destroyed or altered evidence. &nbsp;Records also show that he gave false information when questioned by police. &nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Saturday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home in the 1000 block of East 3rd Street in Hutchinson with possible people trapped, according to a media release.First responders&nbsp; located four individuals at the residence. Two of the individuals 32-year-old Kalsey M. Payton and one juvenile female were found deceased. The other two individuals 37-year-old Wendell Payton and one juvenile female, were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and later to Saint Francis in Wichita. The girl&nbsp; was later released from the hospital. Police arrested Payton.He has a bond modification hearing scheduled for Friday and a waiver status hearing on March 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. man accused in fire that killed woman, child makes court appearance

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

Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 6900 block of Eastwood Trafficway, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived on scene, they located a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital with critical injuries. 

While on scene, officers were notified an additional man had arrived to an area hospital by private vehicle and suffering from critical gunshot injuries.

Detectives were notified just before 1a.m. that the adult male victim who had arrived at the hospital by private vehicle had died, according to&nbsp; Gonzalez.

Preliminary investigation indicates a verbal argument ensued between several individuals and that argument escalated to gunfire. Detectives have made progress in identifying a person of interest.Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility of the case.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 6900 block of Eastwood Trafficway, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived on scene, they located a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to an area hospital with critical injuries. While on scene, officers were notified an additional man had arrived to an area hospital by private vehicle and suffering from critical gunshot injuries.Detectives were notified just before 1a.m. that the adult male victim who had arrived at the hospital by private vehicle had died, according to&nbsp; Gonzalez.Preliminary investigation indicates a verbal argument ensued between several individuals and that argument escalated to gunfire. Detectives have made progress in identifying a person of interest.Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility of the case.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name.

KCPD: Man dead, another critically injured after gun fight

KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County jury convicted a Kansas City man of two felonies in connection with a shooting that injured two people in Westport last year, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

The jury convicted 28-year-old Deion D. Crum with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Armed Criminal Action. He faces a minimum 20-year sentence based on his prior convictions.

On February 11, 2024, Kansas City police were dispatched to a shooting at the intersection of Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard, according to court records.

First responders found a victim suffering a gunshot wound. Ten minutes later, another gunshot wound victim from the scene and Crum arrived at local hospitals for treatment for their gunshot injuries.

Based on video obtained from the scene, a man wearing the same clothing and shoes as Crum punched one of the victims before there is an exchange of gunfire between them. Crum is also seen on video shooting at both victims and was the primary aggressor in the physical altercation preceding the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737991898083.png" alt="Crum photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Crum photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County jury convicted a Kansas City man of two felonies in connection with a shooting that injured two people in Westport last year, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.The jury convicted 28-year-old Deion D. Crum with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Armed Criminal Action. He faces a minimum 20-year sentence based on his prior convictions.On February 11, 2024, Kansas City police were dispatched to a shooting at the intersection of Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard, according to court records.First responders found a victim suffering a gunshot wound. Ten minutes later, another gunshot wound victim from the scene and Crum arrived at local hospitals for treatment for their gunshot injuries.Based on video obtained from the scene, a man wearing the same clothing and shoes as Crum punched one of the victims before there is an exchange of gunfire between them. Crum is also seen on video shooting at both victims and was the primary aggressor in the physical altercation preceding the shooting.

Security video shows man punching victim before KC Westport shooting

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

Missouri teens were less interested in cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana in 2024 than in previous years.

Vapes were the most reported among teens when asked what they had used in the last 30 days, with 9.1% of respondents saying they used one.

The results of the state Department of Mental Health’s Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://dmh.mo.gov/sites/dmh/files/media/pdf/2024/08/mss-2024-report-final_0.pdf" target="_blank">Student Survey&nbsp;</a>were welcome news to substance use prevention experts across the state.

“Things are trending in a good direction,” said Chris Davis, the vice president of prevention and youth support at the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, a prevention resource network in southwest Missouri.

“The concern and challenge with that is when people start seeing things get better, they want to stop doing the prevention,” Davis said. “Prevention isn’t a one-and-done. It’s something that we continue.”

While some metrics improved, others worsened. Prescription drug use and use of over-the-counter medicines rose in 2024. And teens reported using things like marijuana or cigarettes at younger ages than in previous years. Because the dataset was so large and weighted to match statewide demographics, the Department of Mental Health said in their report, these changes shouldn’t be analyzed as statistically significant over time.

Cigarettes and nicotine use in Missouri&nbsp;

Over time, cigarette use is decreasing among teens in Missouri, but the state still ranks higher than the national average. In Missouri, 11% of teens surveyed said they had used a vape or cigarette in the last 30 days, compared to 8.1% of teens nationally.

National data show that teens seem to be moving away from e-cigarette use. In 2024, 1.63 million teens said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey#:~:text=The%20findings%20showed%20current%20e,and%201.8%25%20in%202024)." target="_blank">nationwide tobacco use</a>&nbsp;survey that they used e-cigarettes once or more during the past 30 days, down from 2.13 million in 2023.

Nationally, 8.1% of all students reported current use of tobacco products. Among high school students, the rate was just above 10%. In Missouri, most teens reported getting cigarettes, vapes or e-cigarettes from a friend.

Tobacco vaping devices on the market today use stronger concentrations of nicotine. Popular vapes can have the nicotine content of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/12/429131/believe-it-or-not-1-vape-has-20-cigarettes-worth-nicotine" target="_blank">600 cigarettes.</a>&nbsp;Vapes also use acids called salts, which reduce things like throat burning and coughing.

“There’s a lot of misinformation that contributes to the belief that [vaping] is safe and a good alternative,” Davis said.

Davis and the Community Partnership of the Ozarks led a program to place vape drop boxes in high schools across Springfield in an effort to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2024/01/29/teen-vaping-major-issue-ozarks-what-one-local-organization-is-doing-curb-problem/" target="_blank">reduce their usage</a>.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that vaping was highest among high school students from 2018 to 2020, when nearly 20% of students reported using them. The rate has fallen over the past few years.

Researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10134143/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20significant%20associations%20were%20found,reportedly%20higher%20among%20EC%20users." target="_blank">looked at studies</a>&nbsp;from the U.S., Australia, South Korea and European countries and found that there were significant links between mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidal ideation, among current youth users of electronic cigarettes.

Across the studies, impulsive behaviors were also associated with electronic cigarette use.

The American Lung Association’s 2025 State of Tobacco Control gave Missouri poor rankings for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lung.org/research/sotc/state-grades/missouri" target="_blank">most of its metrics</a>. Missouri received an “F” for tobacco prevention and cessation funding, tobacco taxes and access to flavored tobacco products. Missouri received a “C” for access to cessation services.

The group recommended Missouri increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco or nicotine products. Research shows that if youth use e-cigarettes or vapes, they’re more likely to use cigarettes in the future.

Teens report less alcohol, marijuana usage&nbsp;

The student survey found that alcohol had the highest lifetime usage of any substance among teens in Missouri. Overall, usage fell from previous surveys. Nearly 20% of teens reported drinking alcohol over time, less than than the national average of 22.3%.

Of teens who had said they’d consumed alcohol in the last month, about 24% said they had less than one drink.

For Davis, alcohol use among teens is still the biggest problem to tackle.

“Alcohol is still the number one drug problem for our youth. It’s not the one that’s the hot topic,” Davis said. “Underage drinking is still the number one drug problem that we have in youth who are in treatment.”

Two years after Missouri voters approved recreational use of marijuana, teens in the state reported their use dropped slightly. But a higher percentage of teens said that occasional use posed no risk at all, compared to other substances.

About half of teens who responded to the survey said alcohol was easy to obtain, while one-third said marijuana was easy for them to get.

Legalization of recreational marijuana has made accessing it easier and softened the public’s perception of the risk, Davis said.

“Because of legalization, there’s a lot of information talking about how it is a medicine and it’s safe and things like that,” Davis said. “All of that contributes to you thinking, ‘What’s the big deal?’”

Missouri trends lower than the national average when it comes to marijuana use among teens, with 7.3% of Missouri teens saying they had used marijuana in the last 30 days, compared to 11.5% of teens nationwide.

Prescription drug, over-the-counter medication use rises&nbsp;

Prescription drug use rose slightly from 2022, but is still down dramatically from 2016, when 10.6% of surveyed teens said they had used prescription drugs in the last month. In 2024, 1.6% of teens surveyed said they had used prescription drugs.

Pain medication was the most misused, followed by anxiety medication and sleeping medication. Teens reported getting access to the medications from a family member 51% of the time.

“That’s simply because the medications are easily, more easily available, like that in the medicine cabinet,” Davis said.

The Community Partnership of the Ozarks has a medication lockbox program which allows families to safely store their medications at home.

It is one of many methods they are pursuing when it comes to preventing substance misuse in the community.

“We just have to do lots of strategies at different times in different ways,” Davis said. “Time and time again, when you let your foot off the gas, things get worse.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/04/missouri-teens-nicotine-vapes-cigarettes-alcohol-2024/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738853509729.png" alt="With cigarette ads on display, the Philips 66 gas station 59th and Troost is a few hundred feet from Troost Elementary School in Kansas City (Chase Castor/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>With cigarette ads on display, the Philips 66 gas station 59th and Troost is a few hundred feet from Troost Elementary School in Kansas City (Chase Castor/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a>Missouri teens were less interested in cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana in 2024 than in previous years.Vapes were the most reported among teens when asked what they had used in the last 30 days, with 9.1% of respondents saying they used one.The results of the state Department of Mental Health’s Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://dmh.mo.gov/sites/dmh/files/media/pdf/2024/08/mss-2024-report-final_0.pdf" target="_blank">Student Survey&nbsp;</a>were welcome news to substance use prevention experts across the state.“Things are trending in a good direction,” said Chris Davis, the vice president of prevention and youth support at the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, a prevention resource network in southwest Missouri.“The concern and challenge with that is when people start seeing things get better, they want to stop doing the prevention,” Davis said. “Prevention isn’t a one-and-done. It’s something that we continue.”While some metrics improved, others worsened. Prescription drug use and use of over-the-counter medicines rose in 2024. And teens reported using things like marijuana or cigarettes at younger ages than in previous years. Because the dataset was so large and weighted to match statewide demographics, the Department of Mental Health said in their report, these changes shouldn’t be analyzed as statistically significant over time.<h2>Cigarettes and nicotine use in Missouri&nbsp;</h2>Over time, cigarette use is decreasing among teens in Missouri, but the state still ranks higher than the national average. In Missouri, 11% of teens surveyed said they had used a vape or cigarette in the last 30 days, compared to 8.1% of teens nationally.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738853328013.png" alt="Percentage of substance use among teens in last 30 days *no data was available for nationwide use of prescription drugs- Source Department of Mental Health Mental Health Missouri student survey- Meg Cunningham" />
 <figcaption>Percentage of substance use among teens in last 30 days *no data was available for nationwide use of prescription drugs- Source Department of Mental Health Mental Health Missouri student survey- Meg Cunningham</figcaption>
 </figure>National data show that teens seem to be moving away from e-cigarette use. In 2024, 1.63 million teens said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey#:~:text=The%20findings%20showed%20current%20e,and%201.8%25%20in%202024)." target="_blank">nationwide tobacco use</a>&nbsp;survey that they used e-cigarettes once or more during the past 30 days, down from 2.13 million in 2023.Nationally, 8.1% of all students reported current use of tobacco products. Among high school students, the rate was just above 10%. In Missouri, most teens reported getting cigarettes, vapes or e-cigarettes from a friend.Tobacco vaping devices on the market today use stronger concentrations of nicotine. Popular vapes can have the nicotine content of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/12/429131/believe-it-or-not-1-vape-has-20-cigarettes-worth-nicotine" target="_blank">600 cigarettes.</a>&nbsp;Vapes also use acids called salts, which reduce things like throat burning and coughing.“There’s a lot of misinformation that contributes to the belief that [vaping] is safe and a good alternative,” Davis said.Davis and the Community Partnership of the Ozarks led a program to place vape drop boxes in high schools across Springfield in an effort to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2024/01/29/teen-vaping-major-issue-ozarks-what-one-local-organization-is-doing-curb-problem/" target="_blank">reduce their usage</a>.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that vaping was highest among high school students from 2018 to 2020, when nearly 20% of students reported using them. The rate has fallen over the past few years.Researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10134143/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20significant%20associations%20were%20found,reportedly%20higher%20among%20EC%20users." target="_blank">looked at studies</a>&nbsp;from the U.S., Australia, South Korea and European countries and found that there were significant links between mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidal ideation, among current youth users of electronic cigarettes.Across the studies, impulsive behaviors were also associated with electronic cigarette use.The American Lung Association’s 2025 State of Tobacco Control gave Missouri poor rankings for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lung.org/research/sotc/state-grades/missouri" target="_blank">most of its metrics</a>. Missouri received an “F” for tobacco prevention and cessation funding, tobacco taxes and access to flavored tobacco products. Missouri received a “C” for access to cessation services.The group recommended Missouri increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco or nicotine products. Research shows that if youth use e-cigarettes or vapes, they’re more likely to use cigarettes in the future.<h2>Teens report less alcohol, marijuana usage&nbsp;</h2>The student survey found that alcohol had the highest lifetime usage of any substance among teens in Missouri. Overall, usage fell from previous surveys. Nearly 20% of teens reported drinking alcohol over time, less than than the national average of 22.3%.Of teens who had said they’d consumed alcohol in the last month, about 24% said they had less than one drink.For Davis, alcohol use among teens is still the biggest problem to tackle.“Alcohol is still the number one drug problem for our youth. It’s not the one that’s the hot topic,” Davis said. “Underage drinking is still the number one drug problem that we have in youth who are in treatment.”Two years after Missouri voters approved recreational use of marijuana, teens in the state reported their use dropped slightly. But a higher percentage of teens said that occasional use posed no risk at all, compared to other substances.About half of teens who responded to the survey said alcohol was easy to obtain, while one-third said marijuana was easy for them to get.Legalization of recreational marijuana has made accessing it easier and softened the public’s perception of the risk, Davis said.“Because of legalization, there’s a lot of information talking about how it is a medicine and it’s safe and things like that,” Davis said. “All of that contributes to you thinking, ‘What’s the big deal?’”Missouri trends lower than the national average when it comes to marijuana use among teens, with 7.3% of Missouri teens saying they had used marijuana in the last 30 days, compared to 11.5% of teens nationwide.<h2>Prescription drug, over-the-counter medication use rises&nbsp;</h2>Prescription drug use rose slightly from 2022, but is still down dramatically from 2016, when 10.6% of surveyed teens said they had used prescription drugs in the last month. In 2024, 1.6% of teens surveyed said they had used prescription drugs.Pain medication was the most misused, followed by anxiety medication and sleeping medication. Teens reported getting access to the medications from a family member 51% of the time.“That’s simply because the medications are easily, more easily available, like that in the medicine cabinet,” Davis said.The Community Partnership of the Ozarks has a medication lockbox program which allows families to safely store their medications at home.It is one of many methods they are pursuing when it comes to preventing substance misuse in the community.“We just have to do lots of strategies at different times in different ways,” Davis said. “Time and time again, when you let your foot off the gas, things get worse.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/04/missouri-teens-nicotine-vapes-cigarettes-alcohol-2024/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Cigarettes, alcohol use dropping among Missouri teens

WASHINGTON — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran had a special request Monday night for a former Senate colleague and new Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Moran who has always supported sending Kansas wheat and other grains to countries in need&nbsp; wrote on social media, " I urge Secretary Rubio to distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stalled in U.S. ports to reach those in need.

Time is running out before this life-saving aid perishes."

Moran was the co-founder of the Senate Hunger Caucus. "The caucus&nbsp;raises awareness about issues surrounding hunger, including the importance of international food aid programs and agriculture research and development initiatives to end hunger and promote stability in the world," according to a statement on the senator's web site.

WASHINGTON — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran had a special request Monday night for a former Senate colleague and new Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Moran who has always supported sending Kansas wheat and other grains to countries in need&nbsp; wrote on social media, " I urge Secretary Rubio to distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stalled in U.S. ports to reach those in need.

Time is running out before this life-saving aid perishes."Moran was the co-founder of the Senate Hunger Caucus. "The caucus&nbsp;raises awareness about issues surrounding hunger, including the importance of international food aid programs and agriculture research and development initiatives to end hunger and promote stability in the world," according to a statement on the senator's web site.

Kan. U.S. Senator asks Sec. of State to take action on food distribution

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement continue their search for a suspect in a Kansas bank robbery.

Just after 9:30a.m. on Jan. 31, a suspect described as a man approximately 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, a neon mask and sunglasses entered the U.S. Bank, 10959 Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the FBI. The suspect displayed a handgun and demanded money.

He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

&nbsp;Approximately ten minutes before the robbery, police in Kansas City, Kansas received an anonymous call reporting a man with a gun at an elementary school just east of the bank.&nbsp; The schools were briefly placed on lockdown.&nbsp; Officers determined there was no threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738808549262.png" alt="Security camera image FBI" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement continue their search for a suspect in a Kansas bank robbery.Just after 9:30a.m. on Jan. 31, a suspect described as a man approximately 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, a neon mask and sunglasses entered the U.S. Bank, 10959 Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the FBI. The suspect displayed a handgun and demanded money.He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.&nbsp;Approximately ten minutes before the robbery, police in Kansas City, Kansas received an anonymous call reporting a man with a gun at an elementary school just east of the bank.&nbsp; The schools were briefly placed on lockdown.&nbsp; Officers determined there was no threat.---------

Search continues for Kan. bank robbery suspect connected to school threat

NCAA President Charlie Baker issued the following statement Wednesday regarding President Donald Trump's executive order that inntended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women’s sports.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes. We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard.

"The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration. The Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses for all student-athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student-athletes affected by changes in the policy."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518230646.jpeg" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NCAA President Charlie Baker issued the following statement Wednesday regarding President Donald Trump's executive order that inntended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women’s sports.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738791483165.png" alt="President Trump signed the order during a White House ceremony Wednesday-image White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump signed the order during a White House ceremony Wednesday-image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;"The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes. We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard."The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration. The Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses for all student-athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student-athletes affected by changes in the policy."

NCAA responds to Trump's No Men in Women's Sports Executive Order

The federal government is by far Kansas City’s largest employer and a major economic engine. Experts warn the region’s economy will feel the pain when jobs disappear

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

Almost 30,000 federal employees in the Kansas City area are caught in the chaos that has defined President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

So far, the Trump administration has reinstituted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-accountability-to-policy-influencing-positions-within-the-federal-workforce/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;making it easier to fire federal employees. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;remote workers to return to the office. Federal agencies have been placed under a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze/" target="_blank">hiring freeze</a>. And most civilian employees have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork" target="_blank">emailed</a>&nbsp;a buyout offer that experts agree has tenuous legal standing.

“The federal workforce,” the Jan. 28 email to employees said, “should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work. Employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.”

The email, headlined “Fork in the Road,” promised “restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force. These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status of a substantial number of federal employees.”

“It’s pretty gross,” said one federal employee in Kansas City who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. “I went so far as to change my voter registration” from Democrat to independent.

He said he hoped that could spare him from a potential loyalty sweep that might use party affiliation as a metric.

“I knew this would probably happen,” said another local federal employee who also asked not to be named. “But in the first week he was in office?”

Federal job cuts will have ‘outsized impact’

While federal workers brace for more changes and fear for their livelihoods, economists warn that any major reduction in federal jobs — and the inevitable disruptions in government services that follow — could be devastating to Kansas City’s economy.

“It can cascade really easily,” said Chris Kuehl, co-founder of Armada Corporate Intelligence.

Since the Truman administration, the federal government has played a major role in the Kansas City area’s economic health. With 29,883 federal employees here, the federal government is by far the metro’s largest employer, accounting for about 3% of overall employment. And that figure doesn’t include contract workers or private companies that depend on federal contracts to do business.

The Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Social Security Administration, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the General Services Administration are just some of the federal agencies that have a regional presence.

“Even a small adjustment in the federal workforce will have an outsized impact on the economy,” said Brent Never, an associate professor of public affairs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://bloch.umkc.edu/bloch-lead-scholars/index.html?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=visionpoint_blochleadscholars_pros&amp;utm_content=branded&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAqfe8BhBwEiwAsne6gZDfZ9PwXvRvMdE7Uk79jXOOxORKMMOUwvk6fjO4Ih0ElUuyxX5VSxoCcIcQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Henry W. Bloch School of Management</a>&nbsp;at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Federal employees tend to be fairly well paid and their salaries are fueled by money coming from outside the community, making them even more valuable in economic terms. Federal workers spend at stores and restaurants, and on services inside the community.

Frank Lenk, director of economic research at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/" target="_blank">Mid-America Regional Council</a>, estimates that each federal job, and the income it creates, fuels another job in the region. That means if 3,000 federal jobs permanently went away, Kansas City’s economy could lose about 6,000 workers overall.

“From an impact standpoint,” Lenk said, “those are powerful jobs.”

Federal workforce feels growing uncertainty

Before Jan. 20, the federal government’s approximately 3 million civilian employees probably would have said that they enjoyed job security.

But then came President Trump’s hiring freeze, his promises to slash jobs and his executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;requiring every employee to return to the office or get fired.

The Kansas City federal worker who said he changed his voter party affiliation out of fear of being fired said he took his government job because of its benefits — especially the benefit of working remotely.

Only going into the office once a week means he can be around when his kids get home from school. He saves an hour a day not having to commute, which gives him time to cook, rather than having to pay to eat out. And he avoids other ancillary expenses like parking and extra child care. Parking alone, he estimates, will run thousands of dollars a year if he has to return to the office full time.

“You’re not making a lot in pay being a federal employee,” he said, “but that one benefit of being able to telework means everything.”

Diana Hicks, a national vice president with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afge.org/" target="_blank">American Federation of Government Employees</a>&nbsp;(AFGE) who oversees a district that includes Missouri and Kansas, said the union is fighting against the return-to-work order.

Many employees were hired with the promise of remote positions. And the benefit is baked into many of the union’s collective bargaining agreements, she said.

“They’re altering a condition of employment,” Hicks said.

The union is also advising its members to beware of the “deferred resignation” offer thousands of employees received on Jan. 28 in an email that came directly to employees from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Normally, communication from the government’s top personnel office would be filtered through individual agencies.

The “Fork in the Road”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork" target="_blank">memo</a>, which had the same title and highly similar content as one that Twitter employees received from tech billionaire Elon Musk in 2022, read more like a scene from “Severance,” the dystopian TV show, than an HR memo.

It offered employees the chance to resign now, but retain pay and benefits until Sept. 30. It was sent to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel, U.S. Postal Service workers, and people working in the areas of immigration enforcement and national security.

Employees who decide to accept it need only reply to the email, adding the word “resign,” by Feb. 6.

“At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency,” the memo advised employees who don’t accept the resignation offer.

But accepting it, many legal experts warned, would come with no guarantees and many questions. For one thing, a continuing resolution currently funding the U.S. budget expires March 14, more than six months before the promised last paycheck. And that’s not the only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/breaking-down-opm-s--fork-in-the-road--email-to-federal-workers" target="_blank">legal hurdle</a>&nbsp;that could render the offer much less than promised, experts said.

Unions representing federal workers urged caution.

“There is not yet any evidence the administration can or will uphold its end of the bargain, that Congress will go along with this unilateral massive restructuring, or that appropriated funds can be used this way, among other issues that have been raised,” the National Treasury Employees Union told members in an email.

AFGE said the offer should not be viewed as voluntary.

“It is an attempt to get federal employees to resign,”&nbsp; said Hicks. “This is essentially a fast track, ‘You have a week to respond with no guarantee.’”

It is unclear how many employees have returned the email. But a&nbsp;<a href="https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/01/survey-most-feds-say-opms-resignation-offer-too-uncertain-to-accept/" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of 4,600 federal employees conducted by the Federal News Network found that three-quarters of respondents said they would decline.

Regardless of whether employees choose to leave, however, the Trump administration has promised a major overhaul of the civilian workforce and promised “restructurings, realignments and reductions in force.”

That means many of Kansas City’s federal employees are likely to end up on the job market. Kuehl said many will need training to easily fit into jobs currently available in private industry. So far, that doesn’t seem to be on the new administration’s to-do list.

Never, the UMKC professor, speculated that many of the federal employees who lose their jobs will face underemployment when they move to their next job.

“That has a large effect on a family’s wealth over time,” he said.

The federal downsizing could have economic implications beyond just the salaries that disappear. The services federal jobs provide will probably be disrupted, and that could also affect the region. If tax refunds are delayed, small-business or education loans go unprocessed or Social Security benefits aren’t paid, the effects will ripple through the economy.

On top of that, a raft of other executive orders have threatened federal funding to organizations across the region, creating widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/01/29/federal-funding-freeze-threat-causes-panic-in-kc-health-nonprofits/" target="_blank">uncertainty</a>.

The Trump administration may be betting that there’s enough bloat in the federal government to take out thousands of jobs without services being affected.

“That’s the open question,” Lenk said. “Can you have this kind of reduction and not have it significantly affect government services?”

And as for the administration’s stated goal to trim costs in order to cut the federal deficit, questions also exist about whether this plan will help.

Reducing the deficit may be a worthy goal, Never said, but cuts that cause disruptions in federal services and affect the economy could actually lead to bigger problems for the country than a large deficit.

“We have the most attractive debt because people know we’re good for it,” Never said. “But when the government becomes erratic, there start to be questions about our intent on paying our bills. That’s what would make our debt more expensive.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/03/kc-federal-workers-braces-for-job-cuts-as-trump-plans-purge/" 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.

<h2>The federal government is by far Kansas City’s largest employer and a major economic engine. Experts warn the region’s economy will feel the pain when jobs disappear</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>Almost 30,000 federal employees in the Kansas City area are caught in the chaos that has defined President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.So far, the Trump administration has reinstituted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-accountability-to-policy-influencing-positions-within-the-federal-workforce/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;making it easier to fire federal employees. It has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;remote workers to return to the office. Federal agencies have been placed under a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze/" target="_blank">hiring freeze</a>. And most civilian employees have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork" target="_blank">emailed</a>&nbsp;a buyout offer that experts agree has tenuous legal standing.“The federal workforce,” the Jan. 28 email to employees said, “should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work. Employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.”The email, headlined “Fork in the Road,” promised “restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force. These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status of a substantial number of federal employees.”“It’s pretty gross,” said one federal employee in Kansas City who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. “I went so far as to change my voter registration” from Democrat to independent.He said he hoped that could spare him from a potential loyalty sweep that might use party affiliation as a metric.“I knew this would probably happen,” said another local federal employee who also asked not to be named. “But in the first week he was in office?”<h2>Federal job cuts will have ‘outsized impact’</h2>While federal workers brace for more changes and fear for their livelihoods, economists warn that any major reduction in federal jobs — and the inevitable disruptions in government services that follow — could be devastating to Kansas City’s economy.“It can cascade really easily,” said Chris Kuehl, co-founder of Armada Corporate Intelligence.Since the Truman administration, the federal government has played a major role in the Kansas City area’s economic health. With 29,883 federal employees here, the federal government is by far the metro’s largest employer, accounting for about 3% of overall employment. And that figure doesn’t include contract workers or private companies that depend on federal contracts to do business.The Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Social Security Administration, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the General Services Administration are just some of the federal agencies that have a regional presence.“Even a small adjustment in the federal workforce will have an outsized impact on the economy,” said Brent Never, an associate professor of public affairs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://bloch.umkc.edu/bloch-lead-scholars/index.html?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=visionpoint_blochleadscholars_pros&amp;utm_content=branded&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAqfe8BhBwEiwAsne6gZDfZ9PwXvRvMdE7Uk79jXOOxORKMMOUwvk6fjO4Ih0ElUuyxX5VSxoCcIcQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Henry W. Bloch School of Management</a>&nbsp;at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.Federal employees tend to be fairly well paid and their salaries are fueled by money coming from outside the community, making them even more valuable in economic terms. Federal workers spend at stores and restaurants, and on services inside the community.Frank Lenk, director of economic research at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/" target="_blank">Mid-America Regional Council</a>, estimates that each federal job, and the income it creates, fuels another job in the region. That means if 3,000 federal jobs permanently went away, Kansas City’s economy could lose about 6,000 workers overall.“From an impact standpoint,” Lenk said, “those are powerful jobs.”<h2>Federal workforce feels growing uncertainty</h2>Before Jan. 20, the federal government’s approximately 3 million civilian employees probably would have said that they enjoyed job security.But then came President Trump’s hiring freeze, his promises to slash jobs and his executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;requiring every employee to return to the office or get fired.The Kansas City federal worker who said he changed his voter party affiliation out of fear of being fired said he took his government job because of its benefits — especially the benefit of working remotely.Only going into the office once a week means he can be around when his kids get home from school. He saves an hour a day not having to commute, which gives him time to cook, rather than having to pay to eat out. And he avoids other ancillary expenses like parking and extra child care. Parking alone, he estimates, will run thousands of dollars a year if he has to return to the office full time.“You’re not making a lot in pay being a federal employee,” he said, “but that one benefit of being able to telework means everything.”Diana Hicks, a national vice president with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afge.org/" target="_blank">American Federation of Government Employees</a>&nbsp;(AFGE) who oversees a district that includes Missouri and Kansas, said the union is fighting against the return-to-work order.Many employees were hired with the promise of remote positions. And the benefit is baked into many of the union’s collective bargaining agreements, she said.“They’re altering a condition of employment,” Hicks said.The union is also advising its members to beware of the “deferred resignation” offer thousands of employees received on Jan. 28 in an email that came directly to employees from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Normally, communication from the government’s top personnel office would be filtered through individual agencies.The “Fork in the Road”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork" target="_blank">memo</a>, which had the same title and highly similar content as one that Twitter employees received from tech billionaire Elon Musk in 2022, read more like a scene from “Severance,” the dystopian TV show, than an HR memo.It offered employees the chance to resign now, but retain pay and benefits until Sept. 30. It was sent to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel, U.S. Postal Service workers, and people working in the areas of immigration enforcement and national security.Employees who decide to accept it need only reply to the email, adding the word “resign,” by Feb. 6.“At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency,” the memo advised employees who don’t accept the resignation offer.But accepting it, many legal experts warned, would come with no guarantees and many questions. For one thing, a continuing resolution currently funding the U.S. budget expires March 14, more than six months before the promised last paycheck. And that’s not the only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/breaking-down-opm-s--fork-in-the-road--email-to-federal-workers" target="_blank">legal hurdle</a>&nbsp;that could render the offer much less than promised, experts said.Unions representing federal workers urged caution.“There is not yet any evidence the administration can or will uphold its end of the bargain, that Congress will go along with this unilateral massive restructuring, or that appropriated funds can be used this way, among other issues that have been raised,” the National Treasury Employees Union told members in an email.AFGE said the offer should not be viewed as voluntary.“It is an attempt to get federal employees to resign,”&nbsp; said Hicks. “This is essentially a fast track, ‘You have a week to respond with no guarantee.’”<h2>‘Reductions in force’ promised</h2>It is unclear how many employees have returned the email. But a&nbsp;<a href="https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/01/survey-most-feds-say-opms-resignation-offer-too-uncertain-to-accept/" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of 4,600 federal employees conducted by the Federal News Network found that three-quarters of respondents said they would decline.Regardless of whether employees choose to leave, however, the Trump administration has promised a major overhaul of the civilian workforce and promised “restructurings, realignments and reductions in force.”That means many of Kansas City’s federal employees are likely to end up on the job market. Kuehl said many will need training to easily fit into jobs currently available in private industry. So far, that doesn’t seem to be on the new administration’s to-do list.Never, the UMKC professor, speculated that many of the federal employees who lose their jobs will face underemployment when they move to their next job.“That has a large effect on a family’s wealth over time,” he said.The federal downsizing could have economic implications beyond just the salaries that disappear. The services federal jobs provide will probably be disrupted, and that could also affect the region. If tax refunds are delayed, small-business or education loans go unprocessed or Social Security benefits aren’t paid, the effects will ripple through the economy.On top of that, a raft of other executive orders have threatened federal funding to organizations across the region, creating widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/01/29/federal-funding-freeze-threat-causes-panic-in-kc-health-nonprofits/" target="_blank">uncertainty</a>.The Trump administration may be betting that there’s enough bloat in the federal government to take out thousands of jobs without services being affected.“That’s the open question,” Lenk said. “Can you have this kind of reduction and not have it significantly affect government services?”And as for the administration’s stated goal to trim costs in order to cut the federal deficit, questions also exist about whether this plan will help.Reducing the deficit may be a worthy goal, Never said, but cuts that cause disruptions in federal services and affect the economy could actually lead to bigger problems for the country than a large deficit.“We have the most attractive debt because people know we’re good for it,” Never said. “But when the government becomes erratic, there start to be questions about our intent on paying our bills. That’s what would make our debt more expensive.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/02/03/kc-federal-workers-braces-for-job-cuts-as-trump-plans-purge/" 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.

Nearly 30,000 federal workers in Kansas City brace for layoffs

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10:30 p.m. Jan. 31, Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 2021 blue Toyota RAV4 for a traffic violation&nbsp; southbound U.S. Highway 75, approximately four miles north of Independence, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

As the vehicle came to a stop, deputies observed a large object being thrown from the front passenger window. Upon investigation, deputies determined that the front passenger, identified as 45-year-old Cornelius Williams of Independence, Kansas, had discarded approximately one pound of suspected crystal methamphetamine.

A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of one ounce of suspected powder cocaine and one ounce of suspected crack cocaine. 

Both Williams and the driver 44-year-old Shequetta Dean of Independence, Kansas, were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the following charges:

Cornelius Williams was booked on requested charges of Interference with law enforcement; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case• Littering from a vehicle; Transporting an open container; Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use; Possession of marijuana• Distribution of opiates/opium/narcotics/stimulants (100 grams to &lt;1 kilogram)

Shequetta Dean was booked on requested charges of Improper driving on a laned roadway; Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use• Possession of marijuana; Transporting an open container; Distribution of opiates/opium/narcotics/stimulants (100 grams to &lt;1 kilogram)

Following the arrests, deputies obtained a search warrant for the Apple Tree Inn, where Williams and Dean had been staying.

 The search resulted in the discovery of drug distribution paraphernalia, including scales, as well as additional drug-related items and over $6,000 in U.S. currency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738676371751.png" alt="Williams photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10:30 p.m. Jan. 31, Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 2021 blue Toyota RAV4 for a traffic violation&nbsp; southbound U.S. Highway 75, approximately four miles north of Independence, Kansas, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.As the vehicle came to a stop, deputies observed a large object being thrown from the front passenger window. Upon investigation, deputies determined that the front passenger, identified as 45-year-old Cornelius Williams of Independence, Kansas, had discarded approximately one pound of suspected crystal methamphetamine.A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of one ounce of suspected powder cocaine and one ounce of suspected crack cocaine. Both Williams and the driver 44-year-old Shequetta Dean of Independence, Kansas, were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections, where they were booked on the following charges:Cornelius Williams was booked on requested charges of Interference with law enforcement; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case• Littering from a vehicle; Transporting an open container; Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use; Possession of marijuana• Distribution of opiates/opium/narcotics/stimulants (100 grams to &lt;1 kilogram)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738676351120.png" alt="Dean photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Dean photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Shequetta Dean was booked on requested charges of Improper driving on a laned roadway; Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use• Possession of marijuana; Transporting an open container; Distribution of opiates/opium/narcotics/stimulants (100 grams to &lt;1 kilogram)Following the arrests, deputies obtained a search warrant for the Apple Tree Inn, where Williams and Dean had been staying. The search resulted in the discovery of drug distribution paraphernalia, including scales, as well as additional drug-related items and over $6,000 in U.S. currency..

Suspected Kan. drug dealer threw a pound of crystal meth from SUV

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects in connection with an aggravated robbery.

Just after 7a.m. Monday, police responded to a residence in the 1300 block of SW Tyler in Topeka on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to Police LT Matt Danielson.

 Officers learned the victim’s vehicle was stolen while being robbed a gunpoint. Just before 12:30p.m., police were checking areas in South Topeka and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle associated with the aggravated robbery. 

The driver of that vehicle initiated a vehicle pursuit that ended near the intersection of SE 25th and SE California after the driver crashed into another moving vehicle. 

The victims involved in the crash were uninjured and three occupants inside the suspect vehicle ran. 

Police ultimately took 27-year-old Breylin Bakerf Topeka, along with two juveniles into custody a short time later and transported them to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning in connection with the robbery and vehicle pursuit.

One juvenile was released to a guardian and the second juvenile was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Breylin Baker was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and a&nbsp;Warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738794821817.png" alt="Baker photo Shawnee Coll" />
 <figcaption>Baker photo Shawnee Coll</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects in connection with an aggravated robbery.Just after 7a.m. Monday, police responded to a residence in the 1300 block of SW Tyler in Topeka on a report of an aggravated robbery, according to Police LT Matt Danielson. Officers learned the victim’s vehicle was stolen while being robbed a gunpoint. Just before 12:30p.m., police were checking areas in South Topeka and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle associated with the aggravated robbery. The driver of that vehicle initiated a vehicle pursuit that ended near the intersection of SE 25th and SE California after the driver crashed into another moving vehicle. The victims involved in the crash were uninjured and three occupants inside the suspect vehicle ran. Police ultimately took 27-year-old Breylin Bakerf Topeka, along with two juveniles into custody a short time later and transported them to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning in connection with the robbery and vehicle pursuit.One juvenile was released to a guardian and the second juvenile was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.Breylin Baker was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and a&nbsp;Warrant.

Kansas carjacking suspect crashed during police pursuit

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are actively investigating a fatal shooting in Johnson County.

Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 15900 block of West 127th Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are actively investigating a fatal shooting in Johnson County.Just before 10:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 15900 block of West 127th Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.First responders found a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.Police have identified and contacted all individual involved. Police have not reported an arrest or the name of the man who died.