<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/21/rural-kansas-needs-thousands-of-homes-per-year-to-address-shortage-lawmakers-hear/?emci=4131d139-84a8-ef11-88d0-6045bdd62db6&amp;emdi=6ca5279b-b8a8-ef11-88d0-6045bdd62db6&amp;ceid=115039">By ANNA KAMINSKI</a> Kansas Reflector

CEDAR CREST — About a year ago, Ed Bartoszek’s mother could ride a tractor through the rows of pines on the family tree farm in Fontana.&nbsp;

His mother, Faye, now sits in a wheelchair after suffering a stroke in October of last year, but she was able to witness Monday a tree grown at her ’60s-era tree farm tucked into a corner at the governor’s mansion at Cedar Crest.

“Getting her up here was most important,” Bartoszek said.

It’s the first Christmas tree the Bartoszek family has been able to donate to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly from their farm, Fontana Pines, south of Kansas City. As it was delivered in a horse-drawn carriage and carried by the teen-aged members of the family into the mansion, Ed Bartoszek said he was filled with emotion.&nbsp;

“I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s a nice feeling,” he said.

The tree was a 9-foot scotch pine, and Ed Bartoszek wandered the four fields of trees on his property to find the right one for Kelly.

Members of the Kansas Forest Service, the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association and the horses’ current and former owners welcomed the tree Monday alongside Kelly to mark the beginning of the holiday season.

The same pair of horses have delivered a Christmas tree to the governor’s mansion off and on for more than a decade.&nbsp;

Cecil and Robert Carter, the horse’s former owners, have been a part of the ceremonious delivery during those years, and this year will likely be their last as they sold the business. The horses will carry on with new owners.

“It’s a relief,” Cecil Carter said. “The thing that we miss most is being out in the public.”

The Carters talked Monday on their drive to Cedar Crest about the politics, or lack thereof, in their business, Cecil said. Each governor is different. Former Gov. Sam Brownback used to like to get into the carriage and hold the reigns, he said.

“When I do a job, there’s no political feelings whatsoever,” Cecil Carter said.

Race, gender, political beliefs don’t matter to him, he said.&nbsp;

Kelly visited with Faye Bartoszek and the rest of the family and posed for photos in her home. She advised Kansans preparing for potentially opinionated holiday gatherings “to do exactly what I’m going to do — and that’s steer away from conversations that are divisive.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732628012671.png" alt="The customary Christmas tree delivery on Nov. 25, 2024, to the Kansas governor’s mansion from Fontana marked the beginning of the holiday season. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The customary Christmas tree delivery on Nov. 25, 2024, to the Kansas governor’s mansion from Fontana marked the beginning of the holiday season. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/21/rural-kansas-needs-thousands-of-homes-per-year-to-address-shortage-lawmakers-hear/?emci=4131d139-84a8-ef11-88d0-6045bdd62db6&amp;emdi=6ca5279b-b8a8-ef11-88d0-6045bdd62db6&amp;ceid=115039">By ANNA KAMINSKI</a> Kansas ReflectorCEDAR CREST — About a year ago, Ed Bartoszek’s mother could ride a tractor through the rows of pines on the family tree farm in Fontana.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732628304450.png" alt="Owners of the Fontana Pines Christmas Tree Farm Ed Bartoszek and his mother, Faye, greet Santa Clause on Nov. 25, 2024, at the governor’s mansion in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Owners of the Fontana Pines Christmas Tree Farm Ed Bartoszek and his mother, Faye, greet Santa Clause on Nov. 25, 2024, at the governor’s mansion in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>His mother, Faye, now sits in a wheelchair after suffering a stroke in October of last year, but she was able to witness Monday a tree grown at her ’60s-era tree farm tucked into a corner at the governor’s mansion at Cedar Crest.“Getting her up here was most important,” Bartoszek said.It’s the first Christmas tree the Bartoszek family has been able to donate to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly from their farm, Fontana Pines, south of Kansas City. As it was delivered in a horse-drawn carriage and carried by the teen-aged members of the family into the mansion, Ed Bartoszek said he was filled with emotion.&nbsp;“I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s a nice feeling,” he said.The tree was a 9-foot scotch pine, and Ed Bartoszek wandered the four fields of trees on his property to find the right one for Kelly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This morning, we welcomed the holiday spirit at Cedar Crest with the annual delivery of our Christmas tree. Well wishes to all Kansans as we ring in the holidays this year. <a href="https://t.co/5YURhfKoUF">pic.twitter.com/5YURhfKoUF</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1861107897624653981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Members of the Kansas Forest Service, the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association and the horses’ current and former owners welcomed the tree Monday alongside Kelly to mark the beginning of the holiday season.The same pair of horses have delivered a Christmas tree to the governor’s mansion off and on for more than a decade.&nbsp;Cecil and Robert Carter, the horse’s former owners, have been a part of the ceremonious delivery during those years, and this year will likely be their last as they sold the business. The horses will carry on with new owners.“It’s a relief,” Cecil Carter said. “The thing that we miss most is being out in the public.”The Carters talked Monday on their drive to Cedar Crest about the politics, or lack thereof, in their business, Cecil said. Each governor is different. Former Gov. Sam Brownback used to like to get into the carriage and hold the reigns, he said.“When I do a job, there’s no political feelings whatsoever,” Cecil Carter said.Race, gender, political beliefs don’t matter to him, he said.&nbsp;Kelly visited with Faye Bartoszek and the rest of the family and posed for photos in her home. She advised Kansans preparing for potentially opinionated holiday gatherings “to do exactly what I’m going to do — and that’s steer away from conversations that are divisive.”

Family matters at Kansas governor’s annual Christmas tree delivery

JOHNSON COUNTY —A teen accused in a shooting with a police officer's gun at the Oak Park Mall in Overland Park has entered a plea in the case.

Nery Alberto Gonzalez-Munoz, 18,&nbsp; pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and one count of misdemeanor theft.

Just before 4:30p.m. Nov 12, 2023, police responded to an armed disturbance at the Oak Park Mall in 11400 block of W.95th in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy.

  As Gonzalez-Munoz and a 17-year-old suspect were trying to exit the mall near the food court, three plain clothes detectives identified themselves and attempted to apprehend them.

 During the apprehension, one male suspect resisted arrest, a struggle occurred, and the suspect was able to obtain one of the detective’s issued firearm. 

 The suspect was able to pull the trigger, firing one shot. This suspect was apprehended.  The other suspect ran north of the mall and was immediately apprehended.  No one was injured in this incident.

&nbsp;Gonzalez-Munoz sentencing is set for February 10.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700012719162.png" alt="Gonzalez-Munoz-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez-Munoz-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A teen accused in a shooting with a police officer's gun at the Oak Park Mall in Overland Park has entered a plea in the case.Nery Alberto Gonzalez-Munoz, 18,&nbsp; pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and one count of misdemeanor theft.Just before 4:30p.m. Nov 12, 2023, police responded to an armed disturbance at the Oak Park Mall in 11400 block of W.95th in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy. As Gonzalez-Munoz and a 17-year-old suspect were trying to exit the mall near the food court, three plain clothes detectives identified themselves and attempted to apprehend them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732394078923.png" alt="Police on the scene of the disturbance -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the disturbance -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure> During the apprehension, one male suspect resisted arrest, a struggle occurred, and the suspect was able to obtain one of the detective’s issued firearm. The suspect was able to pull the trigger, firing one shot. This suspect was apprehended. The other suspect ran north of the mall and was immediately apprehended. No one was injured in this incident.&nbsp;Gonzalez-Munoz sentencing is set for February 10.&nbsp;

Kan. teen enters plea in fight with officers at shopping mall

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide Sunday in Kansas City have identified the victim as&nbsp;19-year-old Preston Bell who had been reported missing after an incident late Saturday.

Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday KCPD patrol officers were dispatched to Truman Road and Interstate 435 on an ambulance in route call, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 An individual was reported to be slumped over in the back seat of a vehicle on the southbound exit ramp of I-435 at Truman. Officers located a man, later identified as Bell,&nbsp; inside of a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. He was declared deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Independence Police Department Detectives responded to the scene and confirmed the deceased victim was missing also the subject of a missing person report.&nbsp; Bell had last been seen at 8:30p.m. Saturday at a residence in the 500 Block of S. Brookside.&nbsp; He was being forced&nbsp;into a vehicle by other unknown persons.&nbsp; His family was unable to reach him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732573821317.png" alt="Preston Bell photo Independence Police" />
 <figcaption>Preston Bell photo Independence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide Sunday in Kansas City have identified the victim as&nbsp;19-year-old Preston Bell who had been reported missing after an incident late Saturday.Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday KCPD patrol officers were dispatched to Truman Road and Interstate 435 on an ambulance in route call, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. An individual was reported to be slumped over in the back seat of a vehicle on the southbound exit ramp of I-435 at Truman. Officers located a man, later identified as Bell,&nbsp; inside of a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. He was declared deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Independence Police Department Detectives responded to the scene and confirmed the deceased victim was missing also the subject of a missing person report.&nbsp; Bell had last been seen at 8:30p.m. Saturday at a residence in the 500 Block of S. Brookside.&nbsp; He was being forced&nbsp;into a vehicle by other unknown persons.&nbsp; His family was unable to reach him.

KCPD: Man found dead after being forced into car in front of home

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just after 6:30a.m. Monday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 4000 block of E. 70th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Upon arrival, crews reported smoke and fire showing from a two-story house.

During the primary search of the structure crews found a trapped occupant in the rear of the structure and were quickly able to remove them from the home. 

The occupant was evaluated on scene but refused any additional medical care.&nbsp;&nbsp;No other injuries were reported at this incident, civilian or firefighter, according to Hopkins.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City. Just after 6:30a.m. Monday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 4000 block of E. 70th Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Upon arrival, crews reported smoke and fire showing from a two-story house.During the primary search of the structure crews found a trapped occupant in the rear of the structure and were quickly able to remove them from the home. The occupant was evaluated on scene but refused any additional medical care.&nbsp;&nbsp;No other injuries were reported at this incident, civilian or firefighter, according to Hopkins.

Crews rescue occupant trapped in Kansas City house fire

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Topeka have identified the victim as 72-year-old Emmett Leatherwood of Topeka.

Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported injury accident involving a vehicle and pedestrian near the 1900 Block of SE Adams, according to Police LT Jason Schumacher.

American Medical Response transported Leatherwood to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732158195188.png" alt="Police on the scene near the fatal incident.-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the fatal incident.-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Topeka have identified the victim as 72-year-old Emmett Leatherwood of Topeka.Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported injury accident involving a vehicle and pedestrian near the 1900 Block of SE Adams, according to Police LT Jason Schumacher.American Medical Response transported Leatherwood to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

Police release the name of Kan. man who died in pedestrian accident

State officials once again delay classification of school districts based on performance report scores

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

The latest round of student test scores show fewer Missouri public school districts and charter schools in jeopardy of losing accreditation, though this year’s data won’t immediately affect how schools are graded.

Based on annual performance report scores released Monday for the sixth iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Program, or MSIP6, there were 343 districts and charters that improved when compared to an average of their scores over the previous two years.

A total of 71 districts and charters scored in the provisionally accredited range, and four charter schools scored below 50%, which is the unaccredited range.

“It’s something that we’ve been waiting for. Ever since the pandemic, we have looked at scores (and seen declines),” Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger told reporters in a press conference. “Finally… we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor. We’re starting to see where we are making progress.”

MSIP6, which launched in 2022, has been lauded as “more rigorous” and descriptive than prior versions of the program. Previously, many districts scored above 90%, whereas now their scores are more evenly distributed along a bell curve.

The score is a snapshot of student performance in end-of-course exams and statewide standardized tests along with an assessment of district continuous improvement plans.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education originally planned to base classification decisions on scores this year but will instead make decisions from three-year composite scores. Districts’ accreditation cannot be lowered from MSIP6 scores until 2026.

Based on composite scores for the three years of MSIP6 data, two charter schools are in the unaccredited range. The State Board of Education will determine accreditation status based on other factors, like superintendent qualifications and financial health.

Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner of the Office of Quality Schools, told reporters the department switched to composite scores for classification this spring.

“They’re more stable measures as they contain more data,” she said. “They are less susceptible to extreme changes from year to year.”

For smaller districts, a composite can protect them from volatility while the individual score gives a look at the last school year’s work.

Craig Carson, assistant superintendent of learning of the Ozark School District, said it is “autopsy data.”

“This is data that tells you about where you’ve been,” he told The Independent. “The data we really use are the day-to-day data inside our classrooms.”

Ozark is part of the Success Ready Students Network, which is a group of school districts compiling alternative methods of accountability. This year, the districts are showing the first draft of their plan, in the form of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ozarktigers.org/about-us/education-dashboard" target="_blank">informational dashboards</a>&nbsp;available on their websites.

“We are using a descriptive (report) that is found on our website, and it gives so much more information to our public about how our students are doing in the day to day, and it really emphasizes growth,” Carson said.

He believes that the next iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Program will spring from work the Success Ready Students Network is doing.

“We are now building the momentum we need to really involve real-world learning with competency-based education and make sure that every student leaves being success-ready,” he said. “The excitement around that and the synergy of those school districts are creating, that will eventually turn into what MSIP7 will be.”

Similar to Carson, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Superintendent Bonita Jamison reiterated that the scores are a limited look at a district.

“That data only tells one story, and there are stories that are not seen and reflected in those numbers, where the impact on the lives of children and their families are profound,” she said.

Benchmark assessments serve the district better to see needs and fill them quickly, she said.

Maplewood Richmond Heights is one of the top-scoring districts this year, amassing 97% of points possible. Just three others fared better.

She points to “shared accountability and ownership” from the entirety of the district’s staff — including a custodian who doubles as an attendance monitor to encourage parents to get children to school.

She has theories why other schools didn’t score as well, mainly a teacher recruitment and retention crisis hitting poorer, urban schools hard.

Eslinger, in last week’s press conference, told reporters that teacher vacancies “make performance and improvement challenging.”

“We know that with fewer educators, more and more courses across the state are being taught by student teachers and by folks that are substitutes that maybe have not really been trained on the specific content area,” she said. “We’ve got work to do there.”

In 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Reports/SSRS_Print.aspx?Reportid=3154bdb4-001c-4950-bf25-c1933a396b8f" target="_blank">37% of Missouri educators in their first year</a>&nbsp;of teaching were inappropriately certified for the course they were teaching and&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Reports/SSRS_Print.aspx?Reportid=3d5741e3-6ef0-42e7-a358-c7ad24d6fdeb" target="_blank">over 10% over courses were taught by someone inappropriately certified</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723204979781.png" alt=" Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger speaks during a State Board of Education meeting Tuesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger speaks during a State Board of Education meeting Tuesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State officials once again delay classification of school districts based on performance report scores</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The latest round of student test scores show fewer Missouri public school districts and charter schools in jeopardy of losing accreditation, though this year’s data won’t immediately affect how schools are graded.Based on annual performance report scores released Monday for the sixth iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Program, or MSIP6, there were 343 districts and charters that improved when compared to an average of their scores over the previous two years.A total of 71 districts and charters scored in the provisionally accredited range, and four charter schools scored below 50%, which is the unaccredited range.“It’s something that we’ve been waiting for. Ever since the pandemic, we have looked at scores (and seen declines),” Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger told reporters in a press conference. “Finally… we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor. We’re starting to see where we are making progress.”MSIP6, which launched in 2022, has been lauded as “more rigorous” and descriptive than prior versions of the program. Previously, many districts scored above 90%, whereas now their scores are more evenly distributed along a bell curve.The score is a snapshot of student performance in end-of-course exams and statewide standardized tests along with an assessment of district continuous improvement plans.The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education originally planned to base classification decisions on scores this year but will instead make decisions from three-year composite scores. Districts’ accreditation cannot be lowered from MSIP6 scores until 2026.Based on composite scores for the three years of MSIP6 data, two charter schools are in the unaccredited range. The State Board of Education will determine accreditation status based on other factors, like superintendent qualifications and financial health.Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner of the Office of Quality Schools, told reporters the department switched to composite scores for classification this spring.“They’re more stable measures as they contain more data,” she said. “They are less susceptible to extreme changes from year to year.”For smaller districts, a composite can protect them from volatility while the individual score gives a look at the last school year’s work.Craig Carson, assistant superintendent of learning of the Ozark School District, said it is “autopsy data.”“This is data that tells you about where you’ve been,” he told The Independent. “The data we really use are the day-to-day data inside our classrooms.”Ozark is part of the Success Ready Students Network, which is a group of school districts compiling alternative methods of accountability. This year, the districts are showing the first draft of their plan, in the form of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ozarktigers.org/about-us/education-dashboard" target="_blank">informational dashboards</a>&nbsp;available on their websites.“We are using a descriptive (report) that is found on our website, and it gives so much more information to our public about how our students are doing in the day to day, and it really emphasizes growth,” Carson said.He believes that the next iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Program will spring from work the Success Ready Students Network is doing.“We are now building the momentum we need to really involve real-world learning with competency-based education and make sure that every student leaves being success-ready,” he said. “The excitement around that and the synergy of those school districts are creating, that will eventually turn into what MSIP7 will be.”Similar to Carson, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Superintendent Bonita Jamison reiterated that the scores are a limited look at a district.“That data only tells one story, and there are stories that are not seen and reflected in those numbers, where the impact on the lives of children and their families are profound,” she said.Benchmark assessments serve the district better to see needs and fill them quickly, she said.Maplewood Richmond Heights is one of the top-scoring districts this year, amassing 97% of points possible. Just three others fared better.She points to “shared accountability and ownership” from the entirety of the district’s staff — including a custodian who doubles as an attendance monitor to encourage parents to get children to school.She has theories why other schools didn’t score as well, mainly a teacher recruitment and retention crisis hitting poorer, urban schools hard.Eslinger, in last week’s press conference, told reporters that teacher vacancies “make performance and improvement challenging.”“We know that with fewer educators, more and more courses across the state are being taught by student teachers and by folks that are substitutes that maybe have not really been trained on the specific content area,” she said. “We’ve got work to do there.”In 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Reports/SSRS_Print.aspx?Reportid=3154bdb4-001c-4950-bf25-c1933a396b8f" target="_blank">37% of Missouri educators in their first year</a>&nbsp;of teaching were inappropriately certified for the course they were teaching and&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Reports/SSRS_Print.aspx?Reportid=3d5741e3-6ef0-42e7-a358-c7ad24d6fdeb" target="_blank">over 10% over courses were taught by someone inappropriately certified</a>.

Missouri school districts show improvement in annual performance report

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a shooting involving an Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who shot and killed a suspect who was armed inside home in Kansas City on Monday, according to a media release from the FBI.

Just after 10a.m., the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was trying to serve a warrant at the residence&nbsp; in the 3000 block of NW 73rd Street.

Law enforcement officers knocked on a door, and when nobody answered, they went inside the home where they encountered the armed suspect, according to the release.

That person was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The agency did not report any additional injuries. The FBI Inspection Division is investigating the shooting.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732573238997.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a shooting involving an Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who shot and killed a suspect who was armed inside home in Kansas City on Monday, according to a media release from the FBI.Just after 10a.m., the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was trying to serve a warrant at the residence&nbsp; in the 3000 block of NW 73rd Street.Law enforcement officers knocked on a door, and when nobody answered, they went inside the home where they encountered the armed suspect, according to the release.That person was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The agency did not report any additional injuries. The FBI Inspection Division is investigating the shooting.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Fatal officer shooting during investigation at Kansas City home 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged theft and forgery.

On November 22, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office arrested Jessica R. Bennett, 38, of Topeka following an investigation regarding felony theft of checks. 

Bennett was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Forgery and Theft by deception

The Topeka Police Department assisted. This incident is still under investigation. The sheriff's office reminded the public, "we understand that this is a very busy time of year. Pay extra attention to your surroundings and personal belongings."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732380183179.png" alt="Bennett photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Bennett photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged theft and forgery.On November 22, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office arrested Jessica R. Bennett, 38, of Topeka following an investigation regarding felony theft of checks. Bennett was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Forgery and Theft by deceptionThe Topeka Police Department assisted. This incident is still under investigation. The sheriff's office reminded the public, "we understand that this is a very busy time of year. Pay extra attention to your surroundings and personal belongings."

Kansas woman accused of forgery using stolen checks 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash have identified the driver who died as 44-year-old Terrell A. Willams, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just before 9:30p.m. Tuesday, a silver Chevrolet Cruz was southbound on 71 Highway at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The Chevrolet rear-ended a Chrysler 200 that was stopped for the red traffic control signal at 59th and 71 Highway. 

The unrestrained driver of the Chrysler, later identified as Williams was pronounced deceased at the scene. The unrestrained front seat passenger of the Chevrolet was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and was reported in critical condition, according to DiMartino. 

The driver and rear seat passenger of the Chevrolet ran from the crash the scene. 

This is fatality #83 compared to #89 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino. Police have not released the names of those involved or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732114105245.png" alt="Police on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash have identified the driver who died as 44-year-old Terrell A. Willams, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just before 9:30p.m. Tuesday, a silver Chevrolet Cruz was southbound on 71 Highway at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The Chevrolet rear-ended a Chrysler 200 that was stopped for the red traffic control signal at 59th and 71 Highway. The unrestrained driver of the Chrysler, later identified as Williams was pronounced deceased at the scene. The unrestrained front seat passenger of the Chevrolet was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and was reported in critical condition, according to DiMartino. The driver and rear seat passenger of the Chevrolet ran from the crash the scene. This is fatality #83 compared to #89 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino. Police have not released the names of those involved or additional details.

KCPD IDs victim after driver, passenger ran from fatal crash

JOHNSON COUNTY—A suspect accused in a sex assault and robbery made his first court appearance.

A man has been charged after a sexual assault Tuesday in Overland Park, Kansas.

On Nov. 21, Gabriel Pascaul Hernandez, 37, was charged with rape, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary and theft, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

The incident occurred&nbsp; just after 2:30a.m. November 19, in a home near W. 97th Street and Reeder in Overland Park, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.

The victim did not know the suspect but was able to provide a description as a stocky build, clean-shaven, late twenties to early thirties man. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with a black beanie-style cap.

EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Overland Park Police Department, with the assistance of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department arrested the suspect.

Hernandez is due back in court December 5, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732041800750.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A suspect accused in a sex assault and robbery made his first court appearance.A man has been charged after a sexual assault Tuesday in Overland Park, Kansas.On Nov. 21, Gabriel Pascaul Hernandez, 37, was charged with rape, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated burglary and theft, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732275700821.png" alt="Hernandez-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hernandez-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The incident occurred&nbsp; just after 2:30a.m. November 19, in a home near W. 97th Street and Reeder in Overland Park, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.The victim did not know the suspect but was able to provide a description as a stocky build, clean-shaven, late twenties to early thirties man. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with a black beanie-style cap.EMS transported the victim to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.The Overland Park Police Department, with the assistance of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department arrested the suspect.Hernandez is due back in court December 5, according to online jail records.

Suspect charged in sex assault, robbery at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 3:30a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.

Investigators determined, an ambulance was south on Broadway at West 32nd Street when an ATV, with no headlights, appeared on the roadway doing "tricks," according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The driver of the ATV accelerated and lost control and crashed into the ambulance. The ATV driver was ejected off the vehicle and was struck by the ambulance. 

The ATV driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and front passenger in the ambulance were not injured. The patient in the back of the ambulance was not injured in the crash. Another ambulance responded and completed the patient transport. This is fatality #86 in KCMO if 2024, according to DiMartino.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 3:30a.m. Sunday in Kansas City.Investigators determined, an ambulance was south on Broadway at West 32nd Street when an ATV, with no headlights, appeared on the roadway doing "tricks," according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The driver of the ATV accelerated and lost control and crashed into the ambulance. The ATV driver was ejected off the vehicle and was struck by the ambulance. The ATV driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and front passenger in the ambulance were not injured. The patient in the back of the ambulance was not injured in the crash. Another ambulance responded and completed the patient transport. This is fatality #86 in KCMO if 2024, according to DiMartino.

ATV driver dies after crash with ambulance transporting a patient

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating two homicides on Sunday in Kansas City.

 An individual was reported to be slumped over in a vehicle on the southbound exit ramp of I-435 at Truman. Officers located a man&nbsp; inside of a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was declared deceased at the scene. Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

Early Sunday, police wer<a href="https://x.com/kcpolice">e</a>&nbsp;dispatched to Research Hospital on a walk-in shooting, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte. A private vehicle brought an adult male shooting victim to the hospital. He later succumbed to injuries. Shooting occurred near 63rd and Manchester, according to Forte. Police released no additional details on the shootings.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating two homicides on Sunday in Kansas City.Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday KCPD patrol officers were dispatched to Truman Road and Interstate 435 on an ambulance in route call, according to&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. An individual was reported to be slumped over in a vehicle on the southbound exit ramp of I-435 at Truman. Officers located a man&nbsp; inside of a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was declared deceased at the scene. Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.Early Sunday, police wer<a href="https://x.com/kcpolice">e</a>&nbsp;dispatched to Research Hospital on a walk-in shooting, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte. A private vehicle brought an adult male shooting victim to the hospital. He later succumbed to injuries. Shooting occurred near 63rd and Manchester, according to Forte. Police released no additional details on the shootings.

KCPD investigating two homicides on Sunday

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

GOP lawmakers in Missouri have pushed unsuccessfully for work requirements repeatedly in recent years

Trevor Hawkins, an attorney at Legal Aid of Arkansas, remembers how busy his job got when the state for a time imposed work requirements on Medicaid recipients: His office was swamped with frantic phone calls from people who said they couldn’t comply with the new rule because they weren’t healthy enough to work or had to care for sick relatives.

“A whole heap of folks, after a month or two, started getting notices saying, ‘Hey, you’re out of compliance, and you’re going to lose your coverage,’” Hawkins told Stateline. For many people, he said, keeping their coverage was “absolutely vital to maintaining their health or getting better so they might work again.”

In June 2018, Arkansas became the first state to require some Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer, go to school or participate in job training to receive benefits. By the time a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://media.arkansasonline.com/news/documents/2019/03/27/ARK_WORKS_OPINION.pdf" target="_blank">halted the policy</a>&nbsp;in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538" target="_blank">18,000 adults had lost coverage</a>.

Arkansas was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/section-1115-waiver-tracker-work-requirements/" target="_blank">one of 13 states</a>&nbsp;that received permission to impose work rules on at least some Medicaid recipients during the last Trump administration.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/section-1115-waiver-tracker-work-requirements/" target="_blank">Nine additional states</a>&nbsp;requested permission to enact Medicaid work requirements during Trump’s term but had not won approval by the time it ended.

When the Biden administration came into office, it rescinded all the approvals. But now that Trump is coming back, many of those states will try again — and they’ll have a supportive U.S. Congress in their corner.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/health/medicaid-cuts-republican-congress.html" target="_blank">eager to find ways</a>&nbsp;to pay for extending tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term in office, and Medicaid — funded jointly by the federal government and the states — is in their sights.

Requiring states to establish Medicaid work rules, as many Republicans would like to do, would cut federal spending by an estimated $109 billion over a decade,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-04/59109-Pallone.pdf" target="_blank">according to the Congressional Budget Office</a>. That’s because the cost for about 900,000 people would shift entirely to states, while another 600,000 people would become uninsured, CBO estimated.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medicaid-and-chip-enrollment-data/report-highlights/index.html" target="_blank">About 72.4 million people</a>&nbsp;are enrolled in Medicaid.

Arkansas renewed its efforts even before Trump’s victory. Last year, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders&nbsp;<a href="https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/news/governor-sarah-huckabee-sanders-directs-dhs-to-add-work-requirement-to-medicaid-program/" target="_blank">requested federal approval</a>&nbsp;from the Biden administration to apply work rules to able-bodied adults who are covered through the state’s expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and who are enrolled in health plans that Arkansas Medicaid purchases for them on the state’s health insurance exchange. That application is pending.

Missouri Republicans have pushed for Medicaid work requirements repeatedly over the years, most notably&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/03/22/republicans-push-work-requirements-for-coverage-under-missouri-medicaid-expansion/">after voters overwhelming approved expanding the program’s eligibility</a>&nbsp;in 2020. That push was briefly renewed earlier this year as part of a fight amongst Senate Republicans over&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/22/senate-battle-over-taxes-that-fund-missouri-medicaid-leaves-state-budget-in-limbo/">renewing taxes that fund Missouri’s portion of Medicaid</a>.

Georgia, after prevailing in a legal fight with the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/06/30/limited-medicaid-expansion-covering-low-income-georgians-begins-in-july/" target="_blank">already has work requirements in place</a>&nbsp;for people covered by its partial expansion of Medicaid. And Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-waiver-tracker-approved-and-pending-section-1115-waivers-by-state/#:~:text=This%20page%20tracks%20approved%20and,address%20specific%20populations%20or%20benefits." target="_blank">have pending requests</a>&nbsp;to require at least some of their Medicaid recipients to work.

Supporters say requiring Medicaid recipients to work, study or train for a career gives them a boost toward self-sufficiency and financial stability. Kristi Putnam, the secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services,&nbsp;<a href="https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/news/governor-sarah-huckabee-sanders-directs-dhs-to-add-work-requirement-to-medicaid-program/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;announcing her state’s latest request that it would challenge people to “embrace economic opportunities that can lead to true job advancement.”

“Meaningful work connects people to purpose — and through the pandemic we have seen negative mental health impacts from people feeling disconnected,” Putnam said.

Critics, however, say such rules end up hurting far more people than they help.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/epdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538" target="_blank">In a 2020 study</a>&nbsp;examining how the Arkansas work requirements played out, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health “found no evidence that the policy succeeded in its stated goal of promoting work and instead found substantial evidence of harm to health care coverage and access.”

More than 95% of the Arkansas beneficiaries the researchers surveyed already met the work requirement or should have qualified for an exemption. The main reason people lost coverage, the researchers found, was because they had trouble verifying that they were complying with the rules. Many of those who lost their coverage stopped taking their medications, delayed care and fell into medical debt.

“Our results should provide a strong note of caution for federal and state policy makers considering work requirement policies in the future,” the researchers concluded.

Under the rules Arkansas put in place during the first Trump administration, Medicaid participants under age 50&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/pain-but-no-gain-arkansas-failed-medicaid-work-reporting-requirements-should-not-be" target="_blank">had to report</a>&nbsp;that they spent at least 80 hours each month working, attending school, in job training or volunteering. The rule only applied to people who became eligible after Arkansas expanded Medicaid under the ACA to cover adults making up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

And people were exempt if they were pregnant, had a child under 18 at home, were disabled, had to care for a person unable to care for him or herself, were in alcohol or drug treatment, or were in school or job training full time.

<a href="https://www.urban.org/research/publication/medicaid-work-requirements-arkansas" target="_blank">About 70,000</a>&nbsp;of the roughly 270,000 Arkansans on Medicaid were subject to the new rules, and about 1 in 4 of those lost coverage.

Unlike Arkansas, Georgia has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But its&nbsp;<a href="https://pathways.georgia.gov/about-pathways" target="_blank">Pathways to Coverage program</a>, launched in July 2023, allows people with household incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level who aren’t already eligible for Medicaid to enroll in the program if they fulfill work requirements. Georgia’s qualifying activities and exemptions are similar to the ones Arkansas had.

Fiona Roberts, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Community Health, told Stateline that as of Nov. 15, there were 5,548 people enrolled in the program and that a total of 7,518 people had been enrolled at some point — evidence, she said, that the program is helping people move from Medicaid to private insurance.

But in its first year, Pathways to Coverage only enrolled&nbsp;<a href="https://gbpi.org/georgias-pathways-to-coverage-program-the-first-year-in-review/#:~:text=Of%20those%20over%20110%2C000%20interested,437%20Georgians%20enrolling%20each%20month" target="_blank">about 4,200 people</a>&nbsp;— many fewer than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demonstrations/downloads/ga-pathways-to-coverage-pa1.pdf" target="_blank">25,000 the state had predicted</a>. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-work-requirements-current-waiver-and-legislative-activity/" target="_blank">cost of the program</a>&nbsp;as of the end of 2023 was $26.6 million, and more than 90% of that went toward administrative and consulting costs, according to KFF, a nonprofit health research group. If Georgia had opted for a full expansion under the ACA, the federal government would have picked up 90% of the tab and the state would have covered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/how-many-uninsured-are-in-the-coverage-gap-and-how-many-could-be-eligible-if-all-states-adopted-the-medicaid-expansion/" target="_blank">about 359,000 people</a>.

Leah Chan, director of health justice at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said work requirements are particularly challenging for people living in rural areas.

“If you don’t have broadband internet at your house, you’re not going to be able to upload the documentation and your pay stubs,” Chan told Stateline. “Even eligible people can’t keep up with it, particularly in rural areas where there are additional barriers to participation.”

Benjamin Sommers, a professor of health care economics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and one of the authors of the Arkansas study, said the experience with work requirements there and in Georgia should give other states pause.

“All that ended up happening was people lost coverage due to red tape, became uninsured, and in some cases, we saw that they had worse access to health care,” Sommers said.

But Arkansas Republican state Rep. Aaron Pilkington, who serves on the health committee in his chamber, said Medicaid work rules are “100% on the table and something we’ll look to ask for from the Trump administration.”

“They can find work and get better health insurance through their employer,” said Pilkington. He said the volunteering and education options make the rules even more attractive.

Meanwhile, in some of the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, the inclusion of work requirements might be the only way politically to get expansion over the finish line.

“Most of the Democrats I’ve spoken to did not want the work requirements, but to get it passed through the Mississippi legislature it’s most likely going to have one,” Mississippi Republican state Rep. Sam Creekmore told Stateline.

“We’ve looked at Georgia’s plan. We recognize the pitfalls and are hopefully learning from mistakes.”

The Independent’s Jason Hancock contributed to this story.&nbsp;

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/stateline_news" target="_blank">X</a>.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a><h2>GOP lawmakers in Missouri have pushed unsuccessfully for work requirements repeatedly in recent years</h2>Trevor Hawkins, an attorney at Legal Aid of Arkansas, remembers how busy his job got when the state for a time imposed work requirements on Medicaid recipients: His office was swamped with frantic phone calls from people who said they couldn’t comply with the new rule because they weren’t healthy enough to work or had to care for sick relatives.“A whole heap of folks, after a month or two, started getting notices saying, ‘Hey, you’re out of compliance, and you’re going to lose your coverage,’” Hawkins told Stateline. For many people, he said, keeping their coverage was “absolutely vital to maintaining their health or getting better so they might work again.”In June 2018, Arkansas became the first state to require some Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer, go to school or participate in job training to receive benefits. By the time a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://media.arkansasonline.com/news/documents/2019/03/27/ARK_WORKS_OPINION.pdf" target="_blank">halted the policy</a>&nbsp;in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538" target="_blank">18,000 adults had lost coverage</a>.Arkansas was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/section-1115-waiver-tracker-work-requirements/" target="_blank">one of 13 states</a>&nbsp;that received permission to impose work rules on at least some Medicaid recipients during the last Trump administration.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/section-1115-waiver-tracker-work-requirements/" target="_blank">Nine additional states</a>&nbsp;requested permission to enact Medicaid work requirements during Trump’s term but had not won approval by the time it ended.When the Biden administration came into office, it rescinded all the approvals. But now that Trump is coming back, many of those states will try again — and they’ll have a supportive U.S. Congress in their corner.Republicans on Capitol Hill are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/health/medicaid-cuts-republican-congress.html" target="_blank">eager to find ways</a>&nbsp;to pay for extending tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term in office, and Medicaid — funded jointly by the federal government and the states — is in their sights.Requiring states to establish Medicaid work rules, as many Republicans would like to do, would cut federal spending by an estimated $109 billion over a decade,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-04/59109-Pallone.pdf" target="_blank">according to the Congressional Budget Office</a>. That’s because the cost for about 900,000 people would shift entirely to states, while another 600,000 people would become uninsured, CBO estimated.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medicaid-and-chip-enrollment-data/report-highlights/index.html" target="_blank">About 72.4 million people</a>&nbsp;are enrolled in Medicaid.Arkansas renewed its efforts even before Trump’s victory. Last year, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders&nbsp;<a href="https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/news/governor-sarah-huckabee-sanders-directs-dhs-to-add-work-requirement-to-medicaid-program/" target="_blank">requested federal approval</a>&nbsp;from the Biden administration to apply work rules to able-bodied adults who are covered through the state’s expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and who are enrolled in health plans that Arkansas Medicaid purchases for them on the state’s health insurance exchange. That application is pending.Missouri Republicans have pushed for Medicaid work requirements repeatedly over the years, most notably&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/03/22/republicans-push-work-requirements-for-coverage-under-missouri-medicaid-expansion/">after voters overwhelming approved expanding the program’s eligibility</a>&nbsp;in 2020. That push was briefly renewed earlier this year as part of a fight amongst Senate Republicans over&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/22/senate-battle-over-taxes-that-fund-missouri-medicaid-leaves-state-budget-in-limbo/">renewing taxes that fund Missouri’s portion of Medicaid</a>.Georgia, after prevailing in a legal fight with the Biden administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/06/30/limited-medicaid-expansion-covering-low-income-georgians-begins-in-july/" target="_blank">already has work requirements in place</a>&nbsp;for people covered by its partial expansion of Medicaid. And Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-waiver-tracker-approved-and-pending-section-1115-waivers-by-state/#:~:text=This%20page%20tracks%20approved%20and,address%20specific%20populations%20or%20benefits." target="_blank">have pending requests</a>&nbsp;to require at least some of their Medicaid recipients to work.<h2>Meeting requirements</h2>Supporters say requiring Medicaid recipients to work, study or train for a career gives them a boost toward self-sufficiency and financial stability. Kristi Putnam, the secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services,&nbsp;<a href="https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/news/governor-sarah-huckabee-sanders-directs-dhs-to-add-work-requirement-to-medicaid-program/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;announcing her state’s latest request that it would challenge people to “embrace economic opportunities that can lead to true job advancement.”“Meaningful work connects people to purpose — and through the pandemic we have seen negative mental health impacts from people feeling disconnected,” Putnam said.Critics, however, say such rules end up hurting far more people than they help.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/epdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538" target="_blank">In a 2020 study</a>&nbsp;examining how the Arkansas work requirements played out, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health “found no evidence that the policy succeeded in its stated goal of promoting work and instead found substantial evidence of harm to health care coverage and access.”More than 95% of the Arkansas beneficiaries the researchers surveyed already met the work requirement or should have qualified for an exemption. The main reason people lost coverage, the researchers found, was because they had trouble verifying that they were complying with the rules. Many of those who lost their coverage stopped taking their medications, delayed care and fell into medical debt.“Our results should provide a strong note of caution for federal and state policy makers considering work requirement policies in the future,” the researchers concluded.Under the rules Arkansas put in place during the first Trump administration, Medicaid participants under age 50&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/pain-but-no-gain-arkansas-failed-medicaid-work-reporting-requirements-should-not-be" target="_blank">had to report</a>&nbsp;that they spent at least 80 hours each month working, attending school, in job training or volunteering. The rule only applied to people who became eligible after Arkansas expanded Medicaid under the ACA to cover adults making up to 138% of the federal poverty level.And people were exempt if they were pregnant, had a child under 18 at home, were disabled, had to care for a person unable to care for him or herself, were in alcohol or drug treatment, or were in school or job training full time.<a href="https://www.urban.org/research/publication/medicaid-work-requirements-arkansas" target="_blank">About 70,000</a>&nbsp;of the roughly 270,000 Arkansans on Medicaid were subject to the new rules, and about 1 in 4 of those lost coverage.Unlike Arkansas, Georgia has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But its&nbsp;<a href="https://pathways.georgia.gov/about-pathways" target="_blank">Pathways to Coverage program</a>, launched in July 2023, allows people with household incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level who aren’t already eligible for Medicaid to enroll in the program if they fulfill work requirements. Georgia’s qualifying activities and exemptions are similar to the ones Arkansas had.Fiona Roberts, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Community Health, told Stateline that as of Nov. 15, there were 5,548 people enrolled in the program and that a total of 7,518 people had been enrolled at some point — evidence, she said, that the program is helping people move from Medicaid to private insurance.But in its first year, Pathways to Coverage only enrolled&nbsp;<a href="https://gbpi.org/georgias-pathways-to-coverage-program-the-first-year-in-review/#:~:text=Of%20those%20over%20110%2C000%20interested,437%20Georgians%20enrolling%20each%20month" target="_blank">about 4,200 people</a>&nbsp;— many fewer than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demonstrations/downloads/ga-pathways-to-coverage-pa1.pdf" target="_blank">25,000 the state had predicted</a>. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-work-requirements-current-waiver-and-legislative-activity/" target="_blank">cost of the program</a>&nbsp;as of the end of 2023 was $26.6 million, and more than 90% of that went toward administrative and consulting costs, according to KFF, a nonprofit health research group. If Georgia had opted for a full expansion under the ACA, the federal government would have picked up 90% of the tab and the state would have covered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/how-many-uninsured-are-in-the-coverage-gap-and-how-many-could-be-eligible-if-all-states-adopted-the-medicaid-expansion/" target="_blank">about 359,000 people</a>.Leah Chan, director of health justice at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said work requirements are particularly challenging for people living in rural areas.“If you don’t have broadband internet at your house, you’re not going to be able to upload the documentation and your pay stubs,” Chan told Stateline. “Even eligible people can’t keep up with it, particularly in rural areas where there are additional barriers to participation.”<h2>‘Learning from mistakes’</h2>Benjamin Sommers, a professor of health care economics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and one of the authors of the Arkansas study, said the experience with work requirements there and in Georgia should give other states pause.“All that ended up happening was people lost coverage due to red tape, became uninsured, and in some cases, we saw that they had worse access to health care,” Sommers said.But Arkansas Republican state Rep. Aaron Pilkington, who serves on the health committee in his chamber, said Medicaid work rules are “100% on the table and something we’ll look to ask for from the Trump administration.”“They can find work and get better health insurance through their employer,” said Pilkington. He said the volunteering and education options make the rules even more attractive.Meanwhile, in some of the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, the inclusion of work requirements might be the only way politically to get expansion over the finish line.“Most of the Democrats I’ve spoken to did not want the work requirements, but to get it passed through the Mississippi legislature it’s most likely going to have one,” Mississippi Republican state Rep. Sam Creekmore told Stateline.“We’ve looked at Georgia’s plan. We recognize the pitfalls and are hopefully learning from mistakes.”The Independent’s Jason Hancock contributed to this story.&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/stateline_news" target="_blank">X</a>.

Many states, including Missouri, might pursue Medicaid work requirements under Trump

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged in the fatal shooting in a parking lot outside the victim's workplace in the 300 Block of East Linwood in Kansas City, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Kandi J Galaviz, 24,&nbsp; faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court documents, Galavis asked a man to drive her to&nbsp;34-year-old  Waleed M. Shaban's workplace where she shot him in the chest following an argument. One witness reported that during their argument the she said "square up and do something." Soon after the witness heard gun shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732140302707.png" alt="Galaviz photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Galaviz photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged in the fatal shooting in a parking lot outside the victim's workplace in the 300 Block of East Linwood in Kansas City, according to&nbsp; Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Kandi J Galaviz, 24,&nbsp; faces Murder in the 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court documents, Galavis asked a man to drive her to&nbsp;34-year-old Waleed M. Shaban's workplace where she shot him in the chest following an argument. One witness reported that during their argument the she said "square up and do something." Soon after the witness heard gun shots.Galaviz is in custody on a $250,000 bond

Woman charged in fatal shooting outside victim's KC workplace

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

Just after 1a.m. Nov. 21., a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Taurus for multiple traffic violations in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver was identified as Ashley Lynea Chase, 40, of Topeka. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 detected the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A probable cause search was conducted which resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs inside the vehicle.

Chase was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine,&nbsp;possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;driving while suspended, no proof of insurance, display any canceled, revoked, or suspended driver’s license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732309934192.png" alt="Chase photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Chase photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 1a.m. Nov. 21., a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Taurus for multiple traffic violations in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver was identified as Ashley Lynea Chase, 40, of Topeka. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 detected the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A probable cause search was conducted which resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs inside the vehicle.Chase was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine,&nbsp;possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;driving while suspended, no proof of insurance, display any canceled, revoked, or suspended driver’s license.

Sheriff: Kan. woman driving while suspended was transporting drugs

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">CINDY GONZALEZ</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Nebraska nurse has had her licenses revoked for at least two years by the state’s chief medical officer for alleged fraud related to her business, which advertises weight-loss medications on social media, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.

Andrea Meisinger of Weeping Water, an advanced practice registered nurse and registered nurse, has been running a business called AR Virtual Health, which markets medications such as Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for weight loss on its website, the Attorney General’s Office said in a news release issued Friday.

In a settlement agreement filed with the State Department of Health and Human Services, Meisinger said she neither admits nor denies allegations by the Attorney General’s Office. But she consented to the order from Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, that finds the allegations to be true and that grounds exist to revoke her licenses.

Meisinger, who was not immediately available for comment Friday, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $16,000. She allegedly prescribed to patients while her Nebraska licenses were suspended and authorized prescriptions to patients in states where she does not hold the required licensure.

She acknowledged that the revocation of her nursing licenses is for a minimum of two years and reinstatement is at the discretion of the Department of Health and Human Services and upon approval by the respective state nursing board.

The order signed by Tesmer was in response to a Nov. 5 petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office to seek disciplinary action, to revoke probation and to temporarily suspend Meisinger’s licenses.

The petition alleged that Meisinger was practicing a profession fraudulently, beyond authorized scope or with incompetence or negligence, including obtaining a fee for professional services by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office filed a petition May 16 alleging that Meisinger was trying to sell Tirzepatide without establishing any patient/provider relationship.

As a result of that lawsuit, Tesmer had ordered Meisinger to pay a $3,000 civil penalty and placed her on probation for a year. Her licenses were to be suspended and she was not to engage in activity that constitutes the practice of APRN or nursing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732462922427.png" alt=" Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">CINDY GONZALEZ</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a> LINCOLN — A Nebraska nurse has had her licenses revoked for at least two years by the state’s chief medical officer for alleged fraud related to her business, which advertises weight-loss medications on social media, according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.Andrea Meisinger of Weeping Water, an advanced practice registered nurse and registered nurse, has been running a business called AR Virtual Health, which markets medications such as Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for weight loss on its website, the Attorney General’s Office said in a news release issued Friday.In a settlement agreement filed with the State Department of Health and Human Services, Meisinger said she neither admits nor denies allegations by the Attorney General’s Office. But she consented to the order from Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, that finds the allegations to be true and that grounds exist to revoke her licenses.Meisinger, who was not immediately available for comment Friday, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $16,000. She allegedly prescribed to patients while her Nebraska licenses were suspended and authorized prescriptions to patients in states where she does not hold the required licensure.She acknowledged that the revocation of her nursing licenses is for a minimum of two years and reinstatement is at the discretion of the Department of Health and Human Services and upon approval by the respective state nursing board.The order signed by Tesmer was in response to a Nov. 5 petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office to seek disciplinary action, to revoke probation and to temporarily suspend Meisinger’s licenses.The petition alleged that Meisinger was practicing a profession fraudulently, beyond authorized scope or with incompetence or negligence, including obtaining a fee for professional services by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.Previously, the Attorney General’s Office filed a petition May 16 alleging that Meisinger was trying to sell Tirzepatide without establishing any patient/provider relationship.As a result of that lawsuit, Tesmer had ordered Meisinger to pay a $3,000 civil penalty and placed her on probation for a year. Her licenses were to be suspended and she was not to engage in activity that constitutes the practice of APRN or nursing.According to Tesmer, Meisinger:<ul>
 <li>Provided prescriptions to a Georgia patient, although she held no licensure in Georgia.</li><li>Provided care to a patient in Illinois, where she holds no licensure.</li><li>Held virtual appointments with a Nebraska patient while her license was suspended.</li><li>Prescribed medications in numerous states with no licensure.</li><li>Shipped patient medications to her own address or to a coworker/friend.</li><li>Authorized dozens of prescriptions to Nebraska patients while her license was suspended.</li>
 </ul>

Nurse gets licenses yanked in connection with weight-loss business

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sofia-resnick/">SOFIA RESNICK</a>

The 2024 election results created complicated new realities for reproductive rights in the U.S., with Americans even in a few red states overwhelmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/voters-seven-states-restore-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">voting to protect</a>&nbsp;the right to have an abortion while also overwhelmingly electing anti-abortion representatives in state houses, courts, Congress and the White House.

With a Republican trifecta coming to the nation’s capital in January, anti-abortion activist groups are planning for the first potentially friendly presidential administration since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated a 50-year federal right to terminate a pregnancy.

They aim to end other federal and state protections while vastly expanding restrictions on reproductive health care.

Though many anti-abortion leaders are skeptical of President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to their cause, they say they are willing to compromise to maintain influence in his administration. Some groups are strategizing how to end-run Trump’s campaign pledge not to enact any federal abortion bans — by heavily restricting medication abortion or trying to ban a common abortion procedure.

“I don’t think we have a champion here for pro-life causes,” said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, longtime anti-abortion organizer. “What we have here is someone who will not work against us and try to crush us. We will not see pro-choice federal judges.”

Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the chief strategy officer of Stanton Public Policy Center, told States Newsroom that he is not a supporter of Trump and disagrees with his rhetoric on immigrants.

But he is happy Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris lost. The vice president had vowed to try to restore federal abortion rights and throughout her career has advocated for reproductive rights. As California attorney general, she&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-attorney-general-seizes-planned-parenthood-videos-20160405-story.html" target="_blank">prosecuted anti-abortion activists</a>&nbsp;charged with illegally recording abortion providers about a decade ago.

“We can have an opportunity now to begin the second phase after Roe was overturned,” Mahoney said. “We knew overturning Roe was only a starting line, not a finishing line.”

Lila Rose, president of Live Action, was one of the few prominent anti-abortion leaders who called out Trump before the election, after he criticized Florida’s six-week abortion ban and vowed to veto a federal ban. In late August, Rose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/08/29/lila-rose-abortion-trump-interview-00176619" target="_blank">told Politico</a>&nbsp;she would write in a presidential candidate and would encourage her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncregister.com/interview/fighting-for-life-lila-rose-s-mission-to-save-the-unborn" target="_blank">millions of followers</a>&nbsp;to do the same if Trump did not change course.

On her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSgwXPGviUA" target="_blank">podcast</a>, the millennial activist recently revealed that she met with Trump and asked him to say he would vote against Florida’s abortion-rights amendment, which he did. Days before the election, Rose&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/1852731859815542991" target="_blank">endorsed Trump on X</a>.

Live Action did not respond to an interview request.

Nationally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/voters-seven-states-restore-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">three out of 10 abortion-rights measures</a>&nbsp;failed: Florida’s proposed amendment had the highest threshold to clear, but got 57% out of the required 60% of the vote. It would have reversed the ban that reproductive rights advocates say has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/reproductive-health-care-southeast-hinges-florida-abortion-rights-ballot-measure-doctors" target="_blank">decimated abortion access in the Southeast</a>.

Another anti-abortion leader willing to compromise with the incoming president and Congress is Steven Aden, general counsel at Americans United for Life, the policy shop behind many state and federal abortion restrictions. Aden said he was disappointed the Republican Party removed from its platform a&nbsp;<a href="https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL%5B1%5D-ben_1468872234.pdf" target="_blank">previous commitment</a>&nbsp;to a federal ban.

However, he said his group was still able to inject critical language into the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=g95bUYd" target="_blank">current platform</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/rnc-approves-platform-would-give-rights-fetuses-endangering-abortion-ivf" target="_blank">effectively supports states establishing fetal personhood</a>&nbsp;through the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants equal protection under the law. The platform also says Republicans “will oppose Late Term Abortion,” a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/political-rhetoric-about-third-trimester-abortion-misleading-experts-say" target="_blank">political term</a>&nbsp;used to refer to abortions in the second and third trimesters, the rarest but most restricted types of abortions in the U.S.

“We had direct input into the Trump campaign and framing the pro-life language in the party platform,” Aden told States Newsroom. “The platform language was much pared down, but we believe that the pro-life language preserves the essence of the party’s position on the pro-life issue, and we’re proud of that, and look forward to continuing to work with the incoming Trump administration.”

Federal reproductive rights protections in question

Early into his term, Democratic President Joe Biden began reversing blocks on federal funding domestically and globally for reproductive health organizations that also provide or refer for abortions. Leading up to and following the Dobbs decision, the Biden administration loosened restrictions to the medication abortion regimen, a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, which has become the most common way of terminating pregnancy in the U.S. during the first trimester.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed abortion medication to be obtained via telemedicine and dispensed directly at pharmacies.

Nearly half the country has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights" target="_blank">partially or fully banned abortions</a>. But abortion numbers have risen since before Dobbs, researchers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/despite-bans-number-abortions-united-states-increased-2023#:~:text=New%20findings%20from%20the%20Monthly,Organization%20overturned%20Roe%20v.%20Wade." target="_blank">have reported</a>, attributing the increase in part to expanded access to telemedicine abortion and to more people using online abortion clinics that mail abortion drugs from states with so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/telehealth-abortion-still-rise-especially-states-shield-laws-report-shows" target="_blank">shield laws</a>&nbsp;to those with bans.

Anti-abortion groups&nbsp;<a href="https://sbaprolife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/win-memo.pdf" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentsforlifeaction.org/roadmap/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Time%20for%20a%20Pro-Life%20New%20Deal%20%F0%9F%A4%9D&amp;utm_campaign=PLG%3A%202024%20Primary%20Wins%3A%20KJH%20Op-Ed%20Email%20%28Nov%20%20%2024%29#form" target="_blank">Students for Life of America</a>&nbsp;recently unveiled memos asking the Trump administration to pull&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-experts-outline-how-trump-administration-could-affect-abortion-contraception-access" target="_blank">regulatory levers</a>&nbsp;that especially target abortion drugs.

Under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, regulations could include:

When asked about stories of alleged&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/women-serious-pregnancy-complications-sue-over-state-abortion-bans-2" target="_blank">denied care</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-woman-died-after-hospital-said-it-would-be-crime-intervene-her-miscarriage" target="_blank">maternal deaths</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-ob-gyns-urge-lawmakers-change-abortion-laws-after-reports-pregnant-womens-deaths" target="_blank">doctor confusion</a>&nbsp;related to state abortion bans, Aden chalked up the problem to a misinterpretation of state laws, which he said should be clarified to address these problems, while noting several times, “I’m not a doctor.” Americans United for Life’s&nbsp;<a href="https://aul.org/2022/11/09/introducing-the-abortion-abolition-amendment/" target="_blank">recommended health-exception language</a>&nbsp;in part says abortion should be allowed “to preserve the life of a pregnant woman or to address a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.”

“That’s a health exception with teeth,” Aden said. “It doesn’t allow for a free-ranging, quote unquote, ‘mental health’ exception that would swallow the rule.”

Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-picks-dr-oz-run-mammoth-centers-medicare-and-medicaid-services" target="_blank">pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</a>, which manages the country’s largest health programs, is Dr. Mehmet Oz, who&nbsp;<a href="https://19thnews.org/2024/11/trump-picks-dr-oz-celebrity-tv-doctor-medicare-medicaid/" target="_blank">opposes abortion</a>.

The U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs could:

The U.S. Agency for International Development could: