RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged violent crime in Hutchinson and have a Kansas felon in custody.

Just after 9a.m. Thursday, police responded to the 300 block of East 3rd Avenue in Hutchinson following reports of a disturbance, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.. 

A passing motorist had called 911, reporting that a female pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle while walking on the sidewalk. When officers arrived on scene, they located the injured woman. She had visible injuries and was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. 

The investigation led to identifying a suspect known to the victim. Police arrested 42-year-old&nbsp; Jeffrey L. McCaskey of Hutchinson on a requested charge of Attempted First Degree Homicide.&nbsp; He has four previous drug related convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Anyone who may have seen a disturbance in the 300 block of E 3rd Avenue or has cameras in the area, is urged to contact the Hutchinson Police Department at 620-694-2816, your local law enforcement agency, or Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 800-222-TIPS. You can also use the P3Tips App on your smartphone, or text RENOKS to 738477 to receive a link to an anonymous tip form. (Msg frequency varies. Msg &amp; data rates may apply. Text HELP for help and STOP to cancel. P3 Terms and Privacy Policy.) 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756431295263.jpeg" alt="McCaskey Photo Reno County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>McCaskey Photo Reno County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged violent crime in Hutchinson and have a Kansas felon in custody.Just after 9a.m. Thursday, police responded to the 300 block of East 3rd Avenue in Hutchinson following reports of a disturbance, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.. A passing motorist had called 911, reporting that a female pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle while walking on the sidewalk. When officers arrived on scene, they located the injured woman. She had visible injuries and was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. The investigation led to identifying a suspect known to the victim. Police arrested 42-year-old&nbsp; Jeffrey L. McCaskey of Hutchinson on a requested charge of Attempted First Degree Homicide.&nbsp; He has four previous drug related convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Anyone who may have seen a disturbance in the 300 block of E 3rd Avenue or has cameras in the area, is urged to contact the Hutchinson Police Department at 620-694-2816, your local law enforcement agency, or Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 800-222-TIPS. You can also use the P3Tips App on your smartphone, or text RENOKS to 738477 to receive a link to an anonymous tip form. (Msg frequency varies. Msg &amp; data rates may apply. Text HELP for help and STOP to cancel. P3 Terms and Privacy Policy.)

Police: Driver intentionally struck Kan. woman walking on sidewalk

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating the death of two at a home in Shawnee County have released the names of the two who died.

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call and deputies responded for a welfare check on a woman in the 6700 block of SW Briarmeade Lane, in the Montara Subdivision, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

When deputies arrived at the residence, they located the woman suffering from a single gunshot wound. Deputies also located a male subject inside the residence that appeared to have sustained a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene.

The female occupant has been identified as Erica E. Bevitt, 42, of Topeka. The male subject has been identified as Brian M. Bevitt, 45, of Topeka. Investigators learned that they had previously been in a domestic relationship.

Investigators also determined that there were two juveniles associated with the residence. They were both at school during this incident and were found physically unharmed. They have been placed with family members.

Just before&nbsp;10 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call and deputies responded for a welfare check on a woman in the 6700 block of SW Briarmeade Lane, in the Montara Subdivision, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies discovered two individuals deceased from gunshot wounds. The preliminary investigation indicates the incident was domestic in nature.

At this time, investigators believe all parties involved have been identified, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Shawnee Heights Fire Department assisted at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756340120852.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating the death of two at a home in Shawnee County have released the names of the two who died.Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call and deputies responded for a welfare check on a woman in the 6700 block of SW Briarmeade Lane, in the Montara Subdivision, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.When deputies arrived at the residence, they located the woman suffering from a single gunshot wound. Deputies also located a male subject inside the residence that appeared to have sustained a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene.The female occupant has been identified as Erica E. Bevitt, 42, of Topeka. The male subject has been identified as Brian M. Bevitt, 45, of Topeka. Investigators learned that they had previously been in a domestic relationship.Investigators also determined that there were two juveniles associated with the residence. They were both at school during this incident and were found physically unharmed. They have been placed with family members.Just before&nbsp;10 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call and deputies responded for a welfare check on a woman in the 6700 block of SW Briarmeade Lane, in the Montara Subdivision, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Deputies discovered two individuals deceased from gunshot wounds. The preliminary investigation indicates the incident was domestic in nature.At this time, investigators believe all parties involved have been identified, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Shawnee Heights Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Sheriff IDs 2 who died after shooting, standoff at Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating an alleged school threat and have made an arrest.

On Thursday, a deputy-school resource officer with the Shawnee County sheriff’s office received information about a threat to a school. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a student had made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to the school,&nbsp; according to Deputy Abigail Christian. 

The 15-year-old was arrested and booked into the Shawnee Co. Juvenile Detention Center on a requested charge of criminal threat.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the school involved.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating an alleged school threat and have made an arrest.On Thursday, a deputy-school resource officer with the Shawnee County sheriff’s office received information about a threat to a school. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a student had made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to the school,&nbsp; according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The 15-year-old was arrested and booked into the Shawnee Co. Juvenile Detention Center on a requested charge of criminal threat.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the school involved.

15-year-old arrested for alleged gun threat at Kansas school

KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department&nbsp;responded to building collapse in the 4800 block of Independence Avenue just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival companies reported a partial collapse of a bowstring truss roof. The collapse fell into the interior of the structure causing several walls to lean out and become compromised. 

KCFD established a collapse zone and requested dangerous buildings to the scene. The building is an occupied structure that is used for a storage location for a wholesale business, according to Hopkins. The owner of the building and the buildings renter were on scene and working with Dangerous Buildings and City Planning to develop a plan for securing the structure. There were no injuries reported at this incident.

Independence Avenue was closed in both directions from Chelsea to Brighton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756413987947.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department&nbsp;responded to building collapse in the 4800 block of Independence Avenue just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.On arrival companies reported a partial collapse of a bowstring truss roof. The collapse fell into the interior of the structure causing several walls to lean out and become compromised. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756414261411.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KCFD established a collapse zone and requested dangerous buildings to the scene. The building is an occupied structure that is used for a storage location for a wholesale business, according to Hopkins. The owner of the building and the buildings renter were on scene and working with Dangerous Buildings and City Planning to develop a plan for securing the structure. There were no injuries reported at this incident.Independence Avenue was closed in both directions from Chelsea to Brighton.

Partial roof collapse at storage building in Kansas City

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

Just before 7:30 August 25, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white 2020 Dodge Charger with an expired license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Jackson Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, a K-9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.&nbsp; Deputies arrested 27-year-old Rachael R. Ratzloff of Topeka on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia, Vehicles; operate a vehicle without registration or with an expired tag and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756154206554.png" alt="Ratzloff-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Ratzloff-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 7:30 August 25, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white 2020 Dodge Charger with an expired license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Jackson Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, a K-9 Unit assisted and illegal narcotics were located.&nbsp; Deputies arrested 27-year-old Rachael R. Ratzloff of Topeka on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia, Vehicles; operate a vehicle without registration or with an expired tag and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license

Kansas woman without driver's license caught transporting drugs

LYON COUNTY —A switch that malfunctioned is being blamed for triggering an active shooter alarm on Thursday.

Just before 4:30p.m. the Emporia Police Department received a report of an active shooter alarm at Newman Regional Health, 1201 W 12th Avenue in&nbsp; Emporia, according to Police Captain Ray Mattas.

Officers from the Emporia Police Department responded and law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the hospital and adjacent medical facilities for approximately two hours. No evidence of a shooter or any threat was found.

Further investigation revealed that the alarm was triggered by a malfunctioning emergency switch.

In addition to Emporia Police, personnel from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Emporia State University Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, responded promptly to the scene. The Emporia Fire Department also provided support.

The Emporia Police Department extended its gratitude to all responding agencies and the staff at Newman Regional Health for their cooperation and swift action in resolving this incident. The safety and security of our community remain our top priority.

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement in Emporia responded to an active shooter alarm at Newman Regional Health, 1201 West 12 Street in Emporia, according to police spokesperson Christine Torrens. 

Officers thoroughly searched the premises, and it appears to be an alarm only — no active threat was identified.

Police asked the public continue to use caution in the area they remained on scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756420037873.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —A switch that malfunctioned is being blamed for triggering an active shooter alarm on Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ESU Alert: An active shooter has been reported at Newman Regional Health. If you are near the area: Run. Hide. Fight. If you are off campus, remain away.&mdash; Emporia State Univ. (@emporiastate) <a href="https://twitter.com/emporiastate/status/1961182134695022898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just before 4:30p.m. the Emporia Police Department received a report of an active shooter alarm at Newman Regional Health, 1201 W 12th Avenue in&nbsp; Emporia, according to Police Captain Ray Mattas.Officers from the Emporia Police Department responded and law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the hospital and adjacent medical facilities for approximately two hours. No evidence of a shooter or any threat was found.Further investigation revealed that the alarm was triggered by a malfunctioning emergency switch.In addition to Emporia Police, personnel from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Emporia State University Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, responded promptly to the scene. The Emporia Fire Department also provided support.The Emporia Police Department extended its gratitude to all responding agencies and the staff at Newman Regional Health for their cooperation and swift action in resolving this incident. The safety and security of our community remain our top priority.-------LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement in Emporia responded to an active shooter alarm at Newman Regional Health, 1201 West 12 Street in Emporia, according to police spokesperson Christine Torrens. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ESU Alert: An active shooter has been reported at Newman Regional Health. If you are near the area: Run. Hide. Fight. If you are off campus, remain away.&mdash; Emporia State Univ. (@emporiastate) <a href="https://twitter.com/emporiastate/status/1961182134695022898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officers thoroughly searched the premises, and it appears to be an alarm only — no active threat was identified.Police asked the public continue to use caution in the area they remained on scene.

Police detail what caused active shooter alarm at hospital in Emporia

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

OVERLAND PARK — Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman pushed for deepening relationships and maintaining international growth opportunities for Kansas farmers at a meeting of state political and agricultural leaders Wednesday.&nbsp;

Glickman and U.S. Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids spoke about the effects of tariffs and federal policies on Kansas farmers during a U.S. Global Leadership Coalition luncheon. The event was closed to journalists, but Glickman shared thoughts on the current political climate afterward.&nbsp;

“My theory is pretty much don’t burn bridges, build bridges,” he said. “I got along very well with (Pat) Roberts, (Bob) Dole, (Nancy) Kassebaum. We didn’t try to kill each other.”

Glickman, a Democrat, said Dole, a longtime Republican senator, helped him get the position as secretary of agriculture, which he held from 1995 to 2001 during the Clinton administration.&nbsp;

Politicians need to be able to reach across the aisle and have open discussions and agreements, Glickman said.&nbsp;

“I hope we can create an environment where there’s trust in the system of government generally, because it’s not just agriculture, it’s everything,” he said. “And then we have some predictability in foreign policy, federal farm policy.”

He would also like to see Republicans stand up to the president, something he said he had to do when he served under Clinton.&nbsp;

“I’d like to see the Republicans show more courage and moxie in challenging the president – on the federal side, not so much on the Kansas side – when they think he’s wrong,” Glickman said. “It’s difficult to challenge a president if you’re in their party. When I would say to Clinton, ‘I think you’re wrong,’ I would do it very deliberately but still, I would do it at times, and I don’t see very much happening like that.”

National reports that legislators fear retaliation if they speak up aren’t good, Glickman said.&nbsp;

“I don’t think it’s healthy for democracy. You know, you’ve got to be able to speak out responsibly,” he said.

Building relationships extends beyond domestic politics, and Glickman is concerned international relationships may be impaired because of the way tariffs are being negotiated. He’s not against tariffs in general, he said, but he’s concerned about future trade effects.

“I’ve never been a purist on tariffs and trade,” he said. “I mean, there are some countries that abuse their relationships with us, and that’s why you have tariff agreements and trade agreements, to build those things in there so one country can’t take advantage of another by being too self protective.”&nbsp;

But Glickman said the way trade barriers are being implemented concerns him. Historically, international policies involved collaboration between Congress and the private sector to determine the best way to proceed, he said.

“Because when you put your finger on one set of problems, if you’re not careful, you’re going to create another set of problems,” Glickman said. “Agriculture has often been the whipping boy for those other sets of problems, because of how much we rely on access to global markets. So I guess my real answer is, can we do this carefully, or do we have to do it with a sledgehammer?”

Right now, the country is relying too much on the sledgehammer, Glickman said.

Growth opportunities in agriculture lie in the international market, he said.&nbsp;

“The president said something when he announced the original set of tariffs – ‘American farmers are going to love this, because they can finally take advantage of domestic markets,’ and I’m thinking to myself, no, that’s not where the growth is,” Glickman said. “There’s not really much growth in domestic markets. There might be a little here, a little there. All the growth is global, and so maybe he doesn’t understand it.”

Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, attended the luncheon and agreed with Glickman.&nbsp;

“As Secretary Glickman mentioned, we are becoming less and less of a reliable trading partner to the world,” he said. “Anymore, we are a global market, and you know, you can be upset with another country because maybe they don’t do as much trade with you and all that, but I’ve always believed that the carrot versus the stick does a lot more good.”

Levendofsky said the potential of growing markets such as India are important to Kansas farmers.&nbsp;

“If China is shutting the door on us, we’ve got to find an opening somewhere,” he said. “And that, to me, right now speaks to India.”

Along with international trade, Glickman is watching the future of the Farm Bill. The reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July addressed some policies usually found in the Farm Bill, but it didn’t include all the elements that need to be addressed, he said.&nbsp;

A Farm Bill has not passed this year, and Glickman said expert assessments that this may be the beginning of creating a different process for agricultural legislation is “astute.”

“We’ve had in the last 40 or 50 years, these five-year farm bills,” he said. “But then lately, we’ve been having these extensions every year and with no real fundamental change.”

Recent legislation added $40 to $50 billion of new or enhanced programs over the next 10 years, and also addressed commodity programs, crop insurance and risk management, Glickman said.&nbsp;

He hopes this won’t be the new normal because there were many subjcts not addressed, such as research and nutrition programs.&nbsp;

In his role as a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Council on American Politics at George Washington University, Glickman said he keeps in contact with concerns of farmers and trade groups.

The real worry right now is instability, he said.

“The big story in agriculture is lack of stability, lack of planning, lack of predictability,” Glickman said. “Agriculture is complicated, and then the volatile weather complicates it further. Changes in the weather, plant and animal disease, making sure our research budgets are adequately funded – that’s all part of a new Farm Bill.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756402390112.png" alt=" Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman talked about international trade and diplomacy along with other concerns of Kansas farmers at a Wednesday U.S. Global Leadership Coalition meeting in Overland Park. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman talked about international trade and diplomacy along with other concerns of Kansas farmers at a Wednesday U.S. Global Leadership Coalition meeting in Overland Park. (Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>OVERLAND PARK — Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman pushed for deepening relationships and maintaining international growth opportunities for Kansas farmers at a meeting of state political and agricultural leaders Wednesday.&nbsp;Glickman and U.S. Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids spoke about the effects of tariffs and federal policies on Kansas farmers during a U.S. Global Leadership Coalition luncheon. The event was closed to journalists, but Glickman shared thoughts on the current political climate afterward.&nbsp;“My theory is pretty much don’t burn bridges, build bridges,” he said. “I got along very well with (Pat) Roberts, (Bob) Dole, (Nancy) Kassebaum. We didn’t try to kill each other.”Glickman, a Democrat, said Dole, a longtime Republican senator, helped him get the position as secretary of agriculture, which he held from 1995 to 2001 during the Clinton administration.&nbsp;Politicians need to be able to reach across the aisle and have open discussions and agreements, Glickman said.&nbsp;“I hope we can create an environment where there’s trust in the system of government generally, because it’s not just agriculture, it’s everything,” he said. “And then we have some predictability in foreign policy, federal farm policy.”He would also like to see Republicans stand up to the president, something he said he had to do when he served under Clinton.&nbsp;“I’d like to see the Republicans show more courage and moxie in challenging the president – on the federal side, not so much on the Kansas side – when they think he’s wrong,” Glickman said. “It’s difficult to challenge a president if you’re in their party. When I would say to Clinton, ‘I think you’re wrong,’ I would do it very deliberately but still, I would do it at times, and I don’t see very much happening like that.”National reports that legislators fear retaliation if they speak up aren’t good, Glickman said.&nbsp;“I don’t think it’s healthy for democracy. You know, you’ve got to be able to speak out responsibly,” he said.<h2>International trade</h2>Building relationships extends beyond domestic politics, and Glickman is concerned international relationships may be impaired because of the way tariffs are being negotiated. He’s not against tariffs in general, he said, but he’s concerned about future trade effects.“I’ve never been a purist on tariffs and trade,” he said. “I mean, there are some countries that abuse their relationships with us, and that’s why you have tariff agreements and trade agreements, to build those things in there so one country can’t take advantage of another by being too self protective.”&nbsp;But Glickman said the way trade barriers are being implemented concerns him. Historically, international policies involved collaboration between Congress and the private sector to determine the best way to proceed, he said.“Because when you put your finger on one set of problems, if you’re not careful, you’re going to create another set of problems,” Glickman said. “Agriculture has often been the whipping boy for those other sets of problems, because of how much we rely on access to global markets. So I guess my real answer is, can we do this carefully, or do we have to do it with a sledgehammer?”Right now, the country is relying too much on the sledgehammer, Glickman said.Growth opportunities in agriculture lie in the international market, he said.&nbsp;“The president said something when he announced the original set of tariffs – ‘American farmers are going to love this, because they can finally take advantage of domestic markets,’ and I’m thinking to myself, no, that’s not where the growth is,” Glickman said. “There’s not really much growth in domestic markets. There might be a little here, a little there. All the growth is global, and so maybe he doesn’t understand it.”Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union, attended the luncheon and agreed with Glickman.&nbsp;“As Secretary Glickman mentioned, we are becoming less and less of a reliable trading partner to the world,” he said. “Anymore, we are a global market, and you know, you can be upset with another country because maybe they don’t do as much trade with you and all that, but I’ve always believed that the carrot versus the stick does a lot more good.”Levendofsky said the potential of growing markets such as India are important to Kansas farmers.&nbsp;“If China is shutting the door on us, we’ve got to find an opening somewhere,” he said. “And that, to me, right now speaks to India.”<h2>Farm Bill</h2>Along with international trade, Glickman is watching the future of the Farm Bill. The reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July addressed some policies usually found in the Farm Bill, but it didn’t include all the elements that need to be addressed, he said.&nbsp;A Farm Bill has not passed this year, and Glickman said expert assessments that this may be the beginning of creating a different process for agricultural legislation is “astute.”“We’ve had in the last 40 or 50 years, these five-year farm bills,” he said. “But then lately, we’ve been having these extensions every year and with no real fundamental change.”Recent legislation added $40 to $50 billion of new or enhanced programs over the next 10 years, and also addressed commodity programs, crop insurance and risk management, Glickman said.&nbsp;He hopes this won’t be the new normal because there were many subjcts not addressed, such as research and nutrition programs.&nbsp;In his role as a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Council on American Politics at George Washington University, Glickman said he keeps in contact with concerns of farmers and trade groups.The real worry right now is instability, he said.“The big story in agriculture is lack of stability, lack of planning, lack of predictability,” Glickman said. “Agriculture is complicated, and then the volatile weather complicates it further. Changes in the weather, plant and animal disease, making sure our research budgets are adequately funded – that’s all part of a new Farm Bill.”

Former ag secretary Glickman worries about ‘sledgehammer’ trade policies affecting Kansas farmers

WASHINGTON — In April Health secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;warned that children in the U.S. are being diagnosed with autism at an “alarming rate,” promising to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factors that may cause the developmental disorder.

During President Trump's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Kennedy revealed his researchers have identified what could be responsible for Autism.&nbsp;

Autism experts applaud efforts to further understand the condition, but say the number of reported cases began to balloon as the definition of the condition expanded to include mild cases.

“We will have an announcement as promised in September,” Kennedy said. “We’re finding interventions, certain interventions now that are clearly almost certainly causing autism.”

WASHINGTON — In April Health secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;warned that children in the U.S. are being diagnosed with autism at an “alarming rate,” promising to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factors that may cause the developmental disorder.During President Trump's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Kennedy revealed his researchers have identified what could be responsible for Autism.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">RFK Jr. just REVEALED he has found the causes of autism. This is the moment MAHA moms have been waiting for. “We’re finding certain interventions that are almost certainly causing autism.” “We will have announcements, as promised, in September.” “In 1970, the biggest… <a href="https://t.co/KQidXc8fOY">pic.twitter.com/KQidXc8fOY</a>&mdash; Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) <a href="https://twitter.com/Holden_Culotta/status/1960398300693074198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Autism experts applaud efforts to further understand the condition, but say the number of reported cases began to balloon as the definition of the condition expanded to include mild cases.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: &quot;I know what a healthy child is supposed to look like. I’m looking at kids as I walk through the airports today...and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges...and I know that’s not how our children are supposed to look.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/b8A2OEphav">pic.twitter.com/b8A2OEphav</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1960802249053233248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We will have an announcement as promised in September,” Kennedy said. “We’re finding interventions, certain interventions now that are clearly almost certainly causing autism.”

🎥The latest promise from RFK Jr. on autism research

LYON COUNTY — Police Detectives took two 14-year-old boys into custody in connection with the Attempted Aggravated Robbery that occurred around 1:30am August 17, in the 1100 block of E 12th Avenue in Emporia.

After receiving a Crime Stoppers Tip early last week, detectives gained traction in the investigation. A gun and knife, believed to be used in the attempted robbery, were recovered as part of the investigation. The gun had been reported stolen prior to the attempted robbery.

&nbsp;Police did not released the names of the two teen suspects.

The Emporia Police Department thanked the public and Lyon County Crime Stoppers for their assistance in solving the crime.

LYON COUNTY — Police Detectives took two 14-year-old boys into custody in connection with the Attempted Aggravated Robbery that occurred around 1:30am August 17, in the 1100 block of E 12th Avenue in Emporia.After receiving a Crime Stoppers Tip early last week, detectives gained traction in the investigation. A gun and knife, believed to be used in the attempted robbery, were recovered as part of the investigation. The gun had been reported stolen prior to the attempted robbery.&nbsp;Police did not released the names of the two teen suspects.The Emporia Police Department thanked the public and Lyon County Crime Stoppers for their assistance in solving the crime.

Tip led to arrest of 14-year-olds for Kansas armed robbery

The countdown is on, with just eight days to go until the 2025 Kansas State Fair kicks off in Hutchinson. Fair General Manager Brian Schulz says preparations are well underway as vendors, exhibits, and entertainment begin to move onto the grounds.&nbsp;

“We’ve been out making sure everything is ready,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “People are starting to move in, and for safety reasons, we’ve closed the grounds to walkers during setup. With big trucks, combines, tractors, and other large items coming in, it’s just too dangerous.”&nbsp;

Schulz&nbsp;highlighted this year’s lineup of free entertainment, much of it featuring Kansas talent. Acts will perform at venues across the fairgrounds, including the Lowen Stage at Lake Talbott, the newly upgraded People’s Bank and Trust Arena with a permanent canopy, and Gottschalk Park. Local performers include Derby’s America’s Got Talent runner-up and Ella Wellman of Sterling, now a K-State student.&nbsp;

Vendors are also making their return. Most booths are held year-to-year, with waiting lists for new spots. The fair takes care to avoid placing direct competitors side by side. Schulz&nbsp;noted that equipment displays remain a highlight, connecting new generations with Kansas’ agricultural roots.&nbsp;

“We’re five to seven generations removed from the family farm,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “For many young people, this is their first chance to see a combine or tractor up close.”&nbsp;

This year’s grandstand shows feature a wide variety of acts:&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Sam Barber and Adriana&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Jeff Dunham&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Josh Turner with Jason Scott and the High Heat&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Monday: Demolition Derby&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Tuesday: Fair Fight Pro Wrestling •&nbsp; &nbsp;Wednesday: Josiah Queen with Ben Fuller (Christian Night)&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Thursday: Hairball&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Ludacris&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Plain White T’s with The Fray&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Lorrie Morgan with Mason Ramsey&nbsp;

One sweet tradition is also making a comeback. The Kansas State Fair Foundation will be selling official saltwater taffy as a fundraiser. The taffy, absent in recent years, will be available at the merchandise booth near the interactive fountain and at the 1861 Club.&nbsp;

Alongside staple fair foods like Pronto Pups and roasted corn, new items this year include fried brownie bites, pulled pork corn dogs, pineapple smoothies, and firecracker wontons.&nbsp;

Advance ticket packages are still available, including kids, seniors, and couple’s night bundles.&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;recommends purchasing early, as prices increase once the fair begins. Adults will be $10 at the gate, while kids 6–12 are $6, and seniors $6.&nbsp;

The Kansas State Fair app has also been updated, offering visitors maps, schedules, food locations, and event reminders. “It’ll be your best friend during the fair,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

The fair opens Friday, September 5, with gates at 10 a.m. and opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. at the People’s Bank and Trust Arena, where a ribbon-cutting will also be held for the new canopy.&nbsp;

The fair runs for 10 days, bringing back a mix of tradition and new experiences for Kansans of all ages.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725972126895.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pat James" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pat James</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostThe countdown is on, with just eight days to go until the 2025 Kansas State Fair kicks off in Hutchinson. Fair General Manager Brian Schulz says preparations are well underway as vendors, exhibits, and entertainment begin to move onto the grounds.&nbsp;“We’ve been out making sure everything is ready,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “People are starting to move in, and for safety reasons, we’ve closed the grounds to walkers during setup. With big trucks, combines, tractors, and other large items coming in, it’s just too dangerous.”&nbsp;<h2>Free entertainment and local talent</h2>Schulz&nbsp;highlighted this year’s lineup of free entertainment, much of it featuring Kansas talent. Acts will perform at venues across the fairgrounds, including the Lowen Stage at Lake Talbott, the newly upgraded People’s Bank and Trust Arena with a permanent canopy, and Gottschalk Park. Local performers include Derby’s America’s Got Talent runner-up and Ella Wellman of Sterling, now a K-State student.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Bryan Shulz - Kansas State Fair" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=pq942-194986f-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=3267a3" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><h2>Vendor spots and traditions</h2>Vendors are also making their return. Most booths are held year-to-year, with waiting lists for new spots. The fair takes care to avoid placing direct competitors side by side. Schulz&nbsp;noted that equipment displays remain a highlight, connecting new generations with Kansas’ agricultural roots.&nbsp;“We’re five to seven generations removed from the family farm,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “For many young people, this is their first chance to see a combine or tractor up close.”&nbsp;<h2>Grandstand lineup</h2>This year’s grandstand shows feature a wide variety of acts:&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Sam Barber and Adriana&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Jeff Dunham&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Josh Turner with Jason Scott and the High Heat&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Monday: Demolition Derby&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Tuesday: Fair Fight Pro Wrestling •&nbsp; &nbsp;Wednesday: Josiah Queen with Ben Fuller (Christian Night)&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Thursday: Hairball&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Ludacris&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Plain White T’s with The Fray&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Lorrie Morgan with Mason Ramsey&nbsp;<h2>Saltwater Taffy returns</h2>One sweet tradition is also making a comeback. The Kansas State Fair Foundation will be selling official saltwater taffy as a fundraiser. The taffy, absent in recent years, will be available at the merchandise booth near the interactive fountain and at the 1861 Club.&nbsp;<h2>New Foods and Classic Favorites</h2>Alongside staple fair foods like Pronto Pups and roasted corn, new items this year include fried brownie bites, pulled pork corn dogs, pineapple smoothies, and firecracker wontons.&nbsp;<h2>Tickets and app updates</h2>Advance ticket packages are still available, including kids, seniors, and couple’s night bundles.&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;recommends purchasing early, as prices increase once the fair begins. Adults will be $10 at the gate, while kids 6–12 are $6, and seniors $6.&nbsp;The Kansas State Fair app has also been updated, offering visitors maps, schedules, food locations, and event reminders. “It’ll be your best friend during the fair,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said.&nbsp;<h2>Opening Day</h2>The fair opens Friday, September 5, with gates at 10 a.m. and opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. at the People’s Bank and Trust Arena, where a ribbon-cutting will also be held for the new canopy.&nbsp;The fair runs for 10 days, bringing back a mix of tradition and new experiences for Kansans of all ages.&nbsp;

Kansas State Fair getting ready for opening next week

A Cole County judge will decide whether to revise, throw out or keep a constitutional amendment proposed by the Missouri General Assembly that would ban abortion

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

A Cole County judge heard arguments Wednesday over whether a proposed ban on abortion set to go to voters next year should be thrown out or revised over a provision targeting gender-affirming care for minors.&nbsp;

The ACLU of Missouri believes the proposal, which was drafted by state lawmakers, violates the state constitution because it includes multiple subjects. The group also contends the summary that would appear on the ballot is misleading.

If the courts decide to keep the measure on the ballot, plaintiffs are asking that the ballot summary be revised to explicitly state that the measure would ban abortion.

If approved by a simple majority of voters, the abortion ban amendment would repeal a citizen-led reproductive rights amendment that passed last November legalizing&nbsp; abortion in Missouri up until the point of fetal viability and enshrining other reproductive rights in the constitution, including in-vitro fertilization and contraceptives.

The new amendment would reinstate an abortion ban, allowing limited exceptions for medical emergencies, fatal fetal anomolies and for survivors of rape and incest in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The current language written by the Missouri General Assembly makes no mention of the ban it would enact.&nbsp;

Instead, Missourians would be asked if they want to amend the Missouri constitution to:&nbsp;

Missouri statute states “petitions for laws shall contain not more than one subject which shall be expressed clearly in the title.”&nbsp;

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney with Stinson LLP&nbsp;representing the plaintiff on Wednesday argued that the inclusion of the gender-affirming health care ban was “ballot candy” meant to win over more voters but is a separate issue from reproductive health care.&nbsp;

Recent polling by St. Louis University/YouGov shows that while the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">&nbsp;majority of polled Missouri voters support access to abortion</a>, the majority also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/25/poll-finds-missouri-voters-support-for-bans-on-transgender-health-care/">oppose access to gender-affirming health care for minors.&nbsp;</a>

“You can’t say to the people, ‘Here’s a proposal whether the Chiefs should stay in Kansas City and to ban crypto,’” Hatfield said.

Missouri Solicitor General Louis Capozzi, defending the proposed amendment, told Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green on Wednesday that gender-affirming procedures can cause the loss of fertility. Therefore, he believes reproductive health care “applies to all people who are thinking about whether to have children.”

Capozzi said the latest proposed amendment “ensures that Missouri children are able to make the choice whether to reproduce when they are adults,” adding that if someone is “unable to reproduce, they can’t access reproductive health care.”

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">anti-abortion leaders were unsuccessful in convincing the courts&nbsp;</a>to throw the abortion rights amendment off the ballot by claiming it violated the single subject rule. At the time, an attorney for the Thomas Moore Society argued unsuccessfully that the subject of that amendment,&nbsp;“a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” encompassed “infinite subjects.”

Hatfield on Wednesday accused the legislature and Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins of misrepresenting what the amendment would do through both the language voters will see on the ballot and the ballot language posted&nbsp;at every polling station around the state next to sample ballots.&nbsp;

Hoskins’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/petitions/2026BallotMeasures" target="_blank">ballot language</a>&nbsp;currently reads: “A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to allow abortion in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest, or to protect children from gender transition.”

Under the current law, abortion is legal up until the point of fetal viability in Missouri and gender-affirming health care for minors is banned.&nbsp;

“It’s ridiculous; it’s wrong,” Hatfield said of the ballot language. “The current constitution guarantees those rights and to imply otherwise is wrong, it’s highly argumentative.”

Capozzi argued the legislature was working with a word limit and that it was more important to state what the amendment would do. Summary statements, he said, need not detail specific exceptions.

The proposed amendment also requires any lawsuits related to reproductive health care to be filed in Cole County and gives the Attorney General’s Office the right to intervene in these cases. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit said there is not a legitimate connection to reproductive health care, as “health care is not generally provided in court rooms.”

Hatfield suggested Green “tell the General Assembly to give it another shot in compliance with the constitution.”&nbsp;

Green did not immediately rule on the challenge to the abortion ban amendment. A day earlier, he also heard arguments in a case challenging a new law set to go into effect Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/25/lawsuit-challenges-the-constitutionality-of-missouri-attorney-generals-new-powers/">changes the deadlines and procedures for challenging and revising ballot language.</a>&nbsp;Green’s determination in that case could affect how he’s allowed to proceed in regarding the ballot language.&nbsp;

Despite the current law, abortion access remains tenuous in Missouri.&nbsp;

Three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis —&nbsp;have resumed procedural abortions on a limited schedule that was briefly interrupted over the summer when the courts overturned and then reinstated a temporary injunction allowing some abortions to resume ahead of a trial slated for January.

But Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are slated to meet in court a handful of times before then.

At a hearing set for Sept. 10 in Kansas City, Planned Parenthood plans to argue in favor of undoing a number of laws they say are currently preventing its clinics from prescribing medication abortion in Missouri.&nbsp;

That same day, down the street, the Western District Court of Appeals is slated to hear&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-erred-in-asking-supreme-court-to-overturn-order-legalizing-abortion/">the Missouri Attorney General’s Office’s appeal of an injunction</a>&nbsp;that allowed procedural abortions to resume in Missouri in February.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746190042115.png" alt="An abortion procedure room pictured on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>An abortion procedure room pictured on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A Cole County judge will decide whether to revise, throw out or keep a constitutional amendment proposed by the Missouri General Assembly that would ban abortion</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A Cole County judge heard arguments Wednesday over whether a proposed ban on abortion set to go to voters next year should be thrown out or revised over a provision targeting gender-affirming care for minors.&nbsp;The ACLU of Missouri believes the proposal, which was drafted by state lawmakers, violates the state constitution because it includes multiple subjects. The group also contends the summary that would appear on the ballot is misleading.If the courts decide to keep the measure on the ballot, plaintiffs are asking that the ballot summary be revised to explicitly state that the measure would ban abortion.If approved by a simple majority of voters, the abortion ban amendment would repeal a citizen-led reproductive rights amendment that passed last November legalizing&nbsp; abortion in Missouri up until the point of fetal viability and enshrining other reproductive rights in the constitution, including in-vitro fertilization and contraceptives.The new amendment would reinstate an abortion ban, allowing limited exceptions for medical emergencies, fatal fetal anomolies and for survivors of rape and incest in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.The current language written by the Missouri General Assembly makes no mention of the ban it would enact.&nbsp;Instead, Missourians would be asked if they want to amend the Missouri constitution to:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Guarantee access to care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages;</li><li>Ensure women’s safety during abortions;</li><li>Ensure parental consent for minors;</li><li>Allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, and incest;</li><li>Require physicians to provide medically accurate information; and</li><li>Protect children from gender transition?</li>
 </ul>Missouri statute states “petitions for laws shall contain not more than one subject which shall be expressed clearly in the title.”&nbsp;Chuck Hatfield, an attorney with Stinson LLP&nbsp;representing the plaintiff on Wednesday argued that the inclusion of the gender-affirming health care ban was “ballot candy” meant to win over more voters but is a separate issue from reproductive health care.&nbsp;Recent polling by St. Louis University/YouGov shows that while the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">&nbsp;majority of polled Missouri voters support access to abortion</a>, the majority also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/25/poll-finds-missouri-voters-support-for-bans-on-transgender-health-care/">oppose access to gender-affirming health care for minors.&nbsp;</a>“You can’t say to the people, ‘Here’s a proposal whether the Chiefs should stay in Kansas City and to ban crypto,’” Hatfield said.Missouri Solicitor General Louis Capozzi, defending the proposed amendment, told Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green on Wednesday that gender-affirming procedures can cause the loss of fertility. Therefore, he believes reproductive health care “applies to all people who are thinking about whether to have children.”Capozzi said the latest proposed amendment “ensures that Missouri children are able to make the choice whether to reproduce when they are adults,” adding that if someone is “unable to reproduce, they can’t access reproductive health care.”Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">anti-abortion leaders were unsuccessful in convincing the courts&nbsp;</a>to throw the abortion rights amendment off the ballot by claiming it violated the single subject rule. At the time, an attorney for the Thomas Moore Society argued unsuccessfully that the subject of that amendment,&nbsp;“a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” encompassed “infinite subjects.”Hatfield on Wednesday accused the legislature and Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins of misrepresenting what the amendment would do through both the language voters will see on the ballot and the ballot language posted&nbsp;at every polling station around the state next to sample ballots.&nbsp;Hoskins’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/petitions/2026BallotMeasures" target="_blank">ballot language</a>&nbsp;currently reads: “A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to allow abortion in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest, or to protect children from gender transition.”Under the current law, abortion is legal up until the point of fetal viability in Missouri and gender-affirming health care for minors is banned.&nbsp;“It’s ridiculous; it’s wrong,” Hatfield said of the ballot language. “The current constitution guarantees those rights and to imply otherwise is wrong, it’s highly argumentative.”Capozzi argued the legislature was working with a word limit and that it was more important to state what the amendment would do. Summary statements, he said, need not detail specific exceptions.The proposed amendment also requires any lawsuits related to reproductive health care to be filed in Cole County and gives the Attorney General’s Office the right to intervene in these cases. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit said there is not a legitimate connection to reproductive health care, as “health care is not generally provided in court rooms.”Hatfield suggested Green “tell the General Assembly to give it another shot in compliance with the constitution.”&nbsp;Green did not immediately rule on the challenge to the abortion ban amendment. A day earlier, he also heard arguments in a case challenging a new law set to go into effect Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/25/lawsuit-challenges-the-constitutionality-of-missouri-attorney-generals-new-powers/">changes the deadlines and procedures for challenging and revising ballot language.</a>&nbsp;Green’s determination in that case could affect how he’s allowed to proceed in regarding the ballot language.&nbsp;Despite the current law, abortion access remains tenuous in Missouri.&nbsp;Three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis —&nbsp;have resumed procedural abortions on a limited schedule that was briefly interrupted over the summer when the courts overturned and then reinstated a temporary injunction allowing some abortions to resume ahead of a trial slated for January.But Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are slated to meet in court a handful of times before then.At a hearing set for Sept. 10 in Kansas City, Planned Parenthood plans to argue in favor of undoing a number of laws they say are currently preventing its clinics from prescribing medication abortion in Missouri.&nbsp;That same day, down the street, the Western District Court of Appeals is slated to hear&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-erred-in-asking-supreme-court-to-overturn-order-legalizing-abortion/">the Missouri Attorney General’s Office’s appeal of an injunction</a>&nbsp;that allowed procedural abortions to resume in Missouri in February.&nbsp;

Missouri judge weighing whether new abortion ban should appear on 2026 ballot

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Representatives of judicial districts from across the state gathered in Hays on Tuesday and Wednesday for a mental health summit.

Seventy percent of people who are incarcerated in the United States have a mental illness or substance abuse problem or both.

The Hon. Steven Leifman from Florida told the group, "We should create specialty courts for the 30% of people who don't have mental illness or substance abuse."

There are 19 times more people who have mental illnesses in jails and prisons than in civil treatment programs.

He said the people who do have mental illness and substance abuse issues should be placed in therapeutic situations.

Leifman said the United States is failing at dealing with people who have mental illness, and it is costing taxpayers millions of dollars to run a broken system.

The United States has 4% of the world's population and 25% of the incarcerated people, resulting in $1 trillion in direct and indirect costs per year.&nbsp;

Leifman had the opportunity to visit&nbsp;Trieste, Italy, where he said the community is doing it right.

They virtually have no homelessness. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in jails. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in their forensic hospitals, and they have very few people in their civil hospitals," he said.

Last year, out of 40,000 patients, they only filed 100 cases for civil commitment.

"We do that every day in Miami," he said.

"First, they don't define people by their mental illnesses," he said. "You're not the crazy guy that lives down the street. You are John Smith, who just happens to have a mental illness. Just like you might be John Smith, who just happens to have heart disease or cancer."

When someone has a mental health episode, a doctor immediately goes to that person's home and begins treatment immediately. If the person can't stay at home, they find them housing and assign them three case managers, so they are covered 24 hours until they are stable. They are placed on medication and monitored, but not hospitalized.

As soon as the person begins to recover, they start to try to give them their lives back.

Instead of a state hospital, they have a supportive employment program that includes a radio station, a restaurant and a chic clothing manufacturing operation.

"You walk around the campus, and you don't know the difference between the staff and the patients," he said.

"They have a reason to get up every single day and participate,"&nbsp;Leifman said.

"It is a truly remarkable system of care that actually promotes recovery, and there's absolutely no reason why we can't scale that type of system here in the United States. Today, in the United States, we basically do the opposite," he said.

People remain on the streets, sometimes psychotic, for decades.

"We have been so bad about it that the courts have ruled that the way we do it is basically unconstitutional, enormously unsuccessful and enormously expensive without any positive measurable outcomes," he said.

He said the earlier we treat mental illness, the better the outcomes will be.

He called the treatment of people with serious mental illnesses within the judicial system the greatest public policy failure.

"The fact that we have applied the criminal justice model to a disease as opposed to a population health model explains why we have failed so miserably,"&nbsp;Leifman said.

Leifman's first experience with the mental health system was when he was 17 and working as an intern for a state senator's office.

He was sent to the state mental hospital to investigate claims that a young man was being mistreated.

He found the man tied in four-point restraints, screaming and moaning and about 100 pounds overweight from being injected with Thorazine.

In reading his file and talking to staff, he learned the young man was not psychotic, but autistic. In the basement, he also saw naked men covered in their own feces being hosed down like they were animals in a zoo.

The state senator's office was able to get the young man with autism placed in a group home. However, thewhat&nbsp;

Eventually, Leifman became a judge in Miami.

The city went from having one wing on one floor of the jail dedicated to people who had mental illness to&nbsp;having three dedicated floors to house people who had mental illness.

"When I became a judge, I had no idea that I was becoming the gatekeeper to the largest psychiatric facility in the state of Florida, the Dade County Jail," he said.

Seventy to 80% of the inmates have a mental health diagnosis and are in immediate need of treatment, he said.

Leifman was eventually given a special assignment to work on mental health issues within the Florida court system. He found the state was spending a third of its mental health budget, $250 million, to restore competency to 2,500 to 3,000 people, when about 160,000 people at the time of their arrest needed acute mental health care and weren't getting it.

After spending so many resources on this small population, either the charges were dropped, they were given credit for time served and were released, or they received probation.

They ended up back on the streets, often psychotic, with no access to treatment, and were sometimes rearrested before they made it out of the parking lot.

Leifman shared the story of Tristan Murphy, who suffered from schizophrenia. He wasn't violent, but had good and bad days, depending on whether he took his medication.

One day, he drove his truck into a pond near the sheriff's office. He was arrested and convicted of felony littering.

He was placed on a work detail while incarcerated. His bunkmates noted he was deteriorating mentally. However, corrections officers continued to give him access to tools, including a chainsaw for his work detail. One day, he took a chainsaw to his neck, ending his life.

Leifman said he was no threat to anyone other than himself. He should never have been arrested. He should have been diverted into treatment, Leifman said.

The governor of Florida, a few weeks ago, signed the Tristin Murphy Act, which expands the Miami mental health diversion program statewide.

"We shouldn't need that kind of horror to get the attention of policymakers," he said, "because we all know that the way we handle individuals with these illnesses is wrong and doesn't really work."

He said people who have mental illnesses are less dangerous than the general population and a lot less dangerous than the general population when they are on medication. They are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrators.

"We also know that recovery rates for people with mental illness, in many cases, are much better than heart disease and diabetes,"&nbsp;Leifman said. "These are not terminal illnesses. They are treatable illnesses."

People with schizophrenia have higher rates of heart disease and cancer because untreated schizophrenia results in a depletion of the brain chemical dopamine.&nbsp;

They feel awful,&nbsp;Leifman said, so they often chain smoke because the nicotine helps cognition and helps them feel better.

When these people end up in jail, not only do taxpayers have to pay for treatment of the mental illness, but also severe physical health concerns as a result of the mental illness going untreated, Leifman said.

"The good news is that this is a very fixable system," he said.

The judicial system and mental health systems were developed when the most acutely ill were still in state hospitals. The community mental health systems were designed to handle people who have moderate mental illness,&nbsp;Leifman said.

The hospitals were shut down. The U.S. adopted the war on crime and sentencing guidelines and drastically cut funds for low-income housing, and the population of the acute mentally ill was thrown into communities that were not prepared for them, he said.

"Instead of blaming themselves for not developing an appropriate system of care, we end up blaming this population, and we use the justice system to punish them, and that has not worked out too well," Leifman said.

He said our society would never allow people to be treated in primary care as we treat people with mental illnesses.&nbsp;

"If you threw people who had primary care illnesses out of hospitals in the middle of the night like we do people with mental illnesses, you'd get arrested," he said.

&nbsp;Leifman said this is a national issue that needs national money, but the solutions can start at the local level.

"Each community needs to take a good, hard look at how they are doing things, and develop collaborative agreements to alter and restructure how we approach this population," he said.

Miami put to gether a two-part approach, pre-arrest and post-arrest.

This included Crisis Intervention Teams, which include specially trained law enforcement officers to respond when someone is having a mental health episode. This often has resulted in people being diverted into treatment instead of arrest&nbsp;

In 10 years, two Crisis Intervention Teams responded to more than 105,000 calls and made fewer than 200 arrests.

Overall arrests plummeted. Dade County closed one of its jails, saving $168 million. Police shootings almost stopped.

The post-arrest program eliminated many of the time-consuming competency evaluations in favor of bringing these individuals into treatment as soon as possible.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment programs were created, also known as AOT. Hays has had an AOT program since 2022.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8abbbbb5-b093-4c36-bc34-50be0815125d">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County mental health court pilot sees success in first year.</a>

And peers were enlisted to help people navigate the system and encourage work toward recovery.

Recidivism rates for misdemeanor cases decreased from 75% to 20% for individuals participating in these programs. The treatment model proved so effective that it was expanded to include nonviolent felony cases. Recidivism rates decreased from 75% to 6%.

Continuing care was still needed for individuals with the most acute illnesses, so Dade County recently passed a bond issue to build a facility for these individuals based on the Trieste model.

It offers wrap-around services, including crisis stabilization, primary care, a dental clinic, a podiatry clinic, an eye clinic, short-term residential care, tattoo removal, a day program, a supportive employment program, a computer lab, a GED program, and a courtroom that can handle both civil and criminal cases onsite.

"Not one person, not one party, not one institution created this mess. Not one person, party or institution will fix it. It takes all of us in this room to start looking at our systems and determine how there is a better way to run this system," Leifman said.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostRepresentatives of judicial districts from across the state gathered in Hays on Tuesday and Wednesday for a mental health summit.Seventy percent of people who are incarcerated in the United States have a mental illness or substance abuse problem or both.The Hon. Steven Leifman from Florida told the group, "We should create specialty courts for the 30% of people who don't have mental illness or substance abuse."There are 19 times more people who have mental illnesses in jails and prisons than in civil treatment programs.He said the people who do have mental illness and substance abuse issues should be placed in therapeutic situations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756322262554.jpeg" alt="The Hon. Steven Leifman from Florida discusses his experiences in the judicial system in Florida and Dade County at the 2025 Kansas Mental Health Summit on Tuesday at Fort Hays State University. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Hon. Steven Leifman from Florida discusses his experiences in the judicial system in Florida and Dade County at the 2025 Kansas Mental Health Summit on Tuesday at Fort Hays State University. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Leifman said the United States is failing at dealing with people who have mental illness, and it is costing taxpayers millions of dollars to run a broken system.The United States has 4% of the world's population and 25% of the incarcerated people, resulting in $1 trillion in direct and indirect costs per year.&nbsp;Leifman had the opportunity to visit&nbsp;Trieste, Italy, where he said the community is doing it right.They virtually have no homelessness. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in jails. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in their forensic hospitals, and they have very few people in their civil hospitals," he said.Last year, out of 40,000 patients, they only filed 100 cases for civil commitment."We do that every day in Miami," he said."First, they don't define people by their mental illnesses," he said. "You're not the crazy guy that lives down the street. You are John Smith, who just happens to have a mental illness. Just like you might be John Smith, who just happens to have heart disease or cancer."When someone has a mental health episode, a doctor immediately goes to that person's home and begins treatment immediately. If the person can't stay at home, they find them housing and assign them three case managers, so they are covered 24 hours until they are stable. They are placed on medication and monitored, but not hospitalized.As soon as the person begins to recover, they start to try to give them their lives back.Instead of a state hospital, they have a supportive employment program that includes a radio station, a restaurant and a chic clothing manufacturing operation."You walk around the campus, and you don't know the difference between the staff and the patients," he said."They have a reason to get up every single day and participate,"&nbsp;Leifman said."It is a truly remarkable system of care that actually promotes recovery, and there's absolutely no reason why we can't scale that type of system here in the United States. Today, in the United States, we basically do the opposite," he said.People remain on the streets, sometimes psychotic, for decades."We have been so bad about it that the courts have ruled that the way we do it is basically unconstitutional, enormously unsuccessful and enormously expensive without any positive measurable outcomes," he said.He said the earlier we treat mental illness, the better the outcomes will be.He called the treatment of people with serious mental illnesses within the judicial system the greatest public policy failure."The fact that we have applied the criminal justice model to a disease as opposed to a population health model explains why we have failed so miserably,"&nbsp;Leifman said.Leifman's first experience with the mental health system was when he was 17 and working as an intern for a state senator's office.He was sent to the state mental hospital to investigate claims that a young man was being mistreated.He found the man tied in four-point restraints, screaming and moaning and about 100 pounds overweight from being injected with Thorazine.In reading his file and talking to staff, he learned the young man was not psychotic, but autistic. In the basement, he also saw naked men covered in their own feces being hosed down like they were animals in a zoo.The state senator's office was able to get the young man with autism placed in a group home. However, thewhat&nbsp;Eventually, Leifman became a judge in Miami.The city went from having one wing on one floor of the jail dedicated to people who had mental illness to&nbsp;having three dedicated floors to house people who had mental illness."When I became a judge, I had no idea that I was becoming the gatekeeper to the largest psychiatric facility in the state of Florida, the Dade County Jail," he said.Seventy to 80% of the inmates have a mental health diagnosis and are in immediate need of treatment, he said.Leifman was eventually given a special assignment to work on mental health issues within the Florida court system. He found the state was spending a third of its mental health budget, $250 million, to restore competency to 2,500 to 3,000 people, when about 160,000 people at the time of their arrest needed acute mental health care and weren't getting it.After spending so many resources on this small population, either the charges were dropped, they were given credit for time served and were released, or they received probation.They ended up back on the streets, often psychotic, with no access to treatment, and were sometimes rearrested before they made it out of the parking lot.Leifman shared the story of Tristan Murphy, who suffered from schizophrenia. He wasn't violent, but had good and bad days, depending on whether he took his medication.One day, he drove his truck into a pond near the sheriff's office. He was arrested and convicted of felony littering.He was placed on a work detail while incarcerated. His bunkmates noted he was deteriorating mentally. However, corrections officers continued to give him access to tools, including a chainsaw for his work detail. One day, he took a chainsaw to his neck, ending his life.Leifman said he was no threat to anyone other than himself. He should never have been arrested. He should have been diverted into treatment, Leifman said.The governor of Florida, a few weeks ago, signed the Tristin Murphy Act, which expands the Miami mental health diversion program statewide."We shouldn't need that kind of horror to get the attention of policymakers," he said, "because we all know that the way we handle individuals with these illnesses is wrong and doesn't really work."He said people who have mental illnesses are less dangerous than the general population and a lot less dangerous than the general population when they are on medication. They are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrators."We also know that recovery rates for people with mental illness, in many cases, are much better than heart disease and diabetes,"&nbsp;Leifman said. "These are not terminal illnesses. They are treatable illnesses."People with schizophrenia have higher rates of heart disease and cancer because untreated schizophrenia results in a depletion of the brain chemical dopamine.&nbsp;They feel awful,&nbsp;Leifman said, so they often chain smoke because the nicotine helps cognition and helps them feel better.When these people end up in jail, not only do taxpayers have to pay for treatment of the mental illness, but also severe physical health concerns as a result of the mental illness going untreated, Leifman said."The good news is that this is a very fixable system," he said.The judicial system and mental health systems were developed when the most acutely ill were still in state hospitals. The community mental health systems were designed to handle people who have moderate mental illness,&nbsp;Leifman said.The hospitals were shut down. The U.S. adopted the war on crime and sentencing guidelines and drastically cut funds for low-income housing, and the population of the acute mentally ill was thrown into communities that were not prepared for them, he said."Instead of blaming themselves for not developing an appropriate system of care, we end up blaming this population, and we use the justice system to punish them, and that has not worked out too well," Leifman said.He said our society would never allow people to be treated in primary care as we treat people with mental illnesses.&nbsp;"If you threw people who had primary care illnesses out of hospitals in the middle of the night like we do people with mental illnesses, you'd get arrested," he said.&nbsp;Leifman said this is a national issue that needs national money, but the solutions can start at the local level."Each community needs to take a good, hard look at how they are doing things, and develop collaborative agreements to alter and restructure how we approach this population," he said.Miami put to gether a two-part approach, pre-arrest and post-arrest.This included Crisis Intervention Teams, which include specially trained law enforcement officers to respond when someone is having a mental health episode. This often has resulted in people being diverted into treatment instead of arrest&nbsp;In 10 years, two Crisis Intervention Teams responded to more than 105,000 calls and made fewer than 200 arrests.Overall arrests plummeted. Dade County closed one of its jails, saving $168 million. Police shootings almost stopped.The post-arrest program eliminated many of the time-consuming competency evaluations in favor of bringing these individuals into treatment as soon as possible.Assisted Outpatient Treatment programs were created, also known as AOT. Hays has had an AOT program since 2022.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8abbbbb5-b093-4c36-bc34-50be0815125d">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County mental health court pilot sees success in first year.</a>And peers were enlisted to help people navigate the system and encourage work toward recovery.Recidivism rates for misdemeanor cases decreased from 75% to 20% for individuals participating in these programs. The treatment model proved so effective that it was expanded to include nonviolent felony cases. Recidivism rates decreased from 75% to 6%.Continuing care was still needed for individuals with the most acute illnesses, so Dade County recently passed a bond issue to build a facility for these individuals based on the Trieste model.It offers wrap-around services, including crisis stabilization, primary care, a dental clinic, a podiatry clinic, an eye clinic, short-term residential care, tattoo removal, a day program, a supportive employment program, a computer lab, a GED program, and a courtroom that can handle both civil and criminal cases onsite."Not one person, not one party, not one institution created this mess. Not one person, party or institution will fix it. It takes all of us in this room to start looking at our systems and determine how there is a better way to run this system," Leifman said.