As cash-strapped jails rush in for ICE contracts, one man’s death shows the complexity and risk of detaining immigrants

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jessebogan/">Jesse Bogan</a>

On a recent morning, thick fog lingered over the hills and hollows of Ozark County, Missouri, limiting the view of Lick Creek. It and other waterways raged out of their banks in overnight flash flooding, only to recede with debris strewn about.

County commissioners huddled inside the courthouse, one block from a muddy rodeo ring, discussing bridge inspections and the path forward. Some washed-out areas were only accessible by four-wheel drive.

They’d put up more “road closed” signs, the commissioners said, if only people would stop stealing them.&nbsp;

Ozark County — estimated population 9,090 — is used to doing without. A mere nick in the Bible Belt, it doesn’t even have a stoplight.

What it does have is a 24-bed jail with a cattle trough baptismal pool in the recreational area.&nbsp;

It also has an ambitious sheriff who sees his prayers answered in a new contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that could boost his $1.1 million annual budget.&nbsp;

“It’s a pain in the butt because this is a whole new ground that we are covering, but then, you know, when you are one of the poorest counties in the state of Missouri, I’ve got to figure out how to pay for law enforcement,” Sheriff Cass Martin told the Marshall Project – St. Louis. “And that’s not easy, especially when you can’t even get new recruits. Nobody wants to be in law enforcement. It’s dying.”

Ozark County is one of many places, big and small, that the Trump administration is depending on to pull off one of the largest mass deportations from the U.S. in recent history. An enormous ramp-up in detention capacity is underway. New contracts are being negotiated. Existing contracts with the federal government are being expanded. In the ICE contract’s infancy, Ozark County is already reaping the benefits by raising wages and hiring for new positions in law enforcement.

As of early May, tracking reports show ICE contracting with or operating 147 public and private detention facilities, including three in Missouri. That’s up from 107 facilities reported in the final days of the Biden administration. On Feb. 24, Martin signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/detFacContracts/70CDCR25DIG000014-BASEOzark%20County-IGSA-GainsvilleMO.pdf" target="_blank">contract</a>&nbsp;for Ozark County, which isn’t yet on the list.

ICE plans to spend $45 billion on new contracts to hold and transport detainees and provide detainee services,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25940066-ice-dhs-rfp-70cdcr25r00000005/?mode=document#document/p3/a2651185" target="_blank">according to a federal request for proposals</a>. Counties like Ozark are getting a taste in federal dollars of what that expansion means.&nbsp;

Sheriffs say the feds pay well, yet the detention and transportation contracts come with much more scrutiny and oversight than typical jail work, especially in Missouri, which doesn’t have statewide jail standards.&nbsp;

Still, ICE reported that eight detainees had died nationally while in custody this year, as of May 5, including one death in a rural Missouri jail that the local coroner ruled a suicide. In 2024, ICE reported 11 deaths.

Some groups that advocate for ICE detainees are concerned that people from all over the world are increasingly being held in communities without well-established legal watchdogs and medical services.

Contracting with local jails “is the easiest way to get a (detention) facility up and running without any of the risk to the federal government,” said Romelia Graefrath, co-executive director of Mariposa Legal, a nonprofit in Indianapolis that fights for immigrant rights. “The end result is people get hurt, and then that is a huge liability for these communities that are already suffering.”

Martin said he applied for an ICE contract under the Biden administration when his department faced a budget crisis from falling revenue.

“We were really hurting,” he said. “We were basically praying that next month will be better.” The ICE application lay dormant until Trump was elected, he said.&nbsp;

“The day after the inauguration, a federal inspector showed up here at the jail wanting to look at everything throughout the facility,” he said.

The negotiated ICE contract will breathe new life into his department at a rate of $110 a night per detainee and $1.10 per mile when transporting detainees, Martin said.&nbsp;

He said Ozark County was still working out medical care so it could be cleared to hold detainees longer than overnight. Meanwhile, it has three transport vans out on the road, sometimes driving hundreds of miles per day.

He said they’ve made 525-mile runs from Ozark County to the federal building in St. Louis, down to the Greene County Jail in southwest Missouri, then back home. They’ve picked up detainees 325 miles away in Oklahoma and taken them to the tarmac at Kansas City International Airport. Sometimes detainees spend the night in the Ozark County Jail, on the way to Little Rock, Arkansas, for example, which is about a 3½-hour drive.&nbsp;

“We’ll feed them, we’ll house them, we’ll take care of them, and then the next morning they’ll go back out,” Martin said. “We are just kind of a spot in the road.”

Because of the ICE contract, Martin said, he’s been able to attract more jail staff and raise the pay from about $13 to $18 an hour. In addition to mileage, he said ICE pays $18.50 an hour for drivers transporting detainees, as well as time and a half for overtime.

Martin plucked one new employee who speaks Spanish from a local real estate office. She went through a short training program to be a transport officer.&nbsp;

“It definitely enlightened her a little bit,” Martin said. “They are able to talk to her and tell her if something is going on.”

The staffing bump was reflected in the public payroll.&nbsp;

In February, the county paid five jail employees a total of $12,900 in earnings, which came to an average of $2,580 each. By March, it had 14 employees earning $54,193, including about $10,500 in overtime, or an average of $3,871 each.&nbsp;

“We’d like to add another pod to the jail and at some point help pay livable wages,” said Brian Wise, the county clerk. “Around here, local law enforcement doesn’t have tons of money. Without extra revenue, they can’t function.”

It’s hard to gauge what local residents think. Just one attended a recent county commissioner meeting. Two years’ worth of meeting minutes didn’t mention the ICE contract in detail. Wise said he wanted to wait until federal money started coming in before listing projected revenue in the county’s $7 million annual budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Other elected local officials also see the contract as a boon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It’s going to work out to be a great thing for us,” Ozark County Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton said.

While cash-strapped jails see opportunity in ICE contracts, Brayan Garzón, a former street vendor in Bogotá, Colombia, saw opportunity in the United States.&nbsp;

He left in 2023 and crossed the U.S. border into southern California. Garzón was then detained for three months before settling in St. Louis, where he held various odd jobs doing roofing and food deliveries, his family said.

On May 27, 2024, Garzón was arrested for shoplifting in Missouri. Two weeks later, an immigration judge in San Diego, at a hearing Garzón wasn’t present for, ordered him removed from the country, ICE officials said.

In late March, St. Louis police arrested Garzón on a charge of using a stolen credit card at a smoke shop. He was arrested along with a friend from Colombia who was accused of stealing credit cards, a watch and more than $25,000 in jewelry while cleaning hotel rooms for a temp agency, according to court records. ICE took both into custody.&nbsp;

Garzón ended up being held 100 miles southwest of St. Louis in the Phelps County Jail. On March 27, a medical intake screening of Garzón at the jail noted that he had anxiety and a history of a heart murmur. He denied having suicidal thoughts. A routine mental health referral was made, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddrBrayanRAYO-Garzon.pdf" target="_blank">ICE report</a>.

Two days later, Garzón had severe head pain, body aches and sweating. A tuberculosis test came back positive. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 at a local hospital’s emergency room after being taken there by the jail staff. He was returned to the jail a day later, on March 30, with normal vitals. But a few days later, he was treated for vomiting. His mental health appointment was rescheduled because of “mental health clinic time and staff” and his COVID-19 diagnosis.

Around 9:50 p.m. on April 7, Garzón was found near death in his cell with a blanket wrapped around his neck. He was pronounced dead the following day, after being flown to a hospital in the St. Louis area for a higher level of care, ICE said in its report.&nbsp;

Garzón was in his cell alone prior to his suicide, according to Phelps County Coroner Ernie Coverdell. Garzón had given a letter to his jailers written in Spanish, requesting to speak to his mother by telephone. Coverdell said surveillance footage showed Garzón praying before entering a bottom bunk, hidden by a draped blanket. When a jailer found him unresponsive about 20 minutes later, Coverdell said Garzón looked like he was asleep, but with bedding around his neck.

Emergency responders and doctors kept his heart beating for several days after he was declared clinically dead, Coverdell said. With his family’s permission, Garzón’s heart and several organs were donated to people in need.&nbsp;

“He saved more than one life,” Coverdell said.&nbsp;

Garzón, one of six siblings, was 27.&nbsp;

His mother, Adriana, said in Spanish that she’d spoken to her son several times by phone from the jail. He’d complained about the food and being sick, but she was blindsided by his suicide.

“My son had more will to live than to die,” she said. “He was a very happy person.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

She struggled to comprehend how he fell through the cracks of a country rich in resources and modern technology.&nbsp;

“How is it possible that my son could do this?” she said. “He’s a human being. They should have been watching.”

The Phelps County Jail has a long history of holding detainees for the federal government. In an effort to hold more, the facility just underwent a $21 million expansion that doubled the size of the jail to 400 beds.

A few weeks prior to Garzón’s arrival, Phelps County Sheriff Michael Kirn’s department was struggling to pay January and February invoices “due to lack of funds,” according to county commission meeting minutes.&nbsp;

Kirn told commissioners that it was imperative to get the ICE agreement in place because he expected it to generate an additional $3.6 million a year on top of the sheriff’s typical budget of $5.5 million.

Kirn declined to comment about the death because it was under investigation by state and federal authorities. He said no policies or procedures have been changed or added since Garzón’s death.&nbsp;

The county’s existing contract with the U.S. Marshals — who track down dangerous fugitives and enforce federal law — was expanded to include ICE detainees, Kirn said. He declined to share the rate.&nbsp;

“The feds are a little funny about stuff, and I don’t want to cause ripples,” he said.

He said they were hovering at about 300 out of 400 beds filled, half of them with federal detainees.

“We had to slow down,” he said. “It’s not the amount of people; it’s the paperwork.”&nbsp;

ICE officials didn’t respond to a request for comment. An April press release about Garzón’s death stated that the agency “remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments.”

Garzón’s death seemed to weigh on Martin, the sheriff in Ozark County.&nbsp;

“He was so young,” Martin said.&nbsp;

He wondered if there were any red flags leading up to the incident. And how did ICE respond?

Martin said if a jail resident is in a mental crisis in Ozark County, they rush them to the hospital for an emergency hold. That hadn’t been an issue with any of the ICE detainees they’d been transporting, he said.

“These guys are a little bit easier to deal with than our local inmates on most points,” he said. “They are, ‘Thank you, thank you for this. Thank you for food.’ They are appreciative of what we’ve got.”&nbsp;

Martin said he doesn’t know all the ins and outs of why ICE detainees are in custody, but he wants to do a professional job.

“It’s not like going to the stockyard up here and watching cattle run through the chute. They are human beings,” Martin said. “My thing is, I promise that I can give them a safe place to put their head at night. I will feed them, and I will make sure that they are taken care of. And from there, wherever they are going, I hope everything turns out well for them.”

<h2>As cash-strapped jails rush in for ICE contracts, one man’s death shows the complexity and risk of detaining immigrants</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jessebogan/">Jesse Bogan</a>On a recent morning, thick fog lingered over the hills and hollows of Ozark County, Missouri, limiting the view of Lick Creek. It and other waterways raged out of their banks in overnight flash flooding, only to recede with debris strewn about.County commissioners huddled inside the courthouse, one block from a muddy rodeo ring, discussing bridge inspections and the path forward. Some washed-out areas were only accessible by four-wheel drive.They’d put up more “road closed” signs, the commissioners said, if only people would stop stealing them.&nbsp;Ozark County — estimated population 9,090 — is used to doing without. A mere nick in the Bible Belt, it doesn’t even have a stoplight.What it does have is a 24-bed jail with a cattle trough baptismal pool in the recreational area.&nbsp;It also has an ambitious sheriff who sees his prayers answered in a new contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that could boost his $1.1 million annual budget.&nbsp;“It’s a pain in the butt because this is a whole new ground that we are covering, but then, you know, when you are one of the poorest counties in the state of Missouri, I’ve got to figure out how to pay for law enforcement,” Sheriff Cass Martin told the Marshall Project – St. Louis. “And that’s not easy, especially when you can’t even get new recruits. Nobody wants to be in law enforcement. It’s dying.”Ozark County is one of many places, big and small, that the Trump administration is depending on to pull off one of the largest mass deportations from the U.S. in recent history. An enormous ramp-up in detention capacity is underway. New contracts are being negotiated. Existing contracts with the federal government are being expanded. In the ICE contract’s infancy, Ozark County is already reaping the benefits by raising wages and hiring for new positions in law enforcement.As of early May, tracking reports show ICE contracting with or operating 147 public and private detention facilities, including three in Missouri. That’s up from 107 facilities reported in the final days of the Biden administration. On Feb. 24, Martin signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/detFacContracts/70CDCR25DIG000014-BASEOzark%20County-IGSA-GainsvilleMO.pdf" target="_blank">contract</a>&nbsp;for Ozark County, which isn’t yet on the list.ICE plans to spend $45 billion on new contracts to hold and transport detainees and provide detainee services,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25940066-ice-dhs-rfp-70cdcr25r00000005/?mode=document#document/p3/a2651185" target="_blank">according to a federal request for proposals</a>. Counties like Ozark are getting a taste in federal dollars of what that expansion means.&nbsp;Sheriffs say the feds pay well, yet the detention and transportation contracts come with much more scrutiny and oversight than typical jail work, especially in Missouri, which doesn’t have statewide jail standards.&nbsp;Still, ICE reported that eight detainees had died nationally while in custody this year, as of May 5, including one death in a rural Missouri jail that the local coroner ruled a suicide. In 2024, ICE reported 11 deaths.Some groups that advocate for ICE detainees are concerned that people from all over the world are increasingly being held in communities without well-established legal watchdogs and medical services.Contracting with local jails “is the easiest way to get a (detention) facility up and running without any of the risk to the federal government,” said Romelia Graefrath, co-executive director of Mariposa Legal, a nonprofit in Indianapolis that fights for immigrant rights. “The end result is people get hurt, and then that is a huge liability for these communities that are already suffering.”<h2>ICE detention</h2>Martin said he applied for an ICE contract under the Biden administration when his department faced a budget crisis from falling revenue.“We were really hurting,” he said. “We were basically praying that next month will be better.” The ICE application lay dormant until Trump was elected, he said.&nbsp;“The day after the inauguration, a federal inspector showed up here at the jail wanting to look at everything throughout the facility,” he said.The negotiated ICE contract will breathe new life into his department at a rate of $110 a night per detainee and $1.10 per mile when transporting detainees, Martin said.&nbsp;He said Ozark County was still working out medical care so it could be cleared to hold detainees longer than overnight. Meanwhile, it has three transport vans out on the road, sometimes driving hundreds of miles per day.He said they’ve made 525-mile runs from Ozark County to the federal building in St. Louis, down to the Greene County Jail in southwest Missouri, then back home. They’ve picked up detainees 325 miles away in Oklahoma and taken them to the tarmac at Kansas City International Airport. Sometimes detainees spend the night in the Ozark County Jail, on the way to Little Rock, Arkansas, for example, which is about a 3½-hour drive.&nbsp;“We’ll feed them, we’ll house them, we’ll take care of them, and then the next morning they’ll go back out,” Martin said. “We are just kind of a spot in the road.”Because of the ICE contract, Martin said, he’s been able to attract more jail staff and raise the pay from about $13 to $18 an hour. In addition to mileage, he said ICE pays $18.50 an hour for drivers transporting detainees, as well as time and a half for overtime.Martin plucked one new employee who speaks Spanish from a local real estate office. She went through a short training program to be a transport officer.&nbsp;“It definitely enlightened her a little bit,” Martin said. “They are able to talk to her and tell her if something is going on.”The staffing bump was reflected in the public payroll.&nbsp;In February, the county paid five jail employees a total of $12,900 in earnings, which came to an average of $2,580 each. By March, it had 14 employees earning $54,193, including about $10,500 in overtime, or an average of $3,871 each.&nbsp;“We’d like to add another pod to the jail and at some point help pay livable wages,” said Brian Wise, the county clerk. “Around here, local law enforcement doesn’t have tons of money. Without extra revenue, they can’t function.”It’s hard to gauge what local residents think. Just one attended a recent county commissioner meeting. Two years’ worth of meeting minutes didn’t mention the ICE contract in detail. Wise said he wanted to wait until federal money started coming in before listing projected revenue in the county’s $7 million annual budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other elected local officials also see the contract as a boon.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s going to work out to be a great thing for us,” Ozark County Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton said.<h2>Death in a Missouri jail</h2>While cash-strapped jails see opportunity in ICE contracts, Brayan Garzón, a former street vendor in Bogotá, Colombia, saw opportunity in the United States.&nbsp;He left in 2023 and crossed the U.S. border into southern California. Garzón was then detained for three months before settling in St. Louis, where he held various odd jobs doing roofing and food deliveries, his family said.On May 27, 2024, Garzón was arrested for shoplifting in Missouri. Two weeks later, an immigration judge in San Diego, at a hearing Garzón wasn’t present for, ordered him removed from the country, ICE officials said.In late March, St. Louis police arrested Garzón on a charge of using a stolen credit card at a smoke shop. He was arrested along with a friend from Colombia who was accused of stealing credit cards, a watch and more than $25,000 in jewelry while cleaning hotel rooms for a temp agency, according to court records. ICE took both into custody.&nbsp;Garzón ended up being held 100 miles southwest of St. Louis in the Phelps County Jail. On March 27, a medical intake screening of Garzón at the jail noted that he had anxiety and a history of a heart murmur. He denied having suicidal thoughts. A routine mental health referral was made, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddrBrayanRAYO-Garzon.pdf" target="_blank">ICE report</a>.Two days later, Garzón had severe head pain, body aches and sweating. A tuberculosis test came back positive. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 at a local hospital’s emergency room after being taken there by the jail staff. He was returned to the jail a day later, on March 30, with normal vitals. But a few days later, he was treated for vomiting. His mental health appointment was rescheduled because of “mental health clinic time and staff” and his COVID-19 diagnosis.Around 9:50 p.m. on April 7, Garzón was found near death in his cell with a blanket wrapped around his neck. He was pronounced dead the following day, after being flown to a hospital in the St. Louis area for a higher level of care, ICE said in its report.&nbsp;Garzón was in his cell alone prior to his suicide, according to Phelps County Coroner Ernie Coverdell. Garzón had given a letter to his jailers written in Spanish, requesting to speak to his mother by telephone. Coverdell said surveillance footage showed Garzón praying before entering a bottom bunk, hidden by a draped blanket. When a jailer found him unresponsive about 20 minutes later, Coverdell said Garzón looked like he was asleep, but with bedding around his neck.Emergency responders and doctors kept his heart beating for several days after he was declared clinically dead, Coverdell said. With his family’s permission, Garzón’s heart and several organs were donated to people in need.&nbsp;“He saved more than one life,” Coverdell said.&nbsp;Garzón, one of six siblings, was 27.&nbsp;His mother, Adriana, said in Spanish that she’d spoken to her son several times by phone from the jail. He’d complained about the food and being sick, but she was blindsided by his suicide.“My son had more will to live than to die,” she said. “He was a very happy person.”&nbsp;&nbsp;She struggled to comprehend how he fell through the cracks of a country rich in resources and modern technology.&nbsp;“How is it possible that my son could do this?” she said. “He’s a human being. They should have been watching.”The Phelps County Jail has a long history of holding detainees for the federal government. In an effort to hold more, the facility just underwent a $21 million expansion that doubled the size of the jail to 400 beds.A few weeks prior to Garzón’s arrival, Phelps County Sheriff Michael Kirn’s department was struggling to pay January and February invoices “due to lack of funds,” according to county commission meeting minutes.&nbsp;Kirn told commissioners that it was imperative to get the ICE agreement in place because he expected it to generate an additional $3.6 million a year on top of the sheriff’s typical budget of $5.5 million.Kirn declined to comment about the death because it was under investigation by state and federal authorities. He said no policies or procedures have been changed or added since Garzón’s death.&nbsp;The county’s existing contract with the U.S. Marshals — who track down dangerous fugitives and enforce federal law — was expanded to include ICE detainees, Kirn said. He declined to share the rate.&nbsp;“The feds are a little funny about stuff, and I don’t want to cause ripples,” he said.He said they were hovering at about 300 out of 400 beds filled, half of them with federal detainees.“We had to slow down,” he said. “It’s not the amount of people; it’s the paperwork.”&nbsp;ICE officials didn’t respond to a request for comment. An April press release about Garzón’s death stated that the agency “remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments.”<h2>Brayan Garzón</h2>Garzón’s death seemed to weigh on Martin, the sheriff in Ozark County.&nbsp;“He was so young,” Martin said.&nbsp;He wondered if there were any red flags leading up to the incident. And how did ICE respond?Martin said if a jail resident is in a mental crisis in Ozark County, they rush them to the hospital for an emergency hold. That hadn’t been an issue with any of the ICE detainees they’d been transporting, he said.“These guys are a little bit easier to deal with than our local inmates on most points,” he said. “They are, ‘Thank you, thank you for this. Thank you for food.’ They are appreciative of what we’ve got.”&nbsp;Martin said he doesn’t know all the ins and outs of why ICE detainees are in custody, but he wants to do a professional job.“It’s not like going to the stockyard up here and watching cattle run through the chute. They are human beings,” Martin said. “My thing is, I promise that I can give them a safe place to put their head at night. I will feed them, and I will make sure that they are taken care of. And from there, wherever they are going, I hope everything turns out well for them.”

Rural Missouri jails see windfall in Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort

GOVE COUNTY —Spring storms brought hail, heavy rain, damaging winds and numerous tornadoes to portions of Kansas on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in Cheyenne, Scott, Logan, Gove, Edwards, Pawnee, Kiowa, Stafford, Pratt and Reno&nbsp; Counties on Sunday.

A tornado in Grinnell Sunday caused damage to both the electric and gas systems in the small Gove County community, according to Midwest Energy. There were roughly 330 customers without power, and the utility closed off the gas system to inspect for additional damage and make repairs.&nbsp;

"The utility identified 15 poles down (twelve 34.5 kV poles west of town, and three 115kV transmission structures), as well as damage in Grinnell city limits."&nbsp; Additional damage is likely. "Crews will be working on these into Monday. .Gas&nbsp;crews were conducting leak surveys in town and in rural areas around Grinnell, and could attempt gas restoration Monday morning where safe to do so. There are no reports of serious injuries. Interstate 70 exit 85 remains closed at Grinnell due to tornado damage and downed powerlines in town, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Late Sunday afternoon, tornadoes rolled through portions of Scott County near the rural community of Modoc damaging power lines, rail road cars, oil tank batteries and an abandoned house, according to the Scott County Sheriff.&nbsp; &nbsp;Another tornado was reported at the Scott County Lake Park. Emergency responders found no damage from the storm in that area. There were no reports of injuries.

Cheyenne County had tornado damage west and south west of St. Francis, according to Emergency Management Director Ryan Murray. Two farmsteads had significant damage to outbuildings. No occupied homes were destroyed, and there were no injuries or fatalities. Murray also said Cheyenne County had reports of center pivot damage in the same area SW of St. Francis.

&nbsp;Due to the severe weather eastbound&nbsp; Interstate 70 was temporarily closed from Colby to Grinnell and Westbound Interstate 70 closed from Hays to Grinnell due to downed power lines.&nbsp;

Reno County emergency crews are assessing widespread damage after a tornado tore through rural areas and the city of Plevna on Sunday leaving downed trees, damaged homes, and snapped utility poles in its wake.

The tornado touched down around 11:50 p.m. north of Turon, cutting a destructive path through the countryside before striking Plevna. It then continued approximately five miles northeast of the city before dissipating.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747687235623.jpeg" alt="Storm damage in Grinnell photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage in Grinnell photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>GOVE COUNTY —Spring storms brought hail, heavy rain, damaging winds and numerous tornadoes to portions of Kansas on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in Cheyenne, Scott, Logan, Gove, Edwards, Pawnee, Kiowa, Stafford, Pratt and Reno&nbsp; Counties on Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747675067860.png" alt="Storm damage in Grinnell-image courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage in Grinnell-image courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747613397106.png" alt="I-70 at Grainfield just before 7p.m. Sunday" />
 <figcaption>I-70 at Grainfield just before 7p.m. Sunday</figcaption>
 </figure>A tornado in Grinnell Sunday caused damage to both the electric and gas systems in the small Gove County community, according to Midwest Energy. There were roughly 330 customers without power, and the utility closed off the gas system to inspect for additional damage and make repairs.&nbsp;"The utility identified 15 poles down (twelve 34.5 kV poles west of town, and three 115kV transmission structures), as well as damage in Grinnell city limits."&nbsp; Additional damage is likely. "Crews will be working on these into Monday. .Gas&nbsp;crews were conducting leak surveys in town and in rural areas around Grinnell, and could attempt gas restoration Monday morning where safe to do so. There are no reports of serious injuries. Interstate 70 exit 85 remains closed at Grinnell due to tornado damage and downed powerlines in town, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747622565029.png" alt="Radar image Midwest Energy" />
 <figcaption>Radar image Midwest Energy</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At 932pm CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located 10 miles southeast of Mullinville, moving northeast at 35 mph. Locations in this storms path is Greensburg. Those in or near the Greensburg area should seek shelter immediately! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1924293853843960260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0HaHZJaM3nut5V21JmXN6DpjtmJSxSta9c1r72g4eXitVkhJ7mfa65zaATpt6jJCjl%26id%3D100069503049327&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="189" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Late Sunday afternoon, tornadoes rolled through portions of Scott County near the rural community of Modoc damaging power lines, rail road cars, oil tank batteries and an abandoned house, according to the Scott County Sheriff.&nbsp; &nbsp;Another tornado was reported at the Scott County Lake Park. Emergency responders found no damage from the storm in that area. There were no reports of injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747615187888.png" alt="I-70 in Trego County during a hail storm just after 7:30p.m. Sunday" />
 <figcaption>I-70 in Trego County during a hail storm just after 7:30p.m. Sunday</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747615878333.png" alt="Just after 7:40p.m. Sunday in Trego County" />
 <figcaption>Just after 7:40p.m. Sunday in Trego County</figcaption>
 </figure>Cheyenne County had tornado damage west and south west of St. Francis, according to Emergency Management Director Ryan Murray. Two farmsteads had significant damage to outbuildings. No occupied homes were destroyed, and there were no injuries or fatalities. Murray also said Cheyenne County had reports of center pivot damage in the same area SW of St. Francis.&nbsp;Due to the severe weather eastbound&nbsp; Interstate 70 was temporarily closed from Colby to Grinnell and Westbound Interstate 70 closed from Hays to Grinnell due to downed power lines.&nbsp;Reno County emergency crews are assessing widespread damage after a tornado tore through rural areas and the city of Plevna on Sunday leaving downed trees, damaged homes, and snapped utility poles in its wake.The tornado touched down around 11:50 p.m. north of Turon, cutting a destructive path through the countryside before striking Plevna. It then continued approximately five miles northeast of the city before dissipating.Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Numerous tornadoes from spring storm in Kansas

KANSAS CITY —Police continue their work stop dangerous side shows on the streets in Kansas City, Missouri.

Late Friday and early Saturday police arrested 19 suspects, towed 36 vehicles and issued 76 citations for activities related to stunts, sideshows, takeovers and more, according to a statement from Kansas&nbsp; City Police. Officers also recovered five firearms.&nbsp;

"Kansas City’s streets belong to all of us, and we are doing the work to show you. Our enforcement of these illegal acts continues." "We will not tolerate those who break the law, trying to hijack our streets." The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jackson County Sheriff and Clay County Sheriff's Department assisted KCPD.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496379713.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police continue their work stop dangerous side shows on the streets in Kansas City, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496443531.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Late Friday and early Saturday police arrested 19 suspects, towed 36 vehicles and issued 76 citations for activities related to stunts, sideshows, takeovers and more, according to a statement from Kansas&nbsp; City Police. Officers also recovered five firearms.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496396795.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"Kansas City’s streets belong to all of us, and we are doing the work to show you. Our enforcement of these illegal acts continues." "We will not tolerate those who break the law, trying to hijack our streets." The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jackson County Sheriff and Clay County Sheriff's Department assisted KCPD.&nbsp;

Police make more stunt, side show arrests in Kansas City

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727691434816.png" alt="File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer. <a href="https://t.co/qszrloAsvR">pic.twitter.com/qszrloAsvR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1924199062443569402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Former President Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting i the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim unresponsive.

Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747536786963.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting i the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747536801851.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim unresponsive.Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.

Double homicide: Man and woman dead at KC apartment building

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Fuel shortages in Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska spurred a federal agency to issue an emergency declaration this week that gives leeway to commercial drivers hauling fuel.

<a href="http://chrome-extension//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.kcc.ks.gov/images/PDFs/transportation/Emergency%20Declaration%20No.%202025-007%20-%20Fuel%20Shortages%20-%2005-13-2025.pdf" target="_blank">The emergency order</a>&nbsp;by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association extended an April 30 state of disaster emergency proclamation from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. The state-level declaration expired on May 13, said Linda Berry, spokesperson for the Kansas Corporation Commission, which regulates gas and oil production in the state.

Areas in Kansas and surrounding states are experiencing a fuel shortage, causing long lines at fuel stations, delivery delays and a need for truck drivers to increase the number of hours they can drive to deliver fuel, said an April 30 press release. The short-term changes only apply to drivers who are part of the fuel delivery system.

Under the declaration, drivers can temporarily work longer hours to ensure fuel supplies are going through, the release said.

“This declaration is in response to the widespread fuel shortages in affected states impacting agricultural operations and the national food supply, and their effects on people and property, including immediate threats to human life, public safety, or public welfare,” the federal declaration said.

Berry said planned pipeline and refinery maintenance and higher demands among farmers and drivers during planting season were likely sources of the supply chain disruption.

Primarily, the impact has been on diesel fuel and has not affected consumers.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Fuel shortages in Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska spurred a federal agency to issue an emergency declaration this week that gives leeway to commercial drivers hauling fuel.<a href="http://chrome-extension//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.kcc.ks.gov/images/PDFs/transportation/Emergency%20Declaration%20No.%202025-007%20-%20Fuel%20Shortages%20-%2005-13-2025.pdf" target="_blank">The emergency order</a>&nbsp;by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association extended an April 30 state of disaster emergency proclamation from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. The state-level declaration expired on May 13, said Linda Berry, spokesperson for the Kansas Corporation Commission, which regulates gas and oil production in the state.Areas in Kansas and surrounding states are experiencing a fuel shortage, causing long lines at fuel stations, delivery delays and a need for truck drivers to increase the number of hours they can drive to deliver fuel, said an April 30 press release. The short-term changes only apply to drivers who are part of the fuel delivery system.Under the declaration, drivers can temporarily work longer hours to ensure fuel supplies are going through, the release said.“This declaration is in response to the widespread fuel shortages in affected states impacting agricultural operations and the national food supply, and their effects on people and property, including immediate threats to human life, public safety, or public welfare,” the federal declaration said.Berry said planned pipeline and refinery maintenance and higher demands among farmers and drivers during planting season were likely sources of the supply chain disruption.Primarily, the impact has been on diesel fuel and has not affected consumers.

Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska fuel shortages lead to federal emergency declaration

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.

Just before 11:30p.m. May 15, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at milepost 167 on I-35 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. 

During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.

Brandon J. Pengra, 35, of McLoud, Oklahoma was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He has previous convictions for criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747067817381.png" alt="Pengra-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Pengra-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.Just before 11:30p.m. May 15, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at milepost 167 on I-35 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.Brandon J. Pengra, 35, of McLoud, Oklahoma was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He has previous convictions for criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kan. felon caught with meth from Oklahoma

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/rsequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a>

There’s debate over whether classrooms need stricter control or a shift toward restorative justice.

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order aiming to reinstate “common sense” school discipline, more states may follow and expand the authority of teachers and school officials to deal with disruptive students.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/reinstating-common-sense-school-discipline-policies/" target="_blank">order</a>, signed in April, repeals prior federal guidance that encouraged schools to address racial disparities in discipline, arguing that such policies promoted “discriminatory equity ideology” and compromised school safety by pressuring administrators to underreport serious student misconduct.

In some states, new legislation already is trending toward giving teachers more authority to address student misbehavior.

In West Virginia, for example,<a href="https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb199%20sub1.htm&amp;yr=2025&amp;sesstype=RS&amp;i=199" target="_blank">&nbsp;a new law creates a structured process</a>&nbsp;for responding to violent, threatening or disruptive behavior among students in grades K-6.

Under the law, a student exhibiting such behavior can be immediately removed from class, evaluated by counselors or behavioral specialists and placed on an individualized behavior plan. If there’s no improvement after two rounds of intervention, the student could be moved into a behavioral intervention program or an alternative learning environment.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, and supporters say the law empowers teachers to maintain safe classrooms.

“This legislation provides teachers with the tools to regain control of the classroom and ensure safe learning environments for our kids,” Morrisey&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.wv.gov/article/governor-patrick-morrisey-signs-school-discipline-bill-law" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;at the bill’s signing.

In April, the Texas House of Representatives&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB6/2025" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;a bill referred to as the “Teacher’s Bill of Rights” with a bipartisan vote of 124-20.

That bill, now sitting in the Senate’s education committee, would significantly expand the grounds for out-of-school suspensions, allowing students to be suspended for repeated disruptions or threats beginning in third grade. It would reverse earlier changes that limited suspensions for younger students. It also would mandate that students making terroristic threats or assaulting school employees be placed in alternative education programs for at least 30 days.

Texas civil rights groups argue that the bill would impose a one-size-fits-all punitive approach, rather than addressing students’ developmental and behavioral needs.

Alycia Castillo, associate director of policy at the Texas Civil Rights Project and a former teacher, said state lawmakers are taking the wrong approach by mandating sweeping discipline policies for&nbsp;<a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2023/09/20/texas-diverse-state-in-u-s--" target="_blank">a state as diverse as Texas</a>.

During the 2020-21 school year, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Education, Black students faced the highest rates of disciplinary action across all categories — suspension and expulsion — among all racial and ethnic groups.

They were 39% more likely than white students to receive in-school suspensions, 70% more likely to face out-of-school suspensions, and 71% more likely to be expelled.

The disparities were even starker for Black students with disabilities, who experienced suspension and expulsion rates far exceeding those of both their white peers and non-disabled students.

Reviving old, harsh disciplinary policies risks disproportionately harming students of color, students with disabilities and those from low-income backgrounds, Castillo said.

“What works in Austin may not work in West Texas,” Castillo said.

“Children are naturally disruptive — that’s part of their development,” she added. “Excluding them only harms their growth into functional adults.”

In recent years, some other states have passed laws promoting restorative practices in schools, in which students and teachers work through problems and focus on repairing the harm caused by disruptions or conflict.

Michigan’s 2017 law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentadvocacycenter.org/rethink-discipline-toolkit/" target="_blank">requires schools</a>&nbsp;to consider restorative approaches before suspensions or expulsions, aiming to repair harm rather than exclude students. Nevada began mandating restorative justice approaches in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2023/11/03/though-scaled-back-by-nv-lawmakers-restorative-justice-plans-still-making-progress-report-says/" target="_blank">scaled back</a>&nbsp;that approach in 2023.

This year, Maryland passed a&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/MD/text/HB197/2025" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;requiring the state to establish “restorative practices schools,” specific schools with trained educators who use the approach in everyday discipline.

Kimberly Hellerich, an assistant professor at Sacred Heart University and a former K-12 teacher, said discipline policies should go beyond punitive measures to foster accountability and community healing.

“Adding restorative practices to accompany codes of conduct can allow students to recognize the impact of their actions on themselves, peers, the teacher, the class and the school community,” Hellerich said.

In her own classrooms, Hellerich used what she called “community circles” to guide students in processing behavior, offering apologies and rebuilding trust. “The apology served as a way to restore the student’s relationship with the entire class community,” she said.

Calls for a cultural shift on expectations

While lawmakers debate discipline procedures, other education advocates warn that an even deeper issue is unfolding inside classrooms: the gradual erosion of behavioral expectations and academic rigor.

Jessica Bartnick, co-founder and CEO of the Dallas-based mentorship program Foundation for C.H.O.I.C.E., said that declining school discipline and lowered standards are quietly undermining educational outcomes.

“Discipline is the backbone of effective learning,” Bartnick, who supports the Texas legislation, told Stateline in an email. “Without it, classrooms become chaotic, instructional time is lost and teachers are forced to shift their focus from instruction to behavior management.”

Bartnick said efforts to promote equity sometimes inadvertently lower behavioral standards and deprive teachers of the tools they need to maintain safe learning environments.

She also criticized lenient grading policies and unlimited test retakes, arguing that they diminish the value of preparation, responsibility and resilience.

“If students are shielded from the discomfort of failure, they are also shielded from the growth that comes with it,” she wrote. “If we want to prepare students for a world that will not offer endless second chances, we must return to a classroom culture grounded in discipline, responsibility, and rigor.”

Stateline reporter Amanda Hernández contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691616488001.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/rsequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a><h2>There’s debate over whether classrooms need stricter control or a shift toward restorative justice.</h2>In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order aiming to reinstate “common sense” school discipline, more states may follow and expand the authority of teachers and school officials to deal with disruptive students.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/reinstating-common-sense-school-discipline-policies/" target="_blank">order</a>, signed in April, repeals prior federal guidance that encouraged schools to address racial disparities in discipline, arguing that such policies promoted “discriminatory equity ideology” and compromised school safety by pressuring administrators to underreport serious student misconduct.In some states, new legislation already is trending toward giving teachers more authority to address student misbehavior.In West Virginia, for example,<a href="https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb199%20sub1.htm&amp;yr=2025&amp;sesstype=RS&amp;i=199" target="_blank">&nbsp;a new law creates a structured process</a>&nbsp;for responding to violent, threatening or disruptive behavior among students in grades K-6.Under the law, a student exhibiting such behavior can be immediately removed from class, evaluated by counselors or behavioral specialists and placed on an individualized behavior plan. If there’s no improvement after two rounds of intervention, the student could be moved into a behavioral intervention program or an alternative learning environment.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, and supporters say the law empowers teachers to maintain safe classrooms.“This legislation provides teachers with the tools to regain control of the classroom and ensure safe learning environments for our kids,” Morrisey&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.wv.gov/article/governor-patrick-morrisey-signs-school-discipline-bill-law" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;at the bill’s signing.In April, the Texas House of Representatives&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB6/2025" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;a bill referred to as the “Teacher’s Bill of Rights” with a bipartisan vote of 124-20.That bill, now sitting in the Senate’s education committee, would significantly expand the grounds for out-of-school suspensions, allowing students to be suspended for repeated disruptions or threats beginning in third grade. It would reverse earlier changes that limited suspensions for younger students. It also would mandate that students making terroristic threats or assaulting school employees be placed in alternative education programs for at least 30 days.Texas civil rights groups argue that the bill would impose a one-size-fits-all punitive approach, rather than addressing students’ developmental and behavioral needs.Alycia Castillo, associate director of policy at the Texas Civil Rights Project and a former teacher, said state lawmakers are taking the wrong approach by mandating sweeping discipline policies for&nbsp;<a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2023/09/20/texas-diverse-state-in-u-s--" target="_blank">a state as diverse as Texas</a>.During the 2020-21 school year, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Education, Black students faced the highest rates of disciplinary action across all categories — suspension and expulsion — among all racial and ethnic groups.They were 39% more likely than white students to receive in-school suspensions, 70% more likely to face out-of-school suspensions, and 71% more likely to be expelled.The disparities were even starker for Black students with disabilities, who experienced suspension and expulsion rates far exceeding those of both their white peers and non-disabled students.Reviving old, harsh disciplinary policies risks disproportionately harming students of color, students with disabilities and those from low-income backgrounds, Castillo said.“What works in Austin may not work in West Texas,” Castillo said.“Children are naturally disruptive — that’s part of their development,” she added. “Excluding them only harms their growth into functional adults.”<h2>Restorative justice models</h2>In recent years, some other states have passed laws promoting restorative practices in schools, in which students and teachers work through problems and focus on repairing the harm caused by disruptions or conflict.Michigan’s 2017 law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentadvocacycenter.org/rethink-discipline-toolkit/" target="_blank">requires schools</a>&nbsp;to consider restorative approaches before suspensions or expulsions, aiming to repair harm rather than exclude students. Nevada began mandating restorative justice approaches in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2023/11/03/though-scaled-back-by-nv-lawmakers-restorative-justice-plans-still-making-progress-report-says/" target="_blank">scaled back</a>&nbsp;that approach in 2023.This year, Maryland passed a&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/MD/text/HB197/2025" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;requiring the state to establish “restorative practices schools,” specific schools with trained educators who use the approach in everyday discipline.Kimberly Hellerich, an assistant professor at Sacred Heart University and a former K-12 teacher, said discipline policies should go beyond punitive measures to foster accountability and community healing.“Adding restorative practices to accompany codes of conduct can allow students to recognize the impact of their actions on themselves, peers, the teacher, the class and the school community,” Hellerich said.In her own classrooms, Hellerich used what she called “community circles” to guide students in processing behavior, offering apologies and rebuilding trust. “The apology served as a way to restore the student’s relationship with the entire class community,” she said.<h2>Calls for a cultural shift on expectations</h2>While lawmakers debate discipline procedures, other education advocates warn that an even deeper issue is unfolding inside classrooms: the gradual erosion of behavioral expectations and academic rigor.Jessica Bartnick, co-founder and CEO of the Dallas-based mentorship program Foundation for C.H.O.I.C.E., said that declining school discipline and lowered standards are quietly undermining educational outcomes.“Discipline is the backbone of effective learning,” Bartnick, who supports the Texas legislation, told Stateline in an email. “Without it, classrooms become chaotic, instructional time is lost and teachers are forced to shift their focus from instruction to behavior management.”Bartnick said efforts to promote equity sometimes inadvertently lower behavioral standards and deprive teachers of the tools they need to maintain safe learning environments.She also criticized lenient grading policies and unlimited test retakes, arguing that they diminish the value of preparation, responsibility and resilience.“If students are shielded from the discomfort of failure, they are also shielded from the growth that comes with it,” she wrote. “If we want to prepare students for a world that will not offer endless second chances, we must return to a classroom culture grounded in discipline, responsibility, and rigor.”Stateline reporter Amanda Hernández contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.

Some states reexamine school discipline as Trump order paves go-ahead

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of an apartment build fire in Kansas City.

Just after 7p..m. Friday, crews responded to a fire at a two-story apartment building in the 3200 block of Gillham, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported smoke and fire from the building on arrival. Interior operations were initiated. One occupant was in the process of being removed by bystanders on arrival. KC fire department crews took over and pulled the individual from the building. The occupant was transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and evaluation. 

Additional searches of the structure came back all clear.. The building has significant damage to the attic and roof.&nbsp;No firefighters were injured..

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of an apartment build fire in Kansas City.Just after 7p..m. Friday, crews responded to a fire at a two-story apartment building in the 3200 block of Gillham, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported smoke and fire from the building on arrival. Interior operations were initiated. One occupant was in the process of being removed by bystanders on arrival. KC fire department crews took over and pulled the individual from the building. The occupant was transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and evaluation. Additional searches of the structure came back all clear.. The building has significant damage to the attic and roof.&nbsp;No firefighters were injured..

One hospitalized after Kansas City apartment fire

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

just after 2a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 4200 block of College on a shooting call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

On arrival officers were directed to a shooting victim later identified as&nbsp;50-year-old Dante Franklin who was unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a house there. 

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene. EMS declared Franklin deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim had an interaction in front of the residence with one or more suspects that escalated and led to gunfire, which struck the victim.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.just after 2a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 4200 block of College on a shooting call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.On arrival officers were directed to a shooting victim later identified as&nbsp;50-year-old Dante Franklin who was unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a house there. Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene. EMS declared Franklin deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim had an interaction in front of the residence with one or more suspects that escalated and led to gunfire, which struck the victim.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

50-year-old homicide victim found on sidewalk near KC home

TOPEKA — The city of Leavenworth and CoreCivic will take their fight to court June 25 to determine whether the company can reopen its prison facility as an ICE detention center without going through a permitting process.&nbsp;

Attorneys for Leavenworth filed suit in March in U.S. District Court against the Nashville-based company, which ran the Leavenworth Detention Center before it was closed in 2021. The June 25 hearing is a scheduling hearing.

CoreCivic announced its intent to reopen its prison facility as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, which would be named the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.corecivic.com/facilities/midwest-regional-reception-center" target="_blank">Midwest Regional Reception Center</a>.&nbsp;

In its initial filing, city attorneys said CoreCivic must apply for and receive a supplemental use permit to reopen and operate the prison.&nbsp;

“Our facility – which has been in Leavenworth since 1992 – is and always has been properly zoned,” said CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin in an email. “Leavenworth’s city code designates our site as an existing special use and lawful conforming use.”

The city recently passed a resolution that indicated CoreCivic needed permission to open its facility, Gustin said.&nbsp;

“There’s nothing in Leavenworth’s code that allows for such a resolution to rescind zoning,” he said.&nbsp;

City officials do not agree. In a 211-page filing with attachments, their attorneys said that, while the lawsuit is about the need for proper permitting, there were other problems too.&nbsp;

From 1992 to 2021, when CoreCivic operated the detention center, the company “became embroiled in multiple widely publicized scandals resulting from its gross mismanagement of the Facility and the ensuing rampant abuse, violence, and violations of the constitutional rights of its detainees and staff,” the filing said.&nbsp;

“CoreCivic’s mismanagement directly and indirectly impacted the City in countless ways, including for example, by imposing unexpected maintenance costs on its taxpayers, unreasonably increasing the burden on the City’s police and law enforcement agencies to address violent crime, and even impeding the City’s investigation of sexual assaults and other violent crimes against detainees and staff,” the filing said.&nbsp;

The city’s lawsuit contends that CoreCivic was already operating the prison when the city enacted its development rules that require a permit, so the business was grandfathered in under the new rules. But by ceasing operations for three years, the filing said, CoreCivic must now apply for the special use permit.&nbsp;

In fact, CoreCivic applied for a special use permit in February 2025 but about three weeks later withdrew that application, the city’s filing said.&nbsp;

Community activists are speaking about against the idea of CoreCivic operating a prison in Leavenworth.

Former CoreCivic employees regularly speak at city and county meetings about their negative experiences working in the closed detention center, and state organizations including the Kansas ACLU have helped organize press conferences and rallies. Objections include how CoreCivic operates, whether people held at the facility will be released into the community, and general opposition to immigrant detention centers.

Gustin said the company, as of April 30, had received applications from more than 1,100 people who want to work at the site.&nbsp;

“Despite what politically extreme outsider groups are saying, potential new employees and local business partners are excited to be part of what we’re creating in Leavenworth,” said Misty Mackey, warden of the new facility, in a press release. “We’re looking forward to operating a safe, transparent, accountable facility that will be a positive for this community dedicated to public service.”

Gustin said there has been inaccurate reporting about employees working on a job at the prison to replace the facility’s roof. CoreCivic issued cease-and-desist letters to those who accused the roofing company, Bass Roofing and Restoration, Fort Worth, of hiring workers without the proper permits.&nbsp;

“Any claims that our company has a contractor working for us at our Leavenworth facility that has undocumented or unauthorized workers doing the work are completely false,” he said. “We have been furnished documentation of the legal status of all workers on the roofing project at our facility from the primary contractor and subcontractor.”

The company has said that it will use local contractors at the facility, and Gustin said CoreCivic did reach out to local vendors.

“Experience in roofing our facilities and experience working on our federally contracted facilities is a factor we evaluate in reviewing bids,” he said. “It’s important to note that the roofing contractor who was selected for this project has handled similar work at another of our federal facilities, which required special clearances for workers.”

Although aware of community disagreement about the facility, Gustin said CoreCivic wants to work with Leavenworth city and county officials.&nbsp;

“In addition to the impact fees we’ve agreed to pay – and the property tax we already pay – we’ve worked to both listen to and be transparent with the community,” he said.

CoreCivic has offered the following impact fees:

Gustin said no one detained at the facility will be released directly into the Leavenworth community, which is one opposition point.&nbsp;

“Our facility will operate with strong oversight and accountability from our government partners, including regular audits and onsite monitors,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574019674964.png" alt="-CoreCivic plans to reopen its Leavenworth facility, closed since 2021, as an ICE detention facility. File photo" />
 <figcaption>-CoreCivic plans to reopen its Leavenworth facility, closed since 2021, as an ICE detention facility. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The city of Leavenworth and CoreCivic will take their fight to court June 25 to determine whether the company can reopen its prison facility as an ICE detention center without going through a permitting process.&nbsp;Attorneys for Leavenworth filed suit in March in U.S. District Court against the Nashville-based company, which ran the Leavenworth Detention Center before it was closed in 2021. The June 25 hearing is a scheduling hearing.CoreCivic announced its intent to reopen its prison facility as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, which would be named the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.corecivic.com/facilities/midwest-regional-reception-center" target="_blank">Midwest Regional Reception Center</a>.&nbsp;In its initial filing, city attorneys said CoreCivic must apply for and receive a supplemental use permit to reopen and operate the prison.&nbsp;“Our facility – which has been in Leavenworth since 1992 – is and always has been properly zoned,” said CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin in an email. “Leavenworth’s city code designates our site as an existing special use and lawful conforming use.”<h2>Proper permits?</h2>The city recently passed a resolution that indicated CoreCivic needed permission to open its facility, Gustin said.&nbsp;“There’s nothing in Leavenworth’s code that allows for such a resolution to rescind zoning,” he said.&nbsp;City officials do not agree. In a 211-page filing with attachments, their attorneys said that, while the lawsuit is about the need for proper permitting, there were other problems too.&nbsp;From 1992 to 2021, when CoreCivic operated the detention center, the company “became embroiled in multiple widely publicized scandals resulting from its gross mismanagement of the Facility and the ensuing rampant abuse, violence, and violations of the constitutional rights of its detainees and staff,” the filing said.&nbsp;“CoreCivic’s mismanagement directly and indirectly impacted the City in countless ways, including for example, by imposing unexpected maintenance costs on its taxpayers, unreasonably increasing the burden on the City’s police and law enforcement agencies to address violent crime, and even impeding the City’s investigation of sexual assaults and other violent crimes against detainees and staff,” the filing said.&nbsp;The city’s lawsuit contends that CoreCivic was already operating the prison when the city enacted its development rules that require a permit, so the business was grandfathered in under the new rules. But by ceasing operations for three years, the filing said, CoreCivic must now apply for the special use permit.&nbsp;In fact, CoreCivic applied for a special use permit in February 2025 but about three weeks later withdrew that application, the city’s filing said.&nbsp;<h2>Back and forth</h2>Community activists are speaking about against the idea of CoreCivic operating a prison in Leavenworth.Former CoreCivic employees regularly speak at city and county meetings about their negative experiences working in the closed detention center, and state organizations including the Kansas ACLU have helped organize press conferences and rallies. Objections include how CoreCivic operates, whether people held at the facility will be released into the community, and general opposition to immigrant detention centers.Gustin said the company, as of April 30, had received applications from more than 1,100 people who want to work at the site.&nbsp;“Despite what politically extreme outsider groups are saying, potential new employees and local business partners are excited to be part of what we’re creating in Leavenworth,” said Misty Mackey, warden of the new facility, in a press release. “We’re looking forward to operating a safe, transparent, accountable facility that will be a positive for this community dedicated to public service.”Gustin said there has been inaccurate reporting about employees working on a job at the prison to replace the facility’s roof. CoreCivic issued cease-and-desist letters to those who accused the roofing company, Bass Roofing and Restoration, Fort Worth, of hiring workers without the proper permits.&nbsp;“Any claims that our company has a contractor working for us at our Leavenworth facility that has undocumented or unauthorized workers doing the work are completely false,” he said. “We have been furnished documentation of the legal status of all workers on the roofing project at our facility from the primary contractor and subcontractor.”The company has said that it will use local contractors at the facility, and Gustin said CoreCivic did reach out to local vendors.“Experience in roofing our facilities and experience working on our federally contracted facilities is a factor we evaluate in reviewing bids,” he said. “It’s important to note that the roofing contractor who was selected for this project has handled similar work at another of our federal facilities, which required special clearances for workers.”<h2>Collaborative goals</h2>Although aware of community disagreement about the facility, Gustin said CoreCivic wants to work with Leavenworth city and county officials.&nbsp;“In addition to the impact fees we’ve agreed to pay – and the property tax we already pay – we’ve worked to both listen to and be transparent with the community,” he said.CoreCivic has offered the following impact fees:<ul>
 <li>One-time impact fee of $1,000,000 to the city of Leavenworth</li><li>Annual impact fee of $250,000 to the city of Leavenworth</li><li>Additional $150,000 annually to the police department</li>
 </ul>Gustin said no one detained at the facility will be released directly into the Leavenworth community, which is one opposition point.&nbsp;“Our facility will operate with strong oversight and accountability from our government partners, including regular audits and onsite monitors,” he said.

Leavenworth sues to keep CoreCivic from reopening Kansas prison as ICE detention facility

RILEY COUNTY —A carbon monoxide incident prompted a hotel evacuation in Manhattan.

Just before 11a.m. Saturday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 530 Richards Drive, The Double Tree by Hilton, for a report of an unknown hazmat situation. 

Crews found elevated carbon monoxide levels inside the hotel. The hotel was evacuated to allow crews to monitor the atmospheric conditions throughout the building. 

Riley County EMS transported two hotel guests to Ascension Via Christi and evaluated several other guests on scene.&nbsp;A total of 12 firefighters on 4 fire apparatus responded to the incident. The last units cleared at 3:00 p.m. after ventilating the building.

&nbsp;The cause of the carbon monoxide incident was determined to be the pool heater and inoperable exhaust fans for the heating system.

 After venitlating the building, occupants were allowed to return to the hotel.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747531008903.png" alt="Photo Manhattan Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Manhattan Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —A carbon monoxide incident prompted a hotel evacuation in Manhattan.Just before 11a.m. Saturday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 530 Richards Drive, The Double Tree by Hilton, for a report of an unknown hazmat situation. Crews found elevated carbon monoxide levels inside the hotel. The hotel was evacuated to allow crews to monitor the atmospheric conditions throughout the building. Riley County EMS transported two hotel guests to Ascension Via Christi and evaluated several other guests on scene.&nbsp;A total of 12 firefighters on 4 fire apparatus responded to the incident. The last units cleared at 3:00 p.m. after ventilating the building.&nbsp;The cause of the carbon monoxide incident was determined to be the pool heater and inoperable exhaust fans for the heating system. After venitlating the building, occupants were allowed to return to the hotel.&nbsp;

2 hospitalized after carbon monoxide incident at Kan. hotel 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a high-speed chase.

Just after 10 p.m. May 15, a Sheriff’s Deputy&nbsp;attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white 2003 Buick Regal near SE 15th Street and SE Adams Street, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson. The driver, later identified as 30-year-old Corey Mason of Topeka refused to stop and initiated a pursuit. 

Due to the driver accelerating to a high speed and driving in the opposite lanes of travel, the deputy chose not pursue.

A short time later, an officer with the Topeka Police Department located the vehicle near SE 24th Street and SE Virginia Avenue. Mason fled from the vehicle and was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. 

During the investigation, illegal narcotics were found. Mason was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County

Department of Corrections on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude; drive wrong way into opposing lane/intersection, Reckless driving, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant,&nbsp;Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;&nbsp;Driving while license suspended and Speeding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747407167524.png" alt="Mason photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mason photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a high-speed chase.Just after 10 p.m. May 15, a Sheriff’s Deputy&nbsp;attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white 2003 Buick Regal near SE 15th Street and SE Adams Street, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson. The driver, later identified as 30-year-old Corey Mason of Topeka refused to stop and initiated a pursuit. Due to the driver accelerating to a high speed and driving in the opposite lanes of travel, the deputy chose not pursue.A short time later, an officer with the Topeka Police Department located the vehicle near SE 24th Street and SE Virginia Avenue. Mason fled from the vehicle and was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were found. Mason was arrested and booked into the Shawnee CountyDepartment of Corrections on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude; drive wrong way into opposing lane/intersection, Reckless driving, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant,&nbsp;Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;&nbsp;Driving while license suspended and Speeding.

Kan. drug suspect drove wrong-way in traffic during police chase

JOHNSON COUNTY—The Overland Park Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Overland Park woman.

The whereabouts of 81-year-old Jerry McConnell are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.

McConnell was last seen on Wednesday afternoon in Harrisonville, Missouri and was driving to her residence in Overland Park, Kansas. 

McConnell is believed to be driving a grey 2009 Honda Accord bearing Texas license plate RFP836. McConnell also may have been near Severy, Kansas on Thursday afternoon.

McConnell is a white female who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blue eyes and gray hair. If you see Jerry McConnell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Overland Park Police Department at (913)-895-6300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747502608195.png" alt="photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—The Overland Park Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Overland Park woman.The whereabouts of 81-year-old Jerry McConnell are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.McConnell was last seen on Wednesday afternoon in Harrisonville, Missouri and was driving to her residence in Overland Park, Kansas. McConnell is believed to be driving a grey 2009 Honda Accord bearing Texas license plate RFP836. McConnell also may have been near Severy, Kansas on Thursday afternoon.McConnell is a white female who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blue eyes and gray hair. If you see Jerry McConnell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Overland Park Police Department at (913)-895-6300.