BROWN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Ranier driven by&nbsp; Ercilia&nbsp;McNett, 58, Sabetha, was eastbound on Kansas 246 just east of Bittersweet Road. The SUV traveled off the road to the south The driver overcorrected to the left and then to the right. The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered the south ditch and rolled onto its top in a milo field.

EMS transported&nbsp;McNett to the Sabetha Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Ranier driven by&nbsp; Ercilia&nbsp;McNett, 58, Sabetha, was eastbound on Kansas 246 just east of Bittersweet Road. The SUV traveled off the road to the south The driver overcorrected to the left and then to the right. The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered the south ditch and rolled onto its top in a milo field.EMS transported&nbsp;McNett to the Sabetha Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman injured after SUV rolls into a milo field

DAVIESS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Polaris Ranger driven by a 23-year-old Winston man was westbound on Major Avenue eleven miles northeast of Weatherby. The UTV traveled off the road, overturned and the driver and a 22-year-old male passenger were ejected.

A private vehicle transported both to Cameron Regional Medical Center. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DAVIESS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Polaris Ranger driven by a 23-year-old Winston man was westbound on Major Avenue eleven miles northeast of Weatherby. The UTV traveled off the road, overturned and the driver and a 22-year-old male passenger were ejected.A private vehicle transported both to Cameron Regional Medical Center. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 Missouri men injured after UTV accident

An Amber Alert for
two 12-year-old Rock Port girls has been canceled after both were safely
recovered in Indiana.

The Missouri State
Highway Patrol issued the cancellation, but made no mention of the suspect, a
California man who goes by the name of Alex or Alec.

The two girls were
reported taken from the Rock Port high school last night.

The patrol reports
Emily Harrington and Emma Sue Hale have been found, safe.

An Amber Alert has
been issued by the Missouri State Highway Patrol for two 12-year-old girls
abducted from Rock Port late Friday night.

The patrol reports
12-year-old Emily Harrington and 12-year-old Emma Sue Hale were taken from 600
South Nebraska Street in Rock Port, the location of the high school, at 8:40 Friday evening. The suspect is a
white male who goes by the name of Alex or Alec.

Emily Harrington
is described as a 12-year-old white girl with brown hair, 5 feet, 4 inches
tall, weighing 135 pounds. She often wears her hair in a bun and has a
birthmark on the front of her neck. Emily was last seen wearing a brown
t-shirt, light colored leggings, and cowboy boots.

Emma Sue Hale is
described as a 12-year-old white girl with dark blue hair, 5 feet, 2 inches
tall, weighing 120 pounds. She has very long hair and was last seen wearing a
red Chiefs hooded sweatshirt and black leggings.

Call 911 or the
Atchison County Sheriff’s Department at 660-744-6271 with any information to
help located the two girls.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758377370178.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE:An Amber Alert for
two 12-year-old Rock Port girls has been canceled after both were safely
recovered in Indiana.The Missouri State
Highway Patrol issued the cancellation, but made no mention of the suspect, a
California man who goes by the name of Alex or Alec.The two girls were
reported taken from the Rock Port high school last night.The patrol reports
Emily Harrington and Emma Sue Hale have been found, safe.---------------------By BRENT MARTINAn Amber Alert has
been issued by the Missouri State Highway Patrol for two 12-year-old girls
abducted from Rock Port late Friday night.The patrol reports
12-year-old Emily Harrington and 12-year-old Emma Sue Hale were taken from 600
South Nebraska Street in Rock Port, the location of the high school, at 8:40 Friday evening. The suspect is a
white male who goes by the name of Alex or Alec.Emily Harrington
is described as a 12-year-old white girl with brown hair, 5 feet, 4 inches
tall, weighing 135 pounds. She often wears her hair in a bun and has a
birthmark on the front of her neck. Emily was last seen wearing a brown
t-shirt, light colored leggings, and cowboy boots.Emma Sue Hale is
described as a 12-year-old white girl with dark blue hair, 5 feet, 2 inches
tall, weighing 120 pounds. She has very long hair and was last seen wearing a
red Chiefs hooded sweatshirt and black leggings.Call 911 or the
Atchison County Sheriff’s Department at 660-744-6271 with any information to
help located the two girls.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Amber Alert canceled; two 12-year-old Rock Port girls are safe

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —Just before noon on Saturday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol canceled the Amber Alert. Emily Harrington and Emma Hale were safely recovered in Indiana.

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert early Saturday for missing 12-year-old&nbsp; Emily Harrington and 12-year-old Emma Sue Hale.

They were last seen with a man named Alec or Alex and abducted just after 10:30p.m. Friday in the 600 Block of South Nebraska Street in Rock Port, Missouri.&nbsp;

The patrol indicated the suspect, identified as a white male, may be from California. The girls were seen with him at a football game at Rock Port High School.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional details early Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758368153102.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —Just before noon on Saturday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol canceled the Amber Alert. Emily Harrington and Emma Hale were safely recovered in Indiana.----------ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert early Saturday for missing 12-year-old&nbsp; Emily Harrington and 12-year-old Emma Sue Hale.They were last seen with a man named Alec or Alex and abducted just after 10:30p.m. Friday in the 600 Block of South Nebraska Street in Rock Port, Missouri.&nbsp;The patrol indicated the suspect, identified as a white male, may be from California. The girls were seen with him at a football game at Rock Port High School.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional details early Saturday.

MSHP: Amber Alert canceled; two 12-year-old girls are safe

BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in&nbsp; Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Fusion driven by Weston Witt, 29, Falls City, Nebraska, was eastbound on 192nd Road. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at U.S. 75.&nbsp; The Ford struck the trailer on a southbound 2026 Freightliner semi driven by Steven&nbsp;Bostick, 74, Lubbock, Texas. After impact the Ford came to rest in the ditch.

EMS transported Witt to&nbsp;Sabetha Hospital. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in&nbsp; Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Fusion driven by Weston Witt, 29, Falls City, Nebraska, was eastbound on 192nd Road. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at U.S. 75.&nbsp; The Ford struck the trailer on a southbound 2026 Freightliner semi driven by Steven&nbsp;Bostick, 74, Lubbock, Texas. After impact the Ford came to rest in the ditch.EMS transported Witt to&nbsp;Sabetha Hospital. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver injured after car, semi crash

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Friday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Ford F750 driven by a 56-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man was eastbound on Route T just north of Amazonia. the driver driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck traveled off the south side of the road. The driver overcorrected. The truck returned to the road, crossed the center of the road, traveled off the north side of the road and overturned onto its top.

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Friday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Ford F750 driven by a 56-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man was eastbound on Route T just north of Amazonia. the driver driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck traveled off the south side of the road. The driver overcorrected. The truck returned to the road, crossed the center of the road, traveled off the north side of the road and overturned onto its top.Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Kansas man hospitalized in St. Joe after truck overturns

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged domestic incident and have made an arrest.

Just after 8a.m. September 11, the Brown County Sheriff's office&nbsp;received a 911 call of adisturbance near Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

&nbsp; Upon completion of the investigation by deputies, 46-year-old Jeremy Huddleston of Hamlin was arrested on a requested charge of Domestic Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758311383895.png" alt="Huddleston photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Huddleston photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged domestic incident and have made an arrest.Just after 8a.m. September 11, the Brown County Sheriff's office&nbsp;received a 911 call of adisturbance near Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; Upon completion of the investigation by deputies, 46-year-old Jeremy Huddleston of Hamlin was arrested on a requested charge of Domestic Battery.

Sheriff: Investigation led to Kan. man's arrest for alleged violent crime

CLINTON COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Escape driven by a 17-year-old Lawson girl was southbound on U.S. 69 three miles north of Lawson. The SUV struck a northbound 2015 Ram 1500 driven by a 28-year-old Lawson man who was attempting to turn left onto Route PP.

EMS transported the teen driver and a 15-year-old female passenger to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; Lawson FIre transported another 15-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; The pickup driver was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CLINTON COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just after 7:30a.m. Friday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Escape driven by a 17-year-old Lawson girl was southbound on U.S. 69 three miles north of Lawson. The SUV struck a northbound 2015 Ram 1500 driven by a 28-year-old Lawson man who was attempting to turn left onto Route PP.EMS transported the teen driver and a 15-year-old female passenger to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; Lawson FIre transported another 15-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; The pickup driver was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 Mo. teens hospitalized after SUV, pickup crash

CASS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before noon Thursday in Cass County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kenworth semi driven by a 54-year-old Deepwater man was northbound on Interstate 49 just south of MO 2. The semi rear-ended a 2001 Toyota 4Runner driven by a 56-year-old Harrisonville woman who was stopped in traffic. The impact the Toyota rear-ended a 2025 Kenworth semi driven by a 51-year-old Independence man who was also stopped in traffic.&nbsp; 

The Harrisonville woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The other drivers were not injured. The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.

CASS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before noon Thursday in Cass County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kenworth semi driven by a 54-year-old Deepwater man was northbound on Interstate 49 just south of MO 2. The semi rear-ended a 2001 Toyota 4Runner driven by a 56-year-old Harrisonville woman who was stopped in traffic. The impact the Toyota rear-ended a 2025 Kenworth semi driven by a 51-year-old Independence man who was also stopped in traffic.&nbsp; The Harrisonville woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The other drivers were not injured. The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman killed in 3-vehicle crash

Health insurance premiums are expected to jump in 2026, and many businesses say they’ll be forced to pass some of the increase on to employees

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">Suzanne King</a>

Tania Hewett-Mader, who owns Alma Mader Brewing with her husband, believes providing health benefits to her employees is the right thing to do.

“That’s part of our values — taking good care of our people,” she said. “Not only for their sake, but to be competitive in the market.”

But two years ago, after the company had offered traditional insurance coverage for a couple of years, premiums were going to become unaffordable. The Kansas City small business, which only has five employees — including Hewett-Mader and her husband — had to find a different option.

“We had to make a decision at that point,” Hewett-Mader said.

It’s a familiar story for business owners. Large and small businesses alike have been scrambling to absorb rising insurance costs for years, and the 2026 increases are promising to be even worse.

Rates proposed for the state’s small-group market in the single risk pool

According to Mercer, the global consulting firm, benefit costs per employee for large firms are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mercer.com/en-us/insights/us-health-news/employers-prepare-for-the-highest-health-benefit-cost-increase-in-15-years/" target="_blank">expected to increase</a>&nbsp;an average 6.5% in 2026, the largest jump in 15 years. And that’s only if businesses take “cost-reduction measures.” If they don’t, Mercer said, plan costs would go up almost 9% on average.

For small groups — businesses with fewer than 50 employees — the increases could be far steeper.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/health-insurance/health-insurance-rate-filings-2026-plan-year" target="_blank">has requested</a>&nbsp;an average increase next year of 19% for its small-group plans that are regulated by the state of Missouri. Other insurers in the state’s small-group market have requested rate increases of 10% to 13%.

Rick Welsch, an insurance broker in Fairway, said he has already broken the news to clients that rates will be going up “dramatically.” And other insurance brokers in the area said they’re seeing a similar trend.

“I was a little blown away,” Welsch said.

Business owners ‘hope it’s not awful’

Now business owners may be left deciding how to absorb significant cost increases.

For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.almamaderbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Alma Mader Brewing</a>, the answer to continuing health benefits was to switch from a traditional insurance plan to a self-funded plan. That means the business pays into a pool of money that covers claims.

The change came with more paperwork and bigger copays for employees. The business also takes on more risk. If claims are higher one year, premiums will increase the next to compensate, which makes Hewett-Mader nervous.

She found out that next year the business will see a 13% jump because claims this year ran higher. But even that rate is doable, unlike the traditional coverage, so employees will keep their health insurance.

“‘It would be really hard to offer it and take it away,” she said.

Karen Crnkovich, owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmcserviceinc.com/" target="_blank">DMC Service Inc.</a>, a commercial heating and cooling company in Olathe, said she spends hours every year trying to find a plan her company can afford that still provides good coverage for the 23 employees who are insured.

“We hold our breath and cross our fingers and hope it’s not awful,” she said.

Last year she saved $20,000 by moving to an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement, known as an ICHRA plan. That gave employees a tax-free allowance to buy an individual plan on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. But the model proved to be “too burdensome.” That and&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/18/brace-for-sticker-shock-if-youre-buying-health-insurance-on-the-aca-marketplace/" target="_blank">expected increases</a>&nbsp;in the cost of marketplace plans next year made Crnkovich rethink that switch. She’s moving back to a self-funded plan.

“Every year we’ve got to look at it,” she said.

Employers face a lot of pressure trying to maintain benefits when costs continue to rise, business owners said.

“It’s kind of like, ‘How can you provide all the benefits and still be above water?’” said Ariel Johnston, who owns&nbsp;<a href="https://thetastybalance.com/" target="_blank">The Tasty Balance</a>, a dietitian practice with offices in Prairie Village and St. Louis.

Johnston said the rates for her nine-person company will stay flat next year, but many employers won’t be so lucky.

Businesses confronting surging premiums may look for cost-saving options like adopting a self-funded model, like Alma Mader did. They may offer plans with narrower networks of doctors and hospitals in an effort to steer people to less-expensive providers, or force employees to pay more for going to a doctor not on a plan’s preferred list. Employers might also choose plans that limit what drugs are covered.

In addition, there is growing recognition that health plans that emphasize preventive care and behavioral health care will pay off in a healthier workforce and, eventually, lower premium costs. Johnston said many people don’t realize that dietitian services, like the ones her business offers, are fully covered by most insurance plans.

But to cover bigger premiums next year, many employers will also likely ask employees to pay more for their insurance.

Almost 60% of large employers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mercer.com/assets/us/en_us/shared-assets/local/attachments/pdf-2025-us-survey-on-health-and-benefit-strategies-for-2026.pdf" target="_blank">Mercer surveyed</a>&nbsp;said they would make cost-cutting changes, which generally means choosing plans with higher deductibles and bigger copays next year, adding to employees’ out-of-pocket costs.

KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">research found</a>&nbsp;that nearly half of adults are already struggling to afford health care, more than one in three report skipping or postponing care and almost one in four said they have medical or dental bills that are past due that they can’t pay.

One in five people surveyed by KFF said they are paying off debt to a provider, 17% owe a bank or collection agency, 17% have put medical bills on a credit card and 10% said they owe family members.

Additional health insurance increases would compound the problem, consumer advocates said, and add strain when people are already dealing with increased prices for other basic needs.

“We see rising utility rates and rent going up and now health care,” said Mary Shannon of the&nbsp;<a href="https://moconsumers.org/" target="_blank">Consumers Council of Missouri</a>. “It reflects a broader trend of consumer costs increasing.”

Frank Lenk, an economist with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/" target="_blank">Mid-America Regional Council</a>, said that there will be economic consequences of rising medical costs. When people have to spend more on health care, already a sizable chunk of most household budgets, they’ll have less money to spend on other things, like local stores and restaurants.

“It will be happening when belts already seem to be tightening and the economy seems to be slowing down,” Lenk said.

The changes could also have longer-term consequences, he said. When people have to pay more for the doctor or to fill a prescription, they may be less likely to seek care, which could lead to a less healthy workforce.

“Businesses may save money on the one hand,” Lenk said, “but they may see loss of productivity on the other. It comes down to — there’s no free lunch.”

Employer-sponsored health insurance is the primary source of health coverage in this country.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 92% of people had health insurance for at least part of the year during 2024. Employment-based insurance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2025/demo/p60-288.html#:~:text=Highlights,decreased%20for%20both%20age%20groups." target="_blank">covered 53.8% of that population</a>, down from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/long-term-trends-in-employer-based-coverage/#Percent%20of%20Nonelderly%20Population%20Enrolled%20in%20Employer-Sponsored%20Coverage,%201998-2018" target="_blank">almost 67%</a>&nbsp;in 1998. Medicare covered 19.1%, Medicaid covered 17.6%, and 10.7% of people were covered by plans they purchased directly, including through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Insurance premiums on employer plans have been trending up for years. The national average annual premium per employee enrolled in an employer-based plan was $5,963 in 2015, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/state-indicator/single-coverage/?activeTab=graph&amp;currentTimeframe=0&amp;startTimeframe=9&amp;selectedDistributions=total-annual-premium&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22wrapups%22:%7B%22united-states%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">jumped</a>&nbsp;to $8.486 in 2024. In the same period Missouri’s average rates went from $5,726 to $8,552, and Kansas’ went from $5,558 to $7,874.

During that time, employers picked up between 75% and 79% of that premium cost. But employee costs still increased, both because the overall premium went up and because out-of-pocket costs climbed.

Insurance companies give many reasons for increasing premiums. But the two main factors are the price of health care is going up and more people are using their health benefits, which means insurance companies have to pay more.

Medical costs are set to grow 8.5% in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/assets/pwc-behind-the-numbers-2026.pdf" target="_blank">according to a study</a>&nbsp;by the consulting firm PwC, also known as PricewaterhouseCoopers. That’s the same rate as the last two years, but substantially greater than 2022 when the growth rate was 5.5%.

That slower growth reflected lower medical use during the pandemic, which is also one of the factors driving increased costs now, analysts said.

During the COVID pandemic, people put off doctor visits and routine care. That meant fewer claims being sent to insurance companies. It also caused a backlog of medical visits and procedures and led to growth in serious conditions that are more expensive to treat.

More expensive drugs are also adding to insurers’ costs. PwC said drug spending grew by $50 billion to $487 billion in 2024. GLP-1s, drugs that regulate blood sugar and help people lose weight, were a significant driver of the increase, leading some insurance companies to look at reining in who can get coverage for the drugs and for what conditions.

Insurers are also having to pay hospitals and doctors more, another reason for increased premiums. Analysts said several factors have caused that:

But one of the biggest reasons insurers may see higher costs starting in 2026 involves policy decisions coming out of the Trump administration, said Sara R. Collins, a senior scholar who studies health care for the Commonwealth Fund.

“We’re on the brink of some major changes,” she said.

Congress has&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/09/kansas-city-missouri-medicaid-trump-budget/" target="_blank">cut about $1 trillion</a>&nbsp;from federal Medicaid spending and&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/18/brace-for-sticker-shock-if-youre-buying-health-insurance-on-the-aca-marketplace/" target="_blank">made changes</a>&nbsp;to the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and is expected to allow enhanced tax credits to expire at the end of the year. Those tax credits help more than 90% of participants afford coverage and have helped marketplace enrollment to double since 2021.

All told, those policy changes are expected to result in 17 million people becoming uninsured, which will lead to more people needing free care. And that will drive higher costs for everyone else.

Beyond that, Collins said, President Donald Trump’s tariffs could lead to higher drug costs, which will also increase insurance costs.

All the federal policy changes “will reverberate through the rest of the insurance system,” Collins said. “Those are potential cost drivers on the hospital side and on the provider side.”

Health industry analysts said the rising costs are driving changes in the insurance marketplace, which could also contribute to higher premiums.

Derek Skoog, a health care actuary with PwC, said businesses facing big premium spikes are increasingly moving to self-funded insurance models.

This means that rather than paying an insurance company a monthly fee to cover all employee health claims, they set aside a pool of money and pay those claims themselves. If the business has employees who are young, healthy and low-risk, it may be a good bet that paying claims outright will cost less than paying an insurance premium.

The increased number of companies shifting to this self-funded model has been quietly diluting the risk pool for traditional insurance plans, known as fully insured plans, Skoog said. That means fewer premium dollars to cover the actual cost of claims. And potentially more expensive patients to cover.

Skoog said industry analysts had been wondering when that shift to self-funded plans would catch up to the fully insured segment of the market. And it seems to be happening. His firm’s analysis found that underwriting margins in the fully insured segment — basically an insurance company’s profits once claims have been paid — dropped to zero this year.

And that could also be a factor pushing insurance companies to raise rates in 2026, he said.

“The billion-dollar question here is,” Skoog said, “does that then further accelerate … the conversion from fully insured to self-funded?”

He called it a “pretty big concern” if healthier-than-average groups continue to leave the fully insured market.

“The long-term viability of that fully insured group segment, if it starts to run away, that can become a real challenge,” Skoog said.

<a href="https://centivo.com/" target="_blank">Centivo</a>, a New York-based company just entering the Kansas City market, is betting that more companies will take the leap to self-funded insurance as premiums for traditional plans climb.

The firm administers self-funded plans for businesses, which includes making deals with hospitals and doctors’ practices to get fixed rates for services. Centivo also works with “transparent pharmacy benefit managers” in an effort to lower the cost of medicine. And the company emphasizes preventive care.

Every Centivo patient is required to have a primary care physician and they pay nothing out of pocket for primary care services as long as they’re in the company’s network. The idea is that treating health problems earlier will help avoid serious issues and keep care costs down for the employers paying the bills.

“If you give them access to care,” said Ryan Moore, Centivo’s chief revenue officer, “all the data … show you’re going to have a lower cost of care in the long run.”

But that model might not hold up over time, said Collins of the Commonwealth Fund.

“Those employers that self-fund end up, as their workforce ages or they have workers who develop health problems, (needing) to come back into the fully insured market,” Collins said.

And that adds to the problem of care costing more and premiums going up, she said.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/16/kansas-city-workers-can-bet-on-paying-more-for-health-insurance-next-year/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758192001408.png" alt="Tania Hewett-Mader, who owns Alma Mader Brewing on Southwest Boulevard with her husband, is familiar with the stress of rising health insurance premiums many businesses are facing (Suzanne King/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>Tania Hewett-Mader, who owns Alma Mader Brewing on Southwest Boulevard with her husband, is familiar with the stress of rising health insurance premiums many businesses are facing (Suzanne King/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Health insurance premiums are expected to jump in 2026, and many businesses say they’ll be forced to pass some of the increase on to employees</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">Suzanne King</a>Tania Hewett-Mader, who owns Alma Mader Brewing with her husband, believes providing health benefits to her employees is the right thing to do.“That’s part of our values — taking good care of our people,” she said. “Not only for their sake, but to be competitive in the market.”But two years ago, after the company had offered traditional insurance coverage for a couple of years, premiums were going to become unaffordable. The Kansas City small business, which only has five employees — including Hewett-Mader and her husband — had to find a different option.“We had to make a decision at that point,” Hewett-Mader said.It’s a familiar story for business owners. Large and small businesses alike have been scrambling to absorb rising insurance costs for years, and the 2026 increases are promising to be even worse.<h2>Missouri proposed rate filings for 2026</h2>Rates proposed for the state’s small-group market in the single risk pool<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758191906541.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to Mercer, the global consulting firm, benefit costs per employee for large firms are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mercer.com/en-us/insights/us-health-news/employers-prepare-for-the-highest-health-benefit-cost-increase-in-15-years/" target="_blank">expected to increase</a>&nbsp;an average 6.5% in 2026, the largest jump in 15 years. And that’s only if businesses take “cost-reduction measures.” If they don’t, Mercer said, plan costs would go up almost 9% on average.For small groups — businesses with fewer than 50 employees — the increases could be far steeper.Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/health-insurance/health-insurance-rate-filings-2026-plan-year" target="_blank">has requested</a>&nbsp;an average increase next year of 19% for its small-group plans that are regulated by the state of Missouri. Other insurers in the state’s small-group market have requested rate increases of 10% to 13%.Rick Welsch, an insurance broker in Fairway, said he has already broken the news to clients that rates will be going up “dramatically.” And other insurance brokers in the area said they’re seeing a similar trend.“I was a little blown away,” Welsch said.<h2>Business owners ‘hope it’s not awful’</h2>Now business owners may be left deciding how to absorb significant cost increases.For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.almamaderbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Alma Mader Brewing</a>, the answer to continuing health benefits was to switch from a traditional insurance plan to a self-funded plan. That means the business pays into a pool of money that covers claims.The change came with more paperwork and bigger copays for employees. The business also takes on more risk. If claims are higher one year, premiums will increase the next to compensate, which makes Hewett-Mader nervous.She found out that next year the business will see a 13% jump because claims this year ran higher. But even that rate is doable, unlike the traditional coverage, so employees will keep their health insurance.“‘It would be really hard to offer it and take it away,” she said.Karen Crnkovich, owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmcserviceinc.com/" target="_blank">DMC Service Inc.</a>, a commercial heating and cooling company in Olathe, said she spends hours every year trying to find a plan her company can afford that still provides good coverage for the 23 employees who are insured.“We hold our breath and cross our fingers and hope it’s not awful,” she said.Last year she saved $20,000 by moving to an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement, known as an ICHRA plan. That gave employees a tax-free allowance to buy an individual plan on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. But the model proved to be “too burdensome.” That and&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/18/brace-for-sticker-shock-if-youre-buying-health-insurance-on-the-aca-marketplace/" target="_blank">expected increases</a>&nbsp;in the cost of marketplace plans next year made Crnkovich rethink that switch. She’s moving back to a self-funded plan.“Every year we’ve got to look at it,” she said.Employers face a lot of pressure trying to maintain benefits when costs continue to rise, business owners said.“It’s kind of like, ‘How can you provide all the benefits and still be above water?’” said Ariel Johnston, who owns&nbsp;<a href="https://thetastybalance.com/" target="_blank">The Tasty Balance</a>, a dietitian practice with offices in Prairie Village and St. Louis.Johnston said the rates for her nine-person company will stay flat next year, but many employers won’t be so lucky.Businesses confronting surging premiums may look for cost-saving options like adopting a self-funded model, like Alma Mader did. They may offer plans with narrower networks of doctors and hospitals in an effort to steer people to less-expensive providers, or force employees to pay more for going to a doctor not on a plan’s preferred list. Employers might also choose plans that limit what drugs are covered.In addition, there is growing recognition that health plans that emphasize preventive care and behavioral health care will pay off in a healthier workforce and, eventually, lower premium costs. Johnston said many people don’t realize that dietitian services, like the ones her business offers, are fully covered by most insurance plans.But to cover bigger premiums next year, many employers will also likely ask employees to pay more for their insurance.Almost 60% of large employers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mercer.com/assets/us/en_us/shared-assets/local/attachments/pdf-2025-us-survey-on-health-and-benefit-strategies-for-2026.pdf" target="_blank">Mercer surveyed</a>&nbsp;said they would make cost-cutting changes, which generally means choosing plans with higher deductibles and bigger copays next year, adding to employees’ out-of-pocket costs.<h2>Who will pay?</h2>KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">research found</a>&nbsp;that nearly half of adults are already struggling to afford health care, more than one in three report skipping or postponing care and almost one in four said they have medical or dental bills that are past due that they can’t pay.One in five people surveyed by KFF said they are paying off debt to a provider, 17% owe a bank or collection agency, 17% have put medical bills on a credit card and 10% said they owe family members.Additional health insurance increases would compound the problem, consumer advocates said, and add strain when people are already dealing with increased prices for other basic needs.“We see rising utility rates and rent going up and now health care,” said Mary Shannon of the&nbsp;<a href="https://moconsumers.org/" target="_blank">Consumers Council of Missouri</a>. “It reflects a broader trend of consumer costs increasing.”Frank Lenk, an economist with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/" target="_blank">Mid-America Regional Council</a>, said that there will be economic consequences of rising medical costs. When people have to spend more on health care, already a sizable chunk of most household budgets, they’ll have less money to spend on other things, like local stores and restaurants.“It will be happening when belts already seem to be tightening and the economy seems to be slowing down,” Lenk said.The changes could also have longer-term consequences, he said. When people have to pay more for the doctor or to fill a prescription, they may be less likely to seek care, which could lead to a less healthy workforce.“Businesses may save money on the one hand,” Lenk said, “but they may see loss of productivity on the other. It comes down to — there’s no free lunch.”Employer-sponsored health insurance is the primary source of health coverage in this country.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758191942692.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 92% of people had health insurance for at least part of the year during 2024. Employment-based insurance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2025/demo/p60-288.html#:~:text=Highlights,decreased%20for%20both%20age%20groups." target="_blank">covered 53.8% of that population</a>, down from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/long-term-trends-in-employer-based-coverage/#Percent%20of%20Nonelderly%20Population%20Enrolled%20in%20Employer-Sponsored%20Coverage,%201998-2018" target="_blank">almost 67%</a>&nbsp;in 1998. Medicare covered 19.1%, Medicaid covered 17.6%, and 10.7% of people were covered by plans they purchased directly, including through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.Insurance premiums on employer plans have been trending up for years. The national average annual premium per employee enrolled in an employer-based plan was $5,963 in 2015, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/state-indicator/single-coverage/?activeTab=graph&amp;currentTimeframe=0&amp;startTimeframe=9&amp;selectedDistributions=total-annual-premium&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22wrapups%22:%7B%22united-states%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">jumped</a>&nbsp;to $8.486 in 2024. In the same period Missouri’s average rates went from $5,726 to $8,552, and Kansas’ went from $5,558 to $7,874.During that time, employers picked up between 75% and 79% of that premium cost. But employee costs still increased, both because the overall premium went up and because out-of-pocket costs climbed.<h2>Why is insurance going up?</h2>Insurance companies give many reasons for increasing premiums. But the two main factors are the price of health care is going up and more people are using their health benefits, which means insurance companies have to pay more.Medical costs are set to grow 8.5% in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/assets/pwc-behind-the-numbers-2026.pdf" target="_blank">according to a study</a>&nbsp;by the consulting firm PwC, also known as PricewaterhouseCoopers. That’s the same rate as the last two years, but substantially greater than 2022 when the growth rate was 5.5%.That slower growth reflected lower medical use during the pandemic, which is also one of the factors driving increased costs now, analysts said.During the COVID pandemic, people put off doctor visits and routine care. That meant fewer claims being sent to insurance companies. It also caused a backlog of medical visits and procedures and led to growth in serious conditions that are more expensive to treat.More expensive drugs are also adding to insurers’ costs. PwC said drug spending grew by $50 billion to $487 billion in 2024. GLP-1s, drugs that regulate blood sugar and help people lose weight, were a significant driver of the increase, leading some insurance companies to look at reining in who can get coverage for the drugs and for what conditions.Insurers are also having to pay hospitals and doctors more, another reason for increased premiums. Analysts said several factors have caused that:<ul>
 <li>Labor shortages in the medical field have forced hospitals and physician practices to pay higher salaries.</li><li>Artificial intelligence, which is helping providers bill for services more efficiently, has prompted providers to track, and bill for, more services.</li><li>And hospital system mergers, along with other provider consolidation, have helped providers negotiate higher reimbursement rates from insurers.</li>
 </ul>But one of the biggest reasons insurers may see higher costs starting in 2026 involves policy decisions coming out of the Trump administration, said Sara R. Collins, a senior scholar who studies health care for the Commonwealth Fund.“We’re on the brink of some major changes,” she said.Congress has&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/09/kansas-city-missouri-medicaid-trump-budget/" target="_blank">cut about $1 trillion</a>&nbsp;from federal Medicaid spending and&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/18/brace-for-sticker-shock-if-youre-buying-health-insurance-on-the-aca-marketplace/" target="_blank">made changes</a>&nbsp;to the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and is expected to allow enhanced tax credits to expire at the end of the year. Those tax credits help more than 90% of participants afford coverage and have helped marketplace enrollment to double since 2021.All told, those policy changes are expected to result in 17 million people becoming uninsured, which will lead to more people needing free care. And that will drive higher costs for everyone else.Beyond that, Collins said, President Donald Trump’s tariffs could lead to higher drug costs, which will also increase insurance costs.All the federal policy changes “will reverberate through the rest of the insurance system,” Collins said. “Those are potential cost drivers on the hospital side and on the provider side.”<h2>Trend toward self-funded insurance</h2>Health industry analysts said the rising costs are driving changes in the insurance marketplace, which could also contribute to higher premiums.Derek Skoog, a health care actuary with PwC, said businesses facing big premium spikes are increasingly moving to self-funded insurance models.This means that rather than paying an insurance company a monthly fee to cover all employee health claims, they set aside a pool of money and pay those claims themselves. If the business has employees who are young, healthy and low-risk, it may be a good bet that paying claims outright will cost less than paying an insurance premium.The increased number of companies shifting to this self-funded model has been quietly diluting the risk pool for traditional insurance plans, known as fully insured plans, Skoog said. That means fewer premium dollars to cover the actual cost of claims. And potentially more expensive patients to cover.Skoog said industry analysts had been wondering when that shift to self-funded plans would catch up to the fully insured segment of the market. And it seems to be happening. His firm’s analysis found that underwriting margins in the fully insured segment — basically an insurance company’s profits once claims have been paid — dropped to zero this year.And that could also be a factor pushing insurance companies to raise rates in 2026, he said.“The billion-dollar question here is,” Skoog said, “does that then further accelerate … the conversion from fully insured to self-funded?”He called it a “pretty big concern” if healthier-than-average groups continue to leave the fully insured market.“The long-term viability of that fully insured group segment, if it starts to run away, that can become a real challenge,” Skoog said.<a href="https://centivo.com/" target="_blank">Centivo</a>, a New York-based company just entering the Kansas City market, is betting that more companies will take the leap to self-funded insurance as premiums for traditional plans climb.The firm administers self-funded plans for businesses, which includes making deals with hospitals and doctors’ practices to get fixed rates for services. Centivo also works with “transparent pharmacy benefit managers” in an effort to lower the cost of medicine. And the company emphasizes preventive care.Every Centivo patient is required to have a primary care physician and they pay nothing out of pocket for primary care services as long as they’re in the company’s network. The idea is that treating health problems earlier will help avoid serious issues and keep care costs down for the employers paying the bills.“If you give them access to care,” said Ryan Moore, Centivo’s chief revenue officer, “all the data … show you’re going to have a lower cost of care in the long run.”But that model might not hold up over time, said Collins of the Commonwealth Fund.“Those employers that self-fund end up, as their workforce ages or they have workers who develop health problems, (needing) to come back into the fully insured market,” Collins said.And that adds to the problem of care costing more and premiums going up, she said.This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/16/kansas-city-workers-can-bet-on-paying-more-for-health-insurance-next-year/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://thebeaconnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iconbeacon-150x150.png?crop=1" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Missouri workers can bet on paying more for health insurance next year

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an incident in northeast Kansas.

Just before 10a.m. September 10, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy was on routine patrol and noticed plywood scattered on U.S. 36 highway just south of Hiawatha that appeared to have been lost off of a vehicle going to the landfill, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;

&nbsp; A vehicle description was passed on to landfill employees by the deputy , and the suspect vehicle and occupants were made available for questioning when the deputy arrived.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Upon conclusion of the investigation, the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old&nbsp; Edubiel Vega Gonzalez of&nbsp; Dawson, Nebraska was arrested on requested charges of Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked&nbsp; and also cited for&nbsp; Littering&nbsp; The passengers in the Gonzalez vehicle were directed to clean the debris from the roadway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758144874411.png" alt="Gonzalez photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an incident in northeast Kansas.Just before 10a.m. September 10, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy was on routine patrol and noticed plywood scattered on U.S. 36 highway just south of Hiawatha that appeared to have been lost off of a vehicle going to the landfill, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;&nbsp; A vehicle description was passed on to landfill employees by the deputy , and the suspect vehicle and occupants were made available for questioning when the deputy arrived.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Upon conclusion of the investigation, the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old&nbsp; Edubiel Vega Gonzalez of&nbsp; Dawson, Nebraska was arrested on requested charges of Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked&nbsp; and also cited for&nbsp; Littering&nbsp; The passengers in the Gonzalez vehicle were directed to clean the debris from the roadway.

Sheriff: Suspect with no drivers license dumped trash on Kan. highway

With warmer weather and recent flooding creating ideal conditions, wildlife officials are reporting more rattlesnake activity than usual across Kansas.

Field staff say the uptick comes at a time when many hunting seasons are underway or about to begin, making it especially important for outdoor enthusiasts to stay alert.

Venomous snakes found in Kansas include several rattlesnake species and copperheads. However, officials emphasize that most snakes encountered in the state are nonvenomous and play a valuable role in maintaining balanced ecosystems. Snakebites in Kansas are rarely fatal, thanks to effective medical treatments available at hospitals.

Tips for Staying Safe Outdoors •&nbsp; Watch your step, especially in tall grass or brush. •&nbsp; Be cautious around logs, rocks, or other debris where snakes may be hiding. •&nbsp; Give snakes space if you encounter one—don’t attempt to catch or kill it.

If Bitten by a Venomous Snake •&nbsp; Stay calm to slow the spread of venom. •&nbsp; Call 911 or get to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible, but avoid driving yourself if symptoms progress. •&nbsp; Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake. Antivenoms used in the U.S. are effective for all pit viper bites, including rattlesnakes and copperheads.

Kansas wildlife officials encourage residents and visitors to continue enjoying the outdoors this season—just with added awareness and preparation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758145054284.jpeg" alt="(Photo courtesy Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo courtesy Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park)</figcaption>
 </figure>With warmer weather and recent flooding creating ideal conditions, wildlife officials are reporting more rattlesnake activity than usual across Kansas.Field staff say the uptick comes at a time when many hunting seasons are underway or about to begin, making it especially important for outdoor enthusiasts to stay alert.Venomous snakes found in Kansas include several rattlesnake species and copperheads. However, officials emphasize that most snakes encountered in the state are nonvenomous and play a valuable role in maintaining balanced ecosystems. Snakebites in Kansas are rarely fatal, thanks to effective medical treatments available at hospitals.Tips for Staying Safe Outdoors •&nbsp; Watch your step, especially in tall grass or brush. •&nbsp; Be cautious around logs, rocks, or other debris where snakes may be hiding. •&nbsp; Give snakes space if you encounter one—don’t attempt to catch or kill it.If Bitten by a Venomous Snake •&nbsp; Stay calm to slow the spread of venom. •&nbsp; Call 911 or get to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible, but avoid driving yourself if symptoms progress. •&nbsp; Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake. Antivenoms used in the U.S. are effective for all pit viper bites, including rattlesnakes and copperheads.Kansas wildlife officials encourage residents and visitors to continue enjoying the outdoors this season—just with added awareness and preparation.

Dept. of Wildlife and Parks warns on increased rattlesnake activity

September is National Preparedness Month.  

And during the month, officials with the Greater Kansas City and northwest Missouri American Red Cross are urging residents to protect their loved ones by getting your household ready.  

Executive Director JoAnn Woody says it’s important for people to be prepared for all kinds of emergencies, because there are so many that could happen in everyday life. 

"So it’s important for us to be ready for some of those very different things, whether it’s a medical emergency, whether It’s a child who falls down and cuts themselves while they’re outside playing, whether it’s making sure that you have emergency supplies, there’s just a whole list of things that people can do,” Woody tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And so, this is our month that we really want to get folks to pay attention to how they can be prepared.” 

Woody encourages everyone to develop a plan for any sort of emergency, and to be sure everyone in your family knows what that plan is in case something happens.  

Woody says the number one thing right now people should get prepared for as we move into fall and winter is the danger of home fires.  

"This is a time of year, while it’s really warm right now, we’re not looking too far down the road to having that nice crisp fall weather when folks are trying their fireplaces, turning on their furnaces for the first time,” Woody explains.  “And so, we want to make sure that people are being very attentive and very deliberate in checking out their fireplaces to make sure they're in good capable working order and that they’re safe, and to have their furnaces and all their heating appliances checked to make sure they’re functioning well.” 

Woody says now is a good time, when it's not cold and snowy, to also go over that plan for if a home fire were to happen and know your evacuation route.  

Woody says to make sure you know the different plans, be it for a fire or a tornado, and then be sure to go over that plan with your entire family 

"I know I made the mistake one time I had great plans, and I had it all figured out, I kind of forgot to tell my husband, and so at one point we were talking to a group and my husband was in the audience and someone looked down and said I don’t think you’re part of the plan,” Woody says.  “So, I realized I had not done my job by telling him the plan, so now we actually have a regular time, once or twice a year, we’ll go through our plan and make sure nothing has changed.” 

Woody says you should also make sure to gather critical supplies like water and shelf-stable food, as well as medical supplies in case of any emergency. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

By MATT PIKESeptember is National Preparedness Month. And during the month, officials with the Greater Kansas City and northwest Missouri American Red Cross are urging residents to protect their loved ones by getting your household ready. Executive Director JoAnn Woody says it’s important for people to be prepared for all kinds of emergencies, because there are so many that could happen in everyday life. "So it’s important for us to be ready for some of those very different things, whether it’s a medical emergency, whether It’s a child who falls down and cuts themselves while they’re outside playing, whether it’s making sure that you have emergency supplies, there’s just a whole list of things that people can do,” Woody tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And so, this is our month that we really want to get folks to pay attention to how they can be prepared.” Woody encourages everyone to develop a plan for any sort of emergency, and to be sure everyone in your family knows what that plan is in case something happens. Woody says the number one thing right now people should get prepared for as we move into fall and winter is the danger of home fires. "This is a time of year, while it’s really warm right now, we’re not looking too far down the road to having that nice crisp fall weather when folks are trying their fireplaces, turning on their furnaces for the first time,” Woody explains. “And so, we want to make sure that people are being very attentive and very deliberate in checking out their fireplaces to make sure they're in good capable working order and that they’re safe, and to have their furnaces and all their heating appliances checked to make sure they’re functioning well.” Woody says now is a good time, when it's not cold and snowy, to also go over that plan for if a home fire were to happen and know your evacuation route. Woody says to make sure you know the different plans, be it for a fire or a tornado, and then be sure to go over that plan with your entire family "I know I made the mistake one time I had great plans, and I had it all figured out, I kind of forgot to tell my husband, and so at one point we were talking to a group and my husband was in the audience and someone looked down and said I don’t think you’re part of the plan,” Woody says. “So, I realized I had not done my job by telling him the plan, so now we actually have a regular time, once or twice a year, we’ll go through our plan and make sure nothing has changed.” Woody says you should also make sure to gather critical supplies like water and shelf-stable food, as well as medical supplies in case of any emergency. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

American Red Cross wants you prepared for any type of emergency

Andrew County
leaders and residents gather Thursday for the third annual Economic Outlook
Luncheon.

Wakefield Hare
with the Andrew County Foundation says the luncheon provides an opportunity for
members of a diverse county to come together to move it forward.

“We are in this
together by our jurisdiction and we really want to be aware of the unique
challenges of someone living in Country Club Village versus someone living near
Fillmore or Cosby or Bolckow or Rea; in all these places that make up this
community,” Hare tells KFEQmmunity.

The Andrew County
Foundation hosts the 2025 Economic Outlook Luncheon which is being held at the
Clasbey Community Center in Savannah. It begins at 11:30 Thursday morning and
wraps up a one that afternoon.

Hare says the
luncheon this year focuses on education with Savannah Superintendent, Brian
Hansen, North Andrew Superintendent, Jake Barker, and Avenue City
Superintendent, Becky Grimes, scheduled as featured speakers. Hare says they
will address the question of educational opportunity.

“And we definitely
want to hear from those three who’ve thought more about it than most in our
community and then also understand the resource challenges of doing that
effectively, efficiently, sustainably while also giving kids in the middle of
America every opportunity that they need to compete with someone who has an
education (from) any other part of the world,” Hare says.

Hare says Andrew
County is diverse, but it has a synergy he hopes comes across during the
luncheon. 

“But the primary
goal is you see and you look around you and like, hey, I’m not the only one
kind of worried or thinking about these future issues or challenges or
opportunities we may not take. Other people are thinking about it,” Hare says. “And
we don’t have to live in our little islands and pockets. We get together, we
have some social coherence, and we understand we really are on the same team.
And when we do that you kind of get that inspirational movie feel of we can
tackle anything, because we’re together.”

The luncheon
focused on law enforcement last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758123458059.jpeg" alt="Andrew County Courthouse/Missouri Associations of Counties photo" />
 <figcaption>Andrew County Courthouse/Missouri Associations of Counties photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINAndrew County
leaders and residents gather Thursday for the third annual Economic Outlook
Luncheon.Wakefield Hare
with the Andrew County Foundation says the luncheon provides an opportunity for
members of a diverse county to come together to move it forward.“We are in this
together by our jurisdiction and we really want to be aware of the unique
challenges of someone living in Country Club Village versus someone living near
Fillmore or Cosby or Bolckow or Rea; in all these places that make up this
community,” Hare tells KFEQmmunity.The Andrew County
Foundation hosts the 2025 Economic Outlook Luncheon which is being held at the
Clasbey Community Center in Savannah. It begins at 11:30 Thursday morning and
wraps up a one that afternoon.Hare says the
luncheon this year focuses on education with Savannah Superintendent, Brian
Hansen, North Andrew Superintendent, Jake Barker, and Avenue City
Superintendent, Becky Grimes, scheduled as featured speakers. Hare says they
will address the question of educational opportunity.“And we definitely
want to hear from those three who’ve thought more about it than most in our
community and then also understand the resource challenges of doing that
effectively, efficiently, sustainably while also giving kids in the middle of
America every opportunity that they need to compete with someone who has an
education (from) any other part of the world,” Hare says.Hare says Andrew
County is diverse, but it has a synergy he hopes comes across during the
luncheon. “But the primary
goal is you see and you look around you and like, hey, I’m not the only one
kind of worried or thinking about these future issues or challenges or
opportunities we may not take. Other people are thinking about it,” Hare says. “And
we don’t have to live in our little islands and pockets. We get together, we
have some social coherence, and we understand we really are on the same team.
And when we do that you kind of get that inspirational movie feel of we can
tackle anything, because we’re together.”The luncheon
focused on law enforcement last year.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Andrew County to assess economic outlook at luncheon

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

A Democratic legislator from Springfield faces a Missouri House ethics investigation because of an obscene text message sent to a Republican colleague during debate over the new congressional district map.

State Rep. Jeremy Dean of Springfield sent the text message on Sept. 4 to Republican state Rep. Cecelie Williams of Dittmer. Dean and other Democrats were engaged in a sit-in on the House floor and Williams was serving on the House Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee as it debated a bill altering the majority requirement for constitutional amendments proposed by initiative.

The message included a description of an oral sex act with the president and questioned how Republicans could talk while engaged in it.

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, said she removed&nbsp; Dean from his committee assignments after learning about the text.&nbsp;

“What Jeremy sent was wrong,” Aune said.

The text also inspired an ethics complaint against Dean. The House Ethics Committee, which conducts all its business confidentially until it has finished an investigation, met Sept. 10 to begin inquiries into two complaints.

Dean and Williams are freshman lawmakers, both winning their first terms in November.

Williams confirmed she received the obscene message but declined an interview, citing the ethics committee’s confidentiality rules.

“It was unwanted and unappreciated,” Williams said of the text. “I feel that the message has absolutely no place in the Missouri legislature or any other workplace at all. And so that’s really all that I can say.”

Dean declined a request for an interview.&nbsp;In a text, he also cited confidentiality of ethics investigations and said he is worried about his personal safety.

“Because of ongoing safety concerns stemming from death threats directed at me, I cannot provide a detailed comment on the allegations,” Dean said. “It is disheartening that some of my colleagues across the aisle have chosen to disregard these laws, though unfortunately, it aligns with their recent pattern of behavior.”&nbsp;

The text message to Williams became public when a screenshot of it was shared on social media by former Republican state Rep. Adam Schwadron. The post inspired outrage and vitriol towards Dean.

“Typical behavior from a degenerate homo,” Aaron Dorr, a longtime gun-rights activist and lobbyist for the Missouri Firearms Coalition, wrote on social media in response to the screenshot. “America needs to make sodomy and trans behavior sinful and disgusting again.”&nbsp;

Dean has apologized to Williams, Aune said.

“I am disappointed that this text was even sent and take it very seriously,” Aune said. “I would argue it was probably not even the worst thing sent between members that day.”

If Republicans try to make an example of Dean, Aune said, members of her caucus will respond.

“One of the things I shared with the speaker was that if this rises to the level of a big deal,” Aune said, “then I’ve got news for him and his caucus, because my caucus has receipts, too.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758105183280.png" alt=" State Rep. Jeremy Dean, D-Springfield, speaks in February on the Missouri House floor. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Jeremy Dean, D-Springfield, speaks in February on the Missouri House floor. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A Democratic legislator from Springfield faces a Missouri House ethics investigation because of an obscene text message sent to a Republican colleague during debate over the new congressional district map.State Rep. Jeremy Dean of Springfield sent the text message on Sept. 4 to Republican state Rep. Cecelie Williams of Dittmer. Dean and other Democrats were engaged in a sit-in on the House floor and Williams was serving on the House Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee as it debated a bill altering the majority requirement for constitutional amendments proposed by initiative.The message included a description of an oral sex act with the president and questioned how Republicans could talk while engaged in it.House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, said she removed&nbsp; Dean from his committee assignments after learning about the text.&nbsp;“What Jeremy sent was wrong,” Aune said.The text also inspired an ethics complaint against Dean. The House Ethics Committee, which conducts all its business confidentially until it has finished an investigation, met Sept. 10 to begin inquiries into two complaints.Dean and Williams are freshman lawmakers, both winning their first terms in November.Williams confirmed she received the obscene message but declined an interview, citing the ethics committee’s confidentiality rules.“It was unwanted and unappreciated,” Williams said of the text. “I feel that the message has absolutely no place in the Missouri legislature or any other workplace at all. And so that’s really all that I can say.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758105150364.png" alt="State Rep. Cecelie Williams, R-Dittmer, speaks in February during Missouri House debate (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Cecelie Williams, R-Dittmer, speaks in February during Missouri House debate (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>Dean declined a request for an interview.&nbsp;In a text, he also cited confidentiality of ethics investigations and said he is worried about his personal safety.“Because of ongoing safety concerns stemming from death threats directed at me, I cannot provide a detailed comment on the allegations,” Dean said. “It is disheartening that some of my colleagues across the aisle have chosen to disregard these laws, though unfortunately, it aligns with their recent pattern of behavior.”&nbsp;The text message to Williams became public when a screenshot of it was shared on social media by former Republican state Rep. Adam Schwadron. The post inspired outrage and vitriol towards Dean.“Typical behavior from a degenerate homo,” Aaron Dorr, a longtime gun-rights activist and lobbyist for the Missouri Firearms Coalition, wrote on social media in response to the screenshot. “America needs to make sodomy and trans behavior sinful and disgusting again.”&nbsp;Dean has apologized to Williams, Aune said.“I am disappointed that this text was even sent and take it very seriously,” Aune said. “I would argue it was probably not even the worst thing sent between members that day.”If Republicans try to make an example of Dean, Aune said, members of her caucus will respond.“One of the things I shared with the speaker was that if this rises to the level of a big deal,” Aune said, “then I’ve got news for him and his caucus, because my caucus has receipts, too.”

Mo. House Democrat faces ethics inquiry, loses committee seats over obscene text

BROWN COUNTY —The search for a wanted suspect is over in northeast Kansas.

Just after 10:30a.m. Sunday, deputies aprehanded 39-year-old Josh Heideman of Corning at the Brown County State fishing lake, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

A deputy had received a tip that Heideman was staying at the lake in a tent.&nbsp; A coordinated effort with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks officers and Sheriff's deputies resulted in an arrest without incident at the campsite.

Heideman is being held on requested chargesof Interference of Law enforcement officer and a parole violation stemming from an incident on September 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County are asking the public for help in locating 38-year-old&nbsp; Joshua Heideman of Centralia, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

Heideman is&nbsp; &nbsp;Heideman is described as a 38-year-old&nbsp; white male,&nbsp; 6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758038702782.png" alt="Heideman photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Heideman photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —The search for a wanted suspect is over in northeast Kansas.Just after 10:30a.m. Sunday, deputies aprehanded 39-year-old Josh Heideman of Corning at the Brown County State fishing lake, according to Sheriff John Merchant.A deputy had received a tip that Heideman was staying at the lake in a tent.&nbsp; A coordinated effort with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks officers and Sheriff's deputies resulted in an arrest without incident at the campsite.Heideman is being held on requested chargesof Interference of Law enforcement officer and a parole violation stemming from an incident on September 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;-------------------------BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County are asking the public for help in locating 38-year-old&nbsp; Joshua Heideman of Centralia, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.Heideman is&nbsp; &nbsp;Heideman is described as a 38-year-old&nbsp; white male,&nbsp; 6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp;

Wanted suspect was hiding in a tent at NE Kansas lake

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —Two people were injured&nbsp; in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Atchison.

A 2024 Dodge Ram pickup pulling a trailer and driven by Kevin Brauer, 56, McLouth, was westbound on U.S. 59 at 14th Street. He failed to stop at a red traffic control light according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The pickup and a southbound 2018 Mazda passenger car driven by Tessa Jimenez, 54, Atchison, collided in the intersection.

Fire Department crews extricated Jimenez from the vehicle and&nbsp; transported her and a 54-year-old male passenger to Amberwell Hospital for examination.

There were no injuries in the Brauer vehicle. Police cited him for failure to stop at a red traffic control signal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758034216535.png" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —Two people were injured&nbsp; in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Atchison.A 2024 Dodge Ram pickup pulling a trailer and driven by Kevin Brauer, 56, McLouth, was westbound on U.S. 59 at 14th Street. He failed to stop at a red traffic control light according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The pickup and a southbound 2018 Mazda passenger car driven by Tessa Jimenez, 54, Atchison, collided in the intersection.Fire Department crews extricated Jimenez from the vehicle and&nbsp; transported her and a 54-year-old male passenger to Amberwell Hospital for examination.There were no injuries in the Brauer vehicle. Police cited him for failure to stop at a red traffic control signal.

2 hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kansas crash

The Missouri NAACP sued to block lawmakers from meeting in a special session. Now that the special session has concluded, the lawsuit has become moot, the attorney for the state said

Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session to redraw Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">congressional map&nbsp;</a>without a compelling reason, attorneys for the Missouri NAACP said Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri NAACP sued to block lawmakers from meeting in a special session. Now that the special session has concluded, the lawsuit has become moot, the attorney for the state said</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Gov. Mike Kehoe called a special session to redraw Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">congressional map&nbsp;</a>without a compelling reason, attorneys for the Missouri NAACP said Monday.Therefore, they contend, the map passed by lawmakers should be declared void.In the first of what promises to be&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/15/three-lawsuits-and-a-referendum-new-missouri-congressional-map-faces-multiple-attacks/">extensive legal wrangling</a>&nbsp;over the new maps, Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh heard arguments in a case that contends lawmakers should never have met at all. Filed by the NAACP as the special session began, attorney Sharon Jones argued Monday afternoon that the litigation should not be thrown out just because the session is already over.There are, she said, questions that should be answered about the governor’s power to convene the legislature.“We are in a position where new maps are going to have to be prepared, where legal challenges are already ongoing based on the legislation that passed,” Jones said. “The harms, because of what we believe to be an improperly called extraordinary session, continue to march, and that’s why we’re still seeking the preliminary injunction and the temporary restraining order.Limbaugh did not rule immediately and did not estimate how long he would take.Opposing the lawsuit, state Solicitor General Louis Capozzi said the case should be dismissed as moot because the legislature has met and adjourned. If that isn’t enough to dismiss the case, he said, the inherently political nature of a special session decision gives the governor broad discretion.The Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=IV++++9&amp;bid=31821&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">Constitution says</a>&nbsp;the governor can call lawmakers into session on “extraordinary occasions” after naming the items “on which action is deemed necessary.”“Plaintiffs want this court to second guess the governor on what constitutes an extraordinary occasion,” Capozzi said. “There’s no precedent to guide the court on that open-ended inquiry, no cases at all. It’s an inherently political and policy focused decision, and without any precedent to guide the court, the court should not start down that path.”Over 10 days ending Friday, the General Assembly met and passed two bills responding to&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/proclamations/governor-kehoe-convenes-second-extraordinary-session-first-regular-session-one" target="_blank">Kehoe’s call</a>&nbsp;to revise congressional maps and pass a proposal making it harder to pass constitutional amendments by initiative petition.The revised congressional district map is intended to flip the 5th District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, to Republican control.Barring court action or a referendum petition to delay it, the new maps will take effect Dec. 11 and be used for elections in 2026. The proposal on initiatives will be on the November 2026 ballot unless Kehoe designates it for an election at an earlier date.The NAACP lawsuit initially sought to block the legislature from meeting at all. Now the civil rights organization is asking that the legislature’s actions be declared invalid.Jones admitted that no court has ever done what the NAACP is asking Limbaugh to do.“There have been some cases that are about how far the legislature can go under (during a special session) but not how far the governor can go,” she said.Along with the NAACP lawsuit filed as the session began, two additional lawsuits have been filed since the General Assembly adjourned. Both challenge the constitutionality of revising congressional district lines other than immediately after a federal census.One,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=2516-CV29597&amp;inputVO.courtId=CT16#docket" target="_blank">filed in Jackson County</a>, alleges that lawmakers put the same Kansas City precinct into two districts, “creating a map that is malapportioned and/or noncontiguous.” The other,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC06964&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19#docket" target="_blank">filed in Cole County</a>, challenges the new map by questioning the power of the legislature to act between censuses.The NAACP filed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Pltf%20First%20Amend%20Petition.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3670307" target="_blank">updated petition Sunday</a>, recognizing that the legislature had already met and adjourned after passing the bills Kehoe wanted.“The court should require a minimum showing of some set of circumstances or events outside of the normal course of business to justify the convening of the legislature in an extraordinary session,” the revised filing states.All the main questions raised by the NAACP are moot and the validity of the legislation is being tested in other courts, Capozzi wrote in a filing to the court seeking dismissal of the lawsuit.And, he noted, the redistricting power is not limited to a particular time by the Constitution.“Nothing prohibits the General Assembly from adopting a new federal congressional map mid-decade,” Capozzi wrote. “The Missouri Constitution is simply silent on that question. And where the Missouri Constitution is silent on a challenged legislative power, the General Assembly has the discretion to act.”The question of whether a governor can call a special session is not purely political, Jones said.“We are not talking about a question that is purely one of discretion,” Jones said. “We are talking about a question of how far does constitutional authority go.”