OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff at a rural Kansas home.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;deputies with the Osage County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in rural Burlingame regarding a report of a possible barricaded subject who was reportedly involved in a verbal domestic disturbance where shots had been fired, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Deputies responded to the scene and began working to safely resolve the situation. After approximately four hours of attempting to make contact with the individual inside the residence, Christopher Vales, 41, of Burlingame was safely taken into custody without further incident.

Vales was transported to the Osage County Law Enforcement Center where he was booked on requested charges Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Interference with Law Enforcement.

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff at a rural Kansas home.Just after 7p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp;deputies with the Osage County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in rural Burlingame regarding a report of a possible barricaded subject who was reportedly involved in a verbal domestic disturbance where shots had been fired, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.Deputies responded to the scene and began working to safely resolve the situation. After approximately four hours of attempting to make contact with the individual inside the residence, Christopher Vales, 41, of Burlingame was safely taken into custody without further incident.Vales was transported to the Osage County Law Enforcement Center where he was booked on requested charges Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Interference with Law Enforcement.

Suspect arrested after 4-hour standoff at rural Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man was injured and later arrested after an incident at the law enforcement center in Topeka.

Just after 10 a.m. Thursday, Topeka Police Department officers responded to a medical call in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center at 320 South Kansas Avenue, according to a media release.

 A man, later identified as 31-year-old Casey Eastman of Topeka, set his clothing on fire. The Topeka Fire Department, American Medical Response and Topeka Police Behavioral Health Unit also responded to the scene.

AMR transported Eastman to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Eastman was treated and later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Arson; No substantial risk to bodily harm and Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773333254251.png" alt="Topeka Law Enforcement Center -google image" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Law Enforcement Center -google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man was injured and later arrested after an incident at the law enforcement center in Topeka.Just after 10 a.m. Thursday, Topeka Police Department officers responded to a medical call in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center at 320 South Kansas Avenue, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773346338974.png" alt="Eastman-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Eastman-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> A man, later identified as 31-year-old Casey Eastman of Topeka, set his clothing on fire. The Topeka Fire Department, American Medical Response and Topeka Police Behavioral Health Unit also responded to the scene.AMR transported Eastman to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; &nbsp;Eastman was treated and later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Arson; No substantial risk to bodily harm and Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor

Kan. man set his clothes on fire inside police headquarters

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just afater 7p.m. March 6, Sheriff’s Deputies, with the assistance of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Charles Weston Alford, 40, of Topeka, on a Jackson County District Court Warrant in the 3400 block of NE Happy Hollow Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

Alford was arrested in connection with illegal methamphetamine sales, which allegedly took place during a multi-month drug investigation earlier this year in collaboration with the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.

Alford was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute methamphetamine, no drug tax stamp for controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773051304004.png" alt="Alford photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Alford photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just afater 7p.m. March 6, Sheriff’s Deputies, with the assistance of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Charles Weston Alford, 40, of Topeka, on a Jackson County District Court Warrant in the 3400 block of NE Happy Hollow Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.Alford was arrested in connection with illegal methamphetamine sales, which allegedly took place during a multi-month drug investigation earlier this year in collaboration with the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.Alford was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute methamphetamine, no drug tax stamp for controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of selling meth

WASHINGTON —Two U.S. sailors are recovering after a fire on board an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.

On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship’s main laundry spaces, according to a statement fro&nbsp;U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.

The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained.

There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.

Two Sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. The U.S. Navy reported no additional details

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Two U.S. sailors are recovering after a fire on board an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship’s main laundry spaces, according to a statement fro&nbsp;U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained.There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.Two Sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. The U.S. Navy reported no additional detailsThe Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.

2 injured after fire aboard aircraft carrier in support of Operation Epic Fury

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

Passengers at a handful of airports this week waited in hours-long security lines as the government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security dragged on.

Though Transportation Security Administration officers are required by law to work during a lapse in funding, more than usual have been absent after receiving only a partial paycheck during the most recent pay period. TSA officers will miss an entire paycheck this weekend if the shutdown is still in effect then.&nbsp;

No end to the shutdown appeared imminent Wednesday, as the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would have funded TSA and other agencies in DHS that are not related to immigration enforcement.

In the meantime, TSA officers are not being paid.&nbsp;

Most live paycheck-to-paycheck, said Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100, which represents TSA agents.

The lack of pay has contributed to absenteeism, Jones added. The union does not condone coordinated “sick-outs,” which are illegal.&nbsp;

But individual officers miss work for one of three reasons during a shutdown, he said: pre-planned time off, legitimate illness or personal emergencies, and those calling in sick but seeking other work to pay bills.

“If you’re normally receiving a paycheck, you wouldn’t have that third group,” he said.

Some of those who are working are going without lunch or making other sacrifices, Jones added. And he said two colleagues were evicted during the most recent shutdown last fall, which lasted for 43 days.

The U.S. war against Iran, which has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-iran-war-estimated-cost-billions-already-no-end-sight" target="_blank">estimated price</a>&nbsp;in the billions of dollars in just its first two weeks, has also driven resentment among TSA workers, Jones said.

“One of the things that I’ve heard from the colleagues is that, man, we got plenty of money to go fight wars and bomb Iran, but we can’t pay our own employees,” he said.

No exceptionally long wait times were reported Wednesday, but the previous few days saw several examples of snarled security lines.

Security lines&nbsp;<a href="http://houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/government-shutdown-hobby-airport-21963811.php" target="_blank">topped three hours</a>&nbsp;at Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport on Monday and Tuesday.&nbsp;

Lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport were up to two hours Monday and the airport’s social media drew a direct line to the shutdown.

“Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, there continues to be a shortage of TSA workers at the security checkpoint … which is causing longer-than-average lines,” the airport’s X account&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2030952799811355119?s=20" target="_blank">posted</a>.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also urged passengers to leave extra time to account for factors including “TSA staffing constraints.”

CBS News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-absences-double-shutdown-300-quit-airport-security-lines/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that more than 300 TSA agents have left their jobs since the shutdown began. TSA officials did not respond to messages seeking confirmation of that figure.

The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Washington’s Patty Murray, sought unanimous consent Wednesday for the Senate to approve a bill that would fund all of DHS other than Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the secretary’s office.

Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican who chairs the subcommittee on Homeland Security funding, objected.

Murray’s bill “would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe,” Britt said.

Each party blamed the other for the impasse, which has been unbreachable since the department’s funding lapsed Feb. 14.

Following the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minneapolis, Democrats are demanding changes to immigration agencies’ conduct as a condition of funding the department.

Republicans have said they are willing to negotiate the issue, but the parties disagree on what to do for the department, which also includes the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in the meantime.

Republican leaders sought to pass a short-term continuing resolution to fund the entire department, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would allow the operation of immigration agencies without adding accountability measures.

“Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol,” Murray said. “We also want TSA and FEMA funded, but we are not going to be blackmailed into cutting a blank check for ICE to get it done.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said Democrats have stopped negotiating on DHS funding in a bid to keep the issue alive for the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

“The American people are tired,” he said. “Lines get longer at the airports because TSA isn’t funded. The American people want us to do our jobs. Republicans are at the table. We’re ready to work toward a solution. Democrats have walked away.”

Jones, the AFGE member and TSA officer, declined to say which approach to short-term funding was preferable, but said it was Congress’ job to fund the federal government.

“We all swear the same oath to the same Constitution,” he said. “Now my job function is a little different than theirs, so they need to do theirs so I can do mine.”

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>Passengers at a handful of airports this week waited in hours-long security lines as the government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security dragged on.Though Transportation Security Administration officers are required by law to work during a lapse in funding, more than usual have been absent after receiving only a partial paycheck during the most recent pay period. TSA officers will miss an entire paycheck this weekend if the shutdown is still in effect then.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE. The Democrats’ DHS shutdown has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights. There is ZERO reason for spring break travel to be held hostage for political points — Democrats… <a href="https://t.co/sp1vnzXJbb">pic.twitter.com/sp1vnzXJbb</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2030748642651549895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>No end to the shutdown appeared imminent Wednesday, as the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would have funded TSA and other agencies in DHS that are not related to immigration enforcement.In the meantime, TSA officers are not being paid.&nbsp;Most live paycheck-to-paycheck, said Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 100, which represents TSA agents.The lack of pay has contributed to absenteeism, Jones added. The union does not condone coordinated “sick-outs,” which are illegal.&nbsp;But individual officers miss work for one of three reasons during a shutdown, he said: pre-planned time off, legitimate illness or personal emergencies, and those calling in sick but seeking other work to pay bills.“If you’re normally receiving a paycheck, you wouldn’t have that third group,” he said.Some of those who are working are going without lunch or making other sacrifices, Jones added. And he said two colleagues were evicted during the most recent shutdown last fall, which lasted for 43 days.The U.S. war against Iran, which has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-iran-war-estimated-cost-billions-already-no-end-sight" target="_blank">estimated price</a>&nbsp;in the billions of dollars in just its first two weeks, has also driven resentment among TSA workers, Jones said.“One of the things that I’ve heard from the colleagues is that, man, we got plenty of money to go fight wars and bomb Iran, but we can’t pay our own employees,” he said.<h2>Long lines</h2>No exceptionally long wait times were reported Wednesday, but the previous few days saw several examples of snarled security lines.Security lines&nbsp;<a href="http://houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/government-shutdown-hobby-airport-21963811.php" target="_blank">topped three hours</a>&nbsp;at Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport on Monday and Tuesday.&nbsp;Lines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport were up to two hours Monday and the airport’s social media drew a direct line to the shutdown.“Due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown, there continues to be a shortage of TSA workers at the security checkpoint … which is causing longer-than-average lines,” the airport’s X account&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/flyneworleans/status/2030952799811355119?s=20" target="_blank">posted</a>.Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also urged passengers to leave extra time to account for factors including “TSA staffing constraints.”CBS News&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-absences-double-shutdown-300-quit-airport-security-lines/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that more than 300 TSA agents have left their jobs since the shutdown began. TSA officials did not respond to messages seeking confirmation of that figure.<h2>Senate gridlock</h2>The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Washington’s Patty Murray, sought unanimous consent Wednesday for the Senate to approve a bill that would fund all of DHS other than Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the secretary’s office.Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican who chairs the subcommittee on Homeland Security funding, objected.Murray’s bill “would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe,” Britt said.Each party blamed the other for the impasse, which has been unbreachable since the department’s funding lapsed Feb. 14.Following the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minneapolis, Democrats are demanding changes to immigration agencies’ conduct as a condition of funding the department.Republicans have said they are willing to negotiate the issue, but the parties disagree on what to do for the department, which also includes the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in the meantime.Republican leaders sought to pass a short-term continuing resolution to fund the entire department, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would allow the operation of immigration agencies without adding accountability measures.“Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol,” Murray said. “We also want TSA and FEMA funded, but we are not going to be blackmailed into cutting a blank check for ICE to get it done.”<h2>Politics cited</h2>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said Democrats have stopped negotiating on DHS funding in a bid to keep the issue alive for the November midterm elections.&nbsp;“The American people are tired,” he said. “Lines get longer at the airports because TSA isn’t funded. The American people want us to do our jobs. Republicans are at the table. We’re ready to work toward a solution. Democrats have walked away.”Jones, the AFGE member and TSA officer, declined to say which approach to short-term funding was preferable, but said it was Congress’ job to fund the federal government.“We all swear the same oath to the same Constitution,” he said. “Now my job function is a little different than theirs, so they need to do theirs so I can do mine.”

Long security lines pop up at airports as TSA officers go without pay

Two Missouri men are facing felony charges following separate child pornography investigations conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC). 

The arrests, announced Wednesday, were the result of probes launched earlier this year by the patrol's Special Victims Unit after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Investigators first contacted John F. McCallum, 46, of Farmington, on March 9. Authorities said evidence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was discovered during the interaction, leading to McCallum's arrest. He was formally charged Tuesday with one count each of promoting child pornography and possession of child pornography. He is being held in the St. Francois County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

In a separate case, investigators interviewed William E. Watson, 47, of Park Hills, on March 10. Following a consent search of an electronic device and a subsequent search of his residence, authorities reportedly located both CSAM and illicit narcotics. Watson was charged Wednesday with promoting child pornography, possession of child pornography, possession of a controlled substance, and failing to register as a sex offender. He remains in custody on a $500,000 bond.

The DDCC was assisted in the investigations by the Farmington Police Department, the State Technical Assistance Team, and the Missouri Digital Forensic Center.

By RYAN SKAITHTwo Missouri men are facing felony charges following separate child pornography investigations conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC). The arrests, announced Wednesday, were the result of probes launched earlier this year by the patrol's Special Victims Unit after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.Investigators first contacted John F. McCallum, 46, of Farmington, on March 9. Authorities said evidence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was discovered during the interaction, leading to McCallum's arrest. He was formally charged Tuesday with one count each of promoting child pornography and possession of child pornography. He is being held in the St. Francois County Jail on a $100,000 bond.In a separate case, investigators interviewed William E. Watson, 47, of Park Hills, on March 10. Following a consent search of an electronic device and a subsequent search of his residence, authorities reportedly located both CSAM and illicit narcotics. Watson was charged Wednesday with promoting child pornography, possession of child pornography, possession of a controlled substance, and failing to register as a sex offender. He remains in custody on a $500,000 bond.The DDCC was assisted in the investigations by the Farmington Police Department, the State Technical Assistance Team, and the Missouri Digital Forensic Center.

Two Missouri men arrested on child sex crime charges following state investigations

The legislation has once again been bundled with a more controversial bill that would reduce how long people have to file personal injury, uninsured motorist claims

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

The Missouri House on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil action.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB1664&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson, would also decrease the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits and civil claims against insurance companies for uninsured or underinsured motorists.

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse currently have only 10 years after they turn 21 to file suit, which advocates argue isn’t enough time because it can take decades for people to understand that they were abused. Seitz’s bill would give them until they turn 41.&nbsp;

With no change in those limits since 2004 and “powerful lobbies that used to oppose this bill now in support,” Seitz said, “we will do what we can at this time.”&nbsp;

“The perfect fix,” he said, “is no statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The House passed the bill 95-12, with 39 lawmakers voting present. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Seitz’s legislation last year extending the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations was added as an amendment to a bill reducing the window for filing personal injury lawsuits, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Matthew Overcast of Ava.&nbsp;A spokesperson for the Missouri Insurance Coalition&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/16/missouri-republican-says-special-interests-killed-bill-aiding-child-sex-abuse-survivors/">told The Independent</a>&nbsp;at the time that the amendment was added to assuage concerns about unintentional effects of the tort reform bill on the childhood statute of limitations.

This year, Seitz introduced the legislation as a&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/4713H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">stand-alone bill</a>, and tort reform elements similar to Overcast’s 2025 bill were&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/4713H.02C.pdf" target="_blank">added</a>&nbsp;in the House Commerce Committee.&nbsp;

Seitz’s bill would not change the current five-year statute of limitations for survivors to take civil action against institutions that facilitated their abuse, such as summer camps or boarding schools.

Missouri is one of 18 states that sets the statute of limitations under 35, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://childusa.org/2025-sol-tracker/" target="_blank">Child USA</a>, and dozens of states have passed reforms on the statute of limitations for survivors in recent years.

A Senate committee passed a separate bill last month, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Brad Hudson of Cape Fair, that would&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-weighs-ending-statute-of-limitations-for-childhood-sexual-abuse/">eliminate the statute of limitations</a>&nbsp;for childhood sexual abuse survivors. It has not yet come up for debate in the full Senate.&nbsp;

This is the fourth year in a row that an effort by Seitz to extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault has advanced. The bill was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/18/bill-inspired-by-sexual-abuse-allegations-at-kanakuk-kamps-dies-in-missouri-legislature/">partly inspired</a>&nbsp;by survivors of abuse at the Christian sports camp Kanakuk Kamps near Branson.

In the previous three years, these efforts have fallen victim to concerns from insurance lobbyists that it would expose them to older claims that are costly and difficult to defend against.

Seitz described the bill as the culmination of “years of bipartisan work.”

During House debate this week, Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve asked why the tort provisions were added.

“It seems like we might have log-rolled this issue onto your bill, which was fantastic, to potentially try to get something that might be a little more controversial along the line,” Wolfin said.

Democratic state Rep. Will Jobe of Independence said that victims in personal injury cases often have to wait for criminal charges against defendants to be resolved before filing civil actions.&nbsp;

Since the statute of limitations for most felonies is three years, Jobe said, victims could be left with little or no time to seek redress.

“We’re attaching this wonderful and absolutely needed bill to something that is really going to hurt people,” Jobe said.

Before Wednesday’s vote, Seitz said the rights of survivors of childhood sexual abuse “always was and remains the primary portion” of the bill.

In addition to abolishing the statute of limitations for survivors, the Senate bill sponsored by Hudson would add language that survivors can sue institutions that played a role in their abuse “at any time.”

“By assigning an arbitrary statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, we are siding with abusers and perpetrators over survivors and making Missouri a sanctuary state for pedophiles,” Hudson said during a committee hearing last month.&nbsp;

Kayla Onder, a St. Louis-based attorney who leads her firm’s sexual abuse department, told The Independent that most survivors don’t come forward until decades after their abuse — often because they didn’t realize that they had been abused.

“Usually you have a client that was diagnosed with something, they’re receiving those mental health treatments, and they start to realize, ‘What I’m experiencing now isn’t just a random break in my mental health,’” Onder said. “It’s layered from the abuse I experienced as a child.”

Onder said the legislation lawmakers are considering will help strengthen survivors’ voice and help them find closure.

“When you’re sexually assaulted, especially as a child, you might not have a physical injury that you can see then and there at that moment,” she said. “But it doesn’t mean that an injury did not occur.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743161770380.png" alt="&nbsp;File photo-Republican state Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson is sponsoring a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors from 10 to 20 years (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;File photo-Republican state Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson is sponsoring a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors from 10 to 20 years (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The legislation has once again been bundled with a more controversial bill that would reduce how long people have to file personal injury, uninsured motorist claims</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri House on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil action.The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB1664&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson, would also decrease the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits and civil claims against insurance companies for uninsured or underinsured motorists.Survivors of childhood sexual abuse currently have only 10 years after they turn 21 to file suit, which advocates argue isn’t enough time because it can take decades for people to understand that they were abused. Seitz’s bill would give them until they turn 41.&nbsp;With no change in those limits since 2004 and “powerful lobbies that used to oppose this bill now in support,” Seitz said, “we will do what we can at this time.”&nbsp;“The perfect fix,” he said, “is no statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The House passed the bill 95-12, with 39 lawmakers voting present. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.Seitz’s legislation last year extending the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations was added as an amendment to a bill reducing the window for filing personal injury lawsuits, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Matthew Overcast of Ava.&nbsp;A spokesperson for the Missouri Insurance Coalition&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/16/missouri-republican-says-special-interests-killed-bill-aiding-child-sex-abuse-survivors/">told The Independent</a>&nbsp;at the time that the amendment was added to assuage concerns about unintentional effects of the tort reform bill on the childhood statute of limitations.This year, Seitz introduced the legislation as a&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/4713H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">stand-alone bill</a>, and tort reform elements similar to Overcast’s 2025 bill were&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/4713H.02C.pdf" target="_blank">added</a>&nbsp;in the House Commerce Committee.&nbsp;Seitz’s bill would not change the current five-year statute of limitations for survivors to take civil action against institutions that facilitated their abuse, such as summer camps or boarding schools.Missouri is one of 18 states that sets the statute of limitations under 35, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://childusa.org/2025-sol-tracker/" target="_blank">Child USA</a>, and dozens of states have passed reforms on the statute of limitations for survivors in recent years.A Senate committee passed a separate bill last month, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Brad Hudson of Cape Fair, that would&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-weighs-ending-statute-of-limitations-for-childhood-sexual-abuse/">eliminate the statute of limitations</a>&nbsp;for childhood sexual abuse survivors. It has not yet come up for debate in the full Senate.&nbsp;This is the fourth year in a row that an effort by Seitz to extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault has advanced. The bill was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/18/bill-inspired-by-sexual-abuse-allegations-at-kanakuk-kamps-dies-in-missouri-legislature/">partly inspired</a>&nbsp;by survivors of abuse at the Christian sports camp Kanakuk Kamps near Branson.In the previous three years, these efforts have fallen victim to concerns from insurance lobbyists that it would expose them to older claims that are costly and difficult to defend against.Seitz described the bill as the culmination of “years of bipartisan work.”During House debate this week, Republican state Rep. Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve asked why the tort provisions were added.“It seems like we might have log-rolled this issue onto your bill, which was fantastic, to potentially try to get something that might be a little more controversial along the line,” Wolfin said.Democratic state Rep. Will Jobe of Independence said that victims in personal injury cases often have to wait for criminal charges against defendants to be resolved before filing civil actions.&nbsp;Since the statute of limitations for most felonies is three years, Jobe said, victims could be left with little or no time to seek redress.“We’re attaching this wonderful and absolutely needed bill to something that is really going to hurt people,” Jobe said.Before Wednesday’s vote, Seitz said the rights of survivors of childhood sexual abuse “always was and remains the primary portion” of the bill.<h2>Holding institutions accountable</h2>In addition to abolishing the statute of limitations for survivors, the Senate bill sponsored by Hudson would add language that survivors can sue institutions that played a role in their abuse “at any time.”“By assigning an arbitrary statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, we are siding with abusers and perpetrators over survivors and making Missouri a sanctuary state for pedophiles,” Hudson said during a committee hearing last month.&nbsp;Kayla Onder, a St. Louis-based attorney who leads her firm’s sexual abuse department, told The Independent that most survivors don’t come forward until decades after their abuse — often because they didn’t realize that they had been abused.“Usually you have a client that was diagnosed with something, they’re receiving those mental health treatments, and they start to realize, ‘What I’m experiencing now isn’t just a random break in my mental health,’” Onder said. “It’s layered from the abuse I experienced as a child.”Onder said the legislation lawmakers are considering will help strengthen survivors’ voice and help them find closure.“When you’re sexually assaulted, especially as a child, you might not have a physical injury that you can see then and there at that moment,” she said. “But it doesn’t mean that an injury did not occur.”

Bill extending statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse heads to Missouri Senate

The Salina Police Department reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) that 75-year-old Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter has been located safe in WaKeeney, according to a statement from the KBI.

SALINE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Salina Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Salina woman.

The whereabouts of 75-year-old Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter, of Salina, are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.

Pereirra-Mcwhorter is likely driving a blue 2025 Nissan Pathfinder bearing Texas tag 6YGPZ. She was last spotted north of Norton, Kan., on Thursday morning, March 12.

Pereirra-Mcwhorter is a female who is around 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. She has brown hair, brown eyes, and is known to wear a medical ID bracelet. She is wearing a splint on her right hand.

If you see Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter, or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773320203843.png" alt="Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Police Department reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) that 75-year-old Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter has been located safe in WaKeeney, according to a statement from the KBI.The statewide Silver Alert is canceled.-----------------SALINE COUNTY –&nbsp;The Salina Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Salina woman.The whereabouts of 75-year-old Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter, of Salina, are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.Pereirra-Mcwhorter is likely driving a blue 2025 Nissan Pathfinder bearing Texas tag 6YGPZ. She was last spotted north of Norton, Kan., on Thursday morning, March 12.Pereirra-Mcwhorter is a female who is around 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. She has brown hair, brown eyes, and is known to wear a medical ID bracelet. She is wearing a splint on her right hand.If you see Yvonne Pereirra-Mcwhorter, or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210.

 Silver Alert canceled, missing Kansas woman found

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating animal cruelty in Northeast Kansas have identified a suspect.

Tips from members of the community helped Bonner Springs Police and Animal Control Officers ID the suspect, according to a media release on Wednesday.&nbsp;The suspect, whose name has not been released, is facing animal abandonment charges.

On March 6, Bonner Springs Animal Control shared photos of a plastic storage tote left near the animal care center at 104 Forest Ave. The tote had been taped shut and left outside during a storm. Inside the tote was a puppy who required immediate medical attention.

In addition to the puppy in the tote, two additional puppies were surrendered to animal control officers. All three animals are now receiving veterinary evaluation and care.

  This pup appears to have a rectal prolapse which will be addressed ASAP by our veterinary partner.If you have any information, please call 913-422-7800 extension 1579 (please leave a message), or 913-596-3000

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773279271917.png" alt="Photos Bonner Springs Animal Control" />
 <figcaption>Photos Bonner Springs Animal Control</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating animal cruelty in Northeast Kansas have identified a suspect.Tips from members of the community helped Bonner Springs Police and Animal Control Officers ID the suspect, according to a media release on Wednesday.&nbsp;The suspect, whose name has not been released, is facing animal abandonment charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773278569648.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On March 6, Bonner Springs Animal Control shared photos of a plastic storage tote left near the animal care center at 104 Forest Ave. The tote had been taped shut and left outside during a storm. Inside the tote was a puppy who required immediate medical attention.In addition to the puppy in the tote, two additional puppies were surrendered to animal control officers. All three animals are now receiving veterinary evaluation and care. This pup appears to have a rectal prolapse which will be addressed ASAP by our veterinary partner.If you have any information, please call 913-422-7800 extension 1579 (please leave a message), or 913-596-3000

Police ID Kan. suspect accused of abandoning puppy in storage tote

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old&nbsp;Richaud Conley.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the area of 55th and Chestnut Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived, they located Conley lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. He was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later Conley was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives continue working to determine what led up to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest and did not release the name of the victim.

&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide at this time and is ongoing.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old&nbsp;Richaud Conley.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the area of 55th and Chestnut Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived, they located Conley lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. He was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later Conley was pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives continue working to determine what led up to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest and did not release the name of the victim.&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide at this time and is ongoing.&nbsp;If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

Police: Latest Kansas City homicide victim was 21-year-old

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. – Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On March 8, Teddy Lynn Moore, 58, of Topeka, was arrested on a warrant issued by the Jackson County District Court for multiple felony charges involving a minor, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The charges include two counts of rape of a child under 14 years of age and two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy with a child under 14 years of age.&nbsp;

The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office that began in July of 2025.  Moore was taken into custody by the United States Marshal’s Service and is being held in the Jackson County Jail with bond set at $1,000,000.00.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773188826627.png" alt="Moore photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Moore photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. – Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On March 8, Teddy Lynn Moore, 58, of Topeka, was arrested on a warrant issued by the Jackson County District Court for multiple felony charges involving a minor, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The charges include two counts of rape of a child under 14 years of age and two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy with a child under 14 years of age.&nbsp;The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office that began in July of 2025. Moore was taken into custody by the United States Marshal’s Service and is being held in the Jackson County Jail with bond set at $1,000,000.00.&nbsp;

U.S. Marshals jail Kansas man for alleged child sex crimes

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just after 9p.m. March 8, a Sheriff’s Deputy developed probable cause to search a vehicle in the 12000 block of 150th&nbsp;Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; During the search of the vehicle, illegal drugs or narcotics were discovered. The vehicle occupants were identified as Tristin William Howard, 28 and Jade Heffner, 23, both of Topeka, Kansas.

Heffner and Howard were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant&nbsp;(cocaine), Possession of hallucinogenic drug; Possession of THC and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773264084998.png" alt="Howard-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Howard-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just after 9p.m. March 8, a Sheriff’s Deputy developed probable cause to search a vehicle in the 12000 block of 150th&nbsp;Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; During the search of the vehicle, illegal drugs or narcotics were discovered. The vehicle occupants were identified as Tristin William Howard, 28 and Jade Heffner, 23, both of Topeka, Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773264051799.png" alt="Heffner photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Heffner photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Heffner and Howard were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant&nbsp;(cocaine), Possession of hallucinogenic drug; Possession of THC and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas couple caught transporting cocaine

WICHITA, Kan. —&nbsp;The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office is issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a sophisticated text messaging scam (known as "smishing") currently targeting residents. Scammers are impersonating the Kansas Department of Vehicles (DOV) to steal sensitive personal and financial information.

The scam begins with an unsolicited text message claiming that the recipient’s driver’s license is at risk of suspension due to "unpaid traffic citations" or "unresolved violations." To create a sense of panic, the message often includes a strict deadline (e.g., "by the end of the day") and threatens additional 35% processing fees or legal action.

Once a user clicks the link, they are directed to a fraudulent site that uses official logos, fonts, and layouts to mirror the legitimate DOV website. The site prompts users to enter their:

The fraudulent website (shown first below)vs. the official website, (shown 2nd below)&nbsp; Note the slight differences in the URL.

What To Do If You Receive This Text

If you have already provided financial information to a suspicious site, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to freeze your accounts and monitor for unauthorized charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773251060768.png" alt="-An example of the fraudulent text message threatening license suspension - image from the DA's office" />
 <figcaption>-An example of the fraudulent text message threatening license suspension - image from the DA's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. —&nbsp;The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office is issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a sophisticated text messaging scam (known as "smishing") currently targeting residents. Scammers are impersonating the Kansas Department of Vehicles (DOV) to steal sensitive personal and financial information.How the Scam WorksThe scam begins with an unsolicited text message claiming that the recipient’s driver’s license is at risk of suspension due to "unpaid traffic citations" or "unresolved violations." To create a sense of panic, the message often includes a strict deadline (e.g., "by the end of the day") and threatens additional 35% processing fees or legal action.he "Look-Alike" Website TrapOnce a user clicks the link, they are directed to a fraudulent site that uses official logos, fonts, and layouts to mirror the legitimate DOV website. The site prompts users to enter their:<ul>
 <li>Full Name</li><li>Address</li><li>Phone Number</li><li>Email</li>
 </ul>The fraudulent website (shown first below)vs. the official website, (shown 2nd below)&nbsp; Note the slight differences in the URL.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773251958216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773251924802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Key Red Flags to Watch For<ol>
 <li>The Sender:&nbsp;The DOV does&nbsp;not&nbsp;initiate contact via text message to demand immediate payment or notify you of a suspension. Official notifications are sent through the U.S. Postal Service.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>The URL:&nbsp;While the fake site looks real, the web address (URL) often ends in .org, .net, or a string of random characters, rather than the official .gov domain.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Threatening Language:&nbsp;Scammers use high-pressure tactics, such as threats of immediate arrest or damage to your credit score, which are not standard DOV procedures for initial notifications.</li>
 </ol>What To Do If You Receive This Text<ul>
 <li>Do NOT click the link.&nbsp;Clicking the link can install malware on your device or lead you to a phishing site.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Do NOT reply.&nbsp;Responding confirms your number is active, leading to more scam attempts.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Verify directly.&nbsp;If you are concerned about your license status, visit the official website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/dovdccontact.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNk1lQ1ZFNG4zNzUyZFJsUnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7vkhlzUegjC9_LF9--TBY1VsVf6NQvhnsZiQwg98BIj4XPr17JPEF3Itlfow_aem_w9I6h1S4PeepcRCeRSxibQ">www.ksrevenue.gov/dovdccontact.html</a>&nbsp;by typing it directly into your browser, or call the DMV at&nbsp;785.296.3671.</li>
 </ul>If you have already provided financial information to a suspicious site, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to freeze your accounts and monitor for unauthorized charges.

Text scam targets Kan. drivers with fake license suspension threats

President Trump says he will tap the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to try to bring gas prices down.

President Trump says he will tap the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to try to bring gas prices down.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on gas prices and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve: &quot;I filled it up once, and I&#39;ll fill it up again. But right now, we&#39;ll reduce it a little bit, and that brings the prices down. We have to get rid of the evil... somebody had to do it. 47 years of horror.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/icQ0IEFDZ2">pic.twitter.com/icQ0IEFDZ2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2031834798788841749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump's good news on gas prices and Strategic Petroleum Reserve

SALINE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by&nbsp; Joseph Doss, 15, Junction City, was actively fleeing law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. The teen driver turned northbound onto Ohio from the Interstate 70 westbound entrance.&nbsp; The car continued northbound on Ohio one half mile North of Thatcher Road, where the asphalt turns to gravel. The driver&nbsp; lost control of the car. It traveled off the the roadway to the right, struck an embankment and rolled onto its&nbsp; top in the roadway.

EMS transported&nbsp;&nbsp;Doss and a passenger Landon L.&nbsp;Alexander, 18, Junction City, to Salina Regional Health Center. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The Patrol did not report possible charges the teens face.

SALINE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by&nbsp; Joseph Doss, 15, Junction City, was actively fleeing law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. The teen driver turned northbound onto Ohio from the Interstate 70 westbound entrance.&nbsp; The car continued northbound on Ohio one half mile North of Thatcher Road, where the asphalt turns to gravel. The driver&nbsp; lost control of the car. It traveled off the the roadway to the right, struck an embankment and rolled onto its&nbsp; top in the roadway.EMS transported&nbsp;&nbsp;Doss and a passenger Landon L.&nbsp;Alexander, 18, Junction City, to Salina Regional Health Center. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The Patrol did not report possible charges the teens face.

Kan. teens hospitalized after police chase, crash in stolen car

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

&nbsp;A blue Harley-Davidson Sportster was eastbound on Coal Mine Road, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road just before Winchester. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway to the left, struck multiple trees, and ramped through a wooded area before coming to rest. 

The driver was ejected from the motorcycle and transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff. 

This marks fatality #15 for 2026, compared to #11 at the same time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;A blue Harley-Davidson Sportster was eastbound on Coal Mine Road, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road just before Winchester. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway to the left, struck multiple trees, and ramped through a wooded area before coming to rest. The driver was ejected from the motorcycle and transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff. This marks fatality #15 for 2026, compared to #11 at the same time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: Motorcyclist killed after crash into wooded area

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>

LEAVENWORTH — CoreCivic will reopen its private prison in Leavenworth to house immigration detainees after city commissioners approved the company’s special use permit on Tuesday, the result of a process one commissioner called “agonizing.”

One person was arrested and multiple people were ejected as they shouted profanity during an hour of public comments and 30 minutes of discussion before the city commission voted 4 to 1 to approve the permit.

CoreCivic and the city of Leavenworth have been fighting for a year as the company sought to reopen the prison it closed in 2021. With&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/30/corecivic-inks-new-contract-with-ice-while-awaiting-legal-decisions-on-kansas-prison/">a $60 million</a>&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement annual contract in hand, the Nashville-based private prison company tried through the courts to reopen without going through the city’s development process.

Brian Todd, a CoreCivic spokesman, said in a statement that ICE officials would decide when the Midwest Regional Reception Center will begin housing detainees.

“As we have from the start, CoreCivic remains committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility,” he said. “We look forward to our continued partnership with the city and to the benefits the MRRC will bring to Leavenworth and the surrounding communities.”

The vote was a second — and final — consideration of CoreCivic’s special use permit, which sets regulations for how the prison will operate and oversight the city will provide.

Commissioner Rebecca Hollister was the sole vote against the permit, as she was during the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/25/after-marathon-meeting-corecivic-moves-closer-to-reopening-leavenworth-prison/">first consideration on Feb. 24</a>.

Hollister said specific issues outlined in the permit caused her to vote no, including a clause that requires breaches of the agreement to continue for 30 days after a notice before termination could occur.

“There have been valid concerns regarding potential violations that occur intermittently, but not necessarily for 30 days continuously,” she said.

Hollister said CoreCivic officials answered her questions and invited her into the facility, but that she believes the company’s promise of transparency and cooperation “requires a high level of trust” that is difficult for her to have, especially given the company’s problems at other facilities.

“With the knowledge I have right now, I just do not have sufficient faith that their operation would meet all the ‘golden factors’ in development regulations,” she said. “I hope to be wrong, and I think that’s possible based on my last positive conversations with staff.”

Two commissioners made it clear their positive votes swung on fiscal responsibility.

“This has been an agonizing process,” said Commissioner Joe Wilson. “Everybody wants to make this morality over fiduciary responsibility, but I think there is a real risk to the future of the city, based on how the vote turns out that has to be considered, that could have long-term ramifications for our children, for our tax base, for our law enforcement and our firefighters and the services that we can provide.”

Commissioner Holly Pittman agreed, saying leadership doesn’t mean choosing an easy path.

She was mayor last year for much of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/federal-government-accuses-kansas-town-of-aggressive-and-unlawful-interference-in-corecivic-operations/">city’s court fights</a>&nbsp;with CoreCivic and was the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/16/dark-money-ads-target-kansas-mayor-after-town-pushed-back-against-private-prison/">dark-money political ads</a>&nbsp;accusing her of holding back progress by forcing CoreCivic to go through the special permit process.

Pittman said the vote wasn’t about immigration policy or national politics, or whether she or anyone else dislikes CoreCivice.

“It is a land use decision governed by law and by the constraints of our political authority,” she said. “After reviewing all the legal framework, the zoning standards and the court rulings, I believe denying this permit would expose our taxpayers to a significant financial risk, and I will not gamble the financial stability of this city.”

Mayor Nancy Bauder said Leavenworth didn’t have a permit when CoreCivic was previously open and if the company violates it, the city can pull the permit.

Commissioner Samuel Maxwell declined to comment.

More than 115 people signed up to speak, but Bauder limited public comment to one hour, which allowed about 45 people to speak, three of whom were in favor of approving the special use permit.

At the February meeting, public comment lasted three hours.

Bauder said commissioners offered multiple opportunities for residents to share their views over the past year, and typically on second consideration of a special use permit, they don’t take public comment.

Many people ceded their time to others with simple statements asking the commissioners to vote against the permit. Others were passionate in their opinions about how CoreCivic and ICE’s presence would change Leavenworth.

“They drug you through the mud by the scalp face first for a year, and I will not see you bend a knee now,” said John Watt, of Junction City. “Stand up.”

Watt expressed a concern echoed by others that once the company is open and holding ICE detainees it will be difficult to enforce stipulations in the permit.

“Like a bloated tick, they’re going to get their head in and they’re going to swell up on those tax dollars and it will be very difficult to get them to move,” he said.

Some acknowledged the challenge facing commissioners.

“Unfortunately, CoreCivic has now put you in a position where your responsibilities to the city’s finances now lie in direct opposition to the responsibilities that you have as leaders to protect our people and our community,” said Daniel McIntosh, of Leavenworth.

The equation comes down to assessing risk, he said.

“If you vote yes, you lessen the risk to the immediate situation of the city’s finances, but you also place at risk the health, safety, welfare and liberty of individuals in that facility and outside,” McIntosh said. “While we appreciate the efforts you’ve taken to mitigate those risks, you run the risk that any oversight granted by this permit may not be enforceable at all.”

After the commission meeting ended, police took CreCivic officials and commissioners out through side doors to avoid the angry crowd of about 150 people who gathered outside, shouting “shame” repeatedly.

William Rogers, a former CoreCivic employee who has been active in protesting the company’s attempts to reopen, said before the commission meeting that he expected the permit to pass. He has little hope CoreCivic will treat incarcerated people better than in the past.

Rogers pointed to the recent death of Emmanuel Damas, an immigrant applying for asylum, who was arrested by ICE in Boston last year. Damas died from an infected tooth and the resulting sepsis infection after being held at the Florence Detention Center in Arizona, which is owned by CoreCivic.

Damas’ death reminded Rogers of the exact same situation that occurred when he was a prison guard at CoreCivic’s facility in Leavenworth. Rogers said he repeatedly sought medical treatment for a prisoner with an infected tooth and was ignored. He was off one day and returned to find the prisoner was in the hospital, near death from sepsis, Rogers said.

The prisoner lived, but Roger said he saw repeated instances like that while working at CoreCivic and that it makes him dread the future for the facility.

He also is concerned about the effects of a larger ICE presence in Leavenworth on people of different ethnicities.

“Let’s just call it what it is —- this is an attack on the brown people,” he said. “In the Hispanic community, people are afraid to come out. It doesn’t matter what their status is right now.”

Rogers said people who are doing everything they are supposed to and are here as asylum seekers are being put in jail by ICE.

At the gathering after the commission meeting, speakers stood to express their frustration but also to offer encouragement.

“Our work here, throughout the entire three years that we’ve been involved in this, is not in vain,” said Karla Juarez, executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. “I see new faces. I see new people advocating. New people making public comments. New people, actually a lot of people who believed that CoreCivic should open, now on our side.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773237916611.png" alt=" Protesters hug after learning they lost the fight to keep private prison CoreCivic from reopening in Leavenworth. The city commission voted 4 to 1 on March 10, 2026, to give the company a special use permit. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Protesters hug after learning they lost the fight to keep private prison CoreCivic from reopening in Leavenworth. The city commission voted 4 to 1 on March 10, 2026, to give the company a special use permit. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)</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>LEAVENWORTH — CoreCivic will reopen its private prison in Leavenworth to house immigration detainees after city commissioners approved the company’s special use permit on Tuesday, the result of a process one commissioner called “agonizing.”One person was arrested and multiple people were ejected as they shouted profanity during an hour of public comments and 30 minutes of discussion before the city commission voted 4 to 1 to approve the permit.CoreCivic and the city of Leavenworth have been fighting for a year as the company sought to reopen the prison it closed in 2021. With&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/30/corecivic-inks-new-contract-with-ice-while-awaiting-legal-decisions-on-kansas-prison/">a $60 million</a>&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement annual contract in hand, the Nashville-based private prison company tried through the courts to reopen without going through the city’s development process.Brian Todd, a CoreCivic spokesman, said in a statement that ICE officials would decide when the Midwest Regional Reception Center will begin housing detainees.“As we have from the start, CoreCivic remains committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility,” he said. “We look forward to our continued partnership with the city and to the benefits the MRRC will bring to Leavenworth and the surrounding communities.”The vote was a second — and final — consideration of CoreCivic’s special use permit, which sets regulations for how the prison will operate and oversight the city will provide.Commissioner Rebecca Hollister was the sole vote against the permit, as she was during the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/25/after-marathon-meeting-corecivic-moves-closer-to-reopening-leavenworth-prison/">first consideration on Feb. 24</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773237856709.png" alt="Leavenworth city commissioner Rebecca Hollister explains her vote against allowing CoreCivic to reopen its private prison. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Leavenworth city commissioner Rebecca Hollister explains her vote against allowing CoreCivic to reopen its private prison. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How they voted</h2>Hollister said specific issues outlined in the permit caused her to vote no, including a clause that requires breaches of the agreement to continue for 30 days after a notice before termination could occur.“There have been valid concerns regarding potential violations that occur intermittently, but not necessarily for 30 days continuously,” she said.Hollister said CoreCivic officials answered her questions and invited her into the facility, but that she believes the company’s promise of transparency and cooperation “requires a high level of trust” that is difficult for her to have, especially given the company’s problems at other facilities.“With the knowledge I have right now, I just do not have sufficient faith that their operation would meet all the ‘golden factors’ in development regulations,” she said. “I hope to be wrong, and I think that’s possible based on my last positive conversations with staff.”Two commissioners made it clear their positive votes swung on fiscal responsibility.“This has been an agonizing process,” said Commissioner Joe Wilson. “Everybody wants to make this morality over fiduciary responsibility, but I think there is a real risk to the future of the city, based on how the vote turns out that has to be considered, that could have long-term ramifications for our children, for our tax base, for our law enforcement and our firefighters and the services that we can provide.”Commissioner Holly Pittman agreed, saying leadership doesn’t mean choosing an easy path.She was mayor last year for much of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/federal-government-accuses-kansas-town-of-aggressive-and-unlawful-interference-in-corecivic-operations/">city’s court fights</a>&nbsp;with CoreCivic and was the subject of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/16/dark-money-ads-target-kansas-mayor-after-town-pushed-back-against-private-prison/">dark-money political ads</a>&nbsp;accusing her of holding back progress by forcing CoreCivic to go through the special permit process.Pittman said the vote wasn’t about immigration policy or national politics, or whether she or anyone else dislikes CoreCivice.“It is a land use decision governed by law and by the constraints of our political authority,” she said. “After reviewing all the legal framework, the zoning standards and the court rulings, I believe denying this permit would expose our taxpayers to a significant financial risk, and I will not gamble the financial stability of this city.”Mayor Nancy Bauder said Leavenworth didn’t have a permit when CoreCivic was previously open and if the company violates it, the city can pull the permit.Commissioner Samuel Maxwell declined to comment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773237788975.png" alt="William Rogers, a former guard at Leavenworth’s CoreCivic facility before it closed in 2021, has been fighting the prison reopening for more than a year. He says he doubts the company will keep its promises to the community. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>William Rogers, a former guard at Leavenworth’s CoreCivic facility before it closed in 2021, has been fighting the prison reopening for more than a year. He says he doubts the company will keep its promises to the community. (Photo by Grace Hills for the Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Public comment</h2>More than 115 people signed up to speak, but Bauder limited public comment to one hour, which allowed about 45 people to speak, three of whom were in favor of approving the special use permit.At the February meeting, public comment lasted three hours.Bauder said commissioners offered multiple opportunities for residents to share their views over the past year, and typically on second consideration of a special use permit, they don’t take public comment.Many people ceded their time to others with simple statements asking the commissioners to vote against the permit. Others were passionate in their opinions about how CoreCivic and ICE’s presence would change Leavenworth.“They drug you through the mud by the scalp face first for a year, and I will not see you bend a knee now,” said John Watt, of Junction City. “Stand up.”Watt expressed a concern echoed by others that once the company is open and holding ICE detainees it will be difficult to enforce stipulations in the permit.“Like a bloated tick, they’re going to get their head in and they’re going to swell up on those tax dollars and it will be very difficult to get them to move,” he said.Some acknowledged the challenge facing commissioners.“Unfortunately, CoreCivic has now put you in a position where your responsibilities to the city’s finances now lie in direct opposition to the responsibilities that you have as leaders to protect our people and our community,” said Daniel McIntosh, of Leavenworth.The equation comes down to assessing risk, he said.“If you vote yes, you lessen the risk to the immediate situation of the city’s finances, but you also place at risk the health, safety, welfare and liberty of individuals in that facility and outside,” McIntosh said. “While we appreciate the efforts you’ve taken to mitigate those risks, you run the risk that any oversight granted by this permit may not be enforceable at all.”After the commission meeting ended, police took CreCivic officials and commissioners out through side doors to avoid the angry crowd of about 150 people who gathered outside, shouting “shame” repeatedly.William Rogers, a former CoreCivic employee who has been active in protesting the company’s attempts to reopen, said before the commission meeting that he expected the permit to pass. He has little hope CoreCivic will treat incarcerated people better than in the past.Rogers pointed to the recent death of Emmanuel Damas, an immigrant applying for asylum, who was arrested by ICE in Boston last year. Damas died from an infected tooth and the resulting sepsis infection after being held at the Florence Detention Center in Arizona, which is owned by CoreCivic.Damas’ death reminded Rogers of the exact same situation that occurred when he was a prison guard at CoreCivic’s facility in Leavenworth. Rogers said he repeatedly sought medical treatment for a prisoner with an infected tooth and was ignored. He was off one day and returned to find the prisoner was in the hospital, near death from sepsis, Rogers said.The prisoner lived, but Roger said he saw repeated instances like that while working at CoreCivic and that it makes him dread the future for the facility.He also is concerned about the effects of a larger ICE presence in Leavenworth on people of different ethnicities.“Let’s just call it what it is —- this is an attack on the brown people,” he said. “In the Hispanic community, people are afraid to come out. It doesn’t matter what their status is right now.”Rogers said people who are doing everything they are supposed to and are here as asylum seekers are being put in jail by ICE.At the gathering after the commission meeting, speakers stood to express their frustration but also to offer encouragement.“Our work here, throughout the entire three years that we’ve been involved in this, is not in vain,” said Karla Juarez, executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. “I see new faces. I see new people advocating. New people making public comments. New people, actually a lot of people who believed that CoreCivic should open, now on our side.”

Leavenworth officials approve permit for CoreCivic to reopen prison for ICE detainees

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772378197399.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawleyMO</a>: We&#39;ve Achieved Our Iran Objectives &quot;You had Trump taking out the nukes in June. Now you have the last 10 days. Does anybody really think that these people are ever going to try to make a nuke again? What will they make it with? Charcoal?&quot;<a href="https://t.co/9bRxOZP3Vv">https://t.co/9bRxOZP3Vv</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZQm1ME1jGJ">pic.twitter.com/ZQm1ME1jGJ</a>&mdash; Mr Producer (@RichSementa) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichSementa/status/2031691469380018308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Missouri U.S. Senator: We've achieved our Iran objectives

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

When officers arrived, they located a man lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the area of 55th and Chestnut Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived, they located a man lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives continue working to determine what led up to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest and did not release the name of the victim.&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide at this time and is ongoing.&nbsp;If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD looking for witnesses in man's shooting death

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a 39-year old Rolla man is in custody following a multi-county investigation into a string of livestock thefts across Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762393817899.png" alt="Fincher from a November arrest in Polk Co." />
 <figcaption>Fincher from a November arrest in Polk Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> By RYAN SKAITHThe Missouri State Highway Patrol says a 39-year old Rolla man is in custody following a multi-county investigation into a string of livestock thefts across Missouri.Melvin J. Fincher was apprehended March 9 by the U.S. Marshals Service and "Operation Relentless Pursuit" officers in Neosho. The arrest marks the culmination of a months-long probe led by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Rural Crimes Investigation Unit (RCIU).The investigation began on September 3, 2025, when Polk County Sheriff Danny Morrison requested state assistance regarding cattle stolen from a local resident. Investigators soon linked Fincher to that case, as well as separate thefts in Phelps and Barry counties.According to the Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC), investigators identified specific patterns in the thefts that matched incidents reported across several jurisdictions.Following the RCIU's findings, the Barry County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Fincher on February 11 with one felony count of Stealing Livestock/Wildlife.Fincher was transported to the Newton County Jail following his arrest. A judge has set his bond at $50,000.