TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Monday proclaimed Panasonic Day across the State of Kansas in honor of the grand opening of Panasonic Energy’s state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, Kansas. 

The facility, which is the largest private business investment in Kansas history, will bring up to 4,000 jobs and an estimated $2.5 billion in new economic activity in Kansas annually.

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F07%2F14%2Ffile_attachments%2F3322939%2FPanasonic%2520Day.pdf/1/0101019809c6a211-0cecc9f7-524b-4de9-a8d7-f34c7b92d4ef-000000/1Cdcg2agBIa_4Zcn5g7rxcoVxFll_Y6bbehGHBq7VcQ=413">Click here to read the proclamation</a>.&nbsp;

“Panasonic’s state-of-the-art EV battery plant marks a bright new era in Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The monumental effort that has gone into every aspect of this project has culminated in this historic day as the plant begins mass production of EV batteries. It’s hard to overstate what Panasonic’s investment means to Kansas and the value of the partnership that made it possible.”

The De Soto plant is the largest economic development project in company history — and Kansas history. An estimated $2.5 billion in new economic activity in Kansas will be generated annually by the project.

“The opening of our Kansas factory marks a major milestone in our journey to scale advanced battery production in the United States,”&nbsp;Panasonic Energy CEO Kazuo Tadanobu said.&nbsp;“This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of our local partners and the State of Kansas. Together, we are accelerating the shift to electrification, reinforcing regional supply chains, and nurturing the next generation of battery talent. This facility represents not only our commitment to the region but also a foundation for long-term collaboration and innovation in the U.S.”

The project is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs and significantly boost the regional and state economy, supporting an estimated 4,000 additional jobs created by suppliers and community businesses and 16,500 construction jobs, as cited in an independent Wichita State University economic impact study.

“Kansas leaders did the equivalent of kicking down doors and leaping over tall buildings to win this $4 billion investment by Panasonic,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“This is a once-in-a-generation move that will power our economy, support thousands of Kansas families and spark opportunity for decades to come. It’s bold. It’s historic. And all Kansans can feel pride today in seeing that our state can do big things again, and that our best days are ahead of us.”

The 300-acre manufacturing plant, which is opening almost three years to the date of the initial announcement, is located in De Soto’s Astra Enterprise Park. The state-of-the-art facility will operate and produce approximately 66 lithium-ion batteries per second. Its infrastructure is broken into two wings, with four battery lines on each wing. At the end of both wings, infrastructure is designed for shipping, packing, and sub-supply vendor spaces for Panasonic partners.

“Panasonic’s new state-of-the-art facility in De Soto is a milestone for our state and a testament to Kansas’ talented workforce and leadership in energy production and innovation,”&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran said.&nbsp;“I commend the leadership of Panasonic for choosing the Sunflower State for its U.S. manufacturing site, creating thousands of quality jobs for Kansans and drawing new people to the Midwest. With this investment, we are continuing to make certain Kansas remains a place where the next generation – with their knowledge and talent – can stay and build a future.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752515532561.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Monday proclaimed Panasonic Day across the State of Kansas in honor of the grand opening of Panasonic Energy’s state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, Kansas. The facility, which is the largest private business investment in Kansas history, will bring up to 4,000 jobs and an estimated $2.5 billion in new economic activity in Kansas annually.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752503239451.png" alt="In July of 2022, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Japan’s Panasonic Corp. selected Kansas as the location for a multibillion-dollar mega-factory" />
 <figcaption>In July of 2022, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Japan’s Panasonic Corp. selected Kansas as the location for a multibillion-dollar mega-factory</figcaption>
 </figure><a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F07%2F14%2Ffile_attachments%2F3322939%2FPanasonic%2520Day.pdf/1/0101019809c6a211-0cecc9f7-524b-4de9-a8d7-f34c7b92d4ef-000000/1Cdcg2agBIa_4Zcn5g7rxcoVxFll_Y6bbehGHBq7VcQ=413">Click here to read the proclamation</a>.&nbsp;“Panasonic’s state-of-the-art EV battery plant marks a bright new era in Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The monumental effort that has gone into every aspect of this project has culminated in this historic day as the plant begins mass production of EV batteries. It’s hard to overstate what Panasonic’s investment means to Kansas and the value of the partnership that made it possible.”The De Soto plant is the largest economic development project in company history — and Kansas history. An estimated $2.5 billion in new economic activity in Kansas will be generated annually by the project.“The opening of our Kansas factory marks a major milestone in our journey to scale advanced battery production in the United States,”&nbsp;Panasonic Energy CEO Kazuo Tadanobu said.&nbsp;“This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of our local partners and the State of Kansas. Together, we are accelerating the shift to electrification, reinforcing regional supply chains, and nurturing the next generation of battery talent. This facility represents not only our commitment to the region but also a foundation for long-term collaboration and innovation in the U.S.”The project is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs and significantly boost the regional and state economy, supporting an estimated 4,000 additional jobs created by suppliers and community businesses and 16,500 construction jobs, as cited in an independent Wichita State University economic impact study.“Kansas leaders did the equivalent of kicking down doors and leaping over tall buildings to win this $4 billion investment by Panasonic,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.&nbsp;“This is a once-in-a-generation move that will power our economy, support thousands of Kansas families and spark opportunity for decades to come. It’s bold. It’s historic. And all Kansans can feel pride today in seeing that our state can do big things again, and that our best days are ahead of us.”The 300-acre manufacturing plant, which is opening almost three years to the date of the initial announcement, is located in De Soto’s Astra Enterprise Park. The state-of-the-art facility will operate and produce approximately 66 lithium-ion batteries per second. Its infrastructure is broken into two wings, with four battery lines on each wing. At the end of both wings, infrastructure is designed for shipping, packing, and sub-supply vendor spaces for Panasonic partners.“Panasonic’s new state-of-the-art facility in De Soto is a milestone for our state and a testament to Kansas’ talented workforce and leadership in energy production and innovation,”&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran said.&nbsp;“I commend the leadership of Panasonic for choosing the Sunflower State for its U.S. manufacturing site, creating thousands of quality jobs for Kansans and drawing new people to the Midwest. With this investment, we are continuing to make certain Kansas remains a place where the next generation – with their knowledge and talent – can stay and build a future.”

$4 billion investment: Panasonic Day in Kansas

MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after weekend boat chase on Lake of the Ozarks.

Just before 8:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F was advised of an alleged domestic assault involving a man, later identified as 39-year-old Loren M. Peters of Sunrise Beach throwing a woman off a vessel in Davey Hollow Cove at Lake of the Ozarks, according to a media release from the MSHP.

Troopers observed the suspect vessel, an orange 2023 Hayaari Marine H44Z at the 10 mile mark of the main channel. As troopers began to conduct a boat stop, the Hayaari accelerated quickly and attempted to leave the area. This led to a vessel pursuit.

The pursuit ended with the Hayaari entered Mill Creek Cove. The operator, Peters, abandoned the vessel at a dock near Walleye Drive and ran. Troopers took Peters into custody a short time later. He was arrested on requested charges of BWI alcohol, resist or interfere with arrest, operating a boat in a careless manner and fourth-degree domestic assault.

MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after weekend boat chase on Lake of the Ozarks.Just before 8:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F was advised of an alleged domestic assault involving a man, later identified as 39-year-old Loren M. Peters of Sunrise Beach throwing a woman off a vessel in Davey Hollow Cove at Lake of the Ozarks, according to a media release from the MSHP.Troopers observed the suspect vessel, an orange 2023 Hayaari Marine H44Z at the 10 mile mark of the main channel. As troopers began to conduct a boat stop, the Hayaari accelerated quickly and attempted to leave the area. This led to a vessel pursuit.The pursuit ended with the Hayaari entered Mill Creek Cove. The operator, Peters, abandoned the vessel at a dock near Walleye Drive and ran. Troopers took Peters into custody a short time later. He was arrested on requested charges of BWI alcohol, resist or interfere with arrest, operating a boat in a careless manner and fourth-degree domestic assault.

Patrol: Man jailed after throwing woman from boat at Lake of the Ozarks

KANSAS CITY—Two brothers are in custody and facing charges after a shooting during a a Facebook Marketplace truck sale at a Kansas City apartment parking lot.

According to court records, on July 9, 35-year-old Clarence Melbert and 31-year-old Aaron Melbert allegedly arranged to sell a black Ford F-150.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When a buyer arrived at the location with $2,500 in cash, Clarence pointed a gun and ordered the buyer out of the truck, while Aaron threatened him with a knife, according to police.

As the victim tried to leave, he was shot from behind in the ear and arm.

The victim’s wife, who witnessed the attack, fired her own gun in self-defense as the suspects fled. She helped police identify both suspects. Officers found the brothers nearby and arrested them without incident.

&nbsp;Clarence had a gunshot wound to his arm. Police recovered firearms, shell casings and a knife from the scene.

Aaron is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Warrant: New Case warrant issued by Jackson, MO; Bond - Cash Only, $100000.00.

Clarence is being held on requested charges that include Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - 10% OR Secured, $5600.00;Warrant: New Case warrant ; Bond - Cash Only, $100000.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2500.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $50.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2000.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2000.00;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752501119626.png" alt="Aaron Melbert photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Melbert photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Two brothers are in custody and facing charges after a shooting during a a Facebook Marketplace truck sale at a Kansas City apartment parking lot.According to court records, on July 9, 35-year-old Clarence Melbert and 31-year-old Aaron Melbert allegedly arranged to sell a black Ford F-150.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752501049562.png" alt="Clarence Melbert photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Clarence Melbert photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>When a buyer arrived at the location with $2,500 in cash, Clarence pointed a gun and ordered the buyer out of the truck, while Aaron threatened him with a knife, according to police.As the victim tried to leave, he was shot from behind in the ear and arm.The victim’s wife, who witnessed the attack, fired her own gun in self-defense as the suspects fled. She helped police identify both suspects. Officers found the brothers nearby and arrested them without incident.&nbsp;Clarence had a gunshot wound to his arm. Police recovered firearms, shell casings and a knife from the scene.Aaron is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Warrant: New Case warrant issued by Jackson, MO; Bond - Cash Only, $100000.00.Clarence is being held on requested charges that include Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - 10% OR Secured, $5600.00;Warrant: New Case warrant ; Bond - Cash Only, $100000.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2500.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $50.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2000.00;Warrant: Failure to Appear warrant ; Bond - ROR, $2000.00;

Brothers jailed after Facebook Marketplace truck sale shooting

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</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>

WASHINGTON — Congress has just days left to approve the Trump administration’s request to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved funding for public media and foreign aid, setting up yet another tight deadline for lawmakers.&nbsp;

The Senate must pass the bill before July 18, otherwise the White House budget office will be required to spend the funding and be barred from sending up the same proposal again for what are called rescissions.

But objections from several GOP senators could stop the legislation in its tracks, or change it substantially, requiring another House vote in a very short time frame. Rejecting the plan would represent a loss for the Trump administration after passage of the “big, beautiful” tax and spending cut law earlier this month.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appears optimistic he can secure the votes needed to begin debate, though he hasn’t said publicly if he thinks the bill can actually pass.&nbsp;

“We’ll have it up on the floor next week. Hopefully, we get on it and then we’ll have an amendment process,” Thune said during a Wednesday press conference. “And kind of like a budget reconciliation bill, it’s an open amendment process, a vote-a-rama type process, which I’m sure you’re very excited about.”

At least 50 Republicans must agree to proceed to the legislation amid unified opposition from Democrats. Thune can only lose three GOP senators and still begin debate with Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. Rescissions bills are exempt from the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.

After a maximum of 10 hours of debate, the Senate will begin a marathon amendment voting session that could substantially reshape the measure.

There may be enough Republican votes to completely remove the section rescinding $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and hundreds of local public media stations.

Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds all brought up misgivings during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-drive-defund-npr-pbs-resisted-republicans-rural-states" target="_blank">a June hearing</a>&nbsp;about how canceling previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would impact rural communities and emergency alerts.

Collins, R-Maine, also raised concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to claw back previously approved funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and is likely to bring an amendment to the floor on that issue, according to her office. PEPFAR is a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS that was led by President George W. Bush.

Democrats will get to offer as many amendments as they want during the vote-a-rama and could try to remove each section of the bill one by one, forcing Republicans to weigh in publicly on numerous foreign aid programs.

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-wants-congress-slash-94b-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs" target="_blank">sent Congress the rescissions request</a>&nbsp;in early June, starting a 45-day clock for lawmakers to consider his proposal.

The recommendation asked lawmakers to cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid funding, including $500 million for certain global health programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“This proposal would not reduce treatment but would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests and worsen the lives of women and children, like ‘family planning’ and ‘reproductive health,’ LGBTQI+ activities, and ‘equity’ programs,” the request states. “This rescission proposal aligns with the Administration’s efforts to eliminate wasteful USAID foreign assistance programs.”

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-votes-yank-billions-npr-pbs-and-foreign-aid-programs" target="_blank">voted mostly along party lines</a>&nbsp;in mid-June to approve the rescissions request, but the legislation sat around the Senate for weeks as Republicans struggled to pass their “big, beautiful” law.

The Senate can vote to approve the proposal as is, change it, or let it expire, forcing the White House budget office to spend the money, which it’s been able to legally freeze since sending Congress the rescissions request.

Senators’ decision will impact how Republicans in that chamber, especially Thune and those on the Appropriations Committee, work with White House budget director Russ Vought in the coming months and years.

Congress and the Trump administration must broker some sort of funding agreement before the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1 to stave off a shutdown.

Vought has also said he plans to send lawmakers additional rescissions requests, though he hasn’t said exactly when or what programs he’ll include.

Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday as the panel debated three of the full-year government funding bills that the rescissions package is not acceptable and could impede the committee’s traditionally bipartisan work.

“We need to make sure decisions about what to fund and, yes, what to rescind are made here in Congress on a bipartisan basis and within our annual funding process,” Murray said. “We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work. And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues that on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746181587274.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</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>WASHINGTON — Congress has just days left to approve the Trump administration’s request to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved funding for public media and foreign aid, setting up yet another tight deadline for lawmakers.&nbsp;The Senate must pass the bill before July 18, otherwise the White House budget office will be required to spend the funding and be barred from sending up the same proposal again for what are called rescissions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/zMYMcrzbxu">pic.twitter.com/zMYMcrzbxu</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943446385501614262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But objections from several GOP senators could stop the legislation in its tracks, or change it substantially, requiring another House vote in a very short time frame. Rejecting the plan would represent a loss for the Trump administration after passage of the “big, beautiful” tax and spending cut law earlier this month.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appears optimistic he can secure the votes needed to begin debate, though he hasn’t said publicly if he thinks the bill can actually pass.&nbsp;“We’ll have it up on the floor next week. Hopefully, we get on it and then we’ll have an amendment process,” Thune said during a Wednesday press conference. “And kind of like a budget reconciliation bill, it’s an open amendment process, a vote-a-rama type process, which I’m sure you’re very excited about.”<h2>JD Vance needed again?</h2>At least 50 Republicans must agree to proceed to the legislation amid unified opposition from Democrats. Thune can only lose three GOP senators and still begin debate with Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. Rescissions bills are exempt from the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.After a maximum of 10 hours of debate, the Senate will begin a marathon amendment voting session that could substantially reshape the measure.There may be enough Republican votes to completely remove the section rescinding $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and hundreds of local public media stations.Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds all brought up misgivings during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-drive-defund-npr-pbs-resisted-republicans-rural-states" target="_blank">a June hearing</a>&nbsp;about how canceling previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would impact rural communities and emergency alerts.Collins, R-Maine, also raised concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to claw back previously approved funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and is likely to bring an amendment to the floor on that issue, according to her office. PEPFAR is a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS that was led by President George W. Bush.Democrats will get to offer as many amendments as they want during the vote-a-rama and could try to remove each section of the bill one by one, forcing Republicans to weigh in publicly on numerous foreign aid programs.<h2>45 days for Trump request</h2>President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-wants-congress-slash-94b-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs" target="_blank">sent Congress the rescissions request</a>&nbsp;in early June, starting a 45-day clock for lawmakers to consider his proposal.The recommendation asked lawmakers to cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid funding, including $500 million for certain global health programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.“This proposal would not reduce treatment but would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests and worsen the lives of women and children, like ‘family planning’ and ‘reproductive health,’ LGBTQI+ activities, and ‘equity’ programs,” the request states. “This rescission proposal aligns with the Administration’s efforts to eliminate wasteful USAID foreign assistance programs.”The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-votes-yank-billions-npr-pbs-and-foreign-aid-programs" target="_blank">voted mostly along party lines</a>&nbsp;in mid-June to approve the rescissions request, but the legislation sat around the Senate for weeks as Republicans struggled to pass their “big, beautiful” law.The Senate can vote to approve the proposal as is, change it, or let it expire, forcing the White House budget office to spend the money, which it’s been able to legally freeze since sending Congress the rescissions request.<h2>Relations with White House</h2>Senators’ decision will impact how Republicans in that chamber, especially Thune and those on the Appropriations Committee, work with White House budget director Russ Vought in the coming months and years.Congress and the Trump administration must broker some sort of funding agreement before the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1 to stave off a shutdown.Vought has also said he plans to send lawmakers additional rescissions requests, though he hasn’t said exactly when or what programs he’ll include.Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday as the panel debated three of the full-year government funding bills that the rescissions package is not acceptable and could impede the committee’s traditionally bipartisan work.“We need to make sure decisions about what to fund and, yes, what to rescind are made here in Congress on a bipartisan basis and within our annual funding process,” Murray said. “We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work. And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues that on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills.”

US Senate GOP under pressure on Trump demand to defund NPR, PBS, foreign aid

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Patriot missile defenses for Ukraine: &quot;The European Union is paying for it. We&#39;re not paying anything for it. We will send it. It&#39;ll be business for us.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0kkfvL7UZC">pic.twitter.com/0kkfvL7UZC</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944546839987958042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I am very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was somebody that meant what he said — and he&#39;ll talk so beautifully, then he&#39;ll bomb people at night. We don&#39;t like that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/9HaGgLiKEJ">pic.twitter.com/9HaGgLiKEJ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944549417266364443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump rips Putin, suggests a shift in policy on war in Ukraine

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a fire in a high rise building in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 6:30a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department responded to a reported "high rise" fire in the 900 block of Grand, according to to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. It was later identified as the&nbsp; former Federal Reserve Bank building.

After gaining entrance to the secured building, crews encountered heavy smoke conditions, along with fire on the 1st floor. An offensive attack was initiated, the fire was extinguished with two handlines and a booster line. 

Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. While searching the upper floors of the building, heavy smoke conditions were found, but no fire. During overhaul operations, hot spots and small fires on the 1st floor were exposed and quickly extinguished, followed by the ventilation of smoke from the building. There were no injuries reported.

Just before 1:30p.m. Saturday, the KCFD responded to a reported high-rise fire in the 700 block of East 8th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Nolan.

 The fire was reported to be on the 15th floor. The first "fire attack group" was assigned and investigated, finding heavy smoke and fire in a single unit. They were quickly able to extinguish the fire and begin overhaul operations to ensure there were no further hazards. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. Crews ventilated smoke from the building allowing the residents to return to their units once completed.&nbsp; No injuries were reported at this incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752355385180.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a fire in a high rise building in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 6:30a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department responded to a reported "high rise" fire in the 900 block of Grand, according to to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. It was later identified as the&nbsp; former Federal Reserve Bank building.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752355359847.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After gaining entrance to the secured building, crews encountered heavy smoke conditions, along with fire on the 1st floor. An offensive attack was initiated, the fire was extinguished with two handlines and a booster line. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. While searching the upper floors of the building, heavy smoke conditions were found, but no fire. During overhaul operations, hot spots and small fires on the 1st floor were exposed and quickly extinguished, followed by the ventilation of smoke from the building. There were no injuries reported.Just before 1:30p.m. Saturday, the KCFD responded to a reported high-rise fire in the 700 block of East 8th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Nolan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752370499768.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure> The fire was reported to be on the 15th floor. The first "fire attack group" was assigned and investigated, finding heavy smoke and fire in a single unit. They were quickly able to extinguish the fire and begin overhaul operations to ensure there were no further hazards. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. Crews ventilated smoke from the building allowing the residents to return to their units once completed.&nbsp; No injuries were reported at this incident.

2 fires in high rise buildings in Kansas City under investigation

Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.

Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.

Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.

National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.

There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.

Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”

Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.

The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.

Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.

“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.

Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.

That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.

But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.

Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.

Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.

“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.

Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.

All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.

The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.

The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.

“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”

Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.

They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.

Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.

“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.

Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751161934969.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752369967885.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

Midwest farm economies suffered while some Sun Belt states kept rolling in early 2025

KANSAS CITY —Suspects are now facing federal charges or soon will be, thanks to the work of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Deparatment Drug Enforcement Unit.

Officers and their K-9 partners recently conducted a series of busts, recovering 52 pounds of meth and more than 10,000 fentanyl pills, according to a social media report from KCPD.

This specialized unit has a dedicated focus on stopping drug trafficking in Kansas City.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752143085553.png" alt="Photos KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Suspects are now facing federal charges or soon will be, thanks to the work of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Deparatment Drug Enforcement Unit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752143101235.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Officers and their K-9 partners recently conducted a series of busts, recovering 52 pounds of meth and more than 10,000 fentanyl pills, according to a social media report from KCPD.This specialized unit has a dedicated focus on stopping drug trafficking in Kansas City.&nbsp;

KCPD recovered 10,000 fentanyl pills, 52 pounds of meth

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/timhenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.

The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump Administration’s Health and Human Services Administration under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children.

“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.

<a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.

Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.

“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.

Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.

Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/timhenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump Administration’s Health and Human Services Administration under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children.“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.<a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

Measles reaches highest level in 33 years, now in 39 states

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;A Leavenworth, Kansas man was sentenced in federal court this week for enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and production child pornography, involving a 15-year-old minor victim, according to the United State's Attorney.

Antoine Askari Richardson, 27, was sentenced to 300 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays for one count of use of interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of production of child pornography.

Richardson, a former graduate student and employee of a private University, in Leavenworth, Kansas, previously pled guilty to enticement of a minor and production of child pornography on February 27, 2025. According to the written plea agreement, Richardson met the minor victim on a social media application.&nbsp; 

Richardson communicated online with the minor victim and travelled to Grain Valley, Missouri to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim four times between November 2022 and January 2023.&nbsp; Richardson recorded the sexual acts with his cellular phone and sent the videos to the minor victim.&nbsp; Richardson admitted to also communicating with a second minor on a social media application and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with the second minor.&nbsp;Richardson admitted to traveling across state lines in attempt to meet the second minor but was unsuccessful in contacting the second minor.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett.&nbsp; It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Grain Valley, Missouri Police Department, Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department, and the Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor’s Office.

Richardson will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;A Leavenworth, Kansas man was sentenced in federal court this week for enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and production child pornography, involving a 15-year-old minor victim, according to the United State's Attorney.Antoine Askari Richardson, 27, was sentenced to 300 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays for one count of use of interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of production of child pornography.Richardson, a former graduate student and employee of a private University, in Leavenworth, Kansas, previously pled guilty to enticement of a minor and production of child pornography on February 27, 2025. According to the written plea agreement, Richardson met the minor victim on a social media application.&nbsp; Richardson communicated online with the minor victim and travelled to Grain Valley, Missouri to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim four times between November 2022 and January 2023.&nbsp; Richardson recorded the sexual acts with his cellular phone and sent the videos to the minor victim.&nbsp; Richardson admitted to also communicating with a second minor on a social media application and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with the second minor.&nbsp;Richardson admitted to traveling across state lines in attempt to meet the second minor but was unsuccessful in contacting the second minor.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett.&nbsp; It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Grain Valley, Missouri Police Department, Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department, and the Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor’s Office.Richardson will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

Prison: Kansas man met 15-year-old sex crime victim online

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752266854590.png" alt="President Trump and the first lady with first responders in Texas-image courtesy White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Trump and the first lady with first responders in Texas-image courtesy White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>: &quot;My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls ... We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xYKFsBJ4Hu">pic.twitter.com/xYKFsBJ4Hu</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943764177593807032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump gets a question about possible delays to flood warnings: &quot;I just have admiration for the job that everybody did. Only a bad person would ask a question like that...I don&#39;t know who you are but only a very evil person would ask a question like that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/55lk5GoFK9">pic.twitter.com/55lk5GoFK9</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943778362008199397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump&#39;s opening remarks at roundtable on Texas floods: &quot;Our nation, we mourn for every life that was swept away in the flood and we pray for the families that are left behind.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GAGMwsSekw">pic.twitter.com/GAGMwsSekw</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943769914629591536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrPhil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrPhil</a> at roundtable on Texas floods: &quot;We know, psychologically, that the number one stressor that we can experience in life is the loss of a child…The truth is you never get over it. You get through it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UtFCpJ9tKo">pic.twitter.com/UtFCpJ9tKo</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943775546623627268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A Texas State Trooper tells President Trump on the recovery from the devastating flood: &quot;I want to thank you, too, sir — because if we didn&#39;t have a secure border, we wouldn&#39;t have this many assets to move. I wanted to say that to you personally.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kht5XpIkha">pic.twitter.com/kht5XpIkha</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943774212667113594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> gives his thanks to first responders in Kerrville, Texas: &quot;This was a terrible situation but we appreciate the job you&#39;ve done very much — very special people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/A66w51IBn4">pic.twitter.com/A66w51IBn4</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943773106289713474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>: &quot;What we are doing here, sir, is empowering the state and the local officials to make the best decisions for their people — because they know their people, they know their community... So thank you for being a President who trusts people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/aF0BLFuiXe">pic.twitter.com/aF0BLFuiXe</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943766247629263326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Governor <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregAbbott_TX</a>: &quot;We cannot thank you enough for deploying the <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a>, deploying the resources... When I made a request for a disaster declaration, you and your Administration granted that. This is the fastest that I&#39;m aware of, of any Administration responding...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/zoeXqV0whf">pic.twitter.com/zoeXqV0whf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943765422408335465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> honors the memory of the girls of Camp Mystic: &quot;They were there because they loved God. And as we grieve this unthinkable tragedy, we take comfort in the knowledge that God has welcomed those little beautiful girls into his comforting arms in heaven.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XPo2H46U51">pic.twitter.com/XPo2H46U51</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943762101903688131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in Kerrville, Texas: &quot;The people here — first responders, the sheriff&#39;s office, all of police, law enforcement — they&#39;ve done an unbelievable job.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0s5uVZmKqo">pic.twitter.com/0s5uVZmKqo</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943760942073819426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥First lady, President share thoughts after seeing Texas flood damage

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

TOPEKA — Panasonic is delaying full production in its De Soto battery plant because of dropping electric car sales and U.S. policies that do not support electric cars, international media reports.&nbsp;

The $4 billion economic development project, billed as the largest in Kansas history, is threatened because of decreased electric car sales at Tesla and skepticism from President Donald Trump about encouraging electric vehicle adoption, according to the Nikkei Asia news outlet.&nbsp;

The plant was expected to reach full production by March 2027, and a new target date has not been set, Nikkei reported.

The president’s “big, beautiful bill” eliminates tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles as of Sept. 30, along with eliminating or decreasing multiple green energy tax credits.&nbsp;

The De Soto plant, which was projected to create 4,000 jobs, has a grand opening scheduled Monday.&nbsp;

The Panasonic plant began construction in 2023 after receiving Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/10/kansas-officials-pursue-new-megadeals-with-semiconductor-makers/">tax credits</a>, through a program known as APEX that the state created to draw in large economic development projects. Incentives include rebates on capital investments, payroll and staff training.&nbsp;

The APEX program also lowers the corporate income tax rate by 0.5% for Kansas businesses for the fiscal year after a megadeal is signed. Under the APEX deal, Panasonic was expected to receive $829.2 million over 10 years.&nbsp;

The company had plans to provide at least 4,000 jobs, increasing the state’s annual labor income by more than $505 million. The state anticipated the project will create an additional 4,000 jobs through suppliers and community businesses. The state expected to see a $26 return for every $1 invested in tax incentives.

The De Soto community&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desotoks.us/417/Development-Agreement" target="_blank">also offered incentives&nbsp;</a>that were based on the company agreeing to employ 2,500 employees, well below the estimated full employment of 4,000.&nbsp;

The city offered to complete $229 million of public infrastructure projects, such as road improvements, and water and sewer projects, using Tax Increment Financing funds, a common economic development tool that uses increased property taxes received from developments to fund projects.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667413001389.png" alt="Governor Kelly and Congresswoman Sharice Davids during the ground breaking for the Plant in Nov. 2022 -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Governor Kelly and Congresswoman Sharice Davids during the ground breaking for the Plant in Nov. 2022 -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Panasonic is delaying full production in its De Soto battery plant because of dropping electric car sales and U.S. policies that do not support electric cars, international media reports.&nbsp;The $4 billion economic development project, billed as the largest in Kansas history, is threatened because of decreased electric car sales at Tesla and skepticism from President Donald Trump about encouraging electric vehicle adoption, according to the Nikkei Asia news outlet.&nbsp;The plant was expected to reach full production by March 2027, and a new target date has not been set, Nikkei reported.The president’s “big, beautiful bill” eliminates tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles as of Sept. 30, along with eliminating or decreasing multiple green energy tax credits.&nbsp;The De Soto plant, which was projected to create 4,000 jobs, has a grand opening scheduled Monday.&nbsp;The Panasonic plant began construction in 2023 after receiving Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/10/kansas-officials-pursue-new-megadeals-with-semiconductor-makers/">tax credits</a>, through a program known as APEX that the state created to draw in large economic development projects. Incentives include rebates on capital investments, payroll and staff training.&nbsp;The APEX program also lowers the corporate income tax rate by 0.5% for Kansas businesses for the fiscal year after a megadeal is signed. Under the APEX deal, Panasonic was expected to receive $829.2 million over 10 years.&nbsp;The company had plans to provide at least 4,000 jobs, increasing the state’s annual labor income by more than $505 million. The state anticipated the project will create an additional 4,000 jobs through suppliers and community businesses. The state expected to see a $26 return for every $1 invested in tax incentives.The De Soto community&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desotoks.us/417/Development-Agreement" target="_blank">also offered incentives&nbsp;</a>that were based on the company agreeing to employ 2,500 employees, well below the estimated full employment of 4,000.&nbsp;The city offered to complete $229 million of public infrastructure projects, such as road improvements, and water and sewer projects, using Tax Increment Financing funds, a common economic development tool that uses increased property taxes received from developments to fund projects.&nbsp;

Panasonic to delay production at Kansas battery plant as electric car sales decline, policies shift

Walmart Recalls Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles Due to Serious Impact and Laceration Hazards

The lid can forcefully eject, posing serious impact and laceration hazards, when a consumer attempts to open the capped bottles after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water bottles and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund.

Sold Exclusively At:Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com since 2017 for about $15.Importer(s):

Olympia Tools International Inc., of Covina, California and Walmart Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752254959750.png" alt="Photo Consumer Product Safety Commission" />
 <figcaption>Photo Consumer Product Safety Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>Walmart Recalls Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles Due to Serious Impact and Laceration HazardsHazard:The lid can forcefully eject, posing serious impact and laceration hazards, when a consumer attempts to open the capped bottles after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.Remedy:Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water bottles and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund.Units:About&nbsp;850,000Sold Exclusively At:Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com since 2017 for about $15.Importer(s):Olympia Tools International Inc., of Covina, California and Walmart Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas

Walmart recalls water bottles after 2 blinded by exploding caps

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

A Subaru Forrester was northbound on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection at Blue Ridge Boulevard from a stop sign and struck a southbound Dodge Dakota, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The impact caused the Dodge to rotate, striking the curb and a metal light pole before overturning.&nbsp;The front seat passenger of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries.

 The driver and rear seat juvenile passenger of the Subaru were uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; The occupants of the pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; This is fatality #43 compared to #49 at this time last year. The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Names of the victims have not been releases.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Thursday in Kansas City.A Subaru Forrester was northbound on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection at Blue Ridge Boulevard from a stop sign and struck a southbound Dodge Dakota, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The impact caused the Dodge to rotate, striking the curb and a metal light pole before overturning.&nbsp;The front seat passenger of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. The driver and rear seat juvenile passenger of the Subaru were uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; The occupants of the pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; This is fatality #43 compared to #49 at this time last year. The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Names of the victims have not been releases.

1 dead, 1 critically injured after pickup, SUV crash in Kansas City 

Record outbreak comes as vaccine skepticism increasingly gains a federal foothold.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a>

The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump administration under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Record outbreak comes as vaccine skepticism increasingly gains a federal foothold.</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a>Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752083381391.png" alt="87 cases of Measles in 11 counties in Kansas as of July 9. KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>87 cases of Measles in 11 counties in Kansas as of July 9. KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump administration under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.<a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

Gov. Mike Kehoe signed off on a number of broadly supported education bills Wednesday

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

There could be more retired teachers returning as substitutes and more home-schooled students will be able to participate in sports and other school activities, thanks to a stack of bipartisan education bills signed Wednesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed 13 bills Wednesday, including numerous education provisions passed in a handful of bipartisan bills. Several more bill signings are planned before all work on legislation from the 2025 session hits a Monday deadline.

State lawmakers this year debated a number of controversial proposals, like opening up school district enrollment boundaries or allowing for alternative methods of school accreditation. But the majority of education legislation that made it to the governor was widely supported on both sides of the aisle.

“From implementing distraction-free classrooms to expanding school safety efforts, the legislation signed into law this afternoon impacts both K-12 students and Missourians pursuing higher and career technical education,” Kehoe said in a news release.

Here are some of the provisions Kehoe signed into law:

Encouraging retired educators to substitute teach

Retired&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/09/retired-educators-to-continue-substitute-teaching-in-missouri-without-losing-benefits/">teachers may continue to fill in as substitutes</a>&nbsp;on a part-time or temporary basis until 2030 without losing their benefit from the Public School Retirement System.

The legislation is an extension of a 2022 law that was due to sunset this year. Three years ago, lawmakers saw a need to bring retirees into classrooms as COVID-19 reduced the teacher workforce and put a 2025 expiration on the provision.

But the need for substitutes still exists.

In the 2023-24 school year, 4,500 retired educators served as substitutes, according to data from the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican and House Education Committee chair, told The Independent last month that the law helps keep trained teachers in front of students.

“There would be open positions that would not get filled around the state (if the provision didn’t pass),” he said. “Many of them we would have completely unqualified people in those positions, when you have perfectly qualified people who might be a little bit older but have tons of experience.”

This legislation applies to part-time and temporary substitutes. A different&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=169.331&amp;bid=54133&amp;hl=" target="_blank">statute allows a handful of retirees to work full-time</a>. Since 2003, retired teachers have been able to return full-time for two years, which lawmakers increased to four years in 2023.

School districts will be required to establish policies for the upcoming school year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-lawmakers-pass-ban-on-cell-phones-in-public-school-classrooms/">that restrict cell-phone usage during the school day</a>&nbsp;with few exceptions.

Students with a disability that requires use of a mobile device are exempted, and cell phones are allowed during safety emergencies. Otherwise, including during lunch and between classes, students will be expected to keep their cell phones stowed unless told otherwise by a teacher.

Roughly 53% of school leaders believe that cell-phone usage has hurt students’ learning abilities and 72% say it has negatively impacted mental health, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/2_19_2025.asp" target="_blank">the National Center for Education Statistics</a>. A St. Louis University/YouGov poll&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/18/poll-shows-high-satisfaction-with-trump-in-missouri-mixed-views-on-his-policies/">earlier this year</a>&nbsp;found 76% of Missourians favor restrictions for elementary students, 75% for middle school and 70% for high school.

State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Democrat from Columbia, filed the bill this session with a proposal only to ban cell phone use during instructional time. Lawmakers ultimately passed a more restrictive policy, and Steinhoff believes kids will benefit.

“The statistics really do hold that if we do the (full day), bell to bell,” Steinhoff told The Independent in May. “That’s going to have the biggest turnaround.”

Homeschoolers in extracurricular activities

Home-educated students will be able to join public schools’ extracurricular activities in the upcoming school year.

The legislation,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/30/homeschool-athletes-await-missouri-governors-decision-on-access-to-public-school-sports/">proposed for over a decade in Missouri</a>, will require public schools to allow homeschooled students to try out for sports teams and join clubs beginning in August.

Previously, the Missouri State High School Activities Association allowed homeschoolers to join public-school teams if they were enrolled in two classes at the school. Districts could have more restrictive policies, with many denying access to those who weren’t publicly educated full-time.

For years, families with young athletes and performers have testified at the State Capitol for access to extracurricular activities. Some lawmakers worried about homeschooled students having separate academic and attendance standards, saying their participation could be unfair.

But ultimately, it passed the Senate 30-3 and the House 94-44.

A new law will allow school districts to hire chaplains or accept them as volunteers.

The bill was not as widely accepted as some other education provisions passed this year and drew criticism from lawmakers who worry chaplains would use the opportunity to evangelize students instead of comforting those who already share their faith.

The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Rusty Black, a Chillicothe Republican and former educator, said he filed the bill to help students’ and teachers’ wellbeing.

“Allowing a school district to employ or have a chaplain as a volunteer would benefit students and faculty who are struggling mentally and spiritually,” he said in the Senate’s discussion of the legislation in February.

During the bill’s hearing in the Senate Education Committee, a minister with the Satanic Temple of Missouri Virgil Ovid said he would welcome the opportunity to become a school chaplain.

Lawmakers then added language that would limit chaplains to those that are members “of a Department of Defense listed religious-endorsing organization recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board,” which excludes satanic ministers.

Legislation also signed Wednesday will ban hair discrimination in educational settings. Dubbed the “CROWN Act,” which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, the law is part of a national movement to protect textured hair.

The cities of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/mayor-jones-signs-crown-act-into-law.cfm" target="_blank">St. Louis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/mayor-quinton-lucas/mayor-lucas-press/press-releases/mayor-lucas-applauds-passage-of-crown-act-will-hold-signing-ceremony" target="_blank">Kansas City</a>&nbsp;have protections for natural hair textures, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/about" target="_blank">at least 27 states</a>&nbsp;have enshrined the CROWN Act.

The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City, told the Senate in May that she has seen people treat her and loved ones differently based on hair texture. She hopes students can be free from the pressure to change their hair and should not lose out on opportunities “simply because they chose to wear their hair in braids or an afro or dreadlocks.”

The legislation bars educational institutions receiving state funds from placing restrictions on natural styles “commonly associated with a particular race or origin.”&nbsp;

Safety measures, like requiring hair nets, are permitted.

Missouri State University may offer PhD programs

Lawmakers chipped away at the University of Missouri System’s exclusive rights to certain degrees, opening the doors for Missouri State University to offer doctoral degrees.

State law has historically limited certain degree programs in public universities, giving the University of Missouri System dominance over PhD programs and research doctorates. But the changes will let Missouri State offer doctorate of philosophy degrees in subjects other than engineering.

“This legislation marks a significant milestone for Missouri State University,” Missouri State President Richard B. Williams said in a May&nbsp;<a href="https://news.missouristate.edu/2025/05/12/missouri-legislature-approves-bills-allowing-missouri-state-to-offer-doctoral-degrees/" target="_blank">press release</a>. “The ability to independently offer doctoral programs will help us better meet regional workforce needs across southwest Missouri and the state.”

Missouri high school graduates will be able to attend&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-lawmakers-create-pathway-for-free-career-tech-education/">career-tech programs using a grant mirrored after the state’s A+ Program</a>&nbsp;beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, will use state funds to help students pursue careers in fields like agriculture, nursing, cosmetology and other areas with career-certificate programs.

“This will increase (the workforce) astronomically,” Kelley told The Independent. “And it’s great for the kids who are in those career-tech programs. It gives them another avenue to make themselves better.”

To qualify, students will need to graduate high school with at least a 2.5 GPA, at least 95% attendance rate, 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and achieve proficiency in the Algebra I end-of-course exam. Students with&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/career-education/career-and-technical-education-certificate" target="_blank">high school career-tech certificates</a>&nbsp;will also be eligible.

Universally transferable associate’s degrees

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752151571645.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp; Governor's officd" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp; Governor's officd</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gov. Mike Kehoe signed off on a number of broadly supported education bills Wednesday</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>There could be more retired teachers returning as substitutes and more home-schooled students will be able to participate in sports and other school activities, thanks to a stack of bipartisan education bills signed Wednesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed 13 bills Wednesday, including numerous education provisions passed in a handful of bipartisan bills. Several more bill signings are planned before all work on legislation from the 2025 session hits a Monday deadline.State lawmakers this year debated a number of controversial proposals, like opening up school district enrollment boundaries or allowing for alternative methods of school accreditation. But the majority of education legislation that made it to the governor was widely supported on both sides of the aisle.“From implementing distraction-free classrooms to expanding school safety efforts, the legislation signed into law this afternoon impacts both K-12 students and Missourians pursuing higher and career technical education,” Kehoe said in a news release.Here are some of the provisions Kehoe signed into law:<h2>Encouraging retired educators to substitute teach</h2>Retired&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/09/retired-educators-to-continue-substitute-teaching-in-missouri-without-losing-benefits/">teachers may continue to fill in as substitutes</a>&nbsp;on a part-time or temporary basis until 2030 without losing their benefit from the Public School Retirement System.The legislation is an extension of a 2022 law that was due to sunset this year. Three years ago, lawmakers saw a need to bring retirees into classrooms as COVID-19 reduced the teacher workforce and put a 2025 expiration on the provision.But the need for substitutes still exists.In the 2023-24 school year, 4,500 retired educators served as substitutes, according to data from the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri.State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican and House Education Committee chair, told The Independent last month that the law helps keep trained teachers in front of students.“There would be open positions that would not get filled around the state (if the provision didn’t pass),” he said. “Many of them we would have completely unqualified people in those positions, when you have perfectly qualified people who might be a little bit older but have tons of experience.”This legislation applies to part-time and temporary substitutes. A different&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=169.331&amp;bid=54133&amp;hl=" target="_blank">statute allows a handful of retirees to work full-time</a>. Since 2003, retired teachers have been able to return full-time for two years, which lawmakers increased to four years in 2023.<h2>Cell phone limitations</h2>School districts will be required to establish policies for the upcoming school year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-lawmakers-pass-ban-on-cell-phones-in-public-school-classrooms/">that restrict cell-phone usage during the school day</a>&nbsp;with few exceptions.Students with a disability that requires use of a mobile device are exempted, and cell phones are allowed during safety emergencies. Otherwise, including during lunch and between classes, students will be expected to keep their cell phones stowed unless told otherwise by a teacher.Roughly 53% of school leaders believe that cell-phone usage has hurt students’ learning abilities and 72% say it has negatively impacted mental health, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/2_19_2025.asp" target="_blank">the National Center for Education Statistics</a>. A St. Louis University/YouGov poll&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/18/poll-shows-high-satisfaction-with-trump-in-missouri-mixed-views-on-his-policies/">earlier this year</a>&nbsp;found 76% of Missourians favor restrictions for elementary students, 75% for middle school and 70% for high school.State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Democrat from Columbia, filed the bill this session with a proposal only to ban cell phone use during instructional time. Lawmakers ultimately passed a more restrictive policy, and Steinhoff believes kids will benefit.“The statistics really do hold that if we do the (full day), bell to bell,” Steinhoff told The Independent in May. “That’s going to have the biggest turnaround.”<h2>Homeschoolers in extracurricular activities</h2>Home-educated students will be able to join public schools’ extracurricular activities in the upcoming school year.The legislation,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/30/homeschool-athletes-await-missouri-governors-decision-on-access-to-public-school-sports/">proposed for over a decade in Missouri</a>, will require public schools to allow homeschooled students to try out for sports teams and join clubs beginning in August.Previously, the Missouri State High School Activities Association allowed homeschoolers to join public-school teams if they were enrolled in two classes at the school. Districts could have more restrictive policies, with many denying access to those who weren’t publicly educated full-time.For years, families with young athletes and performers have testified at the State Capitol for access to extracurricular activities. Some lawmakers worried about homeschooled students having separate academic and attendance standards, saying their participation could be unfair.But ultimately, it passed the Senate 30-3 and the House 94-44.<h2>School chaplains</h2>A new law will allow school districts to hire chaplains or accept them as volunteers.The bill was not as widely accepted as some other education provisions passed this year and drew criticism from lawmakers who worry chaplains would use the opportunity to evangelize students instead of comforting those who already share their faith.The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Rusty Black, a Chillicothe Republican and former educator, said he filed the bill to help students’ and teachers’ wellbeing.“Allowing a school district to employ or have a chaplain as a volunteer would benefit students and faculty who are struggling mentally and spiritually,” he said in the Senate’s discussion of the legislation in February.During the bill’s hearing in the Senate Education Committee, a minister with the Satanic Temple of Missouri Virgil Ovid said he would welcome the opportunity to become a school chaplain.Lawmakers then added language that would limit chaplains to those that are members “of a Department of Defense listed religious-endorsing organization recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board,” which excludes satanic ministers.<h2>CROWN Act</h2>Legislation also signed Wednesday will ban hair discrimination in educational settings. Dubbed the “CROWN Act,” which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, the law is part of a national movement to protect textured hair.The cities of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/mayor-jones-signs-crown-act-into-law.cfm" target="_blank">St. Louis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/city-officials/mayor-quinton-lucas/mayor-lucas-press/press-releases/mayor-lucas-applauds-passage-of-crown-act-will-hold-signing-ceremony" target="_blank">Kansas City</a>&nbsp;have protections for natural hair textures, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/about" target="_blank">at least 27 states</a>&nbsp;have enshrined the CROWN Act.The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City, told the Senate in May that she has seen people treat her and loved ones differently based on hair texture. She hopes students can be free from the pressure to change their hair and should not lose out on opportunities “simply because they chose to wear their hair in braids or an afro or dreadlocks.”The legislation bars educational institutions receiving state funds from placing restrictions on natural styles “commonly associated with a particular race or origin.”&nbsp;Safety measures, like requiring hair nets, are permitted.<h2>Missouri State University may offer PhD programs</h2>Lawmakers chipped away at the University of Missouri System’s exclusive rights to certain degrees, opening the doors for Missouri State University to offer doctoral degrees.State law has historically limited certain degree programs in public universities, giving the University of Missouri System dominance over PhD programs and research doctorates. But the changes will let Missouri State offer doctorate of philosophy degrees in subjects other than engineering.“This legislation marks a significant milestone for Missouri State University,” Missouri State President Richard B. Williams said in a May&nbsp;<a href="https://news.missouristate.edu/2025/05/12/missouri-legislature-approves-bills-allowing-missouri-state-to-offer-doctoral-degrees/" target="_blank">press release</a>. “The ability to independently offer doctoral programs will help us better meet regional workforce needs across southwest Missouri and the state.”<h2>Career-technical education scholarships</h2>Missouri high school graduates will be able to attend&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-lawmakers-create-pathway-for-free-career-tech-education/">career-tech programs using a grant mirrored after the state’s A+ Program</a>&nbsp;beginning in the 2026-27 school year.Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, will use state funds to help students pursue careers in fields like agriculture, nursing, cosmetology and other areas with career-certificate programs.“This will increase (the workforce) astronomically,” Kelley told The Independent. “And it’s great for the kids who are in those career-tech programs. It gives them another avenue to make themselves better.”To qualify, students will need to graduate high school with at least a 2.5 GPA, at least 95% attendance rate, 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and achieve proficiency in the Algebra I end-of-course exam. Students with&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/career-education/career-and-technical-education-certificate" target="_blank">high school career-tech certificates</a>&nbsp;will also be eligible.<h2>Universally transferable associate’s degrees</h2>State-funded colleges will expand the number of courses universally transferable in Missouri with a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-push-state-colleges-to-create-60-credit-hour-transferable-degree-programs/">charge from lawmakers to collaborate on five 60-credit-hour degree programs</a>.Since the 2018-19 school year, students&nbsp;<a href="https://dhewd.mo.gov/higher-education/academic-affairs/core-42" target="_blank">have been able to transfer 42 credit hours between community colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;that receive state funding. The new law will add 18 more transferable credit hours in the programs of business, biology, elementary education, psychology and nursing.Community colleges spoke in favor of the legislation in a House hearing, while representatives from four-year institutions said they hoped existing articulation agreements could stand.Colleges must have the degree programs negotiated and ready by the 2028-29 school year.“If you go to a community college in southeast Missouri and you transfer to a four year school in northwest Missouri, we want it to be a seamless transition across the state,” the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Cameron Parker of Campbell, told The Independent. “So if you go to any community college, you will know what any of the four-year schools are going to take.”