BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed legislation that would eliminate a three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots to arrive after Election Day.

The proposal would result in thousands of ballots from lawfully registered voters being thrown in the trash during high-turnout elections.

Under current law, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

“Not only will removing the three-day grace period for mail ballots disenfranchise thousands of Kansas voters, but it also shows a lack of understanding of our elections in Kansas,” Kelly said. “Implementing this will create confusion among county election officials.”

House Republican leadership promised to override the governor’s “reckless” veto.

“We eagerly anticipate overriding the governor’s misguided veto to safeguard our elections and ensure quick, reliable outcomes,” the House GOP leaders said in a joint statement. “By setting a firm Election Day deadline, we reaffirm Kansans’ trust in our elections.”

Republican claims about “reliable outcomes” being available on the night of the election are rooted in widespread lies about the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in a safe and secure election.

Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican who chairs the election committee, told Republicans in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">private meeting in February 2024</a>&nbsp;that he intended to end the three-day grace period because he doesn’t support advance voting and because he wanted to punish Democrats and advocacy groups who wouldn’t accept a compromise he had offered.

“I had a deal, and then Loud Light and Appleseed, which are the kind of bomb throwers in the election debate, they blew it up,” Proctor said in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/0X7MLXASbWE?feature=shared" target="_blank">a leaked video clip</a>. “And I told all of them — and you know, please don’t put this on Facebook or in the news — I told them all, this is your year for a deal. You can either negotiate and we can get a deal, or next year I’m ramming the thing through the way I want it to look.”

“If it was up to me, Election Day would be Election Day,” Proctor added. “There wouldn’t be early voting. Mail-in ballots would only be for military or severely disabled. But I got to bring 84 people with me, so I’m trying to chip away at it.”

The House passed&nbsp;SB 4 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed it 30-10 on March 6.

In her veto message, the governor said the bill is an attack on rural Kansans who are more vulnerable to delays in processing of mail.

“I will not sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted,” Kelly said.

Loud Light advocacy director Melissa Stiehler said the three-day grace period is “a common sense solution” to ongoing mail delays. She also said the bill to repeal it “was born from the conspiracy theories during the 2020 election.”

“The reality is that the only thing this bill does is throw out our Kansans votes for no good reason,” Stiehler said. “We are thankful that the governor stood up for democracy today and encourage the Legislature to do the same by voting to sustain the veto.”

The Legislature could vote at any time this week to override the governor’s veto, which would require support from two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742863728293.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she would refuse to "sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she would refuse to "sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed legislation that would eliminate a three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots to arrive after Election Day.The proposal would result in thousands of ballots from lawfully registered voters being thrown in the trash during high-turnout elections.Under current law, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.“Not only will removing the three-day grace period for mail ballots disenfranchise thousands of Kansas voters, but it also shows a lack of understanding of our elections in Kansas,” Kelly said. “Implementing this will create confusion among county election officials.”House Republican leadership promised to override the governor’s “reckless” veto.“We eagerly anticipate overriding the governor’s misguided veto to safeguard our elections and ensure quick, reliable outcomes,” the House GOP leaders said in a joint statement. “By setting a firm Election Day deadline, we reaffirm Kansans’ trust in our elections.”Republican claims about “reliable outcomes” being available on the night of the election are rooted in widespread lies about the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in a safe and secure election.Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican who chairs the election committee, told Republicans in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">private meeting in February 2024</a>&nbsp;that he intended to end the three-day grace period because he doesn’t support advance voting and because he wanted to punish Democrats and advocacy groups who wouldn’t accept a compromise he had offered.“I had a deal, and then Loud Light and Appleseed, which are the kind of bomb throwers in the election debate, they blew it up,” Proctor said in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/0X7MLXASbWE?feature=shared" target="_blank">a leaked video clip</a>. “And I told all of them — and you know, please don’t put this on Facebook or in the news — I told them all, this is your year for a deal. You can either negotiate and we can get a deal, or next year I’m ramming the thing through the way I want it to look.”“If it was up to me, Election Day would be Election Day,” Proctor added. “There wouldn’t be early voting. Mail-in ballots would only be for military or severely disabled. But I got to bring 84 people with me, so I’m trying to chip away at it.”The House passed&nbsp;SB 4 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed it 30-10 on March 6.In her veto message, the governor said the bill is an attack on rural Kansans who are more vulnerable to delays in processing of mail.“I will not sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted,” Kelly said.Loud Light advocacy director Melissa Stiehler said the three-day grace period is “a common sense solution” to ongoing mail delays. She also said the bill to repeal it “was born from the conspiracy theories during the 2020 election.”“The reality is that the only thing this bill does is throw out our Kansans votes for no good reason,” Stiehler said. “We are thankful that the governor stood up for democracy today and encourage the Legislature to do the same by voting to sustain the veto.”The Legislature could vote at any time this week to override the governor’s veto, which would require support from two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate.

Kan. governor vetoes legislation that would disqualify slow-arriving mail-in ballots

More are dying from flu as the Trump administration postpones planning for next fall.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Americans are facing the highest death toll from influenza since 2018, just as more people become vulnerable because of growing vaccine skepticism taking hold in statehouses and the Trump administration.

Flu-related deaths hit a seven-year high in January and February, the two months that usually account for the height of flu season, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary federal statistics. There were about 9,800 deaths across the country, up from 5,000 in the same period last year and the most since 2018, when there were about 10,800.

Despite that, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has canceled or postponed meetings to prepare for next fall’s flu vaccine, when experts talk about what influenza strains they expect they’ll be battling.

The cancellations raised protests from medical professionals and state and federal officials. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/amid-the-worst-influenza-season-in-a-decade-gillibrand-demands-answers-on-cancellation-and-postponement-of-advisory-committee-meetings-on-vaccinations/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that her state is having its worst flu season in at least 15 years, with more deaths from flu and other causes as the state’s health care system struggles under the strain of flu patients.

Some experts say putting off vaccine planning will only feed false narratives that discourage lifesaving vaccinations.

“These delays not only weaken pandemic preparedness but also undermine public confidence in vaccination efforts,” said Dr. Akram Khan, an Oregon pulmonologist and associate professor at Oregon Health &amp; Science University who has studied attitudes toward vaccines.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/health/rfk-jr-vaccines-autism-video.html?unlocked_article_code=1.s04.B7NS.rhrHUA_r4ZKf&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">expressed doubt</a>&nbsp;about the need for vaccines, including flu vaccines, despite evidence that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations.

Deaths fluctuate naturally from year to year depending on the severity of current flu strains and the effectiveness of that year’s vaccines. But some see a hesitancy to use any vaccine, fed by misinformation and political mistrust of government, already taking a toll on lives.

“It’s been a bad winter for viral respiratory infections, not just in the United States but across the Northern Hemisphere,” said Mark Doherty, a vaccine scholar and former manager for GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, a vaccine manufacturer.

“The U.S. does appear to be hit a bit harder, and it’s possible lower vaccination coverage is contributing to that,” Doherty said.

Flu vaccine distribution in the United States has been declining in recent years, and as of the first week of 2025 was down 16% from 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccine-doses-distributed.html" target="_blank">federal statistics</a>.

The flu was a factor in 9,800 deaths in January and February, according to the analysis, using provisional data collected by states and compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The highest death rates were in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Kentucky, all at about four deaths per 100,000 population so far this year. Some counties in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Oklahoma and Kentucky, were even higher — at about six deaths per 100,000.

The highest rates have been among older people. Statistics show the deaths hit white people and American Indians especially hard.

Tragedies are happening across the country to people of all ages and races, however. A 43-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeff-gregorys-family?attribution_id=sl:b469a277-193c-47ae-92b7-1f10b7b2f863&amp;lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">Indiana father</a>&nbsp;died after a brief bout of the flu, according to family members. After two 10-year-olds died in Prince George’s County, Maryland, area schools&nbsp;<a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/flu-shot-student-deaths-prince-georges-county-madison-middle-school-hospitalized-fever-henos-eskender-public-schools-minka-greene" target="_blank">drew crowds</a>&nbsp;to vaccine clinics.

Doug Sides, a pastor at Yulee Baptist Church in northern Florida, has held funerals for three congregation members who died from flu — all within one month, all of them over 70 years old. That compares with only one victim of COVID-19 from his congregation during the pandemic, he said.

“Flu death is a reality,” Sides told Stateline on a phone call from a Jacksonville hospital, where he was visiting another 84-year-old congregation member who was rescued from her home with severe pneumonia from an unknown cause.

“I encourage my church members to keep their hands clean, use hand sanitizer and to stay home if they’re feeling sick,” he said. He said he hasn’t personally gotten a flu vaccine recently because he gets conflicting advice about it — some doctors tell him to avoid them because he and some family members have cancer, while another “rides me all the time about getting a flu shot.”

“We’re all getting conflicting advice. We’re living in strange-o times,” he said. (The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/infections/vaccination-during-cancer-treatment.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;says vaccination for people with cancer may or may not be recommended depending on individual circumstances.)

Many states are&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/28/vaccination-rates-are-declining-they-might-get-worse-as-states-relax-rules/">relaxing vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;as public skepticism rises. But many are taking action to warn residents and reassure them that vaccinations are safe and can help prevent deaths, despite misinformation to the contrary.

Burlington County, New Jersey, has had the highest flu-associated death rate of any county this year, according to the analysis, with 31 deaths among fewer than 500,000 people. The county held 30 free vaccine clinics from September to January, then extended them into February because of the severity of the flu season, said Dave Levinsky, a spokesperson for the county health department.

In Oklahoma, death rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/acute-disease-service/viral-view/influenza.html" target="_blank">highest in the eastern part of the state</a>&nbsp;where the Cherokee Nation is centered. A&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/personal-health/immunizations/fight-flu.html" target="_blank">state publicity campaign</a>&nbsp;stresses that flu shots are safe, effective and free at many community health centers. However, vaccination rates in the state are low compared with other states as of December, according to federal statistics: Only about 16% of Oklahoma residents had gotten flu vaccinations by then. Rates were even lower in Louisiana (just under 16%), Mississippi (12%) and Texas (10%).

States with the highest flu vaccination rates by December were Maine (37%), Connecticut and Vermont (33%), and Wisconsin and Minnesota (31%). But even those were down since 2022.

People have become less likely to get vaccinated in recent years, a phenomenon researchers call “vaccine hesitancy.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569234/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;published last year in the medical journal Cureus found three-quarters of patients in a rural New York state community refused flu vaccine with comments such as “I do not trust vaccines” or “I do not believe in vaccines.” The most common reasons cited were that earlier vaccinations made them feel sick, that they got the flu anyway, or that they thought they shouldn’t need a new shot every year. (Doctors recommend flu vaccinations annually and note that even vaccinated patients who get the flu usually face less severe forms.)

And in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X25001033" target="_blank">paper</a>&nbsp;published in February in the journal Vaccine, researchers found that people refuse flu vaccinations for many of the same reasons they refused COVID-19 shots: a feeling of “social vulnerability” that leads to distrust of government and medical guidance. One hopeful sign, the report noted, is that vaccine recommendations from trusted health care professionals can turn around such attitudes.

“Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is deeply entangled with misinformation, political rhetoric and public distrust,” said Khan, the Oregon pulmonologist and the study’s author. “Scientific data alone may not be enough to shift public perceptions, as many vaccine decisions are driven by gut feelings and external influences rather than evidence.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742732863479.png" alt=" A woman receives a flu vaccination at a recent clinic in Cambridge, Mass., conducted by health care providers from the Cambridge Health Alliance. Flu-related deaths are at a seven-year high as vaccination levels fall, according to a Stateline analysis. (Courtesy of the City of Cambridge)" />
 <figcaption> A woman receives a flu vaccination at a recent clinic in Cambridge, Mass., conducted by health care providers from the Cambridge Health Alliance. Flu-related deaths are at a seven-year high as vaccination levels fall, according to a Stateline analysis. (Courtesy of the City of Cambridge)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>More are dying from flu as the Trump administration postpones planning for next fall.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Americans are facing the highest death toll from influenza since 2018, just as more people become vulnerable because of growing vaccine skepticism taking hold in statehouses and the Trump administration.Flu-related deaths hit a seven-year high in January and February, the two months that usually account for the height of flu season, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary federal statistics. There were about 9,800 deaths across the country, up from 5,000 in the same period last year and the most since 2018, when there were about 10,800.Despite that, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has canceled or postponed meetings to prepare for next fall’s flu vaccine, when experts talk about what influenza strains they expect they’ll be battling.The cancellations raised protests from medical professionals and state and federal officials. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/amid-the-worst-influenza-season-in-a-decade-gillibrand-demands-answers-on-cancellation-and-postponement-of-advisory-committee-meetings-on-vaccinations/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that her state is having its worst flu season in at least 15 years, with more deaths from flu and other causes as the state’s health care system struggles under the strain of flu patients.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742732798762.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some experts say putting off vaccine planning will only feed false narratives that discourage lifesaving vaccinations.“These delays not only weaken pandemic preparedness but also undermine public confidence in vaccination efforts,” said Dr. Akram Khan, an Oregon pulmonologist and associate professor at Oregon Health &amp; Science University who has studied attitudes toward vaccines.U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/health/rfk-jr-vaccines-autism-video.html?unlocked_article_code=1.s04.B7NS.rhrHUA_r4ZKf&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">expressed doubt</a>&nbsp;about the need for vaccines, including flu vaccines, despite evidence that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations.Deaths fluctuate naturally from year to year depending on the severity of current flu strains and the effectiveness of that year’s vaccines. But some see a hesitancy to use any vaccine, fed by misinformation and political mistrust of government, already taking a toll on lives.“It’s been a bad winter for viral respiratory infections, not just in the United States but across the Northern Hemisphere,” said Mark Doherty, a vaccine scholar and former manager for GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, a vaccine manufacturer.“The U.S. does appear to be hit a bit harder, and it’s possible lower vaccination coverage is contributing to that,” Doherty said.Flu vaccine distribution in the United States has been declining in recent years, and as of the first week of 2025 was down 16% from 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccine-doses-distributed.html" target="_blank">federal statistics</a>.The flu was a factor in 9,800 deaths in January and February, according to the analysis, using provisional data collected by states and compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The highest death rates were in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Kentucky, all at about four deaths per 100,000 population so far this year. Some counties in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Oklahoma and Kentucky, were even higher — at about six deaths per 100,000.The highest rates have been among older people. Statistics show the deaths hit white people and American Indians especially hard.Tragedies are happening across the country to people of all ages and races, however. A 43-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeff-gregorys-family?attribution_id=sl:b469a277-193c-47ae-92b7-1f10b7b2f863&amp;lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">Indiana father</a>&nbsp;died after a brief bout of the flu, according to family members. After two 10-year-olds died in Prince George’s County, Maryland, area schools&nbsp;<a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/flu-shot-student-deaths-prince-georges-county-madison-middle-school-hospitalized-fever-henos-eskender-public-schools-minka-greene" target="_blank">drew crowds</a>&nbsp;to vaccine clinics.Doug Sides, a pastor at Yulee Baptist Church in northern Florida, has held funerals for three congregation members who died from flu — all within one month, all of them over 70 years old. That compares with only one victim of COVID-19 from his congregation during the pandemic, he said.“Flu death is a reality,” Sides told Stateline on a phone call from a Jacksonville hospital, where he was visiting another 84-year-old congregation member who was rescued from her home with severe pneumonia from an unknown cause.“I encourage my church members to keep their hands clean, use hand sanitizer and to stay home if they’re feeling sick,” he said. He said he hasn’t personally gotten a flu vaccine recently because he gets conflicting advice about it — some doctors tell him to avoid them because he and some family members have cancer, while another “rides me all the time about getting a flu shot.”“We’re all getting conflicting advice. We’re living in strange-o times,” he said. (The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/infections/vaccination-during-cancer-treatment.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;says vaccination for people with cancer may or may not be recommended depending on individual circumstances.)Many states are&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/28/vaccination-rates-are-declining-they-might-get-worse-as-states-relax-rules/">relaxing vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;as public skepticism rises. But many are taking action to warn residents and reassure them that vaccinations are safe and can help prevent deaths, despite misinformation to the contrary.Burlington County, New Jersey, has had the highest flu-associated death rate of any county this year, according to the analysis, with 31 deaths among fewer than 500,000 people. The county held 30 free vaccine clinics from September to January, then extended them into February because of the severity of the flu season, said Dave Levinsky, a spokesperson for the county health department.In Oklahoma, death rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/acute-disease-service/viral-view/influenza.html" target="_blank">highest in the eastern part of the state</a>&nbsp;where the Cherokee Nation is centered. A&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/personal-health/immunizations/fight-flu.html" target="_blank">state publicity campaign</a>&nbsp;stresses that flu shots are safe, effective and free at many community health centers. However, vaccination rates in the state are low compared with other states as of December, according to federal statistics: Only about 16% of Oklahoma residents had gotten flu vaccinations by then. Rates were even lower in Louisiana (just under 16%), Mississippi (12%) and Texas (10%).States with the highest flu vaccination rates by December were Maine (37%), Connecticut and Vermont (33%), and Wisconsin and Minnesota (31%). But even those were down since 2022.People have become less likely to get vaccinated in recent years, a phenomenon researchers call “vaccine hesitancy.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569234/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;published last year in the medical journal Cureus found three-quarters of patients in a rural New York state community refused flu vaccine with comments such as “I do not trust vaccines” or “I do not believe in vaccines.” The most common reasons cited were that earlier vaccinations made them feel sick, that they got the flu anyway, or that they thought they shouldn’t need a new shot every year. (Doctors recommend flu vaccinations annually and note that even vaccinated patients who get the flu usually face less severe forms.)And in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X25001033" target="_blank">paper</a>&nbsp;published in February in the journal Vaccine, researchers found that people refuse flu vaccinations for many of the same reasons they refused COVID-19 shots: a feeling of “social vulnerability” that leads to distrust of government and medical guidance. One hopeful sign, the report noted, is that vaccine recommendations from trusted health care professionals can turn around such attitudes.“Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is deeply entangled with misinformation, political rhetoric and public distrust,” said Khan, the Oregon pulmonologist and the study’s author. “Scientific data alone may not be enough to shift public perceptions, as many vaccine decisions are driven by gut feelings and external influences rather than evidence.”

Flu deaths rise as anti-vaccine disinformation takes root

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">planned satanic black mass</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas capitol has spurred policy changes, allegations of theft and religious debates as state leaders scramble to address&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/16/afraid-of-letting-satan-loose-in-the-kansas-statehouse-then-check-your-religion-at-the-door-too/">First Amendment concerns</a>&nbsp;with blocking satanists from their demonstration.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly censured the black mass in a statement March 12 and said participants weren’t allowed to demonstrate inside the capitol building.

Catholic organizations circulated petitions and urged legislators to step in.

Rumors swirled among Statehouse circles that the Satanic Grotto’s president had stolen materials used in the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist — an accusation bolstered by an archbishop’s lawsuit against the group’s leader.

Legislative leaders went a step further Tuesday and modified the Capitol’s building and grounds policies to change assembly rights for anyone who wants to demonstrate at the Statehouse — not just the Satanic Grotto.

The policy changes add three contingencies to the public’s use of common areas in the Statehouse and capitol grounds:

The Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of Republican and Democratic leadership, passed the changes unanimously at a meeting Tuesday following a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The legislative leaders called on the governor to use the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the black mass from occurring as scheduled on March 28.&nbsp;

“The Governor’s Office is reviewing actions from the Legislative Coordinating Council,” said Grace Hoge, a spokesperson for the governor.

Senate President Ty Masterson acknowledged in a statement that the First Amendment protects assembly and speech, including offensive speech.

“However, the First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,” he said. “Recent statements from an organization — which pledged to engage in such conduct — necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.”

Masterson was referring to alleged criminal conduct in a civil lawsuit against Michael Stewart, the president of the Satanic Grotto. Masterson also said lawmakers sent to the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation writings from Satanic Grotto members threatening legislators. It is unclear how current those writings were.

In a 44-page complaint filed Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann alleged that members of the Satanic Grotto, including Stewart and the Grotto’s vice president, stole consecrated hosts to use during the black mass. The allegation was based on phone conversations and posts on Reddit linked to Stewart’s username, “xsimon666x.”&nbsp;

In an interview Tuesday, Stewart denied the allegations and added that no one asked what consecration means to him.

“I find it very entertaining that he is convinced that I have Jesus trapped in a cracker and he would take it to court,” Stewart said.

He said his religion contains its own consecration rituals and that the Catholic Church has made “a lot of assumptions” about his religion. The satanic ritual of a black mass intentionally upends and mocks the ritual of a Catholic mass, often including a consecrated host. The Satanic Grotto is a nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with the recognized religion, the Satanic Temple.

Naumann, who plans at the same time as the planned black mass to preside over a holy hour and Catholic mass at the Assumption Church across the street from the Statehouse, said in the lawsuit the performance of a black mass directly harms the Catholic Church and Catholics across Kansas and the country.

“It is the conviction of the Catholic Church presented in its doctrinal teachings that the Consecrated Hosts and Wine are in fact the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present under the form of bread and wine,” the lawsuit read.

Catholic teachings outline specific rituals for the handling of sacramental objects. The suit alleges Stewart and his vice president aren’t qualified to handle such objects.

Naumann provided no evidence to show that archdiocesan property had been stolen.&nbsp;

Stewart said he “would think this whole thing was hilarious” if it weren’t for the Legislature changing state policy to address a single event.

“I think it’s because they’re afraid,” Stewart said.

Naumann demanded the lawsuit be resolved through a civil jury trial. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. No criminal charges had been filed against Stewart or other members of the Satanic Grotto as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.&nbsp;

The Satanic Grotto has changed its plans in response to Kelly’s decree and intends to demonstrate outside, as she prescribed, with the expectation that Catholic groups will be there to counter-protest. Stewart initially promised to enter the building, defying the governor in “a peaceful act of civil disobedience.”

Even with the policy changes, the lawsuit, which Stewart expects will be thrown out, and a statement from legislators condemning the event, Stewart is resolute.&nbsp;

“I will go to the capitol on March 28,” he said.

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held an impromptu hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which denounces the planned event as “a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill.”

The hearing, which only included testimony from the resolution’s supporters, also provoked discussions over legislators’ religious beliefs and whether lawmakers were considering First Amendment protections.

Rep. Dan Osman, an Overland Park Democrat, attributed the proponent-only testimony to the fact that the committee met outside of its scheduled time and parties were given less than 24 hours of notice to participate. He wanted to discuss the resolution at a later date, but a majority of committee members voted to advance it.&nbsp;

Osman called the resolution “shortsighted” because no one knows what will happen on March 28.

Other legislators questioned why they were spending time and resources to give the Satanic Grotto attention. Some supported the resolution as a way to stand up to the planned black mass and what some saw as anti-Catholic bigotry. Others voted against it to avoid treating one religion differently than others.

The resolution is not law and has no legal teeth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742388611692.png" alt="Michael Stewart, pictured here on March 14, 2025, is the president of the Satanic Grotto and the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City, Kansas, archbishop. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Michael Stewart, pictured here on March 14, 2025, is the president of the Satanic Grotto and the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City, Kansas, archbishop. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">planned satanic black mass</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas capitol has spurred policy changes, allegations of theft and religious debates as state leaders scramble to address&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/16/afraid-of-letting-satan-loose-in-the-kansas-statehouse-then-check-your-religion-at-the-door-too/">First Amendment concerns</a>&nbsp;with blocking satanists from their demonstration.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly censured the black mass in a statement March 12 and said participants weren’t allowed to demonstrate inside the capitol building.Catholic organizations circulated petitions and urged legislators to step in.Rumors swirled among Statehouse circles that the Satanic Grotto’s president had stolen materials used in the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist — an accusation bolstered by an archbishop’s lawsuit against the group’s leader.But the satanist group hasn’t budged.Legislative leaders went a step further Tuesday and modified the Capitol’s building and grounds policies to change assembly rights for anyone who wants to demonstrate at the Statehouse — not just the Satanic Grotto.The policy changes add three contingencies to the public’s use of common areas in the Statehouse and capitol grounds:<ul>
 <li>Organizations and individuals will not be permitted to “meet or gather when participation is limited or restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, cultural heritage or national origin or ancestry.”</li><li>People cannot gather if an individual has made a threat verified by state law enforcement “against the governor, a member of the Legislature or other public official.”</li><li>People cannot gather if a group or member of a group “has stated explicitly that the meeting or gathering will involve a violation of law.”</li>
 </ul>The Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of Republican and Democratic leadership, passed the changes unanimously at a meeting Tuesday following a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The legislative leaders called on the governor to use the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the black mass from occurring as scheduled on March 28.&nbsp;“The Governor’s Office is reviewing actions from the Legislative Coordinating Council,” said Grace Hoge, a spokesperson for the governor.Senate President Ty Masterson acknowledged in a statement that the First Amendment protects assembly and speech, including offensive speech.“However, the First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,” he said. “Recent statements from an organization — which pledged to engage in such conduct — necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.”Masterson was referring to alleged criminal conduct in a civil lawsuit against Michael Stewart, the president of the Satanic Grotto. Masterson also said lawmakers sent to the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation writings from Satanic Grotto members threatening legislators. It is unclear how current those writings were.In a 44-page complaint filed Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann alleged that members of the Satanic Grotto, including Stewart and the Grotto’s vice president, stole consecrated hosts to use during the black mass. The allegation was based on phone conversations and posts on Reddit linked to Stewart’s username, “xsimon666x.”&nbsp;In an interview Tuesday, Stewart denied the allegations and added that no one asked what consecration means to him.“I find it very entertaining that he is convinced that I have Jesus trapped in a cracker and he would take it to court,” Stewart said.He said his religion contains its own consecration rituals and that the Catholic Church has made “a lot of assumptions” about his religion. The satanic ritual of a black mass intentionally upends and mocks the ritual of a Catholic mass, often including a consecrated host. The Satanic Grotto is a nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with the recognized religion, the Satanic Temple.Naumann, who plans at the same time as the planned black mass to preside over a holy hour and Catholic mass at the Assumption Church across the street from the Statehouse, said in the lawsuit the performance of a black mass directly harms the Catholic Church and Catholics across Kansas and the country.“It is the conviction of the Catholic Church presented in its doctrinal teachings that the Consecrated Hosts and Wine are in fact the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present under the form of bread and wine,” the lawsuit read.Catholic teachings outline specific rituals for the handling of sacramental objects. The suit alleges Stewart and his vice president aren’t qualified to handle such objects.Naumann provided no evidence to show that archdiocesan property had been stolen.&nbsp;Stewart said he “would think this whole thing was hilarious” if it weren’t for the Legislature changing state policy to address a single event.“I think it’s because they’re afraid,” Stewart said.Naumann demanded the lawsuit be resolved through a civil jury trial. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. No criminal charges had been filed against Stewart or other members of the Satanic Grotto as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.&nbsp;The Satanic Grotto has changed its plans in response to Kelly’s decree and intends to demonstrate outside, as she prescribed, with the expectation that Catholic groups will be there to counter-protest. Stewart initially promised to enter the building, defying the governor in “a peaceful act of civil disobedience.”Even with the policy changes, the lawsuit, which Stewart expects will be thrown out, and a statement from legislators condemning the event, Stewart is resolute.&nbsp;“I will go to the capitol on March 28,” he said.The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held an impromptu hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which denounces the planned event as “a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill.”The hearing, which only included testimony from the resolution’s supporters, also provoked discussions over legislators’ religious beliefs and whether lawmakers were considering First Amendment protections.Rep. Dan Osman, an Overland Park Democrat, attributed the proponent-only testimony to the fact that the committee met outside of its scheduled time and parties were given less than 24 hours of notice to participate. He wanted to discuss the resolution at a later date, but a majority of committee members voted to advance it.&nbsp;Osman called the resolution “shortsighted” because no one knows what will happen on March 28.Other legislators questioned why they were spending time and resources to give the Satanic Grotto attention. Some supported the resolution as a way to stand up to the planned black mass and what some saw as anti-Catholic bigotry. Others voted against it to avoid treating one religion differently than others.The resolution is not law and has no legal teeth.

Kansas legislators, archbishop take action against satanists and their planned black mass

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday released their preliminary report on the incident that led to the gas line explosion and fire on Feb. 22. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD25FR003.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to read the full preliminary report&nbsp;</a>

In the first portion of the report, the NTSB states that an underline gas leak resulted in a commercial building explosion which destroyed the building and caused an evacuation of the surrounding community. &nbsp;&nbsp;

No injuries or deaths occurred and the NTSB states that the damages are to be approximately $975,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report states that the Reno County dispatch received a gas odor report from the public at approximately 9:26 a.m., and that Hutchinson Fire Department arrived on the scene approximately seven minutes later at 9:33 a.m. &nbsp;

After the explosion ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service, excavated the area exposing approximately 120-feet of the ten-inch steel gas main. &nbsp;During the excavation, a leak was found at a girth weld, which is where two gas pipes are welded along their circumference. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The NTSB while on scene conducted a visual examination of the pipeline, collected physical evidence and conducted interviews. &nbsp;A portion of the gas line was later transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington DC for evaluation and testing. &nbsp;&nbsp;Currently the investigation by the NTSB is ongoing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report says that future investigative activity will focus on previous failures and the leak history of the pipeline as well as aspects o ONE Gas’s integrity management program and state regulatory oversite; ONE Gas emergency response training and ONE Gas’s leak response, safety management system program and isolation planning tool. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742323605763.png" alt="Photo NTSB report" />
 <figcaption>Photo NTSB report</figcaption>
 </figure>The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday released their preliminary report on the incident that led to the gas line explosion and fire on Feb. 22. &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/PLD25FR003.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to read the full preliminary report&nbsp;</a>In the first portion of the report, the NTSB states that an underline gas leak resulted in a commercial building explosion which destroyed the building and caused an evacuation of the surrounding community. &nbsp;&nbsp;No injuries or deaths occurred and the NTSB states that the damages are to be approximately $975,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740255614106.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department (file photo)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department (file photo)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The report states that the Reno County dispatch received a gas odor report from the public at approximately 9:26 a.m., and that Hutchinson Fire Department arrived on the scene approximately seven minutes later at 9:33 a.m. &nbsp;After the explosion ONE Gas, the parent company of Kansas Gas Service, excavated the area exposing approximately 120-feet of the ten-inch steel gas main. &nbsp;During the excavation, a leak was found at a girth weld, which is where two gas pipes are welded along their circumference. &nbsp;&nbsp;The NTSB while on scene conducted a visual examination of the pipeline, collected physical evidence and conducted interviews. &nbsp;A portion of the gas line was later transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington DC for evaluation and testing. &nbsp;&nbsp;Currently the investigation by the NTSB is ongoing. &nbsp;&nbsp;The report says that future investigative activity will focus on previous failures and the leak history of the pipeline as well as aspects o ONE Gas’s integrity management program and state regulatory oversite; ONE Gas emergency response training and ONE Gas’s leak response, safety management system program and isolation planning tool. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Read the NTSB preliminary report on the gas explosion in Hutchinson

KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. 

The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. 

Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742306039181.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742305766866.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.

Arson investigation: Tesla Cyber trucks burn at KC dealership

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline McConnell’s 2026 Frontiers in Flight Open House and Air Show, now scheduled for Oct. 17-18, 2026, according to a statement from the base.

The Thunderbirds are the Air Force’s premier aerial demonstration team, performing precision aerial maneuvers displaying Air Force high-performance aircraft to people worldwide. The show involves a mix of precision formation flying and intense solo routines demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force pilots and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The Thunderbirds last performed above the Wichita skies in September 2022.

Over 65,000 visitors arrived on day one of McConnell’s last air show on Aug. 24, 2024. The show never continued its second day after an unexpected wet microburst brought 54 mph wind gusts and torrential rain, leaving debris strewn around the flightline and air acts unable to operate safely.

The base looks forward to milder October weather and a historically lower chance of precipitation during next year’s show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741967975433.png" alt="U.S. Air Force Thunderbird F-16 Fighting Falcons flies under a KC-135A, over the United States Aug. 16, 2024. The F-16 has a wingspan of 32 feet 8 inches. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Paula Arce)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Air Force Thunderbird F-16 Fighting Falcons flies under a KC-135A, over the United States Aug. 16, 2024. The F-16 has a wingspan of 32 feet 8 inches. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Paula Arce)</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline McConnell’s 2026 Frontiers in Flight Open House and Air Show, now scheduled for Oct. 17-18, 2026, according to a statement from the base.The Thunderbirds are the Air Force’s premier aerial demonstration team, performing precision aerial maneuvers displaying Air Force high-performance aircraft to people worldwide. The show involves a mix of precision formation flying and intense solo routines demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force pilots and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741968104926.png" alt="The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" perform air shows across the United States from March-November, 2023. During the 2023 season, the Thunderbirds performed 63 demonstrations across 32 locations as they celebrated their 70th anniversary. (U.S. Air Force video by Staff Sgt. Dakota Carter)" />
 <figcaption>The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" perform air shows across the United States from March-November, 2023. During the 2023 season, the Thunderbirds performed 63 demonstrations across 32 locations as they celebrated their 70th anniversary. (U.S. Air Force video by Staff Sgt. Dakota Carter)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Thunderbirds last performed above the Wichita skies in September 2022.Over 65,000 visitors arrived on day one of McConnell’s last air show on Aug. 24, 2024. The show never continued its second day after an unexpected wet microburst brought 54 mph wind gusts and torrential rain, leaving debris strewn around the flightline and air acts unable to operate safely.The base looks forward to milder October weather and a historically lower chance of precipitation during next year’s show.

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds set to return to Kansas air show

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a statement Wednesday about a “Black Mass” event scheduled for March 28, at the Kansas Statehouse.

The Satanic Grotto announced on social media they organized an event for inside the Capitol building that day.

(The video below is for mature audiences only)

In a statement from office, Governor Kelly wrote, "I have been informed about concerns regarding an event at the Statehouse on March 28, and I share those concerns.&nbsp; There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols."

"However, as governor, I also have a duty to protect protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful I might find the content to be."Since these rights are constitutionally protected, the Governor’s Office has limited authority to respond to such actions."

"That said, it is important to keep the Statehouse open and accessible to the public while ensuring all necessary health and safety regulations are enforced."Therefore, all events planned for March 28 will be moved outdoors to the grounds surrounding the Statehouse. Again, no protests will be allowed inside the Statehouse on March 28."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741797937973.png" alt="Satanic Grotto" />
 <figcaption>Satanic Grotto</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a statement Wednesday about a “Black Mass” event scheduled for March 28, at the Kansas Statehouse.The Satanic Grotto announced on social media they organized an event for inside the Capitol building that day.(The video below is for mature audiences only)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheSatanicGrotto%2Fvideos%2F1710299846574282%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=1" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>In a statement from office, Governor Kelly wrote, "I have been informed about concerns regarding an event at the Statehouse on March 28, and I share those concerns.&nbsp; There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols.""However, as governor, I also have a duty to protect protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful I might find the content to be."Since these rights are constitutionally protected, the Governor’s Office has limited authority to respond to such actions.""That said, it is important to keep the Statehouse open and accessible to the public while ensuring all necessary health and safety regulations are enforced."Therefore, all events planned for March 28 will be moved outdoors to the grounds surrounding the Statehouse. Again, no protests will be allowed inside the Statehouse on March 28."

🎥Governor moves controversial 'Black Mass' outside Kansas Statehouse

Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.

O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education.

&nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.

O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. 

O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.

O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. 

"While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”

"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler."

"Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”

O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741707494446.png" alt="-Charlotte O'Hara" />
 <figcaption>-Charlotte O'Hara</figcaption>
 </figure>Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education. &nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. "While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler.""Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

Former state representative announces run for Kan. governor

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</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 — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and transfer work on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traffic control system to presidential adviser Elon Musk’s own company.

Davids, the 3rd District Democrat who serves on the aviation subcommittee of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the potential deal with Musk raised conflict-of-interest issues.

Starlink is part of Musk’s SpaceX satellite and rocket company — a business rival of Verizon. Musk also was hired by Trump to lead an effort to reduce federal government spending, including at the FAA.

“Elon Musk’s reported interference in a competitively awarded FAA contract is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about conflicts of interest,” Davids said. “Aviation safety — not private gain — must be the priority in our air traffic control system.”

Verizon was issued a 15-year contract in 2023 to integrate fiber-optic cables into the network allowing FAA facilities to communicate. The current federal air traffic control system is the responsibility of L3Harris, not Verizon, but Musk has repeatedly blamed Verizon for technology shortcomings.

“The administration must ensure federal contracts are awarded through a fair and transparent process, not at the whim of a billionaire with political ties to those in power,” Davids said.

In the past week, The New York Times, CNN and other news outlets reported Musk was interested in deploying his own company, Starlink, to operate the federal air traffic control system. The Trump administration has allowed Starlink equipment to be tested at at least two airports.

The issue of aviation safety was brought into focus for the Kansas congressional delegation Jan. 29 when American Airlines Flight 5342 originating from Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita collided mid-air with a U.S. Army helicopter while over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.

All 67 people aboard the aircraft, including Kansans, were killed in the first major U.S. commercial passenger flight crash in more than 15 years.

In aftermath of the accident, members of the Kansas congressional delegation shared empathy for victims and their families and vowed to make certain the crash was thoroughly investigated. Five of the six members of the delegation took part in a moment of silence on the U.S. House chamber.

“Together, we commit to finding answers, and to working to ensure another tragedy like this doesn’t happen again,” said U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving the 4th District centered on Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741033089425.png" alt=" Kansas Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, said the suggestion from billionaire Elon Musk, a budget adviser to President Donald Trump, to cancel Verizon’s $2.4 billion, 15-year contract with FAA and hand that work to his own company Starlink created a conflict of interest. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, said the suggestion from billionaire Elon Musk, a budget adviser to President Donald Trump, to cancel Verizon’s $2.4 billion, 15-year contract with FAA and hand that work to his own company Starlink created a conflict of interest. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</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 — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and transfer work on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traffic control system to presidential adviser Elon Musk’s own company.Davids, the 3rd District Democrat who serves on the aviation subcommittee of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the potential deal with Musk raised conflict-of-interest issues.Starlink is part of Musk’s SpaceX satellite and rocket company — a business rival of Verizon. Musk also was hired by Trump to lead an effort to reduce federal government spending, including at the FAA.“Elon Musk’s reported interference in a competitively awarded FAA contract is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about conflicts of interest,” Davids said. “Aviation safety — not private gain — must be the priority in our air traffic control system.”Verizon was issued a 15-year contract in 2023 to integrate fiber-optic cables into the network allowing FAA facilities to communicate. The current federal air traffic control system is the responsibility of L3Harris, not Verizon, but Musk has repeatedly blamed Verizon for technology shortcomings.“The administration must ensure federal contracts are awarded through a fair and transparent process, not at the whim of a billionaire with political ties to those in power,” Davids said.In the past week, The New York Times, CNN and other news outlets reported Musk was interested in deploying his own company, Starlink, to operate the federal air traffic control system. The Trump administration has allowed Starlink equipment to be tested at at least two airports.The issue of aviation safety was brought into focus for the Kansas congressional delegation Jan. 29 when American Airlines Flight 5342 originating from Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita collided mid-air with a U.S. Army helicopter while over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.All 67 people aboard the aircraft, including Kansans, were killed in the first major U.S. commercial passenger flight crash in more than 15 years.In aftermath of the accident, members of the Kansas congressional delegation shared empathy for victims and their families and vowed to make certain the crash was thoroughly investigated. Five of the six members of the delegation took part in a moment of silence on the U.S. House chamber.“Together, we commit to finding answers, and to working to ensure another tragedy like this doesn’t happen again,” said U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving the 4th District centered on Wichita.

Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids objects to Musk’s call for cancellation of $2.4 billion FAA contract

BUTLER COUNTY, MO—Authorities are investigating a fatal home explosion and fire that left two children dead in rural Butler, Missouri.

Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call of a home explosion and fire, according to the Bates County Sheriff’s Office.

First responders were met with a fully engulfed home. Five people were reported to be living at the residence.&nbsp; Three of the five occupants were able to make it out of the house. Two children both age 2 were not able to be immediately rescued. 

Fire units arrived on scene and requested assistance from additional agencies. Rescue efforts were unsuccessful due to the heavy fire in the residence. 

 Both children were eventually pronounced deceased by the Bates County Coroner on scene.   The three people that were able to make it out of the house were transported to the hospital for treatment.   The fire is being investigated by the Bates County Sheriffs Office and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740963768094.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY, MO—Authorities are investigating a fatal home explosion and fire that left two children dead in rural Butler, Missouri.Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call of a home explosion and fire, according to the Bates County Sheriff’s Office.First responders were met with a fully engulfed home. Five people were reported to be living at the residence.&nbsp; Three of the five occupants were able to make it out of the house. Two children both age 2 were not able to be immediately rescued. Fire units arrived on scene and requested assistance from additional agencies. Rescue efforts were unsuccessful due to the heavy fire in the residence. Both children were eventually pronounced deceased by the Bates County Coroner on scene. The three people that were able to make it out of the house were transported to the hospital for treatment. The fire is being investigated by the Bates County Sheriffs Office and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office. &nbsp;

Two children dead after rural Missouri home explosion, fire

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

Only surgical abortions will be offered initially as the clinics await state approval to restart medication abortions

Two of Missouri’s nine Planned Parenthood clinics are poised to start performing regularly-scheduled surgical abortions next week, though clinic leadership says access to medication abortions is in the hands of the state.&nbsp;

The first elective abortion in Missouri since the procedure was banned in 2022 was performed earlier this month in a Kansas City Planned Parenthood clinic. It will now be offering regular appointments for surgical abortions along with the clinic in Columbia, which has not offered the procedure since 2018.&nbsp;

Two weeks ago, Jackson County judge Jerri Zhang&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">struck down the final few regulations for Missouri abortion providers</a>, calling them “unnecessary” and “discriminatory,” opening the door for abortions to resume.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/06/missouri-planned-parenthood-clinics-delay-abortion-amendment-3-lawsuit/">The regulations run afoul of the constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;granting the right to abortion, which voters passed in November as Amendment 3.

Among these now defunct regulations is a requirement that abortion clinics submit a complication plan for medication abortions.

While Zhang blocked the regulations connected to the complication plan, the statute itself remains, said Emily Wales, president and CEO with Planned Parenthood Great Plains.&nbsp;

Wales said Planned Parenthood submitted a complication plan to the state last week, but there has been no indication as to how long it will take to review the plans. Until that approval arrives, medication abortions cannot begin, Wales said.&nbsp;

“I do not have an anticipated timeline for approval or denial of the pending complication plans,”&nbsp;Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services&nbsp;spokeswoman Sami Jo Freeman said in an email.

Freeman confirmed the plans were received from both Planned Parenthood affiliates the Thursday and Friday prior. &nbsp;

“We’re in uncharted territory here, because we don’t have regulations that tie to the statute, because they’re blocked,” Wales said. “I would be somewhat surprised if (the state) came back and said they are fine with the plan.”

<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020" target="_blank">In 2023, 63% of abortions in the United States took place using medication</a>&nbsp;rather than surgical procedures, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group. That number is increasing as the number of states with bans and restrictions on abortions grow.&nbsp;

In states where abortion is legal, medication that induces a miscarriage is available to patients in their first trimester of pregnancy. Patients typically take two doses of medication, the second of which is often taken at home. In recent years, a growing number of women have been ordering abortion medication from online providers in the United States and abroad.

Wales said Planned Parenthood’s clinics in Kansas City and Columbia are stocked with abortion medication and ready to administer it as soon as the state allows. Leadership at the clinic in St. Louis said they are also ready to begin providing the medication as soon as the state green lights it.

“We are hoping that the state acts in good faith,” Wales said. “And recognizes that our process for managing complications is in line with the standard of care nationally.”

Abortions to resume in Columbia, Kansas City

The first elective abortion to take place in Columbia since 2018 is scheduled for Monday.

Nearly seven years ago, the clinic in central Missouri stopped seeing abortion patients after a new law required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.&nbsp;

Soon, appointments will be available at least one day a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Kansas City clinic, located 125 miles west on Interstate 70, performed the first elective abortion in nearly three years in Missouri on Feb. 15. No other patients have undergone the procedure since.&nbsp;

But beginning Wednesday, the clinic will begin seeing patients for regularly-scheduled surgical abortions at least one day a week. Initially, they are scheduling patients up until 12 weeks in pregnancy, but Wales said they intend to expand the gestational age as they figure out scheduling.&nbsp;

The clinic also hopes to expand the pain management offered for surgical abortions. Initially, they plan to offer patients Valium and local anesthetic. Down the road Wales said they hope to also offer IV sedation.

The lag between the first abortion patient and the second was due to logistics. But weather and a holiday weekend also played a role.&nbsp;

A snowstorm that week forced the clinic to cancel other appointments and the physicians who came in to perform the first abortion hadn’t been scheduled to work the weekend of President’s Day. Instead, they offered to come in on their day off to take part in the historic moment.

While Columbia and Kansas City will only be offering appointments one day a week for the first couple months, both hope to expand as they adjust providers’ schedules and new staff physicians come on board.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which runs clinics in Kansas, Western Missouri and Oklahoma, has five physicians based in the Kansas City area. Wales said they hope to add at least one more staff physician in the coming months. The clinics also rely on a network of about half a dozen out-of-state contracted physicians to coordinate care at the clinics, which primarily includes contraceptives, STI testing, cancer screenings and wellness checks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The equipment used in surgical abortions has been on a tri-state tour in recent years, Wales said. After the Columbia clinic ended the procedure, the equipment went to Oklahoma, which at the time was seeing a surge in Texans following that state’s 6-week ban. When Oklahoma’s ban went into effect, the equipment was sent to Kansas as more Texans and Oklahomans started traveling north for the procedure.&nbsp;

Wales said it’s not immediately clear what the demand for abortion appointments will be in Missouri. In 2023, Kansas saw a 58% increase in abortion appointments as bans took effect in neighboring states. Wales is anticipating the clinics in Columbia and Kansas City could see patients traveling in from Iowa, Arkansas and even Louisiana.&nbsp;

“One of the challenges for us is that we still have an overwhelming need in Kansas, and we’re going to have to take some time to figure out how patients travel,” Wales said. “If the demand is higher in Missouri, we will increase access there.”

No set date to begin abortions again in St. Louis

The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis’ Central West End was the last clinic in Missouri to provide an abortion before Roe v. Wade was overturned.&nbsp;

Clinic leadership, wary of the ongoing court battle, has not yet started scheduling out abortion appointments in St. Louis.

Dr. Margaret Baum, interim chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which runs clinics in eastern and southern Missouri and southern Illinois, said it was too soon to provide a timeline of when surgical abortions will return to St. Louis.

“We moved all of our services to Illinois, our nursing staff, our anesthesia equipment, physician presence, all of those things,” she said. “So it’s going to take a little bit of time to bring things back to Missouri.”&nbsp;

The St. Louis location previously offered abortions up to 21 weeks, six days gestation. Baum said she imagines they will offer the procedure up until that point again once services restart.&nbsp;

A 20 minute drive across the river in Fairview Heights, Illinois, patients can be seen up to 28 weeks, six days gestation.

While a lot of uncertainty remains around surgical abortions, Baum said the St. Louis clinic is ready to start providing medication abortions as soon as the state clears them to do so.&nbsp;

But even though medication abortion is easier to provide — it requires fewer staff and less equipment —&nbsp;Baum said the clinics in Springfield and Rolla won’t be able to make the medication available to patients because neither clinic has doctors on staff, citing a state law that requires only physicians perform the procedure.&nbsp;

She said bringing physicians to Springfield and Rolla “is certainly a discussion, but “right now, we have to focus our physician power in our very, very busy service in Illinois, and bringing things back to Missouri.”

Baum is one of two long-term staff physicians and one contracted physician at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers.&nbsp;

When she started at Planned Parenthood in St. Louis several years ago, an ultrasound technician saw patients, then Baum reviewed the ultrasound images before moving on with the procedure. But then Missouri law changed and suddenly she was required to do the ultrasound, cutting into her time with other patients.&nbsp;

Then came the mandatory 72 hour waiting period between seeing a provider and having an abortion. That was followed by a requirement that the same physician who walked the patient through the required informed consent process also be the one to do their abortion 72 hours later.&nbsp;

Across the river in Illinois, there was no waiting period, no physician consent requirement and no pelvic exam required for medication abortions.&nbsp;

While Baum said Planned Parenthood celebrated the judge’s most recent decision, many are also wary of what the state could do next.&nbsp;

This legislative session, dozens of bills have been filed seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/19/missouri-born-alive-survivors-bill-abortion-medication-lawsuits/">restrict Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;This includes multiple proposed constitutional amendments seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">put an abortion ban on the ballot</a>&nbsp;as soon as this year.

“It is important to remember that while we celebrated this victory last Friday, it is temporary, so we are still a little bit nervous that things could change,” she said. “We don’t know what will happen in January, when the actual court case takes place. So before we put too much effort into reopening services in St. Louis, if things could then change, we still have to focus where we have this facility in Illinois, to keep that running.”&nbsp;

Legal battles continue to complicate planning

On Saturday, Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a request for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, asking a Cole County judge to temporarily halt the Columbia and Kansas City clinics from performing abortions. The state has been attempting to move Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit against the state from Jackson County to Cole County.

The filing is part of a separate lawsuit filed late last year by the attorney general’s office arguing that Planned Parenthood doesn’t have the grounds to sue because of a 2010 settlement agreement between Planned Parenthood and the state.&nbsp;

“More than anything, I think it’s an attempt to get out of a court where they’re unhappy with the outcomes they’re seeing,” Wales said. “But also to delay, distract and prevent Missourians from access and care.”

Planned Parenthood has requested that the case be transferred to Jackson County. A status hearing in the Cole County case is scheduled for March 12.

Bailey is also expected to appeal the most recent order out of Jackson County which allowed Planned Parenthood to restart surgical abortions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740781567276.png" alt="A surgical room is prepped for patients on Friday, June 21, 2024, at Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Overland Park, Kansas (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>A surgical room is prepped for patients on Friday, June 21, 2024, at Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Overland Park, Kansas (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Only surgical abortions will be offered initially as the clinics await state approval to restart medication abortions</h2>Two of Missouri’s nine Planned Parenthood clinics are poised to start performing regularly-scheduled surgical abortions next week, though clinic leadership says access to medication abortions is in the hands of the state.&nbsp;The first elective abortion in Missouri since the procedure was banned in 2022 was performed earlier this month in a Kansas City Planned Parenthood clinic. It will now be offering regular appointments for surgical abortions along with the clinic in Columbia, which has not offered the procedure since 2018.&nbsp;Two weeks ago, Jackson County judge Jerri Zhang&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">struck down the final few regulations for Missouri abortion providers</a>, calling them “unnecessary” and “discriminatory,” opening the door for abortions to resume.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/06/missouri-planned-parenthood-clinics-delay-abortion-amendment-3-lawsuit/">The regulations run afoul of the constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;granting the right to abortion, which voters passed in November as Amendment 3.Among these now defunct regulations is a requirement that abortion clinics submit a complication plan for medication abortions.While Zhang blocked the regulations connected to the complication plan, the statute itself remains, said Emily Wales, president and CEO with Planned Parenthood Great Plains.&nbsp;Wales said Planned Parenthood submitted a complication plan to the state last week, but there has been no indication as to how long it will take to review the plans. Until that approval arrives, medication abortions cannot begin, Wales said.&nbsp;“I do not have an anticipated timeline for approval or denial of the pending complication plans,”&nbsp;Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services&nbsp;spokeswoman Sami Jo Freeman said in an email.Freeman confirmed the plans were received from both Planned Parenthood affiliates the Thursday and Friday prior. &nbsp;“We’re in uncharted territory here, because we don’t have regulations that tie to the statute, because they’re blocked,” Wales said. “I would be somewhat surprised if (the state) came back and said they are fine with the plan.”<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020" target="_blank">In 2023, 63% of abortions in the United States took place using medication</a>&nbsp;rather than surgical procedures, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group. That number is increasing as the number of states with bans and restrictions on abortions grow.&nbsp;In states where abortion is legal, medication that induces a miscarriage is available to patients in their first trimester of pregnancy. Patients typically take two doses of medication, the second of which is often taken at home. In recent years, a growing number of women have been ordering abortion medication from online providers in the United States and abroad.Wales said Planned Parenthood’s clinics in Kansas City and Columbia are stocked with abortion medication and ready to administer it as soon as the state allows. Leadership at the clinic in St. Louis said they are also ready to begin providing the medication as soon as the state green lights it.“We are hoping that the state acts in good faith,” Wales said. “And recognizes that our process for managing complications is in line with the standard of care nationally.”<h2>Abortions to resume in Columbia, Kansas City</h2>The first elective abortion to take place in Columbia since 2018 is scheduled for Monday.Nearly seven years ago, the clinic in central Missouri stopped seeing abortion patients after a new law required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.&nbsp;Soon, appointments will be available at least one day a week.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Kansas City clinic, located 125 miles west on Interstate 70, performed the first elective abortion in nearly three years in Missouri on Feb. 15. No other patients have undergone the procedure since.&nbsp;But beginning Wednesday, the clinic will begin seeing patients for regularly-scheduled surgical abortions at least one day a week. Initially, they are scheduling patients up until 12 weeks in pregnancy, but Wales said they intend to expand the gestational age as they figure out scheduling.&nbsp;The clinic also hopes to expand the pain management offered for surgical abortions. Initially, they plan to offer patients Valium and local anesthetic. Down the road Wales said they hope to also offer IV sedation.The lag between the first abortion patient and the second was due to logistics. But weather and a holiday weekend also played a role.&nbsp;A snowstorm that week forced the clinic to cancel other appointments and the physicians who came in to perform the first abortion hadn’t been scheduled to work the weekend of President’s Day. Instead, they offered to come in on their day off to take part in the historic moment.While Columbia and Kansas City will only be offering appointments one day a week for the first couple months, both hope to expand as they adjust providers’ schedules and new staff physicians come on board.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which runs clinics in Kansas, Western Missouri and Oklahoma, has five physicians based in the Kansas City area. Wales said they hope to add at least one more staff physician in the coming months. The clinics also rely on a network of about half a dozen out-of-state contracted physicians to coordinate care at the clinics, which primarily includes contraceptives, STI testing, cancer screenings and wellness checks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The equipment used in surgical abortions has been on a tri-state tour in recent years, Wales said. After the Columbia clinic ended the procedure, the equipment went to Oklahoma, which at the time was seeing a surge in Texans following that state’s 6-week ban. When Oklahoma’s ban went into effect, the equipment was sent to Kansas as more Texans and Oklahomans started traveling north for the procedure.&nbsp;Now, it’s back in Columbia.&nbsp;Wales said it’s not immediately clear what the demand for abortion appointments will be in Missouri. In 2023, Kansas saw a 58% increase in abortion appointments as bans took effect in neighboring states. Wales is anticipating the clinics in Columbia and Kansas City could see patients traveling in from Iowa, Arkansas and even Louisiana.&nbsp;“One of the challenges for us is that we still have an overwhelming need in Kansas, and we’re going to have to take some time to figure out how patients travel,” Wales said. “If the demand is higher in Missouri, we will increase access there.”<h2>No set date to begin abortions again in St. Louis</h2>The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis’ Central West End was the last clinic in Missouri to provide an abortion before Roe v. Wade was overturned.&nbsp;Clinic leadership, wary of the ongoing court battle, has not yet started scheduling out abortion appointments in St. Louis.Dr. Margaret Baum, interim chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which runs clinics in eastern and southern Missouri and southern Illinois, said it was too soon to provide a timeline of when surgical abortions will return to St. Louis.“We moved all of our services to Illinois, our nursing staff, our anesthesia equipment, physician presence, all of those things,” she said. “So it’s going to take a little bit of time to bring things back to Missouri.”&nbsp;The St. Louis location previously offered abortions up to 21 weeks, six days gestation. Baum said she imagines they will offer the procedure up until that point again once services restart.&nbsp;A 20 minute drive across the river in Fairview Heights, Illinois, patients can be seen up to 28 weeks, six days gestation.While a lot of uncertainty remains around surgical abortions, Baum said the St. Louis clinic is ready to start providing medication abortions as soon as the state clears them to do so.&nbsp;But even though medication abortion is easier to provide — it requires fewer staff and less equipment —&nbsp;Baum said the clinics in Springfield and Rolla won’t be able to make the medication available to patients because neither clinic has doctors on staff, citing a state law that requires only physicians perform the procedure.&nbsp;She said bringing physicians to Springfield and Rolla “is certainly a discussion, but “right now, we have to focus our physician power in our very, very busy service in Illinois, and bringing things back to Missouri.”Baum is one of two long-term staff physicians and one contracted physician at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers.&nbsp;When she started at Planned Parenthood in St. Louis several years ago, an ultrasound technician saw patients, then Baum reviewed the ultrasound images before moving on with the procedure. But then Missouri law changed and suddenly she was required to do the ultrasound, cutting into her time with other patients.&nbsp;Then came the mandatory 72 hour waiting period between seeing a provider and having an abortion. That was followed by a requirement that the same physician who walked the patient through the required informed consent process also be the one to do their abortion 72 hours later.&nbsp;Across the river in Illinois, there was no waiting period, no physician consent requirement and no pelvic exam required for medication abortions.&nbsp;While Baum said Planned Parenthood celebrated the judge’s most recent decision, many are also wary of what the state could do next.&nbsp;This legislative session, dozens of bills have been filed seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/19/missouri-born-alive-survivors-bill-abortion-medication-lawsuits/">restrict Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;This includes multiple proposed constitutional amendments seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">put an abortion ban on the ballot</a>&nbsp;as soon as this year.“It is important to remember that while we celebrated this victory last Friday, it is temporary, so we are still a little bit nervous that things could change,” she said. “We don’t know what will happen in January, when the actual court case takes place. So before we put too much effort into reopening services in St. Louis, if things could then change, we still have to focus where we have this facility in Illinois, to keep that running.”&nbsp;<h2>Legal battles continue to complicate planning</h2>On Saturday, Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a request for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, asking a Cole County judge to temporarily halt the Columbia and Kansas City clinics from performing abortions. The state has been attempting to move Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit against the state from Jackson County to Cole County.The filing is part of a separate lawsuit filed late last year by the attorney general’s office arguing that Planned Parenthood doesn’t have the grounds to sue because of a 2010 settlement agreement between Planned Parenthood and the state.&nbsp;“More than anything, I think it’s an attempt to get out of a court where they’re unhappy with the outcomes they’re seeing,” Wales said. “But also to delay, distract and prevent Missourians from access and care.”Planned Parenthood has requested that the case be transferred to Jackson County. A status hearing in the Cole County case is scheduled for March 12.Bailey is also expected to appeal the most recent order out of Jackson County which allowed Planned Parenthood to restart surgical abortions.In an email Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the attorney general said the office intends to appeal the judge’s Feb. 14 order “immediately.” As of Thursday, the office had not filed an appeal.

Kbct