A central Kansas woman recently had a front-row seat—and a hands-on role—in one of the most iconic&nbsp;New Year’s Day traditions in the country.&nbsp;

Shirley Nisly of Pleasant View Home Improvements traveled to California over the Christmas holiday to volunteer on float construction for the&nbsp;Tournament of Roses Parade&nbsp;in Pasadena.&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;joined hundreds of volunteers from service organizations across the country who help bring the elaborate floral floats to life each year.&nbsp;

Nisly&nbsp;said she was invited through a Rotary Club connection after her sister, a member of the Rotary Club in Camarillo, California, encouraged her to apply for a volunteer shift.&nbsp;

“It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,”&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;said. “It’s something you really can’t appreciate unless you’re there, in the middle of it.”&nbsp;

A year-long process behind a single parade&nbsp;

While the parade itself lasts only a few hours, Nisly learned that float creation is a&nbsp;nearly year-round&nbsp;effort. Designers begin planning the next year’s floats the day after the parade concludes, with construction taking place in massive “float barns” around the Pasadena area.&nbsp;

Nisly&nbsp;worked in a 110,000-square-foot facility in Irwindale, California, where 14 of the parade’s 39 floats were assembled. More than 1,000 volunteers representing organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, Trader Joe’s, and others worked simultaneously in the barn.&nbsp;

“All of the floats are built in stages and inspected constantly,”&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;said. “There’s&nbsp;no such thing as ‘good enough.’ Everything&nbsp;has to&nbsp;be perfect.”&nbsp;

All-natural,&nbsp;down&nbsp;to the smallest detail&nbsp;

One of the&nbsp;parade’s&nbsp;most surprising rules, Nisly said, is that&nbsp;nearly everything&nbsp;on the floats must be natural. Aside from the metal frame and Styrofoam base, all decorations—flowers, seeds, leaves, beans, and grains—must be real and unaltered.&nbsp;

“They are extremely particular,” she said. “I actually got in trouble for taking a photo near containers of seeds because it could affect their quality.”&nbsp;

Volunteers worked on detailed tasks such as cutting leaf patterns for tree trunks, gluing split peas into precise rows, and applying flowers with&nbsp;different types&nbsp;of glue depending on drying time and placement.&nbsp;

“At one point, one split pea in my row wasn’t perfectly straight,”&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;said. “I had to take off two rows and redo it.”&nbsp;

High pressure as judging approaches&nbsp;

Float judging takes&nbsp;place&nbsp;the morning of December 31, a day before the parade. By the time&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;arrived for her volunteer shift—Christmas week—the pressure was mounting.&nbsp;

“All animation, music, performers, and floral elements have to be finished for judging,” she said. “That’s when the stress really kicks in.”&nbsp;

Nisly&nbsp;worked on a Rotary International float that measured approximately 45 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 20 feet tall. Despite its modest size compared to others, the float required an estimated 6,000 volunteer hours to complete.&nbsp;

The effort paid off. The Rotary float earned the&nbsp;Tournament Volunteer Award for Most Outstanding Floral, recognizing that&nbsp;roughly 90 percent&nbsp;of the work was done by volunteers.&nbsp;

Massive costs and modern technology&nbsp;

According to Nisly, float budgets range from approximately $275,000 to more than $550,000, with some of the largest floats—such as Trader Joe’s—approaching $700,000. Larger floats can exceed 80 feet in length and nearly reach the ceiling height of construction facilities.&nbsp;

Modern technology has also changed how floats&nbsp;operate. Drivers, who are paid professionals, no longer look through viewing slots. Instead, they rely on camera systems and screens inside the float to navigate the 12- to 16-hour journey from the float barns to parade staging areas.&nbsp;

“It’s incredible to think they’re driving an 85-foot float using just a screen,”&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

A new appreciation for a beloved tradition&nbsp;

Rain on New Year’s Eve and parade morning added another challenge, as water-soaked flowers increased the weight of the floats, requiring extra reinforcement underneath.&nbsp;

Despite the stress,&nbsp;Nisly&nbsp;said the experience gave her a new appreciation for the parade millions&nbsp;watch&nbsp;on television every year.&nbsp;

“I would highly recommend it to anyone who gets the chance,” she said. “It’s hard work, but it’s fun, and you walk away with a whole new respect for what goes into that parade.”&nbsp;

Nisly&nbsp;said she would not rule out volunteering again in the future—proof that even a once-in-a-lifetime experience can be tempting to repeat.&nbsp;

Local volunteer helps build Rose Parade float in once-in-a-lifetime experience

More than 38,000 cases of frozen tater tot products sold across 26 states are being recalled due to concerns they may contain plastic fragments, according to federal officials.

McCain Foods USA Inc., based in Idaho, has issued a voluntary recall of approximately 38,853 cases of frozen potato products, including Ore-Ida Tater Tots and Sysco Imperial Potato Tater Barrels, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA said the recalled products may be contaminated with “clear, hard plastic fragments,” which could pose a choking hazard or cause injury if consumed. No illnesses or injuries have been reported at this time.

The affected products were distributed in the following states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

Here are the lot numbers for the impacted products:&nbsp;

About 17,597 cases of Sysco Imperial Potato Tater Barrels are also affected. Product details include:&nbsp;

Consumers and foodservice operators are advised not to use the recalled products and to follow recall instructions provided by retailers or distributors. Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact the manufacturer or check the FDA’s recall database for additional details.

38K cases of frozen tater-tot products recalled

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Cory	Dale	Garrison		1/10/2026 10:57&nbsp;PM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000

Cody	Lynn	Driskell	Sr	1/10/2026 10:29&nbsp;PM	Domestic Battery; Knowingly Cause Physical Contact (1st conviction)

Becky	Sue	Crump		1/10/2026 10:00&nbsp;PM	Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misd case, Execution of Misd Warrant

Ray	Dean	Elfers		1/10/2026 9:09&nbsp;PM	Registration Violation; Apply for registration in different county

Dirk	Jacob	Kukula		1/10/2026 8:49&nbsp;PM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv

Daily Bookings

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department responded Saturday evening to a reported structure fire in the 1000 block of North Plum.

According to Division Chief of Operations Jeremy Unruh, crews were dispatched at approximately 6:55 p.m. and arrived to find minimal smoke visible from the exterior of a single-story duplex. Once inside the residence, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and active fire in the kitchen.

During the search, crews located two dogs inside the home and removed them; however, both animals were pronounced deceased. All occupants had safely exited prior to firefighters’ arrival.

The fire was brought under control quickly, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Two dogs die in duplex fire

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.Info forecast.</a>

Three-day outlook

Dear Dave, My wife and I are on Baby Step 2 of your plan. Right now, we’re almost finished paying off the last of our non-mortgage debt, which includes unpaid taxes from previous years and some old credit card bills.

We’re in a much better place financially than we used to be, and I’d like to start putting a little money aside for a vacation and a couple of other fun things down the road. 

My wife disagrees with this idea. She wants to stick to your plan 100% and finishing paying off the debt, then move on to fleshing out our fully-funded emergency fund. I think we make enough money to do both. What do you think?

Dear Jackson, In general, it’s okay to save up for things like vacations and other fun stuff. In fact, it’s what I recommend, rather than creating debt by piling things like that onto credit cards. But your idea isn’t what I teach when it comes to getting out of debt and gaining control of your finances. So, I can’t tell you I think it’s a good idea.

The reason people are successful following my plan is because I teach common sense and discipline, combined with an uncompromising, scorched-earth kind of intensity. You have unpaid taxes, not to mention credit card debt, still hanging over your heads. And you’re talking about planning vacations and buying toys? I’m sorry, man. That’s just plain irresponsible. Why would you want to take a chance on jeopardizing—or even slowing down—your journey to get out of debt, save money and achieve financial peace?

There’s a process here, Jackson. And millions of people all over the country can tell you, from experience, that it works. There’s an idea, a concept behind what I teach. And when you plug into it, and stay plugged in, you’re going to start moving in a positive direction faster than you ever thought possible.

Behaviors have to change. The more dramatically they change, the better the results and the faster you fix things. But if you don’t dive in head-first, if you try to cut corners here and there, you’re going to mess things up. Think about it. You two have already saved a beginner emergency fund, and you’re so close to being completely debt-free except for your home.

I’m begging you, man. Keep on keeping on just a little longer. I promise you it will be worth it!  

You can hear Dave Ramsey, Monday through Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m. on KWBW, unless it is preempted by sports coverage.&nbsp;

Dave Says: Don’t jeopardize your journey to freedom

Meet Frankie — The Happy-Go-Lucky Explorer with a Heart Full of Joy! 

Frankie is a 6-month-old male Pit Bull mix who is smart, energetic, and absolutely bursting with happiness! This young pup loves being on the move and discovering the world around him.

 Ideal Home: Frankie would thrive in an active home that enjoys playtime, continued training, and lots of love. He’s eager to learn, ready to grow, and would do great with a family committed to helping him become the best dog he can be.

 About Frankie: Frankie is truly a ball of joy — playful, curious, and full of love. With his smarts, enthusiasm, and affectionate nature, he has all the makings of an incredible lifelong companion.

The McPherson Animal Shelter is located at 1115 West Woodside in McPherson.&nbsp;

You can reach them by calling 620-245-2583 or on their website.

🐶 Adopt a Furry Friend: Frankie

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————&nbsp;&nbsp;

Michael	Paul	Mattox		1/9/2026 7:02&nbsp;AM	Disorderly Conduct; Brawling or fighting,					DWS; 1st conviction

Shailyn	Renee	Rowlison		1/9/2026 7:35&nbsp;AM	Disorderly Conduct; Brawling or fighting,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Failure to Appear,					Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Racheal	Lee	Williams		1/9/2026 10:01&nbsp;AM	Drugs; Distribute of Depressant designated in 65-4105e, 4107b, 4107c, 4111b; &lt; 3.5g,					Possession of Parapernalia with Intent to Manufacture/Plant/Cultivate/Distribute Controlled Substance,					Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Stephen	Webster	Dechenne		1/9/2026 11:21&nbsp;AM	Drugs; Distribute Opiates/Opium/Narcotic (Cocaine, Crack, Amphetamine); Unknown QTY,					Possession of Parapernalia with Intent to Manufacture/Plant/Cultivate/Distribute Controlled Substance,					Interference with Law Enforcement; Conceal /alter/destroy evidence Felony case,					Tax Stamp Violation; Failure to Pay Tax

Jennifer	Marie	Spencer		1/9/2026 12:51&nbsp;PM	Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Promote performance of child &lt;18

Adam	Casey	Leis		1/9/2026 2:51&nbsp;PM	DUI; 2nd conv; blood or breath .08 or higher

Meraly	Saramy	Menjivar		1/9/2026 3:25&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Javon	O'neal	Tate		1/9/2026 4:41&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Levi	Charles	Trammell		1/9/2026 6:35&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Micheal Eugene Root 1/9/2026 7:13&nbsp;PM
DWS; 1st conviction&nbsp;&nbsp;

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall says Kansans are safer following the recent arrest of Venezuela’s president, calling the action a major law-enforcement victory against international drug trafficking, while also outlining Republican priorities on health care reform, agriculture and federal spending as Congress returns to session in Washington.

Speaking during a recent interview, Marshall described the arrest as a coordinated operation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice, targeting what he characterized as an “illegitimate dictator” with long-standing ties to major drug cartels.

Marshall emphasized the impact of the arrest on domestic safety, noting that fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death among young adults. He said disrupting drug supply chains directly benefits American families and credited recent enforcement actions with sharply reducing maritime drug trafficking from South America.

Turning to domestic policy, Marshall addressed ongoing debates over health insurance and the Affordable Care Act. He said negotiations in the Senate remain difficult, citing Democratic opposition to addressing what he described as widespread fraud within Obamacare. Marshall estimated tens of billions of dollars in improper payments and argued that any extension of federal subsidies should be paired with accountability measures.

Marshall outlined a Republican proposal that would temporarily extend subsidies while redirecting future assistance into consumer-controlled health savings accounts. He also highlighted a long-running effort to require price transparency from health care providers, saying clear cost information would allow patients to comparison shop and reduce overall expenses.

With another potential government shutdown looming, Marshall acknowledged that bipartisan progress remains uncertain and said Republicans may ultimately pursue changes through budget reconciliation, which would require fewer Senate votes.

On agriculture, Marshall said farmers facing multiple years of weather challenges and weak markets are receiving federal support. He pointed to upcoming disaster and assistance payments and said trade expansion, particularly with Mexico, remains a priority as that country has become the top agricultural trading partner for the United States.

Marshall also addressed concerns about fraud in federal programs, referencing recent high-profile cases in Minnesota involving child care funding. He said similar scrutiny is warranted nationwide and framed fraud reduction as central to addressing the nation’s growing debt, which he said will cost taxpayers roughly $1 trillion in interest this year alone.

The senator said cutting waste, fraud and abuse is essential to restoring fiscal stability, though he acknowledged entrenched resistance in Washington. He also criticized regulatory burdens for driving up costs in housing, health care and other sectors, arguing that deregulation can coexist with public safety and environmental protection.

Marshall concluded by reaffirming his support for reducing the size and scope of federal government involvement, saying local communities are better positioned to address issues such as child care, while federal efforts should focus on core priorities and fiscal discipline.

Marshall discusses international arrest, health care reform, and government spending

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College will welcome Grammy Award–winning trumpeter Brian Lynch as the featured headliner for the 51st Annual Bryce Luty Jazz Festival, bringing a nationally recognized artist to campus for a two-day celebration of jazz education and performance.

The festival’s public concert is scheduled for Friday, February 6, at 7 p.m. at the Stringer Fine Arts Center. Lynch will perform alongside the HutchCC Concert Jazz Band and the Bryce Luty All-Star Band under the direction of Dr. Jack Cassidy.

Lynch is widely regarded as one of the leading trumpeters in contemporary jazz, with a career that includes touring and recording with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, and genre-spanning artist Prince. His appearance continues the festival’s tradition of pairing elite professional musicians with student ensembles for both performance and instruction.

Tickets for the public concert are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students. HutchCC students and staff are admitted free with a valid ID. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 620-665-3503.

In addition to the concert, the Bryce Luty Jazz Festival begins Thursday, February 5, featuring two days of intensive clinics for middle school and high school students from across Kansas. Participating clinicians include Lynch, Dr. Emma Taylor of Millikin University, and Dr. Kurt Reeder, offering students hands-on instruction and mentorship from accomplished jazz educators and performers.

College officials say the festival continues to play a vital role in sustaining jazz education in Kansas by connecting students with professional artists and fostering the next generation of musicians.

Brian Lynch to headline 51st annual Bryce Luty Jazz Festival

Three-day Outlook

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman is going to prison for a DUI crash that killed a teen.

&nbsp;On Friday Judge Quinton Pittman sentenced 43-year-old Trisha Greer of Derby to 42 months in prison for the DUI crash that&nbsp; killed 18-year-old Bethany Aillen Callista Leggio in May of 2024, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In October, Greer pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence before Judge Pittman. She originally pleading not guilty in June and was to face a jury trial.

Just after 11p.m. May 14, 2024, Greer was driving without headlights at 55th Street South and Hoover, according to Sheriff's Lt Nathan Gibbs. The vehicle struck and killed 18-year-old Bethany Aillen Callista Leggio who was standing with a group of people at the location.

Greer was booked into jail just after 1a.m. the following morning, according to online jail records.&nbsp; After her time in prison, Greer will have to spend three years on post-release supervision, according to the district attorney's office.

Prison for DUI crash that killed a Kanas teen

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflecto</a>r

TOPEKA — The consistent, dramatic decline in Kansas’ wild turkey population prompted the state in 2023 to forbid hunting them in the fall.

Simultaneously, an influx of funding and research is attempting to reverse wild turkey losses.&nbsp;

The latest came recently when the Kansas state chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation approved more than $126,000 for habitat enhancement and hunting education projects. The federation promised an additional $730,000.

The funds will be dispersed across Kansas to boost invasive species removal efforts, a Boy Scout habitat project, turkey ecology and toxicology research at Kansas State University, scholarships, sponsorships and a habitat specialist position. The funding is fueled by volunteers who raise money at banquets and fundraisers, according to a Tuesday news release.

Annie Farrell, the federation’s district biologist for Kansas and three other states, commended the volunteers.

“These volunteers are our boots on the ground, putting their hard-earned dollars back on the landscape to support critical projects that will greatly benefit the wild turkey,” she said. “Thanks to their dedication, it’s going to be a great year for conservation in Kansas.”

The wild turkey encompasses five subspecies, including the Eastern and the Rio Grande, which are found in Kansas along with a hybrid of the two subspecies. Wild turkey can be found in nearly every county in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks suspended the fall wild turkey hunting season in 2023 after years of restrictions.

Still, 13,862 turkeys were hunted and harvested in 2025, according to the department’s annual turkey harvest report.

In 2023, K-State received almost $2 million to conduct wild turkey research to deduce the root cause of the more than 40% decline since 2008.

Wild turkey populations were gravely diminished in the early 20th century because of human activity resulting in overhunting and habitat loss, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/wild-turkey" target="_blank">National Audubon Society</a>.

The society’s annual Christmas Bird Count shows a steady increase in observations of wild turkey in Kansas beginning in the 1960s, when they were reintroduced into the state. Observations peaked in 2011 and have since declined to levels comparable to those of more than two decades ago.

Kansas wild turkeys, plagued by years of population decline, subject of conservation funding

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/seung-min-kim">SEUNG MIN KIM</a>

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s new executive order on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-oil-pollution-0485a3d37f474bacb478e1d5160736fd">Venezuelan oil</a>&nbsp;revenue is meant to ensure that the money remains protected from being used in judicial proceedings.

The executive order, made public on Saturday, says that if the funds were to be seized for such use, it could “undermine critical U.S. efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.”

The order comes amid caution from top oil company executives that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maduro-venezuela-caracas-us-a3607a328dbecaa30edc69ae6cc238ee">the tumult and instability in Venezuela</a>&nbsp;could make the country less attractive for private investment and rebuilding.

“If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable,” said Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, the largest U.S. oil company, during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-oil-chevron-exxonmobil-conocophillips-0e0619a991e92fd546504f1a613161e7">a meeting convened by Trump</a>&nbsp;with oil executives on Friday.

During the session, Trump tried to assuage the concerns of the oil companies and said the executives would be dealing directly with the U.S., rather than the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela has a history of state asset seizures, ongoing U.S. sanctions and decades of political uncertainty.

Getting U.S. oil companies to invest in Venezuela and help rebuild the country’s infrastructure is a top priority of the Trump administration after the dramatic capture of now-deposed leader Nicolás Maduro.

The White House is framing the effort to “run” Venezuela in economic terms, and Trump has seized tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, has said the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan crude, and plans to control sales worldwide indefinitely.

“I love the Venezuelan people, and am already making Venezuela rich and safe again,” Trump, who is currently in southern Florida, wrote on his social media site on Saturday. “Congratulations and thank you to all of those people who are making this possible!!!”

The order says the oil revenue is property of Venezuela that is being held by the United States for “governmental and diplomatic purposes” and not subject to private claims.

Its legal underpinnings are the National Emergencies Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump, in the order, says the possibility that the oil revenues could be caught up in judicial proceedings constitutes an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the U.S.

Trump signs executive order meant to protect the money from Venezuelan oil

CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another deadly shooting involving a Kansas teen.

Just before 9p.m. Friday, police along with first responder units from Pittsburg Fire Department and Crawford County EMS, were dispatched to a shooting at Schlanger Park, 725 E 6th Street in Pittsburg, according to a media release. First responders found that an adult male had been shot and had subsequently died as a result of his injuries.  

The victim, who was identified as 18-year-old Adam Basauri, of Girard, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Basauri’s body was sent to Kansas City for an autopsy.

The scene was secured and investigators with the Pittsburg Police Department responded to assist with the investigation.  Witnesses on scene advised the suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle.  Witnesses were transported to the police department to be interviewed while the search for the suspect was ongoing. 

 At approximately 9:46 p.m. the suspect and suspect’s vehicle were located in Arma, Kansas, by deputies with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. 

 The suspect, who was identified as a 17-year-old juvenile, was taken into custody and transported to the Pittsburg Police Department for questioning.  The juvenile suspect’s vehicle was secured and towed to the Pittsburg Police Department to be processed.      

After interviewing the witnesses’ investigators were able to determine that a brief altercation took place between Basauri and the juvenile suspect. During the altercation, the suspect shot Basauri.

As a result, the 17-year-old juvenile, of Pittsburg, was placed under arrest.  Juvenile Intake responded and processed the juvenile suspect.  The juvenile suspect was transported to the Southeast KS Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Girard. He is being held on a requested charge of murder in the second degree.   

17-year-old accused in deadly Kansas shooting

An Idaho company is recalling over 38,000 cases of tater tots sold in 26 states over possible contamination with bits of plastic, according to federal health officials.

The Food and Drug Administration reports that McCain Foods USA Inc. is voluntarily recalling around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ires/?Event=98088" target="_blank">38,853 cases of tater tots</a>, including the Ore-Ida Tater Tots and Sysco Imperial Potato Tater Barrel products.

The products, packaged in clear, unlabeled poly bags per case, are reportedly contaminated with “clear hard plastic fragments” and were distributed in 26 states across the nation.

The states affected by the recall are Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana,&nbsp; New Mexico, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

According to the FDA, the recalled products include the following details:

Frozen tater tots sold in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska recalled

The outcome of the case, which will determine what regulations remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, could influence decisions about abortion law around the country

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A trial litigating the parameters of&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Missouri’s new reproductive rights amendment</a>&nbsp;begins Monday in Kansas City. The outcome will reach far beyond the state’s borders.

The trial, which will include testimony from abortion providers, Planned Parenthood leadership and anti-abortion doctors, will give an unusually detailed look at the inner-workings of abortion in Missouri, highlighting how just one or two restrictions on the procedure can greatly weaken access in a state where few providers remain.

Over the course of two weeks, the details of Missouri’s numerous abortion regulations will be under a microscope as those in favor of abortion rights argue that nearly every restriction is unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment and the state argues the regulations are necessary protections.&nbsp;

The outcome of Missouri’s reproductive rights amendment case —&nbsp;which will either greatly broaden access to abortion in ways not seen in decades, or will hamper access for nearly everyone in Missouri —&nbsp;will reverberate far beyond the Show-Me State, said Rebecca Reingold, an associate director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.&nbsp;

This is particularly true, she said, of states also in the process of litigating abortion access like Arizona, Michigan and Ohio.

“There is little doubt that advocates and decision-makers in other states navigating similar legal challenges are closely monitoring the litigation over Missouri’s abortion regulations,” Reingold said. “ … While state court judges are certainly not bound to follow the decisions of their peers in other states, these decisions can serve as persuasive legal authority, particularly in cases involving novel legal questions or where the relevant legal standards are evolving.”&nbsp;

The result of Missouri’s lawsuit will also greatly affect the landscape of abortion access in the Midwest and the South.&nbsp;

“Missouri also neighbors states with some of the harshest abortion bans in the country,” she said. “That means that the outcome of this litigation will be felt beyond the state’s geographic borders, affecting access to care not only for Missourians, but also people living in neighboring states.”

The case originated with a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri the day after the November 2024 election in which voters narrowly approved broad abortion access, becoming the first state to overturn a near-total abortion ban through a vote of the people.

Amy Myrick, a senior attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said Missouri is a harbinger for other states attempting to secure abortion protections through constitutional changes.

“Missouri is a test case for what happens when the people have spoken and passed the constitutional amendment with the strongest possible protections, but the state still decides to stand in their way, and the courts have to decide what to do,” she said.&nbsp;

Hypothetically, Myrick said, this should be an open and shut case because Missouri’s reproductive rights amendment was written with some of the strongest protections of any amendment in the country. The amendment prohibits the government from regulating abortion prior to the point of fetal viability unless “such action is justified by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”&nbsp;

“So if courts start upholding restrictions against these kinds of protections,” Myrick said. ‘That’s a really bad sign.”

Right now, most of the targeted regulation of abortion provider laws, known as&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/05/abortion-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-amendment-3-missouri-jackson-county/">TRAP laws, have been temporarily enjoined</a>&nbsp;— or paused — until a permanent decision could be made at trial.

This includes required distribution of&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">Missouri’s informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>prior to an abortion; a 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and an abortion; and abortion facility licensing requirements. The injunction allowed Planned Parenthood to begin offering in-clinic abortions last February.&nbsp;

Between then and October,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">80 in-clinic abortion procedures&nbsp;</a>took place in Missouri across Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. In 2023 and 2024, there were no elective abortions performed in Missouri. A few decades ago, prior to the passage of most of Missouri’s abortion restrictions and 2022 ban, thousands of abortions were performed in the state each year. Current data shows&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">several thousand Missourians still accessed abortion in 2024,</a>&nbsp;but had to travel to Kansas or Illinois to do so.

Zhang did not enjoin two regulations that Planned Parenthood says are preventing providers from prescribing medication abortion:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">&nbsp;a complication plan approved by the state as well as supplemental insurance requirement.</a>&nbsp;For this reason, Missouri doctors remain unable to prescribe the medications mifepristone and misoprostol to patients to end first trimester pregnancies. Medication abortion is the most common method to end a pregnancy in the United States,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjlk7_1w_6RAxXPOzQIHe5SMDsQFnoECBkQAQ&amp;usg=AOvVaw1P-Hlu8nsnKIuYZVfc4aV8" target="_blank">used in about two-thirds of abortions.</a>

Anti-abortion advocates contend repealing these regulations could put women’s safety at risk.&nbsp;

“Like Michigan and Ohio before them, the amendment was the first step, opening the door for the abortion lobby to tear down all of the health and safety standards for women’s protections that the Missouri legislature required over the years,” said Katie Glenn Daniel, director of legal affairs and policy counsel at SBA Pro-Life America.

Myrick said attempts to tie regulations to health and safety claims are nothing new.&nbsp;

“Every single one of these restrictions is about hostility to abortion, making it harder to access abortion,” she said. “Even something like a complication plan can be a shutdown law if it’s impossible to comply with. So there’s no way this is about health or safety.”

She said Missouri anti-abortion leaders have long been creative, spearheading many of the national fights against mifepristone in particular.&nbsp;

In November, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/20/missouri-challenges-fda-approval-generic-mifepristone-limit-medication-abortion/">sued over the latest approval of a generic version of mifepristone</a>, asking the federal government to overturn the approval and to reinstate in-person dispensing laws for the medication, which can currently be prescribed in some states during telehealth appointments and then mailed to patients.

Last summer, Hanaway’s predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-sues-planned-parenthood-claims-it-misled-patients-over-safety-of-abortion-pill/">Andrew Bailey, sued Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;over its claims that mifepristone is safer to take than over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, penicillin and Viagra.&nbsp;

And Missouri is now the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/01/federal-lawsuit-limit-access-abortion-pill-mifepristone-texas-missouri/">seeking to limit the availability of medication abortion.</a>&nbsp;The case originated in Texas and moved all the way up to the United States Supreme Court before the nation’s highest court said the original plaintiffs didn’t have the jurisdiction to sue.

Sarah Wetter, senior associate with the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law, said the transfer of the federal case to Missouri makes the state litigation beginning Monday “all the more threatening” as the Missouri Attorney General’s Office also prepares to argue against mifepristone at the federal courthouse in St. Louis.

“Turning back the clock to pre-2016 rules would limit mifepristone access to patients up to 7 (rather than 10) weeks gestation, require more in-person visits, and otherwise prohibit telemedicine abortion,” Wetter said.

Many high-ranking Missouri politicians have shown repeatedly that abortion remains among their highest priorities, with few saying they’ll back down if the abortion rights amendment is fully implemented following the trial. A prime example of this is the Republican supermajority’s success in putting a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/04/missouri-appeals-court-rejects-abortion-ban-ballot-language/">proposed abortion ban on this year’s November ballot.</a>&nbsp;Plans are already underway to continue attempting to limit access to the procedure, whether the abortion ban amendment passes or fails later this year.

Politics are supposed to be left out of the courtroom, said Michael Wolff, a former chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court and dean emeritus at the St. Louis University School of Law. He’s curious if that will be the case next week.

“The courts, in my experience in Missouri, have always been solicitous of what the voters were voting on,” he said.

Wolff, who advised in the drafting of the abortion rights amendment, said any arguments by the state that abortion regulations are necessary because Missouri voters didn’t realize the scope of what they were voting on should be heeded cautiously.

“Haven’t these political issues, these questions about the desirability of this law, already been litigated when they had to campaign where the voters approved (abortion)?” Wolff said. “ … It’s not a matter for the courts to decide whether the voters were dumb&nbsp;or or&nbsp;smart when they did this.”&nbsp;

Missouri abortion regulations go on trial Monday. Widespread access is at stake

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez,&nbsp; black Hyundai Tucson exited westbound MO-152 Highway onto N. Indiana Avenue. While the traffic signal was green, the vehicle remained stopped as other vehicles drove around it. 

When the signal turned red, the driver proceeded through the intersection, continued onto the westbound ramp, left the roadway, traveled up an embankment, and struck a large rock and overturned. EMS pronounced the driver, who was the sole occupant, deceased at the scene, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD; Driver dies after SUV strikes a large rock and overturns

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after Sedgwick County Fire District 1 firefighters recovered a body from Lake Afton on Saturday afternoon.

Just after 2 p.m., a deputy patrolling Lake Afton Park was contacted by an individual who reported an unidentified object floating in the water near the dam on the south side of the lake, according to Sheriff's Deparatment spokesman Branden Stitt.&nbsp; Deputies were unable to identify the object.

Because of the ongoing missing person investigation involving Ian Shelton and Lake Afton, additional resources were requested.

Fire District 1 deployed a boat, and firefighters recovered a body from the water. The remains were identified as those of an adult male.

Because of the condition of the body, investigators have not been able to make a positive identification. The remains were taken to the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, where an autopsy will be performed and the remains will be identified.

Sheriff: Body recovered from Kansas lake

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man is going to prison for a deadly shooting that occurred in September is going to prison&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Judge Jeffry Goering sentenced 37-year-old James Standefer to 442 months in prison for the death of&nbsp; 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In November Standefer pled guilty to murder in the 2nd degree, reckless.

In September, the Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located Standefer at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.

Just before 3 a.m., the day before his arrest, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

Inside the vehicle, first responders found Jesse Dean Rau suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.

Based on the investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.&nbsp;

The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene.&nbsp;

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