KANSAS CITY— A former police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.

August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.

By pleading guilty, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.

Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.

Under federal statutes, Gildehaus is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681393419659.png" alt=" Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police" />
 <figcaption> Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A former police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.By pleading guilty, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.Under federal statutes, Gildehaus is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Former KC-area police officer admits to child sex crimes

WASHINGTON (AP)—President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signed on Saturday an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.

The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.

It rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.

“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order.

“In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream,” the order also states. “Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society.”

More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.

For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the U.S., but those efforts have not succeeded.

Within hours of Trump's inauguration last month, the new administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266">took down the Spanish language version</a>&nbsp;of the official White House website.

Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Saturday, it was still not restored.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen.

Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.

WASHINGTON (AP)—President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signed on Saturday an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.It rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Our Nation’s historic governing documents...have all been written in English. It is therefore long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States.&quot; ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8">https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1896005544911270371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.&quot; ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8">https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1896004794604834975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream,” the order also states. “Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society.”More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the U.S., but those efforts have not succeeded.Within hours of Trump's inauguration last month, the new administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266">took down the Spanish language version</a>&nbsp;of the official White House website.Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Saturday, it was still not restored.The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen.Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.

Trump signs order designating English as the official language of the US

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa has been&nbsp;identified as 22-year-old Sadie “Cayden” Riedel of Lenexa, according to a media release.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported another person to an area hospital He remains hospitalized in serious condition as a result of a gunshot wound. 

The couple were known to one another and resided together at the involved apartment. Police are not looking for any other involved persons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740618887096.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa has been&nbsp;identified as 22-year-old Sadie “Cayden” Riedel of Lenexa, according to a media release.She was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported another person to an area hospital He remains hospitalized in serious condition as a result of a gunshot wound. The couple were known to one another and resided together at the involved apartment. Police are not looking for any other involved persons.

Police ID Kansas woman who died in apartment shooting

THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Saturday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F-250 driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Leonardo&nbsp; Gonzalez, 51, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and a 2011 Ford Ranger driven by Jane&nbsp;Nutting, 69, WaKeeney, were westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oakley exit.&nbsp;

Both vehicles were in the driving lane. The F250 was approaching the Ford Ranger and moved into the passing lane. The driver of the Ford Ranger attempted to make an illegal U turn, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The F250 struck the Ford Ranger. Both vehicles came to a rest in the median.

Nutting was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary.&nbsp; EMS transported Gonzalez to the hospital in Oakley. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Saturday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F-250 driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Leonardo&nbsp; Gonzalez, 51, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and a 2011 Ford Ranger driven by Jane&nbsp;Nutting, 69, WaKeeney, were westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oakley exit.&nbsp;Both vehicles were in the driving lane. The F250 was approaching the Ford Ranger and moved into the passing lane. The driver of the Ford Ranger attempted to make an illegal U turn, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The F250 struck the Ford Ranger. Both vehicles came to a rest in the median.Nutting was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary.&nbsp; EMS transported Gonzalez to the hospital in Oakley. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after crash during u-turn on I-70

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Grammy-nominated R&amp;B singer Angie Stone, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song “Wish I Didn't Miss You,” was killed early Saturday in a car crash. She was 63.

About 4 a.m., the vehicle she was riding in back to Atlanta from Alabama “flipped over and was subsequently hit by a big rig,” music producer Walter Millsap III told&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/music">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an email.

Everyone else in the cargo van survived except Stone, he said.

Millsap said he learned the news from Angie Stone's daughter, Diamond, and longtime The Sequence member Blondy.

Stone was scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's Championship basketball game on Saturday. CIAA Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence at the game.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker said they were heartbroken by the loss. “She used her incredible talent, passion, and presence to inspire and touch us with strength and hope,” Parker said.

The singer-songwriter created hits like&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/UgG0Hu_FeiA?si=BQsobjr1SwNQz4uZ">“No More Rain (In This Cloud)”</a>&nbsp;which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard’s Adult R&amp;B airplay chart, “Baby” with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit, and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Brotha.”

Stone found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&amp;B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D’Angelo.

Her 2001 album “Mahagony Soul” reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007’s “The Art Of Love &amp; War” peaked at No. 11.

The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song.

The group recorded “Funk You Up,” which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre.

After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career.

A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in “The Hot Chick” starring Rob Schneider, “The Fighting Temptations” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and “Ride Along” led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart.

She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in “Chicago,” and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows “Celebrity Fit Club” and “R&amp;B Divas: Atlanta.”

Associated Press reporter Gary Gerard Hamilton contributed to this report from New York.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740863798715.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Grammy-nominated R&amp;B singer Angie Stone, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song “Wish I Didn't Miss You,” was killed early Saturday in a car crash. She was 63.About 4 a.m., the vehicle she was riding in back to Atlanta from Alabama “flipped over and was subsequently hit by a big rig,” music producer Walter Millsap III told&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/music">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an email.Everyone else in the cargo van survived except Stone, he said.Millsap said he learned the news from Angie Stone's daughter, Diamond, and longtime The Sequence member Blondy.Stone was scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's Championship basketball game on Saturday. CIAA Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence at the game.CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker said they were heartbroken by the loss. “She used her incredible talent, passion, and presence to inspire and touch us with strength and hope,” Parker said.The singer-songwriter created hits like&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/UgG0Hu_FeiA?si=BQsobjr1SwNQz4uZ">“No More Rain (In This Cloud)”</a>&nbsp;which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard’s Adult R&amp;B airplay chart, “Baby” with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit, and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Brotha.”Stone found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&amp;B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D’Angelo.Her 2001 album “Mahagony Soul” reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007’s “The Art Of Love &amp; War” peaked at No. 11.The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song.The group recorded “Funk You Up,” which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre.After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career.A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in “The Hot Chick” starring Rob Schneider, “The Fighting Temptations” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and “Ride Along” led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart.She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in “Chicago,” and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows “Celebrity Fit Club” and “R&amp;B Divas: Atlanta.”——Associated Press reporter Gary Gerard Hamilton contributed to this report from New York.

Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone dies in car crash

CHEYENNE COUNTY—A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 4a.m. Saturday in Cheyenne County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Lane&nbsp;Hoffman, 28, St. Francis, was westbound on U.S. 36 just west of County Road 16.

The pickup crossed the center line and collided with an eastbound 1997 Peterbilt semi driven by James&nbsp;Hutchison, 61, Ralston, Oklahoma.

EMS transported Hoffman to a hospital in Denver where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Hutchison was not injured. Hoffman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CHEYENNE COUNTY—A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 4a.m. Saturday in Cheyenne County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford F150 driven by&nbsp; Lane&nbsp;Hoffman, 28, St. Francis, was westbound on U.S. 36 just west of County Road 16.The pickup crossed the center line and collided with an eastbound 1997 Peterbilt semi driven by James&nbsp;Hutchison, 61, Ralston, Oklahoma.EMS transported Hoffman to a hospital in Denver where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Hutchison was not injured. Hoffman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup, semi crash

TREGO COUNTY —Law enforcement in northwest Kansas captured a suspect wanted for a double-homicide in Wisconsin.

On Saturdau, the WaKeeney Police Department while working traffic, stopped a vehicle who did not stop for a stop sign, according to a media release from Police Chief Michael Romero.

Police learned vehicle was stolen out of Wisconsin.  The Trego County Sheriffs Office responded to back&nbsp; up police as well as another member from the WaKeeney Police Department.

  Information from the Wisconsin sheriffs office was that the person driving this vehicle could be armed with a handgun. The subject was taken into custody with no further incident. The subject was identified and found out to be a juvenile wanted out of Wisconsin in connection with a double homicide.

 The juvenile did have items in the vehicle that were consistent with the information police had received from the Wisconsin sheriffs office. 

All evidence was recovered by the WaKeeney Police Department and is being held for the Wisconsin sheriffs office. The subject is being held in a juvenile detention center, and is awaiting extradition.

TREGO COUNTY —Law enforcement in northwest Kansas captured a suspect wanted for a double-homicide in Wisconsin.On Saturdau, the WaKeeney Police Department while working traffic, stopped a vehicle who did not stop for a stop sign, according to a media release from Police Chief Michael Romero.Police learned vehicle was stolen out of Wisconsin. The Trego County Sheriffs Office responded to back&nbsp; up police as well as another member from the WaKeeney Police Department. Information from the Wisconsin sheriffs office was that the person driving this vehicle could be armed with a handgun. The subject was taken into custody with no further incident. The subject was identified and found out to be a juvenile wanted out of Wisconsin in connection with a double homicide. The juvenile did have items in the vehicle that were consistent with the information police had received from the Wisconsin sheriffs office. All evidence was recovered by the WaKeeney Police Department and is being held for the Wisconsin sheriffs office. The subject is being held in a juvenile detention center, and is awaiting extradition.

Juvenile wanted for double-homicide captured in NW Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he plans to start selling a “gold card” visa with a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship for $5 million, seeking to have that new initiative replace a 35-year-old visa program for investors.

“I happen to think it’ll sell like crazy. It’s a market,” Trump said. “But we’ll know very soon.”

During the first meeting of his second-term Cabinet, Trump suggested that the new revenue generated from the program could be used to pay off the country’s debt.

“If we sell a million, that’s $5 trillion dollars,” he said. Of the demand from the business community to participate, he said "I think we will sell a lot because I think there’s really a thirst.”

Commerce Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/howard-lutnick-trump-tariffs-commerce-department-9788590bbee10d09d3cb91822b0c9687">Howard Lutnick</a>&nbsp;told reporters during the same meeting that Trump’s initiative would replace the EB-5 program, which offers U.S. visas to investors who spent about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.

Lutnick said that program “has been around for many years for investment in projects” but “it was poorly overseen, poorly executed.”

The new program could mark a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration policy but isn't unprecedented elsewhere. Countries in Europe and elsewhere offer what have become known as “golden visas” that allow participants to pay in order to secure immigration status in desirable places.

Congress, meanwhile, determines qualifications U.S. for citizenship, but the president said “gold cards” would not require congressional approval.

Trump said of future possible recipients of the gold visa program: “They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it’s going to be extremely successful.”

Henley &amp; Partners, an advisory firm, says more than 100 countries around the world offer “golden visas” to wealthy individuals and investors. That list includes the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.

“Companies can buy gold cards and, in exchange, get those visas to hire new employees,” Trump said. Despite similar programs already occurring outside the U.S., he insisted, “No other country can do this because people don’t want to go to other countries. They want to come here."

“Everybody wants to come here, especially since Nov. 5," he said of his Election Day victory last fall.

Lutnick suggested that the gold card — which would actually work, at least to start, more like a green card, or permanent legal residency — would raise the price of admission for investors and do away with fraud and “nonsense” that he said characterize the EB-5 program.

A pathway to citizenship as part of the new program also would set it apart from the EB-5 program. Trump said vetting people who might be eligible for the gold card will “go through a process” that is still being worked out.

Pressed on if there would be restrictions on people from China or Iran not being allowed to participate, Trump suggested it will likely not “be restricted to much in terms of countries, but maybe in terms of individuals."

About 8,000 people obtained investor visas in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2022, according to the Homeland Security Department's most recent Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. The Congressional Research Service reported in 2021 that EB-5 visas pose risks of fraud, including verification that funds were obtained legally.

Trump made no mention of the requirements for job creation. And, while the number of EB-5 visas is capped, the Republican president mused that the federal government could sell 10 million “gold cards” to reduce the deficit. He said it “could be great, maybe it will be fantastic.”

“It’s somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication," the president said. “It's a road to citizenship for people — and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent, where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in, meaning companies will pay for people to get in and to have long, long term status in the country.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he plans to start selling a “gold card” visa with a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship for $5 million, seeking to have that new initiative replace a 35-year-old visa program for investors.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump on Gold Card: &quot;I think it&#39;s going to do very well. If we see a million, that&#39;s $5 trillion...If we sell ten million, which is possible...that&#39;s $50 trillion. That means our debt is totally paid off.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/38qSTAx05c">pic.twitter.com/38qSTAx05c</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1894800771050307873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I happen to think it’ll sell like crazy. It’s a market,” Trump said. “But we’ll know very soon.”During the first meeting of his second-term Cabinet, Trump suggested that the new revenue generated from the program could be used to pay off the country’s debt.“If we sell a million, that’s $5 trillion dollars,” he said. Of the demand from the business community to participate, he said "I think we will sell a lot because I think there’s really a thirst.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explains President Trump&#39;s new Gold Card, which will replace the fraudulent EB-5 program <a href="https://t.co/zGhMewHka6">pic.twitter.com/zGhMewHka6</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1894798001505202437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Commerce Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/howard-lutnick-trump-tariffs-commerce-department-9788590bbee10d09d3cb91822b0c9687">Howard Lutnick</a>&nbsp;told reporters during the same meeting that Trump’s initiative would replace the EB-5 program, which offers U.S. visas to investors who spent about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.Lutnick said that program “has been around for many years for investment in projects” but “it was poorly overseen, poorly executed.”The new program could mark a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration policy but isn't unprecedented elsewhere. Countries in Europe and elsewhere offer what have become known as “golden visas” that allow participants to pay in order to secure immigration status in desirable places.Congress, meanwhile, determines qualifications U.S. for citizenship, but the president said “gold cards” would not require congressional approval.Trump said of future possible recipients of the gold visa program: “They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it’s going to be extremely successful.”Henley &amp; Partners, an advisory firm, says more than 100 countries around the world offer “golden visas” to wealthy individuals and investors. That list includes the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.“Companies can buy gold cards and, in exchange, get those visas to hire new employees,” Trump said. Despite similar programs already occurring outside the U.S., he insisted, “No other country can do this because people don’t want to go to other countries. They want to come here."“Everybody wants to come here, especially since Nov. 5," he said of his Election Day victory last fall.Lutnick suggested that the gold card — which would actually work, at least to start, more like a green card, or permanent legal residency — would raise the price of admission for investors and do away with fraud and “nonsense” that he said characterize the EB-5 program.A pathway to citizenship as part of the new program also would set it apart from the EB-5 program. Trump said vetting people who might be eligible for the gold card will “go through a process” that is still being worked out.Pressed on if there would be restrictions on people from China or Iran not being allowed to participate, Trump suggested it will likely not “be restricted to much in terms of countries, but maybe in terms of individuals."About 8,000 people obtained investor visas in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2022, according to the Homeland Security Department's most recent Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. The Congressional Research Service reported in 2021 that EB-5 visas pose risks of fraud, including verification that funds were obtained legally.Trump made no mention of the requirements for job creation. And, while the number of EB-5 visas is capped, the Republican president mused that the federal government could sell 10 million “gold cards” to reduce the deficit. He said it “could be great, maybe it will be fantastic.”“It’s somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication," the president said. “It's a road to citizenship for people — and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent, where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in, meaning companies will pay for people to get in and to have long, long term status in the country.”

Trump's $5,000,000 immigration gold card' visa explained

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Wichita.

Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting inside a home in the 2200 block of S Santa Fe in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders discovered a 1-year-old girl who had sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body. 

EMS transported the child to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:27p.m.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Wichita.Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting inside a home in the 2200 block of S Santa Fe in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders discovered a 1-year-old girl who had sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body. EMS transported the child to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:27p.m.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police: 1-year-old dead after shooting in Kansas home

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a campaign to compel people in the United States without legal authority to register with the U.S. government and then self-deport.

In doing so, Trump administration officials could carry out their plans for mass deportations without using agency resources for physical removals.

Noem said in a press release that if a person without legal status fails to register online, that person will be subject to a fine, imprisonment or both.

It’s unclear how much the fine is, or what charges would be levied that would result in imprisonment. In response to State Newsroom’s request for comment, DHS said it was looking into those details.

“If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

<a href="https://nipnlg.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/2023_post-deportation-assessment-guide.pdf" target="_blank">In order to return to the U.S.</a>&nbsp;after a voluntary departure, an approved visa petition is needed, like a work visa, as well as a waiver of inadmissibility from a U.S. embassy or consulate.

The registry is not up and running, but a form and process will be made available in the coming days,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscis.gov/alienregistration" target="_blank">according to the DHS website.</a>

Registering would require submitting fingerprint information and other personal information. Adults and children 14 and older would be required to register.

“Compelling mass self-deportation is a safer path for aliens and law enforcement, and saves U.S. taxpayer dollars, in addition to conserving valuable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources needed to keep Americans safe,” according to the DHS press release.

Tuesday’s late announcement comes as Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/02/17/dhs-announces-ad-campaign-warning-illegal-aliens-self-deport-and-stay-out" target="_blank">has appeared in commercials</a>&nbsp;where she has warned immigrants without legal authorization “will be hunted down and deported.”

Those who are required to register include immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization, “Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration” and those enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, or those with Temporary Protected Status, according to the DHS website.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740574621163.png" alt="DHS Secretary Kristi Noem courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>DHS Secretary Kristi Noem courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a campaign to compel people in the United States without legal authority to register with the U.S. government and then self-deport.In doing so, Trump administration officials could carry out their plans for mass deportations without using agency resources for physical removals.Noem said in a press release that if a person without legal status fails to register online, that person will be subject to a fine, imprisonment or both.It’s unclear how much the fine is, or what charges would be levied that would result in imprisonment. In response to State Newsroom’s request for comment, DHS said it was looking into those details.“If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.<a href="https://nipnlg.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/2023_post-deportation-assessment-guide.pdf" target="_blank">In order to return to the U.S.</a>&nbsp;after a voluntary departure, an approved visa petition is needed, like a work visa, as well as a waiver of inadmissibility from a U.S. embassy or consulate.The registry is not up and running, but a form and process will be made available in the coming days,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscis.gov/alienregistration" target="_blank">according to the DHS website.</a>Registering would require submitting fingerprint information and other personal information. Adults and children 14 and older would be required to register.“Compelling mass self-deportation is a safer path for aliens and law enforcement, and saves U.S. taxpayer dollars, in addition to conserving valuable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources needed to keep Americans safe,” according to the DHS press release.Tuesday’s late announcement comes as Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/02/17/dhs-announces-ad-campaign-warning-illegal-aliens-self-deport-and-stay-out" target="_blank">has appeared in commercials</a>&nbsp;where she has warned immigrants without legal authorization “will be hunted down and deported.”Those who are required to register include immigrants in the U.S. without legal authorization, “Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration” and those enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, or those with Temporary Protected Status, according to the DHS website.&nbsp;

DHS will require migrants without legal status to register with U.S. government

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just before midnight Friday in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina, a silver Honda Accord was&nbsp; northbound in the southbound lanes of Blue Ridge Cutoff at a high rate of speed.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was operating a black Ford Explorer patrol vehicle, traveling non-emergent, southbound on Blue Ridge Cutoff. 

The Honda struck the patrol vehicle head-on. The deputy was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Honda was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deputy is currently in stable condition. Police released no additional details.

This is fatality #8 compared to #20 at this time last year.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just before midnight Friday in Kansas City.According to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina, a silver Honda Accord was&nbsp; northbound in the southbound lanes of Blue Ridge Cutoff at a high rate of speed.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was operating a black Ford Explorer patrol vehicle, traveling non-emergent, southbound on Blue Ridge Cutoff. The Honda struck the patrol vehicle head-on. The deputy was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Honda was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deputy is currently in stable condition. Police released no additional details.This is fatality #8 compared to #20 at this time last year.

Driver dies after wrong-way crash into KC deputy

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.

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.

<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.

Planned Parenthood to restart regular abortion appointments in Kansas City next week

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities investigating the cause of a deadly fire in Topeka that killed 34-year-old Daron Weather have determined the fire was intentionally set.

Just before 5:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;firefighters from the Topeka Fire Department responded to a house fire at 435 SE California Avenue, according to Fire Marshal&nbsp;Alan Stahl.

 Upon arrival, crews found a single story house with smoke and flames. Crews extinguished the fire and during a search of the home they found the body of Weather who was deceased.&nbsp;

The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary&nbsp; and&nbsp;Topeka Fire is not seeking any suspects in this case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740798705939.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities investigating the cause of a deadly fire in Topeka that killed 34-year-old Daron Weather have determined the fire was intentionally set.Just before 5:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;firefighters from the Topeka Fire Department responded to a house fire at 435 SE California Avenue, according to Fire Marshal&nbsp;Alan Stahl. Upon arrival, crews found a single story house with smoke and flames. Crews extinguished the fire and during a search of the home they found the body of Weather who was deceased.&nbsp;The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary&nbsp; and&nbsp;Topeka Fire is not seeking any suspects in this case.

Fire Marshal: Kansas man died in house fire he started

WASHINGTON (AP) — Key Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been stalwart supporters of Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">the blowup between</a>&nbsp;the Ukrainian leader and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is threatening to change that.

Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to its mineral riches as Trump attempts to pressure Ukraine into a deal to end the war with Russia. Although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-trump-invasion-anniversary-38c34838d64dc9620578ac37934f8d72">support for Ukraine has waned</a>&nbsp;among GOP congressional members in the three years since Russia invaded, key Republicans hoped the deal would revive American support for Kyiv.

Instead, the fallout from a heated Oval Office exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance has many Republicans — even those who previously backed Ukraine — scolding Zelenskyy. For other GOP lawmakers who have long criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, the exchange was an opportunity to laud Trump for berating Ukraine's leader. And for Democrats, it was proof that Trump is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Here's what congressional lawmakers are saying as the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance:

Republicans who have supported Ukraine in the past

Graham called the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” and said he’s “never been more proud” of Trump.

“What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again."

“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”

“The death and destruction of the Russian-provoked war needs to stop immediately, and only our American President can put these two countries on a path to lasting peace. President Zelenskyy needed to acknowledge that, and accept the extraordinary mineral rights partnership proposal that President Trump put on the table. What we witnessed in the Oval Office today was an American President putting America first.”

“A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”

“Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster — especially for Ukraine.”

“It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today's meeting regarding Ukraine's future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.”

Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aid

“Remember: the U.S. Senate has repeatedly and for years voted BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine with no strings attached and with no true oversight. It’s time for some ACCOUNTABILITY."

“Thank you for standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first, President Trump and Vice President Vance!”

"Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years."

Democrats, who as a party overwhelmingly support Ukraine

SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, New York:

“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, New York:

“Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.”

“My strong and passionate hope is that the talks can be resumed or restored, and this event won’t derail continued support."

“I have very strong hopes that the coalition we have in Congress — and it is a very strong bipartisan coalition — will be persuasive to the administration and others that we have a long-term national security interest in Ukraine prevailing over Putin’s brazen aggression.”

“Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own &amp; stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”

“It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin. That was an embarrassment. That was an abomination. What you watched was American power being destroyed in the world as everybody watches President Trump become a lapdog for a brutal dictator in Moscow.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740765178266.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Key Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been stalwart supporters of Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">the blowup between</a>&nbsp;the Ukrainian leader and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is threatening to change that.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;This is going to be great television.&quot; -- Trump <a href="https://t.co/juGBNgzwSW">pic.twitter.com/juGBNgzwSW</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1895550381536731160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Full Meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Oval Office. <a href="https://t.co/Xf6cyErem7">pic.twitter.com/Xf6cyErem7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1895602226472550410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to its mineral riches as Trump attempts to pressure Ukraine into a deal to end the war with Russia. Although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-trump-invasion-anniversary-38c34838d64dc9620578ac37934f8d72">support for Ukraine has waned</a>&nbsp;among GOP congressional members in the three years since Russia invaded, key Republicans hoped the deal would revive American support for Kyiv.Instead, the fallout from a heated Oval Office exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance has many Republicans — even those who previously backed Ukraine — scolding Zelenskyy. For other GOP lawmakers who have long criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, the exchange was an opportunity to laud Trump for berating Ukraine's leader. And for Democrats, it was proof that Trump is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Here's what congressional lawmakers are saying as the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance:<h2>Republicans who have supported Ukraine in the past</h2>SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:Graham called the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” and said he’s “never been more proud” of Trump.“What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again."SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO:“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, Louisiana:“The death and destruction of the Russian-provoked war needs to stop immediately, and only our American President can put these two countries on a path to lasting peace. President Zelenskyy needed to acknowledge that, and accept the extraordinary mineral rights partnership proposal that President Trump put on the table. What we witnessed in the Oval Office today was an American President putting America first.”REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:“A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”REP. MIKE LAWLER, New York:“Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster — especially for Ukraine.”REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania:“It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today's meeting regarding Ukraine's future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.”<h2>Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aid</h2>SEN. JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri:“Remember: the U.S. Senate has repeatedly and for years voted BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine with no strings attached and with no true oversight. It’s time for some ACCOUNTABILITY."SEN. MIKE LEE, Utah:“Thank you for standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first, President Trump and Vice President Vance!”SEN. ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas:“Not another penny.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Not another penny. <a href="https://t.co/OCd0rebiu5">https://t.co/OCd0rebiu5</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1895530607616356657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>REP. ANDY BIGGS, Arizona:"Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years."<h2>Democrats, who as a party overwhelmingly support Ukraine</h2>SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, New York:“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, New York:“Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.”SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut:“My strong and passionate hope is that the talks can be resumed or restored, and this event won’t derail continued support."“I have very strong hopes that the coalition we have in Congress — and it is a very strong bipartisan coalition — will be persuasive to the administration and others that we have a long-term national security interest in Ukraine prevailing over Putin’s brazen aggression.”SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota:“Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own &amp; stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”SEN. CHRIS MURPHY, Connecticut:“It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin. That was an embarrassment. That was an abomination. What you watched was American power being destroyed in the world as everybody watches President Trump become a lapdog for a brutal dictator in Moscow.”

🎥What lawmakers are saying about clash between Trump and Zelenskyy

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced U.S. Senator Jerry Moran will serve as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation.

“The subcommittee will work on legislation to advance policies that put safety first while bolstering innovation and efficiency,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Recent tragedies demonstrate that our nation’s aviation system is facing a critical inflection point, and as Chairman, I will work to make certain air travel remains the safest method of transportation. I also look forward to supporting our nation’s rapidly evolving commercial space sector by advancing policies which promote the industry’s growth and capabilities.

Kansas is home to the Air Capital of the World, and my work on this subcommittee will be informed by the global aviation and aerospace companies that call our state home and the small businesses that fill critical links in our supply chains.”The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation has jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the civil aviation and space policy functions of the Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce and National Space Council within the Executive Office of the President.Chairman Moran’s Priorities for the 119th Congress:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740755212461.jpeg" alt="File image -Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during confirmation hearing for Sean Duffy to lead the Dept. of Transportation" />
 <figcaption>File image -Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during confirmation hearing for Sean Duffy to lead the Dept. of Transportation</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;– The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced U.S. Senator Jerry Moran will serve as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation.“The subcommittee will work on legislation to advance policies that put safety first while bolstering innovation and efficiency,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Recent tragedies demonstrate that our nation’s aviation system is facing a critical inflection point, and as Chairman, I will work to make certain air travel remains the safest method of transportation. I also look forward to supporting our nation’s rapidly evolving commercial space sector by advancing policies which promote the industry’s growth and capabilities. Kansas is home to the Air Capital of the World, and my work on this subcommittee will be informed by the global aviation and aerospace companies that call our state home and the small businesses that fill critical links in our supply chains.”The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation has jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the civil aviation and space policy functions of the Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce and National Space Council within the Executive Office of the President.Chairman Moran’s Priorities for the 119th Congress:<ul>
 <li>Aviation Safety:&nbsp;Investigating recent aviation accidents and subsequent safety reports to make certain our nation’s aviation safety regulators are equipped and able to effectively manage our air travel equipment and systems.</li><li>Oversight:&nbsp;Ensuring the proper implementation the&nbsp;FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which Sen. Moran helped draft and unanimously pass in both chambers of Congress, to address the current and future demands of the aviation industry.</li><li>Space Exploration:&nbsp;Supporting critical NASA programs, including the Artemis campaign, and prioritizing STEM education to equip the next generation to further our nation’s space goals.</li><li>Commercial Space Growth:&nbsp;Enabling growth in the commercial space sector, which is already supporting critical national security missions and bolstering the U.S. in our space race against China and other adversaries. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>