President Trump on Wednesday unveiled the new Presidential Wall of Fame at the White House. Joe Biden’s portrait is an AUTO-PEN&nbsp;

President Trump on Wednesday unveiled the new Presidential Wall of Fame at the White House. Joe Biden’s portrait is an AUTO-PEN&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758735968499.png" alt="Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/MSERUFrlyH">https://t.co/MSERUFrlyH</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970899696227942480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">👀 <a href="https://t.co/jE2Vm7UdjL">https://t.co/jE2Vm7UdjL</a> <a href="https://t.co/CJ3yQBtPGQ">pic.twitter.com/CJ3yQBtPGQ</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1970902690474647786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Surprise portrait in new White House Presidential Walk of Fame

The Missouri Supreme Court hears an appeal seeking to reverse the state’s gender-affirming care ban Wednesday

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

Attorneys representing transgender minors, their loved ones and physicians who provide gender-affirming care say a circuit court judge’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/25/missouri-judge-upholds-state-ban-on-transgender-health-care-for-minors/">decision to uphold</a>&nbsp;the state’s gender-affirming-care restrictions was “permeated by legal and factual errors.”

In oral arguments in the Missouri Supreme Court Wednesday morning, Lambda Legal attorney Nora Huppert said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/JUDGMENT.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3366224" target="_blank">November judgment</a>&nbsp;“relies on evidence that was expressly excluded for its truth, and it draws conclusions from testimony that are the opposite of what that testimony says.”&nbsp;

For that reason, and others, Huppert argues the decision should be reversed.

But the Missouri Attorney General’s office, represented Wednesday by Solicitor General Lou Capozzi, rejects the notion that the law is discriminatory in nature.

“Appellants have no evidence for their allegation that this could be only motivated by animus when the state presented a mountain of evidence that it is concerned about the health and safety of children,” he told the judges.

The law,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44407" target="_blank">passed in 2023</a>, bars health care providers from prescribing or administering cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs, or performing gender-transition surgeries, for anyone under 18. Provisions barring gender-affirming hormones and puberty blockers are set to expire on Aug. 28, 2027, though lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/04/missouri-republicans-push-to-make-laws-restricting-transgender-minors-permanent/">have shown intentions to remove the sunset</a>.

In his November ruling, Wright County Circuit Court Judge Craig Carter determined that the restrictions weren’t discriminatory and could only be subject to rational basis review. This is the most lenient standard, requiring challengers to prove that there is no basis that the law can stand.

The legal standard for reviewing the law is a key part of the case. Statutes that violate Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?constit=y&amp;section=I%20%202" target="_blank">equal protection clause</a>, which says everyone is entitled to “equal rights and opportunity,” are subject to heightened scrutiny.

Attorneys from Lambda Legal, a civil rights law firm focused on LGBTQ+ litigation, and the ACLU of Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=11170" target="_blank">argue heightened scrutiny should be applied</a>&nbsp;because the law “classifies based on sex and transgender status.”

Evidence — and the quality of it — is also a point of contention.

Huppert said Carter’s judgment “adopted largely verbatim” the state’s proposed findings of fact, which was filed at the conclusion of trial and before the court’s transcript was complete. The filings confirm Carter’s findings of fact outright mirror the state’s, adopting the same subheadings and copying paragraphs verbatim.

This makes the judgment deeply flawed, appellants’ brief argues, because these findings misconstrued testimony from the trial and refer to exhibits that were not allowed into the court record.

During the two-week trial last year, the attorney general’s office employed a tactic of questioning witnesses using articles and studies not accepted into the court record.

Capozzi pointed to a section of the judgment which expanded on testimony from medical ethicist Dr. Farr Curlin as proof the two documents were not 100% identical.

“The trial court was not just copying and pasting,” he said. “And the implication that the trial court was lazy or didn’t do its job is not proper.”

Carter’s judgment acknowledges the overwhelming amount of evidence presented during the extensive trial, describing “binders of evidentiary documents that were piled so high on the bench that (his) was at times obscured.”

“This was a very lengthy and complex case,” he wrote. “It would be impossible for the court to make factual findings for each witness. The court reporter’s transcript in this case is several thousand pages.”

A clear look at the evidence, Huppert argued, would show the law is unconstitutional no matter what level of scrutiny is applied.

“The record reflects that the care ban for minors actually harms minors rather than protects them, and for that reason, the law is wholly irrational as well,” she told the judges.

Interpreting the evidence in this case is not straightforward. From the beginning, the law’s challengers and the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/20/lawsuit-seeking-to-block-missouri-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors-heads-to-trial/">have not agreed on the factual background of the case</a>&nbsp;and those disagreements continued Wednesday.

For example, Capozzi opened his argument by describing the law as “bipartisan,” misconstruing a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/23/missouri-senate-advances-bill-banning-transgender-care-for-minors/">compromise</a>&nbsp;that led Senate Democrats to end a filibuster. But no Democrats in either the House or Senate voted in favor of the legislation.

The state’s argument also rejects claims that gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blockers treat gender dysphoria, a condition describing distress that occurs when someone’s sex as assigned at birth misaligns with their gender identity.

In the trial, experts largely spoke about the effectiveness of treatments as it relates to adolescents. But part of the challenged law bans the state’s Medicaid program from covering gender-affirming care for minors and adults.

Carter upheld the Medicaid restrictions, saying challengers “failed to develop any argument specifically tailored to challenging the Medicaid provision.”

Huppert said that argument was “throughout” filings. Appellants included Medicaid ban as part of “the act” in filings, challengers’ brief said, but the state claims the argument wasn’t explicit.

Judges had almost no questions during the arguments Wednesday, apart from a question from Judge Ginger Gooch asking how the case differs from a challenge of Arkansas’ gender-affirming-care ban. A federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/08/12/appeals-court-upholds-arkansas-ban-on-transgender-minors-health-care-after-scotus-ruling/" target="_blank">upheld Arkansas’ ban</a>&nbsp;in August.

The states’ statutes have some differences, Huppert said, and Missouri’s equal protection clause is more extensive than the federal protections relied upon in that case.

Capozzi said the statutes are “almost identical,” also pointing to similarities in Tennessee’s gender-affirming-care restrictions which&nbsp;<a href="https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/06/18/u-s-supreme-court-upholds-tennessee-prohibition-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors/" target="_blank">the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in June</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748383294803.png" alt=" The Missouri Supreme Court building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Missouri Supreme Court building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri Supreme Court hears an appeal seeking to reverse the state’s gender-affirming care ban Wednesday</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Attorneys representing transgender minors, their loved ones and physicians who provide gender-affirming care say a circuit court judge’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/25/missouri-judge-upholds-state-ban-on-transgender-health-care-for-minors/">decision to uphold</a>&nbsp;the state’s gender-affirming-care restrictions was “permeated by legal and factual errors.”In oral arguments in the Missouri Supreme Court Wednesday morning, Lambda Legal attorney Nora Huppert said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/JUDGMENT.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3366224" target="_blank">November judgment</a>&nbsp;“relies on evidence that was expressly excluded for its truth, and it draws conclusions from testimony that are the opposite of what that testimony says.”&nbsp;For that reason, and others, Huppert argues the decision should be reversed.But the Missouri Attorney General’s office, represented Wednesday by Solicitor General Lou Capozzi, rejects the notion that the law is discriminatory in nature.“Appellants have no evidence for their allegation that this could be only motivated by animus when the state presented a mountain of evidence that it is concerned about the health and safety of children,” he told the judges.The law,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44407" target="_blank">passed in 2023</a>, bars health care providers from prescribing or administering cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs, or performing gender-transition surgeries, for anyone under 18. Provisions barring gender-affirming hormones and puberty blockers are set to expire on Aug. 28, 2027, though lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/04/missouri-republicans-push-to-make-laws-restricting-transgender-minors-permanent/">have shown intentions to remove the sunset</a>.In his November ruling, Wright County Circuit Court Judge Craig Carter determined that the restrictions weren’t discriminatory and could only be subject to rational basis review. This is the most lenient standard, requiring challengers to prove that there is no basis that the law can stand.The legal standard for reviewing the law is a key part of the case. Statutes that violate Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?constit=y&amp;section=I%20%202" target="_blank">equal protection clause</a>, which says everyone is entitled to “equal rights and opportunity,” are subject to heightened scrutiny.Attorneys from Lambda Legal, a civil rights law firm focused on LGBTQ+ litigation, and the ACLU of Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=11170" target="_blank">argue heightened scrutiny should be applied</a>&nbsp;because the law “classifies based on sex and transgender status.”Evidence — and the quality of it — is also a point of contention.Huppert said Carter’s judgment “adopted largely verbatim” the state’s proposed findings of fact, which was filed at the conclusion of trial and before the court’s transcript was complete. The filings confirm Carter’s findings of fact outright mirror the state’s, adopting the same subheadings and copying paragraphs verbatim.This makes the judgment deeply flawed, appellants’ brief argues, because these findings misconstrued testimony from the trial and refer to exhibits that were not allowed into the court record.During the two-week trial last year, the attorney general’s office employed a tactic of questioning witnesses using articles and studies not accepted into the court record.Capozzi pointed to a section of the judgment which expanded on testimony from medical ethicist Dr. Farr Curlin as proof the two documents were not 100% identical.“The trial court was not just copying and pasting,” he said. “And the implication that the trial court was lazy or didn’t do its job is not proper.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758737034936.png" alt="Judge Craig Carter, a Wright County judge serving in Cole County for Missouri’s gender-affirming care trial, listens to a nurse practitioner testify during the September 2024 trial (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Judge Craig Carter, a Wright County judge serving in Cole County for Missouri’s gender-affirming care trial, listens to a nurse practitioner testify during the September 2024 trial (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Carter’s judgment acknowledges the overwhelming amount of evidence presented during the extensive trial, describing “binders of evidentiary documents that were piled so high on the bench that (his) was at times obscured.”“This was a very lengthy and complex case,” he wrote. “It would be impossible for the court to make factual findings for each witness. The court reporter’s transcript in this case is several thousand pages.”A clear look at the evidence, Huppert argued, would show the law is unconstitutional no matter what level of scrutiny is applied.“The record reflects that the care ban for minors actually harms minors rather than protects them, and for that reason, the law is wholly irrational as well,” she told the judges.Interpreting the evidence in this case is not straightforward. From the beginning, the law’s challengers and the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/20/lawsuit-seeking-to-block-missouri-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors-heads-to-trial/">have not agreed on the factual background of the case</a>&nbsp;and those disagreements continued Wednesday.For example, Capozzi opened his argument by describing the law as “bipartisan,” misconstruing a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/23/missouri-senate-advances-bill-banning-transgender-care-for-minors/">compromise</a>&nbsp;that led Senate Democrats to end a filibuster. But no Democrats in either the House or Senate voted in favor of the legislation.The state’s argument also rejects claims that gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blockers treat gender dysphoria, a condition describing distress that occurs when someone’s sex as assigned at birth misaligns with their gender identity.In the trial, experts largely spoke about the effectiveness of treatments as it relates to adolescents. But part of the challenged law bans the state’s Medicaid program from covering gender-affirming care for minors and adults.Carter upheld the Medicaid restrictions, saying challengers “failed to develop any argument specifically tailored to challenging the Medicaid provision.”Huppert said that argument was “throughout” filings. Appellants included Medicaid ban as part of “the act” in filings, challengers’ brief said, but the state claims the argument wasn’t explicit.Judges had almost no questions during the arguments Wednesday, apart from a question from Judge Ginger Gooch asking how the case differs from a challenge of Arkansas’ gender-affirming-care ban. A federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/08/12/appeals-court-upholds-arkansas-ban-on-transgender-minors-health-care-after-scotus-ruling/" target="_blank">upheld Arkansas’ ban</a>&nbsp;in August.The states’ statutes have some differences, Huppert said, and Missouri’s equal protection clause is more extensive than the federal protections relied upon in that case.Capozzi said the statutes are “almost identical,” also pointing to similarities in Tennessee’s gender-affirming-care restrictions which&nbsp;<a href="https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/06/18/u-s-supreme-court-upholds-tennessee-prohibition-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors/" target="_blank">the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in June</a>.

Ruling upholding Missouri transgender care ban had ‘factual errors,’ attorneys argue

RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp;Law enforcement in Manhattan have made two arrests this week after a lengthy investigation into multiple vehicle burglaries during the last two months.

Just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday, police arrested Jessup McClelland, 25, of Manhattan, in the 1100 block of Freemont Avenue in Manhattan. He is being held o a $12,000 bond on requested charges that include three counts of criminal use of a financial card.&nbsp;&nbsp;McClelland has previous convictions for burglary, obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Just after 12:30p.m. Monday,&nbsp; police arrested Adyson Westgate, 19, of Wamego in the 1800 block of Hayes Drive. He was jailed on two counts of criminal use of a financial card and one count of burglary to a vehicle. 

Westgate met the requirement of a $10,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

The RCPD thanked the community for sharing camera footage that assisted in this ongoing investigation and encourage anyone who may have been a victim of vehicle burglaries and has not yet reported it, to contact the RCPD at (785) 537-2112.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758726089427.png" alt="McClelland photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>McClelland photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp;Law enforcement in Manhattan have made two arrests this week after a lengthy investigation into multiple vehicle burglaries during the last two months.Just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday, police arrested Jessup McClelland, 25, of Manhattan, in the 1100 block of Freemont Avenue in Manhattan. He is being held o a $12,000 bond on requested charges that include three counts of criminal use of a financial card.&nbsp;&nbsp;McClelland has previous convictions for burglary, obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Just after 12:30p.m. Monday,&nbsp; police arrested Adyson Westgate, 19, of Wamego in the 1800 block of Hayes Drive. He was jailed on two counts of criminal use of a financial card and one count of burglary to a vehicle. Westgate met the requirement of a $10,000 bond and is no longer in custody.The RCPD thanked the community for sharing camera footage that assisted in this ongoing investigation and encourage anyone who may have been a victim of vehicle burglaries and has not yet reported it, to contact the RCPD at (785) 537-2112.

Security camera image helped catch Kan. burglary suspects

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

TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Snap Inc., the parent company of social media platform Snapchat, accusing the app’s creators of harming teenagers.

He said the company designed the social media platform “with manipulative features that prey on the mental health of our children.” He said Snapchat has been marketed as safe for teens.

He added:&nbsp;“They have prioritized profit over safety, and our lawsuit holds them accountable for the devastating harm caused to Kansas families.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showdocument?id=24644&amp;t=638942182987324433" target="_blank">40-page lawsuit</a>, filed in Washington County on Kansas’ northern border, contains redactions and compiles information from internal Snap reports, news interviews and content from the app to build its case.

It alleges Snap violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Those violations are based on the app’s age rating in app stores, around 12 years old and up, and app store disclaimers citing infrequent or mild profanity, mature and suggestive themes, sexual content, nudity and substance use or references.

“In reality, content in all of those categories appears frequently and is intense on Snapchat,” the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit references the death of a teenage boy from Shawnee, who died in 2021of fentanyl poisoning after reportedly purchasing from a drug dealer on Snapchat.

“Numerous young people, including young people in Washington County, Kansas, have been exposed to drug dealers on Snapchat offering illicit or regulated drugs for sale,” the lawsuit said. “Such content on Snapchat includes posts featuring lists of drugs and prices.”

That was the only mention of Washington County residents, of whom there are around 5,500, in the lawsuit.&nbsp;

A Snap spokesperson said in a statement that the safety of users is a top priority. The company didn’t directly address the lawsuit but said it has incorporated privacy and safety features into the app since its inception.

“Unfortunately, the reality is this — there is no single safety feature or policy that can eliminate every potential threat online or in the world around us,” the statement said. “This is why we continually adapt our strategies to fight against bad actors, who change their tactics to exploit online platforms for their nefarious ends, and this will remain a crucial part of our efforts to help keep Snapchatters safe.”

For the past three years, the company has commissioned research into the experiences of Gen Z teens and young adults from six countries, including the United States, on online platforms.

The 2024 surveys asked more than 9,000 people — around 3,000 teens, 3,000 young adults ages 18-24 and 3,000 parents of teenage children — about online risks, digital wellbeing, defense against online threats and sextortion.

The survey found that online risk was at a three-year high for Gen Z users in 2024. Misinformation, hate speech and bullying, sexual risks, threats of violence, impersonation, extremist content and self-harm were all perceived as more prevalent than in previous years.

Of the Gen Z teens and young adults surveyed, 80% reported experiencing some online risk, a two percentage point increase from 2023. Forty-seven percent of Gen Z respondents said they had some interaction with intimate or sexual imagery.

Of those, 39% received such imagery, 35% were asked for imagery of themselves and 17% shared or distributed content depicting someone else.

Joseph Sciarrotta, the attorney general’s chief deputy who was hired last month, said the office investigated Snap, finding its features “are intentionally designed to exploit the vulnerabilities of young minds.”

“From Snapstreaks that create immense social pressure to an infinite scroll that eliminates natural stopping points, the platform is a digital trap for children,” Sciarrotta said. “This action alleges that the company made deceptive and misleading claims about safety and parental controls that have contributed to an unacceptable mental health crisis among our youth.”

The lawsuit asks for a judge to find Snap in violation of state law, prohibit the company from continuing the violations and force Snap to pay fines, fees and court costs. The attorney general’s office enlisted Washington, D.C.-based firm Cooper and Kirk to help argue its case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758745585926.png" alt="Snapchat logo" />
 <figcaption>Snapchat logo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Snap Inc., the parent company of social media platform Snapchat, accusing the app’s creators of harming teenagers.He said the company designed the social media platform “with manipulative features that prey on the mental health of our children.” He said Snapchat has been marketed as safe for teens.“We allege it is not,” Kobach said.He added:&nbsp;“They have prioritized profit over safety, and our lawsuit holds them accountable for the devastating harm caused to Kansas families.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showdocument?id=24644&amp;t=638942182987324433" target="_blank">40-page lawsuit</a>, filed in Washington County on Kansas’ northern border, contains redactions and compiles information from internal Snap reports, news interviews and content from the app to build its case.It alleges Snap violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Those violations are based on the app’s age rating in app stores, around 12 years old and up, and app store disclaimers citing infrequent or mild profanity, mature and suggestive themes, sexual content, nudity and substance use or references.“In reality, content in all of those categories appears frequently and is intense on Snapchat,” the lawsuit reads.The lawsuit references the death of a teenage boy from Shawnee, who died in 2021of fentanyl poisoning after reportedly purchasing from a drug dealer on Snapchat.“Numerous young people, including young people in Washington County, Kansas, have been exposed to drug dealers on Snapchat offering illicit or regulated drugs for sale,” the lawsuit said. “Such content on Snapchat includes posts featuring lists of drugs and prices.”That was the only mention of Washington County residents, of whom there are around 5,500, in the lawsuit.&nbsp;A Snap spokesperson said in a statement that the safety of users is a top priority. The company didn’t directly address the lawsuit but said it has incorporated privacy and safety features into the app since its inception.“Unfortunately, the reality is this — there is no single safety feature or policy that can eliminate every potential threat online or in the world around us,” the statement said. “This is why we continually adapt our strategies to fight against bad actors, who change their tactics to exploit online platforms for their nefarious ends, and this will remain a crucial part of our efforts to help keep Snapchatters safe.”For the past three years, the company has commissioned research into the experiences of Gen Z teens and young adults from six countries, including the United States, on online platforms.The 2024 surveys asked more than 9,000 people — around 3,000 teens, 3,000 young adults ages 18-24 and 3,000 parents of teenage children — about online risks, digital wellbeing, defense against online threats and sextortion.The survey found that online risk was at a three-year high for Gen Z users in 2024. Misinformation, hate speech and bullying, sexual risks, threats of violence, impersonation, extremist content and self-harm were all perceived as more prevalent than in previous years.Of the Gen Z teens and young adults surveyed, 80% reported experiencing some online risk, a two percentage point increase from 2023. Forty-seven percent of Gen Z respondents said they had some interaction with intimate or sexual imagery.Of those, 39% received such imagery, 35% were asked for imagery of themselves and 17% shared or distributed content depicting someone else.Joseph Sciarrotta, the attorney general’s chief deputy who was hired last month, said the office investigated Snap, finding its features “are intentionally designed to exploit the vulnerabilities of young minds.”“From Snapstreaks that create immense social pressure to an infinite scroll that eliminates natural stopping points, the platform is a digital trap for children,” Sciarrotta said. “This action alleges that the company made deceptive and misleading claims about safety and parental controls that have contributed to an unacceptable mental health crisis among our youth.”The lawsuit asks for a judge to find Snap in violation of state law, prohibit the company from continuing the violations and force Snap to pay fines, fees and court costs. The attorney general’s office enlisted Washington, D.C.-based firm Cooper and Kirk to help argue its case.

Kan. sues social media app Snapchat for harming teenagers’ mental health

Officials said the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and no ICE personnel were among the victims. FBI Director Kash Patel said an anti-ICE message was found on an unspent shell casing.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/uriel-j-garcia/">Uriel J. García</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/colleen-deguzman/">Colleen DeGuzman</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/nicholas-gutteridge/">Nicholas Gutteridge</a> <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a>

A shooter killed one person and injured two others at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said at a news conference.

The shooter, whose identity has not been released by authorities, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Police didn’t provide any other details about the victims but emphasized they didn’t include any law enforcement officers. Still, R. Joseph Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the Dallas office, said that ammunition found near the shooter’s body “contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature.”

“I'm not going to be identifying victims at this time,” Rothrock said. “The only thing I will confirm at this time is, no law enforcement was injured.”

Law enforcement officials at the news conference provided few additional details, but urged the public to tone down the political rhetoric toward immigration officers.

“This needs to stop. Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong,” Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said at the news conference. “We should not be putting language out there that inspires madmen.”

FBI Director Kash Patel shared a photo on social media depicting “five unspent shell casings” on the ground, with “ANTI ICE” written on one of them.

Patel, who has been criticized for releasing incorrect information about the assassination of conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk, said that even though the Dallas shooting is still under investigation, the “initial review of the evidence shows an idealogical motive behind this attack.”

In a<a href="https://x.com/DallasPD/status/1970842592418914725">&nbsp;statement</a>, the Dallas Police Department said the preliminary investigation “determined that a suspect opened fire at a government building from an adjacent building.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a<a href="https://x.com/sec_noem/status/1970837092742664662?s=46&amp;t=ht96GmWRAfUT8sq2SWwBMA">&nbsp;post on X</a>&nbsp;that the motive is unclear.

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News that the victims included detainees. She added that no federal agents were shot.

Vice President JD Vance said on X that “the obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop.”

Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on X that the shooting “will NOT slow our arrest, detention, &amp; deportation of illegal immigrants. We will work with ICE &amp; the Dallas Police Dept. to get to the bottom of the assassin’s motive. We will offer ICE additional support to assist their operations.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also weighed in on X, saying: “We will continue to do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals.”

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called the incident “horrific,” and said his office is making sure that “all resources are brought to bear in the investigation.”

House Speaker Dustin Burrows echoed that sentiment.

The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors.&nbsp;<a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/">Become one</a>.

“All acts of violence and intimidation simply cannot be tolerated within our society, whether it be against law enforcement personnel, political figures, or innocent individuals,” he wrote on X. “I am grateful to the law enforcement officers who quickly responded to the shooting in Dallas this morning and continue to work to ensure the safety of everyone at the ICE field office.”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted on X: "My team and I are closely monitoring the situation at the ICE Detention Facility in Dallas. We are praying for the swift recovery of those injured, and we are deeply grateful to the brave first responders who rushed to the scene."

Officials said the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and no ICE personnel were among the victims. FBI Director Kash Patel said an anti-ICE message was found on an unspent shell casing.By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/uriel-j-garcia/">Uriel J. García</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/colleen-deguzman/">Colleen DeGuzman</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/nicholas-gutteridge/">Nicholas Gutteridge</a> <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This morning just before 7am local time, an individual fired multiple rounds at a Dallas, Texas ICE facility, killing one, wounding several others, before taking his own life. FBI, DHS, ATF are on the ground with Dallas PD and state authorities. While the investigation is… <a href="https://t.co/SMOyxiKLqA">pic.twitter.com/SMOyxiKLqA</a>&mdash; FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1970877754221498599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A shooter killed one person and injured two others at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said at a news conference.The shooter, whose identity has not been released by authorities, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.Police didn’t provide any other details about the victims but emphasized they didn’t include any law enforcement officers. Still, R. Joseph Rothrock, the special agent in charge of the Dallas office, said that ammunition found near the shooter’s body “contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature.”“I'm not going to be identifying victims at this time,” Rothrock said. “The only thing I will confirm at this time is, no law enforcement was injured.”Law enforcement officials at the news conference provided few additional details, but urged the public to tone down the political rhetoric toward immigration officers.“This needs to stop. Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong,” Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said at the news conference. “We should not be putting language out there that inspires madmen.”FBI Director Kash Patel shared a photo on social media depicting “five unspent shell casings” on the ground, with “ANTI ICE” written on one of them.Patel, who has been criticized for releasing incorrect information about the assassination of conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk, said that even though the Dallas shooting is still under investigation, the “initial review of the evidence shows an idealogical motive behind this attack.”In a<a href="https://x.com/DallasPD/status/1970842592418914725">&nbsp;statement</a>, the Dallas Police Department said the preliminary investigation “determined that a suspect opened fire at a government building from an adjacent building.”Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a<a href="https://x.com/sec_noem/status/1970837092742664662?s=46&amp;t=ht96GmWRAfUT8sq2SWwBMA">&nbsp;post on X</a>&nbsp;that the motive is unclear.Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News that the victims included detainees. She added that no federal agents were shot.Vice President JD Vance said on X that “the obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop.”Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on X that the shooting “will NOT slow our arrest, detention, &amp; deportation of illegal immigrants. We will work with ICE &amp; the Dallas Police Dept. to get to the bottom of the assassin’s motive. We will offer ICE additional support to assist their operations.”Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also weighed in on X, saying: “We will continue to do everything in our power to combat the alarming increase of targeted attacks against ICE and all law enforcement by evil, twisted individuals.”U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called the incident “horrific,” and said his office is making sure that “all resources are brought to bear in the investigation.”House Speaker Dustin Burrows echoed that sentiment.The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors.&nbsp;<a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/">Become one</a>.“All acts of violence and intimidation simply cannot be tolerated within our society, whether it be against law enforcement personnel, political figures, or innocent individuals,” he wrote on X. “I am grateful to the law enforcement officers who quickly responded to the shooting in Dallas this morning and continue to work to ensure the safety of everyone at the ICE field office.”U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted on X: "My team and I are closely monitoring the situation at the ICE Detention Facility in Dallas. We are praying for the swift recovery of those injured, and we are deeply grateful to the brave first responders who rushed to the scene."

FBI: At least two dead after shooting at ICE facility

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are searching for suspects who committed bank crimes in Salina.

On Monday, employees from Solomon State Bank, 605 E. Magnolia in Salina, reported that unknown suspect(s) gained access to their ATM and removed the hard drive from it, according to a statement from Salina Police.

The suspect(s) allegedly stole the hard drive valued at $1,500 for the purpose of attempting to download malware onto it for "jackpotting" attacks, which would force&nbsp;the machine to dispense large amounts of cash.

Before the crime, there was a report on Sunday, September 21st about a&nbsp;black Honda Fit&nbsp;that was in the area of the 600 block of E. Magnolia. A witness stated there were&nbsp;two men, wearing masks&nbsp;and taking pictures of the area.

Later that same day, another report stated there were 'several people messing with an ATM' at the Bank of the Plains on the 1900 block of S. Ohio. Afterwards, these suspects drove to Exchange Bank, 1720 S. Ohio Street.

Police have not reported exactly what the suspects committed at Exchange Bank.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758722708367.png" alt="The drive through at Solomon State bank in Salina -Google image" />
 <figcaption>The drive through at Solomon State bank in Salina -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are searching for suspects who committed bank crimes in Salina.On Monday, employees from Solomon State Bank, 605 E. Magnolia in Salina, reported that unknown suspect(s) gained access to their ATM and removed the hard drive from it, according to a statement from Salina Police.The suspect(s) allegedly stole the hard drive valued at $1,500 for the purpose of attempting to download malware onto it for "jackpotting" attacks, which would force&nbsp;the machine to dispense large amounts of cash.Before the crime, there was a report on Sunday, September 21st about a&nbsp;black Honda Fit&nbsp;that was in the area of the 600 block of E. Magnolia. A witness stated there were&nbsp;two men, wearing masks&nbsp;and taking pictures of the area.Later that same day, another report stated there were 'several people messing with an ATM' at the Bank of the Plains on the 1900 block of S. Ohio. Afterwards, these suspects drove to Exchange Bank, 1720 S. Ohio Street.Police have not reported exactly what the suspects committed at Exchange Bank.

Police: Suspects took hard drive from bank ATM in central Kansas

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

Just before 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the intersection of Gardiner and N. Chouteau Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported shooting, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived to the scene, they located a vehicle that had been stopped near the intersection with an unresponsive driver inside. Upon further evaluation, officers determined the individual was suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma, and immediately began rendering medical aid until EMS personnel responded.

The man&nbsp; was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates the victim was inside of the vehicle when he was struck by gunfire. It is undetermined at this time if the suspect was an individual inside of another vehicle, or traveling on foot. 

Police do not currently have a person of interest identified and there is not anyone in police custody.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene to begin gathering evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to&nbsp;Officer Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just before 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the intersection of Gardiner and N. Chouteau Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported shooting, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived to the scene, they located a vehicle that had been stopped near the intersection with an unresponsive driver inside. Upon further evaluation, officers determined the individual was suffering from apparent, gunshot trauma, and immediately began rendering medical aid until EMS personnel responded.The man&nbsp; was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates the victim was inside of the vehicle when he was struck by gunfire. It is undetermined at this time if the suspect was an individual inside of another vehicle, or traveling on foot. Police do not currently have a person of interest identified and there is not anyone in police custody.Homicide detectives responded to the scene to begin gathering evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to&nbsp;Officer Gonzalez.

Homicide: Shooting victim found in vehicle on Kansas City street

WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump on Monday promoted ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism. Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., an OB/GYN, who delivered more than 5,000 babies, according to his online bio, responded to the White House action plan.

"Autism rates in America are alarming: 1 in 31 children now, up 5x since 2000. It’s about time we launched an NIH Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI) to dig deep into causes and solutions." Marshall wrote on social media.

" I’m extremely grateful to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for prioritizing this issue. The announcement revealed that Vitamin B9 (folate) shows promise in helping some autism cases per studies.

Some research links CHRONIC acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy to increased autism risk."&nbsp;

"While evidence is inconclusive, for all medications, use the shortest duration and minimal dose necessary. Ask your doctor."

WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump on Monday promoted ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism. Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., an OB/GYN, who delivered more than 5,000 babies, according to his online bio, responded to the White House action plan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump, <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NIHDirector_Jay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIHDirector_Jay</a>, &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrMakaryFDA</a> announce the Autism Action Plan. Make America Healthy Again. <a href="https://t.co/1inEvIecYU">pic.twitter.com/1inEvIecYU</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1970238866394099891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"Autism rates in America are alarming: 1 in 31 children now, up 5x since 2000. It’s about time we launched an NIH Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI) to dig deep into causes and solutions." Marshall wrote on social media." I’m extremely grateful to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for prioritizing this issue. The announcement revealed that Vitamin B9 (folate) shows promise in helping some autism cases per studies.

Some research links CHRONIC acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy to increased autism risk."&nbsp;"While evidence is inconclusive, for all medications, use the shortest duration and minimal dose necessary. Ask your doctor." <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces that the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol, during pregnancy, can be associated with an increased risk of autism: &quot;They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically… <a href="https://t.co/79tNwDW6Ly">pic.twitter.com/79tNwDW6Ly</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970231115194757454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kansas U.S. Senator responds to President Trump's autism announcement

KANSAS CITY —Fire crews had to overcome a hydrant issue while fighting an apartment fire in Kansas City on Tuesday.

Just after 8:30a.m., crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 3200 Block of St. John Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a three-story occupied apartment building.&nbsp; Heavy fire was located on both the second and third floors. Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported during this operation. On arrival the first hydrant that was secured was found to be inoperable. A second water source was secured in front of the structure on Indiana. 

Fortunately the inoperable hydrant did not hinder operations. It will be reported to the water department for maintenance. The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758655949121.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Fire crews had to overcome a hydrant issue while fighting an apartment fire in Kansas City on Tuesday.Just after 8:30a.m., crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 3200 Block of St. John Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758655930737.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a three-story occupied apartment building.&nbsp; Heavy fire was located on both the second and third floors. Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported during this operation. On arrival the first hydrant that was secured was found to be inoperable. A second water source was secured in front of the structure on Indiana. Fortunately the inoperable hydrant did not hinder operations. It will be reported to the water department for maintenance. The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD.&nbsp;

Hydrant did not work as crews began fight on KC apartment fire

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court earlier this month for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy involving 19 defendants and over $1.8 million worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to the United State's Attorney.

Dontrell A. Powell, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 32 and a half years in federal prison without parole for one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Powell pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025.

According to court documents, an investigation into the drug-trafficking organization began on Jan. 17, 2024, when a Trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol searched a vehicle on a car hauler at a truck stop in Oklahoma City, Ok. The Trooper found approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl pills hidden in a subwoofer speaker box in the cargo area of a Dodge Magnum. The approximate street value of the drugs was $1,850,000.

Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration removed the fentanyl pills from the Dodge Magnum and replaced most of the methamphetamine with sham methamphetamine before conducting a controlled delivery of the vehicle the next morning.

On Jan. 18, 2024, Dontrell Powell and his brother, Dreshawn Powell, 28, also of Springfield, Mo., arrived at the parking lot in a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLE, which was registered to Dontrell. Dontrell Powell signed for the Dodge Magnum, which had been shipped from California to Missouri under a false name, and drove it out of the parking lot. Agents followed the Powell brothers and two codefendants to Dontrell Powell’s residence, where they were all arrested.

When agents searched Dontrell Powell’s residence they found an Anderson Manufacturing multi-caliber, semi-automatic pistol, two Glock carrying cases, three high-capacity Glock magazines, including a drum-style magazine loaded with 40 rounds of ammunition, several types of ammunition, and approximately $140,000. Agents also located four more large subwoofer boxes at the residence and a loaded Glock, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the glove box of Dontrell Powell’s Mercedes.

Dontrell Powell is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. His brother, Dreshawn Powell, was sentenced on July 21, 2025, to 190 months in federal prison without parole for one count of aiding and abetting the attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707704062964.png" alt="Dontrell Powell photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Dontrell Powell photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court earlier this month for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy involving 19 defendants and over $1.8 million worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to the United State's Attorney.Dontrell A. Powell, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 32 and a half years in federal prison without parole for one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Powell pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025.According to court documents, an investigation into the drug-trafficking organization began on Jan. 17, 2024, when a Trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol searched a vehicle on a car hauler at a truck stop in Oklahoma City, Ok. The Trooper found approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl pills hidden in a subwoofer speaker box in the cargo area of a Dodge Magnum. The approximate street value of the drugs was $1,850,000.Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration removed the fentanyl pills from the Dodge Magnum and replaced most of the methamphetamine with sham methamphetamine before conducting a controlled delivery of the vehicle the next morning.On Jan. 18, 2024, Dontrell Powell and his brother, Dreshawn Powell, 28, also of Springfield, Mo., arrived at the parking lot in a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLE, which was registered to Dontrell. Dontrell Powell signed for the Dodge Magnum, which had been shipped from California to Missouri under a false name, and drove it out of the parking lot. Agents followed the Powell brothers and two codefendants to Dontrell Powell’s residence, where they were all arrested.When agents searched Dontrell Powell’s residence they found an Anderson Manufacturing multi-caliber, semi-automatic pistol, two Glock carrying cases, three high-capacity Glock magazines, including a drum-style magazine loaded with 40 rounds of ammunition, several types of ammunition, and approximately $140,000. Agents also located four more large subwoofer boxes at the residence and a loaded Glock, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the glove box of Dontrell Powell’s Mercedes.Dontrell Powell is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. His brother, Dreshawn Powell, was sentenced on July 21, 2025, to 190 months in federal prison without parole for one count of aiding and abetting the attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Mo. man going to. prison for $1.8 million fentanyl, meth conspiracy

HARVEY COUNTY – On September 19, 2025, Trevon Cole, 20, of Salina,&nbsp; entered a guilty plea in Harvey County District Court to one count of Rape, according to the Harvey County District Attorney's office.

At the time of the offense, Cole was a student at Bethel College and the crime occurred in the dorms located on the Bethel College campus.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place before Chief Judge Marilyn Wilder on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Cole remains out of custody on bond pending sentencing. 

He faces a potential prison sentence of 147 to 653 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime post-release supervision. He will also be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.

The successful prosecution of this case was made possible with the dedicated assistance of the North Newton Police Department. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758646833807.png" alt="Cole photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Cole photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY – On September 19, 2025, Trevon Cole, 20, of Salina,&nbsp; entered a guilty plea in Harvey County District Court to one count of Rape, according to the Harvey County District Attorney's office.At the time of the offense, Cole was a student at Bethel College and the crime occurred in the dorms located on the Bethel College campus.Sentencing is scheduled to take place before Chief Judge Marilyn Wilder on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Cole remains out of custody on bond pending sentencing. He faces a potential prison sentence of 147 to 653 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, followed by lifetime post-release supervision. He will also be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.The successful prosecution of this case was made possible with the dedicated assistance of the North Newton Police Department.

Former student admits to sex crime in Kan. college dorm

&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;criticized the United Nations during a speech before the general assembly on Tuesday in New York.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758638236501.png" alt="Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;criticized the United Nations during a speech before the general assembly on Tuesday in New York.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch in full: President Donald J. Trump&#39;s address to the 80th session of the United Nations Generally Assembly <a href="https://t.co/sJKI6GPkyk">pic.twitter.com/sJKI6GPkyk</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970525758855536854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/UaxUrM2zCG">pic.twitter.com/UaxUrM2zCG</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970513791168208929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump issues warning to Europe in UN General Assembly speech

Centene subsidiary Ambetter from Home State Health failed to meet Affordable Care Act requirements for medical care spending. The refunds to Missourians will be more than all insurers paid out nationally rebates in 2023

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

Missouri’s biggest individual insurer must rebate almost $90 million to policyholders because it spent too little on care and too much on administration.

Ambetter from Home State Health, a subsidiary of<a href="https://www.centene.com/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Clayton-based Centene Corporation</a>, is mailing checks totaling $87.5 million to customers in Missouri because it violated the<a href="https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/private-health-insurance/medical-loss-ratio" target="_blank">&nbsp;Medical Loss Ratio</a>&nbsp;requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Letters dated Sept. 10 notifying policyholders of the rebates — equal to more than one month’s premium for each — began arriving in mailboxes over the weekend.&nbsp;

One of Ambetter’s competitors, United Healthcare, is also making rebates to Missouri customers. In a Sept. 5 news release,<a href="https://www.uhc.com/agents-brokers/employer-sponsored-plans/news-strategies/uhc-will-begin-mailing-mlr-premium-rebate-checks-impacted-groups-september" target="_blank">&nbsp;United Healthcare</a>&nbsp;stated that it will rebate $192.2 million nationally for group market plans offered in 31 states and $167.1 million for individual insurance market plans offered in 19 states.&nbsp;

Missourians in both United Healthcare markets will be eligible for rebates but the material supplied by the company did not show the amounts.

The rebates from Ambetter are among the largest for individual insurance companies operating in the Missouri marketplace since the Affordable Care Act began requiring them in 2012. Over 12 years, insurers have rebated $587.1 million to Missouri policyholders, with the most being $192.7 million in 2019.

“This is a standard and required process under the Affordable Care Act that ensures health plans return a portion of premiums to members if spending on medical care falls below federal thresholds,” a prepared statement from Centene stated.

Every year insurers must report their revenue from premiums and spending on health care and activities intended to improve care, such as smoking cessation or other programs. That is compared to the amount spent on administration.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluates the reports and determines the rebate amounts. The data is examined on a three-year rolling basis and Ambetter’s rebates are for the years 2022-2024.

During 2023, CMS directed companies to<a href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2023-rebates-state.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;rebate $957 million nationally</a>. A report summarizing rebates for 2024 is not yet available.

Each insurer must spend 80% of total premiums — and 85% of money from premium increases — on health care.

During that period, of premiums paid for individual policies, Ambetter told policyholders in the letter that it spent only 71.4% of the approximately $1 billion received in premiums in 2024. Ambetter must refund the 8.6% difference.

Ambetter is the largest individual insurance provider in the state, according to<a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/state-indicator/market-share-and-enrollment-of-largest-three-insurers-individual-market/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">&nbsp;data from KFF</a>, a health policy news and analysis organization. Ambetter covers about 46% of the 270,275 people buying individual plans. Elevance, formerly Anthem, is the second largest, with 28% of the market, followed by United Healthcare, with about 7%.

Along with the rebate checks, customers buying plans from Ambetter will likely see some of the smallest premium increases in the state in the coming year. According to an Aug. 1 news release from the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, Ambetter is seeking an<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/sites/insurance/files/2025-08/Proposed%20Rates%20for%202026%20Plans.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;average premium increase</a>&nbsp;of 1.9% starting Jan. 1.

Seven of the eight other companies offering plans in all or part of the state are proposing increases averaging from 4.6% to 29.2%. One, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, has said it will cut rates by an average of 4.2%.

“Missourians should expect to see premium increases for many of the individual market plans as well as changes to coverage areas and networks,” the department said in the news release.

The final premium rates for all companies will be announced by Oct. 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758652787816.png" alt=" Centene Corp. headquarters in Clayton (photo from Google Maps)." />
 <figcaption> Centene Corp. headquarters in Clayton (photo from Google Maps).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Centene subsidiary Ambetter from Home State Health failed to meet Affordable Care Act requirements for medical care spending. The refunds to Missourians will be more than all insurers paid out nationally rebates in 2023</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s biggest individual insurer must rebate almost $90 million to policyholders because it spent too little on care and too much on administration.Ambetter from Home State Health, a subsidiary of<a href="https://www.centene.com/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Clayton-based Centene Corporation</a>, is mailing checks totaling $87.5 million to customers in Missouri because it violated the<a href="https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/private-health-insurance/medical-loss-ratio" target="_blank">&nbsp;Medical Loss Ratio</a>&nbsp;requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Letters dated Sept. 10 notifying policyholders of the rebates — equal to more than one month’s premium for each — began arriving in mailboxes over the weekend.&nbsp;One of Ambetter’s competitors, United Healthcare, is also making rebates to Missouri customers. In a Sept. 5 news release,<a href="https://www.uhc.com/agents-brokers/employer-sponsored-plans/news-strategies/uhc-will-begin-mailing-mlr-premium-rebate-checks-impacted-groups-september" target="_blank">&nbsp;United Healthcare</a>&nbsp;stated that it will rebate $192.2 million nationally for group market plans offered in 31 states and $167.1 million for individual insurance market plans offered in 19 states.&nbsp;Missourians in both United Healthcare markets will be eligible for rebates but the material supplied by the company did not show the amounts.The rebates from Ambetter are among the largest for individual insurance companies operating in the Missouri marketplace since the Affordable Care Act began requiring them in 2012. Over 12 years, insurers have rebated $587.1 million to Missouri policyholders, with the most being $192.7 million in 2019.“This is a standard and required process under the Affordable Care Act that ensures health plans return a portion of premiums to members if spending on medical care falls below federal thresholds,” a prepared statement from Centene stated.Every year insurers must report their revenue from premiums and spending on health care and activities intended to improve care, such as smoking cessation or other programs. That is compared to the amount spent on administration.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluates the reports and determines the rebate amounts. The data is examined on a three-year rolling basis and Ambetter’s rebates are for the years 2022-2024.During 2023, CMS directed companies to<a href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2023-rebates-state.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;rebate $957 million nationally</a>. A report summarizing rebates for 2024 is not yet available.Each insurer must spend 80% of total premiums — and 85% of money from premium increases — on health care.During that period, of premiums paid for individual policies, Ambetter told policyholders in the letter that it spent only 71.4% of the approximately $1 billion received in premiums in 2024. Ambetter must refund the 8.6% difference.Ambetter is the largest individual insurance provider in the state, according to<a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/state-indicator/market-share-and-enrollment-of-largest-three-insurers-individual-market/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">&nbsp;data from KFF</a>, a health policy news and analysis organization. Ambetter covers about 46% of the 270,275 people buying individual plans. Elevance, formerly Anthem, is the second largest, with 28% of the market, followed by United Healthcare, with about 7%.Along with the rebate checks, customers buying plans from Ambetter will likely see some of the smallest premium increases in the state in the coming year. According to an Aug. 1 news release from the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, Ambetter is seeking an<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/sites/insurance/files/2025-08/Proposed%20Rates%20for%202026%20Plans.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;average premium increase</a>&nbsp;of 1.9% starting Jan. 1.Seven of the eight other companies offering plans in all or part of the state are proposing increases averaging from 4.6% to 29.2%. One, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, has said it will cut rates by an average of 4.2%.“Missourians should expect to see premium increases for many of the individual market plans as well as changes to coverage areas and networks,” the department said in the news release.The final premium rates for all companies will be announced by Oct. 31.

Federal rules force customer rebates for Missouri’s biggest health insurer 

President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations to deliver a speech on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;

As the President and the first lady arrived, they encountered challenges. First, the building's escalator stopped working just they stepped on it. They were forced to climb the steps.&nbsp; 

A few moments later, the teleprompter President Trump was going to use for his speech was not working. The President gave his speech without it, "that way you speak more from the heart," he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;And he also said, "whoever is running the teleprompter is in big trouble.” The teleprompter did finally begin to work.&nbsp;"I ended seven wars and never even received a phone all from the UN. These are the two things I got from the UN, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter." Trump said.

President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations to deliver a speech on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CLIP: &quot;Bad escalator&quot; President Trump referred to during his address to the U.N. General Assembly. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNGA80?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNGA80</a> <a href="https://t.co/S1w9kUOq1l">https://t.co/S1w9kUOq1l</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ja1JRyfF7m">pic.twitter.com/Ja1JRyfF7m</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1970544863130399037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">NOW - Escalator at UN headquarters immediately stops as Trump and Melania step on it shortly after arriving. <a href="https://t.co/8nlUkDoQxm">pic.twitter.com/8nlUkDoQxm</a>&mdash; Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) <a href="https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1970488216470859859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the President and the first lady arrived, they encountered challenges. First, the building's escalator stopped working just they stepped on it. They were forced to climb the steps.&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump begins <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> General Assembly Address: &quot;I don&#39;t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working…Whoever&#39;s operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/01t80AL9de">pic.twitter.com/01t80AL9de</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1970492091034734761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A few moments later, the teleprompter President Trump was going to use for his speech was not working. The President gave his speech without it, "that way you speak more from the heart," he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;And he also said, "whoever is running the teleprompter is in big trouble.” The teleprompter did finally begin to work.&nbsp;"I ended seven wars and never even received a phone all from the UN. These are the two things I got from the UN, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter." Trump said.

President Trump handles technical problems with humor at UN

NEW YORK –&nbsp;The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials, which represented an imminent threat to the agency’s protective operations, according to a media release from the agency.

This protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites.

In addition to carrying out anonymous telephonic threats, these devices could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunications attacks. This includes disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises.

While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement.

“The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated,” said U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran. “The U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled.”

These devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York City. Given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, the agency moved quickly to disrupt this network. The U.S. Secret Service’s Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a new section of the agency dedicated to disrupting the most significant and imminent threats to our protectees, is conducting this investigation. This investigation is currently ongoing.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the NYPD, as well as other state and local law enforcement partners, provided valuable technical advice and assistance in support of this investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758634316959.png" alt="Sim boxes-photo U.S. Secret Service" />
 <figcaption>Sim boxes-photo U.S. Secret Service</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK –&nbsp;The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials, which represented an imminent threat to the agency’s protective operations, according to a media release from the agency.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758637728470.png" alt="Photo Secret Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo Secret Service</figcaption>
 </figure>This protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758634294809.png" alt="Photo Secret Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo Secret Service</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to carrying out anonymous telephonic threats, these devices could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunications attacks. This includes disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises.While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement.“The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated,” said U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran. “The U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled.”These devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York City. Given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, the agency moved quickly to disrupt this network. The U.S. Secret Service’s Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a new section of the agency dedicated to disrupting the most significant and imminent threats to our protectees, is conducting this investigation. This investigation is currently ongoing.The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the NYPD, as well as other state and local law enforcement partners, provided valuable technical advice and assistance in support of this investigation.

Secret Service finds network of devices capable of crashing phone network

FRANKLIN COUNTY —A Kansas man is in custody after allegedly firing shots at deputies near his rural home.

Just before 7:30p.m. Sunday, the Franklin County Emergency Communications Center received a port alleging 54-year-old Lester Caleb of rural Ottawa was firing a gun on his property in The 1200 Block of K68-Highway, according to a media release from the Franklin County Sheriff.

A neighbor called to check on him and Caleb verbally threatened the caller.&nbsp; Law enforcement was contacted due to Caleb's behavior. As the first responding deputy arrived, he was shot at twice from the area of Caleb's property. Caleb was then observed walking across the driveway toward's his residence and the deputy lost sight of him. The deputy was not struck by the gunfire and not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At this point, officers from the Ottawa Police Special Tactics and Rescue Team, The Miami County Sheriff's Special Response Team and The Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the area. A KHP helicopter was also used to monitor the area along with drones from local agencies.Neighbors in close. proximity were evacuated.&nbsp; Law enforcement conducted a search and could not find Caleb and asked the public for help to locate him.

During the day on Monday, law enforcement finally reached Caleb by phone and began a conversation. After an hour of discussion, Caleb surrendered to Franklin County Deputies.&nbsp; He was booked into jail just afater 4:30p.m.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release possible charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758535054962.png" alt="Caleb photo Franklin County" />
 <figcaption>Caleb photo Franklin County</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY —A Kansas man is in custody after allegedly firing shots at deputies near his rural home.Just before 7:30p.m. Sunday, the Franklin County Emergency Communications Center received a port alleging 54-year-old Lester Caleb of rural Ottawa was firing a gun on his property in The 1200 Block of K68-Highway, according to a media release from the Franklin County Sheriff.A neighbor called to check on him and Caleb verbally threatened the caller.&nbsp; Law enforcement was contacted due to Caleb's behavior. As the first responding deputy arrived, he was shot at twice from the area of Caleb's property. Caleb was then observed walking across the driveway toward's his residence and the deputy lost sight of him. The deputy was not struck by the gunfire and not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;At this point, officers from the Ottawa Police Special Tactics and Rescue Team, The Miami County Sheriff's Special Response Team and The Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the area. A KHP helicopter was also used to monitor the area along with drones from local agencies.Neighbors in close. proximity were evacuated.&nbsp; Law enforcement conducted a search and could not find Caleb and asked the public for help to locate him.During the day on Monday, law enforcement finally reached Caleb by phone and began a conversation. After an hour of discussion, Caleb surrendered to Franklin County Deputies.&nbsp; He was booked into jail just afater 4:30p.m.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release possible charges.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of firing gun at deputies is in custody

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a bomb threat at KU Medical Center.

Just after 6:30p.m Monday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to assist K.U. Medical police officers on a bomb threat call, according to a media release.

K.U. officers advised KCKPD that an individual arrived to the entrance of the ER with what was told to police to be an explosive device.  KCKPD set a perimeter and the bomb unit of KCKPD was called to the scene. 

 The device was determined not to be explosive. There was no danger to the public. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a bomb threat at KU Medical Center.Just after 6:30p.m Monday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to assist K.U. Medical police officers on a bomb threat call, according to a media release.K.U. officers advised KCKPD that an individual arrived to the entrance of the ER with what was told to police to be an explosive device. KCKPD set a perimeter and the bomb unit of KCKPD was called to the scene. The device was determined not to be explosive. There was no danger to the public. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Police investigate bomb threat at KU Medical Center

The vast majority of autism researchers understand that there is not a singular cause of autism. Our collective body of global research going back decades means that we have encyclopedic knowledge about the risks for autism, its possible causes, and the highly variable experience of autistic individuals. &nbsp;

The September 22 press conference held by U.S. Health and Human Services alarms us researchers who committed our entire careers to better understanding autism. The data cited do not support the claim that Tylenol causes autism and leucovorin is a cure, and only stoke fear and falsely suggest hope when there is no simple answer.

In brief response to this report, <a href="https://www.coalitionofautismscientists.org/members">the Coalition of Autism Scientists </a>makes the following points:

Regarding a possible link between acetaminophen and autism:

While a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://secure-web.cisco.com/12-p9UShCUEOIYXv2znxa0aqkVuAlW2WK3T38wkoNTPgfKSx8WnvjIoTnqn05j82eTwnFO4qRQvfyvd056Wr8P4Vlm8GIHFKVQHGel7LOPtCJLNfJI9EIU7vrL6GibpF7n9sfqgI19H1VoN9hAWeYdLeyuMoBqjSYdNqdyHBVvnUJIv3YuKY5ptdZMUb8gQgRlFDz3dsRFH8XhC3EJBdTAFec4qFO9ywpwg28skFd07aPu5nPXsGbfUp4haQYLVw39r4w4kcTCLkW3pMw2MezeD8ih7YHQrRBeSGMBRKLZ_-RJv1dKo-UBUKG6PDZLMkw0-y1JKaSVDvDljRNpextllv8v2NiGDw-RwBIZLTmdSH09TSedfSa-qtxgWfHDINtQpxL_F2zHvJxRfawXgWmmvhvDcS-8UFTSGm3Dk3dsnCckVfAFE7xE90UBNOGTMXvlHGJCCDbYMr4FzQLvF2rpQ/https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F40804730%2F__%3B%21%21BZ50a36bapWJ%21phJNivUOy1QcmpRhRfW5EkPBp-NTRftfdwl71wwXMMaSTNweKlOdlsJZvlbcFh-0bx189_kHfJ6DukAILqduukZ_FQ3NRiSr_uM%24" target="_blank">summary analysis</a>&nbsp;found some evidence for a weak association, it does not evaluate the quality of the studies informing the analysis. Importantly, these studies fail to address the fact that fevers during pregnancy are known to increase risk for autism, and that’s why mothers take acetaminophen in the first place. Rather, the most recent,&nbsp;<a href="https://secure-web.cisco.com/1F-SP49beOizPL4WGm4SdputO84cITRjShoz9_K0m0WWU4EvEzee34XX1qNQWDuCpynga2ZOFdwTHCy3hWo33WVKUBBPgKXZmqoTfxm0nikIaS8p1c6tQOWOxF1hGG_vXQd2cTnxxz8s3nUwHT2a2VjHVdUXkp0xEJGg1WlETiE6G0orDiwTmftf6KTEybadFVVFq2igmfcxf2teI3v2sIHjbxoPFm9ZBLxv-RIRBqFuOBQmtivm-T8eWbk3MSOWUCUK7Ee249S5k8sBRV7s6JTSvAGs0LZCjqyimjy-p4LmEiu3ZGpFGaCcbqo0dQQZc4UwW4IhVMSCPSSQnw_vX8DlccbMZTQiD6maZBUSqohurPhf2xjA4nUBhuAz1nMpqcJuro-Uz3T9zSVWkh2mYGO9hXtDWrEWVA63CUBdKBQtXyHxybYbdiM516h9Jm3N1FZtnNmzQ7H8r9khuuN0KQQ/https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F38592388%2F__%3B%21%21BZ50a36bapWJ%21phJNivUOy1QcmpRhRfW5EkPBp-NTRftfdwl71wwXMMaSTNweKlOdlsJZvlbcFh-0bx189_kHfJ6DukAILqduukZ_FQ3NbyKdUAo%24" target="_blank">rigorous study</a>&nbsp;that controlled for unmeasured familiar risks found that acetaminophen did not cause autism.

Given that use of acetaminophen during pregnancy&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817406" target="_blank">&nbsp;has not increased</a>&nbsp;(Ahlqvist VH, et al., Fig 2A in reference) over the past two decades alongside rates of autism, it’s clearly not the cause of the increased diagnoses of autism and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-articles/2021/09/response-to-consensus-statement-on-paracetamol-use-during-pregnancy" target="_blank">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agrees.</a>

There are only a handful of clinical trials of leucovorin and evidence connecting treatment to improvements in outcomes is very weak. (See references) All of them are very small, and the study designs and approaches to statistical analyses of the data are not all of high quality.&nbsp; &nbsp;It is premature to claim that leucovorin is an effective treatment for autism and add autism as a secondary indication. &nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coalitionofautismscientists.org/" target="_blank">Coalition of Autism Scientists</a>&nbsp;reviewed these studies and found that the researchers aren’t using high quality study designs or statistical analysis. Most of these studies test many outcomes, without statistically adjusting for the fact that they are doing so along the way. Some of them use statistics that are inappropriate for a randomized trial (e.g., showing that there is statistically significant change in the intervention group but not in the control group, without actually comparing the groups). Others attempt to conduct analyses separately for children that they say have a gene or antibody that would suggest that they have folate deficiency, meaning that they are conducting the analysis on even smaller groups.

With this in mind, we do not support any recommendation from the HHS or FDA regarding increased use of folinic acid. Instead, we call for a well-designed, large scale clinical trial of leucovorin (folinic acid) with all of the rigor needed (biomarkers, proper endpoints) and most importantly a pre-registered analysis plan.

Dozens of studies demonstrate the role vaccination plays to protect individuals, particularly the most vulnerable in our community, against potentially fatal diseases. There is no evidence that routine vaccinations have any connection to autism at all.

Secretary Kennedy is using his position to push forward his well-known anti-vaccination views, which does not align with Americans’ broad support of vaccines. Outbreaks and epidemics are inevitable if access to free, safe vaccines is reduced.

Is HHS wants to speed up autism research, then investment in gold-standard, peer-reviewed research – that which was already in progress before the rulebook suddenly changed – must continue. Regarding the grants awarded as part of the Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI), the Coalition of Autism Scientists calls for an independent external advisory board of autism scientists and community members to support the ADSI and analyze methodologies, which will facilitate earning the trust of researchers and the public.

The Coalition of Autism Scientists will continue to speak factually and forcefully about the science that should inform our public understanding of autism and support autistic individuals and their families.

Coalition of Autism ScientistsThe vast majority of autism researchers understand that there is not a singular cause of autism. Our collective body of global research going back decades means that we have encyclopedic knowledge about the risks for autism, its possible causes, and the highly variable experience of autistic individuals. &nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 President Donald J. Trump announces FDA&#39;s new guidance alerting physicians to a potential link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism. <a href="https://t.co/ZjVgEAR6MX">pic.twitter.com/ZjVgEAR6MX</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1970268144569819420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The September 22 press conference held by U.S. Health and Human Services alarms us researchers who committed our entire careers to better understanding autism. The data cited do not support the claim that Tylenol causes autism and leucovorin is a cure, and only stoke fear and falsely suggest hope when there is no simple answer.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.&quot; - <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/0FdBCOjtZk">pic.twitter.com/0FdBCOjtZk</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1970247984106328147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In brief response to this report, <a href="https://www.coalitionofautismscientists.org/members">the Coalition of Autism Scientists </a>makes the following points:Regarding a possible link between acetaminophen and autism:While a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://secure-web.cisco.com/12-p9UShCUEOIYXv2znxa0aqkVuAlW2WK3T38wkoNTPgfKSx8WnvjIoTnqn05j82eTwnFO4qRQvfyvd056Wr8P4Vlm8GIHFKVQHGel7LOPtCJLNfJI9EIU7vrL6GibpF7n9sfqgI19H1VoN9hAWeYdLeyuMoBqjSYdNqdyHBVvnUJIv3YuKY5ptdZMUb8gQgRlFDz3dsRFH8XhC3EJBdTAFec4qFO9ywpwg28skFd07aPu5nPXsGbfUp4haQYLVw39r4w4kcTCLkW3pMw2MezeD8ih7YHQrRBeSGMBRKLZ_-RJv1dKo-UBUKG6PDZLMkw0-y1JKaSVDvDljRNpextllv8v2NiGDw-RwBIZLTmdSH09TSedfSa-qtxgWfHDINtQpxL_F2zHvJxRfawXgWmmvhvDcS-8UFTSGm3Dk3dsnCckVfAFE7xE90UBNOGTMXvlHGJCCDbYMr4FzQLvF2rpQ/https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F40804730%2F__%3B%21%21BZ50a36bapWJ%21phJNivUOy1QcmpRhRfW5EkPBp-NTRftfdwl71wwXMMaSTNweKlOdlsJZvlbcFh-0bx189_kHfJ6DukAILqduukZ_FQ3NRiSr_uM%24" target="_blank">summary analysis</a>&nbsp;found some evidence for a weak association, it does not evaluate the quality of the studies informing the analysis. Importantly, these studies fail to address the fact that fevers during pregnancy are known to increase risk for autism, and that’s why mothers take acetaminophen in the first place. Rather, the most recent,&nbsp;<a href="https://secure-web.cisco.com/1F-SP49beOizPL4WGm4SdputO84cITRjShoz9_K0m0WWU4EvEzee34XX1qNQWDuCpynga2ZOFdwTHCy3hWo33WVKUBBPgKXZmqoTfxm0nikIaS8p1c6tQOWOxF1hGG_vXQd2cTnxxz8s3nUwHT2a2VjHVdUXkp0xEJGg1WlETiE6G0orDiwTmftf6KTEybadFVVFq2igmfcxf2teI3v2sIHjbxoPFm9ZBLxv-RIRBqFuOBQmtivm-T8eWbk3MSOWUCUK7Ee249S5k8sBRV7s6JTSvAGs0LZCjqyimjy-p4LmEiu3ZGpFGaCcbqo0dQQZc4UwW4IhVMSCPSSQnw_vX8DlccbMZTQiD6maZBUSqohurPhf2xjA4nUBhuAz1nMpqcJuro-Uz3T9zSVWkh2mYGO9hXtDWrEWVA63CUBdKBQtXyHxybYbdiM516h9Jm3N1FZtnNmzQ7H8r9khuuN0KQQ/https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F38592388%2F__%3B%21%21BZ50a36bapWJ%21phJNivUOy1QcmpRhRfW5EkPBp-NTRftfdwl71wwXMMaSTNweKlOdlsJZvlbcFh-0bx189_kHfJ6DukAILqduukZ_FQ3NbyKdUAo%24" target="_blank">rigorous study</a>&nbsp;that controlled for unmeasured familiar risks found that acetaminophen did not cause autism.Given that use of acetaminophen during pregnancy&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817406" target="_blank">&nbsp;has not increased</a>&nbsp;(Ahlqvist VH, et al., Fig 2A in reference) over the past two decades alongside rates of autism, it’s clearly not the cause of the increased diagnoses of autism and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-articles/2021/09/response-to-consensus-statement-on-paracetamol-use-during-pregnancy" target="_blank">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agrees.</a>Regarding folinic acid (leucovorin):There are only a handful of clinical trials of leucovorin and evidence connecting treatment to improvements in outcomes is very weak. (See references) All of them are very small, and the study designs and approaches to statistical analyses of the data are not all of high quality.&nbsp; &nbsp;It is premature to claim that leucovorin is an effective treatment for autism and add autism as a secondary indication. &nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coalitionofautismscientists.org/" target="_blank">Coalition of Autism Scientists</a>&nbsp;reviewed these studies and found that the researchers aren’t using high quality study designs or statistical analysis. Most of these studies test many outcomes, without statistically adjusting for the fact that they are doing so along the way. Some of them use statistics that are inappropriate for a randomized trial (e.g., showing that there is statistically significant change in the intervention group but not in the control group, without actually comparing the groups). Others attempt to conduct analyses separately for children that they say have a gene or antibody that would suggest that they have folate deficiency, meaning that they are conducting the analysis on even smaller groups.With this in mind, we do not support any recommendation from the HHS or FDA regarding increased use of folinic acid. Instead, we call for a well-designed, large scale clinical trial of leucovorin (folinic acid) with all of the rigor needed (biomarkers, proper endpoints) and most importantly a pre-registered analysis plan.Vaccines and Autism:Dozens of studies demonstrate the role vaccination plays to protect individuals, particularly the most vulnerable in our community, against potentially fatal diseases. There is no evidence that routine vaccinations have any connection to autism at all.Secretary Kennedy is using his position to push forward his well-known anti-vaccination views, which does not align with Americans’ broad support of vaccines. Outbreaks and epidemics are inevitable if access to free, safe vaccines is reduced.Is HHS wants to speed up autism research, then investment in gold-standard, peer-reviewed research – that which was already in progress before the rulebook suddenly changed – must continue. Regarding the grants awarded as part of the Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI), the Coalition of Autism Scientists calls for an independent external advisory board of autism scientists and community members to support the ADSI and analyze methodologies, which will facilitate earning the trust of researchers and the public.The Coalition of Autism Scientists will continue to speak factually and forcefully about the science that should inform our public understanding of autism and support autistic individuals and their families.References:<ul>
 <li>Prada D, Ritz B, Bauer AZ, Baccarelli AA. Evaluation of the evidence on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders using the Navigation Guide methodology. Environ Health. 2025 Aug 14;24(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s12940-025-01208-0. PMID: 40804730; PMCID: PMC12351903.</li><li>Ahlqvist VH, Sjöqvist H, Dalman C, et al. Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability. JAMA. 2024;331(14):1205–1214. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.3172 (See figure 2A)</li><li>Zhang C, Chen Y, Hou F, Li Y, Wang W, Guo L, Zhang C, Li L, Lu C. Safety and Efficacy of High-Dose Folinic Acid in Children with Autism: The Impact of Folate Metabolism Gene Polymorphisms. Nutrients. 2025 May 7;17(9):1602. doi: 10.3390/nu17091602. PMID: 40362912; PMCID: PMC12073535.</li><li>ACOG Response to Consensus Statement on Paracetamol Use During Pregnancy. 9-21-21.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-articles/2021/09/response-to-consensus-statement-on-paracetamol-use-during-pregnancy" target="_blank">https://www.acog.org/news/news-articles/2021/09/response-to-consensus-statement-on-paracetamol-use-during-pregnancy</a></li><li>Panda PK, Sharawat IK, Saha S, Gupta D, Palayullakandi A, Meena K. Efficacy of oral folinic acid supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Nov;183(11):4827-4835. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05762-6. Epub 2024 Sep 7. PMID: 39243316.</li><li>Batebi N, Moghaddam HS, Hasanzadeh A, Fakour Y, Mohammadi MR, Akhondzadeh S. Folinic Acid as Adjunctive Therapy in Treatment of Inappropriate Speech in Children with Autism: A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2021 Oct;52(5):928-938. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-01072-8. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33029705.</li><li>Renard E, Leheup B, Guéant-Rodriguez RM, Oussalah A, Quadros EV, Guéant JL. Folinic acid improves the score of Autism in the EFFET placebo-controlled randomized trial. Biochimie. 2020 Jun;173:57-61. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.04.019. Epub 2020 May 7. PMID: 32387472.</li><li>Frye RE, Slattery J, Delhey L, Furgerson B, Strickland T, Tippett M, Sailey A, Wynne R, Rose S, Melnyk S, Jill James S, Sequeira JM, Quadros EV. Folinic acid improves verbal communication in children with autism and language impairment: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Feb;23(2):247-256. doi: 10.1038/mp.2016.168. Epub 2016 Oct 18. PMID: 27752075; PMCID: PMC5794882.</li>
 </ul>

Coalition of autism scientists oppose links between Tylenol and Autism; use of Leucovorin

MARIES COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Maries County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge 3500 driven by a 35-year-old Rolla man was southbound on U.S. 63 just south of Highway 68. The truck crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2000 Ford F150 driven by a 69-year-old Vichy man head-on.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A 65-year-old female passenger in the Ford was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the Ford driver to University Hospital in Columbia. The other driver was not injured. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

MARIES COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Maries County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge 3500 driven by a 35-year-old Rolla man was southbound on U.S. 63 just south of Highway 68. The truck crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2000 Ford F150 driven by a 69-year-old Vichy man head-on.&nbsp;&nbsp;A 65-year-old female passenger in the Ford was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the Ford driver to University Hospital in Columbia. The other driver was not injured. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.