The rarely used maneuver in the U.S. House will get its 218th signature — enough to force a vote — when a new member from Arizona is sworn in. Of Missouri’s six Republicans, only Rep. Mark Alford has said he will vote for the bill if it comes to the floor

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>

The last signature needed to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to release files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will arrive in Washington this week, but most Republican members of the Missouri delegation are silent on how they will vote.

On Tuesday, voters in Arizona&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2025/09/24/adelita-grijalva-wins-special-election-becoming-first-arizona-latina-in-congress/" target="_blank">elected Adelita Grijvala</a>&nbsp;to Congress to fill a seat vacant following the death of her father, Raúl Grijalva. Both Grijvala, a Democrat, and her Republican opponent had said they would sign a&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025090209" target="_blank">discharge petition</a>&nbsp;to force the House vote.

The petition needs 218 signatures — a majority of the House — to bring a resolution sponsored by U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/09/24/massie-says-he-has-the-votes-needed-to-force-u-s-house-vote-on-releasing-epstein-files/" target="_blank">Rep. Thomas Massie</a>, a Kentucky Republican, to the floor. The resolution would lead to a vote on a bill requiring the Department of Justice to “publicly disclose all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell,” Epstein’s longtime associate now being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd049y2qymo" target="_blank">held in federal prison</a>.

So far the petition, which Massie co-sponsored with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, has 217 signatures — every Democrat in the House, including U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City and Wesley Bell of St. Louis — and four Republicans.

Only U.S. Rep. Mark Alford of Raymore among Missouri’s six Republicans told The Independent how he would vote for the measure if it makes it to the House floor. While he opposes the discharge petition, he said, if the bill it seeks to advance comes up for a vote, he will support it.

“The Epstein case has cast a long shadow over our institutions, fueling distrust among Americans,” Alford said in a statement sent by email. “By releasing the files, we can begin to ensure justice for the victims and restore faith in our criminal justice system. Transparency is not a partisan issue; it’s a moral one.”

Alford said he was opposed to the discharge petition because it doesn’t allow for measured consideration of legislation.

“The discharge petition process bypasses regular order, skips the committee process, and prevents the people’s elected representatives from having a say until an up or down floor vote—that’s wrong and is not how our legislature should operate,” Alford said.

The only other Republican member of the Missouri delegation to respond to an inquiry about the discharge petition was U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner of Ballwin. Her emailed statement did not say whether she would vote for the measure if it reaches the floor or why she had not signed the petition.

“As I have strongly stated previously, Jeffrey Epstein was evil and I hope he rots in hell for what he did to so many innocent children,” Wagner said. “I have called for total transparency, to the extent the courts will allow, and ensuring victims are always protected.”

Wagner said she has voted in favor of investigations by the House Oversight Committee and that has already resulted in the release of thousands of documents.

“Any criminal activity must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wagner said.

Seven days after the 218th signature is recorded on the discharge petition, any member who signed can call for House Speaker Mike Johnson to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45920" target="_blank">schedule a vote</a>&nbsp;on the petition, which must come within two days.

The tumult over releasing records related to the Epstein investigation has created&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/24/repub/tumult-over-epstein-files-dogs-trump-derails-business-on-capitol-hill/">turmoil in Congress all summer</a>. His death in 2019 in a New York City jail cell while awaiting trial on federal charges for sex trafficking minors has become the focus of many of the questions surrounding the case.

In 2007, a plea deal with then-federal prosecutor Alexander Acosta, who went on to be secretary of labor in the first Trump administration, ended an FBI investigation into Epstein. He was accused,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html" target="_blank">the Miami Herald reported in 2018</a>, “of assembling a large, cult-like network of underage girls — with the help of young female recruiters — to coerce into having sex acts behind the walls of his opulent waterfront mansion.”

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida for procuring and soliciting minors for sex, and served about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wral.com/story/fact-check-did-jeffrey-epstein-get-a-sweetheart-plea-deal-from-the-obama-administration/22120008/" target="_blank">13 months in jail under a work release arrangement</a>.

President Donald Trump and his supporters, including some now working in his administration, dealt in conspiracy theories for years on the information surrounding the Epstein case, including whose names turned up during the investigation and the circumstances of his death.

The clamor for more transparency in the case, especially about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/see-epsteins-full-birthday-book-with-alleged-personal-messages-from-trump-clinton-and-others" target="_blank">Trump’s friendship with Epstein</a>, has resulted in various attempts by Republican leaders in Congress to keep a lid on rebellious members.

In July, Johnson, the house speaker,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/22/repub/us-house-gop-leaving-for-august-break-early-to-avoid-pressure-to-release-epstein-files/">sent members home early</a>&nbsp;for their August break because of the pressure to release the files.&nbsp;

And at home in Kentucky, Massie told reporters he and the other three Republicans who signed the discharge petition are being pressured to remove their names following the election of Grijvala.

Johnson and “some of the powers that be in DC are in full panic right now” about it, Massie said, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/09/24/2025/massie-republican-leaders-threatened-supporters-of-push-to-release-epstein-files" target="_blank">reporting by Semafor.</a>

The other Republicans who have signed are U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

“They asked some of my colleagues who are co-signers,” Massie said. “And they actually threatened them politically, not physically.”

Among the Missouri delegation, The Independent did not receive responses from the offices of U.S. Reps. Sam Graves of Tarkio, Jason Smith of Cape Girardeau, Bob Onder of Lake St. Louis or Eric Burlison of Springfield.

The Independent could not find any sources for statements by Graves at any time on the Epstein files.&nbsp;

Smith, in a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://krcgtv.com/news/local/house-speaker-adjourns-early-to-avoid-epstein-files-vote" target="_blank">reported by KRCG</a>&nbsp;in July, said more documents should be unsealed.

“The more transparency we can have the better,” Smith said.

In a July panel discussion on right-wing news outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RealAmVoice/status/1945096168318345524" target="_blank">Real America’s Voice</a>, Onder said the delays in releasing full details of the Epstein investigation are a symptom of “this idea that ‘deep state’ insiders control the levers of power.”&nbsp;

Epstein used influence to escape justice, Onder said.

“I think it’s very much the question of whether, if you’re wealthy enough, powerful enough, well-connected enough, you can get away with anything,” Onder said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The rarely used maneuver in the U.S. House will get its 218th signature — enough to force a vote — when a new member from Arizona is sworn in. Of Missouri’s six Republicans, only Rep. Mark Alford has said he will vote for the bill if it comes to the floor</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>The last signature needed to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to release files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will arrive in Washington this week, but most Republican members of the Missouri delegation are silent on how they will vote.On Tuesday, voters in Arizona&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2025/09/24/adelita-grijalva-wins-special-election-becoming-first-arizona-latina-in-congress/" target="_blank">elected Adelita Grijvala</a>&nbsp;to Congress to fill a seat vacant following the death of her father, Raúl Grijalva. Both Grijvala, a Democrat, and her Republican opponent had said they would sign a&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025090209" target="_blank">discharge petition</a>&nbsp;to force the House vote.The petition needs 218 signatures — a majority of the House — to bring a resolution sponsored by U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/09/24/massie-says-he-has-the-votes-needed-to-force-u-s-house-vote-on-releasing-epstein-files/" target="_blank">Rep. Thomas Massie</a>, a Kentucky Republican, to the floor. The resolution would lead to a vote on a bill requiring the Department of Justice to “publicly disclose all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell,” Epstein’s longtime associate now being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd049y2qymo" target="_blank">held in federal prison</a>.So far the petition, which Massie co-sponsored with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, has 217 signatures — every Democrat in the House, including U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City and Wesley Bell of St. Louis — and four Republicans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759151268441.png" alt="Rep. Mark Alford, right, introduces himself to Douglas Walther, left, before the town hall on Wednesday at the Lions Club in Harrisburg. An NPR tally reported that around 37 of the 219 U.S. House Republicans held town halls during the August recess (Aiyana Massie/Missourian)." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Mark Alford, right, introduces himself to Douglas Walther, left, before the town hall on Wednesday at the Lions Club in Harrisburg. An NPR tally reported that around 37 of the 219 U.S. House Republicans held town halls during the August recess (Aiyana Massie/Missourian).</figcaption>
 </figure>Only U.S. Rep. Mark Alford of Raymore among Missouri’s six Republicans told The Independent how he would vote for the measure if it makes it to the House floor. While he opposes the discharge petition, he said, if the bill it seeks to advance comes up for a vote, he will support it.“The Epstein case has cast a long shadow over our institutions, fueling distrust among Americans,” Alford said in a statement sent by email. “By releasing the files, we can begin to ensure justice for the victims and restore faith in our criminal justice system. Transparency is not a partisan issue; it’s a moral one.”Alford said he was opposed to the discharge petition because it doesn’t allow for measured consideration of legislation.“The discharge petition process bypasses regular order, skips the committee process, and prevents the people’s elected representatives from having a say until an up or down floor vote—that’s wrong and is not how our legislature should operate,” Alford said.The only other Republican member of the Missouri delegation to respond to an inquiry about the discharge petition was U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner of Ballwin. Her emailed statement did not say whether she would vote for the measure if it reaches the floor or why she had not signed the petition.“As I have strongly stated previously, Jeffrey Epstein was evil and I hope he rots in hell for what he did to so many innocent children,” Wagner said. “I have called for total transparency, to the extent the courts will allow, and ensuring victims are always protected.”Wagner said she has voted in favor of investigations by the House Oversight Committee and that has already resulted in the release of thousands of documents.“Any criminal activity must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wagner said.Seven days after the 218th signature is recorded on the discharge petition, any member who signed can call for House Speaker Mike Johnson to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45920" target="_blank">schedule a vote</a>&nbsp;on the petition, which must come within two days.The tumult over releasing records related to the Epstein investigation has created&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/24/repub/tumult-over-epstein-files-dogs-trump-derails-business-on-capitol-hill/">turmoil in Congress all summer</a>. His death in 2019 in a New York City jail cell while awaiting trial on federal charges for sex trafficking minors has become the focus of many of the questions surrounding the case.In 2007, a plea deal with then-federal prosecutor Alexander Acosta, who went on to be secretary of labor in the first Trump administration, ended an FBI investigation into Epstein. He was accused,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article220097825.html" target="_blank">the Miami Herald reported in 2018</a>, “of assembling a large, cult-like network of underage girls — with the help of young female recruiters — to coerce into having sex acts behind the walls of his opulent waterfront mansion.”Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida for procuring and soliciting minors for sex, and served about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wral.com/story/fact-check-did-jeffrey-epstein-get-a-sweetheart-plea-deal-from-the-obama-administration/22120008/" target="_blank">13 months in jail under a work release arrangement</a>.President Donald Trump and his supporters, including some now working in his administration, dealt in conspiracy theories for years on the information surrounding the Epstein case, including whose names turned up during the investigation and the circumstances of his death.The clamor for more transparency in the case, especially about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/see-epsteins-full-birthday-book-with-alleged-personal-messages-from-trump-clinton-and-others" target="_blank">Trump’s friendship with Epstein</a>, has resulted in various attempts by Republican leaders in Congress to keep a lid on rebellious members.In July, Johnson, the house speaker,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/22/repub/us-house-gop-leaving-for-august-break-early-to-avoid-pressure-to-release-epstein-files/">sent members home early</a>&nbsp;for their August break because of the pressure to release the files.&nbsp;And at home in Kentucky, Massie told reporters he and the other three Republicans who signed the discharge petition are being pressured to remove their names following the election of Grijvala.Johnson and “some of the powers that be in DC are in full panic right now” about it, Massie said, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/09/24/2025/massie-republican-leaders-threatened-supporters-of-push-to-release-epstein-files" target="_blank">reporting by Semafor.</a>The other Republicans who have signed are U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.“They asked some of my colleagues who are co-signers,” Massie said. “And they actually threatened them politically, not physically.”Among the Missouri delegation, The Independent did not receive responses from the offices of U.S. Reps. Sam Graves of Tarkio, Jason Smith of Cape Girardeau, Bob Onder of Lake St. Louis or Eric Burlison of Springfield.The Independent could not find any sources for statements by Graves at any time on the Epstein files.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759151047790.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, in May 2021 outside Trump Tower in New York after visiting with former President Donald Trump about Missouri issues. (Photo from Jason Smith Twitter account)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, in May 2021 outside Trump Tower in New York after visiting with former President Donald Trump about Missouri issues. (Photo from Jason Smith Twitter account)</figcaption>
 </figure>Smith, in a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://krcgtv.com/news/local/house-speaker-adjourns-early-to-avoid-epstein-files-vote" target="_blank">reported by KRCG</a>&nbsp;in July, said more documents should be unsealed.“The more transparency we can have the better,” Smith said.In a July panel discussion on right-wing news outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RealAmVoice/status/1945096168318345524" target="_blank">Real America’s Voice</a>, Onder said the delays in releasing full details of the Epstein investigation are a symptom of “this idea that ‘deep state’ insiders control the levers of power.”&nbsp;Epstein used influence to escape justice, Onder said.“I think it’s very much the question of whether, if you’re wealthy enough, powerful enough, well-connected enough, you can get away with anything,” Onder said.

Missouri’s Republican members of Congress mostly mum on Epstein discharge petition

WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.

The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.

The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759092364076.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, September 27, 2025 –&nbsp;The Hillshire Brands Company, a Haltom City, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 58,000,000 pounds of corn dog and sausage on a stick products that may be contaminated with extraneous material, specifically pieces of wood embedded in the batter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on their web site.The corn dog and sausage on a stick products were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A list of the products subject to recall can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf">view product list</a>]. The labels for the impacted products can be found here: [<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2025-09/recall-030-2025-labels.pdf">view labels</a>].The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging. These items were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide. They were also sold to school districts and Department of Defense facilities nationwide. While the products were distributed to schools, it resulted from commercial sales and not part of food provided by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program.The problem was discovered after the establishment received multiple consumer complaints, five of which involved injuries. The Hillshire Brands Company conducted an investigation and determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering. FSIS has received no additional reports of injury from consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with school and institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers, schools, and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Christina Self, The Hillshire Brands Company Associate Director of Customer Care, at 888-747-7611. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact MaKenzie Taylor, The Hillshire Brands Company Communications Manager, at 810-391-6680.Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov%2FeCCF%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMelissa.Cordell%40usda.gov%7C2ffd2d584176447889ea08dbb48bd749%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638302284933732023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jx%2BVgXbvTA0YVfEYBwKrSu9MQne%2BUQZ3bT04yRxlrAI%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

58M pounds of corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick products recalled

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

Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. 

An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. 

Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire. The number of people involved is currently unknown. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene gather evidence and collect witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or the names of the victims.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire. The number of people involved is currently unknown. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene gather evidence and collect witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or the names of the victims.

Homicide: Police unsure how many injured in deadly KC shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.

Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.

On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer,&nbsp;located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business.&nbsp; Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business.&nbsp; One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.

Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement.&nbsp; Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.

Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759016708353.png" alt="Security camera image from the burglary in June of 2023 released by Blue Steel Guns and Ammo" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image from the burglary in June of 2023 released by Blue Steel Guns and Ammo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer,&nbsp;located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business.&nbsp; Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business.&nbsp; One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement.&nbsp; Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

Kan. man admits stealing 41 firearms, transporting child porn into the U.S.

ELLIS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in Hays, Kansas, resulting in the death of an officer with the Hays Police Department.

On Saturday, Sept. 27, just before midnight, Hays Police Department (HPD) received a 911 call indicating a woman had escaped a domestic violence incident at a residence in the 2000 block of E. 21st Street in Hays, according to a media release from the KBI.

 The woman reported that while she attempted to flee, her significant other, identified as Zane Wickham, 34, of Hays, drove his truck into her vehicle. She ran to a nearby home to call for help.

Preliminary information indicates that Sept. 28, at approximately 1:55 a.m., officers from HPD and a trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) were setting up a perimeter near the backyard of Wickham’s residence in the 2200 block of Downing Street. A single shot was fired from inside the house, and the round struck a Hays Police officer.

Officers immediately performed life-saving measures. The officer was then transported via air to a regional hospital. Despite efforts, he died from his injuries, just after 4 a.m.

The HPD Special Situation Response Team, the KHP Special Response Team, and the KBI High Risk Warrant Team responded to the residence where Wickham had barricaded. The teams negotiated with the suspect. Gas munitions, projectiles intended to break windows, and a surveillance drone were deployed into the residence during the standoff. No law enforcement officers fired their duty weapons throughout the incident.

At approximately, 6:15 a.m., tactical teams entered the house and found Wickham deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Ellis County Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.

ELLIS COUNTY — A police officer was killed responding to a domestic violence call Saturday night in Hays.

Just before 11 p.m. Saturday, police responded a report of a domestic violence situation in the 2200 block of Downing Avenue, according to a media release from Hays Police. When the responding officer arrived, the suspect fired shots at the officer.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was transported to a hospital and pronounced deceased.

Hays Police said there are no additional suspects being sought in connection with the incident.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759083305785.jpeg" alt="Officers at the corner of 22nd and Downing near the shooting incident on Sunday morning. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Officers at the corner of 22nd and Downing near the shooting incident on Sunday morning. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in Hays, Kansas, resulting in the death of an officer with the Hays Police Department.On Saturday, Sept. 27, just before midnight, Hays Police Department (HPD) received a 911 call indicating a woman had escaped a domestic violence incident at a residence in the 2000 block of E. 21st Street in Hays, according to a media release from the KBI. The woman reported that while she attempted to flee, her significant other, identified as Zane Wickham, 34, of Hays, drove his truck into her vehicle. She ran to a nearby home to call for help.Preliminary information indicates that Sept. 28, at approximately 1:55 a.m., officers from HPD and a trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) were setting up a perimeter near the backyard of Wickham’s residence in the 2200 block of Downing Street. A single shot was fired from inside the house, and the round struck a Hays Police officer.Officers immediately performed life-saving measures. The officer was then transported via air to a regional hospital. Despite efforts, he died from his injuries, just after 4 a.m.The HPD Special Situation Response Team, the KHP Special Response Team, and the KBI High Risk Warrant Team responded to the residence where Wickham had barricaded. The teams negotiated with the suspect. Gas munitions, projectiles intended to break windows, and a surveillance drone were deployed into the residence during the standoff. No law enforcement officers fired their duty weapons throughout the incident.At approximately, 6:15 a.m., tactical teams entered the house and found Wickham deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Ellis County Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.----------------ELLIS COUNTY — A police officer was killed responding to a domestic violence call Saturday night in Hays.Just before 11 p.m. Saturday, police responded a report of a domestic violence situation in the 2200 block of Downing Avenue, according to a media release from Hays Police. When the responding officer arrived, the suspect fired shots at the officer.The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was transported to a hospital and pronounced deceased.Hays Police said there are no additional suspects being sought in connection with the incident.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.

Kan. police officer killed, suspect dead at scene of domestic incident

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a> <a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.

The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.

Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.

Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.

“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”

Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.

There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.

“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;

Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.

“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.

Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”

South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”

“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”

South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759066705724.png" alt="Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
 <figcaption>Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshua-haiar/">Joshua Haiar</a> <a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre will not be rescinded.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Under my direction, the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will keep their medals. This decision is final. Their place in history is settled. <a href="https://t.co/klQlB6MZ6l">pic.twitter.com/klQlB6MZ6l</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The massacre occurred on Dec. 29, 1890. Lakota people were camped near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where they were surrounded by hundreds of Army soldiers. A shot rang out while the soldiers tried to disarm the camp, and chaotic shooting ensued.Fewer than 40 soldiers were killed (some by friendly fire, according to historians), while estimates of Lakota deaths ran from 200 to 300 or more, depending on the source. After some of the bodies froze on the ground for several days, a military-led burial party placed them in a mass grave.Hegseth used the word “battle” to describe the massacre.“Under my direction, we’re making it clear, without hesitation, that the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890 will keep their medals,” Hegseth said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">video posted to social media</a>. “And we’re making it clear that they deserve those medals. This decision is now final, and their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”Hegseth’s predecessor during the Biden administration, Lloyd Austin, created&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/07/24/defense-secretary-orders-review-of-wounded-knee-massacre-medals/" target="_blank">a panel</a>&nbsp;last year to review the medals. At the time, the Defense Department said “approximately 20” soldiers had received a Medal of Honor for participating in the massacre. Historians have noted that the records associated with some of the medals are incomplete or unclear.There was no public report from the panel and no public action on the matter by the Biden administration before Biden left office. Hegseth held up a report in his social media video that he said was generated by that panel in October, but the Defense Department has not published it. A request from South Dakota Searchlight for the report is pending with the department.“Upon deliberation, that panel concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions in 1890,” Hegseth said.Hegseth alleged the prior administration was too concerned with being “politically correct” to share a final decision.&nbsp;Oliver “OJ” Semans, a Rosebud Sioux tribal member who advocates for the revocation of the medals, said he wasn’t surprised by Hegseth’s statements. Semans said he felt the review panel’s makeup was skewed toward protecting the military’s image.“I think it’s a shame that Secretary Hegseth was misled by his predecessor’s report,” Semans said.Past efforts to rescind the medals through congressional action have failed. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, introduced another bill to do so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1915" target="_blank">this year</a>.U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, was at a public event Friday in Rapid City, about 90 miles from Wounded Knee. Thune said the decision was Hegseth’s to make and that the decision was supported by an “independent review.”South Dakota Searchlight asked Thune if he agreed with Hegseth’s use of the word “battle” and Hegseth’s statement that the soldiers “deserve those medals.”“Whenever you’re talking about those types of events in our nation’s history, you need to do it in a respectful way,” Thune said. “I didn’t watch what he said, but like I said, I think the decision that he issued is the one that everybody will end up having to adhere to.”South Dakota Searchlight’s Seth Tupper contributed to this report.This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/09/26/medals-awarded-for-wounded-knee-massacre-wont-be-rescinded-hegseth-announces/" target="_blank">South Dakota Searchlight</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

🎥Medals awarded for Wounded Knee Massacre won’t be rescinded

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — Congress’ failure to pass a short-term government funding bill before midnight Tuesday will lead to the first shutdown in nearly seven years and give President Donald Trump broad authority to determine what federal operations keep running — which will have a huge impact on the government, its employees, states and Americans.&nbsp;

A funding lapse this year would have a considerably wider effect than the 35-day one that took place during Trump’s first term and could last longer, given heightened political tensions.&nbsp;

The last shutdown didn’t affect the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs, since Congress had approved those agencies’ full-year funding bills.

Lawmakers had also enacted the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, exempting Capitol Hill from any repercussions.&nbsp;

That isn’t the case this time around since none of the dozen government spending bills have become law. That means nearly every corner of the federal government will feel the pain in some way&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">if a compromise isn’t reached</a>&nbsp;by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;

States Newsroom’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/category/dc-bureau" target="_blank">Washington, D.C. Bureau</a>&nbsp;offers you a quick guide to what could happen if Republicans and Democrats don’t broker an agreement in time.

How does the White House budget office determine what government operations are essential during a shutdown?

Generally, federal programs that include the preservation of life or property as well as those addressing national security continue during a shutdown, while all other activities are supposed to cease until a funding bill becomes law.&nbsp;

But the president holds expansive power to determine what activities within the executive branch are essential and which aren’t, making the effects of a shutdown hard to pinpoint unless the Trump administration shares that information publicly.&nbsp;

Presidential administrations have&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">traditionally posted</a>&nbsp;contingency plans on the White House budget office’s website, detailing how each agency would shut down — explaining which employees are exempt and need to keep working, and which are furloughed.&nbsp;

That appears to have changed this year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/guidance/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">web page</a>&nbsp;that would normally host dozens of contingency plans remained blank until late September, when the White House budget office posted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/a11.pdf" target="_blank">940-page document</a>&nbsp;released in August calls for the plans to be “hosted solely on each agency’s website.”

Only a few departments had plans from this year posted on their websites as of Friday afternoon.

The White House budget office expects agencies to develop Reduction in Force plans as part of their shutdown preparation, signaling a prolonged funding lapse will include mass firings and layoffs.

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">two-page memo</a>&nbsp;doesn’t detail which agencies would be most affected, it says layoffs will apply to programs, projects, or activities that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

Trump will be paid during a shutdown since&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/" target="_blank">Article II, Section 1, Clause 7</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prevents the president’s salary from being increased or decreased during the current term.

No one else in the executive branch — including Cabinet secretaries, more than 2 million civilian employees and over 1 million active duty military personnel — will receive their paycheck until after the shutdown ends.&nbsp;

Are federal courts exempt from a shutdown since they’re a separate branch of government?

The Supreme Court will continue to conduct normal operations in the event of a shutdown, according to its Public Information Office.&nbsp;

The office said the court “will rely on permanent funds not subject to annual approval, as it has in the past, to maintain operations through the duration of short-term lapses of annual appropriations,” in a statement shared with States Newsroom.&nbsp;

As for any impact on lower federal courts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said the federal judiciary was still assessing the fiscal 2026 outlook and had no comment.&nbsp;

The office serves as the central support arm of the federal judiciary.&nbsp;

During the last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2018/12/22/judiciary-operating-during-shutdown" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;from late 2018 into early 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2019/01/07/judiciary-operating-limited-funds-during-shutdown" target="_blank">federal courts</a>&nbsp;remained open using court fee balances and “no-year” funds, which are available for an indefinite period.&nbsp;

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has said that if those funds run out, they would operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which “allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers.”&nbsp;

Supreme Court justices and appointed federal judges continue to get paid during a government shutdown, as&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/" target="_blank">Article III</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution says the judges’ compensation “shall not be diminished” during their term.

What happens to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

The three programs exist largely outside of the annual appropriations process, since lawmakers categorized them as “mandatory spending.”&nbsp;

This means Social Security checks as well as reimbursements to health care providers for Medicare and Medicaid services should continue as normal.

One possible hitch is the salaries for people who run those programs are covered by annual appropriations bills, so there could be some staffing problems for the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, depending on their contingency plans.&nbsp;

The first Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201026053427/https://www.ssa.gov/agency/shutdown/materials/contingency-plan-09-23-20.pdf" target="_blank">shutdown guidance</a>&nbsp;for the Social Security Administration showed 54,000 of 63,000 employees at that agency would have kept working. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy-2021-cms-contingency-staffing-plan/index.html" target="_blank">CMS plan</a>&nbsp;from 2020 shows that it intended to keep about 50% of its employees working in the event of a shutdown. Neither had a current plan as of Friday.

Will the Department of Veterans Affairs be able to keep providing health care and benefits?

Veterans can expect health care to continue uninterrupted at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics in the event of a shutdown. Vets would also continue to receive benefits, including compensation, pension, education and housing, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs&nbsp;<a href="https://department.va.gov/contingency-planning/" target="_blank">contingency planning</a>&nbsp;for a funding lapse that is currently published on the department’s website. It’s unclear if the plan will be the one the Trump administration puts into action.

But a shutdown would affect other VA services. For example, the GI Bill hotline would close, and all in-person and virtual career counseling and transition assistance services would be unavailable.

Additionally, all regional VA benefits offices would shutter until Congress agreed to fund the government. The closures would include the Manila Regional Office in the Philippines that serves veterans in the Pacific region.

All department public outreach to veterans would also cease.

Will Hubbard, spokesperson for Veterans Education Success, said his advocacy organization is bracing for increased phone calls and emails from veterans who would normally call the GI Bill hotline.

“Questions are going to come up, veterans are going to be looking for answers, and they’re not going to be able to call like they would be able to normally, that’s going to be a big problem,” Hubbard said.

“Most of the benefits that people are going to be most concerned about will not be affected, but the ones that do get affected, for the people that that hits, I mean, it’s going to matter a lot to them. It’s going to change the direction of their planning, and potentially the direction of their life,” Hubbard said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Management and Budget did not respond to a request for current VA shutdown guidance.

What happens to immigration enforcement and immigration courts?&nbsp;

As the Trump administration continues with its aggressive immigration tactics in cities with high immigrant populations, that enforcement is likely to continue during a government shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/2025_0303_dhs_procedures_related_to_a_lapse_in_appropriations.pdf" target="_blank">March guidance</a>&nbsp;for operating in a government shutdown.

Immigration-related fees will continue, such as for processing visas and applications from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

And DHS expects nearly all of its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees to be exempt — 17,500 out of 20,500 — and continue working without pay amid a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That means that ICE officers will continue to arrest, detain and remove from the country immigrants without legal status. DHS is currently concentrating immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago, known as “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Other employees within DHS, such as those in Transportation Security Administration, will also be retained during a government shutdown. There are about 58,000 TSA employees that would be exempt and continue to work without pay in airports across the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for a contingency plan if there is a government shutdown.

Separately, a shutdown would also burden the overwhelmed immigration court system that is housed within the Department of Justice. It would lead to canceling or rescheduling court cases, when there is already a backlog of 3.4 million cases.

The only exceptions are immigration courts that are located within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention centers, but most cases would need to be rescheduled. The partial government shutdown that began in December 2018 caused nearly 43,000 court cases to be canceled,&nbsp;<a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/543/" target="_blank">according to a report</a>&nbsp;by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC.

And 28 states have an immigration court, requiring some immigrants to travel hundreds, or thousands, of miles for their appointment.&nbsp;

States that do not have an immigration court include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Will people be able to visit national parks or use public lands during a shutdown?&nbsp;

Probably, but that may be bad for parks’ long-term health.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the first Trump administration kept parks open, with skeleton staffs across the country struggling to maintain National Park Service facilities.

Theresa Pierno, the president and CEO of the advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association, said in a Sept. 23 statement the last shutdown devastated areas of some parks.

“Americans watched helplessly as Joshua Trees were cut down, park buildings were vandalized, prehistoric petroglyphs were defaced, trash overflowed leading to wildlife impacts, and human waste piled up,” she wrote. “Visitor safety and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources were put at serious risk. We cannot allow this to happen again.”

The National Park Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-03/doi-nps-contingency-plan-2024.pdf" target="_blank">latest contingency plan</a>&nbsp;was published in March 2024, during President Joe Biden’s administration. It calls for at least some closures during a shutdown, though the document says the response will differ from park to park.&nbsp;

Restricting access to parks is difficult due to their physical characteristics, the document said, adding that staffing would generally be maintained at a minimum to allow visitors. However, some areas that are regularly closed could be locked up for the duration of a shutdown.

But that contingency plan is likely to change before Tuesday, spokespeople for the Park Service and the Interior Department, which oversees NPS, said Sept. 25.

“The lapse in funding plans on our website are from 2024,” an email from the NPS office of public affairs said. “They are currently being reviewed and updated.”

Hunters and others seeking to use public lands maintained by Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will likely be able to continue to do so, though they may have to make alternative plans if they’d planned to use facilities such as campgrounds.&nbsp;

Land Tawney, the co-chair of the advocacy group American Hunters and Anglers, said campgrounds, toilets and facilities that require staffing would be inaccessible, but most public lands would remain available.

“Those lands are kind of open and they’re just unmanned, I would say, and that’s not really gonna change much,” he said. “If you’re staying in a campground, you’ve got to figure something else out.”

As with national parks, access to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges and other hunting and fishing sites will differ from site to site, Tawney said. The Fish and Wildlife Service doesn’t require permits for hunting on its lands, but access to some refuges is determined by a staff-run lottery drawing. If those drawings can’t be held, access to those sites will be limited, Tawney said.

What happens to the Internal Revenue Service?

How the Internal Revenue Service would operate during a government shutdown remains unclear.&nbsp;

When Congress teetered on letting funding run out in March, the nation’s revenue collection agency released a contingency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26126431-irs-fy25lapseplan/" target="_blank">plan</a>&nbsp;to continue full operations during the height of tax filing season.&nbsp;

The IRS planned to use funds allocated in the 2022 budget reconciliation law to keep its roughly 95,000 employees processing returns and refunds, answering the phones, and pursuing audits.&nbsp;

Ultimately Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-stopgap-spending-bill-law-following-us-senate-passage" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;on a stopgap funding bill to avoid a March shutdown, but much has changed since then.

The new tax and spending&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fourth-july-trump-signs-his-big-beautiful-bill-law" target="_blank">law</a>, signed by Trump on July 4 and often referred to as the “one big beautiful bill,” made major changes to the U.S. tax code.&nbsp;

Additionally, the agency, which processes roughly 180 million income tax returns per year, has lost about a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JRC26_FullReport.pdf" target="_blank">quarter</a>&nbsp;of its workforce since January. Top leadership has also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/billy-long-ousted-trump-irs-chief-after-less-2-months-office" target="_blank">turned over</a>&nbsp;six times in 2025.

Rachel Snyderman, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said workforce reductions combined with a string of leadership changes could factor into how the agency would operate during a funding lapse.

“It’s really difficult to understand both what the status of the agency would be if the government were to shut down in less than a week, and also the impacts that a prolonged shutdown could have on taxpayer services and taxpayers at large,” said Snyderman, the think tank’s managing director of economic policy.

Do federal employees get back pay after a shutdown ends?

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf" target="_blank">Office of Personnel Management</a>&nbsp;— the executive branch’s chief human resources agency — “after the lapse in appropriations has ended, employees who were furloughed as the result of the lapse will receive retroactive pay for those furlough periods.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24/text/statute?statuteId=45971" target="_blank">Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019</a>&nbsp;requires furloughed government employees to receive back pay as a result of a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That law does not apply to federal contractors, who face uncertainty in getting paid during a shutdown.&nbsp;

What role does Congress have during a shutdown?

The House and Senate must approve a stopgap spending bill or all dozen full-year appropriations bills to end a shutdown, a feat that requires the support of at least some Democrats to get past the upper chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.&nbsp;

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., control their respective chambers’ calendars as well as the floor schedule, so they could keep holding votes on the stopgap bill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">Democrats have already rejected</a>&nbsp;or try to pass individual bills to alleviate the impacts on certain agencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Neither Johnson nor Thune has yet to suggest bipartisan negotiations with Democratic leaders about funding the government. And while they are open to discussions about extending the enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, they don’t want that decision connected to the funding debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Democratic leaders have said repeatedly that Republicans shouldn’t expect them to vote for legislation they had no say in drafting, especially with a health care cliff for millions of Americans coming at the end of the year.&nbsp;

Members of Congress will receive their paychecks regardless of how long a shutdown lasts, but the people who work for them would only receive their salaries after it ends.&nbsp;

Lawmakers must be paid under language in&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-6/" target="_blank">Article I, Section 6, Clause 1</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-27/" target="_blank">27th Amendment</a>, which bars members of Congress from changing their salaries during the current session.&nbsp;

Lawmakers have discretion to decide which of their staff members continue working during a shutdown and which are furloughed.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police, which is tasked with protecting members amid a sharp rise in political violence, said a shutdown “would not affect the security of the Capitol Complex.”&nbsp;

“Our officers, and the professional staff who perform or support emergency functions, would still report to work,” the spokesperson said. “Employees who are not required for emergency functions would be furloughed until funding is available.”

Federal government shutdown is nearing: A guide for what to expect

MCDONALD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Saturday in McDonald County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ram 1500 driven by a 33-year-old Bradley, Arkansas, woman was westbound on MO 75 five miles south of Stella. The driver made a left turn in the path of an eastbound 2003 Harley Davidson driven by a 54-year-old Anderson man. The pickup struck the motorcycle.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Ozark Funeral Home. The pickup driver was not injured. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

MCDONALD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Saturday in McDonald County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ram 1500 driven by a 33-year-old Bradley, Arkansas, woman was westbound on MO 75 five miles south of Stella. The driver made a left turn in the path of an eastbound 2003 Harley Davidson driven by a 54-year-old Anderson man. The pickup struck the motorcycle.The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Ozark Funeral Home. The pickup driver was not injured. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri motorcyclist dies after struck by a pickup

KANSAS CITY—Two Kansas City men have now been sentenced in federal court for bank robbery.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rathell Quavon Ross, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 77 months. Ross’s co-defendant Gerrad D. Rivera-Willis was sentenced previously on April 22, 2025, to 72 months in prison for bank robbery, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Rivera-Willis and Ross parked a vehicle near a bank in Kansas City, Mo., entered the bank and threatened its employees and demanded money.&nbsp;

 The two defendants left the bank with $2,033 and left in the same vehicle in which they arrived. Law enforcement officers were able to identify the vehicle, which had also been used in a previous bank robbery at a different bank. 

The vehicle was subsequently located at which point Ross and Rivera-Willis both fled on foot. Ross was found hiding under a tarp nearby in possession of the vehicle’s keys. Officers also tracked the path of Rivera-Willis’s flight from the vehicle with a K-9 and recovered the stolen $2,033 in currency from under a cinder block near where Rivera-Willis was arrested. 

Rivera-Willis admitted to taking part in the previous bank robbery and was ordered to pay $8,542 in restitution.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759017083106.png" alt="Ross photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Ross photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Two Kansas City men have now been sentenced in federal court for bank robbery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rathell Quavon Ross, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 77 months. Ross’s co-defendant Gerrad D. Rivera-Willis was sentenced previously on April 22, 2025, to 72 months in prison for bank robbery, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Rivera-Willis and Ross parked a vehicle near a bank in Kansas City, Mo., entered the bank and threatened its employees and demanded money.&nbsp; The two defendants left the bank with $2,033 and left in the same vehicle in which they arrived. Law enforcement officers were able to identify the vehicle, which had also been used in a previous bank robbery at a different bank. The vehicle was subsequently located at which point Ross and Rivera-Willis both fled on foot. Ross was found hiding under a tarp nearby in possession of the vehicle’s keys. Officers also tracked the path of Rivera-Willis’s flight from the vehicle with a K-9 and recovered the stolen $2,033 in currency from under a cinder block near where Rivera-Willis was arrested. Rivera-Willis admitted to taking part in the previous bank robbery and was ordered to pay $8,542 in restitution.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.

Prison: Kansas City bank robbery suspect found under a tarp

MONTGMERY COUNTY—Four people injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Friday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.

After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.

EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri, O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Police did not report what prompted the chase.

MONTGMERY COUNTY—Four people injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Friday in Montgomery County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri, O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Police did not report what prompted the chase.