DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; – The Lawrence Kansas Police Department in collaboration with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office announce the arrest of an alleged child sex offender whose crimes date back to 2000-2003. The announcement came during a press conference Tuesday in Lawrence.

 The identification and ultimate arrest are the result of meticulous investigative work and the same science that brought in California’s “Golden State Killer” in 2018.

Monday, December 29, 2025, at the request of the Lawrence Kansas Police Department, U.S. Marshals arrested 58-year-old David James Zimbrick of Raytown, Missouri. Zimbrick is being held in Jackson County Missouri as he awaits extradition to Douglas County.

Between 2000 and 2003, a series of sex crimes occurred in the Naismith Valley Park area, 1400 W. 27th Street. Reports indicate the suspect would lure children into the bushes to perform sexual assaults. The children involved were between 7 and 10 years old.

Despite unknown future technology, detectives thoroughly inspected the scene collecting any potential clues. While a distinct DNA profile was recovered, it yielded no match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national database of known offenders. With no further leads, the case eventually sat dormant.

In 2018, when California’s “Golden State Killer” was arrested, Detective Amy Price, who was involved in the original investigations, took note of their use of genetic genealogy. Detective Price submitted a request for funding and ultimately sent the evidence to Parbon Nanolabs. Parabon specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to solve cases where there is DNA evidence, but the offender’s identity remains unknown.

In March of 2020, Parabon notified Price that they had successfully genotyped the newly submitted DNA from one of the cases. The lengthy investigation that followed led to clues throughout the United States until the suspect was ultimately identified then located in Raytown, MO.

U.S. Marshals made the arrest without incident. David James Zimbrick is charged with one count of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and one count of Rape in two cases. He’s being held in Jackson County Missouri Correctional Facility awaiting extradition back to Douglas County, Kansas.

“This arrest is a testament to the fact that time does not diminish our commitment to victims and their families,” says Chief Rich Lockhart. “I am continually impressed with the dedicated professionals who work in this department and am specifically proud of Detective Amy Price, who was assigned to this case and never let time nor dead ends deter her from continuing the search. Crimes against children last a lifetime. It is my hope that this arrest provides some comfort.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767123596759.png" alt="Zimbrick-photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Zimbrick-photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY&nbsp; – The Lawrence Kansas Police Department in collaboration with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office announce the arrest of an alleged child sex offender whose crimes date back to 2000-2003. The announcement came during a press conference Tuesday in Lawrence.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLawrenceKansasPolice%2Fvideos%2F1507095610346296%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=58" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div> The identification and ultimate arrest are the result of meticulous investigative work and the same science that brought in California’s “Golden State Killer” in 2018.Monday, December 29, 2025, at the request of the Lawrence Kansas Police Department, U.S. Marshals arrested 58-year-old David James Zimbrick of Raytown, Missouri. Zimbrick is being held in Jackson County Missouri as he awaits extradition to Douglas County.Between 2000 and 2003, a series of sex crimes occurred in the Naismith Valley Park area, 1400 W. 27th Street. Reports indicate the suspect would lure children into the bushes to perform sexual assaults. The children involved were between 7 and 10 years old.Despite unknown future technology, detectives thoroughly inspected the scene collecting any potential clues. While a distinct DNA profile was recovered, it yielded no match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national database of known offenders. With no further leads, the case eventually sat dormant.In 2018, when California’s “Golden State Killer” was arrested, Detective Amy Price, who was involved in the original investigations, took note of their use of genetic genealogy. Detective Price submitted a request for funding and ultimately sent the evidence to Parbon Nanolabs. Parabon specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to solve cases where there is DNA evidence, but the offender’s identity remains unknown.In March of 2020, Parabon notified Price that they had successfully genotyped the newly submitted DNA from one of the cases. The lengthy investigation that followed led to clues throughout the United States until the suspect was ultimately identified then located in Raytown, MO.U.S. Marshals made the arrest without incident. David James Zimbrick is charged with one count of Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and one count of Rape in two cases. He’s being held in Jackson County Missouri Correctional Facility awaiting extradition back to Douglas County, Kansas.“This arrest is a testament to the fact that time does not diminish our commitment to victims and their families,” says Chief Rich Lockhart. “I am continually impressed with the dedicated professionals who work in this department and am specifically proud of Detective Amy Price, who was assigned to this case and never let time nor dead ends deter her from continuing the search. Crimes against children last a lifetime. It is my hope that this arrest provides some comfort.”

🎥 Arrest made in decades-old Kan. cold case involving child sex assault

The Lawrence Kansas Police Department has cancelled the Silver Alert for Mr. Roger Bean.&nbsp; Information led us to the Kansas City metro area where an officer traveled to confirm his identity.&nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence Kansas Police Department is issuing a Silver Alert and asking for help in finding 77-year-old Roger Harry Bean.  He has not been seen since December 23.

Mr Bean has cognitive issues, and is known to wander and hitchhike. He is described 6-feet-2&nbsp; and weighs 195 pounds.&nbsp;If you see Mr. Bean, please call dispatch at 785.843.0250 or 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767056119593.png" alt="Bean photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Bean photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The Lawrence Kansas Police Department has cancelled the Silver Alert for Mr. Roger Bean.&nbsp; Information led us to the Kansas City metro area where an officer traveled to confirm his identity.&nbsp;-------DOUGLAS COUNTY —The Lawrence Kansas Police Department is issuing a Silver Alert and asking for help in finding 77-year-old Roger Harry Bean. He has not been seen since December 23.Mr Bean has cognitive issues, and is known to wander and hitchhike. He is described 6-feet-2&nbsp; and weighs 195 pounds.&nbsp;If you see Mr. Bean, please call dispatch at 785.843.0250 or 911 immediately.

Silver Alert canceled, Kan. man missing for a week found safe

On Monday at the Statehouse, Governor Kelly celebrated Kwanzaa—a time to reflect on our shared values of unity, purpose, and community. 

On social media the governor wrote, "lighting the kinara today served as a powerful reminder of Kansas' commitment to the guiding principles and rich history of Kwanzaa."

The weeklong Kwanzaa holiday from Dec. 26 through Jan 1. celebrates African-American family, community and culture. Its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767061185582.png" alt="Photos from Kansas Governor's office" />
 <figcaption>Photos from Kansas Governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday at the Statehouse, Governor Kelly celebrated Kwanzaa—a time to reflect on our shared values of unity, purpose, and community. On social media the governor wrote, "lighting the kinara today served as a powerful reminder of Kansas' commitment to the guiding principles and rich history of Kwanzaa."The weeklong Kwanzaa holiday from Dec. 26 through Jan 1. celebrates African-American family, community and culture. Its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa.

Gov. attends Kwanzaa celebration at the Kansas Statehouse

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance will be covered in network when they receive care from the St. Francis campus in Topeka after the two organizations reached agreement last week.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is pleased to announce that the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis will remain in the Blue Cross network for 2026, ensuring continued access to local care for our members,” according to a BCBS statement.

The University of Kansas St. Francis campus said in a Monday statement that their patients with BCBS of Kansas plans won’t experience care disruptions and do not need to take any action.

The two organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/kansas-blue-cross-topeka-hospital-system-struggle-to-reach-agreement/">had been unable to reach agreement</a>&nbsp;for the St. Francis system to be in network, which concerned insurance customers who didn’t want to lose their health providers if a contract wasn’t in place by the end of the year.

“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring patients across the region have uninterrupted access to care,” St. Francis said in a statement.

The St. Francis campus in Topeka is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767112585253.png" alt=" Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which is headquartered in Topeka, reached a contract with the University of Kansas St. Francis campus so the health system will be in network for patients. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which is headquartered in Topeka, reached a contract with the University of Kansas St. Francis campus so the health system will be in network for patients. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance will be covered in network when they receive care from the St. Francis campus in Topeka after the two organizations reached agreement last week.“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is pleased to announce that the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis will remain in the Blue Cross network for 2026, ensuring continued access to local care for our members,” according to a BCBS statement.The University of Kansas St. Francis campus said in a Monday statement that their patients with BCBS of Kansas plans won’t experience care disruptions and do not need to take any action.The two organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/kansas-blue-cross-topeka-hospital-system-struggle-to-reach-agreement/">had been unable to reach agreement</a>&nbsp;for the St. Francis system to be in network, which concerned insurance customers who didn’t want to lose their health providers if a contract wasn’t in place by the end of the year.“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring patients across the region have uninterrupted access to care,” St. Francis said in a statement.The St. Francis campus in Topeka is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, St. Francis health system reach agreement

KANSAS CITY —Two people were injured in a fire at an apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are now investigating.

Just before 7:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported apartment fire in the 1700 block of Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors, with residents trapped inside the structure. An offensive fire attack, with rescue operations was immediately initiated.

A 2nd Alarm response was ordered.&nbsp;Crews rescued 5 people from the third floor of the building, and multiple handlines were used to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control at 7:46 p.m.

EMS transported 2 people to area hospitals. They were listed in stable condition. Red Cross has been ordered for 14 people.&nbsp;After an initial investigation conducted by KCFD, the Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit was requested and the investigation has been turned over to their agency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767064105388.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two people were injured in a fire at an apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are now investigating.Just before 7:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported apartment fire in the 1700 block of Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.On arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors, with residents trapped inside the structure. An offensive fire attack, with rescue operations was immediately initiated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767064084522.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>A 2nd Alarm response was ordered.&nbsp;Crews rescued 5 people from the third floor of the building, and multiple handlines were used to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control at 7:46 p.m.EMS transported 2 people to area hospitals. They were listed in stable condition. Red Cross has been ordered for 14 people.&nbsp;After an initial investigation conducted by KCFD, the Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit was requested and the investigation has been turned over to their agency.

5 rescued, 2 hospitalized after KC apartment fire

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have announced that additional charges have been filed against Damon Leonard, 47, of Pleasanton, Kan., in connection with the death of his 13-year-old neighbor, Airen Andula, according to a media release from the department.

Leonard was originally charged in Bates County, Mo. with abandonment of a corpse related to the boy's death. KCKPD detectives have now filed further charges in Linn County, Kan. including interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large. 

Multiple dogs were also seized from his property. The investigation remains ongoing, with the potential for additional charges being filed.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767095993444.png" alt="Leonard Photo Bates Co. Missouri Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Leonard Photo Bates Co. Missouri Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have announced that additional charges have been filed against Damon Leonard, 47, of Pleasanton, Kan., in connection with the death of his 13-year-old neighbor, Airen Andula, according to a media release from the department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766528035692.png" alt="Airen Andula.-Photo Linn Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Airen Andula.-Photo Linn Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Leonard was originally charged in Bates County, Mo. with abandonment of a corpse related to the boy's death. KCKPD detectives have now filed further charges in Linn County, Kan. including interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large. Multiple dogs were also seized from his property. The investigation remains ongoing, with the potential for additional charges being filed.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.

Kansas man faces additional charges after body of neighbor boy found

On Dec. 29, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters, according to a statement from the U.S. Southern Command.

 Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two male narco-terrorists were killed. No U.S. military forces were harmed.&nbsp;

On Dec. 29, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters, according to a statement from the U.S. Southern Command.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">On Dec. 29, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/69ywxXk30N">pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2005776276100207032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two male narco-terrorists were killed. No U.S. military forces were harmed.&nbsp;

🎥2 dead following new U.S. strike on a drug boat

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Several firefighters were injured in two separate fires that occurred late Sunday and early Monday in Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 5p.m. Sunday, crews responded to an industrial facility on Sunshine Road in Fairfax, according to a media release.

The fire in a large storage warehouse required firefighters to deploy multiple hose lines and use ventilation tactics to control the fire.

One firefighter was in during the operations and was transported to a local hospital. That firefighter remains "under observation in stable condition," the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department reported on Monday.

No employees at the facility were injured. The fire was under control around 6:20 p.m.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Monday crews responded fire at a vacant single-story, wood frame home at 5801 Parallel Parkway.

A "Mayday" was declared around 3:55 a.m. when a portion of the floor collapsed, and three firefighters fell into the basement. A Rapid Intervention Team helped get all three firefighters to safety. A second Mayday was declared around 4:03 a.m. Evacuations were ordered, and firefighters continued a defensive fire attack.m The fire was under control at 5:53 a.m.

A total of four firefighters were transported to the hospital. Two were treated and released, and two remain in the hospital for further care and observation on Monday afternoon.&nbsp; They were reported to be in stable condition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767107129368.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Several firefighters were injured in two separate fires that occurred late Sunday and early Monday in Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 5p.m. Sunday, crews responded to an industrial facility on Sunshine Road in Fairfax, according to a media release.The fire in a large storage warehouse required firefighters to deploy multiple hose lines and use ventilation tactics to control the fire.One firefighter was in during the operations and was transported to a local hospital. That firefighter remains "under observation in stable condition," the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department reported on Monday.No employees at the facility were injured. The fire was under control around 6:20 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767107088586.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 3:30 a.m. Monday crews responded fire at a vacant single-story, wood frame home at 5801 Parallel Parkway.A "Mayday" was declared around 3:55 a.m. when a portion of the floor collapsed, and three firefighters fell into the basement. A Rapid Intervention Team helped get all three firefighters to safety. A second Mayday was declared around 4:03 a.m. Evacuations were ordered, and firefighters continued a defensive fire attack.m The fire was under control at 5:53 a.m.A total of four firefighters were transported to the hospital. Two were treated and released, and two remain in the hospital for further care and observation on Monday afternoon.&nbsp; They were reported to be in stable condition.

Kan. firefighters hospitalized after warehouse fire, floor collapse

MCDONALD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Monday in McDonald County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Silverado driven by a 33-year-old Bella Vista, Arkansas, man was eastbound on Highway 76 three m iles west of Anderson.

The pickup struck a westbound 2006 Toyota Sienna driven by a 44-year-old Neosho man.

The Toyota driver was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported two passengers in the Toyota, a 33-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman both of Neosho to Freeman West. The pickup driver was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

MCDONALD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Monday in McDonald County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Silverado driven by a 33-year-old Bella Vista, Arkansas, man was eastbound on Highway 76 three m iles west of Anderson.The pickup struck a westbound 2006 Toyota Sienna driven by a 44-year-old Neosho man.The Toyota driver was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported two passengers in the Toyota, a 33-year-old woman and a 30-year-old woman both of Neosho to Freeman West. The pickup driver was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. man dead, 2 injured after pickup, car crash

KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a Kansas City man in connection with a fatal stabbing and assault stemming from a domestic dispute.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2785/Leonard-Johnson-Complaint">Leonard J. Johnson</a>, 54, faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Assault.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2786/JohnsonLeonard-PC-1">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a residence on Dec. 22 on a reported cutting and located an injured victim who said she was stabbed in her head and neck area while in a vehicle with the defendant. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Detectives found the defendant’s vehicle at his home with blood and a knife in plain view inside the vehicle. While at his home, police located the defendant who had apparent blood on his hands and shoes. He was taken into custody without incident.&nbsp;

Officers were informed by a party on scene that there was a deceased female in the residence. Officers then entered the defendant’s residence and found a deceased female victim on the kitchen floor with several stab wounds.

Witnesses reported to police that the deceased victim was the defendant’s girlfriend, and the defendant had a history of violence toward her.&nbsp;

During an interview with detectives, the defendant admitted that he killed the victim, then later said he didn’t kill anyone.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $500,000 cash-only.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766596535734.png" alt="Johnson photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against a Kansas City man in connection with a fatal stabbing and assault stemming from a domestic dispute.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2785/Leonard-Johnson-Complaint">Leonard J. Johnson</a>, 54, faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Assault.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2786/JohnsonLeonard-PC-1">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a residence on Dec. 22 on a reported cutting and located an injured victim who said she was stabbed in her head and neck area while in a vehicle with the defendant. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.Detectives found the defendant’s vehicle at his home with blood and a knife in plain view inside the vehicle. While at his home, police located the defendant who had apparent blood on his hands and shoes. He was taken into custody without incident.&nbsp;Officers were informed by a party on scene that there was a deceased female in the residence. Officers then entered the defendant’s residence and found a deceased female victim on the kitchen floor with several stab wounds.Witnesses reported to police that the deceased victim was the defendant’s girlfriend, and the defendant had a history of violence toward her.&nbsp;During an interview with detectives, the defendant admitted that he killed the victim, then later said he didn’t kill anyone.&nbsp;A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $500,000 cash-only.&nbsp;

Police found blood and a knife in KC murder suspect's car

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in an apartment building in Kansas City.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire in the 1800 block of 15th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

&nbsp; On arrival crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a two-story vacant apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure were conducted, and no injuries were reported. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning were called to the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767039742892.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in an apartment building in Kansas City.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire in the 1800 block of 15th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; On arrival crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a two-story vacant apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure were conducted, and no injuries were reported. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning were called to the scene.&nbsp;

Cause of fire in 2-story KC apartment under investigaiton

KANSAS CITY —In a Christmas weekend post on their social media page, Kansas City's Union Station&nbsp;called for the Kanas City Royals to build the team's next ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

"The time has come for downtown baseball, and a return to where the story first began, in the heart of Kansas City, where we gather to celebrate its triumphs, traditions, and most cherished moments," according to the Station's post site.

"At this moment, Union Station glows in Royals blue, serving as a powerful symbol of a truly generational opportunity rooted in both history and hope."

"Long before today, however, teams and ballparks — some now remembered only in name — laid the foundation for baseball in our historic core. Included are the Unions at Athletic Park in 1884. The Kansas City Cowboys at League Park in 1886."

"The Royal Giants at Shelley Park in 1910. The Packers at Gordon &amp; Koppel Field beginning in 1913. The Kansas City Blues at Association Park in the early 1920s, before moving in 1923 — along with the Monarchs — to what would eventually be called Municipal Stadium."

"In 1955, the Athletics started playing in a nearly entirely rebuilt Municipal Stadium, followed by the Royals in 1969 before their move to Royals Stadium in 1973."


Now, a new chapter in Kansas City’s baseball story is ready to unfold. Included is a sincere expression of gratitude for the visionaries and leaders who brought us here — from the enduring legacy of Ewing Kauffman to today’s Royals ownership, led by John Sherman."

"The restoration and reopening of Union Station 25 years ago—made possible by the shared commitment of citizens on both sides of the state line—marked a turning point for our city. Since then, our downtown has been reimagined and revitalized, earning recognition across the nation and beyond. We are vital and vibrant and not turning back.

So, we look ahead with clarity and optimism. "

"We see an opportunity to bring baseball’s legends, legacy, and love back to the place where it all began.

A downtown ballpark offers something special—an exciting atmosphere that draws together friends, families, and fans in moments of shared joy. It strengthens community, celebrates teamwork, and reminds us of the simple beauty of the game.

It’s time to welcome downtown baseball home—once again, for all of Kansas City."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767022639165.png" alt="Photo from Union Station social media page" />
 <figcaption>Photo from Union Station social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —In a Christmas weekend post on their social media page, Kansas City's Union Station&nbsp;called for the Kanas City Royals to build the team's next ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri."The time has come for downtown baseball, and a return to where the story first began, in the heart of Kansas City, where we gather to celebrate its triumphs, traditions, and most cherished moments," according to the Station's post site."At this moment, Union Station glows in Royals blue, serving as a powerful symbol of a truly generational opportunity rooted in both history and hope.""Long before today, however, teams and ballparks — some now remembered only in name — laid the foundation for baseball in our historic core. Included are the Unions at Athletic Park in 1884. The Kansas City Cowboys at League Park in 1886.""The Royal Giants at Shelley Park in 1910. The Packers at Gordon &amp; Koppel Field beginning in 1913. The Kansas City Blues at Association Park in the early 1920s, before moving in 1923 — along with the Monarchs — to what would eventually be called Municipal Stadium.""In 1955, the Athletics started playing in a nearly entirely rebuilt Municipal Stadium, followed by the Royals in 1969 before their move to Royals Stadium in 1973."
Now, a new chapter in Kansas City’s baseball story is ready to unfold. Included is a sincere expression of gratitude for the visionaries and leaders who brought us here — from the enduring legacy of Ewing Kauffman to today’s Royals ownership, led by John Sherman.""The restoration and reopening of Union Station 25 years ago—made possible by the shared commitment of citizens on both sides of the state line—marked a turning point for our city. Since then, our downtown has been reimagined and revitalized, earning recognition across the nation and beyond. We are vital and vibrant and not turning back.

So, we look ahead with clarity and optimism. " "We see an opportunity to bring baseball’s legends, legacy, and love back to the place where it all began.

A downtown ballpark offers something special—an exciting atmosphere that draws together friends, families, and fans in moments of shared joy. It strengthens community, celebrates teamwork, and reminds us of the simple beauty of the game.

It’s time to welcome downtown baseball home—once again, for all of Kansas City."

Union Station social media calls for Royals downtown KC ballpark

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6.a.m. Sunday in Johnson County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Saturn SL1 driven by a 21-year-old Villa Rica, Georgia man was southbound at U.S. 50 and NW 1501 Road. The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle traveled into the path of a westbound 2025 Ford Escape driven by a 44-year-old Knob Noster woman.

The Saturn driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ford driver refused treatment at the scene. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6.a.m. Sunday in Johnson County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Saturn SL1 driven by a 21-year-old Villa Rica, Georgia man was southbound at U.S. 50 and NW 1501 Road. The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle traveled into the path of a westbound 2025 Ford Escape driven by a 44-year-old Knob Noster woman.The Saturn driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ford driver refused treatment at the scene. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Man dies after 2-vehicle crash on Missouri highway

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Mar-a-Lago 🇺🇸🇺🇦 <a href="https://t.co/aRbMAiKGSF">pic.twitter.com/aRbMAiKGSF</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005346794012889166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> delivers remarks upon meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a> at Mar-a-Lago: &quot;We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin... and I do think we&#39;re getting a lot closer.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tIHjR0wko2">pic.twitter.com/tIHjR0wko2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005397981361566190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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/WnFGloJw2e">pic.twitter.com/WnFGloJw2e</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005320250330632410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Russia-Ukraine peace talks: &quot;We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues... but I think we&#39;re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/fci939K17q">pic.twitter.com/fci939K17q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005399260355825824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Everybody wants [the war] ended... I want it ended because I don&#39;t want to see so many people dying.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pQ4q4lPhzy">pic.twitter.com/pQ4q4lPhzy</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400040559284280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;What are the thorniest issues still unresolved?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The land. Some of that land has been taken... You&#39;re better off making a deal now.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/X21Zz3Tt5E">pic.twitter.com/X21Zz3Tt5E</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400349428027582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the possibility of traveling to Ukraine: &quot;I&#39;m not sure that it would be really necessary, but if it would help save 25,000 lives a month... I would certainly be willing to do that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Xxc0sEHJnE">pic.twitter.com/Xxc0sEHJnE</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400678156394499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">REPORTER: How long will it take to get this last little bit finished? <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other... it&#39;s been a very difficult negotiation.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iflQTfTAar">pic.twitter.com/iflQTfTAar</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401647707484432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his call with Putin: &quot;I saw a very interesting President Putin today... I think we&#39;re going to get there... I was on the phone with him for almost two-and-a-half hours. We discussed a lot of things. We didn&#39;t talk about the weather.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/DUilLAh6lc">pic.twitter.com/DUilLAh6lc</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401716943106558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I really believe we&#39;re probably, Mr. President, closer than — by far — closer than ever before with both parties.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ML9lMRRIIc">pic.twitter.com/ML9lMRRIIc</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005402344352346296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 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://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The working group is going to be composed of Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, General &quot;Razin&quot; Caine, Marco Rubio, and a few other people... I think Pete Hegseth should be on that working group.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/K1dnmVq7aO">pic.twitter.com/K1dnmVq7aO</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005403021757325422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Takeaways from Trump’s Ukraine peace talks with Zelensky in Florida

COWLEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is recovering from injuries in an accident in Cowley County.

Just before 5p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded to a call involving a 37-year-old man who was injured in a fall while trimming a tree in the 600 block of North C Street, according to a media release.

The man fell an estimated 30 to 35 feet from the tree. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower legs and lower back. Because the incident occurred about four blocks from the Fire/EMS station, responders transported the patient to the Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department, where an open field adjacent to the station was used for the EagleMed air ambulance landing. 

EagleMed then assumed care, and the patient was airlifted to Wichita for further medical evaluation and treatment.

COWLEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is recovering from injuries in an accident in Cowley County.Just before 5p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded to a call involving a 37-year-old man who was injured in a fall while trimming a tree in the 600 block of North C Street, according to a media release.The man fell an estimated 30 to 35 feet from the tree. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower legs and lower back. Because the incident occurred about four blocks from the Fire/EMS station, responders transported the patient to the Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department, where an open field adjacent to the station was used for the EagleMed air ambulance landing. EagleMed then assumed care, and the patient was airlifted to Wichita for further medical evaluation and treatment.

Kan. man airlifted to hospital after fall while trimming trees

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Christmas Day disturbance.

Just before 6a.m. Christmas morning., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man screaming and banging on the front door of a residence, another nearby residence reported the same man entering their home without their authorization, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at 15698 SE Indian Valley Lane and subsequently took the man into custody. The man was identified as Michael Eugene Bennet, 53, of Topeka.&nbsp; Bennett was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766767436193.png" alt="Bennet photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bennet photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Christmas Day disturbance.Just before 6a.m. Christmas morning., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man screaming and banging on the front door of a residence, another nearby residence reported the same man entering their home without their authorization, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at 15698 SE Indian Valley Lane and subsequently took the man into custody. The man was identified as Michael Eugene Bennet, 53, of Topeka.&nbsp; Bennett was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Christmas Day disturbance landed Kan. man in jail

KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating another homicide.

Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a man on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Offiers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Just before 3a.m., the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation revealed there was an interaction between several individuals just prior to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp; Police have not released any suspect details or released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854408367.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating another homicide.Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located a man on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Offiers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;Just before 3a.m., the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation revealed there was an interaction between several individuals just prior to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp; Police have not released any suspect details or released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Man found with gunshot wound died at the hospital

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 17-year-old Damon L. Gully and 24-year-old RIckey T. Young.

Just after 9a.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 7400 block of Chestnut in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported disturbance, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. While en route the call was upgraded to a shooting.&nbsp;

As officers arrived they located Gully and Young in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously and performed life saving measures. Both victims were pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp;

This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation has revealed that there was a dispute over property, just prior to shots being fired and the victims being struck. Detectives have located several witnesses and continue to canvass the area for additional witnesses or surveillance footage. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766776797448.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 17-year-old Damon L. Gully and 24-year-old RIckey T. Young.Just after 9a.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 7400 block of Chestnut in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported disturbance, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. While en route the call was upgraded to a shooting.&nbsp;As officers arrived they located Gully and Young in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously and performed life saving measures. Both victims were pronounced deceased on scene.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation has revealed that there was a dispute over property, just prior to shots being fired and the victims being struck. Detectives have located several witnesses and continue to canvass the area for additional witnesses or surveillance footage. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.&nbsp;

17-year-old among victims in deadly Kansas City gun fight

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/bernard-j-wolfson-kff-health-news/">Bernard J. Wolfson, &nbsp;KFF Health News</a>-

As Congress debates whether to extend the temporary federal subsidies that have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">helped millions</a>&nbsp;of Americans buy health coverage, a crucial underlying reality is sometimes overlooked: Those subsidies are merely a band-aid covering the often unaffordable cost of health care.

California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milbank.org/publications/beyond-public-reporting-strengthening-accountability-to-states-cost-growth-targets-and-leveraging-targets-in-health-care-oversight/" target="_blank">five other states</a>&nbsp;have set caps on health care spending in a bid to rein in the intense financial pressure felt by many families, individuals and employers who every year face increases in premiums, deductibles and other health-related expenses.

Hospitals and other health care providers are citing Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July, as one more reason to challenge those limits.

The law is expected to reduce federal Medicaid spending by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-enrollment-spending-growth-fy-2025-2026/" target="_blank">more than $900 billion</a>&nbsp;over a decade, which mathematically should help the overall health care system meet the caps. But the law is also expected to increase the number of uninsured Americans, mostly Medicaid beneficiaries, by an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/how-will-the-2025-reconciliation-law-affect-the-uninsured-rate-in-each-state/" target="_blank">10 million people</a>. Health care analysts predict hospitals and other providers will raise prices to cover the double whammy of lost Medicaid revenue and the cost of caring for an influx of newly uninsured patients.

Whether regulators in some states will allow providers to justify higher prices and exceed the spending caps is unclear. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milbank.org/publications/beyond-public-reporting-strengthening-accountability-to-states-cost-growth-targets-and-leveraging-targets-in-health-care-oversight/" target="_blank">California and Oregon</a>&nbsp;can penalize providers financially if they fail to meet targets.

“Are we going to say, ‘That’s OK’? Or are we going to say, ‘Well, you exceeded the target. We’re still going to penalize you for that’?” said Richard Pan, a former state lawmaker and a member of the California Office of Health Care Affordability’s board. “That has not yet been decided.”

The California Hospital Association, the industry’s main state lobbying group,&nbsp;<a href="https://calhospital.org/file/ohca-petition-for-writ-of-mandate/?_cldee=A8GhrcOY_cTuDPfqPGEYnuTgoZXm3szCgl31GFGm7Rb9gSK_2LWVhcwpQwK8EuuJ&amp;recipientid=contact-e10e51f96e20eb11a813000d3a375a4d-5668c9ec73c54063bd98803095e124ac&amp;esid=7bd201ea-8aa4-f011-bbd3-6045bd03d69a" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in October asking a state court to strike down the spending caps, which it argued fail to account for all the cost pressures hospitals face. Those pressures, it said, include an aging, sicker population; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/Health-Care-Worker-Minimum-Wage-FAQ.htm" target="_blank">rising cost</a>&nbsp;of labor; expensive advances in medical technology; large capital outlays on required seismic retrofitting; and changes in federal policy, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The hospital group’s lawsuit also asserted that the state affordability office, by hastily imposing ill-considered cost-cutting targets, was undermining its other key mission of improving health care access, quality and equity.

California’s affordability office last year set a&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/health-brief-california-annual-health-spending-caps/" target="_blank">five-year target</a>&nbsp;to cap statewide spending growth, starting at 3.5% in 2025 and declining to 3% by 2029. The annual caps apply to a wide range of health care entities, including hospitals, medical groups, insurers and other payers.

Earlier this year, it imposed much lower spending growth caps — starting at 1.8% in 2026 and declining to 1.6% by 2029 — for&nbsp;<a href="https://hcai.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Update-to-Draft-Motions-Presented-April-2025.pdf" target="_blank">seven “high-cost” hospitals</a>.

“The spending caps set by politically appointed bureaucrats could force cuts that result in many Californians traveling farther for care, facing longer emergency room wait times, experiencing more overcrowding and losing access to critical services,” Carmela Coyle, the hospital association’s president and CEO, said in an October press release.

The California attorney general’s office, which will represent the affordability agency, has not yet filed a response to the hospital group’s complaint and did not respond to a request for comment.

California is not the only state taking a close look at hospital prices, which are widely considered a&nbsp;<a href="https://tobin.yale.edu/research/who-pays-rising-health-care-prices-evidence-hospital-mergers" target="_blank">primary driver</a>&nbsp;of health care costs.

“States, armed with information that points to payments to hospitals as a driver of what is way beyond affordable commercial premiums, have begun to take increasingly targeted actions focused on commercial hospital prices,” said Michael Bailit, founder of the Needham, Massachusetts-based consultancy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bailit-health.com/team/michael-bailit.php" target="_blank">Bailit Health</a>, which has advised multiple states, including California, on ways to tame health care spending. “It is not surprising that the hospital industry is going to oppose such state actions.”

In its lawsuit, the California Hospital Association said the affordability office’s own report showed that pharmaceutical and insurance companies are largely responsible for high costs.

Hospitals in some states with cost growth limits, including&nbsp;<a href="https://cthosp.org/advocacy/healthcare-legislation-and-policy/healthcare-cost-growth-benchmarking/" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mhalink.org/mondayreport/is-benchmark-good-too-weak-or-irrelevant/" target="_blank">Massachusetts</a>, have expressed objections similar to the ones raised in the California lawsuit. They could follow their counterparts in California if their lawsuit succeeds, said Peter Lee, who led California’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Covered California, for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2021/09/16/peter-v-lee-to-leave-as-executive-director-of-covered-california-after-10-years-leading-the-nations-largest-state-based-marketplace/" target="_blank">over a decade</a>&nbsp;and is now a&nbsp;<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/cerc/about/affiliates-advisors.html" target="_blank">senior scholar</a>&nbsp;at Stanford Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center.

Lee said the work of California’s affordability office and similar agencies in other states is just about the only systemwide effort being made to cut health care costs. They are basically saying, “‘Look, health care is taking money away from education, it is taking money away from the environment, it is taking money away from everything in the public sector, and in the private sector it is taking money away from wages,’” he said. “‘We don’t know how you, the health system, are going to do it, but it is your job not just to provide quality but to lower costs. Here’s the target.’”

To be sure, achieving the cost savings that California and those other states are seeking is no easy lift. It will ultimately require persuading large, financially powerful players that compete fiercely for health care dollars to adopt a different mindset and begin cooperating to reduce costs instead. And that, in many cases, will mean lower revenue.

But the status quo, as many people know all too well, means continued financial pain for millions.

In early 2020, Estevan Rodriguez, a bartender at California’s Monterey Beach Hotel, had surgery for a staph infection in his leg. The bill came to nearly $168,000. His insurance paid most of it, but he still owed $5,665, which took him two years to pay, more than $200 every month. “It may not be a lot to some people, but it was a lot to me,” Rodriguez said.

He said he dropped his Hulu subscription, switched to a lower-cost cellphone, and got cheaper car insurance. He started going to food banks rather than the grocery store, he said, and had a lot less time with his kids, because he was constantly working to pay off the hospital bill.

<a href="https://www.montagehealth.org/locations/profile/community-hospital-monterey-peninsula/" target="_blank">Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula</a>, where Rodriguez had his surgery, is one of the seven hospitals identified by California’s affordability office as high-cost. A&nbsp;<a href="https://hcai.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/OHCA-Investigative-Study-of-Hospital-Market-Competition-in-Monterey-County-1.pdf" target="_blank">study by the office</a>&nbsp;attributed high hospital prices in Monterey County to a lack of market competition “rather than higher operating costs or superior quality of care.”

The Monterey hospital referred a request for comment about its “high-cost” designation to the California Hospital Association. CHA spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea declined to comment beyond the language of the lawsuit and Coyle’s press release statement.

Health care analysts worry the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will reduce market competition even further by stressing already weak hospitals, leading some to shut services, merge with larger health systems, or close. One study estimates&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2838483" target="_blank">338 rural hospitals</a>&nbsp;are at risk of closing nationwide.

Less competition, in addition to fewer Medicaid dollars and an increase in uninsured patients, will only strengthen the incentive of health systems with the requisite market clout to raise their commercial prices, increasing premiums for employers and individuals.

“We think commercial prices will continue to increase as health care providers, and hospitals in particular, will seek to preserve or increase their revenue,” said Rachel Block, a program officer at the Milbank Memorial Fund, a foundation that focuses on health equity.

That in turn could pose a challenge to state affordability regulators tasked with overseeing compliance with growth targets for health care spending.

California’s affordability office is required to consider mitigating factors, including changes in federal and state laws. But some of its board members have expressed skepticism about letting hospitals offset Medicaid losses with higher commercial prices.

“There’s a lot of talk about using HR 1 and other federal policies as an excuse to raise prices on commercial payers,” Ian Lewis, an affordability office board member and policy director for UNITE HERE Local 2, a hospitality workers union in the Bay Area, said at the agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEKO4RfH2Y4" target="_blank">July board meeting</a>, referring to the One Big Beautiful Bill. “There’s no more blood to be squeezed from this stone.”

<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us" target="_blank">KFF Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us" target="_blank">KFF</a>.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/12/26/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-complicates-state-health-care-affordability-efforts/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Nebraska Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766884539415.jpg" alt="Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/bernard-j-wolfson-kff-health-news/">Bernard J. Wolfson, &nbsp;KFF Health News</a>-As Congress debates whether to extend the temporary federal subsidies that have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">helped millions</a>&nbsp;of Americans buy health coverage, a crucial underlying reality is sometimes overlooked: Those subsidies are merely a band-aid covering the often unaffordable cost of health care.California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milbank.org/publications/beyond-public-reporting-strengthening-accountability-to-states-cost-growth-targets-and-leveraging-targets-in-health-care-oversight/" target="_blank">five other states</a>&nbsp;have set caps on health care spending in a bid to rein in the intense financial pressure felt by many families, individuals and employers who every year face increases in premiums, deductibles and other health-related expenses.Hospitals and other health care providers are citing Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July, as one more reason to challenge those limits.The law is expected to reduce federal Medicaid spending by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-enrollment-spending-growth-fy-2025-2026/" target="_blank">more than $900 billion</a>&nbsp;over a decade, which mathematically should help the overall health care system meet the caps. But the law is also expected to increase the number of uninsured Americans, mostly Medicaid beneficiaries, by an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/how-will-the-2025-reconciliation-law-affect-the-uninsured-rate-in-each-state/" target="_blank">10 million people</a>. Health care analysts predict hospitals and other providers will raise prices to cover the double whammy of lost Medicaid revenue and the cost of caring for an influx of newly uninsured patients.Whether regulators in some states will allow providers to justify higher prices and exceed the spending caps is unclear. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milbank.org/publications/beyond-public-reporting-strengthening-accountability-to-states-cost-growth-targets-and-leveraging-targets-in-health-care-oversight/" target="_blank">California and Oregon</a>&nbsp;can penalize providers financially if they fail to meet targets.“Are we going to say, ‘That’s OK’? Or are we going to say, ‘Well, you exceeded the target. We’re still going to penalize you for that’?” said Richard Pan, a former state lawmaker and a member of the California Office of Health Care Affordability’s board. “That has not yet been decided.”The California Hospital Association, the industry’s main state lobbying group,&nbsp;<a href="https://calhospital.org/file/ohca-petition-for-writ-of-mandate/?_cldee=A8GhrcOY_cTuDPfqPGEYnuTgoZXm3szCgl31GFGm7Rb9gSK_2LWVhcwpQwK8EuuJ&amp;recipientid=contact-e10e51f96e20eb11a813000d3a375a4d-5668c9ec73c54063bd98803095e124ac&amp;esid=7bd201ea-8aa4-f011-bbd3-6045bd03d69a" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in October asking a state court to strike down the spending caps, which it argued fail to account for all the cost pressures hospitals face. Those pressures, it said, include an aging, sicker population; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/Health-Care-Worker-Minimum-Wage-FAQ.htm" target="_blank">rising cost</a>&nbsp;of labor; expensive advances in medical technology; large capital outlays on required seismic retrofitting; and changes in federal policy, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The hospital group’s lawsuit also asserted that the state affordability office, by hastily imposing ill-considered cost-cutting targets, was undermining its other key mission of improving health care access, quality and equity.California’s affordability office last year set a&nbsp;<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/health-brief-california-annual-health-spending-caps/" target="_blank">five-year target</a>&nbsp;to cap statewide spending growth, starting at 3.5% in 2025 and declining to 3% by 2029. The annual caps apply to a wide range of health care entities, including hospitals, medical groups, insurers and other payers.Earlier this year, it imposed much lower spending growth caps — starting at 1.8% in 2026 and declining to 1.6% by 2029 — for&nbsp;<a href="https://hcai.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Update-to-Draft-Motions-Presented-April-2025.pdf" target="_blank">seven “high-cost” hospitals</a>.“The spending caps set by politically appointed bureaucrats could force cuts that result in many Californians traveling farther for care, facing longer emergency room wait times, experiencing more overcrowding and losing access to critical services,” Carmela Coyle, the hospital association’s president and CEO, said in an October press release.The California attorney general’s office, which will represent the affordability agency, has not yet filed a response to the hospital group’s complaint and did not respond to a request for comment.<h2>Hospitals’ pushback</h2>California is not the only state taking a close look at hospital prices, which are widely considered a&nbsp;<a href="https://tobin.yale.edu/research/who-pays-rising-health-care-prices-evidence-hospital-mergers" target="_blank">primary driver</a>&nbsp;of health care costs.“States, armed with information that points to payments to hospitals as a driver of what is way beyond affordable commercial premiums, have begun to take increasingly targeted actions focused on commercial hospital prices,” said Michael Bailit, founder of the Needham, Massachusetts-based consultancy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bailit-health.com/team/michael-bailit.php" target="_blank">Bailit Health</a>, which has advised multiple states, including California, on ways to tame health care spending. “It is not surprising that the hospital industry is going to oppose such state actions.”In its lawsuit, the California Hospital Association said the affordability office’s own report showed that pharmaceutical and insurance companies are largely responsible for high costs.Hospitals in some states with cost growth limits, including&nbsp;<a href="https://cthosp.org/advocacy/healthcare-legislation-and-policy/healthcare-cost-growth-benchmarking/" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mhalink.org/mondayreport/is-benchmark-good-too-weak-or-irrelevant/" target="_blank">Massachusetts</a>, have expressed objections similar to the ones raised in the California lawsuit. They could follow their counterparts in California if their lawsuit succeeds, said Peter Lee, who led California’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Covered California, for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2021/09/16/peter-v-lee-to-leave-as-executive-director-of-covered-california-after-10-years-leading-the-nations-largest-state-based-marketplace/" target="_blank">over a decade</a>&nbsp;and is now a&nbsp;<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/cerc/about/affiliates-advisors.html" target="_blank">senior scholar</a>&nbsp;at Stanford Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center.Lee said the work of California’s affordability office and similar agencies in other states is just about the only systemwide effort being made to cut health care costs. They are basically saying, “‘Look, health care is taking money away from education, it is taking money away from the environment, it is taking money away from everything in the public sector, and in the private sector it is taking money away from wages,’” he said. “‘We don’t know how you, the health system, are going to do it, but it is your job not just to provide quality but to lower costs. Here’s the target.’”To be sure, achieving the cost savings that California and those other states are seeking is no easy lift. It will ultimately require persuading large, financially powerful players that compete fiercely for health care dollars to adopt a different mindset and begin cooperating to reduce costs instead. And that, in many cases, will mean lower revenue.But the status quo, as many people know all too well, means continued financial pain for millions.In early 2020, Estevan Rodriguez, a bartender at California’s Monterey Beach Hotel, had surgery for a staph infection in his leg. The bill came to nearly $168,000. His insurance paid most of it, but he still owed $5,665, which took him two years to pay, more than $200 every month. “It may not be a lot to some people, but it was a lot to me,” Rodriguez said.He said he dropped his Hulu subscription, switched to a lower-cost cellphone, and got cheaper car insurance. He started going to food banks rather than the grocery store, he said, and had a lot less time with his kids, because he was constantly working to pay off the hospital bill.<a href="https://www.montagehealth.org/locations/profile/community-hospital-monterey-peninsula/" target="_blank">Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula</a>, where Rodriguez had his surgery, is one of the seven hospitals identified by California’s affordability office as high-cost. A&nbsp;<a href="https://hcai.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/OHCA-Investigative-Study-of-Hospital-Market-Competition-in-Monterey-County-1.pdf" target="_blank">study by the office</a>&nbsp;attributed high hospital prices in Monterey County to a lack of market competition “rather than higher operating costs or superior quality of care.”The Monterey hospital referred a request for comment about its “high-cost” designation to the California Hospital Association. CHA spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea declined to comment beyond the language of the lawsuit and Coyle’s press release statement.<h2>Reduced competition</h2>Health care analysts worry the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will reduce market competition even further by stressing already weak hospitals, leading some to shut services, merge with larger health systems, or close. One study estimates&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2838483" target="_blank">338 rural hospitals</a>&nbsp;are at risk of closing nationwide.Less competition, in addition to fewer Medicaid dollars and an increase in uninsured patients, will only strengthen the incentive of health systems with the requisite market clout to raise their commercial prices, increasing premiums for employers and individuals.“We think commercial prices will continue to increase as health care providers, and hospitals in particular, will seek to preserve or increase their revenue,” said Rachel Block, a program officer at the Milbank Memorial Fund, a foundation that focuses on health equity.That in turn could pose a challenge to state affordability regulators tasked with overseeing compliance with growth targets for health care spending.California’s affordability office is required to consider mitigating factors, including changes in federal and state laws. But some of its board members have expressed skepticism about letting hospitals offset Medicaid losses with higher commercial prices.“There’s a lot of talk about using HR 1 and other federal policies as an excuse to raise prices on commercial payers,” Ian Lewis, an affordability office board member and policy director for UNITE HERE Local 2, a hospitality workers union in the Bay Area, said at the agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEKO4RfH2Y4" target="_blank">July board meeting</a>, referring to the One Big Beautiful Bill. “There’s no more blood to be squeezed from this stone.”<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us" target="_blank">KFF Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us" target="_blank">KFF</a>.This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/12/26/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-complicates-state-health-care-affordability-efforts/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Nebraska Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

State health care affordability pushes complicated by One Big Beautiful Bill

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced murder and assault charges against a Blue Springs man in connection with three shootings&nbsp; that left two people dead and one injured.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2784/Kur-Bak---Charging-Packet-">Kur B. Bak</a>, 28, faces two counts of 1st Degree Murder, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of 1st Degree Assault, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a shooting on Dec. 3 near Hardesty Avenue and East 26th Street, where they found the victim lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was confirmed deceased on the scene.

Surveillance footage showed the victim walking when an individual, later identified as&nbsp; Bak, approached him. After a brief exchange, the victim continued walking, but the defendant followed and shot him. Bak then fired at the victim seven more times as he lay on the ground. Bak dropped a fully loaded handgun magazine at the crime scene as he fled.&nbsp;

Twenty-five minutes later, police responded to another shooting near Park Avenue and 8th Street. The victim was suffering from gunshot wounds and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.&nbsp;

Surveillance video showed Bak exiting a vehicle and running toward the victim. The shooting occurred off camera. A short time later, Bak is captured returning to the vehicle.

Detectives found shell casings from the same firearm at both scenes. The same vehicle appeared in surveillance footage from both locations, and the Bak’s DNA was found on the magazine dropped at the first scene.&nbsp;

On Dec. 21, police responded to a shooting near Admiral Boulevard and Paseo Boulevard, where they found a victim dead in the street from gunshot trauma to the face.

Surveillance footage captured the victim walking when a vehicle pulled into a nearby parking lot. Bak, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt with yellow writing, exited and followed the victim’s same route. Minutes later, Bak was captured on video running back to his vehicle, where he removed the red sweatshirt and placed it in the passenger seat.&nbsp;

During a search of the defendant’s bedroom, detectives recovered the firearm used in all three shootings and the red hooded sweatshirt seen in surveillance footage from the third shooting.

Bak attended a SAVE KC call-in earlier this year but did not follow up for services.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $500,000 cash-only. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766597285753.png" alt="Bak photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bak photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced murder and assault charges against a Blue Springs man in connection with three shootings&nbsp; that left two people dead and one injured.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2784/Kur-Bak---Charging-Packet-">Kur B. Bak</a>, 28, faces two counts of 1st Degree Murder, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of 1st Degree Assault, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.According to court records, Kansas City police responded to a shooting on Dec. 3 near Hardesty Avenue and East 26th Street, where they found the victim lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was confirmed deceased on the scene.Surveillance footage showed the victim walking when an individual, later identified as&nbsp; Bak, approached him. After a brief exchange, the victim continued walking, but the defendant followed and shot him. Bak then fired at the victim seven more times as he lay on the ground. Bak dropped a fully loaded handgun magazine at the crime scene as he fled.&nbsp;Twenty-five minutes later, police responded to another shooting near Park Avenue and 8th Street. The victim was suffering from gunshot wounds and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.&nbsp;Surveillance video showed Bak exiting a vehicle and running toward the victim. The shooting occurred off camera. A short time later, Bak is captured returning to the vehicle.Detectives found shell casings from the same firearm at both scenes. The same vehicle appeared in surveillance footage from both locations, and the Bak’s DNA was found on the magazine dropped at the first scene.&nbsp;On Dec. 21, police responded to a shooting near Admiral Boulevard and Paseo Boulevard, where they found a victim dead in the street from gunshot trauma to the face.Surveillance footage captured the victim walking when a vehicle pulled into a nearby parking lot. Bak, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt with yellow writing, exited and followed the victim’s same route. Minutes later, Bak was captured on video running back to his vehicle, where he removed the red sweatshirt and placed it in the passenger seat.&nbsp;During a search of the defendant’s bedroom, detectives recovered the firearm used in all three shootings and the red hooded sweatshirt seen in surveillance footage from the third shooting.Bak attended a SAVE KC call-in earlier this year but did not follow up for services.&nbsp;A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond at $500,000 cash-only. &nbsp;

Surveillance video show suspect in deadly crime spree

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a home in Kansas City.

Just before 10:30a.m. Friday, Kansas City Missouri Fire Dept. companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 2800 block of East 6th Street, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

 On arrival, the first company on scene reported smoke showing from a 2-story carriage house. Crews initiated an offensive interior attack, using 2 hose lines to extinguish the fire. The fire was brought under control at 10:36 a.m. Searches throughout the structure were performed and came back all clear.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766781110710.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a home in Kansas City.Just before 10:30a.m. Friday, Kansas City Missouri Fire Dept. companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 2800 block of East 6th Street, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. On arrival, the first company on scene reported smoke showing from a 2-story carriage house. Crews initiated an offensive interior attack, using 2 hose lines to extinguish the fire. The fire was brought under control at 10:36 a.m. Searches throughout the structure were performed and came back all clear.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire damages 2-story carriage house in Kansas City

Luke Karg is the only Missouri student to qualify for the high school national bass fishing championship five times, including as an incoming freshman

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

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"></a>The water on Truman Lake was colder and muddier than normal this April, making for some tough fishing conditions.&nbsp;

Luke Karg, of House Springs, had one last shot before graduating to win the Missouri TBF High School Trail Super Tournament for bass fishing – which he and his then 16-year-old fishing partner, A.J. Massa, had won the year before.

It’s the last tournament of the season for the Missouri student program of The Bass Federation, and it’s also the final opportunity to earn enough points to be named Team of the Year — the top-scoring duo in the state.

“The tournament itself meant a lot to us, with it being our last state tournament together,” Karg said. “It was very tough. There was, at most, two inches of visibility in the water, but a lot of fishing is just adapting to the changes.”

Karg and Massa headed out on the water for two days for eight hours each. At the end of each day, they weighed their top five fish.&nbsp;

“The first day, they caught almost enough bass to win the tournament,” said Gary Foree, Karg’s mentor and family friend, who is a former professional fisherman. “They had almost 19 pounds, which is insane. There hasn’t been a tournament in three years over 17 pounds on Truman Lake.”

They brought in 16 pounds on the second day, which would have brought their total up to nearly 35 pounds. But unfortunately it didn’t count. Their boat malfunctioned, making them miss the weigh in.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It was pretty heart-wrenching,” Karg said. “It was one of our best bags as a team on one of the most difficult days.”

Karg and Massa ended up taking second place at Truman Lake with one day’s worth of fish, and they still had enough points to be named Team of the Year, just as they were last year.

Karg has been part of the Team of the Year five years in a row, including as an incoming high-school freshman.&nbsp;

That title also sent the team to the TBF Student Angler Federation High School National Championship, which was held at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in June.&nbsp;

Only the top two high-school teams from each state can compete, and Karg is the only person in Missouri to have qualified for that opportunity five years in a row, according to officials for the national championship.

“To be one of the top two teams in Missouri for five consecutive years is pretty freaking amazing,” said Karl Buck, who previously led the federation’s high school program in Missouri and was also Karg’s team leader. “I’m just so proud it’s unbelievable. I mean, I can’t believe that I was involved in his upcoming as a fisherman.”

Karg began competitive fishing when he was 12 and participated in dozens of individual and team tournaments as a teen. Through it all, he struggled with an autoimmune illness that made him miss numerous days from school, he said, but he’s proud he still managed to graduate on time in May and continue fishing.

While it was grueling standing on a boat for hours under the hot sun, Karg said the national championship was exhilarating because some of the world’s top fishermen were watching.&nbsp;

“It’s the biggest tourn of the year, and a lot of people only get to go to it once, if even,” Karg said. “It really could be the biggest tournament of your life.”

Karg has loved to fish ever since he could hold a rod, said his father Rick Karg. Even as early as 5, he said Karg could catch fish when the adults around him were coming up empty.&nbsp;

“There’s a magic,” Rick said. “My scientific brain says, ‘Is there like a vibration from his heartbeat that travels down the line because he’s got his finger touching it, that the fish like?’”&nbsp;

Foree met Karg because of a life-changing promise he made to Karg’s mother, Becky Rumley.

Rumley was the nurse administering Foree’s chemotherapy treatment at St. Claire Hospital, and one day, she told him how much her nine-year-old son loved to fish. At the time, Foree thought he only had a few months to live.

“I ended up telling her that if I survive this, I’ll take him to Lake of the Ozarks and get him a five pounder because I used to be a [fishing] guide on the lake,” he said.

Foree did pull through, and when they went out fishing, Karg didn’t just catch one five-pound bass.&nbsp;

“I caught three five-pound bass and two six pounders, and like a bunch of big fish,” Karg said. “It is probably the best day of fishing in my life. And ever since then, he’s just dedicated a huge part of his life to help teach me and my partner.”

Foree was equally amazed after Karg pulled out nearly 40 pounds of fish that day.&nbsp;

“He just had the best day of fishing anybody could have,” Foree said. “That’s how I got him hooked on fishing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Over the years, Foree taught him about tracking fish through the different seasons and how to read the water and the banks. He also helped him get his first boat.

Now, Foree said, Karg’s instincts are his fishing superpower.&nbsp;

“So many times they won a tournament when the fishing was really tough, and Luke said, ‘Let’s try over here. That bank looks good,’” Foree said. “And they’ll go over, and they’ll catch enough fish on that bank to win the tournament.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854627766.png" alt=" Luke Karg and his mentor Gary Foree fish together at Peaceful Valley Lake in Owensville in 2021 (Photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> Luke Karg and his mentor Gary Foree fish together at Peaceful Valley Lake in Owensville in 2021 (Photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Luke Karg is the only Missouri student to qualify for the high school national bass fishing championship five times, including as an incoming freshman</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"></a>The water on Truman Lake was colder and muddier than normal this April, making for some tough fishing conditions.&nbsp;Luke Karg, of House Springs, had one last shot before graduating to win the Missouri TBF High School Trail Super Tournament for bass fishing – which he and his then 16-year-old fishing partner, A.J. Massa, had won the year before.It’s the last tournament of the season for the Missouri student program of The Bass Federation, and it’s also the final opportunity to earn enough points to be named Team of the Year — the top-scoring duo in the state.“The tournament itself meant a lot to us, with it being our last state tournament together,” Karg said. “It was very tough. There was, at most, two inches of visibility in the water, but a lot of fishing is just adapting to the changes.”Karg and Massa headed out on the water for two days for eight hours each. At the end of each day, they weighed their top five fish.&nbsp;“The first day, they caught almost enough bass to win the tournament,” said Gary Foree, Karg’s mentor and family friend, who is a former professional fisherman. “They had almost 19 pounds, which is insane. There hasn’t been a tournament in three years over 17 pounds on Truman Lake.”They brought in 16 pounds on the second day, which would have brought their total up to nearly 35 pounds. But unfortunately it didn’t count. Their boat malfunctioned, making them miss the weigh in.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It was pretty heart-wrenching,” Karg said. “It was one of our best bags as a team on one of the most difficult days.”But it wasn’t all lost.&nbsp;Karg and Massa ended up taking second place at Truman Lake with one day’s worth of fish, and they still had enough points to be named Team of the Year, just as they were last year.Karg has been part of the Team of the Year five years in a row, including as an incoming high-school freshman.&nbsp;That title also sent the team to the TBF Student Angler Federation High School National Championship, which was held at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in June.&nbsp;Only the top two high-school teams from each state can compete, and Karg is the only person in Missouri to have qualified for that opportunity five years in a row, according to officials for the national championship.“To be one of the top two teams in Missouri for five consecutive years is pretty freaking amazing,” said Karl Buck, who previously led the federation’s high school program in Missouri and was also Karg’s team leader. “I’m just so proud it’s unbelievable. I mean, I can’t believe that I was involved in his upcoming as a fisherman.”Karg began competitive fishing when he was 12 and participated in dozens of individual and team tournaments as a teen. Through it all, he struggled with an autoimmune illness that made him miss numerous days from school, he said, but he’s proud he still managed to graduate on time in May and continue fishing.While it was grueling standing on a boat for hours under the hot sun, Karg said the national championship was exhilarating because some of the world’s top fishermen were watching.&nbsp;“It’s the biggest tourn of the year, and a lot of people only get to go to it once, if even,” Karg said. “It really could be the biggest tournament of your life.”<h2>A promise</h2>Karg has loved to fish ever since he could hold a rod, said his father Rick Karg. Even as early as 5, he said Karg could catch fish when the adults around him were coming up empty.&nbsp;“There’s a magic,” Rick said. “My scientific brain says, ‘Is there like a vibration from his heartbeat that travels down the line because he’s got his finger touching it, that the fish like?’”&nbsp;Foree met Karg because of a life-changing promise he made to Karg’s mother, Becky Rumley.Rumley was the nurse administering Foree’s chemotherapy treatment at St. Claire Hospital, and one day, she told him how much her nine-year-old son loved to fish. At the time, Foree thought he only had a few months to live.“I ended up telling her that if I survive this, I’ll take him to Lake of the Ozarks and get him a five pounder because I used to be a [fishing] guide on the lake,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854595349.png" alt="Luke Karg stands with a paddlefish he caught in Owensville (Photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Luke Karg stands with a paddlefish he caught in Owensville (Photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>Foree did pull through, and when they went out fishing, Karg didn’t just catch one five-pound bass.&nbsp;“I caught three five-pound bass and two six pounders, and like a bunch of big fish,” Karg said. “It is probably the best day of fishing in my life. And ever since then, he’s just dedicated a huge part of his life to help teach me and my partner.”Foree was equally amazed after Karg pulled out nearly 40 pounds of fish that day.&nbsp;“He just had the best day of fishing anybody could have,” Foree said. “That’s how I got him hooked on fishing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Over the years, Foree taught him about tracking fish through the different seasons and how to read the water and the banks. He also helped him get his first boat.Now, Foree said, Karg’s instincts are his fishing superpower.&nbsp;“So many times they won a tournament when the fishing was really tough, and Luke said, ‘Let’s try over here. That bank looks good,’” Foree said. “And they’ll go over, and they’ll catch enough fish on that bank to win the tournament.”Karg believes his instincts have developed with the dozens of tournaments and countless hours of fishing.&nbsp;“Over time, it’s become more of an instinct, than having to think about, ‘Oh, I should make a change,’” he said. “It just naturally comes.”For instance, at both the Truman Lake and national championship, Karg said he was painting his own custom lures while he was on the boat.At Truman, he made the decision to color a half-inch chartreuse line on his spinner bait, he said, and he ended up catching much bigger fish, but less fish. If his lure had a straight tail, the catch was better as well, he said.“It’s all about how the bait works in the water,” he said. “The smallest little detail that can just trigger the fish to eat. That’s where a lot of the fun comes into it for me, is all the difficulties and fun little changes you can make. You can go from catching no fish for hours on end to catching your limit in a minute.”<h2>‘Find five’</h2>Karl Buck remembers meeting Karg when he was about 12 on a dock at the Peaceful Valley Lake in Owensville, where Karg’s grandparents have a lake house. Buck used to run a student program called the Owensville Anglers, and they were finishing up a tournament that day.“When we were doing our weigh-in down at the dam, they came down to the boat ramp to inquire,” Buck said. “He’ll probably hate this, but he was the most bashful young man, super quiet and reserved.”&nbsp;The Owensville Anglers is how Karg got his start with tournament fishing, which Buck says is much different than regular fishing.&nbsp;In a tournament, Buck said the first rule is “find five.”&nbsp;“You’re fishing for five fish,” Buck said. “Doesn’t matter what they weigh, they just got to be keepers,” meaning they are big enough to keep.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854558899.png" alt="Luke Karg, left, and A.J. Massa hold up their top three fish at the TBF Student Angler Federation High School National Championship, which was held at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in June (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Luke Karg, left, and A.J. Massa hold up their top three fish at the TBF Student Angler Federation High School National Championship, which was held at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in June (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>The fish go in the box where they’re kept alive and healthy, which is a standard conservation practice in the high-school tournaments.&nbsp;“After you have five, then you’re going to change your game,” he said. “It’s now no longer about just catching fish. You’re looking to upgrade the fish that you already have. Big fish get big for a reason. They’re hard to catch.”Big fish know how to hide, and that’s where casting skills come into play, Foree said. He called Karg’s casting skills “insane.”&nbsp;“He can skip jigs and lures and put them in places nobody else can,” Foree said. “That’s why he’s so good.”But he wasn’t always that good, Buck remembers, which is why Karg earned the nickname “Oops” after fishing with Buck and his son one day.“Luke throws this cast — I believe it was a spinner bait — and it winds up on the roof of this dock, stuck,” Buck said. “So we go up and we get it. A little while later, he makes another cast and it gets stuck on somebody’s dock.”After each time, Karg would just say, “Oops” and the nickname was born. Buck said when they fished together this past summer, he was blown away at his talent.&nbsp;Karg and Massa ended up placing 56th out of more than 200 teams in the national championship in Oklahoma.&nbsp;“We lost three three-pounders that came off the boat,” Karg said after the tournament finished. “That would have gotten us up to nine or 10 pounds. We would have been around 12th place probably.”Karg said he’s proud of his accomplishment over this high school career, and he couldn’t have done it without his fishing partners Massa and previously Kyle Kannawurf, along with their boat captains.“No one gives credit enough to our boat captains, which were both of our dads,” he said, “just giving the time to drive all the way out there and standing with us out the boat for eight hours straight a day.”As boat captain, Rick said he was in “constant amazement” at his son’s skill.“I’d just sit there and watch and think, ‘How in the world are you doing this?’” Rick said. “You’re like a super sharp shooter.”Rick said he’s watched Karg fish for seven hours without catching anything, but he’d still have the focus and creativity change his strategy and get a big catch at the last minute. Karg’s humility and attitude are among the most impressive things about him, said Foree and Buck, particularly his ability to bounce back from setbacks.“He never got rattled,” Foree said. “Oh, he’d get upset if he lost a big fish, but he’d just say, ‘Okay, I learned something from that,’ and go on to the next one. His ability to focus and stay focused in times of turmoil when he loses fish or the weather changes is very, very important in professional bass fishing.”Karg&nbsp;has his own&nbsp;<a href="https://lukesboatservices.com/about-us" target="_blank">boat detail business</a>, and there are several career paths he’s interested in taking, including a professional fisherman.&nbsp;“But for that, I would have to be away from home around 200 days of the year,” he said. “So the one I’m probably gonna go with is a natural environmentalist studying fresh water fish.”