By SUZANNE KING <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/01/08/why-30-rural-hospitals-in-kansas-and-12-in-missouri-are-at-risk/">The Beacon</a>

Kansas has more hospitals in immediate danger of closing than any other state, according to a recent analysis of the financial health of the country’s most remote hospitals.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://chqpr.org/">Center for Healthcare Quality &amp; Payment Reform</a>, a national policy organization, found that 68 rural Kansas hospitals are at risk of closing, including 30 at immediate risk. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/downloads/Rural_Hospitals_at_Risk_of_Closing.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;also put Missouri among the 10 worst states for rural closings, with 29 rural hospitals at risk of closing, including a dozen at immediate risk.

Nationwide, the analysis found that 756 hospitals — one-third of all rural hospitals — could be in jeopardy, including 323 that are at&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/Solutions.html#the-need-for-rapid-action-to-prevent-closures-and-sustain-rural-healthcare">immediate risk</a>&nbsp;of closure. Hospitals that are losing money on patient services and don’t have enough reserves to offset those losses for more than six or seven years are considered to be at immediate risk.

Harold D. Miller, the Center for Healthcare Quality’s president and CEO, said the problem boils down to simple economics. Rural hospitals spend more than they bring in.

Because they are located in remote parts of the country, rural hospitals have fewer patients. But operating costs — like necessary staff and equipment — are the same as for hospitals in more populated areas.

At the same time, the cost of health care continues to climb, workforce shortages&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/24/traveling-nurses-kansas-hospitals/">make it more expensive to fill jobs</a>&nbsp;at rural facilities and much of the financial support that helped them through the COVID pandemic has gone away.

“Costs have gone up and payers haven’t kept up,” Miller said. “The hospital isn’t being paid based on actual cost. More likely it gets underpaid.”

A pessimistic assessment of the financial health of rural hospitals is not new. For years, experts have warned about pending closures. And across the country almost 200 rural hospitals have shut down since 2005, including 19 across&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/08/rural-hospitals-missouri-medicaid-cuts-at-risk-2025-closures/">Missouri</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwch.com/2026/01/07/derbys-rock-regional-hospital-eviction-process-cleared-proceed-judge-decides/">Kansas</a>.

The rural hospitals that have closed their doors since 2012,&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/Problems.html#the-magnitude-of-financial-losses-at-rural-hospitals">the Center for Healthcare Quality found</a>, had a median operating loss of 9%. Rural hospitals that stayed open had a median 5% profit margin.

Cindy Samuelson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Hospital Association, cautioned that the report’s dire predictions of 30 Kansas hospitals being on the brink of closing may be overblown. Many rural Kansas communities provide taxpayer support in the form of a city or county levy. Although that funding is not guaranteed, she said it is a good bet that it will continue.

“I really think you’re not going to see 30” hospitals close, Samuelson said. “Those people who live in those 30 areas are going to say, ‘We’ll pay the tax. Health care is important to us.’”&nbsp;

Kansas still has 100 rural hospitals — second only to Texas — while Missouri has 58. But many operate at a loss. And the challenges only seem to be growing.

Recent changes at the federal level are expected to dramatically increase the number of people without insurance&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/19/aca-expiring-tax-credits-health-insurance/">beginning this year</a>. That will likely add to the number of patients hospitals have to treat for free, and it is expected to ultimately lead to more expensive care since people who skip doctors’ appointments or medicine often end up sicker.

Hospitals also are watching what will happen at the state and federal levels to the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which helps many hospitals subsidize the cost of care across their operations. Some lawmakers would like to change the way the program works, which could leave hospitals with another big funding gap.

“It could impact essential services the hospitals provide,” Samuelson said.

While loss of the drug program or reduced government insurance coverage under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act marketplace will likely mean problems for hospitals, Miller said many rural hospitals will face grim prospects even if none of those changes occurs. Already, he said, they are dealing with the reality that insurance plans aren’t paying them enough to cover their expenses.

Many people assume Medicare and Medicaid are the primary culprits for funding shortfalls, Miller said, but private insurance is actually a bigger factor for many small rural providers.

Private insurance is often the&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/Data4A.html">largest contributor</a>&nbsp;to rural hospital revenue — especially since private Medicare Advantage plans have become increasingly popular. But often hospitals are getting the smallest reimbursements from that sector.

Traditional Medicare plans are required to cover most of the cost of care for the patients they cover, but the same is not true of Medicare Advantage plans, which are sold through private insurance companies and work like any other private plan.

Rural hospitals may fall outside a Medicare Advantage plan’s network, or the plan will quibble about paying for certain procedures or services. That can leave patients without nearby care options and hospitals without funds to cover costs.

All of it contributes to rural hospitals’ funding gaps, Miller said.

“If those private insurers are paying half as much as it costs to deliver services in the hospital,” he said, “that hospital is not going to stay open.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kha-net.org/CriticalIssues/FinancialStability/FinanceResources/d175040.aspx?type=view">2024 study</a>&nbsp;from the Kansas Hospital Association found that private insurers, or commercial payers, in the state paid less than payers in neighboring states. That left Kansas hospitals with fewer private dollars to help cover the costs of care for uninsured or underinsured patients.&nbsp;

And because private plans were covering less, patients were left carrying more bad debt, the study found, because they couldn’t afford out-of-pocket costs. Or they were avoiding care when they needed it, which ultimately drives up cost.

The closure of any rural hospital puts people’s health at risk. Not only are patients left with long drives to hospitals in an emergency, they also lose affiliated physician practices, laboratories and imaging services, which often puts preventive care in jeopardy.

“The bottom line for patients if they lose their hospital is that there’s always going to be a larger barrier for them to go seek care,” said Tom Mueller, director of the Kansas Center for Rural Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “It’s important to point out that rural folks are happy to drive for the most part. … But, regardless, if you’re talking about a 20-minute drive versus a two-hour drive, you might not go get that thing checked out.”

As a result, chances at early detection are missed. Screenings are postponed or avoided. And people’s health suffers.

Hope for rural transformation funds

Kansas hospitals are waiting for details about the funds the state has been awarded through the new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund, which is being dolled out to states across the country for the next five years.

Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/29/medicaid-missouri-rural-health-transformation-hr-1/">will receive</a>&nbsp;$216 million during the 2026 fiscal year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced, while Kansas will receive $222 million.&nbsp;

Samuelson said the details of exactly what was funded from the Kansas proposal will be announced in coming days. But she expects the programs funded will help hospitals. It won’t mean an immediate influx of money, but it will mean a chance for the state to invest in shoring up rural hospitals.&nbsp;

And the industry hopes the funds will bring structural changes, like addressing root causes of disease, which would make care less expensive. And investing in the rural health workforce.

“It’s going to be changes that will be impactful and hopefully long-lived with regards to transformative care in rural areas,” Samuelson said.

Lucretia Stargell, CEO of Goodland Regional Medical Center and Rawlins County Health Center in northwest Kansas, said she hopes the new transformation fund drives rural hospitals to be more collaborative.&nbsp;

In May, her hospital brought oncology care back to Goodland one day a week by sharing the cost with other rural hospitals. Now cancer patients can see a doctor close to home rather than driving to Hays or other faraway cities.

It’s an example of how rural hospitals can bring care to the patients, Stargell said, but also help patients navigate finding specialist care in other places when necessary.&nbsp;

“Our big audacious goal is to be a medical home for the region, she said. “We want to help coordinate your care. We want to get you to Hays or Salina or Kansas City, but we want you back. It’s a complex world to navigate, and that’s our duty as a hospital to be part of that.”

Hospitals haven’t gotten to the point of being on the brink of closure overnight, and getting back to health won’t be simple either, Stargell said. But taking deliberate steps to create long-term change seems like the best approach, she said.

“If there were a quick fix,” she said, “hospitals wouldn’t be closing.”

Why 30 hospitals in Kansas and 12 in Missouri are at risk of closure

Kathleen Malone-Crouch recently filed her letter of resignation from the Saline County Planning &amp; Zoning board, after the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/924cb67c-261d-4a54-b8af-210ca14b95c6">Commissioner's supermajority vote to deny a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)</a>.&nbsp;

Malone-Crouch in her letter stated the planning commission worked "diligently" for two years to provide county policy on the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) submitted by Mountain Peak Energy Storage, LLC. for the BESS.

Read more: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/924cb67c-261d-4a54-b8af-210ca14b95c6">Access denied: Saline Co. Commissioners deny proposal of Battery Energy Storage System installment</a>

She added the planning board members researched and "read a great deal" before approving the Mountain Peak CUP. Malone-Crouch in the letter brought up statistical research conducted by the <a href="https://environmentamerica.org/texas/center/">Environment Texas Research and Policy Center</a>, and the <a href="https://www.epri.com/">Electric Power Research Institute</a>, which stated the BESS fires remain "low" as it has grown significantly nationwide, with Texas "not experiencing a fire" having more than 100 facilities.

Toward the end of the letter, she stated the reason for submitting her resignation was due to the "lack of support" for the Planning Commission from Saline County Commissioners. Ending with, "I hope that we will always have the power needed in Saline County since our governing board is not willing to provide for emergencies."

"They (Commissioners) are certainly entitled to their opinions, but I disagree with them," Malone-Crouch said. "I don't think they have the expertise they are claiming to have, because they are not the ones who did the hours, and hours, and hours of research the planning board members did."

The&nbsp;Saline County Planning board voted 8-0 on November 25, 2025 to recommend the proposed project to be presented to County Commissioners.

The Commissioners are fully aware of the letter and left comments about the resignation.

"I have no problem with Kathleen and that was her choice, but I went with what the people wanted," said&nbsp;Commissioner Joe Hay. "I did my research and this is what we came up with, with four of us who felt that was the way to go."

Commissioner Annie Grevas voiced the same stance as Hay and commented they did their research as well, which led them to the supermajority decision to deny the BESS.

With an open position for the Planning &amp; Zoning board, there will soon be an opportunity for people to fill out an interest form if they wish to join. The Commission would have to appoint the person of interest during the consent agenda at one of the bi-weekly public meetings.

There is no anticipation for the Commissioners to discuss this certain topic on <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=3966f7b8-157d-4697-8a3a-979ae42ffca9&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;lang=English">Tuesday's upcoming meeting.</a>

Below you will find the letter of resignation by Kathleen Malone-Crouch:

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; I was very disappointed in the Saline County Commission’s vote to overturn the Planning Board approval of the Mountain Peak Conditional Use Permit for a Battery Energy Storage System that was based on hearsay and emotion. 

&nbsp; &nbsp;According to the publication, Environment Texas Research and Policy Center, July 25, 2025, “Fires at BESS facilities are rare but possible,&nbsp; primarily due to thermal runaway (overheating). According to the Electric Power Research Institute, battery-related fires remain low, even as BESS capacity has grown significantly nationwide. Texas, for example, has not experienced a BESS fire despite having more than one hundred facilities. Modern BESS are equipped with comprehensive fire prevention&nbsp; management technologies, including fire suppression, ventilation, thermal monitoring, and remote shutdown protocols.”

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; For two years prior to the Saline County Planning Commission’s approval of this Conditional Use Permit, Planning Board Commissioners worked diligently to provide a county policy for such facilities. This policy was approved by the Saline&nbsp;County Board of Commissioners. Planning board members researched and read a great deal before approving the Mountain Peak Conditional Use Permit. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; I am submitting my resignation from the Saline County Planning Board because of the lack of support for the Planning Commission from the Saline County Board of Commissioners.&nbsp; I hope that we will always have the power needed in Saline County since our governing board is not willing to provide for emergencies.

Malone-Crouch resigns from Saline Co. Planning & Zoning board after Commissioner's supermajority vote to deny BESS 

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Salina Post obituary policy (subject to change)

Salina Post understands the importance of honoring the deceased and welcomes all submissions of obituaries with a full summary of their life, survivors, services, website of the funeral home and a photo.

Salina Post accepts all obituaries&nbsp;free of charge (subject to change)&nbsp;and you can email all obituaries:&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>&nbsp;and will be posted on the website within 24 business hours.

If you have an issue outside of business hours, if your obituary has not been published within 24 business hours, or if have any questions, please email:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>

Recent obituaries and service times, how to submit an obituary

Following is recent booking activity for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/Sheriff-Office/Online-search/Booking-Activities">Saline County Jail</a>, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

NAME:&nbsp;Augustine,Nathan Matthew

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Burglary; Non-dwelling to commit felony, theft, domestic violence, or sexually motivated crime; Crim damage to prop;w/o consent $1K-$25K; Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption; Domestic Battery: Know/reckless body harm 3rd/subs

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

NAME:&nbsp;McCollum,Charles Michael

REQUESTED CHARGES: Outside warrant/NCIC hit (2)

REQUESTED CHARGE: Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Williams,Destiny Jasmine

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body; Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

Saline County Jail Bookings, January 19

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 19 - January 21

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Speeding; maximum limits

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Battery; Knowing/recklessly causing bodily harm; Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption

NAME:&nbsp;Garcia,Alexandro Fernando

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Speeding; maximum limits; Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

*No image available for&nbsp;Picking,Shanon Leigh (43)*

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

*No image available for&nbsp;Pritchard,Jasmine Leann (19)*

NAME:&nbsp;Pritchard,Jasmine Leann

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Battery; Knowing/recklessly causing bodily harm; Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor; Robbery

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Aggravated burglary; Dwelling for felony, theft, domestic violence, or sexually motivated crime; Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor; Domestic Battery: rude physical contact; Intimidation of witness/victim; Prevent reporting; Robbery; Stalking; After served a protection order prohibiting contact; Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500; Viol protection order; Abuse order

Saline County Jail Bookings, January 18

"Lines from Life” will be the next exhibit at The Gallery in Sams Hall of Fine Arts on the Kansas Wesleyan campus. 

The figurative work by the Central Kansas Artists will open January 21 and run through February 25. A reception will be from 5-6:30 pm February 5, with remarks at 5:30 pm.

Central Kansas Artists have met since 2008 to draw live models. They use a variety of media and techniques, producing a range of art styles, from quick line sketches to finished pieces. Twelve to 14 artists, most from Salina but also from Miltonvale, Minneapolis, McPherson and Lindsborg, are expected to participate in the exhibit.

Models have included dancers, children, seniors, nudes and people in costumes. The group now meets weekly at The Temple. The sessions are open to the public, with artists contributing a small fee to pay the models.

The Gallery is free and open to the public.

KWU to open new art exhibit in Same Hall featuring several talented central Kansas artists 

The 128th annual Midwest Art Exhibition opens Jan. 26 at the Sandzén Gallery in Lindsborg

All of OCCK, Inc.’s public transportation services will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Transportation services will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

OCCK, Inc. provides services in north central Kansas to anyone with any type of long or short-term disability, starting as early as birth and following people through their whole lives. OCCK provides an array of supports for success at home and in the community, including independent living skills and supports, employment and career training, Alzheimer’s supports, autism services, assistive technology, children’s services, transportation, specialized therapies, and home health care.

For more information about OCCK, Inc., visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.occk.com/">www.occk.com</a>.&nbsp;

For more information about CityGo and OCCK Transportation, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.salinacitygo.com/">www.salinacitygo.com</a>.

Or, contact the OCCK Transportation Center at 785-826-1583.

OCCK transportation services closed Monday in observance of MLK Day

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose felony warrant

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Aggravated burglary; Locked dwelling for felony, theft, domestic violence, sexually motivated; Aggravated kidnapping; Burglary; Locked dwelling to commit felony, theft, domestic violence or sexually motivated crime; Failure to appear; Flee or attempt to elude; reckless driving; Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose felony warrant; Theft of prop/services;Value $1,500 to $25,000; Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance; Stalking; After served a protection order prohibiting contact; 2nd or subs

NAME:&nbsp;Lynn,Katherine Elizabeth

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circ; felony; Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance; Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 3 business in 72 hrs

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body; DUI; 1st conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+Poss of marijuana; Traffic contraband in corr/care facility; Intro item on grounds

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Improper driving on laned roadway

Saline County Jail Bookings, January 17

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 16 - January 18

High wind gusts are expected to make its way through Salina and central Kansas on Friday.

According to the US National Weather Service, gusty&nbsp;northwest winds are forecasted during the day on Friday. Wind gusts are expected to range from 40-50 mph.

This is also paired with dry conditions, which there will be a very high grassland fire danger in the afternoon.

Russell is expected to have the highest speed of wind gusts with the range being 45-50 mph.

High temperatures for Salina is 41 degrees.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

High wind gusts and grassland fire danger expected throughout central Kansas, Salina on Friday

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 14 - January 16

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 12 - January 14

A chance of light rain Friday afternoon is expected to gradually transition into light snow towards the evening.

According to the US National Weather Service, a chance of rain is expected after 1:00 pm with a 50% chance to mix with snow after 4:00 pm.

Portions of central and south-central Kansas could see light snow accumulations up to 1 inch, and slick spots on bridges and overpasses are possible tonight.&nbsp;

A little after 7:00 pm, the mix will likely become all snow.

Higher accumulations are expected across southwest Kansas.

Light snow up to 1 inch expected late Friday afternoon and into the evening in central Kansas

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 9 - January 11

After an activity of showers and thunderstorms to occur late Wednesday night through Thursday, a storm system is expected follow that with light to modest snow accumulations across the region Friday afternoon through night.

The greatest potential for at least a half inch of rain is primarily along and east of I-135.

This is according to the US National Weather Service, but there remains some uncertainty as the weather agency will refine forecast details the next few days.

Chance of snow to occur Friday after upcoming showers and thunderstorms 

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 7 - January 9

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 5 - January 7

As communities across the country on Monday host parades, panels and service projects for the 40th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/martin-luther-king-jr-mlk-day-7ed384feeeef9b88fb9b34614ea52428">federal observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day</a>, the political climate for some is more fraught with tensions than festive with reflection on the slain Black American civil rights icon's legacy.

In the year since Donald Trump's second inauguration fell on King Day, the Republican president has gone scorched earth against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">targeted mostly Black-led cities</a>&nbsp;for federal law enforcement operations, among other policies that many King admirers have criticized.

One year ago, Trump's executive orders, “Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” and “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” accelerated a rollback of civil rights and racial justice initiatives in federal agencies, corporations and universities. Last month, the National Park Service announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-parks-free-trump-birthday-juneteenth-mlk-225b10728a9df22d54407ecaec1e5e5f">it will no longer offer free admission</a>&nbsp;to parks on King Day and Juneteenth, but instead on Flag Day and Trump's birthday.

The fatal shooting this month of an unarmed Minneapolis woman in her car by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents sent there to target the city's Somali immigrant population, as well as Trump recently decrying civil rights as discrimination against white people, have only intensified fears of a regression from the social progress King and many others advocated for.

Still, the concerns have not chilled many King holiday events planned this year. Some conservative admirers of King say the holiday should be a reminder of the civil rights icon's plea that all people be judged by their character and not their skin color. Some Black advocacy groups, however, are vowing a day of resistance and rallies nationwide.

‘We’ve always strived to be a more perfect union'

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Trump said he felt the Civil Rights Movement and the reforms it helped usher in were harmful to white people, who “were very badly treated.” Politicians and advocates say Trump's comments are what are harmful, because they dismiss the hard work of King and others that helped not just Black Americans but other groups, including women and the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think the Civil Rights Movement was one of the things that made our country so unique, that we haven’t always been perfect, but we’ve always strived to be this more perfect union, and that’s what I think the Civil Rights Movement represents,” Gov. Wes Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor and only the nation’s third elected Black governor, said this week in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maryland-congressional-redistricting-wes-moore-democrats-aeec01f37b914b792375842daafdd45e">an interview with The Associated Press</a>.

Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, one of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalitions, said the Trump administration's priorities make clear it is actively trying to erase the movement.

“From health care access and affordable housing to good paying jobs and union representation," Wiley said, “things Dr. King made part of his clarion call for a beloved community are still at stake and is even more so because (the administration) has dismantled the very terms of government and the norms of our culture.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank is encouraging the holiday’s focus to stay solely on King himself. Brenda Hafera, a foundation research fellow, urged people to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta or reread his “I have a dream” speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington nearly 63 years ago.

But using the holiday as a platform to rally and speak about “anti-racism” and “critical race theory” actually rejects King’s ambition for the country, Hafera argued.

“I think efforts should be conducted in the spirit of what Martin Luther King actually believed and what he preached. And his vision was a colorblind society, right,” Hafera said. “He says very famously in his speech, don’t judge by the color of your skin, but the content of your character.”

Groups call for holiday of reclamation, education and rallying

The NAACP, the nation's oldest civil right organization which had a myriad MLK Day events planned for Monday, asserted that the heightened fears among communities of color and in immigrant communities mean King Day observances must take a different tone. People will have to put their safety first, even if their government isn't, said Wisdom Cole, NAACP senior national director of advocacy.

“As folks are using their constitutional right to protest and to speak out and stand up for what they believe in, we are being faced with violence. We are faced with increased police and state violence inflicted by the government,” Cole said.

The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of organizations affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement, has planned its events under the banner “Reclaim MLK Day of Action.” Organizers planned demonstrations in Atlanta, Chicago and Oakland, California, among other cities, over the weekend and Monday.

“This year it is more important than ever to reclaim MLK’s radical legacy, letting his wisdom and fierce commitment to freedom move us into the action necessary to take care of one another, fight back, and free ourselves from this fascist regime,” Devonte Jackson, a national organizing director for the coalition, said in a statement.

Indiana school cancels historic MLK Day event

For the first time in its 60-year history, Indiana University in Indianapolis canceled its annual Martin Luther King dinner. Over the years, the event drew notable guest speakers including Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, and activist Angela Davis.

The reasoning was “budget constraints,” according to a social media post by the school's Black Student Union. However, the group said it was worried this was “connected to broader political pressures.” A few students have since organized smaller community dinners or “eat-ins” to fill the void, WTHR-TV in Indianapolis reported.

Meanwhile, the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Westbrook, Maine, canceled a MLK Day service due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to the parish website. But a member of the church's “social justice and peace committee” told NewsCenterMaine.com that the pastor was concerned about people's safety amid rumors of ICE agents being in the area.

Overall, there have been few reports of King Day events being majorly scaled down or canceled altogether.

In Memphis, Tennessee, the National Civil Rights Museum is going about its annual King Day celebration as normal. The museum is located on the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where King was shot on April 4, 1968. The museum is offering free admission on the holiday, an annual tradition.

“This milestone year is not only about looking back at what Dr. King stood for, but also recognizing the people who continue to make his ideals real today,” museum President Russell Wigginton said.

Tang reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Matt Brown in Washington, Adrian Sanz in Memphis, Tennessee, and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this report.

Current US political climate is spurring a 'reclaim' and rallying on the MLK holiday

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

Just before 2p.m Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 8700 block of Chestnut Circle on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil Dimartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to a parking lot within the apartment complex. There they located a victim later identified as 36-year-old Charles Brown, Jr., suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures while KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously. Medics pronounced Brown deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

This is being investigated as a homicide. The officers on scene took a subject of interest into custody pending further investigation. Preliminary information revealed there was a disturbance in the parking lot between several individuals that led to shots being fired and Brown being struck.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD: Suspect in custody for deadly apartment parking lot killing

In the past decade, more than 50,000 Missouri women sought abortions in Kansas and Illinois. The rare complications suffered are at the heart of arguments over its safety

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">Anna Spoerre</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

KANSAS CITY — Roughly 1% of the more than 53,000 Missourians who received abortions over the last 10 years in Illinois and Kansas experienced complications, ranging from infection to incomplete abortions to hemorrhaging.&nbsp;

Lawyers for Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are dissecting dozens of Missouri’s Targeted Regulation of Abortion, or TRAP laws, as a judge decides which, if any, should remain in place. The safety of abortion is at the heart of the debate.

As the trial enters its second week on Tuesday in Jackson County, the state is trying to make the case that the potential for complications justifies strict regulations on abortion providers.&nbsp;

“The risks associated with abortion don’t just exist in the abstract,” said Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash. “Real women, Missouri women have suffered.”

Experts called by Planned Parenthood say that’s not the case. Abortion, they said, presents less risk than many medical procedures, including child birth.

“But there’s nothing like sitting in your patient’s pool of blood as she’s bleeding out four liters of blood to realize that a healthy term pregnancy has a whole hell of a lot of risk,” Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, testified Friday.

Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2024 overturning the state’s abortion ban and enacting protections for reproductive health care. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri quickly filed a lawsuit seeking to repeal abortion regulations it argues now violate the new constitutional amendment. The 10-day trial in the case began last week.

Among the laws being challenged is a requirement that only doctors provide abortions, a ban on prescribing medication abortion through telehealth, facility licensing requirements, admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital and a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">state-approved complication plan</a>&nbsp;for medication abortions.&nbsp;

These regulations eventually halted nearly all access to abortion in Missouri as more and more women seeking to terminate a pregnancy sought care in Illinois and Kansas. By the time Missouri’s abortion ban went into effect in 2022,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;thousands of Missourians were already leaving the state</a>&nbsp;each year to end their pregnancies.&nbsp;

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is seeking to access records for patients who traveled to Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and Kansas for abortions and experienced a complication.

In December, the state tried to impose sanctions to force Planned Parenthood to turn over these patient complication reports. Planned Parenthood refused, saying the records would violate patient privacy. A separate judge intervened, ordering the clinics to only turn over a summary chart outlining the complications.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/">The state is appealing&nbsp;</a>this decision.

Over the past decade, nearly 29,000 Missourians had abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Kansas, Overland Park, and Pittsburg, Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, testified Tuesday. Of 28,764 who had abortions between 2015 and 2024, 248 had complications as defined by the state, bringing the complication rate to .86%, according to data later provided by Planned Parenthood to The Independent. &nbsp;

“We are significantly better when it comes to complication rates than the national average,” Wales said, noting that the complication rate for Missouri women at each of the three clinics is regularly under 1% and has been for the past decade.&nbsp;

Local

Region

Sports

Weather