LINDSBORG— Five new exhibitions comprise the 128th annual Midwest Art Exhibition, which opens at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery on January 25 and continues through April 19, 2026. The shows include paintings by Tim Stone and prints by Marco Hernandez, both of Wichita; woodcarvings by Glenn Knak of Salina; mixed media pieces by Genevieve Waller of Denver; and selections by Gretchen Elliott’s art students at Smoky Valley High School. The opening reception for the exhibitions will be on Sunday, January 25, 2025, from 2 to 4 p.m., with exhibition talks beginning at 2:30.

The Midwest Art Exhibition was founded in 1899 by three local Lindsborg artists – Birger Sandzén, Carl Lotave, and G. N. Malm – as a complement to the annual Messiah Festival held at Bethany College. Today, it represents the longest running annual art exhibition in Kansas and features works by artists invited by the Sandzén Gallery or from the Gallery's permanent collection.

Tim Stone is a native of Hutchinson who now lives in Wichita. He graduated from Wichita State University in 2012 with a BFA degree and in 2022 with an MFA. He is currently instructing drawing, painting and design courses as an adjunct lecturer at WSU, as well as instructing at the Lawrence Arts Center. His exhibition, Din of Silence, will feature paintings that point to disturbances, unease, and alarming problems. There is tension between the ordinary and the superlative, between what is natural and artificial. He writes, “I am examining how bemusedly liminal our physical and digital spaces have become. In an era where the boundaries between fantasy and reality blur, we recognize ourselves witnessing and engaging with the overwhelming noise—sometimes in person, often through the screens of our phones.”

Marco Hernandez is a Mexican artist/printmaker from Wichita. He received his MFA from Kansas State University in 2015. After receiving his MFA degree, he taught there for year before being hired as a professor at Wichita State University. For his exhibition Origen (the Spanish word for origin) he writes, “My current body of work explores themes associated with contemporary Mexican and Mexican American cultures. I am inspired by my personal experiences growing up as a Mexican immigrant in California and the Midwest. Mexican and Mexican American symbols play a large role in my prints. The symbols span from ancient Mesoamerican imagery to contemporary popular cultural objects. Life experiences and a traditional Mexican upbringing have influenced my thoughts and beliefs; and ultimately have been inspirational to the imagery and meaning in my art.”

Carvings from the Heart features selections in wood by Salina artist Glenn Knak. He started carving in 1979 when, “I learned how to sharpen a knife and a pointy wood stick I was working on started to look more like a person than a pointy stick. I then tried and completed three more carvings of people ranging in height from 4 to 8 inches tall and surprised myself with the results. I am a self-taught woodcarver and have spent 20 years carving caricatures, realistic humans, and experimenting with different carvings to see what worked best for me. Over the years I developed my own style of carving people and setting them in a scene to “tell a story.” I also found that when I developed a scene or carving that had a special meaning to me, it often brought out an emotional response from the people viewing it.”

Denver artist Genevieve Waller works primarily with camera-less photography, installation, and sculpture—investigating the connections between abstraction, decoration, kitsch, and LGBTQ+ culture. For her photograms, she focuses on how they function as trace images (like footprints) and their tendency to abstract reality. 

In her installation and sculptural works, she’s concerned with the porous boundary between interior decoration and fine art, the legacy of Surrealism, and dethroning the seriousness of high art. Waller is from Wichita and holds a BA in art history from Wichita State University, an MFA in photography and art history from Ohio University in Athens, and an MA in visual and cultural studies from the University of Rochester in New York.

Art by students from Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg round out the exhibitions. They will be showing works selected by instructor Gretchen Elliott in a multitude of mediums from paintings and prints to sculpture and ceramics.

The Sandzén Gallery is located at 401 North First Street in Lindsborg. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free, with donations appreciated. Docent tours for groups are available by two-week advance appointment. 

For more information about Birger Sandzén, the Gallery, and these exhibitions visit the website <a href="http://www.sandzen.org">www.sandzen.org</a> or phone (785) 227-2220.

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

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

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.

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 

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

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

Join the Salina Symphony as they celebrate 70 remarkable years with “Platinum Jubilee” Gala Saturday, February 21, at the Salina Country Club.

This unforgettable evening will feature signature cocktails, exquisite cuisine, and festive performances by the Salina Symphony Chamber Orchestra and guest vocalists Jacob Corman, Michelle Cardinal Dolan, and Matthew Schwan.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for cocktail hour and silent auction bidding. Dinner will be served at 7:00 p.m., followed by the live auction and concert. Tuxes and gowns are welcome, and so are suits and cocktail dresses. 

Dress to impress with black, silver or sparkle!

Tickets are $85 per person and may be purchased through Feb. 6 at the Symphony Office or by calling 785-823-8309.

Proceeds will benefit the Symphony and Youth Education Program.

The Salina Symphony is dedicated to enriching lives through artistic music performance and education. For more information, contact Adrienne Allen at (785) 823-8309 or visit <a href="http://salinasymphony.org">salinasymphony.org</a>.

Salina Symphony to present 70th anniversary “Platinum Jubilee” Gala at Salina Country Club

The Salina Area United Way is pleased to announce the return of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for the 2026 tax season, offering free, IRS-certified tax preparation assistance to qualifying individuals and families in the Salina area. 

The VITA program is part of Salina Area United Way’s ongoing efforts to strengthen financial security and support local households by helping community members keep more of what they earn.

VITA intake will run from February 2 through April 8, 2026, at The McKenzie Center (308 W Elm St., Salina, KS).

Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and no appointments are made by phone — clients must come in person during intake hours.

“Tax season can be stressful, and our goal with VITA is to ease that burden for those who qualify,” said Christina Small, Executive Director, Salina Area United Way. “Our IRS-certified volunteers provide reliable, free assistance so local families can receive the refunds and credits they are eligible for — dollars that stay in the community.”

Intake hours are as followed:&nbsp;

- Monday &amp; Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Clients should bring a photo ID, Social Security cards, income documents (W-2s, 1099s), bank information for direct deposit, and last year’s tax return.

During the 2025 tax season, the VITA program made a meaningful impact in the community:

· Around 830 tax returns were prepared for local individuals and families — all at no cost.

· Brought in over $1 million in returns to our community (EITC &amp; CTC)

· The program was powered by 34 IRS-certified volunteers, including 25 students from Kansas Wesleyan University and nine recurring community volunteers, who together contributed around 1,488 volunteer hours.

These services help hardworking households avoid costly tax preparation fees and maximize credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, putting money back into local rent, groceries, utilities, childcare, and savings.

Program Support &amp; Community Partnership

Salina Area United Way extends sincere thanks to the Greater Salina Community Foundation for awarding a grant to support the VITA program. This investment helps ensure the continuation of free, reliable tax assistance for local families and strengthens United Way’s ability to promote financial stability across the community.

For more information, to volunteer, or to support the VITA program click <a href="https://unitedwaysalina.org/vita">here</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 827-1312.

Salina Area United Way announces 2026 VITA program: Free tax preparation services for local families

All of our LIVE sports streams are FREE to watch for everybody!!!

High School Sports LIVE STREAMS

Here is the lineup for the Saturday Morning Show with Dave Foor &amp; Nicolas Fierro on&nbsp;910 AM/107.5 FM KINA for&nbsp;January 10, 2026:

Paul Forrester - CAPS of Salina, recent local tragedies/PSA

Michelle Weis - Saline County Emergency Management, "Storm Fury on the Plains"

Zach Gilig - Salina Family YMCA, updates &amp; news from the Y

Kelly Mobray - Salina Adult Education Center, "A Peace of My Mind" exhibit

All episodes are recorded and uploaded on the&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?CFID=05fb1ecb-7d68-4542-adb3-9b7c11d9b5e5&amp;CFTOKEN=0&amp;stationCallSign=KINA&amp;onDemandAutoStart=true&amp;p92136680=true&amp;relocateURL=true">910 AM and 107.5 FM KINA website</a>, under the 'KINA Saturday Mornings'&nbsp;tab.

Saturday Morning Show lineup with Dave Foor & Nicolas Fierro, January 17, 2026

<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 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

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 2 - January 4

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;

Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue asked if some patients had to have follow-up procedures at local hospitals, and if Planned Parenthood Great Plains has advised patients to go to the ER?&nbsp;

Yes, Wales said, but they’ve never had to transport a patient from a clinic to a hospital.

Under state law, Planned Parenthood must report any abortion complications to the health department. But how the health department and how Planned Parenthood defines complications differs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2022, the most recent year Department of Health and Senior Services data is available,&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalstatistics/mvs22/Table12c.pdf" target="_blank">115 complications were reported</a>. Fifty-five involved procedural abortions, which happen in-clinic, and 60 were the result of medication abortions.

Gillian Wilcox, litigation director for the ACLU of Missouri, said state attorneys were misrepresenting the safety of abortions and said the practice doesn’t necessitate special regulations.&nbsp;

“All medical care carries risk of complications. And when you look at it in isolation, you don’t get a full picture,” Wilcox said in an interview. “Because when you get the full picture it is that they are providing thousands of abortions. And the complication rate actually percentage-wise is very low.”&nbsp;

Complications associated with abortion included hemorrhaging, fever, uterine perforation, pregnancy tissue left in the uterus, cervical lacerations, incomplete abortion and failed abortion.&nbsp;

The latter, which is a circumstance where the abortion doesn’t work and the pregnancy continues, is not generally considered a complication, but rather a possible outcome, Dr. Daniel Grossman, director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health based at the University of California-San Francisco, testified Tuesday.

State-mandated complication reporting requirements “create the impression that abortion is riskier than it really is,” said Grossman, who is a liaison to Planned Parenthood’s National Medical Committee.

Missouri is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-reporting-requirements" target="_blank">one of 27 states</a>&nbsp;that requires providers to submit complication reports.

Grossman pointed to a section on the complication report marked “death.”

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">Bleeding and cramping are expected side effects</a>&nbsp;of both medication and procedural abortions. Hemorrhaging and infection are among the rare complications.&nbsp;

Since mifepristone was approved for use in medication abortions 28 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">32 deaths have been associated with its use,</a>&nbsp;according to the Federal Drug Administration. The FDA evaluated data from 5.9 million women who took mifepristone between 2000 and 2022. Of the three dozen deaths, 11 were the result of sepsis, 20 were homicides and two were suicides.

Ingrid Skop, an OB-GYN in Texas and a board member at the anti-abortion Charlotte Lozier Institute, was called to testify Friday by the Attorney General’s Office. She has treated dozens of women for abortion complications, Skop said, and she believes national data is lacking.

“It appears safer than it actually is,” she said.

That’s because abortion clinics are not generally mandated to report complications, Skop said.&nbsp;

Complications can happen after women leave clinics, and women presenting in hospital emergency rooms do not always tell doctors about their abortions. Skop said abortion providers do little follow up, unlike a routine doctor that has built a relationship with their patients.&nbsp;

“The assumption seems to be no news is good news,” she said of abortion providers who may not hear from patients after procedural or medication abortions.

On cross examination, a plaintiff’s attorney noted that Skop has never performed abortions and disagrees with mainstream medical associations like the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians &amp; Gynecologists. Skop was also questioned about the fact that several of her articles were&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928231216699" target="_blank">retracted</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/09/1230175305/abortion-pill-mifepristone-retraction-supreme-court" target="_blank">methodology issues&nbsp;</a>from peer-reviewed journals, though she maintained those were politically motivated moves.

On Thursday, Overcash questioned Margot Riphagan, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers president and CEO, extensively about complications.

Overcash entered into evidence a spreadsheet summarizing complications reported among the nearly 24,000 Missourians who traveled to Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Fairview Heights for abortions in the last decade. Planned Parenthood later told The Independent there were 418 complications among 24,350 Missourians at the clinic between 2015 and 2024, or a 1.72% complication rate as defined by the state.

Overcash then highlighted nine instances of ectopic pregnancies, a dangerous condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus that, if left untreated, can lead to death.&nbsp;

Doctors testifying on behalf of Planned Parenthood said taking mifepristone doesn’t increase a patient’s risk of dying from an ectopic pregnancy. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, including abdominal pain, would disqualify someone from being able to be prescribed medication abortion without first seeing a doctor in-person.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download" target="_blank">Two people over three decades have died from ruptured ectopic pregnancies&nbsp;</a>after taking mifepristone, according to the FDA. The FDA reported an additional 95 cases of mifepristone taken during an ectopic pregnancy. The patients were hospitalized in a majority of those cases.&nbsp;

Overcash also pointed to several cases documenting failed or incomplete abortions in which the patient later chose to stay pregnant.&nbsp;

“So once again, a woman decided to continue her pregnancy?” she asked.

“It’s critical that women make decisions about their own bodies, yes” Riphagan responded.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who was<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/catherine-hanaway-missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey/">&nbsp;appointed to the job in September,&nbsp;</a>made her first appearance at the trial Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;

“There are real concerns about the safety for women if these treatments are not medically supervised in the appropriate way,” she told The Independent.&nbsp;

Asked whether the state viewed abortion as unsafe Hanaway said: “Remember, we all have a job, which is to represent the state. And these are the laws that were adopted by the state, and we’re defending them.”

Abortion safety takes center stage as Missouri trial enters second week

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Police investigating a deadly shooting in Lawrence have released the name of the teen who died as 18-year-old Aidan Knowles, according to a social media report from Lawrence police and the victim's father.

Just after 2a.m. Saturday, police were called to a reported shooting at the Hawk, 1340 Ohio Street in Lawrence, according to an online report from Lawrence Police.

First responders found two victims with gunshot wounds and several potential witnesses who told officers the suspects took off. While officers on scene tended to the victims, others flooded the surrounding area. Soon after, officers found a group of people matching the suspects’ descriptions walking just blocks away.

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