ST. LOUIS (AP) — Patient safety at Missouri’s only abortion clinic is the point of contention at a state administrative hearing that will decide if the clinic can remain open.

Opening statements and testimony began Monday before a commissioner with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission. At issue is the state health department’s effort to revoke the license for Planned Parenthood’s clinic in St. Louis.

Assistant Attorney General John Sauer outlined cases of “failed abortions,” including one where a woman had to have up to five procedures to complete the abortion, and another where the doctor failed to recognize that a patient was pregnant with twins, requiring a second procedure to remove the second fetus.

Planned Parenthood attorney Chuck Hatfield played a video deposition of a health department official indicating the clinic is not unsafe.

Commissioner Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudi is presiding. A commission official said that in his role, Dandamudi “acts as an independent trial judge.” A ruling isn’t expected until February at the earliest.

The hearing at a downtown St. Louis state office building is expected to last five days. Missouri officials have asked St. Louis police for heightened security since the licensing issue has generated protests from those on both sides of the debate.

Missouri would become the first state since 1974, the year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, without a functioning abortion clinic if the license revocation is allowed. The battle also comes as abortion rights supporters raise concerns that conservative-led states, including Missouri, are attempting to end abortion through tough new laws and tighter regulation.

Planned Parenthood has been battling the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for months to try to keep open its St. Louis clinic.

The state said concerns arose from inspections in March. Among the problems health department investigators cited were three “failed abortions” requiring additional surgeries and another that led to life-threatening complications for the mother.

TOPEKA — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire and asking the public for information in an effort to locate suspects.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Monday, fire crews responded to the report of a structure fire at 320 SE Golden Avenue in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Michael Martin.

Upon arrival, fire crews reported heavy smoke and flames showing throughout residence. A search of the structure revealed no one was in the home at the time of the fire. The owner was on site to provide assistance and information to responding firefighters.

The Topeka Fire Department Investigation’s Unit determined the cause of the fire as Incendiary; intentionally set, according to Martin. The estimated structural dollar loss is $10,000, with $5,000 contents loss. Working smoke detectors were NOT found within the structure.
Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).

WICHITA, KAN. – A prosecutor said in court Monday that federal agents seized more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine in a drug trafficking case in the Kansas City, Kan., metro area. According to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, 14 defendants are charged in the case.

“Opioids are often in the news,” McAllister said. “But methamphetamine remains our biggest drug problem in the Midwest.”

Investigators found the methamphetamine when they served a search warrant at a house in Kansas City, Kan., where one of the defendants lives.

The 33-count indictment, which was based on more than a year of investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, contains charges including conspiracy, distribution, possession with intent to distribute and interstate communications in furtherance of drug trafficking. Many of the charges carry potential penalties of 10 years or more in federal prison.

The following defendants have been charged:

Christopher Hite, 36, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Yader Arita, 30, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Luis Martinez-Carrango, 57, Kansas City, Mo., conspiracy, interstate communications in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Alfredo Rey, 34, Kansas City, Kan., conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Antonio Edder Calderson-Reyes, 31, conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Raul Gutierrez-Zamaripa, 31, conspiracy.

Jose Rosa-Pacheco, 34, Kansas City, Kan., conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Carlos Rosa-Artia, 35: Kansas City, Kan., conspiracy.

Enrique Rodriguez, 42, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Rusbein Galicia-Lopez, 31, conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Abraham Gutierrez-Ojeda, 36, conspiracy, distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking,

Jerry Taylor, 44, conspiracy, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking, distributing methamphetamine.

Manuel Leyva-Quijada, 43, Kansas City, Kan., conspiracy.

Mary Cain, 38, Kansas City, Kan., conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

If convicted, the defendants could face the following penalties:

Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
Distribution: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
Possession with intent to distribute: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
Interstate communication: Not more than four years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two Kansas bank robberies and have to suspects in custody.

Just after 2:30 p.m. on September 16, police responded to a bank robbery call at at Fidelity Bank, 2111 N. Bradley Fair in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers contacted employees who reported a suspect later identified as 28-year-old Stephanie Steele entered the bank and handed a note to a teller demanding money and indicating a gun. She took the cash and fled on foot.

On October 16 at 3:15 p.m., police responded to a bank robbery call at the same bank.

Upon arrival, officers contacted employees who reported a suspect later identified as 32-year-old Joshua Coster entered the bank and handed a note to a teller demanding money and indicating a gun. He took money and fled on foot.  Authorities determined he was wearing brown face paint. There were no injuries in either case, according to Davidson.

Through the investigation and a Crime Stoppers tip, investigators were able to determine Steele and Coster’s involvement and learned they were working together.

Police located them and made an arrest. Steele and Coster were booked into jail Monday morning and being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

 

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