ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Missouri commissioner on Friday ruled that the state’s only abortion clinic can continue providing the service at least until August as a fight over its license plays out, adding that there’s a “likelihood” that the clinic will succeed in the dispute.

Administrative Hearing Commissioner Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudi granted what’s called a “stay,” which will allow the St. Louis Planned Parenthood clinic to continue providing abortions past Friday.

The state health department last week refused to renew the clinic’s license, but a St. Louis judge issued a court order allowing the procedure to continue through Friday.

St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer wrote in his ruling that the order would give Planned Parenthood time to take their case to the Administrative Hearing Commission, where Stelzer said the licensing fight must begin.

The Administrative Hearing Commission scheduled a hearing on whether the state was right to not renew the license Aug. 1 in St. Louis.

The state has said concerns about the clinic arose from inspections in March. Among the problems health department investigators have cited were three “failed abortions” requiring additional surgeries and another that led to life-threatening complications for the mother, The Associated Press previously reported , citing a now-sealed court filing.

The Department of Health and Senior Services wants to interview physicians involved in those abortions, including medical residents who no longer work there. Planned Parenthood has said it can’t force them to talk.

The interviews are a major sticking point in the fight over the clinic’s license, and attorneys for the health department wrote in legal filings to the commission that physicians’ refusal to talk “presents the final, critical obstacle.”

But Dandamudi wrote that the physicians’ stonewalling “in itself does not constitute a failure to comply with licensure requirements.”

“Because DHSS relies substantially on the lack of these interviews as grounds for denial, we find there is a likelihood that Petitioner will succeed in its claim,” Dandamudi wrote in his order granting a stay, referring to the clinic and its effort to stay open.

Planned Parenthood has said Missouri is using the licensing process as a weapon aimed at halting abortions.

The fate of the clinic has drawn national attention because 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 it loses its license. 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.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation on May 24 to ban abortions at or beyond eight weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest.

The number of abortions performed in Missouri has declined every year over the past decade, but uncertainty in Missouri is sending women to neighboring states, particularly Illinois and Kansas.

Missouri health department statistics show that abortions in Missouri reached a low of 2,910 last year. Of those, an estimated 1,210 occurred at eight weeks or less of pregnancy.

The Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois, 10 miles (16 kilometers) from St. Louis, has seen a big increase in Missouri clients since 2017, said Alison Dreith, the clinic’s deputy director. That year, Missouri adopted a more restrictive abortion law, including giving the attorney general power to prosecute violations.

Dreith said about 55 percent of patients at Hope Clinic are from Missouri, 40 percent from Illinois and 5 percent from elsewhere around the country. The clinic attracts clients from across the U.S. in part because Illinois allows the procedure for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, longer than most states, she said.

The Granite City clinic saw about 3,000 total patients in 2017. Missouri’s more restrictive law played a big role in the number spiking to 3,800 in 2018, Dreith said.

This year, she expects well over 4,000 patients. So far in 2019, the number of Missourians at the Hope Clinic has spiked 30 percent due to concerns about the St. Louis clinic’s license and other anti-abortion efforts, Dreith said.

“Our patients are calling us with a lot of anxiety because they’re seeing the headlines that abortion is banned,” Dreith said.

Information from the state of Kansas shows that about 3,300 of the 7,000 abortions performed there last year involved Missouri residents, meaning that more Missourians get abortions in Kansas than in their home state. Kansas has an abortion clinic in Overland Park, a Kansas City suburb just 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the state line.

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By DEWEY TERRILL
Junction City Post

GEARY COUNTY — Former Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf has been placed on 12 months probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $2,200 plus costs and fees. That was the controlling sentence handed down in Geary County District Court on Friday morning for Wolf, who in April. pleaded no contest and was found guilty of one felony count of Theft, and a misdemeanor charge of Misuse of Public Funds, according to a media release.

Wolf submitted his resignation from the sheriff’s post in April following his convictions.

In District Court on Friday the court followed the recommendation of the attorneys and the plea agreement in the case, and sentenced Wolf to 12 months probation on each count. But they are to run concurrently, meaning 12 months is the controlling term.

Wolf stated in court, “I’m sorry. This is tough, this is real tough,” and he apologized. Wolf was remorseful, “I’m sorry this had to work out this way,” and also told the community that he was sorry.

According to the factual basis outlined in court in April, Wolf authorized an expense of $530.00 against a county credit card to purchase tires for a friend’s vehicle but initially claimed it was a payment to a confidential informat for drug information, which was false. Later he admitted to a KBI agent that the tires were purchase for a friend. Those funds were credited by the vendor back to the credit card and Wolf later paid the vendor.

In the second case Wolf used state asset forfeiture funds to purchase items ranging from weapons and ammunition to a scope. Wolf turned in a list on that, but it did not include six items including a scope. He will make the $2,200 restitution in that case.

As a result of his felony conviction Wolf cannot own, use or possess a firearm for five years.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 12:30 a.m. Friday in Sedgwick County

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Jose Elco Vasquez, 39, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 35 in South Wichita. The pickup left the road, traveled through a fence, struck two trees and caught fire.

Vasquez was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Sedgwick County Forensics Center.

EMS transported Vanessa Vasquez, 9, Wichita, to Wesley Medical Center,

Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attack by a dog on two children and after three days have both the dog and have located the owners.

Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, Animal Control and officers and police were dispatched to Chesney Park in 1800 block of SW Buchanan in Topeka on reports of a dog bite, according to Lt. Jennifer Cross.

Witnesses called reporting that a tan colored dog bit a juvenile boy before being removed from the area by the owner.

While Animal Control was investigating, authorities learned that the same dog had bitten a second child.  The two boys were treated at a local hospital, according to Cross.

On Wednesday, police reported they found the dog and that is being quarantined at the city’s veterinarian office.  The canine was positively identified by several individuals as the same that bit the two children, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.

On Thursday, police identified and located the dog’s owner (an adult female) and the adult male from social media pictures, according to Beightel. Officers have spoken with them.  The case has been forwarded to the city’s prosecutor’s office for charging consideration.