Articles written by Summer Ballentine
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 82
Some Missouri hospitals briefly halt emergency contraception
A large Missouri hospital chain briefly stopped providing emergency contraception amid confusion over whether the state's abortion ban could put doctors at risk of criminal charges for providing the medication, even for sexual assault victims. St....
3 killed when Amtrak train hits truck, derails in Missouri
MENDON, Mo. (AP) — Three people were killed and several others were injured Monday when a passenger train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago struck a dump truck and derailed in a remote, rural area of Missouri, officials said. Two of the people...
Missouri could make it harder to get out-of-state abortions
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — First-of-its-kind Missouri legislation shows that anti-abortion lawmakers in Republican-led states aren't likely to stop at banning most abortions within their borders but also could try to make it harder to go out of...
Prosecutor slams Missouri bill as 'Make Murder Legal Act'
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators on Tuesday debated a "stand your ground" bill that backers say will strengthen the state's self-defense laws but that a prosecutor has dubbed the "Make Murder Legal Act." Republican Sen. Eric Burlison's bill s...
Sexual assault cases spur protests on campuses across US
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Reported sexual assaults have sparked large protests on college campuses in at least seven states just weeks into the new school year, which advocates say reflects both a greater vulnerability among students who spent last schoo...
Voters in some states unable to cast early ballots in person
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — With coronavirus cases spreading rapidly across her state, Samantha Allen laments that Missouri does not allow voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day. More than 21 million voters across the U.S. have taken...
Newspaper publisher resigns after printing racist cartoon
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The publisher of a family-owned Missouri newspaper has resigned after publishing a racist syndicated cartoon depicting a black man stealing a white woman's purse while hailing funding cuts to police. Bill Miller Sr. on...
Lake of the Ozarks business owner defends actions
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The owner of a business that hosted crowded pool parties over the Memorial Day weekend at Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks says no laws were broken and safety measures were in place to protect against the spread of the...
Parson issues statewide stay-at-home order to curb virus
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Parson issued a statewide stay-at-home order on Friday, meaning Missouri has joined about 40 other states already requiring residents to avoid going out except for essential purposes. The Republican governor's order...
GOP Kansas lawmakers curb Democrat Kelly's emergency powers
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers on Thursday extended a state of emergency prompted by the coronavirus crisis after making sure it gave the GOP-controlled Legislature oversight over the actions of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The Senate voted...
2 new coronavirus deaths reported in Missouri on Friday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two more Missourians died from the coronavirus, officials said Friday, and the number of confirmed cases of the illness nearly doubled in one day. St. Louis County officials said a woman in her 60s, who suffered from...
Missouri sees 1st coronavirus death; local elections delayed
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday announced the first coronavirus death in the state happened in Boone County, without providing further details. Columbia Mayor Brian Treece said the case was travel-related and the...
Missouri reports 15 coronavirus cases
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's health department on Tuesday reported 15 positive cases of coronavirus as state and local governments took additional steps to limit large gatherings in an attempt stem the virus' spread. Meanwhile, the state's...
Missouri expects to reflect Democratic mood in Tuesday vote
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri is taking its turn in the presidential race spotlight head of the state's primary, with visits from former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders over the next three days. Missouri, once a bellwether...
Missouri proposal to expand access to voting goes to court
EFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — An attorney for a Missouri group pushing to expand access to voting argued in court Monday that the state's top election official was inaccurate and left out important details in his summary of the proposals. At issue are...
Missouri GOP Gov. Parson expected to make strong 2020 bid
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Parson is Missouri's unexpected governor, assuming power when his predecessor resigned in scandal. A little more than a year into his mostly uneventful stewardship of the state, the Republican governor is expected to...
Judge expected to rule Tuesday on injunction of abortion law
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge said he will issue a ruling Tuesday that will determine whether Missouri's new abortion law banning abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy will take effect as scheduled this week. During a court heari...
Missouri cites economy, eligibility checks for Medicaid drop
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri officials are citing an improved economy as one of several factors that led to close to 90,000 children being dropped from the state's Medicaid health insurance program in the past year, although some lawmakers...
Kansas, Missouri truce over jobs conflict appears shaky
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The governors in Kansas and Missouri have moved to end an economic "border war" that has gained their states unwanted national attention for using millions of dollars in incentives to entice companies into shifting jobs close...
Missouri's only abortion clinic continues fight over license
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's only abortion clinic on Tuesday asked a state panel for an extension to continue providing abortions after its license is set to expire Friday. The state health department last week refused to renew the St. Louis...
Missouri rejects license renewal for lone abortion clinic
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri's only abortion clinic lost its license to perform the procedure on Friday, though it remains open at least temporarily under a judge's order. The state health department notified the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis...
Judge: Doctor testimony not needed in Missouri abortion case
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis judge ruled Tuesday that testimony from non-staff doctors at Missouri's only abortion clinic will not be necessary for a hearing that will determine if the clinic can remain open. Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer agreed...
Judge considering Missouri abortion clinic license case
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A judge is deciding whether to ensure Missouri's only abortion clinic can keep its license past Friday, the latest development in a decades-long push by abortion opponents to get states to enact strict rules on the procedure. Like...
Missouri agency cites concerns at St. Louis abortion clinic
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's health department said Wednesday that the license for the state's only abortion clinic is in jeopardy because of a litany of problems, including "failed surgical abortions in which patients remained pregnant"...
Hawley bill would allow people to opt out of data tracking
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sen. Josh Hawley on Tuesday introduced legislation that would give internet users the ability to opt out of allowing their personal data to be tracked and collected, the latest effort in the Missouri Republican's broader...