Woman airlifted to Springfield with gunshot wound, Webb City woman charged with assault

 A Webb City woman called 911 and admitted so shooting another woman, according to a probable cause statement filed Tuesday in Jasper County Circuit Court.

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office charged Tammy Kay Lynch (DOB 1969) with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action.

She is being held without bond.

The victim was flown to a Springfield hospital with what the probable cause statement described as "life-threatening injuries."

From the probable cause statement:

On 04-20-2026 at 11:46pm officers responded to 218 North Madison St Apt C for a medical call. As
officers were enroute to the location the victim, Cathy Beck, told dispatch she had been shot with a
firearm. 

Officer Love located Beck on scene bleeding profusely and applied a tourniquet to Beck's left arm to stop the bleeding. The suspect, Tammy Lynch, was located on scene and taken into custody.

After gathering statements from Beck, officers learned this incident started from a verbal argument. Beck stated she had a verbal argument with Lynch due to accusations that Lynch stole items from
Beck while she was away in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Beck stated Lynch told her to come back over to her apartment. When Beck walked toward Lynch's back door, Lynch was holding a firearm and had it pointed at Beck. After some continued verbal argument, Lynch fired three rounds at Beck.

Before officers arrived on scene, Lynch called 911 and told dispatch she shot Beck with a firearm. The 911 recording has been placed into evidence. 

Three casings, a flattened bullet, two sets of 9mm bullet remains, a Glock 43 9mm handgun, a Glock magazine, and an unused 9mm bullet were located on scene and collected. Beck told officers Lynch fired three rounds at her and two of the rounds struck her.

Beck was transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Beck was immediately taken into emergency
surgery along with a blood transfusion. Due to the severity of Beck's injuries, she was life-flighted to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

The case was investigated by the Webb City Police Department.

Charges filed after man claims he owns Rapid Roberts, tried to take "his" cash register

The Newton County Prosecuting Attorney filed second-degree robbery and resisting arrest charges, both felonies, and two misdemeanor assault charges against a St. Louis man, who claimed he owned Rapid Roberts, 4549 S. 43 Highway, and tried to take off with the cash register.

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for Ciziano Ferko (DOB 1998), with bond set at $15,000 cash only.

From the probable cause statement:

On 4/20/2026, I, Officer Larkin, have probable cause to believe Ciziano Ferko committed the offenses
of robbery 2nd degree, assault 4th degree, assault 3rd degree, and resisting arrest for a felony.

On 4/20/2026, I, was dispatched to 4549 S 43 HWY (Rapid Roberts) reference a disturbance. The
reporting party, identified as Nikki Eby, advised a male, later identified as Ciziano Ferko, was
attempting to take the cash register and physically fighting with other customers. 

Officers arrived on scene and observed {name redacted} restraining Ciziano on the ground. Officers began to separate the individuals at which point Ciziano kicked {the person} in the chest.

Officers attempted to place Ciziano under arrest by giving him commands to lay on his stomach.

Ciziano instead fled from officers on foot. Ciziano eventually fell while running and officers were able to take him into custody. While taking Ciziano into custody, he used muscle tension to pull away from
officers and refused to place his hands behind his back. Ciziano was eventually taken into custody.

I spoke to {someone} who works at the location. She advised Ciziano had been in the store since 4/20/2026 at approximately 1530 hours. She advised during this time, Ciziano repeatedly entered and exited the store. 

On 4/20/2026 at approximately 2125 hours, Ciziano was in the store. {An employee} told Ciziano he had to leave the store due to them closing soon. Ciziano became upset and began to yell at {the employee}.

Ciziano hen claimed the store was "his store" and attempted to enter behind the front counter where the cash register is located. {The employee} advised she stood in front of Ciziano to prevent him from going behind the counter but he pushed her with her body and stated, "I'm not leaving without my register". 

Ciziano continued to push with his body as he approached the cash register. Ciziano then grabbed the
cash register and attempted to take it, but {the employee} pushed him away and out from behind the counter.

Ciziano was then confronted by {a customer} about him attempting to take the cash register. 

Ferko attempted to punch the customer, but the punch failed to connect. The customer tackled Ferko and kept him on the ground until Joplin Police Department officers arrived, according to the probable cause statement.

Plan to replace Missouri income tax with expanded sales tax heads to voters

By Rudi Keller

Missouri Independent

Missouri voters will decide later this year whether to grant lawmakers power to increase and expand the sales tax in order to raise revenue needed to eliminate the income tax.

The Missouri House voted 95-59 Tuesday to send a proposed constitutional amendment directing future legislatures to cut personal income tax rates as state revenue increases. The measure also allows the General Assembly to expand the sales tax to “transactions involving any goods and services” without having to return to ask voter permission.

Nine Republicans joined the 50 Democrats present for the debate in opposition to the plan that is Gov. Mike Kehoe’s top legislative priority. Kehoe must decide by May 22 whether it will be on the Aug. 4 primary ballot or wait for the Nov. 3 general election.

The income tax “has killed the source of wealth for Missouri’s middle class,” said GOP state Rep. Bishop Davidson of Republic, sponsor of the proposal. “It has made the American Dream an American memory and even that is fading out of view. It has decayed our economy, stagnated our wages, chased young people out of the state and left our seniors without their families.”

Democrats, however, warned that if it passes at the ballot box, higher sales taxes will shift the tax burden to poorer Missourians who must spend most or all of their income on necessities.

“Let’s be real. There is no opting out on buying everyday goods and services,” said Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Hein of Springfield. “You have to feed your family, you have to have a place to live. You have to be able to buy your medicine. Those are non-negotiables.”

If passed, the proposal would direct lawmakers to set a revenue baseline and triggers for phased-in reductions in the top tax rate. It also allows five years for the Legislature to write a new sales tax law, which must be directly tied to cuts in the top income tax rate in a manner supporters hope will not increase or decrease revenue.

Currently Missouri has an income tax with a top rate of 4.7% for taxable incomes greater than about $9,200 a year. The sales tax is 3% for general revenue, but earmarked state taxes and local options stack on top of that, creating a rate that is 7% to 8% in most locations and can be as much as 12% in some special districts.

The sales tax applies to physical goods and excludes services. The Missouri Constitution prohibits lawmakers from applying the sales tax to real estate transfers and any goods or services not currently taxed, but those provisions would not apply to any sales tax plan passed as a result of the constitutional amendment.

Missouri gets about 65% of its state revenue from income tax, about 22% from sales tax and the rest from other sources including a corporate income tax. To replace the revenue from the income tax without expanding coverage of the sales tax would increase the tax rate by as much as 8.5%.

State law exempts residential utility costs, prescription drugs and groceries from all or a portion of the current sales tax. There are also dozens of other sales tax exemptions, mainly tied to business operations as an economic development tool.

And while the legislature has been debating the proposed constitutional amendment, lawmakers have also been debating new sales tax exemptions. Bills that would exempt infant care products, credit card processing fees, goods sold at auction, aviation fuel sold at Lambert International Airport and construction materials used in public buildings are under consideration.

The proposal approved Tuesday was vastly different from the plan originally voted on in March in the House.

The original version included specific revenue triggers for tax rate cuts, specified a baseline year for measuring future revenue growth and completely repealed the income tax when the rate fell below 1.4%.

The revisions made by the state Senate took out all the specifics. During House debate, Davidson said what is left is a framework to guide future lawmakers with protections against increasing the tax burden or imposing sales taxes that are not accompanied by income tax cuts.

“It doesn’t allow for an increase in taxes whatsoever, and actually mandates revenue neutrality,” Davidson said.

The removal of specifics pushed state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, a Republican from Ste. Genevieve, into opposition, he said during Tuesday’s debate. The proposal asks voters to trust lawmakers, he said, and he doesn’t believe Republicans have a strong track record of restraining government that would purchase that trust.

“If we pass legislation that’s based off our findings, and we’re wrong, and we increase the tax burden on Missourians, which has happened in this building with Wayfair, there is no legal recourse or refunds that would go back to Missourians,” Wolfin said.

Missourians will feel the bite when new sales taxes take effect, said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat.

“The bill sponsor and the bootlickers in the Missouri GOP who are falling in line around this tax game keep telling you that they simply want to eliminate your income tax,” she said.

The legislature can, and has, cut top tax rates in bills tied to a revenue trigger and could do that without a statewide vote, Aune said. The sales tax increase, however, cannot be enacted without permission from voters.

The campaign over the measure opened just minutes after the final vote. Polling has shown the plan is unpopular. The Republican consulting firm Torchlight Strategies found that Missourians oppose the switch from income to sales tax 49% to 37%.

After hearing a series of reasons to oppose it, only 18% remained favorable to the plan while 75% said they would vote no.

Liberal groups immediately began attacks on the proposal.

“While the richest Missourians will pad their investment accounts, the vast majority of us will be subject to whopping increased costs for everything from home repairs to car insurance to burial services,” said Amy Blouin of the Missouri Budget Project.

And Claire Cook-Callen, executive director of Progress Missouri, said middle class families will see the biggest hit.

“Missourians expect strong public schools, reliable roads and bridges, and fully-funded, accessible services — and for everyone to pay their fair share,” Cook-Callen said in a news release. “Instead, this plan gives a tax break to the state’s eight billionaires and sticks each working family with a bill of about $500 more each year.”

The Torchlight poll found that more than 60% of voters said they would not vote to re-elect a lawmaker who supported the plan. Aune, in her final words to Republicans, said the tax plan will be a major campaign issue in House races.

“Voters are paying attention,” Aune said, “and you have my word that I will be spending the next six and a half months making sure your constituents know just how enthusiastically you’ve supported making their lives more expensive.”

Former Carthage, Neosho residents among four killed in plane crash

 James Moffatt, 60, his wife Leasa Moffatt, and their two sons, William Moffatt, 28, and Andrew Moffatt, 31, were killed in a plane crash Friday near the Union County Airport in South Carolina.

James Moffatt, a Neosho High School graduate, was a decorated soldier, aerospace engineer and a payload and flight crew specialist contributing to 14 space shuttle launches at NASA.

Leasa Moffatt was a Carthage High School graduate was a first and second grade learning coach at Valley Leadership Academy.

Andrew Moffatt was a research scientist and engineer at University of Alabama-Huntsville and William Moffatt worked in information technology and cloud security.

The family was returning to its Huntsville home. The cause of the crash has not been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Final thoughts on the Joplin City Council/Ryan Jackson situation

After a transgender candidate was defeated in the Joplin City Council election earlier this month, Councilman Ryan Jackson, who was not up for election, felt the need to go to social media and offer some commentary.

"Let's not say she because he's obviously a man who has something (sic) psychological issues. We should not play into his mental delusion."

As you can imagine, this caused quite a stir among those who support the LGBTQ community.

KSNF/KODE reporter Dustin Lattimer followed up and Jackson threatened to reveal personal information (phone numbers/ addresses, etc.) about the station's employees to anti-LGBTQ groups includings something called Libs From Tik-Tok.

Tonight, it came to a head with a hearing to determine how or if Jackson should be punished for what he correctly said was his freedom of speech.

As someone who has been fired from two jobs for things I've written, I can tell you the First Amendment doesn't protect you from everything.

It has consequences.

Tonight, after listening from 10 citizens call for his removal from office, Jackson escaped a vote to remove him, with only four of the nine council members voting yes.

He did not escape a vote for censure. Eight council members, including Jackson, voted for his censure.

Jackson had an opportunity to make his case. He concentrated on the doxxing threat against KSNF/KODE and said he had apologized to Lattimer and that he was wrong.

What Jackson didn't mention, and what no one asked him, is if he felt so strongly about his freedom of speech, and I have to believe he did, why did he feel it was necessary to threaten the TV station that was helping spread his opinion?

You'd think someone who felt so strongly would take pride in his opinion.

Bill requiring sex-based restrooms, dorms clears Missouri House

By Annelise Hanshaw

Missouri Independent

The Missouri House passed a bill Monday that would force entities receiving state funding to restrict usage of restrooms, changing areas and sleeping accommodations based on biological sex and codify definitions for “female,” “male” and “sex” throughout state statute.

State Rep. Becky Laubinger, a Republican from Park Hills, pitched the legislation as a “vital protection for women.” Lax policies and all-gender restrooms, like facilities in the Kansas City International Airport, invite predators, she argued.

“This is about our government facilities forcing people to share those spaces by creating all gender spaces where you don’t have the option in those spaces to go to a single sex space,” Laubinger said.

But during a House debate over the bill’s language last week, Democrats raised numerous issues with the legislation, saying it would be used to target transgender people.

“If you can just call the police and accuse someone of using the wrong bathroom, think about the implications of that,” said state Rep. Wick Thomas, a Kansas City Democrat and the House’s first transgender member.

The bill lacks an enforcement mechanism, other than allowing people to sue state-funded entities that do not “take reasonable steps” to designate single-sex spaces.

The bill’s fiscal note reflects concerns about costly litigation, though state departments could not estimate how much they will be impacted.

The University of Central Missouri projected “an indeterminate fiscal impact,” pointing to the “costs associated with enforcement of the regulations.”

The bill would require public universities to restrict dorm rooms, bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex. It states that, “no individual shall enter a restroom, changing room or sleeping quarters that is designated for females or males unless he or she is a member of that sex.”

State Rep. Keri Ingle, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit, asked if this would bar college students from having students of the opposite sex in their dorm rooms overnight.

Laubinger said she had heard complaints from college students who felt uncomfortable when their roommate allowed a significant other to sleep over.

“I understand someone not wanting a boy over,” Ingle said. “I don’t know why we would legislate that. I don’t know why we would put that in the statute.”

State Rep. Mark Boyko, a Democrat from Kirkwood, said the bill would bar men from visiting women’s dorm rooms at any time. He wouldn’t be allowed to help his daughter set up her dorm room as a man, he said.

“I understand the intention you’re having,” he told Laubinger. “But the words don’t match your intention of this bill.”

House Republicans offered broad support, calling the bill a basic safety measure.

State Rep. Carolyn Caton, a Blue Springs Republican, said she thinks the legislation would be a “good protection.

“If nothing else, I think it just eases some young ladies’ minds,” she said.

The bill passed along party lines Monday, apart from a lone Republican “nay” from state Rep. Tara Peters of Rolla, who also voted against the bill at the committee level.

Missouri House bill targets AI deepfakes and youth social media use

By Annelise Hanshaw

Missouri Independent

The Missouri House passed a bill Monday aimed at curbing minors’ access to social media, banning the distribution of “deepfakes” and setting new requirements for social media platforms and some artificial intelligence developers.

The legislation, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Wendy Hausman of St. Peters, combines bills offered by at least 10 lawmakers. And while it covers a range of digital media, Hausman described the legislation during debate last week as an effort to protect Missourians from the dangers of AI.

“This bill draws a bright line,” Hausman said. “If you intentionally use AI to harm, deceive or exploit, there are consequences.”

It would be a felony to share or threaten to share an AI-generated or other digital depiction of someone to harass, threaten or harm them, with a maximum penalty of four years in prison. The maximum penalty would be 10 years if the image depicts a minor.

Social media platforms would be required to implement age verification measures to ensure youth under 16 can’t create social media accounts and allow parents to oversee social media use by 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill would prohibit social media platforms from targeting minors with paid advertising or “addictive or manipulative design features” like “infinite scroll” mechanisms and auto-playing content without time limits.

Additionally, individuals or companies that develop AI or make it available to the public would be barred from advertising their product as a mental health professional or capable of providing therapy or mental health diagnoses. They would face a penalty of $10,000 for violating this measure, or $20,000 for subsequent offenses.

The House voted 145 to 3 to advance the legislation to the Senate, with three Republicans in opposition.

The bill’s advancement comes as lawmakers grapple with the stakes of establishing AI guardrails after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in December warning states against passing “onerous” AI legislation and threatening to withhold federal funding for rural high-speed internet access from those that do.

The executive order established an AI Litigation Task Force within the U.S. Attorney General’s Office to challenge state laws in conflict with the “minimally burdensome national standard” that Trump has called for. While the new task force has not filed any lawsuits against states, the White House has stymied AI legislation or successfully pushed changes in Utah and Florida.

Republican state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley said he is in talks with the White House about a bill he’s sponsoring that would establish AI’s “nonsentience” and specify that liability for harm caused by AI must rest with a person or organization.

Nicola’s bill encountered opposition in the Senate from Republicans who cautioned it could run afoul of Trump and jeopardize $900 million in federal funding for rural high-speed internet development awarded to the state.

Nicola told The Independent that while he is changing the portion of his bill dealing with AI developers’ liability in response to White House feedback, a section establishing the sharing of deepfakes as a felony had not changed.

A bill sponsored by Republican state Rep. Scott Miller of St. Charles, which would also establish AI liability provisions, passed unanimously out of a House committee in March. The bill would absolve AI companies of criminal liability if they adhere to the federal AI Risk Management Framework established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

That, Miller said, could attract business to Missouri.

“It actually creates an appeal for people to relocate their AI business here, and the framework that we’re using is the same framework that every federal contractor would have to be compliant with anyway,” Miller said.

Lawmakers who sponsored parts of Hausman’s bill emphasized that Missouri has lagged behind other states in passing AI legislation.

Protections against deepfakes, said Republican state Rep. Bill Lucas of DeSoto, are “overdue.”

“We are living at a time when technology is evolving faster than our laws,” Lucas said. “Anybody with the basic tools can create and share harmful digital images that can destroy reputations and careers in seconds.”

Republican state Rep. Melissa Schmidt of Eldridge told The Independent that while lawmakers behind the bill will “yield to whatever we’re asked to yield to” by the federal government, they are determined to move forward.

“We’re trying to even just get something foundational passed into law that we can come back next year and build off of, because right now there’s nothing,” Schmidt said. “We are behind in this conversation.”

At least 26 states already have laws on AI-generated intimate depictions. And 46 states have some kind of AI legislation in effect, covering areas from the use of AI in political advertising to AI pricing algorithms.

Democratic state Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs of St. Louis voted for Hausman’s bill but asked the Senate to add a sunset clause.

“With AI technology advancing every day, we are legislating based on the best evidence that we have here today,” Fuchs said. “As AI continues to advance, I believe we owe it to the public to revisit this.”

During debate last week, Hausman said she expects lawmakers to amend the legislation in future years.

“I don’t think this bill is going to look the same in five years,” Hausman said. “I think it’s going to completely change, and I hope it does because we need to change with technology.”

Joplin City Council censures Ryan Jackson

Joplin City Council voted to censure Councilman Ryan Jackson following a hearing this evening.

The vote was 8-1, with only Councilman Keenan Cortez voting against it. Cortez' vote appeared to be a statement favoring a stronger punishment rather than support of Jackson, who voted for his own censure.

Jackson came under fire after making social media comments (shown below) after the city council election about defeated transgender candidate Matthew (Ellie) Wolsey, who goes by Ellie.

After a KSNF/KODE report on Jackson's comments, he threatened to reveal personal information about station employees.

During the council meeting, Jackson said he apologized to reporter Dustin Lattimer.

"I spoke out of anger and it was not correct," Jackson said. Jackson said there were a lot of things going on and he lashed out at Lattimer.

"That doesn't make it right."

The hearing began with 10 speakers asking that the hearing be held and Jackson either removed from office or censured. Some concentrated on Jackson's comments about the LGBTQ community, including those he made to KSNF/KODE for the story, while others stressed his attempts to dox the KSNF/KODE employees.

Following the public comment portion of the hearing, Cortez noted this is not the first time Jackson's comments have caused problems and accused him of "bigoted speech," noting that he referred to Joplin's homeless as "thugs and bums."

"Here we find ourselves again," Cortez said.

Cortez finished by making it clear where he stood.

"I believe for this council member I will not be satisfied with any outcome unless it involves censure or removal from the council."

Councilman Joshua Bard said his biggest problem was with Jackson's actions toward the media.

Jackson defended himself, saying, "Nothing came of that," but Bard wasn't having it.

"It makes you look bad and it makes {the council} look bad, if we let that happen."

Councilman Josh DeTar agreed with Jackson's contention that he had freedom of speech. "But you also have consequences."

Newly-minted councilman and Mayor Rob O'Brian reminded Jackson of the importance of dealing with "the community we serve and the community we want to be."

Lamar Police Department arrests Aurora man on sodomy charge

(From the Lamar Police Department)

On April 17, 2026, the Lamar Police Department arrested Brandon J. Pruente, a 36-year-old resident of Aurora, Missouri, on charges of sodomy/attempted sodomy in the first degree.

This arrest follows the conclusion of a lengthy and thorough investigation conducted by the Lamar Police Department in coordination with the Missouri Department of Social Services, Children's Division.

The case involved collaborative efforts among multiple agencies, whose combined investigative work resulted in the submission of chaffs to the Barton County Prosecuting Attorney for formal consideration.

At the conclusion of an interview on April 17, 2026, Mr. Parsons was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Barton County Sheriff's Office for booking.

The Lamar Police Department would like to acknowledge the professionalism and dedication of all agencies involved in this investigation.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Eric Burlison introduces Great American Healthcare Plan

(By Seventh District Congressman Eric Burlison)

On Thursday, I introduced the Great American Healthcare Plan, a comprehensive reform to lower costs and put Americans back in control of their health care.

My legislation would expand access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing more Americans to save and spend their healthcare dollars tax-free—while also increasing contribution limits and giving families more flexibility in how those funds are used. It also requires hospitals and insurers to provide real, upfront pricing in dollars and cents, ensuring patients can see the cost of care before they receive it.

 

The plan goes further by allowing HSA funds to be used for preventative and wellness expenses, like healthy food and fitness, while promoting competition across the healthcare marketplace to help drive down costs. It also strengthens billing transparency, requiring clear, itemized bills so that patients know exactly what they are paying for.

Health care should work like every other part of the economy—transparent, competitive, and driven by the individual. This plan is about restoring that principle and putting patients back in charge.