This blog features observations from Randy Turner, a former teacher, newspaper reporter and editor. Send news items or comments to rturner229@hotmail.com
On or about April 30, 2025, Plaintiff Rebecca Centeno was a medical resident at Freeman West Central Hospital. As Plaintiff was walking down the stairs leading toward the hospital’s cafeteria and dining hall, she slipped on the unmarked wet stairs/flooring.
Plaintiff fell violently to the ground and landed on her right upper extremity, causing severe injuries to Plaintiff’s right wrist, including a carpal bone fracture.
The wet stairs and flooring constituted a dangerous and hazardous condition for anyone walking up or down the staircase located in the hospital’s common area.
Defendant provided no warning or indication of the wet stairs/flooring.
Centeno, who is represented by Charles J. Sticklen of the Sticklen & Sticklen Law Firm of Joplin, is suing for negligence and premises liability and ia asking for "fair and reasonable damages" and costs.
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” I Peter 4:12 (NIV)
Ashley is a beautiful 15-year-old girl with long dark hair and the latest style of black- framed glasses perched on her nose. She smiles, she laughs, she dances, and she talks on the phone with her friends.
She’s your typical teenager except for one very important thing: Ashley does not feel pain. Any pain.
She was born with something called congenital insensitivity to pain. She can feel pressure, yes, but pain, no. She feels bad for someone who is hurt and in pain, but she cannot describe the feeling herself. Because she has never felt it.
Ashley’s parents knew something wasn’t right soon after she was born, but were totally surprised by the diagnosis they were given. A professor following her case commented that while pain is a gift, it is not a gift that Ashley has been given.
Wait! Calling pain a gift? Now, honestly, the first thought that someone might have at the idea of feeling NO pain would probably be “That would be fantastic!” Stub your toe? Not a problem! Trying to run a mile or lift weights? You could work right through without feeling the pain that everyone else has to endure!
But think again. Not feeling an appendicitis attack could lead to life-threatening consequences if you have no concept of warning pain. And what about getting into a bathtub of extremely hot water? Imagine the horrible burns you would receive because you could not tell the water was scalding hot!
In I Peter 4:12, we are not told by Peter that pain is a gift, but he does tell us that in this world we are going to have plenty of it. He even refers to it as the “painful trial you are suffering” and cautions us not to be surprised when it occurs. Perhaps it is physical pain from a life-threatening disease, but it can also refer to emotional, mental, and spiritual pain as well.
Just because we are believers in Christ, we cannot assume that we are exempt from pain. This world is not our home, and we are not welcome here. Also, while we don’t like it or understand it when the pain of this world hits, we should never assume that God isn’t in control or at work in our lives.
Remember that God knows exactly what is going on. Call on His name. Get into His Word. Hold on to Him and allow Him to hold on to you. He has a plan for everything that happens, including the pain we experience every day.
This world will not be around forever, and neither will pain. We are told in Revelation 21:4 that Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will never again experience death or mourning or crying or pain! How I long for the days of no pain and great gain – with Jesus.
Father, please give me strength and courage for the days of pain ahead, that I may focus on you and eternity. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up . . .
Reflect
Have you ever felt that because you are a Christian, you should not have to experience pain in this world?
How does that thinking line up with I Peter 4:12 (NIV)?
Apply
As you face painful trials in this life, write each one down in your journal.
Then pray, “Lord, I am not surprised by this trial. Please give me strength and courage to get through it and keep my focus on you.”
Power
I Peter 4:12 (NIV) “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
Revelation 21:4 (NIV) “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Romans 8:18 (NIV) “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Elk's Lodge Restaurant, 1802 W. 26th Street; and Zip Trip, 1102 W. 7th Street, failed Joplin Health Department inspections this week, according to information posted on the department website.
Elk's Lodge Restaurant received a priority violation for having food items in the cooler being cold held above 41 degrees and a core violation for using and reusing food storage equipment that can't be properly sanitized.
Zip Trip received a priority violation for having milk in the walk-in cooler being cold held above 41 degrees and three core violations, which can be found at this link.
Establishments that passed their inspections
Elks Lodge Tavern, 1802 W. 26th Street
Casey's General Store, 2808 W. 7th Street
Mercy Hospital Kitchen, 100 E. Mercy Way
El Caballo De Oro, 1901 E. 32nd Street
Pizza Ranch, 3507 E. 20th Street
Freeman East Kitchen, 932 E. 34th Street
Casey's General Store, 403 N. Main Street
Pineda Market, 1202 S. Range Line Road
Lalo's Taqueria, 2501 E. 7th Street (re-inspection)
(From the Joplin Health Department)With Cyclosporiasis cases on the rise in Missouri, local health officials are continuing to monitor numbers within the City of Joplin and provide guidance to residents.
The origins and sources of the outbreak – which was first reported in mid-July – are still being fully investigated, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have publicized that iceberg lettuce sourced from Central Mexico and sold under the Taylor Farms de Mexico, has been recalled. (This company supplies lettuce to brands including “Marketside.”) Follow the guidance from CDC/FDA for updates on affected foods.
The Joplin Health Department has worked with grocery stores within the city limits to ensure this product has been pulled from shelves. In total, the CDC has reported nearly 7,000 cases in 15 states (6 new states as of yesterday). With new cases being reported in Joplin each week, health officials are reminding residents of some simple steps they can take to prevent contracting and spreading Cyclospora.
Wash your hands and any fresh produce thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.
Cooking can kill the parasite. Since washing alone cannot guarantee Cyclospora removal, you can cook produce to a temperature of at least 158 °F (70°C).
The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed felony charges Thursday against a Webb City couple for allegedly having their four children surrounded by filth, unbathed and wearing the same clothes for days at a time.
Kristian Alexander George (DOB 1992) and Tierney Caroline Dennis (DOB 1994) were each charged with four counts of child abuse or neglect, with Dennis also being charged with resisting arrest and a misdemeanor obstructing government operations.
Upon arrival to the residence, Tierney changed her story several times that Victim 1 wasn't in the road to finally admitting that Victim 1 was in the roadway and that she had to ask a neighbor where her child may be. I believe this is a lack of supervison of which we have had several calls of service for before.
I was allowed by Tierney to tour the residence and to check on the kids. The first observation that I observed was the house smelled of urine and feces. I observed a dirty diaper in front of the bathroom, trash located in and around the living area, only 2 bedrooms for a 6 person family, and what I believe to be bodily fluids left on the ground by the southeast corner of the front door. This bodily fluid appeared to be old, cracked, and dried. This fluid appeared to be possible vomit.
Upon making contact with the kids, I observed them eating pizza and playing on a tablet. I observed that there was no bedding on or around the bed. I observed that the bedding in the residence was stained and had black spots on it. I observed that Victim 1 had very dark circles around their eyes.
I observed that Victim 1 and Victim 2 both smelled like urine, feces, and smelled as if they hadn't showered in several days. I observed that Victim 1's dress was dirty and had a distinct black mark located around the skirting of the dress indicating that it had been worn for several days. I observed Tierney sweeping up feces that appeared to be that of a cat.
While attempting to take Tierney into custody she physically attempted to resist arrest. Tierney failed to comply with lawful commands to put her hands behind her back. Tierney had to be physically restrained to remove Victim 4 from her arms. Tierney attempted to slip out of her handcuffs at the police department in accordance with an officer's testimony.
After taking both Tierney and Kristian into custody, I had to gather the children some belongings. After attempting to locate Victim 1 and Victim 2 in the residence and to gather some belongings I observed a lack of shoes, clothing, and other material items necessary for care for the children. Victim 1 and Victim 2 both left the scene without shoes and in dirty clothes. I asked Victim 2 when the last time they showered to which they advised that it had been approximately 3 days ago.
While speaking with Victim 2 I asked where everyone slept to which he advised that Kristian sometimes would sleep with him and Tierney would sleep in their room. Upon interviewing Kristian outside of the residence before the removal, he advised that the kids had all showered the day prior.
In the bedroom where Victim 1 and Victim 2 were staying I observed another spot of bodily fluid that I believe to be urine, the urine had been on the wall and floor for so long that it had a calcified ring around the liquid spot.
Upon walking into the second room of the residence I located several mystery substances on the floor and under the bed. I also observed the the crib that Kristian and suspect 2 were keeping the Victim 4 in had grim, dirty, scuffing, and a mattress that lacked blankets, toys, and cleanliness. The mattress in the crib was stained black and smelled very strongly of a bad odor.
While doing an inventory of Tierney's belongings I observed that she had approximately $1,670 in her possession. Kristian had approximately $1,670 in his possession.
On 08/06/2026 Tierney was using the Webb City Holding Cell in accordance with a phone call. On video footage and through testimony of the dispatcher on duty, Tierney advised for the other person on the phone to contact law enforcement and advise them the person that had contacted law enforcement was intoxicated.
Tierney doesn't know who the reporting party is that reported her. I believe this was and is an attempt to mislead law enforcement officials away from the current investigation.
The statement notes that Dennis has a criminal history that includes two domestic assaults and said she was going to take the children and go to New York after she is freed.
In Kristian George's probable cause statement, it is noted he has a lengthy record.
Kristian has a 43 page criminal history from both New York State and Missouri. DFS has been called to the residence approximately 4 times with several other reports. Several neighbors have provided reports of lack of supervision, uncleanliness, and lack of care for the children. I believe that if Kristian gets out of custody he will continue to fail the needs of his children.
The case was investigated by the Webb City Police Department.
(Update: U. S. District Court Judge Willie Epps has denied John Joseph's motion for a continuance and his trial is scheduled to begin September 14. A pre-trial conference is set for August 18 in Springfield.)
With less than six weeks left before his client's trial for illegal transport of weapons, the attorney for Joplin dentist John Joseph is asking for a 90-day continuance for time to work with the government on a plea agreement.
In a motion filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, attorney Joseph McGroder of Graves Garrett LLC, Kansas City, explained the need for the continuance.
Counsel for Mr. Joseph and government counsel are presently engaged in discussions regarding a potential plea agreement. The parties need additional time to meet and confer regarding the terms of any such agreement.
Mr. Joseph has been informed of and understands the need for this continuance. This request is for good cause and will not result in undue delay or prejudice to either party.
Under the circumstances, the ends of justice served by granting the requested continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and Mr. Joseph in a speedy trial.
Joseph's indictment came as a result of his March 5, 2025 arrest by the Joplin Police Department, which led to charges of drug trafficking and unlawful use of a weapon.
The Joplin Police Department arrested Joseph after detectives saw him make what is described in the probable cause statement as "a hand-to-hand narcotic transaction after getting out of a pickup truck."
From the probable cause statement for the Newton County case:
Joseph was detained after getting back into his truck and searched. During the search, a large package of a substance, believed to be fentanyl, was located in his pocket. This package was later found to weigh 11 grams.
A search was then conducted of Joseph's 2022 Ram pickup truck where I located approximately one gram of fentanyl, multiple items of drug paraphernalia consistent with the ingestion of fentanyl and an H&K 9mm pistol.
Joseph stated under Miranda that he provided $600 for {the} package located in his pocket.
The H&K pistol was later found to have been reported as stolen from a residence in Joplin in 2016.
(From the Joplin Police Department)Joplin Police have taken a step forward in solving a 2022 homicide investigation.
On May 16th, 2022, Joplin Police, Fire, and M.E.T.S. Ambulance responded to the 500 block of Connor Avenue in reference to a gunshots call. When officers arrived, they located two males with apparent gunshot wounds.
One male identified as Kristopher Culbertson, 23 at the time of the incident, was transported to a local hospital and later recovered from his wounds.
A second male, identified as Kenneth Jay Matthews, of Webb City, Missouri, who was 47 at the time of the incident, was pronounced deceased at the scene from gunshot wounds. This incident initiated a homicide investigation.
Initial information at the time of the incident was very limited, however, Joplin Police Detectives began following up on leads which identified an unknown named occupant of a black Ford Taurus as the suspect who had shot Matthews and Culbertson.
Since the investigation started, the department has received several helpful tips from the public. Over the course of a four-year investigation, Joplin Detectives have relentlessly followed up on additional leads and interviewed numerous people about the homicide.
As a result of the continued investigation, a suspect was identified in the fatal shooting of Matthews.
On August 4th, 2026, charges were submitted to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration.
On August 5th, 2026, the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed warrants for Christopher Erin Mullen, 43, of Kansas City. The charges included no bond warrants for 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Assault.
On August 6th, while in custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections, the above warrants were served on Mullen and he was transported to the Jasper County Jail.
This is still an open active investigation. Anyone with any information is still encouraged to contact Sgt. Andy Blair at 417-623-3131 extension 1602.
Kansas Citians who buy health insurance through hearthcare.gov can expect to pay much more for monthly premiums next year.
According to preliminary rate filings submitted to state insurance regulators in Missouri and Kansas, every insurance company selling individual plans in the region through the Affordable Care Act marketplace wants to raise prices in 2027.
Across both states, average premium increase requests range from 10% to 35% more than 2026 rates. And that follows a similar trend last year, when almost every carrier offering plans in the Kansas City area requested an increase.
The companies argue that health services and medications continue to cost more, while the volume of patient claims is rising. Both factors increase the insurance companies’ costs and eat away at profits, justifying a price hike, they said.
Proposed insurance premium rate increases for 2027 health plans sold to individuals through the ACA marketplaceStateInsurance companyAverage % changeMissouriBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City10.3%Celtic Insurance Co. (Ambetter)10.3%Healthy Alliance Life Insurance Co. (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield)12.7%Medica Insurance Co.25.6%Oscar Insurance Co.15.9%UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co.16.5%KansasBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City15.4%Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Inc.16%Celtic Insurance Co.16.7%Oscar Insurance Co.20%UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co.34.8%
Nationally, a Peterson-KFF analysis found, individual marketplace insurers are requesting a median premium increase next year of 15%. Last year, the same analysis found the median national increase request was 18%, and it climbed to 20% once rates were finalized.
The combined two-year upswing is significant for people who rely on the government marketplace for health insurance. The KFF analysis notes that if regulators grant the 2027 premium requests, typical premiums on the marketplace will have jumped by more than one- third in two years.
Lacey Kennett of Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a nonprofit that advocates for affordable healthcare, said the premium increases represent one on a long list of healthcare expenses people are having trouble affording.
At an Aug. 2 event put on by One Nation Overcharged, a national coalition working to raise awareness about health costs, Kennett said she heard from people who are putting off routine doctors’ visits and skipping medications in order to save money.
“Putting off care, waiting until it becomes more like an emergency, … then, of course, it’s even more expensive,” Kennett said. “Our goal is to make so much noise about the rising cost of healthcare that policymakers can’t ignore it anymore.”
Missouri and Kansas regulators are reviewing the ACA rate request filings to determine if the increases are justified and to ensure the plans comply with state and federal law.
States must publish insurance carriers’ premium increase requests along with justifications for them and give the public a chance to submit comments in response. In Kansas, people can submit comments with the insurance department. And in Missouri, people can go to the insurance department’s website to find more information about how to submit feedback.
The deadline for public comments in Missouri is Aug. 31. Final rates are expected by Oct. 31.
While fewer than one in 10 people buy insurance through the marketplace, according to the KFF report, the rate requests provide a window into how the industry is navigating the market, which could be a clue about how they may approach next year’s rates in other insurance sectors.
Last fall, many private employers struggled to afford the growing health insurance costs they were facing for 2026. And the situation is likely to be similar when it comes time to renew policies.
Missouri and Kansas’ small group markets, which sell insurance to businesses with between two and 50 employees, also project premium increases in 2027 of between 9% and 19%, according to state filings.
Insurance premium rate increases proposed for the small group market in 2027StateInsurance companyAverage % changeMissouriBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City15.58%Healthy Alliance Life Insurance Co. (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield)14.56%Medica Insurance Co.12.61%UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co.17.23%KansasBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City13.39%Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas9.61%UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co.11.47%
The largest premium increase request came from UnitedHealthcare in Kansas’ individual marketplace. The company, which reported profits of $12.8 billion last year, has asked the state for rates to jump between 29.68% and 36.48%.
In its filing with the state justifying the premium increase request, the company pointed to rising costs in U.S. healthcare spending. UnitedHealthcare said that in 2025 its “loss ratio,” the percentage of total premiums that go toward paying medical claims, was 95.85% on its Kansas individual plans. That is well over the loss ratio of 80%-85% required under the Affordable Care Act.
UnitedHealthcare’s Kansas filing listed specific healthcare trends driving up costs, including:
Increases in reimbursement rates the insurance company pays doctors, hospitals and drug companies.
A rise in claims due to patients going to the doctor more and receiving more expensive health services — surgery, for example, “versus simply monitoring or providing medications.”
“Deductible leveraging,” which the company said happens when healthcare costs rise but deductibles and copayments remain the same, forcing premiums to cover more.
New medical technology, which the company said can lead to more expensive services and increased healthcare spending.
In addition, the company pointed to the growing trend of healthier patients dropping out of the marketplace, leaving a more expensive patient pool behind, something other insurance carriers also called out as a reason for increasing 2027 premiums.
People dropping ACA coverage has become increasingly common since the end of last year, when federal lawmakers allowed enhanced premium tax credits, which subsidized ACA plans for a larger portion of the population, to expire.
By February, Missouri had already seen a 25% decline in ACA enrollment, to 260,999 from 347,424 a year earlier. In Kansas, enrollment had dropped about 20% to 143,880 from 179,920 a year earlier. Without the federal subsidies, many experts expect the departure of healthy people from the marketplace to continue, a trend insurers are anticipating as a reason to increase premiums for remaining policy holders.
On the Missouri side, the Oscar Insurance Co. also listed healthier patients leaving the market as one justification for its 15.9% increase in rates next year.
“Changes to the overall premium level are needed because of anticipated changes in the underlying health of the marketplace,” the company wrote.
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.
The campaign opposing a November ballot measure that would reinstate Missouri’s abortion ban has raised more than $6.5 million — including a recent $1.25 million donation from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Stop the Ban, formed last year to oppose Amendment 3 on November’s ballot, reported the Bloomberg donation Wednesday to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Bloomberg also donated $1 million in 2024 to Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign that successfully placed an abortion rights amendment on the ballot and helped win its passage.
In November, Missourians will again be asked to decide on the fate of abortion rights. This time, lawmakers are asking voters to repeal the reproductive rights amendment approved in 2024 and reinstate a near-total ban on abortion.
The proposal, drafted and placed on the ballot by lawmakers in 2025, would ban abortions with exceptions for medical emergencies and pregnancies resulting from rape or incest during the first 12 weeks. It would also put a ban on gender-affirming care for minors into the state constitution.
Other top donors to Stop the Ban include the members of the PAC’s coalition, including the ACLU of Missouri, the Fairness Project, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, Abortion Action Missouri, PROMO and Beacon Reproductive Health Network. Tom Bastian, a spokesperson with the campaign, said Stop the Ban has also received donations from Missourians in more than 50 of the state’s 114 counties.
Missouri Right to Life PAC is also working to pass the new abortion restrictions. As of Tuesday, the group spent about $230,000 on the campaign, including yard signs, speaking engagements, and “Make Missouri Pro-Life Again” brochures, according to the latest finance reports.
With Tuesday’s primary over, spending by both sides is expected to accelerate as the Nov. 3 election approaches.
In November 2024, with a near-total abortion ban in place, Missourians voted to amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to reproductive health care, including abortion up to the point of fetal viability.
The campaign was expensive and the results were close, with about 52% of Missourians voting in favor of the amendment. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, whose coalition included many of the same organizations behind Stop the Ban, raised more than $31.5 million in 2024.
At the same time, a patchwork of half a dozen PACs trying to defeat the 2024 abortion rights amendment raised about $5 million. The largest single contribution was $1 million from a group tied to conservative activist Leonard Leo.
A lengthy court battle followed the 2024 election as Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri challenged dozens of abortion regulations still in state law that prevented providers from immediately offering abortion services again.
Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis have been offering procedural abortion appointments since last year. Those clinics, along with clinics in Gladstone and Springfield, also began offering medication abortions following the court decision in June.
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.
The following news release was issued Thursday by Leggett & Platt:Carthage, MO, August 6, 2026 —
-2Q sales of $1.0 billion, a 6% decrease vs 2Q25, including a 5% decrease from divestitures
-2Q EPS of $.33, 2Q adjusted1 EPS of $.39, a $.09 increase vs adjusted1 2Q25 EPS
President and CEO Karl Glassman commented, “We are pleased with how our teams managed through a challenging environment in the second quarter. Our employees remained focused on disciplined execution and cost management which, along with favorable items that we do not expect to repeat in future quarters, contributed to improved adjusted earnings.
“Bedding industry conditions remain challenged both by sluggish consumer activity and continued consolidations and bankruptcies across the value chain. We estimate that U.S. mattress market units declined by low double digits in the second quarter, similar to the declines we saw in the first quarter. In our Bedding Products segment, continued strong performance of our trade rod and wire business partially offset the decline from lower mattress demand.
“Across our other segments, demand remained soft in markets tied to housing and broader consumer spending as consumers were faced with additional uncertainty resulting from the war in the Middle East and higher gas prices. In Specialized Products, Automotive performed slightly below the market, which saw lower consumer demand across all regions. In Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products, growth in Textiles offset lower demand in the remaining businesses, which are more directly exposed to U.S. residential spending, leading to a slight improvement in trade sales.
“As we look forward, we remain focused on executing our strategic priorities while expecting ongoing macroeconomic headwinds to temper consumer demand across most of our businesses for the remainder of the year.
“Finally, we continue to progress towards the planned merger with Somnigroup. As previously announced, the waiting period under the HSR Antitrust Improvements Act expired in June. We anticipate the transaction to close upon satisfaction of the remaining closing conditions, including Leggett & Platt shareholder approval at the special meeting planned for August 20th and the remaining required regulatory approvals. As previously stated, we believe this combination with a valued long–standing customer will create a leading global company—providing compelling strategic and financial value for our customers, employees, and the Leggett & Platt shareholders.”
SECOND QUARTER RESULTS
Second quarter sales were $1.0 billion, a 6% decrease versus second quarter last year
2025 divestitures decreased sales 5%
Organic sales2 were down 1%
Volume was down 4%, primarily from continued weak demand across most of our end markets, retailer merchandising changes in Adjustable Bed, and the decision during the fourth quarter of 2025 to walk away from a financially challenged customer in U.S. Spring
Raw material-related selling price increases added 2% to sales
Currency benefit increased sales 1%
Second quarter EBIT was $80 million, down from $90 million in second quarter 2025. Adjusted1 EBIT was $89 million, up from second quarter 2025 adjusted1 EBIT of $76 million.
Adjusted1 EBIT increased primarily from metal margin expansion, restructuring benefit, and other favorable items, most of which are not expected to repeat in future quarters. EBIT margin was 8.0%, down from 8.5% in the second quarter of 2025, and adjusted1 EBIT margin was 8.9%, up from 7.1%.
Second quarter EPS was $.33, a $.05 decrease versus second quarter 2025 EPS of $.38. Second quarter adjusted1 EPS was $.39, up $.09 versus second quarter 2025 adjusted1 EPS of $.30.
