Agendas posted for Carthage R-9 Board special session, work session

 

Former Carthage postal worker sentenced for gift card theft

A former worker at the United States Postal Service in Carthage was sentenced to two years of probation today during a hearing in U. S. District Court in Springfield after pleading guilty last year to stealing $300 worth of Walmart gift cards.

The thefts took place December 20, 2024.

The crime was described in the plea agreement filed in October.

On January 16, 2025, United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) received a mail theft allegation from customer H.C. H.C. advised that she had mailed two envelopes from the Carthage, Missouri, Post Office located at 226 W. 3rd Street, Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, within the Western District of Missouri. 

H.C. advised that she mailed the two envelopes that contained three, $100 Walmart Gift Cards. H.C. told postal officials that the two envelopes never reached the intended destination. H.C. advised that she had mailed these envelopes on December 20,2024.

On January 29,2025, Special Agent (SA) Christopher Eby with the USPS-oIG requested and received grand jury subpoenas to Walmart to obtain records related to the three missing gift cards. The purpose of the subpoenas was to determine if the gift cards had been redeemed at a Walmart. 

On January 31,2025, SA Eby received receipt copies and still image video surveillance clips related to the location and the date in which the gift certificates were redeemed. SA Eby contacted the Postmaster for the Carthage Post Office and asked if she could identify the individual depicted in the pictures and videos. 

The Postmaster immediately identified that person depicted redeeming the stolen gift cards as the
defendant, Karla Ann Marie Griffin.

Investigators determined that the defendant was working at the Carthage, Missouri, Post Office on the day that H.C. had mailed the two envelopes with the three gift cards. Investigators determined that the defendant did have access to these gift cards and when combined with the document and video evidence provided by Walmart, the defendant had used her position of trust as an employee with USPS to steal the mail matter mailed by H.C. on December 20,2024.

Through the above facts and as a part of the defendant's plea to the sole count of the Information, the defendant further admits that, on or about December 20,2024, said date being approximate, the defendant, at that time an employee of the United States Postal Service, had, through her position with the Postal Service, possession of gift cards that were intended to be conveyed by mail, and she stole the money and gift cards with the intent to convert them to her own personal use. All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.

The defendant further admits that as a result of her criminal conduct, detailed above, she caused $300.00 of loss to a USPS customer. She agrees to pay restitution of no less than $300.00 as a part of her plea agreement.

Sentencing set for Joplin woman on meth trafficking, weapons charges

A 1:45 p.m. March 3 is sentencing is scheduled for Tiffany Nicole Henson-Brueen, 38, Joplin, who pleaded guilty October 2 to methamphetamine trafficking and possession of a weapon in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The indictment against Henson-Bruenn, stems from a March 20 Joplin Police Department traffic stop. The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed drug trafficking charges against Henson-Bruenn at that time.

More information about the case can be found at the link below:

The Turner Report: Joplin woman indicted on meth trafficking, weapons charges (rturner229.blogspot.com)

Gun-wielding woman in parking lot causes lockdown at Mercy Aurora

(From the Aurora Police Department)

On the morning of February 2, 2026, Aurora Police Department officers were requested to assist the Mt. Vernon Police Department with a combative subject who was being transported to the Aurora Mercy Hospital.

Upon arrival at the hospital, officers located an adult female in the parking lot of the Emergency Department who was in possession of a firearm and acting aggressively. 

Due to the close proximity to the hospital entrance and the presence of bystanders, officers were required to take immediate action to protect public safety.

Verbal commands were given in an attempt to have the suspect disarm herself. When those efforts were unsuccessful, officers distracted the suspect and deployed a Taser twice. During the ensuing struggle, the suspect discharged one round from the firearm before it was wrestled from her possession. No individuals were struck by the fired round.

As a precautionary measure, hospital staff were advised to temporarily lock down the facility to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and the public. The suspect was secured and provided medical attention.

This incident is being investigated by multiple local law enforcement agencies and remains an active and ongoing investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

The suspect will face multiple felony crimes based on this incident. She is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. No citizens or law enforcement were injured during this incident.
There is no further threat to the public at this time.

Will King named Seneca High School principal

(From the Seneca R-7 School District)

The Seneca R-VII School District is excited to announce the hiring of Will King as the next Principal of Seneca High School. A familiar and trusted leader in the Seneca community, King is a 1995 graduate of Seneca High School and brings more than two decades of experience serving Seneca students and families.

“Will King is a proven leader who has consistently built a strong culture and climate while maintaining high standards for learning,” said Dr. Brandon Eggleston, Superintendent of Seneca R-VII Schools. “Seneca High School has a long-standing tradition of excellence, and I know Mr. King will not only continue that momentum, but also strengthen the great work taking place for our students, staff, and community.”

King currently serves as Principal of Seneca Intermediate School, a position he has held since 2016. He began his career in the Seneca School District more than 23 years ago as a math teacher at Seneca High School. After two years in the Chadwick School District as an Athletic Director, Head Boys Basketball coach, and teacher, King returned to Seneca in 2004, where he taught math and physical education. He also served as Head Boys Basketball Coach from 2004–2022.

King holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Math Education from Missouri Southern State University, a Master’s Degree in Administration from William Woods University, and a Specialist Degree in District Administration from Arkansas State University.

“I consider myself truly blessed that most of my career has been spent in the Seneca School District,” King said. “Seneca is a special district and community - full of tradition, pride, and class. I believe strongly in positive relationships and collaboration, and I am excited to begin this new role by partnering with our outstanding high school staff as we continue preparing students for success beyond high school.”

King and his wife, Lisa, are proud members of the Seneca community. Lisa has served as an administrative assistant at Seneca Elementary School for 18 years. Together, they have three daughters: Addie (2019), Mallorie (2022), and Jolie, who is currently a 10th grade student at Seneca High School. Will and Lisa are also proud grandparents to four grandchildren.
King will officially begin his duties as SHS principal on August 1st.

Jason Smith: Restoring a health care system that puts patients first

(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

For too many American families, workers, and seniors, health care is increasingly unaffordable, with double digit premium increases now going into effect on an annual basis. When many Americans think of health insurance, they think of higher costs, soaring deductibles, denied claims, and increased stress from something that is meant to improve their lives. But what enrages so many working families even more is that while they are struggling to find the money to pay for it all, health insurers are posting record profits and consolidating greater control over America’s health care system. 

That is exactly why I called the CEOs of five of the nation’s largest health insurance empires to testify in front of the Ways and Means Committee: to get answers about why costs keep climbing, figure out what can be done to fix our health care system, and to hold folks accountable for their decisions.

Today, the average family health insurance plan costs roughly $27,000 a year. Individual deductibles routinely exceed $3,000, and family deductibles can reach $10,000 or more. Since the Un-Affordable Care Act (ACA) — also known as Obamacare — was enacted, premiums in Obamacare’s Health Exchanges have increased by roughly 80 percent, while families face out-of-pocket maximums exceeding $20,000. But the exploding cost of health insurance extends well beyond Obamacare, which covers only about 7 percent of Americans. Employer-sponsored plans — covering more than 160 million people — are now experiencing their largest premium increases in more than a decade.

One of the most troubling revelations from the hearing we held was how difficult insurers are making it for patients. Roughly one in five medical claims is denied. Patients are left navigating bureaucratic systems designed around insurer priorities instead of individual needs, while consolidation has reduced competition and choice. Today, just three insurers control nearly half of the national market, and three pharmacy benefit managers dominate roughly 80 percent of drug benefits. While costs for families rise, these health insurance empires rake in nearly $1 trillion in annual revenue, while their executives are rewarded with tens of millions of dollars in bonuses.

The hearing also underscored the role Democrats’ failed health care policies have played in driving these outcomes. Open-ended subsidies and rigid Washington mandates that may have been intended to expand access and lower costs, have instead rewarded higher spending, consolidation, and complexity. Federal programs lacking proper guardrails have become magnets for waste and fraud, with taxpayers footing the bill. Despite trillions of dollars flowing through the system, families are paying more and getting less in return.

These failures are felt even more intensely in rural communities like south-central and southeast Missouri. When costs rise and access shrinks, rural hospitals and clinics — already operating on thin margins — are often the first to feel the strain. Families in rural areas already face fewer provider options, longer travel times for care, and higher out-of-pocket burdens, making affordability not just a financial issue, but a question of access to care itself.

The takeaway from the Ways and Means Committee hearing was clear: the status quo is not working, and Americans deserve better. That is why President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan — which he announced on January 15 — is so important. The President’s plan lays out a framework focused on restoring affordability by strengthening competition, increasing transparency, and holding abusive middlemen accountable. It expands health savings options, promotes direct primary care and telehealth, cracks down on fraud and abuse, and puts patients — not insurers or Washington bureaucrats — back at the center of the system.

Lowering health care costs will not happen overnight, but it starts with honest oversight, tough questions, and a willingness to challenge a broken system. Health insurers are one piece of the health care system, but they are by no means the only industry in need of oversight — and the Ways and Means Committee plans on continuing to pursue answers on behalf of American patients and families. With President Trump’s leadership and the continued work of Congress, we can build a health care system that delivers affordability, access to quality care, and peace of mind for families in every corner of the country — urban and rural alike.

MSSU expanding nursing program with help from Mercy Joplin

(From Missouri Southern State University)

In addition to admitting a fall nursing cohort, Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) is increasing capacity by accepting a new group of nursing students for the spring semester. The expanded enrollment model, with 30 students admitted each fall and 20 students admitted each spring, will support four active cohorts and allow upwards of 100 students to progress through the program at any given time during their junior and senior years in the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

The expansion is being supported through a generous commitment to the Missouri Southern Foundation from Mercy Hospital Joplin. The funds will help provide resources needed to support the increased enrollment and the university’s expanded statewide mission, which encompasses health and life sciences and immersive learning experiences.

“This is such an exciting and meaningful step forward for MSSU Nursing. This expansion reflects not only the growing demand for skilled nurses in our region but also the university’s commitment to meeting that need with excellence,” said Dr. Lisa Beals, MSSU associate professor of Nursing. 

“Mercy Hospital Joplin’s generous support will directly strengthen the learning environment for our students and help us continue building a strong, practice‑ready nursing workforce for the Four States community. With the upcoming launch of the MSN program and our continued 100% NCLEX pass rate, this expansion marks a powerful moment of momentum for MSSU Nursing, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

University officials said the addition of a second nursing cohort within an academic year marks a significant milestone in MSSU’s efforts to expand its health and life sciences programs and respond to the growing demand for highly qualified nursing professionals in the Four States region.

“We are very grateful for the commitment of Mercy Hospital Joplin to help the university expand its undergraduate nursing program,” said Dr. Dean Van Galen, MSSU president. “This support will enable Missouri Southern to prepare even more students for rewarding and impactful careers in the healthcare industry.”

“We’re truly excited to collaborate with MSSU as they expand their nursing program," said Jeremy Drinkwitz, president of Mercy Joplin and Southeast Kansas. “Saying yes to this opportunity was easy—it lifts the university, it empowers new nurses, it supports Mercy, and above all, it strengthens care for the community we proudly serve. We can’t wait to welcome more MSSU‑produced nurses into our halls."

Earlier this fall, MSSU announced approval of a new Master of Science in Nursing program, which is scheduled to begin accepting students in Fall 2026.

MSSU’s nursing program has demonstrated continued success, with graduates achieving a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for the past three consecutive years.

For more information about MSSU’s nursing program, visit https://www.mssu.edu/academics/education/nursing/index.php

Detention motion: Branson entertainers had 46 videos of underage girl

A search warrant executed June 13 at the home of Branson entertainers Garry and Janine Carson turned up 46 videos of an underaged girl, with several of the videos featuring nude or semi-nude dances by the child and Janine Carson, according to detention motions filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

The detention motion for Garry Carson indicated he was naked while filming the two and considered the videos to be "fashion shows."

Janine Carson's detention motion indicated she initially denied the allegations, but later said they were doing "fashion shows."

The Carsons, who perform a magic show at two Branson venues and also perform in Las Vegas, are charged with sexual exploitation of children. An indictment was unsealed Thursday.

Initial appearances for the Carsons were held this morning in U. S. District Court in Springfield. Their arraignments and detention hearings will be held separately Thursday.

The allegations against the couple are detailed in the detention motion.

On June 13, 2025, members of the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force executed a federal search warrant upon the residence of defendants, JANINE and GARRY CARSON, and seized multiple digital storage devices, including a cellular telephone and computer.

The devices were subsequently forensically examined yielding the discovery of approximately 46 video recordings depicting an identified minor (MV1). Several of the videos depict MV1 engaged in acts of striptease along with defendant JANINE CARSON. 

For example, one such video depicts MV1 entering room bottomless, attired in high heels, and a shirt. MV1 dances for the camera and exits the room.

JANINE CARSON then enters the room wearing a see-through robe and exposes her bare buttocks and vagina to the camera. Several other video recordings depict MV1, completely nude, tumbling down a cushion. These videos were recorded in slow motion.

Both defendants were interviewed on scene. GARRY CARSON ultimately acknowledged that he filmed MV1 and his wife while naked and characterized such productions as “fashion shows.”

This Court is obligated to consider “the nature and circumstances of the offense charged, including whether the offense… involves a minor victim… .” 

The evidence against the defendant is overwhelming.

Wherefore, based upon the foregoing, the United States submits that there is clear and convincing evidence that there are no conditions which the Court could place upon the defendant that would reasonably assure the defendant’s appearance in Court and the safety of the community.

The Government therefore requests that a detention hearing be held and that the defendant be detained pending trial of this matter.

From the detention motion for Janine Carson:

JANINE CARSON initially denied any knowledge of the above-described video recordings. JANINE CARSON, after being confronted with the contents of one such recording, asserted that she and MV1 were doing a fashion show.

Nancy Hughes: Are you bankrupt?

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36 (NIV)

Have you ever prayed for someone and then realized much later that you had not been praying the way the Lord would have wanted? Probably we all have. A friend of mine shared with me how the Lord redirected her prayer quickly and clearly.

Barbara told me that she had lunch with a couple who told her they were struggling financially. They shared how there never seemed to be enough money at the end of the month for everything they felt they needed along with paying all the bills.

“My heart just broke for how hard they worked,” she told me. “Even though they both had great jobs, they were worried that they would be bankrupt within a few months if things didn’t turn around financially.”

Barbara shared that as she drove away after lunch, she began to lift the couple up to the Lord. “Father, please help them,” she prayed. “The last thing they need is to be bankrupt.” But she said that the Lord immediately spoke truth to her heart.

“Pray for them. But understand the problem is not that they are bankrupt financially; it is that they are bankrupt spiritually.” Her prayer instantly changed for the couple.

Jesus knew that the pull of the world and what it offered would be a huge temptation for His children. That is why there is one Scripture after another in the Bible that addresses that very struggle.

In Mark 8:36, Jesus asks a pointed question: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” He is speaking to a large crowd with His disciples at His side and yet He is speaking to us, too.

The couple Barbara spoke with could fail to pay the money they owe and have to declare bankruptcy. They could also work harder, perhaps, and pay off their financial debt. But can I ask you this: what’s the point of being financially free if we're spiritually bankrupt?

Every single thing that the world offers us may appear beautiful but it is temporary. And because of sin, the more we get, the more we want. Jesus offers us eternal freedom. We can never pay the debt of being spiritually bankrupt but we don’t need to because Jesus paid that debt with His death on the cross.

When you give Jesus your heart – your everything – you are no longer spiritually bankrupt. You are eternally His. If you have financial debt, I encourage you to seek Christian financial counseling to get on the right path. But first, go before the Lord and ask Him to be Lord of your life. Get in the Word and seek His direction for everything that you do, every day. Be spiritually debt-free in Him. For eternity.

Father, I want you to be the focus of my life completely. May I look less at what the world offers and more on your face and eternal life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Where is the majority of your focus centered every day? Spiritually or worldly?

Does your life reflect that you are seeking more of Jesus or more of stuff?

Apply

Write Mark 8:36 in your journal. Make a column titled “gain the whole world” under it and write down everything material that you consider important in your life and cannot live without.

Now, beside each one, write “yes” or “no” as you consider whether each thing on your list is worth forfeiting your soul. If you answered “yes” to anything you wrote down, seek the Lord’s face and lay that item down before Him.

Power

Mark 8:36 (NIV) “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

Matthew 6:21 (NIV) “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Proverbs 23:5 (NIV) “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)

Missouri Attorney General sues Census Bureau demanding only legal citizens be counted

(From Attorney General Catherine Hanaway)

To defend our fundamental right to representation in government, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed the most significant election lawsuit in a generation. This first-in-the-nation suit was filed against the United States Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Census Bureau for unconstitutionally allowing illegal aliens to commandeer the path to The White House and compromise our elections.

“The State of Missouri and its voters can no longer ignore the ongoing denial of their right to self-government and fair representation,” said Attorney General Hanaway. “United States citizens and lawful permanent residents have a right to representation, unlike illegal aliens and temporary visa holders. In America, the People, the members of the social compact, are the only legitimate source of the government’s power. We are taking a stand against those who are cheating our system.”

The DOC and the Census Bureau’s current policy of counting illegal aliens in the census tabulation is unjust, unlawful, and unconstitutional. Attorney General Hanaway is demanding a Census recount and that the Court prohibit the inclusion of illegal aliens in the Census.

Federal representation is being stolen from states who uphold immigration law, including Missouri, and transferred to sanctuary states who artificially inflate their population by harboring illegal aliens. Attorney General Hanaway will not allow open-border states like California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland to steal an estimated 11 congressional seats, 11 electoral votes, and billions of dollars in funding.

Prior to the 1980 Census, the Carter Administration unilaterally decided that all illegal aliens and temporary visa holders should be counted in the decennial Census and included in the apportionment of congressional representation. The framers of the Constitution and the Fourteenth Amendment would have been shocked by this policy. They could never have imagined an absurd system where 15 million illegal alien trespassers would receive representation in Congress and the Electoral College.

In July of 2020, President Trump issued a memorandum requiring the Secretary of Commerce to exclude illegal aliens from the decennial apportionment base, even though illegal aliens were counted in the 2020 Census. California and New York immediately sued against the President’s action. Ultimately, the Supreme Court vacated all the injunctions, but these legal delays opened the door for the Biden Administration to reverse course and include illegal aliens in the apportionment base for federal representation.

If President Trump had succeeded in excluding illegal aliens from the 2021 apportionment, Missouri would have received an extra congressional seat and an extra vote in the Electoral College. Instead, the Biden Administration hijacked the representation of Missourians by reversing the Trump Administration’s action.

The inclusion of illegal aliens robs Missouri and its citizens of federal funding and private funding that they would otherwise receive. According to the Census Bureau, more than 350 federal programs rely on census figures to allocate funds to state and local governments. Including illegal aliens in the 2020 and 2030 Census enumerations has harmed and will harm Missourians by depriving them of their fair share of their own tax dollars.

The Attorney General’s complaint filed on January 30, 2026, requests that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri:

Declare that including illegal aliens and temporary visa holders in the 2020 Census and the 2021 Apportionment base violated Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act;

Require the Census Bureau to redo the 2020 Census and 2021 Apportionment, removing from the apportionment base all illegal aliens and temporary visa holders through the best available methods, including by re-conducting the 2020 Census enumeration if necessary;

Declare that including illegal aliens and temporary visa holders in the 2030 Census, and the 2031 Apportionment base would violate Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act; and Prohibit the Census Bureau from including illegal aliens and temporary visa holders in the 2030 Census tabulation.

Missouri and the American people will continue to be robbed of fair representation in the House of Representatives, the Electoral College, and federal funding if corrective action is not taken.

The full complaint can be read here.