A veteran St. Louis journalist was killed in a freak accident Thursday when two tires came flying off a tractor-trailer and crashed through the roof of his vehicle.

Local media mainstay Ray Hartmann, 73, was driving eastbound on I-64 near I-270 in St. Louis when two tires went airborne after zooming off a tractor-trailer ahead of him and struck the roof of his car around 2 p.m., KMOV reported, citing the Missouri State Highway Patrol. 

Hartmann died at the scene of the freak accident, according to a statement issued by his long-term friend and attorney, Andy Leonard, 5 On Your Side reported. 

“The news covered the accident last night, and I can confirm that Ray was in his car when a tire crashed through his windshield. We believe that he died at the scene,” Leonard said in the statement. 

He is survived by his wife, Kerri Hartmann, and their two children, Ben and Brielle, who were each away at college at the time of the accident.

“It’s such a tragic loss. He was dearly loved. We’re going to miss him so much,” Kerri Hartmann told 5 On Your Side in a statement.

Hartmann was a much-loved mainstay within St. Louis media for almost 40 years, making his mark in print journalism first before moving in front of the camera. 

He is known for founding the Riverfront Times and St. Louis Magazine and for spending nearly four decades on Nine PBS’ debate program, “Donnybrook,” which he co-founded in 1987.

He took a step back from the media in 2024 to run for Congress in Missouri’s 2nd District. He won the Democratic primary but lost to incumbent Ann Wagner, according to 5 On Your Side.

“His departure was too soon,” said Charlie Brennan, Hartmann’s long-term friend and host of “Donnybrook.”

“I think he had books to write, columns to write, causes to champion, and I’m very sorry that he’s not going to be around to get to those,” he said.

Fellow panellist Alvin Reid said that the late journalist was determined to make a difference in the Gateway City, no matter what show he was on. 

“Ray was determined to make a difference in St. Louis. He wanted to make a difference on every show,” Reid said. 

“As long as we do this show, Ray will be a part of this show and a part of St. Louis,” he said.

Even with his illustrious and accomplished career, Hartmann’s colleagues remembered him first and foremost as a proud husband and father.

“I’m already missing him,” Reid said. “I really do feel like I’m talking about Ray in the present. I can’t believe I’m talking about Ray in the past. That hasn’t really hit me yet.”

The investigation into Thursday’s fatal crash remains ongoing.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska on Friday will become the first state to enforce work, volunteer or education requirements for new Medicaid applicants, eight months before the federally mandated requirements kick in.

Advocates worry that the state is launching so rapidly that key details remain unresolved and some people who are eligible for coverage will lose it.

State officials say they’re prepared, training staff and sending letters, emails and texts to people who could be impacted.

Health policy experts, advocates and other states will be watching closely.

“It can be used as a lesson for other states, both where things go well and where things don’t go well,” said Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of KFF’s Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

The law is expected to leave some without insurance

The work requirement is part of a broad tax and policy law that President Donald Trump signed last year. Nebraska Republican Gov. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced in December that the state would implement it eight months before it was required, saying the aim was “making sure we get every able-bodied Nebraskan to be a part of our community.”

The state had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. in February: 3.1%

The federal policy won’t apply to all Medicaid beneficiaries, just those who are enrolled under an expansion that most states chose to make to allow more low-income people to get healthcare coverage.

Under the change, many Medicaid participants ages 19 through 64 will have to show that they work or do community service at least 80 hours a month, or are enrolled in school at least half-time. They’ll also have their eligibility reviewed every six months rather than annually, so they could lose coverage faster if their circumstances change.

Exceptions will be made for people who are too medically frail to work or in addiction treatment programs, among others.

An Urban Institute report from March estimated that the changes would mean about 5 million to 10 million people fewer people nationally would be enrolled in Medicaid than would have been otherwise.

Choices states make about how to run their programs are expected to be a major factor in exactly how many people lose coverage.

“The higher the administrative burden, the more likely people are found noncompliant and disenrolled,” said Michael Karpman, who researches health policy at Urban.

Nebraska plans to use data to help determine who qualifies

Not everyone who has coverage will need to submit proof that they’re working.

The state says it will first match enrollees with other data it has to see if participants are working or exempt. The state says it has that information for most of the roughly 70,000 people enrolled in Medicaid through the expansion.

That leaves between 20,000 and 28,000 who would have to provide more information, plus an average of 3,000 to 4,000 new enrollees each month.

At first, they will just need to show that they met the requirements in just one month of the previous 12. The time frame will shift to six months in 2027.

There’s some flexibility. For instance, instead of showing they work 80 hours in a month, someone could instead provide records that demonstrate they earned at least $580, the amount someone earning minimum wage would make in 80 hours.

People who don’t submit requested information within 30 days of being asked could have their applications denied or lose coverage they already have.

The change is causing worry and confusion

Bridgette Annable, who lives in southwest Nebraska, received a letter saying she must meet the work requirements or lose the benefits that pay for her insulin and diabetic supplies.

The 21-year-old mother now has a part-time job, despite being advised against it to protect her mental health. She’s worried about her ability to keep working.

“I am working 30 to 25 hours a week — as much as my employer can provide,” Annable said. “Although I call out of work often due to fibromyalgia pain and bipolar episodes that leave me too tired to leave the house. I have enough energy to take care of my daughter and do some cleaning, but that’s about it.”

Amy Behnke, the CEO of the Health Center Association of Nebraska, said that staff members who help people enroll with Medicaid and their clients have a lot of questions, including some that the state hasn’t yet answered.

Some examples: Apprenticeship programs are supposed to count for work requirements, but does that apply only to those certified by the state’s labor department? There’s an exemption for people who travel to a hospital for care, but there’s not clarity on how far the journey must be.

KFF’s Tolbert noted that the state issued its 295-page list last week of conditions that could qualify someone as medically frail. “We don’t know if it’s a comprehensive list,” she said.

“The speed at which we are choosing to implement work requirements hasn’t left a lot of space for really meaningful communication,” Behnke said.

And Nebraska could have to make changes after the federal government provides guidance that is expected in June.

___

Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey.

North Dakota rancher John Otto is bottle-feeding a belligerent baby bison that’s has millions of people watching him get bullied by the little guy.

It’s been only eight days since John and Makayla Otto brought a bison calf to their ranch near Plaza, North Dakota. 

He already has a very strong personality, and Otto is often on the receiving end of that strength.

“I’ve had my ass handed to me about four different times by now,” he said. “There’s nothing I can’t tame, but this thing might be the first.”

Otto decided to share his struggle with Georgie on social media. As of Monday, his videos of being headbutted and knocked over by the baby bison have been viewed more than 6 million times.

“He’s been the most photographed animal on this farm here for the last two weeks,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get paid for it and get my money back out of this little tear.”

Bully Baby

This is Otto’s second attempt at bottle-feeding bison on his “hideaway hobby farm” near Plaza. He and wife Makayla bottle-fed a female bison that met a sudden and tragic end.

“We got the heifer as tame as a lap dog,” he said. “When she was about a year old, she tried to run through the barn door and broke its neck. Died on the spot.”

Despite that “freak accident,” the Ottos were determined to raise another bison. They acquired this bull calf from a feedlot in South Dakota.

“The exotic animal dealer said this was the most lovable one,” he said. “For whatever reason, he loved the guy that had it, and he knows my wife, so he sent that one.”

“Loveable” wasn’t the impression John got when he went to pick up his new baby bison.

“From the time I walked up to the truck, that thing was butting and kicking through the pen that we had it in,” he said. “I wonder if I got lucky on the first (bison) and I’m getting the full taste on this one.”

Nevertheless, Georgie made it to his new home on the Ottos’ ranch. It’s been nothing but an adorable bully since.

“He started out as Richard on Day One, for obvious reasons, but now it’s Georgie,” John said.

Mommy’s Boy

The Ottos have been taking shifts raising their baby bull bison. So far, it’s clear that Georgie has a favorite.

“He loves my wife,” he said. “Every time he sees me, he runs. She walks up, and that thing will chase her all around the yard.”

Since it’s important that Georgie get acclimated to everyone, Georgie has been getting round-the-clock bottles from the Ottos. That doesn’t make John’s shifts any easier.

“I try to do the night shift when its quiet and everybody’s asleep,” he said. “That way, I get some time with him, but there’s no drawing straws. (Makayla) knows when she’s going to go do it, because I cherish my knees.”

According to John, Georgie is “all heart and few pounds,” but he packs a serious punch. 

He seems cute and cuddly on approach, but John knows it’s all a ruse so he’ll get close.

When John reaches out to touch Georgie’s head, the baby bison goes into hellion mode with enough force to knock Otto over.

“Everybody keeps saying don’t touch its head, but that’s kind of what you have to do,” he said. “If I can touch his head, I can start lovin’ on him.”

It’s worth noting that Makayla can touch Georgie’s head and his entire body without any issue. The bison’s adorable ire is exclusively targeted at John.

“This thing’s had a personal vendetta against me for some reason,” he said. “He’s like a deer, pound for pound. When he hits, it’s not like a calf. That thing hits to go through you.”

Breaking In The Baby

There’s no official guide on how to turn a baby bison into a “field puppy,” as the Ottos intend for Georgie. 

John might have met his match, but he’s determined to prevail.

“It’s pretty comparable to a Mustang that’s never been handled,” he said. “It’s all about persistence.”

The first thing the Ottos did was to split Georgie’s feedings in half. Instead of four bottles per day, the baby bison is getting seven or eight bottles, so there’s more one-on-one time.

“They’re smaller, more hands-on feedings,” he said. “When they’re closer together, there’s more interaction.”

Ultimately, John said he’s going to have to “keep making Georgie uncomfortable” until he settles into his perpetually privileged life on the ranch. 

Georgie might see John as his bullying buddy, but that attitude can’t be allowed to endure.

“It’s like breaking a horse,” he said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to hook him up and drag him, and other times you’ve got to tie a leg up or tie their head over. 

“You have to make them uncomfortable and keep making them uncomfortable until they accept their fate.”

And what will be Georgie’s fate? A life of loving and luxury as a glorified pet on the Ottos’ ranch, which comes with plenty of friends, lots of pets, and other perks.

The other occupants of the Ottos’s ranch include Hereford and Black Angus cattle, goats, a pet deer, and some other “oddballs.” 

Georgie will spend the rest of his life with this eclectic collection of friends.

“I’ve got two steers actually that I was raising to sell for processing, but they’ve turned into 1,800-pound yard dogs,” he said. “It’s pretty embarrassing that I still have them, but at the same time, I guess they’ll have their buffalo buddy to roam around with.”

It’s also worth noting that Georgie hasn’t been banded yet. That might improve his disposition toward John, but only time will tell.

“They say it’s no different than a heifer once it’s banded,” he said. “Well, we ain’t got him banded yet, so he’s just planning his next assault.”

Social Media Star

John and Georgie didn’t get off to a good start, but John thought his Facebook friends might enjoy following his struggle with the baby bison. 

He didn’t anticipate the viral response to his videos.

“I always kept my Facebook around 200 followers, because it’s family and friends I knew,” he said. “When I posted the first video, it had 4,000 views the next morning. By the end of that day, it had 10,000 views. It had 14,000 views the next day.”

John’s first video with Georgie, “Taming of the Dick,” has been viewed 1.1 million times. His Day Two update, where Georgie butts John onto his butt, has been viewed over 4.5 million times.

“I guess we’ll just keep riding this thing, and I’ll keep posting videos since people find it entertaining,” he said.

Some ranchers have successfully saddle-trained their bison so they can be ridden in parades and rodeos. The Ottos don’t think that’s in the stars for Georgie.

“We joke about it, and it’d be funny as heck to ride Georgie in (the North Dakota State Parade) in Minot, but on the other end, I’ll stick with a halter on it. I used to ride bulls. I didn’t ride buffalo,” John said.

Ring Around The Buffalo

After eight days on the ranch, John and Georgie seemed to have reached an understanding.

The strategy of smaller, staggered feedings seems to be working. Georgie’s new favorite pastime is “Ring Around the Buffalo” during feedings.

“I haven’t been in a boxing match in three days, at least,” he said. “I’ve got to entice him with some milk. Get food, and we’re bros.”

Georgie’s always on his best behavior with Makayla, which John acknowledged as “not fair.”

Meanwhile, the baby bison enjoys frolicking around and getting to know the other occupants of the ranch.

Regardless of his person-to-person temperament, the Ottos realize how important it is to spend as much time as possible with Georgie. It’s the surest way to ensure he lives his best life in their care.

That means John gets to touch Georgie’s head, whether he likes it or not. The alternative wouldn’t make for a fun viral video.

“If somebody’s going to buy one of these, see it in the morning, see it in the evening, and go to bed, yeah, that’s probably a bison that will end up in the freezer,” he said. “We want him to be friendly, so eventually, he’s going to get used to me touching his head.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.