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Missouri judge rejects suit by interfaith clergy, including rabbis, that challenged abortion ban

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Missouri judge rejects suit by interfaith clergy, including rabbis, that challenged abortion ban


(JTA) – A Missouri judge upheld the state’s abortion ban Friday, rejecting efforts by a group of 14 interfaith clergy, including rabbis, who sought to protect reproductive rights by suing the state on religious freedom grounds.

The faith leaders, among them five rabbis from multiple Jewish denominations, filed their suit in January 2023. They charged that lawmakers who voted to ban nearly all abortions acted according to their personal religious beliefs, violating the separation of church and state enshrined in Missouri’s constitution.

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The so-called “trigger bill” went into effect after the Supreme Court removed federal abortion protections in 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. 

In his decision on Friday upholding Missouri’s ban, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser argued that the language of the state’s abortion law is “similar” to the language of the state constitution, which also includes language like “Supreme Ruler of the Universe” and “Almighty God.” 

Sengheiser also noted that the bill paraphrases language famously found in the Declaration of Independence stating that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life.”

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The petitioners had argued in their lawsuit that the bill established its own religion. But Sengheiser wrote that the main argument of abortion opponents is not exclusively a religious belief. 

‘Human life begins at conception’

US Supreme Court front (credit: FLICKR)

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“The Court does not accept Petitioners’ argument that the determination that human life begins at conception is strictly a religious one,” Sengheiser wrote. “While the determination that life begins at conception may run counter to some religious beliefs it is not itself necessarily a religious belief.”

In a statement issued Friday, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, speaking on behalf of the clergy members, said they “respectfully” disagreed with the judge’s decision and would be discussing next steps with the faith leaders.

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“Missouri’s abortion ban is a direct attack on the separation of church and state, religious freedom and reproductive freedom,” Americans United said in their statement. “Missouri lawmakers made clear that they were imposing their personal religious beliefs on all Missourians when they enacted these laws.”

Jewish clergy nationwide – in Florida, Indiana and Kentucky as well as Missouri – have been fighting in court for reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision. Many have cited alleged religious freedom violations. An Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in April that the state’s religious liberty protections may extend to those seeking an abortion, but the case will likely go to the state Supreme Court for a final ruling.

Sengheiser’s decision was made the day after the US Supreme Court voted in favor of protecting federal access to medication abortion. 

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1 dead and 5 wounded in Kansas City shooting

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1 dead and 5 wounded in Kansas City shooting


One person was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday night, according to police.

Officers heard gunfire just before 10:30 p.m. and responded to the area of East 19th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street, police said. They located two adult women who were “conscious and alert,” along with an adult man who was unresponsive, the Kansas City Police Department said in a statement.

The man, identified as David E. Beck III, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two women were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Three additional victims — a man and a woman in stable condition and another man in critical condition — arrived at the hospital in a private vehicle, police said.

Preliminary information indicates the victims were gathered along 19th Street when multiple people opened fire. “All of the victims appear to have been standing in this vicinity when they were struck,” police said. Detectives are processing evidence and interviewing witnesses. No suspects are in custody.

The shooting took place roughly 7 miles from Arrowhead Stadium, which is hosting World Cup matches this summer under the name Kansas City Stadium. Ecuador and Curaçao are scheduled to play there Saturday night. Kansas City is touted as the “Soccer Capital of America.”

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The city already has a large law enforcement presence to assist with World Cup security, including officers from all over the Midwest, Kansas City Police Capt. Jake Becchina told NBC News.

“We have the largest police presence we have ever had in our city for an event,” Becchina said.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact their anonymous tips hotline. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.



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Rarely Seen Missouri Artifact Featured in Brand-New Smithson…

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Rarely Seen Missouri Artifact Featured in Brand-New Smithson…


Here’s a clearer, tighter version suitable for a news feature or community-interest article:

Opening June 18 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” is a major new exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The exhibition features more than 600 rare specimens and cultural objects representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.

Drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 148 million artifacts and specimens, the 5,000-square-foot exhibition explores the people, landscapes, discoveries, traditions and stories that have shaped the nation throughout millions of years of natural and cultural history. Many of the featured items have rarely, if ever, been displayed publicly.

Missouri is represented by an American paddlefish, one of seven objects from the state included in the exhibition. The American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is the last surviving member of an ancient fish family and one of the largest fish species found in North America’s rivers. Scientists estimate paddlefish diverged from other fish lineages more than 310 million years ago and have changed little since.

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Once found throughout the Great Lakes region, the species is now limited to the Mississippi River watershed. Its distinctive paddle-shaped snout contains sensors that detect electrical signals in the water, helping the fish locate food and navigate its environment. The paddlefish serves as a living link to the distant past, illustrating how some ancient species have survived through hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary change.

The exhibition highlights natural, cultural, scientific and historical connections from across the United States, including Missouri, and is expected to be viewed by millions of visitors during its run in Washington, D.C., through December 2029.

“This exhibition brings the entire country into one gallery,” said Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. “As the country marks its 250th anniversary, ‘From These Lands’ presents an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of our landscapes, the depth of our history and the connections that link people and the natural world across borders.”

The exhibition includes fossils, minerals, scientific specimens, cultural artifacts and interactive displays designed to help visitors explore the connections between people, places and the natural world. Featured objects range from a rare blue gemstone from California and a Northern bobwhite collected by a young Theodore Roosevelt to Indigenous cultural objects and specimens tied to major scientific discoveries and conservation efforts.

Organized around themes such as biodiversity, geology, state symbols, Indigenous traditions, environmental change and ecosystem restoration, the exhibition also features animated maps and digital interactives that allow visitors to explore shared natural features and state symbols from across the nation.

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“From These Lands” is part of the Smithsonian-wide initiative “Our Shared Future: 250,” which commemorates the nation’s semiquincentennial. Related programming will include lectures, family activities, hands-on events, a companion book and an online version of the exhibition.

Opened in 1910, the National Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s most visited natural history museums and offers free admission to the public.



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10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says

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10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says


Callaway County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two Mexico, Missouri, residents on suspicion of possession of 10 pounds of methamphetamine, according to a social media post from the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 10:18 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies conducted traffic stops on Interstate 70 regarding an ongoing narcotics investigation by the Sheriff’s Office investigators assigned to the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, according to the social media post.

Deputies made contact with Louetta Dorsey, 43, and Brian Wilson, 41, of Mexico, in their vehicles during the investigation, according to the social media post. The two suspects were in separate vehicles, and one was allegedly acting as a decoy vehicle for the other, according to court documents.

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During the traffic stops, deputies located approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Dorsey and Wilson were arrested and taken to the Callaway County Jail, according to the social media post.

Dorsey has been charged with second-degree drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. Charges for Wilson were not appearing in Missouri’s online court record system as of Friday afternoon.

A probable cause statement filed in Dorsey’s case indicates that both she and Wilson were under investigation on suspicion of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Audrain, Boone and Callaway counties.

Members of the MUSTANG Drug Task Force worked with the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Drug Task Force and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office-MO to execute additional narcotics related search warrants, according to the social media post.

The results of the search warrants revealed firearms and drug paraphernalia commonly used for drug trafficking, according to the social media post.

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