A Jackson County judge on Friday denied Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s attempt to immediately stop Kansas City-based CBD American Shaman and several affiliated companies from selling kratom products.

The motion for a temporary restraining order, which was filed alongside the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, took particular aim at the more potent 7-OH products, which Hanaway argues are “hazardous opioids” banned by state and federal law.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Charles McKenzie’s ruling Friday stated there are “competing affidavits” from experts on both sides of the argument, following a hearing on the motion earlier this week.

“The court cannot find, based on the oral argument of the parties, the respective competing affidavits presented and the pleadings, whether the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits at this juncture in the proceedings in order for the court to grant relief in the form of a temporary restraining order,” McKenzie’s order states.

Hanaway’s argument was backed by sworn statements from an undercover narcotics officer with the highway patrol who said 7-OH is being used to cut fentanyl and a woman whose brother died from a kratom overdose. Her office also submitted a FDA report that points to 7-OH as “a potent opioid that poses an emerging public health threat” and state health data showing synthetic 7-OH was involved in at least 197 Missouri deaths.

American Shaman submitted statements of its own from five toxicology and addiction experts, who largely said there wasn’t enough evidence to show that 7-OH and kratom posed a public health risk. One who researched narcotics said she had never heard of 7-OH being used to cut fentanyl.

Company owner Vince Sanders’ statement detailed how he came up with the idea to create 7-OH products, which now has an “enormous” demand particularly among people who need pain management.

Sanders could not be reached for comment about the ruling Friday.

McKenzie denied a temporary restraining order “without prejudice,” meaning that he would like to see more evidence.

“It is because of this finding that the court determines it necessary to hold an additional hearing,” he wrote, “where it can consider the parties respective positions with the potential of testimonial evidence and other properly introduced evidence, all as more fully developed by the parties, in order to further analyze these issues.”

The judge will consider “other injunctive relief sought in the pleadings at a future hearing to consider the issues,” the order states.

Hanaway filed a similar lawsuit Thursday against Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC, and its owners Dustin Robinson and Ajaykumar Patel.

The group received a warning letter from the FDA for producing 7-OH products last year similar to one received by Shaman Botanicals.

“This is another step in our ongoing crackdown on kratom manufacturers who flout the law and try to justify endangering Missourians in the name of profit,” Hanaway said in a press release Thursday. “Our mission is to safeguard Missourians from unregulated and addictive substances, and we will continue to pursue every legal tool available to protect public health and safety.”

This story was originally published by the Missouri Independent.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska Athletics announced Friday that the expansion of John Cook Arena is in full swing.

The Nebraska Athletics Capital Planning and Facilities Department posted to social media that the effort to modernize amenities and provide new seating options is well underway.

According to the athletic fund, the renovation will enhance Nebraska’s home-court advantage, modernize amenities and provide new premium and general seating options. This includes adding:

• New and improved seats with cup holders in each seat.
• A new centralized student section.
• New and improved courtside seating with both end court and side court locations available. The Courtside Lounge offers access pregame and during intermission and includes private restrooms, televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food, beverage and alcohol.
• New Loge Box seating with hospitality lounge with access pregame and during intermission, including access to private restrooms, televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food and beverage with a cash bar.
• Libero Club seating replaces the VIP seats. Located in the back row of the 100 level, seats include access to the Libero Club Lounge pregame and during intermission complete with televisions and all-inclusive gourmet food and soft drinks with a cash bar.
• Additional ADA seating with new vantage points and easier access from around the concourse.

The Husker Athletic Fund announced the first-ever reseating and parking process in October 2025. It is timed to coincide with the renovation of the arena to increase overall capacity to 10,000.

For more information about the reseating process, click here.

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Three years after a deal with Fairview was called off, South Dakota-based Sanford Health is getting into the Twin Cities market with a new merger.

On Friday, the health system announced that it will combine with North Memorial Health.

Fairview, Sanford call off planned merger

Under the merger, Sanford says the organization will invest $600 million to strengthen the Robbinsdale hospital and double the Maple Grove hospital’s size.

Sanford is the largest rural nonprofit health system in the country, with 58 hospitals and roughly 56,000 employees across the Dakotas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. North Memorial operates two hospitals in Robbinsdale and Maple Grove, along with several other clinics, employing more than 6,500 people.

If completed, the health systems plan to keep some local leadership in place, including North Memorial CEO Trevor Sawallish, and two North Memorial board members will serve on the combined system’s board. However, the overall company will be led by Sanford CEO Bill Gassen.

The companies say they expect the merger to close later this year, as long as regulatory processes don’t cause delays.

Sanford’s previous attempt to merge with Fairview was called off in 2023, eight months after initially announcing the planned merger. Many Minnesotans raised concerns about that transaction, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, although some of that was due to the University of Minnesota’s partnership with Fairview and the possibility of an out-of-state company running the state’s flagship medical school.

As with most mergers, concerns are still likely to arise about possible cutbacks and the impact on the state’s healthcare quality. However, the deal seems more likely to be completed than Sanford’s past attempts.

Reaction

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, who represents over 1,000 workers at North Memorial, called the news “worrisome.”

“At a time when healthcare costs are skyrocketing for Minnesota families and frontline healthcare workers are getting squeezed by short staffing levels, this latest attempt at consolidation brings many concerns. It is especially concerning because previous merger attempts by Sanford Health to come into Minnesota have failed due to their values and corporate behavior,” the union said.

SEIU also called on Ellison “to use all of his office’s powers within the law to provide oversight into this proposed merger and ensure the interests of Minnesota’s workers and patients are protected.”

Ellison’s office is asking the public to submit information through an online Community Input Form.

“As we have done and are currently doing with other healthcare transactions, we are conducting a thorough review of this potential acquisition to ensure it complies with the law and is in the public interest,” Ellison daid. “Proposed health care consolidation requires careful examination. As long as I am Attorney General, I will use the full range of regulatory tools to protect Minnesotans’ access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

The Minnesota Nurses Association released a statement saying it is “deeply concerned” by the merger announcement, warning it “could have far-reaching consequences for patients, healthcare workers, and the communities they serve.”

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