Kansas

Kansas City-area residents plead with Missouri lawmakers to stop landfill • Missouri Independent

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2024

Kansas City-area residents plead with Missouri lawmakers to stop landfill • Missouri Independent

Nine-year-old Macie Thomas loves living in Raymore. She said she spends the summers playing outside, golfing and swimming. Her best friend and her grandmother both live nearby.

But Thomas told Missouri senators Tuesday that she fears a landfill proposed just over the city limits in Kansas City will change everything.

Thomas said her father suffers lung issues from exposure to toxic burn pits during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her grandmother has cancer, and her brother has severe asthma. She worries living near a landfill will make them all sick, and said her grandmother’s doctor suggested she’d have to move away.

“I don’t want her to move,” Thomas said. “We get to see each other almost every day. She makes the best hot chocolate and biscuits in the morning. We craft and garden and snuggle.”

The landfill — proposed by KC Recycle & Waste Solutions — would be built just south of Missouri Highway 150 in Kansas City. It’s less than a mile from the Creekmoor golf course community, located in Raymore, with homes priced between $500,000 and $1 million.

Mayors of Raymore, Lee’s Summit and other suburban Kansas City municipalities have decried the project, saying it will harm their constituents and communities.

But the Kansas City-Raymore border is just far enough from the site that developers wouldn’t need the approval of any of those cities to build on the Kansas City site. Nearby residents are hoping the Missouri General Assembly will change that.

Thomas and fellow residents spoke in support of legislation that would block the landfill. Two bills, sponsored by Republican Sens. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit and Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, would require that municipalities within one mile of a landfill built in an adjacent city be allowed to sign off before the state can issue an environmental permit. Right now, the buffer zone is half a mile.

Fight over proposed Kansas City landfill will return to Missouri legislature

Rick Meyers, a Kansas City resident who said he lives near the site, quoted a former U.S. Supreme Court justice to say one person can’t infringe on another’s rights.

“My right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins,” Meyers said.

He added: “Their right to put in a harmful landfill next door to a school in the middle of a growing neighborhood does not serve my and my neighbors’ rights to our property, to breathe clean, toxin-and odor-free air.”

The same bill was debated last year, but it stalled in the Senate when another Republican lawmaker — who received a campaign contribution from a political action committee associated with one of the lobbying firms working for KC Recycling & Waste Solutions — launched a filibuster.

Brattin responded the next day with a filibuster of his own, bringing the Senate to a halt for nine hours as its time to pass the state’s annual budget grew short. He relented after striking a deal with fellow senators to amend the budget to fund a study by Missouri environmental regulators into the possible effects a landfill would have on the surrounding communities.

But Gov. Mike Parson later vetoed that funding, saying the budget passed by legislators was $1.7 billion larger than he had recommended and decreased revenues while increasing expenditures. He added that the landfill was a “local responsibility with minimal statewide impact” and that other funding mechanisms besides earmarked state funding should be used.

KC Recycle & Waste Solutions is owned by a married couple: Jenny and Aden Monheiser.

Jenny Monheiser spoke at Tuesday’s hearing in the Missouri Senate’s Local Government and Elections Committee, saying the region is quickly running out of landfill space and needs a new facility.

“I’m not so naïve to think that people wake up in the morning and hope that somebody will knock on their door and say that there’s going to be a landfill developed in their area,” Monheiser said. “The fact of the matter is, though, landfills are a part of infrastructure that cities need.”

Monheiser said her company wants to be “responsible neighbors and engage stakeholders.”

During debate over similar legislation last year, Monheiser asked legislators not to change the rules in the middle of the game. While her company hasn’t sought rezoning or an environmental permit, they have started acquiring the site.

But it’s unclear how much land they have already assembled.

After the last legislative session, the Monheisers and opponents of the landfill started donating and organizing to influence the legislature.

The Monheisers have donated more than $42,000 to state and local races and political action committees, including $25,000 to Southern Drawl PAC, which is supporting Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder’s run for lieutenant governor.

Kill the Fill PAC, which opposes the landfill, has raised more than $157,000 since its launch last May.

The committee took no action on either bill Tuesday.

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Kansas

Kansas City murder suspect added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list

Published

19 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City murder suspect added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list

Woman on the run in connection with Kansas City murder added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list

KaShawn Nicola Roper, who is wanted in connection with a 2020 shooting in Kansas City, should be considered “armed and dangerous,” officials say.

Updated: 11:40 AM CDT Apr 14, 2026

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A woman who has been on the run for years in connection with a Kansas City, Missouri, homicide has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, is wanted for murder after a shooting on Aug. 23, 2020. Roper allegedly fired shots at a vehicle, striking two female victims. One of the victims, 23-year-old Jazmyn Henrion, was killed. Roper was charged on Sept. 10, 2020, with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. At that time, a state warrant was issued for her arrest. A federal warrant was issued on July 1, 2021, after she was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. More than five years later, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Chief Stacey Graves, along with the FBI and the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, announced that Roper was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted on April 14. Officials say Roper should be considered “armed and dangerous.” She is described as a Black female who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and approximately 120 pounds. She has tattoos on her left arm, upper right arm, left calf, neck, right wrist, right side of her chest and her abdomen. She has pierced ears. She was born in Kansas and previously lived in Kansas City, but she has ties to Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Georgia and South Dakota. Authorities are offering a $1 million reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction. Anyone with information on Roper’s whereabouts is asked to contact the nearest FBI office or local law enforcement agency. Calls can be directed to 1-800-CALL-FBI. Those outside of the U.S. should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be submitted online to tips.fbi.gov. All tips can remain anonymous. Since the inception of the Ten Most Wanted list in 1950, 21 fugitives wanted within the FBI’s Kansas City are of responsibility have been placed on the list. Fourteen of those fugitives have been arrested in the Kansas City region. “When a life is taken in our community, our commitment to justice does not waver. For nearly five years, this case has remained unresolved, and we are continuing to pursue every lead to bring answers to a grieving family,” Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said. “We are grateful to the FBI for bringing additional tools and national attention to this case. Someone somewhere has information that can help move this investigation forward. We urge anyone with knowledge of KaShawn Roper’s whereabouts to come forward. Your voice could make all the difference for a family still seeking justice.” “This announcement reflects the great collaboration between the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and our federal partners — specifically, the long-standing partnership with FBI, resulting in a safer Kansas City,” Graves said. “A safer Kansas City means holding offenders accountable through arrest and prosecution. For too long, KaShawn Roper has remained a fugitive and avoided accountability. With the assistance of the FBI and the attention brought by her addition to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, we are confident she will be apprehended. We are committed to ensuring justice is served for the victims and their loved ones.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

A woman who has been on the run for years in connection with a Kansas City, Missouri, homicide has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, is wanted for murder after a shooting on Aug. 23, 2020. Roper allegedly fired shots at a vehicle, striking two female victims. One of the victims, 23-year-old Jazmyn Henrion, was killed.

Roper was charged on Sept. 10, 2020, with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. At that time, a state warrant was issued for her arrest.

A federal warrant was issued on July 1, 2021, after she was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

More than five years later, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Chief Stacey Graves, along with the FBI and the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, announced that Roper was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted on April 14.

Officials say Roper should be considered “armed and dangerous.”

She is described as a Black female who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and approximately 120 pounds. She has tattoos on her left arm, upper right arm, left calf, neck, right wrist, right side of her chest and her abdomen. She has pierced ears.

She was born in Kansas and previously lived in Kansas City, but she has ties to Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Georgia and South Dakota.

Authorities are offering a $1 million reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction.

Anyone with information on Roper’s whereabouts is asked to contact the nearest FBI office or local law enforcement agency. Calls can be directed to 1-800-CALL-FBI. Those outside of the U.S. should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Tips can be submitted online to tips.fbi.gov. All tips can remain anonymous.

Since the inception of the Ten Most Wanted list in 1950, 21 fugitives wanted within the FBI’s Kansas City are of responsibility have been placed on the list. Fourteen of those fugitives have been arrested in the Kansas City region.

“When a life is taken in our community, our commitment to justice does not waver. For nearly five years, this case has remained unresolved, and we are continuing to pursue every lead to bring answers to a grieving family,” Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said. “We are grateful to the FBI for bringing additional tools and national attention to this case. Someone somewhere has information that can help move this investigation forward. We urge anyone with knowledge of KaShawn Roper’s whereabouts to come forward. Your voice could make all the difference for a family still seeking justice.”

“This announcement reflects the great collaboration between the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and our federal partners — specifically, the long-standing partnership with FBI, resulting in a safer Kansas City,” Graves said. “A safer Kansas City means holding offenders accountable through arrest and prosecution. For too long, KaShawn Roper has remained a fugitive and avoided accountability. With the assistance of the FBI and the attention brought by her addition to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, we are confident she will be apprehended. We are committed to ensuring justice is served for the victims and their loved ones.”

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Kansas

Multiple communities report damage, 3 people injured after tornado-producing storms

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Multiple communities report damage, 3 people injured after tornado-producing storms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Multiple communities in Kansas have had damage after reported tornadoes and severe storms.

The city of Ottawa, Kansas, says that after the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning at approximately 7:25 p.m. on Monday, April 13, a storm caused structural damage.

Hillsdale Kansas suffered storm damage from possible tornado-producing storm.

Officials say that 3 people suffered minor injuries at a home with significant damage east of Ottawa, in Franklin County. The city says that no injuries or fatalities have been reported within city limits.

Officials say the majority of the town is without power, and streetlights aren’t working. KCTV reported that Main St. from 1st to 6th does have lights back on, as of 10:36 p.m.

Ottawa USD 290 has cancelled school on Tuesday, April 14, due to the storm aftermath.

Multiple buildings in Hillsdale, Kansas, were damaged after reports of a tornado.(DJ Inlow)

Officials are asking community members to stay off the roadways and to stay away from downed power lines. They also say that all City and County emergency personnel are responding to the weather event.

Ottawa’s Police Chief asked people to stay home overnight as they work to clear storm debris from streets

At this time, there is no estimate as to when power will be restored in Ottawa.

In Hillsdale, Kansas, a spotter shared a photo of a tornado. Viewer photos show significant damage there, as well.

Storm damage after reported tornado in Hillsdale, Kansas(DJ Inlow)

KCTV5 will make updates as they’re made available.

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Alert Days ahead: Multiple chances for rain, thunderstorms this week in the Kansas City metro

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Alert Days ahead: Multiple chances for rain, thunderstorms this week in the Kansas City metro

There are multiple chances for rain and thunderstorms this week, including two First Alert Weather Alert Days highlighting the potential for severe thunderstorms. The first Alert Day is Tuesday. Most of the morning and afternoon will be dry, warm, humid and windy. After 5 p.m., ongoing thunderstorms across Oklahoma and southern Kansas will begin moving northeast toward Kansas City. The risk of severe weather will increase after that time and continue through 1 a.m. Wednesday, as thunderstorms lift across areas primarily along and east of Interstate 35 in eastern Kansas and central Missouri. The primary threats are large to very large hail and damaging winds. The tornado risk is low. The severe weather potential on Wednesday depends on whether the atmosphere is able to recover and destabilize after Tuesday night’s storms, Wednesday morning rain and lingering cloud cover. A dryline and cold front will approach the region from the west during the afternoon and evening, providing the focus for showers and thunderstorms that may produce large hail and damaging winds. Another cold front will bring renewed chances for showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening, and with conditions similar to Wednesday in place, there is at least some potential for severe thunderstorms. Please keep in mind that while this is a common and favorable pattern for showers and thunderstorms, most thunderstorms this week will not produce severe weather. That said, sufficient wind shear, lift, instability and moisture on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday will provide an environment where thunderstorms could thrive and support all types of severe weather. Check the forecast twice daily for updates, review your severe weather safety plan and have multiple ways to receive weather alerts.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

There are multiple chances for rain and thunderstorms this week, including two First Alert Weather Alert Days highlighting the potential for severe thunderstorms.

The first Alert Day is Tuesday. Most of the morning and afternoon will be dry, warm, humid and windy. After 5 p.m., ongoing thunderstorms across Oklahoma and southern Kansas will begin moving northeast toward Kansas City. The risk of severe weather will increase after that time and continue through 1 a.m. Wednesday, as thunderstorms lift across areas primarily along and east of Interstate 35 in eastern Kansas and central Missouri.

The primary threats are large to very large hail and damaging winds. The tornado risk is low.

The severe weather potential on Wednesday depends on whether the atmosphere is able to recover and destabilize after Tuesday night’s storms, Wednesday morning rain and lingering cloud cover.

A dryline and cold front will approach the region from the west during the afternoon and evening, providing the focus for showers and thunderstorms that may produce large hail and damaging winds.

Another cold front will bring renewed chances for showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening, and with conditions similar to Wednesday in place, there is at least some potential for severe thunderstorms.

Please keep in mind that while this is a common and favorable pattern for showers and thunderstorms, most thunderstorms this week will not produce severe weather. That said, sufficient wind shear, lift, instability and moisture on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday will provide an environment where thunderstorms could thrive and support all types of severe weather.

Check the forecast twice daily for updates, review your severe weather safety plan and have multiple ways to receive weather alerts.

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