KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Cases of cyclosporiasis continue to multiply across the country, and the state of Missouri’s count is no different.

As of Thursday morning, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported 80 cases of the disease this week, which has been linked to “explosive diarrhea” across the country.

Days ago, the case number was 43.

Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a type of food poisoning called cyclosporiasis. The most notable symptom people report is frequent, watery diarrhea. This is different than the occasional diarrhea and should be taken seriously, the health department stated.

The state of Kansas has listed 55 cases of the disease, with 25 of those in Johnson County.

On Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified lettuce and other greens in salad as a potential source of the outbreak. There, more than 3,300 cases have been reported.

As that was taking place, fast-food giant Taco Bell issued a statement acknowledging it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”

Symptoms of the cyclosporiasis occur two to 14 days after exposure and may include:

• frequent watery diarrhea
• loss of appetite and weight
• abdominal cramps and bloating
• nausea
• low-grade fever

The Logan County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to approve a moratorium on data centers, making Logan the 12th county in the state to temporarily halt any data center construction.

The 12-month development ban also bars wind and solar energy systems, as well as cryptocurrency mining facilities, County Clerk Jennifer Nicholson said.

“Data centers are popping up everywhere,” Nicholson said. “We are in the middle of redoing our comprehensive plan and zoning regulations, and we want to get those in place since we currently don’t have anything that addresses data centers.”

Eleven other counties already have moratoriums in place: Butler, Box Butte, Custer, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Harlan, Johnson, Kearney, Otoe and Seward.

Cass, Gage and Garfield county planning commissions have voted in favor of moratoriums, but they await final approval from their respective county boards.

Logan County Commissioner Jon Hill said the moratorium buys the county time to finish refining its regulations in order to protect the county’s resources. While Hill said several residents are in favor of data centers and the business they may bring to the region, others are concerned about water use and how a center might impact the county’s electric supply and rates. He said he has questions of his own.

“I do have questions about why they cover so much land,” Hill said, referring to hyperscale data centers. “Some of them I’ve read about are three or five thousand acres.”

One potential data center developer, Tenaska, sent a representative to a Gage County meeting on moratoriums. The representative warned that moratoriums can create the appearance of being closed for business. Hill said that would not apply in Logan County.

“There might be an appearance that way, but I can’t say why,” Hill said. “Because we’ve made it plain in our action that it would be just twelve months until we can get regulations fixed up for them.”

Lincoln County Commissioners, on the other hand, rejected a moratorium earlier this week. Despite a large crowd showing up in force to advocate for strict regulations around data centers, or, better yet, a moratorium, board members argued that their existing regulations that address data centers are enough. Judy Clark, development director for the county, said the county is still working on refining those regulations that touch on data centers. Since the vote, county election officials confirmed a recall drive has been initiated against three of the five county commissioners.

Other counties are also reworking their zoning regulations, even ones that do not have moratoriums that temporarily bar development. This comes after legislation passed by lawmakers this year setting up a timeline for county boards to follow when they receive special or conditional use permit applications, typically used by data center developers. While some bills, like LB1261, do come with protections for counties, such as requirements for any developer needing a great deal of power to finance upgrades to the grid, many counties are working to ensure that any developer that hopes to build in their region has to abide by local rules as well, tailored to suit the community.

Vernon Dale Krause, 93, of Fargo, ND, formerly of Wahpeton, ND, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 10, 2026, at Heather’s House in Fargo, ND, under the care of HIA Hospice. 

A Celebration of life will be held on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., followed by a service at 10:00 a.m., with burial immediately following at Fairview Cemetery in Wahpeton.

Vern was born on February 16, 1933, in rural Wyndmere, ND, one of eleven children born to Theodore and Ella (Rohl) Krause. He grew up in Wyndmere and attended Wyndmere Public School, where he left his studies behind to volunteer for the United States Army. Vern proudly served from 1953 to 1956 before transferring to the Army Reserves. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and, throughout his life, carried great pride in his years of military service.

He married Jean (Carey) Krause, and together they built a life and raised their family in Wahpeton, where he would spend most of his years. They were blessed with two children. In his later years, after developing severe dementia, Vernon moved to Fargo so he could receive the care he needed and be closer to family.

For 41 years, he worked for the City of Wahpeton Water & Sewer Department, where he was highly regarded and known for knowing every inch of the city like the back of his hand. Even after retirement, he continued to volunteer his time and expertise whenever the City needed him. Among the accomplishments he was most proud of were his early years helping develop the Chahinkapa Zoo.

Above all, he cherished his family. He loved anything to do with his grandchildren — from crafting chairs out of tree trunks and splitting wood, to watching their sporting events and helping them grow into who they were meant to be. His great-grandchildren were a true blessing to him — even if their energy made him a little nervous, he always looked forward to their visits. His nieces and nephews brought him great joy as well especially in his later years and he loved being an uncle to them. When his brother Leyone “Spud” moved to town, Vern couldn’t wait to deliver him the daily newspaper and share a chat. He loved tinkering in the garage, always engineering new ways to drain water, and he was the biggest Green Bay Packers fan around — proud to call himself a team shareholder. After moving to Fargo, Vernon was grateful for the time he was able to spend with his sister, Carole Jean, who had always been his protector.

Vernon will be remembered for his steady hands, his quiet devotion to family and community, and the example he set of showing up — for his country, for his city, and most of all, for the people he loved. He will be deeply missed.

Vern is survived by his son, Mark Krause, Fargo; two sisters-in-law, Priscilla Krause and Donna Krause; two brothers-in-law, Ron Carey and Don Carey; eight grandchildren, Carey, Danielle, Margo, Jodi, Nikki, Kevin, Brad and Tracee; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean Krause; his daughter, Deb Christopher; five brothers, Alfred, Donald, Willard, Kenneth and Leyone Krause; five sisters, Dorothy Peterson, Loretta Dable, LaVelle Odegard, Lucille Kruchek and Carole Jean Johnson-Bohlken; sisters-in-law, Viola Krause, Marleen Krause, Amy Carey and Linda Carey; brothers-in-law, Elroy Odegard, Robert Johnson, Willis Bohlken, Pete Peterson, Johnny Kruchek and Frank Dable; granddaughter, Robyn Krause; and grandson, Jack Bollman.