Missouri

Few Kansas residents are getting arrested for buying legal weed in Missouri and bringing it home

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2024

Few Kansas residents are getting arrested for buying legal weed in Missouri and bringing it home

More than 1 million Kansans live within an hour’s drive of Missouri and its dispensaries selling legal cannabis at seemingly every strip mall.

Yet even with that new, easy access to legal weed, fewer people face arrest in Kansas on marijuana charges. Prosecutors and police remain obliged to enforce the state’s prohibition on cannabis — Kansas is one of only 11 states that outlaw marijuana even for medical purposes — but generally make it less of a priority.

So, while statistics are still taking shape in a state bordered by three states where medical and recreational sales are legal, arrests on cannabis charges and seizures of illegal weed appear on the decline or at least flattening out.

Missouri’s first legal sale of cannabis came in early February 2023. Kansas residents could immediately drive over and buy it legally, but risked arrest and prosecution if they brought their joints or gummies across the state line.

The Beacon asked law enforcement agencies in eastern Kansas for arrest data from 2022 and 2023. Statewide data on arrests isn’t complete.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrest records don’t track arrests by type of drug, and the agency doesn’t have complete numbers yet for 2023. The Kansas Highway Patrol also said getting statistics on every drug arrest would take time, but data on major seizures of weed showed a slight drop in 2023.

Here’s how some departments compare.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department arrested 186 people for weed in 2022. That number jumped to 241 in 2023. That spike is mostly due to an uptick in July arrests. The amount of weed seized dropped from 108 pounds to 22 pounds.
Overland Park police went from 189 arrests for selling and using in 2022 down to 166 arrests in 2023.
The Pittsburg Police Department had 35 arrests for 2022 but only 18 in 2023. Seizures jumped from 2,541 grams to 6,686 grams — again due to one month of large seizures.
Leavenworth police cited 23 people for weed in 2022 and 28 people in 2023.
The Kansas Highway Patrol said it has 76 significant marijuana seizures in 2022 and 68 significant seizures in 2023. That would mean a seizure with more than one pound of weed and likely doesn’t include arrests for simple possession, but getting data on every arrest is hard, the agency said.

The plateau in arrests signals a welcome shift to advocates who say over-policing cannabis only causes problems and is especially problematic for minority communities. The highway patrol lost a lawsuit just last year about an unconstitutional police practice it used to search drivers for weed.

No single factor explains the uneven trend in weed arrests. One agency said it just cites, rather than arrests, people for possession. Another agency said it was short on staff and cannabis wasn’t its biggest priority. Officers and prosecutors offices said they weren’t ignoring the issue, but some only pursue drug charges if other criminal charges are associated with a case.

“We have to have probable cause,” Overland Park police spokesperson John Lacy told Fox 4 in Kansas City last year. “In other words, they have to be speeding. They have to make an illegal lane change, things of that sort.”

Lacy said his agency cared more about serious felonies.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office was one of the few agencies that had a public policy on weed. The policy said the DA’s office isn’t interested in prosecuting weed charges.

Suzanne Valdez, the Douglas County district attorney, said she inherited a policy that’s been around for a decade and saw no reason to change it.

Her office still goes after drug dealers selling hard drugs, but she said stomping out users is a waste of prosecutors’ already limited time and resources.

Prosecuting a single case for possession isn’t quick. It requires lab testing at the KBI. That agency is testing sexual assault kits and evidence in murder cases. A marijuana sample could get lost in the shuffle.

“Marijuana possession? Nope, we’re just not doing it,” Valdez said. “Our law enforcement partners have pretty much accepted that.”

Wichita decriminalized weed in 2022. Medical marijuana or legal cannabis is murkier at a statewide level.

A bill in the Kansas Statehouse now would change how drugs are criminally categorized. That effort joined multiple attempts by state lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana that have stalled in recent years.

Supporters of the change say the public clearly supports legal weed — just look at all the Kansas plates at Missouri dispensaries. The 2023 Kansas Speaks survey found that 67% of Kansas residents support recreational weed, with 12% neutral on the idea, 17% opposed and 4% undecided.

But the political battle will continue.

“We’ve tackled this topic before and we’ll tackle it again,” said Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.

The Republican-controlled Kansas House has passed out measures to legalize medical weed, but the Republican-controlled Kansas Senate has blocked that.

“They are getting closer,” Hawkins said. “We’ll have our chance.”

This story was originally published by the Kansas City Beacon, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for June 2, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 2 drawing

15-26-43-48-60, Mega Ball: 12

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 2 drawing

Midday: 6-2-1

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 0-2-0

Evening Wild: 2

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 2 drawing

Midday: 4-9-6-4

Midday Wild: 5

Evening: 1-3-6-4

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 2 drawing

Early Bird: 13

Morning: 04

Matinee: 04

Prime Time: 08

Night Owl: 12

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from June 2 drawing

01-10-15-19-31

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Missouri

Date set for Missouri basketball vs Kansas in Border War game

Published

14 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Date set for Missouri basketball vs Kansas in Border War game

The date for the last matchup in the current Border War series is set.

Missouri men’s basketball will face Kansas in the Border War game on Dec. 6 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, according to a post from the Jayhawks’ official X/Twitter account Tuesday. The tipoff time and TV designation for the matchup will be released at a later date.

Kansas released its full nonconference schedule Tuesday, including the sixth and final game against Mizzou on the current competition contract.

The historic rivals have not yet signed a contract to renew the series beyond this season, according to a recent batch of competition contracts obtained by the Tribune through an open records request.

Missouri is yet to announce its nonconference schedule for the 2026-27 season, but there are three other known or reported games for this upcoming season.

Mizzou will face Howard at Mizzou Arena in the last leg of a three-game series, which will take place on a still-to-be-determined date.

The Tigers also have three more neutral-site games on their schedule. The annual Braggin’ Rights matchup against Illinois likely will fall in mid- or late- December at Enterprise Center, and Mizzou has agreed to a Nov. 15 trip to United Center in Chicago to face Marquette. Missouri also reportedly will face Saint Louis on Nov. 6 at Enterprise Center, according to Jon Rothstein at CBS Sports and College Hoops Today.

This season’s Border War matchup will include the first direct transfer between the two schools when Bryson Tiller suits up for Missouri after spending last season, his freshman year, at Kansas.

KU has won four of the five games since the series was renewed in 2021, including an 80-60 win in Kansas City last season. Missouri won the 2024-25 season matchup at Mizzou Arena, but has not beaten Kansas outside of Columbia since 2003.

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Missouri

Patrol reports 11 arrests across north Missouri May 29-June 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Patrol reports 11 arrests across north Missouri May 29-June 1, 2026

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested eleven people in north Missouri between May 29, 2026, and June 1, 2026. The arrests involved a variety of alleged offenses, including driving while intoxicated, felony drug possession, resisting arrest, and outstanding felony warrants. Arrests were reported in Grundy, Clinton, Caldwell, Shelby, Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Clark, and Macon counties.

It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to a detention center. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically transported to a detention center.

Diego G. Gavilanes-Tigse, 31, of Trenton, was arrested in Grundy County at 6:36 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and failure to signal. Gavilanes-Tigse was held at the Grundy County Law Enforcement Center and was placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.

Heather S. Starchman, 37, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 7:52 p.m. on May 29, 2026. Authorities reported she was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of a synthetic narcotic, felony tampering with evidence, felony resisting arrest, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior offense, cutting in on an overtaken vehicle, failure to yield, failure to register a motor vehicle, no insurance, no valid driver’s license, and failure to wear a seat belt. Starchman was taken to Cameron Regional Medical Center and later released.

Alcides Blazimiro Sagastume Gonzalez, 52, of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was arrested in Shelby County at 6:50 p.m. on May 29, 2026. He was charged with driving without a valid license and driving while intoxicated. He was held in Shelby County before being released.

Ernesto J. Carames Lopez, 27, of Kansas City, was arrested in Clinton County at 4:03 a.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers reported he was wanted on a Clarke County, Iowa, felony warrant for larceny and was also charged with careless and imprudent driving resulting in an accident. He was held in Clinton County and was listed as bondable.

Mariah R. Vandervelden, 31, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, was arrested in Marion County at 2:56 p.m. on May 30, 2026. She was charged with driving while intoxicated and was held in the Marion County Jail before being released.

Chad A. Woolfolk, 46, of Hannibal, was arrested in Marion County at 3:50 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked, and no insurance. Woolfolk was held in the Marion County Jail and later released.

Jo A. Kennedy, 62, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested in Ralls County at 5:35 p.m. on May 30, 2026. Troopers charged her with driving while intoxicated involving alcohol and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway. Kennedy was held by the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office before being released.

Ethan Z. White, 25, of Huntsville, was arrested in Monroe County at 5:40 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony resisting arrest, two counts of speeding 26 mph or more over the limit, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving on the left side of the roadway when the view was obstructed, driving while intoxicated involving alcohol, and consumption of alcohol while driving. White was taken to the Randolph County Jail and placed on a 24-hour hold.

Brian D. Brooks, 66, of Keokuk, Iowa, was arrested in Clark County at 9:53 p.m. on May 30, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, no valid license, and failure to comply with ignition interlock requirements. Brooks was held by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.

Justus Garway, 30, of Altoona, Iowa, was arrested in Macon County at 11:30 a.m. on May 31, 2026. He was charged with felony driving while intoxicated as an aggravated offender, failure to comply with an ignition interlock system, failure to secure a child younger than 8 years old, and speeding. Garway was held in the Macon County Jail on a 24-hour hold.

Justin L. Bittiker, 44, of Independence, was arrested in Caldwell County at 8:22 a.m. on June 1, 2026. Troopers charged him with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, and turning from a direct course when unsafe. Bittiker was held at the Caldwell County Detention Center on a 24-hour hold.

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