By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert"></a>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-tankers-shipbuilding-3c711c500a627243329807df42fa6ef8">pressure campaign on Venezuela</a>, but the U.S. offered few details.

(click below to listen to the President's explanation of the attack)

Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.”

“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-ceasefire-arab-nations-229253766673f18c1195550572edd2ce">met in Florida with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”

It is part of an escalating effort to target what the Trump administration says are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">boats smuggling drugs</a>&nbsp;bound for the United States. It moves closer to shore strikes that so far have been carried out by the military in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Trump declined to say if the U.S. military or the CIA carried out the latest strike or where it occurred. He did not confirm it happened in Venezuela.

“I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore,” Trump said.

Trump first referenced the strike on Friday, when he called radio host John Catsimatidis during a program on WABC radio and discussed the U.S. strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats. The attacks have killed at least 105 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">29 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September.

“I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So, we hit them very hard.”

Trump did not offer any additional details in the interview.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or one of the U.S. military’s social media accounts has in the past typically announced every boat strike in a post on X, but there has been no post of any strike on a facility.

The Pentagon on Monday referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking more details. The press office of Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s statement.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">for months has suggested</a>&nbsp;he may conduct land strikes in South America, in Venezuela or possibly another country, and in recent weeks has been saying the U.S. would move beyond striking boats and&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4.-1.0.json?type=new" target="_blank">would strike on land “soon</a>.”

In October, Trump confirmed he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cia-covert-operations-venezuela-ecb477ac7f07d5beaf48d44dee75c5e5">authorized the CIA</a>&nbsp;to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. The agency did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday.

Along with the strikes, the U.S. has sent warships, built up military forces in the region,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tanker-seized-venezuela-maduro-0a148ba01684fc6ce1a228dd276732c0">seized two oil tankers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trump-blockade-ship-intercepted-coast-guard-00056eed8071c51ca681fc74528d66f1">pursued a third</a>.

The Trump administration has said it is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and seeking to stop the flow of narcotics into the United States.

Venezuelan President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from power.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/susie-wiles-interview-donald-trump-a9b42bf0580f9ebdf93a45e7d19382f5">in an interview with Vanity Fair</a>&nbsp;published this month that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro ‘cries uncle.’”

Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a><a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert"></a>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-tankers-shipbuilding-3c711c500a627243329807df42fa6ef8">pressure campaign on Venezuela</a>, but the U.S. offered few details.(click below to listen to the President's explanation of the attack)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">JUST IN: The United States has conducted its first land strike against Venezuela, according to President Donald Trump. Reporter: You mentioned in a radio interview ... did the military do that? Trump: There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up… <a href="https://t.co/XMIZf1vT2q">pic.twitter.com/XMIZf1vT2q</a>&mdash; Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2005709303488143703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.”“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-gaza-ceasefire-arab-nations-229253766673f18c1195550572edd2ce">met in Florida with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”It is part of an escalating effort to target what the Trump administration says are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">boats smuggling drugs</a>&nbsp;bound for the United States. It moves closer to shore strikes that so far have been carried out by the military in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.Trump declined to say if the U.S. military or the CIA carried out the latest strike or where it occurred. He did not confirm it happened in Venezuela.“I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore,” Trump said.Trump first referenced the strike on Friday, when he called radio host John Catsimatidis during a program on WABC radio and discussed the U.S. strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats. The attacks have killed at least 105 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">29 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September.“I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So, we hit them very hard.”Trump did not offer any additional details in the interview.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or one of the U.S. military’s social media accounts has in the past typically announced every boat strike in a post on X, but there has been no post of any strike on a facility.The Pentagon on Monday referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking more details. The press office of Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s statement.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">for months has suggested</a>&nbsp;he may conduct land strikes in South America, in Venezuela or possibly another country, and in recent weeks has been saying the U.S. would move beyond striking boats and&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/0faff66145c6706e2861fcde36756fe4.-1.0.json?type=new" target="_blank">would strike on land “soon</a>.”In October, Trump confirmed he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cia-covert-operations-venezuela-ecb477ac7f07d5beaf48d44dee75c5e5">authorized the CIA</a>&nbsp;to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. The agency did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday.Along with the strikes, the U.S. has sent warships, built up military forces in the region,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tanker-seized-venezuela-maduro-0a148ba01684fc6ce1a228dd276732c0">seized two oil tankers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trump-blockade-ship-intercepted-coast-guard-00056eed8071c51ca681fc74528d66f1">pursued a third</a>.The Trump administration has said it is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and seeking to stop the flow of narcotics into the United States.Venezuelan President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from power.White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/susie-wiles-interview-donald-trump-a9b42bf0580f9ebdf93a45e7d19382f5">in an interview with Vanity Fair</a>&nbsp;published this month that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro ‘cries uncle.’”___Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

🎥 Trump says U.S. hit drug boat loading dock in Venezuela

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in an apartment building in Kansas City.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire in the 1800 block of 15th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

&nbsp; On arrival crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a two-story vacant apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure were conducted, and no injuries were reported. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning were called to the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767039742892.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in an apartment building in Kansas City.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported fire in the 1800 block of 15th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp; On arrival crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a two-story vacant apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure were conducted, and no injuries were reported. Dangerous Buildings and City Planning were called to the scene.&nbsp;

Cause of fire in 2-story KC apartment under investigaiton

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/annie-ma">ANNIE MA</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers who are in default early next year.

The department said it will send notices to approximately 1,000 borrowers the week of January 7, with more notices to come at an increasing scale each month.

Millions of borrowers are considered in default, meaning they are 270 days past due on their payments. The department must give borrowers 30 days notice before their wages can be garnished.

The department said it will begin collection activities, “only after student and parent borrowers have been provided sufficient notice and opportunity to repay their loans.”

In May, the Trump administration ended the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments, beginning to collect on defaulted debt through withholding tax refunds and other federal payments to borrowers.

The move ended a period of leniency for student loan borrowers. Payments restarted in October of 2023, but the Biden administration extended a grace period of one year. Since March 2020, no federal student loans had been referred for collection, including those in default, until the Trump administration’s changes earlier this year.

The Biden administration tried multiple times to give broad forgiveness to student loans, but those efforts were eventually stopped by courts.

Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, criticized the decision to begin garnishing wages, and said the department had failed to sufficiently help borrowers find affordable payment options.

“At a time when families across the country are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis, this administration’s decision to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers is cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible,” Yu said in a statement. “As millions of borrowers sit on the precipice of default, this Administration is using its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers’ wages instead of defending borrowers’ right to affordable payments.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/annie-ma">ANNIE MA</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers who are in default early next year.The department said it will send notices to approximately 1,000 borrowers the week of January 7, with more notices to come at an increasing scale each month.Millions of borrowers are considered in default, meaning they are 270 days past due on their payments. The department must give borrowers 30 days notice before their wages can be garnished.The department said it will begin collection activities, “only after student and parent borrowers have been provided sufficient notice and opportunity to repay their loans.”In May, the Trump administration ended the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments, beginning to collect on defaulted debt through withholding tax refunds and other federal payments to borrowers.The move ended a period of leniency for student loan borrowers. Payments restarted in October of 2023, but the Biden administration extended a grace period of one year. Since March 2020, no federal student loans had been referred for collection, including those in default, until the Trump administration’s changes earlier this year.The Biden administration tried multiple times to give broad forgiveness to student loans, but those efforts were eventually stopped by courts.Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, criticized the decision to begin garnishing wages, and said the department had failed to sufficiently help borrowers find affordable payment options.“At a time when families across the country are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis, this administration’s decision to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers is cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible,” Yu said in a statement. “As millions of borrowers sit on the precipice of default, this Administration is using its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers’ wages instead of defending borrowers’ right to affordable payments.”___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Student loan borrowers in default may see wages garnished in 2026

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, was scheduled to learn his fate on Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For the third time in two months sentencing for&nbsp;24-year-old Dominic Thomas was postponed, the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office reported on Monday.

 In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.

Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.

During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765505981091.png" alt="Thomas photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, was scheduled to learn his fate on Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the third time in two months sentencing for&nbsp;24-year-old Dominic Thomas was postponed, the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office reported on Monday. In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley DavidsonUpon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

 Kan. man who tried to drown pregnant girlfriend waits to learn his fate

KANSAS CITY —In a Christmas weekend post on their social media page, Kansas City's Union Station&nbsp;called for the Kanas City Royals to build the team's next ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

"The time has come for downtown baseball, and a return to where the story first began, in the heart of Kansas City, where we gather to celebrate its triumphs, traditions, and most cherished moments," according to the Station's post site.

"At this moment, Union Station glows in Royals blue, serving as a powerful symbol of a truly generational opportunity rooted in both history and hope."

"Long before today, however, teams and ballparks — some now remembered only in name — laid the foundation for baseball in our historic core. Included are the Unions at Athletic Park in 1884. The Kansas City Cowboys at League Park in 1886."

"The Royal Giants at Shelley Park in 1910. The Packers at Gordon &amp; Koppel Field beginning in 1913. The Kansas City Blues at Association Park in the early 1920s, before moving in 1923 — along with the Monarchs — to what would eventually be called Municipal Stadium."

"In 1955, the Athletics started playing in a nearly entirely rebuilt Municipal Stadium, followed by the Royals in 1969 before their move to Royals Stadium in 1973."


Now, a new chapter in Kansas City’s baseball story is ready to unfold. Included is a sincere expression of gratitude for the visionaries and leaders who brought us here — from the enduring legacy of Ewing Kauffman to today’s Royals ownership, led by John Sherman."

"The restoration and reopening of Union Station 25 years ago—made possible by the shared commitment of citizens on both sides of the state line—marked a turning point for our city. Since then, our downtown has been reimagined and revitalized, earning recognition across the nation and beyond. We are vital and vibrant and not turning back.

So, we look ahead with clarity and optimism. "

"We see an opportunity to bring baseball’s legends, legacy, and love back to the place where it all began.

A downtown ballpark offers something special—an exciting atmosphere that draws together friends, families, and fans in moments of shared joy. It strengthens community, celebrates teamwork, and reminds us of the simple beauty of the game.

It’s time to welcome downtown baseball home—once again, for all of Kansas City."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767022639165.png" alt="Photo from Union Station social media page" />
 <figcaption>Photo from Union Station social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —In a Christmas weekend post on their social media page, Kansas City's Union Station&nbsp;called for the Kanas City Royals to build the team's next ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri."The time has come for downtown baseball, and a return to where the story first began, in the heart of Kansas City, where we gather to celebrate its triumphs, traditions, and most cherished moments," according to the Station's post site."At this moment, Union Station glows in Royals blue, serving as a powerful symbol of a truly generational opportunity rooted in both history and hope.""Long before today, however, teams and ballparks — some now remembered only in name — laid the foundation for baseball in our historic core. Included are the Unions at Athletic Park in 1884. The Kansas City Cowboys at League Park in 1886.""The Royal Giants at Shelley Park in 1910. The Packers at Gordon &amp; Koppel Field beginning in 1913. The Kansas City Blues at Association Park in the early 1920s, before moving in 1923 — along with the Monarchs — to what would eventually be called Municipal Stadium.""In 1955, the Athletics started playing in a nearly entirely rebuilt Municipal Stadium, followed by the Royals in 1969 before their move to Royals Stadium in 1973."
Now, a new chapter in Kansas City’s baseball story is ready to unfold. Included is a sincere expression of gratitude for the visionaries and leaders who brought us here — from the enduring legacy of Ewing Kauffman to today’s Royals ownership, led by John Sherman.""The restoration and reopening of Union Station 25 years ago—made possible by the shared commitment of citizens on both sides of the state line—marked a turning point for our city. Since then, our downtown has been reimagined and revitalized, earning recognition across the nation and beyond. We are vital and vibrant and not turning back.

So, we look ahead with clarity and optimism. " "We see an opportunity to bring baseball’s legends, legacy, and love back to the place where it all began.

A downtown ballpark offers something special—an exciting atmosphere that draws together friends, families, and fans in moments of shared joy. It strengthens community, celebrates teamwork, and reminds us of the simple beauty of the game.

It’s time to welcome downtown baseball home—once again, for all of Kansas City."

Union Station social media calls for Royals downtown KC ballpark

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prepares for final State of State speech to lawmakers in January

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly approached the final year of her second term with a familiar plea that the Kansas Legislature pass a reasonable budget and a bleak realization the state wouldn’t be able to compensate for federal reductions in spending on health care and food programs.

The bell tolls 2 p.m. Jan. 12 on the annual legislative session in Kansas with the term-limited Democratic governor and a Republican supermajority in the House and Senate. As Kelly moved closer to departing the office, Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, would continue his campaign for governor and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, would be occupied with a campaign for state insurance commissioner.

Kelly, scheduled to deliver the State of the State address on Jan. 13, said developing a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would be her primary quest.

“No. 1 is always the budget,” she said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. “That the Legislature pass a balanced, reasonable, sane budget that funds the important responsibilities of state government.”

Kelly said it wasn’t possible for the state to fill in for slashed federal appropriations to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“We are not really taking that approach. That’s the way we’ve been since these cuts started coming down,” the governor said. “One, we don’t really have the money. Where do you stop on those kinds of things? Can we backfill the cuts to Medicaid that are coming? Absolutely not. SNAP? We cannot.”

The U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee estimated the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed by President Donald Trump would eventually strip Medicaid coverage from 90,000 Kansans, place rural hospitals across Kansas at greater risk and prompt Affordable Care Act premium increases. Changes to the ACA compel higher personal insurance premiums after Dec. 31, but Medicaid cuts would be staggered during 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Overall, Kelly said, Kansas could lose least $150 million through federal reductions to health care programs.

The federal government has funded about two-thirds of the annual cost of Medicaid in Kansas, and covered all but administrative expenditures for emergency food aid under SNAP.

“Kansas is not alone,” Kelly said. “These programs like SNAP and Medicaid were really built on the premise of a partnership.”

Kelly said another objective was to sustain the push for economic development. The state’s commitment to financially support relocation of the Kansas City Chiefs to a stadium in Wyandotte County and a headquarters in Johnson County was a “game-changer for our state,” she said.

The governor said the process of recruiting the NFL franchise was an example of what Republicans and Democrats at the local and state levels could accomplish through collaboration. Masterson and Hawkins, as well as Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kelly and Lt. Gov. David Toland for the announcement Monday in Topeka.

“You don’t often see this type of bipartisanship in our politics today, but that’s how we do things in Kansas, especially when the stakes are high,” Kelly said.

In the 2026 session, Kelly said she also would focus on finalizing a long-term plan for preserving and enhancing the state’s water resources.

“We are on the cusp of coming up with that strategic plan that I’d like to see in place before I’m out of office,” Kelly said. “As I’ve said before, I don’t expect to solve the water problem by the time I leave, but I would like in place a structure and a funding source that will insure that we can address water.”

In addition, the governor said she was committed to standing up the new state Office of Early Childhood by July 1. The goals would be consolidation of programs housed in a cluster of state agencies and the upgrading of services beneficial to children.

“We will spend and invest a lot of energy to make sure,” Kelly said. “Part of the point of the Office of Early Childhood is to be more efficient, so I’m hoping that we won’t be looking at needing money

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766944829739.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly, a term-limited Democrat, said her priorities in the 2026 legislative session will be development of a reasonable state budget, launching the new Office of Early Childhood and locking down a statewide strategic plan for use of water resources. In this Dec. 16, 2025, image, Kelly speaks during an interview with Kansas Reflector. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly, a term-limited Democrat, said her priorities in the 2026 legislative session will be development of a reasonable state budget, launching the new Office of Early Childhood and locking down a statewide strategic plan for use of water resources. In this Dec. 16, 2025, image, Kelly speaks during an interview with Kansas Reflector. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prepares for final State of State speech to lawmakers in January</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly approached the final year of her second term with a familiar plea that the Kansas Legislature pass a reasonable budget and a bleak realization the state wouldn’t be able to compensate for federal reductions in spending on health care and food programs.The bell tolls 2 p.m. Jan. 12 on the annual legislative session in Kansas with the term-limited Democratic governor and a Republican supermajority in the House and Senate. As Kelly moved closer to departing the office, Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, would continue his campaign for governor and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, would be occupied with a campaign for state insurance commissioner.Kelly, scheduled to deliver the State of the State address on Jan. 13, said developing a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would be her primary quest.“No. 1 is always the budget,” she said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. “That the Legislature pass a balanced, reasonable, sane budget that funds the important responsibilities of state government.”Kelly said it wasn’t possible for the state to fill in for slashed federal appropriations to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.“We are not really taking that approach. That’s the way we’ve been since these cuts started coming down,” the governor said. “One, we don’t really have the money. Where do you stop on those kinds of things? Can we backfill the cuts to Medicaid that are coming? Absolutely not. SNAP? We cannot.”The U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee estimated the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed by President Donald Trump would eventually strip Medicaid coverage from 90,000 Kansans, place rural hospitals across Kansas at greater risk and prompt Affordable Care Act premium increases. Changes to the ACA compel higher personal insurance premiums after Dec. 31, but Medicaid cuts would be staggered during 2026, 2027 and 2028.Overall, Kelly said, Kansas could lose least $150 million through federal reductions to health care programs.The federal government has funded about two-thirds of the annual cost of Medicaid in Kansas, and covered all but administrative expenditures for emergency food aid under SNAP.“Kansas is not alone,” Kelly said. “These programs like SNAP and Medicaid were really built on the premise of a partnership.”Kelly said another objective was to sustain the push for economic development. The state’s commitment to financially support relocation of the Kansas City Chiefs to a stadium in Wyandotte County and a headquarters in Johnson County was a “game-changer for our state,” she said.The governor said the process of recruiting the NFL franchise was an example of what Republicans and Democrats at the local and state levels could accomplish through collaboration. Masterson and Hawkins, as well as Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kelly and Lt. Gov. David Toland for the announcement Monday in Topeka.“You don’t often see this type of bipartisanship in our politics today, but that’s how we do things in Kansas, especially when the stakes are high,” Kelly said.In the 2026 session, Kelly said she also would focus on finalizing a long-term plan for preserving and enhancing the state’s water resources.“We are on the cusp of coming up with that strategic plan that I’d like to see in place before I’m out of office,” Kelly said. “As I’ve said before, I don’t expect to solve the water problem by the time I leave, but I would like in place a structure and a funding source that will insure that we can address water.”In addition, the governor said she was committed to standing up the new state Office of Early Childhood by July 1. The goals would be consolidation of programs housed in a cluster of state agencies and the upgrading of services beneficial to children.“We will spend and invest a lot of energy to make sure,” Kelly said. “Part of the point of the Office of Early Childhood is to be more efficient, so I’m hoping that we won’t be looking at needing money

Kan. governor’s legislative priorities in 2026 center on budget, water and children

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforement are investigating a deadly home invasion and shooting in Wichita.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a home&nbsp;in the 100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they found a 52-year-old man and 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, the 52-year-old was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 67-year-old remained in critical but stable condition late Sunday.

Police arrested a neighbor identified in booking records as 54-year-old Matthew D. Morgan. An unknown suspect fled the residence on foot. The motive for the home invasion remains under investigation.

Morgan was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of second-degree reckless murder.

Anyone with information is urged to call investigators at 316-268-4111 for non-emergency tips. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767007817776.png" alt="Morgan photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Morgan photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforement are investigating a deadly home invasion and shooting in Wichita.Just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a home&nbsp;in the 100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they found a 52-year-old man and 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, the 52-year-old was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 67-year-old remained in critical but stable condition late Sunday.Police arrested a neighbor identified in booking records as 54-year-old Matthew D. Morgan. An unknown suspect fled the residence on foot. The motive for the home invasion remains under investigation.Morgan was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of second-degree reckless murder.Anyone with information is urged to call investigators at 316-268-4111 for non-emergency tips. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: Neighbor arrested for Kan. home invasion killing

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine and Russia</a>&nbsp;are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, but he acknowledged the negotiations are complex and could still break down, leaving the war dragging on for years.

The president’s statements came after the leaders met for talks following what Trump said was an “excellent,” two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine launched the war nearly four years ago. Trump insisted he believed Putin still wants peace, even as Russia launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attacks-9afb64eb232695d5a86f1edb3f1b1872">another round of attacks</a>&nbsp;on Ukraine while Zelenskyy flew to the United States for the latest round of negotiations.

“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said during a late afternoon news conference as he stood with Zelenskyy after their meeting. He repeatedly praised his counterpart as “brave.”

Trump and Zelenskyy both acknowledged thorny issues remain, including whether Russia can keep Ukrainian territory it controls, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure it's not invaded again in the future. After their discussion, they called a wide group of European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.

Zelenskyy said Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could be in Washington or “someplace.”

Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his work. “Ukraine is ready for peace,” he said.

Trump said he'd follow the meeting with another call to Putin. Earlier Sunday, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Trump-Putin call was initiated by the U.S. side and was “friendly, benevolent and businesslike.” Ushakov said Trump and Putin agreed to speak again “promptly” after Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy.

But Ushakov added that a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the fiercely contested Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and other matters in dispute for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.

Both leaders identified deciding the future of the Donbas region as a major sticking point.

Trump said the parties were inching closer to agreement. “That's a very tough issue but one that I think will get resolved,” he said.

Zelenskyy said: “Our attitude is very clear. That's why President Trump said this is a very tough question and, of course, we have with Russia different positions on it.”

Trump said, however, that he still believes Putin is “very serious” about ending the war, even as Russia continued striking targets in Ukraine as Zelenskyy traveled to the U.S. Trump said, “I believe Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also.”

He held out the possibility that negotiations could still fall apart.

“In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other, I think," Trump said. "We could have something where one item that you’re not thinking about is a big item, breaks it up. Look, it’s been a very difficult negotiation. Very detailed.”

Trump and Zelenskyy's sit-down underscored the apparent progress made by Trump’s top negotiators in recent weeks as the sides traded draft peace plans to end the fighting. Zelenskyy told reporters Friday that the 20-point draft proposal negotiators have discussed is “about 90% ready” — echoing a figure, and the optimism, that U.S. officials conveyed when Trump’s chief negotiators met with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-berlin-talks-zelenskyy-5b99faff949ee1ba6212433be2d54b88">Zelenskyy in Berlin</a>&nbsp;this month.

During the recent talks, the U.S. agreed to offer certain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">security guarantees to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;similar to those offered to other members of NATO. The proposal came as Zelenskyy said he was prepared to drop his country’s bid to join the security alliance if Ukraine received NATO-like protection that would be designed to safeguard it against future Russian attacks.

Zelenskyy also spoke on Christmas Day with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. The Ukrainian leader said they discussed “certain substantive details" and cautioned “there is still work to be done on sensitive issues” and “the weeks ahead may also be intensive.”

The U.S. president has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-plan-92b2c89b62f4326ff67abc5613c9b59e">working to end the war</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine for much of his first year back in office, showing irritation with both Zelenskyy and Putin while publicly acknowledging the difficulty of ending the conflict. Gone are the days when, as a candidate in 2024, he boasted that he could resolve the fighting in a day. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump referred multiple times to the complexity of the negotiations.

After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-putin-ukraine-tomahawks-ce697e5eda6ce9793b4343499d105a8c">hosting Zelenskyy at the White House in October</a>, Trump demanded that both Russia and Ukraine halt fighting and “stop at the battle line,” implying that Moscow should be able to keep the territory it has seized from Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said last week that he would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">willing to withdraw troops</a>&nbsp;from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Russia also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.

Putin has publicly said he wants all the areas in four key regions that have been captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also has insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces haven’t captured. Kyiv has publicly rejected all those demands.

The Kremlin also wants Ukraine to abandon its bid to join NATO. It warned that it wouldn’t accept the deployment of any troops from members of the military alliance and would view them as a “legitimate target.”

Putin also has said Ukraine must limit the size of its army and give official status to the Russian language, demands he has made from the outset of the conflict.

Ushakov told the business daily Kommersant this month that Russian police and national guard would stay in parts of Donetsk -– one of the two major areas, along with Luhansk, that make up the Donbas region — even if they become a demilitarized zone under a prospective peace plan.

Ushakov cautioned that trying to reach a compromise could take a long time. He said U.S. proposals that took into account Russian demands had been “worsened” by alterations proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.

Trump has been somewhat receptive to Putin’s demands, arguing that the Russian president can be persuaded to end the war if Kyiv agrees to cede Ukrainian land in the Donbas region and if Western powers offer economic incentives to bring Russia back into the global economy.

Kim reported from Washington and Morton from London. Associated Press writers Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine and Russia</a>&nbsp;are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, but he acknowledged the negotiations are complex and could still break down, leaving the war dragging on for years.The president’s statements came after the leaders met for talks following what Trump said was an “excellent,” two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine launched the war nearly four years ago. Trump insisted he believed Putin still wants peace, even as Russia launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attacks-9afb64eb232695d5a86f1edb3f1b1872">another round of attacks</a>&nbsp;on Ukraine while Zelenskyy flew to the United States for the latest round of negotiations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Mar-a-Lago 🇺🇸🇺🇦 <a href="https://t.co/aRbMAiKGSF">pic.twitter.com/aRbMAiKGSF</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005346794012889166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> delivers remarks upon meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a> at Mar-a-Lago: &quot;We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin... and I do think we&#39;re getting a lot closer.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tIHjR0wko2">pic.twitter.com/tIHjR0wko2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005397981361566190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/WnFGloJw2e">pic.twitter.com/WnFGloJw2e</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005320250330632410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said during a late afternoon news conference as he stood with Zelenskyy after their meeting. He repeatedly praised his counterpart as “brave.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Russia-Ukraine peace talks: &quot;We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues... but I think we&#39;re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/fci939K17q">pic.twitter.com/fci939K17q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005399260355825824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Everybody wants [the war] ended... I want it ended because I don&#39;t want to see so many people dying.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pQ4q4lPhzy">pic.twitter.com/pQ4q4lPhzy</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400040559284280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;What are the thorniest issues still unresolved?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The land. Some of that land has been taken... You&#39;re better off making a deal now.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/X21Zz3Tt5E">pic.twitter.com/X21Zz3Tt5E</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400349428027582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the possibility of traveling to Ukraine: &quot;I&#39;m not sure that it would be really necessary, but if it would help save 25,000 lives a month... I would certainly be willing to do that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Xxc0sEHJnE">pic.twitter.com/Xxc0sEHJnE</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400678156394499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">REPORTER: How long will it take to get this last little bit finished? <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other... it&#39;s been a very difficult negotiation.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iflQTfTAar">pic.twitter.com/iflQTfTAar</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401647707484432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his call with Putin: &quot;I saw a very interesting President Putin today... I think we&#39;re going to get there... I was on the phone with him for almost two-and-a-half hours. We discussed a lot of things. We didn&#39;t talk about the weather.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/DUilLAh6lc">pic.twitter.com/DUilLAh6lc</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401716943106558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I really believe we&#39;re probably, Mr. President, closer than — by far — closer than ever before with both parties.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ML9lMRRIIc">pic.twitter.com/ML9lMRRIIc</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005402344352346296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The working group is going to be composed of Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, General &quot;Razin&quot; Caine, Marco Rubio, and a few other people... I think Pete Hegseth should be on that working group.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/K1dnmVq7aO">pic.twitter.com/K1dnmVq7aO</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005403021757325422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump and Zelenskyy both acknowledged thorny issues remain, including whether Russia can keep Ukrainian territory it controls, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure it's not invaded again in the future. After their discussion, they called a wide group of European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.Zelenskyy said Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could be in Washington or “someplace.”Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his work. “Ukraine is ready for peace,” he said.<h2>Trump and Putin will speak again</h2>Trump said he'd follow the meeting with another call to Putin. Earlier Sunday, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Trump-Putin call was initiated by the U.S. side and was “friendly, benevolent and businesslike.” Ushakov said Trump and Putin agreed to speak again “promptly” after Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy.But Ushakov added that a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the fiercely contested Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and other matters in dispute for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.Both leaders identified deciding the future of the Donbas region as a major sticking point.Trump said the parties were inching closer to agreement. “That's a very tough issue but one that I think will get resolved,” he said.Zelenskyy said: “Our attitude is very clear. That's why President Trump said this is a very tough question and, of course, we have with Russia different positions on it.”Trump said, however, that he still believes Putin is “very serious” about ending the war, even as Russia continued striking targets in Ukraine as Zelenskyy traveled to the U.S. Trump said, “I believe Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also.”He held out the possibility that negotiations could still fall apart.“In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other, I think," Trump said. "We could have something where one item that you’re not thinking about is a big item, breaks it up. Look, it’s been a very difficult negotiation. Very detailed.”Trump and Zelenskyy's sit-down underscored the apparent progress made by Trump’s top negotiators in recent weeks as the sides traded draft peace plans to end the fighting. Zelenskyy told reporters Friday that the 20-point draft proposal negotiators have discussed is “about 90% ready” — echoing a figure, and the optimism, that U.S. officials conveyed when Trump’s chief negotiators met with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-berlin-talks-zelenskyy-5b99faff949ee1ba6212433be2d54b88">Zelenskyy in Berlin</a>&nbsp;this month.During the recent talks, the U.S. agreed to offer certain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">security guarantees to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;similar to those offered to other members of NATO. The proposal came as Zelenskyy said he was prepared to drop his country’s bid to join the security alliance if Ukraine received NATO-like protection that would be designed to safeguard it against future Russian attacks.<h2>‘Intensive’ weeks ahead</h2>Zelenskyy also spoke on Christmas Day with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. The Ukrainian leader said they discussed “certain substantive details" and cautioned “there is still work to be done on sensitive issues” and “the weeks ahead may also be intensive.”The U.S. president has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-plan-92b2c89b62f4326ff67abc5613c9b59e">working to end the war</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine for much of his first year back in office, showing irritation with both Zelenskyy and Putin while publicly acknowledging the difficulty of ending the conflict. Gone are the days when, as a candidate in 2024, he boasted that he could resolve the fighting in a day. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump referred multiple times to the complexity of the negotiations.After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-putin-ukraine-tomahawks-ce697e5eda6ce9793b4343499d105a8c">hosting Zelenskyy at the White House in October</a>, Trump demanded that both Russia and Ukraine halt fighting and “stop at the battle line,” implying that Moscow should be able to keep the territory it has seized from Ukraine.Zelenskyy said last week that he would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">willing to withdraw troops</a>&nbsp;from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Russia also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.<h2>Putin wants Russian gains kept, and more</h2>Putin has publicly said he wants all the areas in four key regions that have been captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also has insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces haven’t captured. Kyiv has publicly rejected all those demands.The Kremlin also wants Ukraine to abandon its bid to join NATO. It warned that it wouldn’t accept the deployment of any troops from members of the military alliance and would view them as a “legitimate target.”Putin also has said Ukraine must limit the size of its army and give official status to the Russian language, demands he has made from the outset of the conflict.Ushakov told the business daily Kommersant this month that Russian police and national guard would stay in parts of Donetsk -– one of the two major areas, along with Luhansk, that make up the Donbas region — even if they become a demilitarized zone under a prospective peace plan.Ushakov cautioned that trying to reach a compromise could take a long time. He said U.S. proposals that took into account Russian demands had been “worsened” by alterations proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.Trump has been somewhat receptive to Putin’s demands, arguing that the Russian president can be persuaded to end the war if Kyiv agrees to cede Ukrainian land in the Donbas region and if Western powers offer economic incentives to bring Russia back into the global economy.___Kim reported from Washington and Morton from London. Associated Press writers Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Takeaways from Trump’s Ukraine peace talks with Zelensky in Florida

COWLEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is recovering from injuries in an accident in Cowley County.

Just before 5p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded to a call involving a 37-year-old man who was injured in a fall while trimming a tree in the 600 block of North C Street, according to a media release.

The man fell an estimated 30 to 35 feet from the tree. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower legs and lower back. Because the incident occurred about four blocks from the Fire/EMS station, responders transported the patient to the Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department, where an open field adjacent to the station was used for the EagleMed air ambulance landing. 

EagleMed then assumed care, and the patient was airlifted to Wichita for further medical evaluation and treatment.

COWLEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is recovering from injuries in an accident in Cowley County.Just before 5p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded to a call involving a 37-year-old man who was injured in a fall while trimming a tree in the 600 block of North C Street, according to a media release.The man fell an estimated 30 to 35 feet from the tree. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower legs and lower back. Because the incident occurred about four blocks from the Fire/EMS station, responders transported the patient to the Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department, where an open field adjacent to the station was used for the EagleMed air ambulance landing. EagleMed then assumed care, and the patient was airlifted to Wichita for further medical evaluation and treatment.

Kan. man airlifted to hospital after fall while trimming trees

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect in connection with alleged child abuse.

Just after 8a.m. on Saturday police responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1200 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. It was determined that a child less than two years old had been struck multiple times.&nbsp; 

Police took 28-year-old Zachary Voelker into custody at the scene. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Voelker is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, abuse of a child, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; The child did not require hospital care, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766951410418.png" alt="Voelker-photo Atchison police" />
 <figcaption>Voelker-photo Atchison police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect in connection with alleged child abuse.Just after 8a.m. on Saturday police responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1200 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. It was determined that a child less than two years old had been struck multiple times.&nbsp; Police took 28-year-old Zachary Voelker into custody at the scene. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Voelker is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, abuse of a child, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; The child did not require hospital care, according to Wilson.

Police: Kansas man accused of beating a toddler

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Christmas Day disturbance.

Just before 6a.m. Christmas morning., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man screaming and banging on the front door of a residence, another nearby residence reported the same man entering their home without their authorization, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at 15698 SE Indian Valley Lane and subsequently took the man into custody. The man was identified as Michael Eugene Bennet, 53, of Topeka.&nbsp; Bennett was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766767436193.png" alt="Bennet photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bennet photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Christmas Day disturbance.Just before 6a.m. Christmas morning., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man screaming and banging on the front door of a residence, another nearby residence reported the same man entering their home without their authorization, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at 15698 SE Indian Valley Lane and subsequently took the man into custody. The man was identified as Michael Eugene Bennet, 53, of Topeka.&nbsp; Bennett was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Christmas Day disturbance landed Kan. man in jail

KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating another homicide.

Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a man on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Offiers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Just before 3a.m., the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation revealed there was an interaction between several individuals just prior to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp; Police have not released any suspect details or released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766854408367.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating another homicide.Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located a man on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Offiers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;Just before 3a.m., the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation revealed there was an interaction between several individuals just prior to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp; Police have not released any suspect details or released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Man found with gunshot wound died at the hospital

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>

As pennies vanish from the American landscape, many businesses are clamoring for federal guidance on how to handle cash transactions in a penniless world.

Should retailers round up or down? Should they round in favor of the customer? Or in favor of the business?

So far, calls for federal direction have gone unanswered. Some businesses are setting their own policies, but states are now beginning to act amid growing uncertainty.

While the question revolves around only a few cents per transaction, it does raise important consumer protection and legal questions for states to consider. Retailers must weigh threats of potential lawsuits, while policymakers worry about protecting the most vulnerable consumers who rely on cash for everyday purchases.

President Donald Trump in February moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-penny-treasury-mint-192e3b9ad9891d50e7014997653051ba" target="_blank">eliminate</a>&nbsp;the penny from U.S. pocketbooks, citing the high cost of minting them — about 3.7 cents per penny. But even before the coin’s final production run last month, U.S. retailers and banks were reporting widespread penny shortages.

To provide clarity, lawmakers in New York have proposed legislation mirroring Canada’s rounding standard — up or down to the nearest five cents. And officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/tax-rules-and-policies/sales-use-tax-policy-bulletins" target="_blank">Georgia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://dcp.utah.gov/2025/11/10/national-penny-shortage-the-business-guide-to-cash-rounding/" target="_blank">Utah</a>&nbsp;have issued nonbinding guidance to businesses.

“States do not have the luxury of waiting for the federal government,” said Katherine Tschopp, senior associate at government relations firm MultiState.

Complicating the issue are the growing number of jurisdictions requiring businesses to accept cash — a move aimed at protecting vulnerable consumers who may not have access to credit cards or electronic payment systems.

In November,&nbsp;<a href="https://cnycentral.com/news/new-york-news/governor-hochul-signs-law-mandating-ny-retailers-to-accept-cash-without-fees" target="_blank">New York&nbsp;</a>became the ninth state to add such a rule, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.multistate.us/insider/2025/12/9/retailers-look-to-policymakers-to-navigate-the-post-penny-era" target="_blank">tracking from MultiState</a>. At least eight major cities also require businesses to accept cash.

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers have proposed legislation in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">U.S. House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">Senate</a>&nbsp;to require all cash transactions be rounded to the nearest five cents, but neither proposal has made it to a floor vote.

The record-breaking federal government shutdown and heated debate on health insurance subsidies have sidelined the penny discussion, Tschopp said. She thinks the federal government will likely determine a national rounding policy — eventually. But in the meantime, she expects more states to weigh in.

New York Democratic Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said he agreed with Trump’s move to phase out the costly production of the penny. But businesses are asking for some kind of guidance now, he said.

“In the absence of federal action, I think it’s important that the states act to provide clarity — clarity for everybody: clarity for the consumer, as well as the merchant and the state,” McDonald told Stateline.

McDonald’s proposed legislation mirrors Canada’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.budget.canada.ca/2012/themes/theme2-eng.pdf" target="_blank">rounding policy</a>&nbsp;following the 2012 elimination of its one-cent coin.&nbsp;<a href="https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=A09274&amp;term=2025&amp;Summary=Y&amp;Text=Y" target="_blank">His bill&nbsp;</a>calls for so-called symmetrical rounding of after-tax cash purchases to the nearest five-cent mark. Purchases ending with one, two, six or seven cents would be rounded down. And purchases ending in three, four, eight or nine cents would be rounded up.

So, a consumer would get no cash back from a $1.99 purchase. But a retailer would hand over a nickel to someone spending $1.97.

McDonald sits on the National Conference of State Legislature’s State and Local Taxation Task Force that has been examining&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">the penny issue.</a>&nbsp;That task force has recommended symmetrical rounding as the fairest method for merchants and consumers.

McDonald noted that the NCSL group reached a bipartisan consensus on the issue. And he said he’s found no opposition from New York businesses or consumer groups on his bill.

“In this day and age where we seem to have a lot of fractious conversations on other issues, it’d be nice to find something that actually we can all agree on,” he said. “And to have it start with the good old little penny would be a good spot.”

On Wednesday, South Dakota Republican state Sen. Tim Reed urged state lawmakers to start communicating with agencies, retailers and the public over the issue.

A co-chair of the NCSL task force, he said businesses need guidance and consumers may need reassurance. While he acknowledged concerns about “strategic pricing” — in which retailers set prices to push rounding to their advantage — the group’s report characterized that as a “<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">limited risk.”</a>

“Everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll get overcharged, or I’ll get undercharged,’” Reed said at an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/town-hall" target="_blank">NCSL virtual event about the penny.</a>&nbsp;He said it would be good for people to know that “really this is all going to kind of wash out in the end.”

New York Democratic state Sen. James Sanders Jr. said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4153/amendment/A" target="_blank">cash acceptance law&nbsp;</a>he sponsored earlier this year ensures people without access to smartphones or banking are not excluded from commerce. That law also says customers paying with cash cannot be charged more than other buyers.

“Otherwise, you absolutely have a two-tiered system,” he said, noting that cash is “a lifeline” for working families, older adults, immigrants and small businesses.

Sanders said he would prefer for retailers to round down to the nearest nickel on cash transactions to protect consumers.

“For the large corporations, this could be a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars if they are steadily rounding up,” he said. While each rounding transaction represents a loss or gain of only a few cents, Sanders said, “multiply that by tens of thousands of people, and you’ve effectively raised the price of your product without any type of sanction.”

Sanders said he plans to introduce legislation on the matter soon, but added that he remains open to McDonald’s current proposal of symmetrical rounding. More than anything, he said, businesses desire some kind of guidance.

“We’re not trying to cheat business. We’re just trying not to be cheated by business,” he said. “The people I’ve been speaking to are honest souls, and they just want to know the right thing to do in a penniless society.”

The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia struck&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/12/business/last-penny-minted" target="_blank">the last penny</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 12, but pennies were already scarce at that time.

By mid-November, more than 100 of the government’s 165 coin distribution sites across the country were without pennies, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">Retail Industry Leaders Association</a>, which represents major chains including CVS, Target and 7-Eleven.

In a November&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of its members, that organization found six national chains had more than 1,000 stores that had no pennies.

The association said most of its survey respondents were rounding cash transactions to the benefit of customers — always down to the nearest five cents. While it’s fair for shoppers, it’s “costing businesses millions of dollars as small amounts add up across thousands of daily cash transactions.”

While states weigh the issue, the association is pushing for a federal answer.

“We are urging the federal government to quickly address the problem, to allow for uniform adjustments by retailers that operate in a multitude of states,” Austen Jensen, the organization’s senior executive vice president of public affairs, said in a statement to Stateline.

Other groups, including the American Bankers Association, have also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aba.com/-/media/documents/letters-to-congress-and-regulators/ltrpennydepositservices20251017.pdf?rev=e43bf7f2d731415baa801064e882e564#:~:text=This%20legislation%20would%20allow%20retailers,denominations%20must%20be%20monitored%20continuously.&amp;text=The%20banking%20industry%20stands%20ready,to%20smooth%20this%20complex%20transition." target="_blank">pushed</a>&nbsp;for federal action.

“They’re obviously concerned about it and wanting a federal fix,” said Christopher Phillips, a partner at law firm Holland &amp; Knight. “The government fairly abruptly decided they weren’t going to mint any more pennies and these shortages of pennies spread fairly quickly across the country.”

For retailers, the problem is both practical and legal, said Phillips, who represents payment system companies and financial technology firms.

In many of the jurisdictions that require merchants to accept cash, the laws explicitly forbid charging cash customers more — and have a per-transaction fine for violations, raising the possibility of big fees. And Phillips said merchants could face class-action lawsuits for rounding policies in which plaintiffs argue they are charged more than advertised or face unfair or deceptive business practices.

Federal regulations also ban retailers from charging more for purchases made with food stamps, through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP. Cash rounding policies complicate that rule, as some customers would be charged less for certain cash purchases than those using SNAP cards.

“The unintended consequences of these administrative actions, and these laws and how they flow together to create real problems that were certainly never envisioned,” Phillips said.

So far, merchants have come up with their own policies.

Because of the penny shortage, the East Coast convenience store chain Sheetz asked customers to move to cashless payments or round up to support charitable causes. It even offered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-sheetz-penny-change-shortage/68987511" target="_blank">free beverages&nbsp;</a>for those willing to cash in 100 pennies.

Kwik Trip, which operates convenience stores across the Midwest, in October announced its registers would automatically&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpr.org/news/no-pennies-kwik-trip-new-cash-rounding-policy" target="_blank">round down&nbsp;</a>cash transactions to the nearest nickel in favor of customers.

But without a federal standard, the landscape is patchy, Phillips said. Rounding creates a winner and a loser in each cash transaction. Some companies have pushed to standardize their practice across the country, but others will only choose to round down if required.

“Others are like, ‘You know what? This is actual money for us,’” he said. “‘We’re not just going to give it up for the sake of convenience.’”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/12/18/without-pennies-should-retailers-round-up-or-down-states-offer-their-2-cents/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755549643400.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>As pennies vanish from the American landscape, many businesses are clamoring for federal guidance on how to handle cash transactions in a penniless world.Should retailers round up or down? Should they round in favor of the customer? Or in favor of the business?So far, calls for federal direction have gone unanswered. Some businesses are setting their own policies, but states are now beginning to act amid growing uncertainty.While the question revolves around only a few cents per transaction, it does raise important consumer protection and legal questions for states to consider. Retailers must weigh threats of potential lawsuits, while policymakers worry about protecting the most vulnerable consumers who rely on cash for everyday purchases.President Donald Trump in February moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-penny-treasury-mint-192e3b9ad9891d50e7014997653051ba" target="_blank">eliminate</a>&nbsp;the penny from U.S. pocketbooks, citing the high cost of minting them — about 3.7 cents per penny. But even before the coin’s final production run last month, U.S. retailers and banks were reporting widespread penny shortages.To provide clarity, lawmakers in New York have proposed legislation mirroring Canada’s rounding standard — up or down to the nearest five cents. And officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/tax-rules-and-policies/sales-use-tax-policy-bulletins" target="_blank">Georgia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://dcp.utah.gov/2025/11/10/national-penny-shortage-the-business-guide-to-cash-rounding/" target="_blank">Utah</a>&nbsp;have issued nonbinding guidance to businesses.“States do not have the luxury of waiting for the federal government,” said Katherine Tschopp, senior associate at government relations firm MultiState.Complicating the issue are the growing number of jurisdictions requiring businesses to accept cash — a move aimed at protecting vulnerable consumers who may not have access to credit cards or electronic payment systems.In November,&nbsp;<a href="https://cnycentral.com/news/new-york-news/governor-hochul-signs-law-mandating-ny-retailers-to-accept-cash-without-fees" target="_blank">New York&nbsp;</a>became the ninth state to add such a rule, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.multistate.us/insider/2025/12/9/retailers-look-to-policymakers-to-navigate-the-post-penny-era" target="_blank">tracking from MultiState</a>. At least eight major cities also require businesses to accept cash.A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers have proposed legislation in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">U.S. House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">Senate</a>&nbsp;to require all cash transactions be rounded to the nearest five cents, but neither proposal has made it to a floor vote.The record-breaking federal government shutdown and heated debate on health insurance subsidies have sidelined the penny discussion, Tschopp said. She thinks the federal government will likely determine a national rounding policy — eventually. But in the meantime, she expects more states to weigh in.New York Democratic Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said he agreed with Trump’s move to phase out the costly production of the penny. But businesses are asking for some kind of guidance now, he said.“In the absence of federal action, I think it’s important that the states act to provide clarity — clarity for everybody: clarity for the consumer, as well as the merchant and the state,” McDonald told Stateline.<h2>Approaches to rounding</h2>McDonald’s proposed legislation mirrors Canada’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.budget.canada.ca/2012/themes/theme2-eng.pdf" target="_blank">rounding policy</a>&nbsp;following the 2012 elimination of its one-cent coin.&nbsp;<a href="https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=A09274&amp;term=2025&amp;Summary=Y&amp;Text=Y" target="_blank">His bill&nbsp;</a>calls for so-called symmetrical rounding of after-tax cash purchases to the nearest five-cent mark. Purchases ending with one, two, six or seven cents would be rounded down. And purchases ending in three, four, eight or nine cents would be rounded up.So, a consumer would get no cash back from a $1.99 purchase. But a retailer would hand over a nickel to someone spending $1.97.McDonald sits on the National Conference of State Legislature’s State and Local Taxation Task Force that has been examining&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">the penny issue.</a>&nbsp;That task force has recommended symmetrical rounding as the fairest method for merchants and consumers.McDonald noted that the NCSL group reached a bipartisan consensus on the issue. And he said he’s found no opposition from New York businesses or consumer groups on his bill.“In this day and age where we seem to have a lot of fractious conversations on other issues, it’d be nice to find something that actually we can all agree on,” he said. “And to have it start with the good old little penny would be a good spot.”On Wednesday, South Dakota Republican state Sen. Tim Reed urged state lawmakers to start communicating with agencies, retailers and the public over the issue.A co-chair of the NCSL task force, he said businesses need guidance and consumers may need reassurance. While he acknowledged concerns about “strategic pricing” — in which retailers set prices to push rounding to their advantage — the group’s report characterized that as a “<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">limited risk.”</a>“Everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll get overcharged, or I’ll get undercharged,’” Reed said at an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/town-hall" target="_blank">NCSL virtual event about the penny.</a>&nbsp;He said it would be good for people to know that “really this is all going to kind of wash out in the end.”New York Democratic state Sen. James Sanders Jr. said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4153/amendment/A" target="_blank">cash acceptance law&nbsp;</a>he sponsored earlier this year ensures people without access to smartphones or banking are not excluded from commerce. That law also says customers paying with cash cannot be charged more than other buyers.“Otherwise, you absolutely have a two-tiered system,” he said, noting that cash is “a lifeline” for working families, older adults, immigrants and small businesses.Sanders said he would prefer for retailers to round down to the nearest nickel on cash transactions to protect consumers.“For the large corporations, this could be a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars if they are steadily rounding up,” he said. While each rounding transaction represents a loss or gain of only a few cents, Sanders said, “multiply that by tens of thousands of people, and you’ve effectively raised the price of your product without any type of sanction.”Sanders said he plans to introduce legislation on the matter soon, but added that he remains open to McDonald’s current proposal of symmetrical rounding. More than anything, he said, businesses desire some kind of guidance.“We’re not trying to cheat business. We’re just trying not to be cheated by business,” he said. “The people I’ve been speaking to are honest souls, and they just want to know the right thing to do in a penniless society.”<h2>A rapid change</h2>The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia struck&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/12/business/last-penny-minted" target="_blank">the last penny</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 12, but pennies were already scarce at that time.By mid-November, more than 100 of the government’s 165 coin distribution sites across the country were without pennies, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">Retail Industry Leaders Association</a>, which represents major chains including CVS, Target and 7-Eleven.In a November&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of its members, that organization found six national chains had more than 1,000 stores that had no pennies.The association said most of its survey respondents were rounding cash transactions to the benefit of customers — always down to the nearest five cents. While it’s fair for shoppers, it’s “costing businesses millions of dollars as small amounts add up across thousands of daily cash transactions.”While states weigh the issue, the association is pushing for a federal answer.“We are urging the federal government to quickly address the problem, to allow for uniform adjustments by retailers that operate in a multitude of states,” Austen Jensen, the organization’s senior executive vice president of public affairs, said in a statement to Stateline.Other groups, including the American Bankers Association, have also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aba.com/-/media/documents/letters-to-congress-and-regulators/ltrpennydepositservices20251017.pdf?rev=e43bf7f2d731415baa801064e882e564#:~:text=This%20legislation%20would%20allow%20retailers,denominations%20must%20be%20monitored%20continuously.&amp;text=The%20banking%20industry%20stands%20ready,to%20smooth%20this%20complex%20transition." target="_blank">pushed</a>&nbsp;for federal action.“They’re obviously concerned about it and wanting a federal fix,” said Christopher Phillips, a partner at law firm Holland &amp; Knight. “The government fairly abruptly decided they weren’t going to mint any more pennies and these shortages of pennies spread fairly quickly across the country.”For retailers, the problem is both practical and legal, said Phillips, who represents payment system companies and financial technology firms.In many of the jurisdictions that require merchants to accept cash, the laws explicitly forbid charging cash customers more — and have a per-transaction fine for violations, raising the possibility of big fees. And Phillips said merchants could face class-action lawsuits for rounding policies in which plaintiffs argue they are charged more than advertised or face unfair or deceptive business practices.Federal regulations also ban retailers from charging more for purchases made with food stamps, through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP. Cash rounding policies complicate that rule, as some customers would be charged less for certain cash purchases than those using SNAP cards.“The unintended consequences of these administrative actions, and these laws and how they flow together to create real problems that were certainly never envisioned,” Phillips said.So far, merchants have come up with their own policies.Because of the penny shortage, the East Coast convenience store chain Sheetz asked customers to move to cashless payments or round up to support charitable causes. It even offered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-sheetz-penny-change-shortage/68987511" target="_blank">free beverages&nbsp;</a>for those willing to cash in 100 pennies.Kwik Trip, which operates convenience stores across the Midwest, in October announced its registers would automatically&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpr.org/news/no-pennies-kwik-trip-new-cash-rounding-policy" target="_blank">round down&nbsp;</a>cash transactions to the nearest nickel in favor of customers.But without a federal standard, the landscape is patchy, Phillips said. Rounding creates a winner and a loser in each cash transaction. Some companies have pushed to standardize their practice across the country, but others will only choose to round down if required.“Others are like, ‘You know what? This is actual money for us,’” he said. “‘We’re not just going to give it up for the sake of convenience.’”Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/12/18/without-pennies-should-retailers-round-up-or-down-states-offer-their-2-cents/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Without pennies, should retailers round up or down? States offer their 2 cents.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/caleigh-wells">CALEIGH WELLS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aya-diab">AYA DIAB</a> Associated Press

The holiday season will soon come to a close, but the busiest time of the year for product returns is just beginning.

The National Retail Federation estimates&nbsp;<a href="https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1021220/x/6e22cae2b7/2025-retail-returns-landscape.pdf" target="_blank">17% of holiday purchases will be sent back</a>&nbsp;this year. More retailers are reporting extended return windows and increased holiday staff to handle the rush this year.

A major driver for returns is uncertainty. When we buy for other people, finding what they want is a bit of a guessing game. Online purchases have higher return rates because finding the right size and color is tough when you’re just staring at images on screens.

“Clothing and footwear, as you can imagine, because fit is such an important criteria, they have higher rates of returns,” said Saskia van Gendt, chief sustainability officer at Blue Yonder, which sells software designed to improve companies’ supply chain management.

Returns come with an environmental cost, but there’s a lot consumers and companies are doing to minimize it.

If a company sells a thing, it’s probably packaged in plastic. Plastic is made from oil, and oil production releases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-negotiations-agreement-paris-brazil-warming-harms-d56626cd6f7f1f8e5c1a9afbde9d5198">emissions that warm the planet</a>. If that thing is bought online, it’s put on a plane or a train or a truck that usually uses oil-based fuel.

If you buy a thing and return it, it goes through most or all of that all over again.

And once those products are back with the retailer, they may be sent along to a refurbisher, liquidator, recycler or landfill. All these steps require more travel, packaging and energy, ultimately translating to more emissions. Joseph Sarkis, who teaches supply chain management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, estimates that returning an item increases its impact on the planet by 25% to 30%.

Roughly a third of the time, those returns&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344924004051#:~:text=Highlights,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20returns." target="_blank">don’t make</a>&nbsp;their way to another consumer. Because frequently, it’s not worth reselling.

If, for example, you get a phone, but you send it back because you don’t like the color, the seller has to pay for the fuel and equipment to get the phone back, and then has to pay for the labor to assess whether it has been damaged since leaving the facility.

“It can be quite expensive,” said Sarkis. “And if you send it out to a new customer and the phone is bad, imagine the reputational hit you’ll get. You’ll get another return and you’ll lose a customer who’s unhappy with the product or material. So the companies are hesitant to take that chance.”

Something as expensive as a phone might get sold to a secondary or refurbishment market. But that $6 silicone spatula you got off Amazon? Probably not worth it. Plus, some stuff — think a bathing suit or a bra — is less attractive to customers if there’s a chance it’s been resold. The companies know that.

And that’s where the costs of returns are more than just environmental — and consumers wind up paying. Even free returns aren’t really free.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766929977394.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/caleigh-wells">CALEIGH WELLS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aya-diab">AYA DIAB</a> Associated PressThe holiday season will soon come to a close, but the busiest time of the year for product returns is just beginning.The National Retail Federation estimates&nbsp;<a href="https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1021220/x/6e22cae2b7/2025-retail-returns-landscape.pdf" target="_blank">17% of holiday purchases will be sent back</a>&nbsp;this year. More retailers are reporting extended return windows and increased holiday staff to handle the rush this year.A major driver for returns is uncertainty. When we buy for other people, finding what they want is a bit of a guessing game. Online purchases have higher return rates because finding the right size and color is tough when you’re just staring at images on screens.“Clothing and footwear, as you can imagine, because fit is such an important criteria, they have higher rates of returns,” said Saskia van Gendt, chief sustainability officer at Blue Yonder, which sells software designed to improve companies’ supply chain management.Returns come with an environmental cost, but there’s a lot consumers and companies are doing to minimize it.<h2>The impact of returns</h2>If a company sells a thing, it’s probably packaged in plastic. Plastic is made from oil, and oil production releases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-negotiations-agreement-paris-brazil-warming-harms-d56626cd6f7f1f8e5c1a9afbde9d5198">emissions that warm the planet</a>. If that thing is bought online, it’s put on a plane or a train or a truck that usually uses oil-based fuel.If you buy a thing and return it, it goes through most or all of that all over again.And once those products are back with the retailer, they may be sent along to a refurbisher, liquidator, recycler or landfill. All these steps require more travel, packaging and energy, ultimately translating to more emissions. Joseph Sarkis, who teaches supply chain management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, estimates that returning an item increases its impact on the planet by 25% to 30%.Roughly a third of the time, those returns&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344924004051#:~:text=Highlights,the%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20returns." target="_blank">don’t make</a>&nbsp;their way to another consumer. Because frequently, it’s not worth reselling.If, for example, you get a phone, but you send it back because you don’t like the color, the seller has to pay for the fuel and equipment to get the phone back, and then has to pay for the labor to assess whether it has been damaged since leaving the facility.“It can be quite expensive,” said Sarkis. “And if you send it out to a new customer and the phone is bad, imagine the reputational hit you’ll get. You’ll get another return and you’ll lose a customer who’s unhappy with the product or material. So the companies are hesitant to take that chance.”Something as expensive as a phone might get sold to a secondary or refurbishment market. But that $6 silicone spatula you got off Amazon? Probably not worth it. Plus, some stuff — think a bathing suit or a bra — is less attractive to customers if there’s a chance it’s been resold. The companies know that.And that’s where the costs of returns are more than just environmental — and consumers wind up paying. Even free returns aren’t really free.“Refurbishment, inspection, repackaging, all of these things get factored into the retail price,” said Christopher Faires, assistant professor of logistics and supply chain management at Georgia Southern University.<h2>What consumers can do about it</h2>If you want to reduce the impact of your returns, the first move is to increase their chances of resale. Be careful not to damage it, and reuse the packaging to send it back, said Cardiff University logistics and operations management lecturer Danni Zhang.If you have to return something, do it quickly. That ugly Christmas sweater you got at the white elephant office party has a much better chance of selling on Dec. 20 than it does on Jan. 5. Zhang said it’s not worth the cost to the company to store that sweater once it’s gone out of season.Another tip: in-person shopping is better than online because purchases get returned less often, and in-person returns are better, too — because those items get resold more often. Zhang said it reduces landfill waste. Sarkis said it reduces emissions because companies with brick-and-mortar locations spread out across the country and closer to consumers thus move restocked goods shorter distances.“If I can return in-store, then I definitely will,” Zhang said. “The managers can put that stuff back to the market as soon as possible.”Obviously the best thing consumers can do is minimize returns. Many shoppers engage in “bracketing behavior,” or buying multiple sizes of the same item, keeping what fits, and returning the rest.“This behavior of bringing the dressing room to our homes is not sustainable,” said Faires.If you’re buying for someone else, you can also consider taking the guesswork out of the equation and going for a gift card.“I know we do really want to pick up something really nice to express our love for our friends or our family. But if we are more sustainable, probably the gift card will be much better than just purchasing the product,” Zhang said.<h2>What businesses can do about it</h2>Sarkis wants to see companies provide more information in product descriptions about the environmental impact of returning an item, or how much of the purchase price factors in return costs.“But I don’t know if they want to send a negative message,” he said. “If you’re telling someone to stop something because of negative results, that’s not going to sell.”Sarkis and Zhang both say charging for returns would help. Already Amazon is requiring customers pay in certain situations.On the tech side, Blue Yonder’s recent acquisition of Optoro, a company that provides a return management system for retailers and brands, uses a software to quickly assess the condition of returned products and route them to stores that are most likely to resell them.“Having that process be more digitized, you can quickly assess the condition and put it back into inventory,” said van Gendt. “So that’s a big way to just avoid landfill and also all of the carbon emissions that are associated with that.”Clothing is returned most often. Many sizes do not reflect specific measurements, like women’s dresses, so they vary a lot between brands. Zhang said better sizing could help reduce the need for returns. On top of that, Sarkis said more 3D imaging and virtual reality programs could help customers be more accurate with their purchases, saving some returns.___The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/standards-for-working-with-outside-groups/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/discover/Supporting-AP" target="_blank">AP.org</a>.