By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Nebraska Corrections officials update McCook leaders on plans

McCOOK, Neb. — Business has slumped at the Carniceria CB mini market and Mexican restaurant, its owners said, since Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement last month that Nebraska is bringing a federal immigration detention facility to town.

Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they’ve heard other area&nbsp;merchants describe similar commercial declines. Some Latinos they know have uprooted from southwest Nebraska, spurred by what the couple believes is fear and uneasiness over an increased ICE presence.

“And it’s not even open yet,” said Miguel Camacho, of the facility branded the “Cornhusker Clink” by federal officials. “Of all the 50 states, why here?”

Comments the Camachos made this week from their Carniceria — a few miles from where a state prison that holds up to 200 beds is being converted into a 300-bed ICE jail — reflected the sentiment of dozens who spoke against the project during a Friday hearing at the Capitol so full it required an overflow area.

The meeting was hosted by the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee. Chairman Terrell McKinney of Omaha offered the space after the chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee declined to hold a public hearing, calling the request premature.

McKinney, a member of both committees, said that while he had been offered a private briefing by the Pillen administration, he opted for a broader discussion open to the public.

He and other committee members said they were concerned about scant information shared about the state-federal plan to repurpose the McCook-based Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention center for migrants. The state is still trying to relocate the camp’s remaining 155 inmates to different state prisons. Officials said they expect to start housing federal detainees in October.

“Our people want to know, and they’re asking,” said State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, who also sits on both committees.&nbsp;

“What happens is that when there’s no information provided, negativity and misinformation run rampant,” said State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, the lone Republican committee member who attended the hearing.

On Friday afternoon, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services issued a statement saying that Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys had spoken Thursday with McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and City Manager Nate Schneider about public safety and community impact.

Among the answers Corrections said it provided:

A formal contract between Nebraska and the federal government is still being hammered out, Correctional Services officials said.&nbsp;

At the four-hour Urban Affairs hearing, about 40 people testified, none in support of the prison conversion that many worry could exacerbate state prison crowding elsewhere to accommodate the feds’ deportation push.&nbsp;

Many said they were embarrassed. Some choked back tears. Others said they were angry to learn in news reports that the state had invited the Trump administration to consider Nebraska for such a facility.

Not present were members of the Pillen administration, which told the committee in a Thursday letter it would not participate, arguing that the the Judiciary Committee and not the Urban Affairs Committee had the legal jurisdiction and oversight authority to examine the issues at hand.&nbsp;Pillen’s staff did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

McKinney said he plans to ask the Judiciary Committee chair once again to hold a public hearing that he hopes Pillen’s staff would attend.&nbsp;

Kenny Zoeller, Pillen’s policy research director, wrote in the Thursday’s letter that McKinney had wrongly suggested that the future migrant population at the center would trigger an overcrowding of the correctional system. Zoeller wrote that an emergency declaration is required when the prison population systemwide is over 140% of operational capacity. He said the average now is about 115%.

“We have flexibility within our current corrections facilities to accommodate this new mission,” Zoeller wrote.

Spike Eickholt, representing ACLU Nebraska, said Nebraska leaders for a decade have debated what to do about state prison crowding. Currently, Nebraska is building a new $310 million-plus prison in Lincoln.

“Why are we committing to an investment of a new prison while giving up a current one?” he asked.

Other speakers lamented the loss of the Work Ethic Camp’s rehabilitative focus and programming aimed at transitioning criminal offenders for successful re-entry into society.

But most of Friday’s testimony centered on Nebraska’s role in Trump’s push for mass deportations. Pillen has said he is proud to be part of the president’s effort to “make sure we keep our community safe.”

“This stuff hits close to home and hits every corner of this state and country,” the governor has said.

Holly Burns said her grandparents, Jose Flores Arsiaga and Margarita Martinez Arsiaga, farmed in Mitchell, Neb., and raised an extended family that’s part of the state’s rich history and multicultural landscape.

“Are we willing to risk that and be made a joke nationally as the ‘Cornhusker Clink’ — for money that we may or may not get — and that breaks all values of Nebraska?” she asked.

Guillermo Enrique Peña Valladares of Grand Island said he comes from a family of immigrants and that federal enforcement tactics have created anxiety and intimidation even among those legally in the country for generations.

“Should I fear saying my name?” he asked, voice cracking. He said his family works in meatpacking plants and his mom speaks broken English. “Every day we have to ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to be alright?’”

As his family’s first college graduate, Peña said, he felt a responsibility to speak out.

“You are trying to imprison the agricultural hands of Nebraska. They are already battered and bruised,” he said.

Anne Wurth, associate legal director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, said a worry is the “lack of planning” and demeaning behavior by ICE toward migrants.

She said her nonprofit saw it first hand, representing several of the 78 workers detained in the June 10 immigration raid at Omaha’s Glenn Valley Foods. Wurth described, for example, the early 48 hours when some families did not know where relatives were being held and said some wounds went untreated.

“Their goal is to terrorize immigrants,” she said of the federal government. “They continue to demean and dehumanize a population that is integral to the state of Nebraska … We must not do this for them.”

Don Hooper, a retired educator, was among several who decried the politics. He said he does not want “Cornhusker Clink” to join Nebraska’s “good life” and “home of Arbor Day” signs on the highway.

If the facility comes, he said: “It should be named … ‘Pillen’s prison’ in honor of the individual who wants this in Nebraska.”

McKinney said he appreciated a petition opposing the immigration detention center coordinated by Nebraska Appleseed, as it reflected statewide opinions. Appleseed’s Ruby Mendez said the effort collected more than 18,000 signatures from people in nearly 400 Nebraska communities.

Faith Colburn said she drove in from North Platte with concerns about legal and other services that migrants would have available in McCook.&nbsp;

“I’m here representing 50 people,” she said. “Many of them are furious, pissed off grandmas.”

About 650 people also submitted written testimony to the Urban Affairs committee. Because it was for an interim hearing, McKinney said, the correspondence had not been categorized into opponents, proponents or neutral.

In McCook, Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they would not close shop, and hope that business picks up.

The family’s move six years ago from Kansas to the Nebraska community of about 7,200 people was calculated, they said. The area has a Walmart and other key stores that draw residents of surrounding towns.

Their two kids attend local schools, and have felt a sting from the proposed ICE facility. A classmate asked their daughter if she had seen her “new house,” said Camacho.

The small business owners said they are trying to form a group to provide information and support to Latinos in the community. They said they’ve enjoyed the McCook area and their patrons.&nbsp;

The couple rode out the COVID-19 slump, opening the Carniceria’s doors every day. Gesturing toward the empty store and restaurant, Camacho said the plan now is to do the same: “Stay here, protect it, survive.”

He added, ‘If the community tells me I’m not welcome, we’ll move.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757876399224.png" alt=" Miguel and Mayra Camacho, owners of Carniceria mini market and restaurant in McCook, Nebraska, say business has declined sharply in the past month since Gov. Jim Pillen announced that the Work Ethic Camp in town will be converted to an ICE facility under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Miguel and Mayra Camacho, owners of Carniceria mini market and restaurant in McCook, Nebraska, say business has declined sharply in the past month since Gov. Jim Pillen announced that the Work Ethic Camp in town will be converted to an ICE facility under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a><h2>Nebraska Corrections officials update McCook leaders on plans</h2>McCOOK, Neb. — Business has slumped at the Carniceria CB mini market and Mexican restaurant, its owners said, since Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement last month that Nebraska is bringing a federal immigration detention facility to town.Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they’ve heard other area&nbsp;merchants describe similar commercial declines. Some Latinos they know have uprooted from southwest Nebraska, spurred by what the couple believes is fear and uneasiness over an increased ICE presence.“And it’s not even open yet,” said Miguel Camacho, of the facility branded the “Cornhusker Clink” by federal officials. “Of all the 50 states, why here?”<h2>‘People want to know’</h2>Comments the Camachos made this week from their Carniceria — a few miles from where a state prison that holds up to 200 beds is being converted into a 300-bed ICE jail — reflected the sentiment of dozens who spoke against the project during a Friday hearing at the Capitol so full it required an overflow area.The meeting was hosted by the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee. Chairman Terrell McKinney of Omaha offered the space after the chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee declined to hold a public hearing, calling the request premature.McKinney, a member of both committees, said that while he had been offered a private briefing by the Pillen administration, he opted for a broader discussion open to the public.He and other committee members said they were concerned about scant information shared about the state-federal plan to repurpose the McCook-based Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention center for migrants. The state is still trying to relocate the camp’s remaining 155 inmates to different state prisons. Officials said they expect to start housing federal detainees in October.“Our people want to know, and they’re asking,” said State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, who also sits on both committees.&nbsp;“What happens is that when there’s no information provided, negativity and misinformation run rampant,” said State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, the lone Republican committee member who attended the hearing.On Friday afternoon, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services issued a statement saying that Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys had spoken Thursday with McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and City Manager Nate Schneider about public safety and community impact.Among the answers Corrections said it provided:<ul>
 <li>The converted ICE detention center will house an adult population with minor criminal records and nonviolent felonies.&nbsp;</li><li>Up to 65 staff positions will be added, all state positions, including additional medical personnel.</li><li>The state is exploring options for electronic translation services to assist non-English speaking detainees.</li><li>A perimeter fence and intruder petition system will be added, as well as armed patrols around the perimeter.</li>
 </ul>A formal contract between Nebraska and the federal government is still being hammered out, Correctional Services officials said.&nbsp;<h2>Four hours of testimony</h2>At the four-hour Urban Affairs hearing, about 40 people testified, none in support of the prison conversion that many worry could exacerbate state prison crowding elsewhere to accommodate the feds’ deportation push.&nbsp;Many said they were embarrassed. Some choked back tears. Others said they were angry to learn in news reports that the state had invited the Trump administration to consider Nebraska for such a facility.Not present were members of the Pillen administration, which told the committee in a Thursday letter it would not participate, arguing that the the Judiciary Committee and not the Urban Affairs Committee had the legal jurisdiction and oversight authority to examine the issues at hand.&nbsp;Pillen’s staff did not respond to a request for comment Friday.McKinney said he plans to ask the Judiciary Committee chair once again to hold a public hearing that he hopes Pillen’s staff would attend.&nbsp;Kenny Zoeller, Pillen’s policy research director, wrote in the Thursday’s letter that McKinney had wrongly suggested that the future migrant population at the center would trigger an overcrowding of the correctional system. Zoeller wrote that an emergency declaration is required when the prison population systemwide is over 140% of operational capacity. He said the average now is about 115%.“We have flexibility within our current corrections facilities to accommodate this new mission,” Zoeller wrote.Spike Eickholt, representing ACLU Nebraska, said Nebraska leaders for a decade have debated what to do about state prison crowding. Currently, Nebraska is building a new $310 million-plus prison in Lincoln.“Why are we committing to an investment of a new prison while giving up a current one?” he asked.Other speakers lamented the loss of the Work Ethic Camp’s rehabilitative focus and programming aimed at transitioning criminal offenders for successful re-entry into society.<h2>Nebraska’s role in deportation</h2>But most of Friday’s testimony centered on Nebraska’s role in Trump’s push for mass deportations. Pillen has said he is proud to be part of the president’s effort to “make sure we keep our community safe.”“This stuff hits close to home and hits every corner of this state and country,” the governor has said.Holly Burns said her grandparents, Jose Flores Arsiaga and Margarita Martinez Arsiaga, farmed in Mitchell, Neb., and raised an extended family that’s part of the state’s rich history and multicultural landscape.“Are we willing to risk that and be made a joke nationally as the ‘Cornhusker Clink’ — for money that we may or may not get — and that breaks all values of Nebraska?” she asked.Guillermo Enrique Peña Valladares of Grand Island said he comes from a family of immigrants and that federal enforcement tactics have created anxiety and intimidation even among those legally in the country for generations.“Should I fear saying my name?” he asked, voice cracking. He said his family works in meatpacking plants and his mom speaks broken English. “Every day we have to ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to be alright?’”As his family’s first college graduate, Peña said, he felt a responsibility to speak out.“You are trying to imprison the agricultural hands of Nebraska. They are already battered and bruised,” he said.Anne Wurth, associate legal director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, said a worry is the “lack of planning” and demeaning behavior by ICE toward migrants.She said her nonprofit saw it first hand, representing several of the 78 workers detained in the June 10 immigration raid at Omaha’s Glenn Valley Foods. Wurth described, for example, the early 48 hours when some families did not know where relatives were being held and said some wounds went untreated.“Their goal is to terrorize immigrants,” she said of the federal government. “They continue to demean and dehumanize a population that is integral to the state of Nebraska … We must not do this for them.”<h2>‘Pissed off grandmas’</h2>Don Hooper, a retired educator, was among several who decried the politics. He said he does not want “Cornhusker Clink” to join Nebraska’s “good life” and “home of Arbor Day” signs on the highway.If the facility comes, he said: “It should be named … ‘Pillen’s prison’ in honor of the individual who wants this in Nebraska.”McKinney said he appreciated a petition opposing the immigration detention center coordinated by Nebraska Appleseed, as it reflected statewide opinions. Appleseed’s Ruby Mendez said the effort collected more than 18,000 signatures from people in nearly 400 Nebraska communities.Faith Colburn said she drove in from North Platte with concerns about legal and other services that migrants would have available in McCook.&nbsp;“I’m here representing 50 people,” she said. “Many of them are furious, pissed off grandmas.”About 650 people also submitted written testimony to the Urban Affairs committee. Because it was for an interim hearing, McKinney said, the correspondence had not been categorized into opponents, proponents or neutral.<h2>Carniceria survival plan&nbsp;</h2>In McCook, Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they would not close shop, and hope that business picks up.The family’s move six years ago from Kansas to the Nebraska community of about 7,200 people was calculated, they said. The area has a Walmart and other key stores that draw residents of surrounding towns.Their two kids attend local schools, and have felt a sting from the proposed ICE facility. A classmate asked their daughter if she had seen her “new house,” said Camacho.The small business owners said they are trying to form a group to provide information and support to Latinos in the community. They said they’ve enjoyed the McCook area and their patrons.&nbsp;The couple rode out the COVID-19 slump, opening the Carniceria’s doors every day. Gesturing toward the empty store and restaurant, Camacho said the plan now is to do the same: “Stay here, protect it, survive.”He added, ‘If the community tells me I’m not welcome, we’ll move.”

Conversion of Neb. facility into ICE detention hub draws overflow hearing, statewide concerns

COWLEY COUNTY —When Erica Petry accepted her new role as Animal Control Officer for the Arkansas City Police Department in April, she expected plenty of unusual calls. 

Nothing prepared her for the saga of Wade, a shy greyhound who had been living on the fringes of town for nearly two years. It began like any other call: a report of a stray dog lingering behind Walmart. 

For months, the sleek greyhound had been spotted by several employees and vendors at the big box store. “When I first heard about her, I thought I'd be able to catch her, pick her up, and take her to the Humane Society. I quickly realized it was not going to be the case,” Officer Petry said.

Far from routine, Petry quickly realized this stray—later identified as Wade—was no ordinary dog. Cautious and clever, the greyhound had managed to evade nets, leashes, and countless well-meaning hands.“She was super scared of getting close to people,” Petry said. “She would come pretty close, because the vendors and employees would toss her scraps, but she always stayed just far enough away so you couldn’t actually grab her.” 

Day after day, Petry showed up with food, earning Wade’s tentative trust. “She’s really smart,” Petry explained. “She realized sometimes I’d get another call and leave the food, so she started waiting me out.” Greyhounds are rarely abandoned, so Petry suspected there had to be more to the story. 

A dive into Facebook confirmed her hunch. In an old post, someone had spotted a greyhound loose in the area, and a man replied, “That’s my dog. Where is she?” Petry reached out to the man and learned that Wade had been purchased as a hunting dog from Texas. But within days of arriving at her new home, Wade slipped her leash on a hunting trip and vanished. 

Too skittish to recognize her new family, she had been surviving on her own ever since. That’s when Petry discovered that Wade hadn’t just been wandering for a few months — she had been surviving on her own for close to two years.

Not sure how to move forward, Petry turned to her supervisor, Captain Jason Legleiter, who suggested bringing in professionals. That’s when Beauties and Beasts, Inc., a volunteer-led rescue group based in Haysville, stepped in. Together, they tried everything — standard traps, a Snappy Snare, and finally an open-panel pen designed to feel less threatening. For weeks, Wade would dart in just far enough to grab food, then retreat.

 “She was so smart,” Petry said. “Every time we thought we had her, she figured out a way not to get caught.” 

Patience finally paid off. At sunrise on September 5, Petry and two volunteers from Beauties and Beasts positioned their trap, then took cover — two crouched beneath a semi-trailer while another watched from a nearby hill with binoculars. 

Minutes felt like hours until, at last, Wade stepped inside. The call came through: “Got her.” The moment was both exhilarating and terrifying, Petry said.

 Wade thrashed against the panels of the trap, desperate to escape. “We just tried to keep her calm,” Petry recalled. Slowly, Wade crawled toward Petry, recognizing the woman who had fed her for weeks. “It was surreal,” Petry said. 

“When I finally slipped a leash on her, I could breathe again.” That same day, Petry was finally able to reunite Wade with her family. No longer destined to be a hunting dog, she is now settling into her new role as a house pet — one with plenty of dog siblings and a family ready to give her the patience she needs. For Petry, the rescue was more than just another case. It was a crash course in determination, teamwork, and the quiet bond between people and animals. 

“It was kind of weird coming to work afterward,” she admitted with a laugh. “I’d spent so much time every day sitting out there with her. Now I drive past Walmart and think, ‘Oh, I don’t have to stop anymore.’

” The employees and drivers who fed Wade for months say they’ll miss seeing her perched on the hill behind the store, waiting for a handout. But they also know she’s finally where she belongs — home. “She’s a lucky girl,” Petry said. “To survive two winters on her own, and to finally get back to her family—it’s pretty amazing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757946508650.png" alt="Photo Arkansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Arkansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Arkansas City PoliceCOWLEY COUNTY —When Erica Petry accepted her new role as Animal Control Officer for the Arkansas City Police Department in April, she expected plenty of unusual calls. Nothing prepared her for the saga of Wade, a shy greyhound who had been living on the fringes of town for nearly two years. It began like any other call: a report of a stray dog lingering behind Walmart. For months, the sleek greyhound had been spotted by several employees and vendors at the big box store. “When I first heard about her, I thought I'd be able to catch her, pick her up, and take her to the Humane Society. I quickly realized it was not going to be the case,” Officer Petry said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757946490917.png" alt="Photos Arkansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Arkansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Far from routine, Petry quickly realized this stray—later identified as Wade—was no ordinary dog. Cautious and clever, the greyhound had managed to evade nets, leashes, and countless well-meaning hands.“She was super scared of getting close to people,” Petry said. “She would come pretty close, because the vendors and employees would toss her scraps, but she always stayed just far enough away so you couldn’t actually grab her.” Day after day, Petry showed up with food, earning Wade’s tentative trust. “She’s really smart,” Petry explained. “She realized sometimes I’d get another call and leave the food, so she started waiting me out.” Greyhounds are rarely abandoned, so Petry suspected there had to be more to the story. A dive into Facebook confirmed her hunch. In an old post, someone had spotted a greyhound loose in the area, and a man replied, “That’s my dog. Where is she?” Petry reached out to the man and learned that Wade had been purchased as a hunting dog from Texas. But within days of arriving at her new home, Wade slipped her leash on a hunting trip and vanished. Too skittish to recognize her new family, she had been surviving on her own ever since. That’s when Petry discovered that Wade hadn’t just been wandering for a few months — she had been surviving on her own for close to two years.Not sure how to move forward, Petry turned to her supervisor, Captain Jason Legleiter, who suggested bringing in professionals. That’s when Beauties and Beasts, Inc., a volunteer-led rescue group based in Haysville, stepped in. Together, they tried everything — standard traps, a Snappy Snare, and finally an open-panel pen designed to feel less threatening. For weeks, Wade would dart in just far enough to grab food, then retreat. “She was so smart,” Petry said. “Every time we thought we had her, she figured out a way not to get caught.” Patience finally paid off. At sunrise on September 5, Petry and two volunteers from Beauties and Beasts positioned their trap, then took cover — two crouched beneath a semi-trailer while another watched from a nearby hill with binoculars. Minutes felt like hours until, at last, Wade stepped inside. The call came through: “Got her.” The moment was both exhilarating and terrifying, Petry said. Wade thrashed against the panels of the trap, desperate to escape. “We just tried to keep her calm,” Petry recalled. Slowly, Wade crawled toward Petry, recognizing the woman who had fed her for weeks. “It was surreal,” Petry said. “When I finally slipped a leash on her, I could breathe again.” That same day, Petry was finally able to reunite Wade with her family. No longer destined to be a hunting dog, she is now settling into her new role as a house pet — one with plenty of dog siblings and a family ready to give her the patience she needs. For Petry, the rescue was more than just another case. It was a crash course in determination, teamwork, and the quiet bond between people and animals. “It was kind of weird coming to work afterward,” she admitted with a laugh. “I’d spent so much time every day sitting out there with her. Now I drive past Walmart and think, ‘Oh, I don’t have to stop anymore.’” The employees and drivers who fed Wade for months say they’ll miss seeing her perched on the hill behind the store, waiting for a handout. But they also know she’s finally where she belongs — home. “She’s a lucky girl,” Petry said. “To survive two winters on her own, and to finally get back to her family—it’s pretty amazing.”

Dog missing for two years finally home again in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — There's bipartisan support in Congress for extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economic-bill-house-vote-be99d8db5bd610c5b1d78bc047a03e77">tax credits</a>&nbsp;that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it.

Democrats are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-government-shutdown-budget-democrats-deadline-a0a24afe93f4a1d596fdf9093db58e3d">threatening to vote to shut down</a>&nbsp;the government at the end of the month if Republicans don't extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. The tax credits, which are slated to expire at the end of the year, go to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Some Republicans who have opposed the health care law since it was enacted under President Barack Obama are suddenly open to keeping the tax credits. They acknowledge that many of their constituents could see steep hikes in coverage if the subsidies are allowed to lapse.

Still, the two sides are far apart. Republicans are divided, with many firmly opposed. GOP leaders in the House and Senate have been open but noncommittal on the extension, and many of those Republicans who say they support it argue that the tax credits should be reworked — potentially opening up a new health care debate that could take months to resolve.

Democrats would be unlikely to agree to any changes in the subsidies, increasing the chances of a standoff and mounting uncertainty for health insurers, hospitals, state governments and the people who receive them.

“In just a few weeks, unless Congress acts, millions of Americans will start getting letters in the mail telling them their health insurance costs are about to go through the roof — hundreds of dollars, thousands in some cases,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said this past week.

Millions of Americans could face higher health insurance rates

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obamacare-aca-health-care-coverage-biden-trump-0c73dcde4a19aea65cb83de01f2d5d2e">Enrollment in ACA plans</a>&nbsp;has surged to a record 24 million people in large part due to the billions of dollars in subsidies that have lowered costs for many people. The expanded subsidies allowed some lower income enrollees to access health plans with no premiums and capped the amount higher earners pay for premiums to 8.5% of their income. It also expanded eligibility for middle-class earners.

With expiration now just a few months away, some of those people have already gotten notices that their premiums — the monthly fee paid for insurance coverage — are poised to spike next year. Insurers have sent out notices in nearly every state, with some proposing premium increases of as much as 50 percent.

Lawmakers are facing pressure to act from some of the country’s biggest industries, including the insurers that cover people on the marketplace and hospital executives who say they’re already going to be squeezed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-cuts-snap-ed0d2c7c20b43c54265dbc9cb215b647">Medicaid cuts</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;“big, beautiful" tax bill.

“There’s broad awareness that there’s a real spike and premiums coming right around the corner, both Republicans and Democrats,” said David Merritt, senior vice president of external affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield. “It’s certainly lining up for Congress to have an opportunity to head off this problem.”

Companies have said they’ll need to raise premiums without the subsidies because healthier and younger people are more likely to opt out of coverage when it gets more expensive, leaving insurers to cover older and sicker patients.

In Iowa last month, the state’s insurance commissioner weighed increases ranging from 3% to 37% against a stream of angry public comments. One woman who runs a garden center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said she was considering dropping health insurance altogether.

“I am already living as frugally as I possibly can while working as hard as I possibly can, putting in as many hours as I am allowed to at my job, never missing a day of work,” the woman, LuAnn, wrote in a public comment published to the commissioner’s website.

Tug-of-war over Obamacare spending plays out on the Hill

On Capitol Hill, the issue has become entangled in a larger fight over government funding as a shutdown looms at the end of the month. Schumer and House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;have said Democrats will not vote to keep the government open unless an extension of the health care tax credits is part of the deal. Republicans have said that they want more time to look at the subsidies and potentially scale them back. They will also have to wait for a signal from Trump, who has not yet weighed in.

Jeffries said this past week that “we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to rip away health care from the American people.”

Republican leaders are eyeing a potential stopgap bill that would keep the government open for a few weeks and are unlikely, for now, to include the extension. But GOP leaders in both the House and Senate are also under pressure from some members who worry that premium increases will be a political liability before the midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said he wants to see a proposal from Democrats on how to extend the subsidies since they are pushing the issue. “Maybe there is something we can do in the middle as a solution," he said in a Punchbowl News interview on Thursday, adding that his members are divided on the issue.

Still, Thune has ruled out quick action, even as he noted that premium notices will go out soon. He has said a short-term spending measure to fund the government for several weeks while Congress finishes its budget bills is not likely to include an extension of the benefits,

House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., has said that many of his members would oppose an extension, but has not ruled it out.

In recent days, 15 House Republicans in competitive political districts introduced legislation to extend the tax credits for one year. “While the enhanced premium tax credit created during the pandemic was meant to be temporary, we should not let it expire without a plan in place,” said Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who led the effort with Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.

Middle-class and small business owners, like the ones who dot Kiggan's coastal Virginia district, will be especially vulnerable to big health insurance hikes if the subsidies are not extended.

Several Senate Republicans also said they'd favor an extension. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said that if Congress doesn't act, some premiums will "skyrocket, and not by a little bit. We’re looking at massive increases. People will not be able to afford it.”

Texas Sen. John Cornyn said he thinks Congress should scale back the subsidies for the highest income people who receive them. “I think we all know that access to health care is important and we take it very seriously,” he said.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who has jurisdiction over the tax credits, said he's working with his colleagues to figure out if there is a solution. “There are a lot of ideas being thrown out there," Crapo said. "I'm trying to find a solution, I'm not telling you what the solution is.”

Others were firmly against it. “It's costing us billions of dollars,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and people will begin to see “real sticker shock,” as ACA plan prices are posted next month, said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730942455769.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — There's bipartisan support in Congress for extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economic-bill-house-vote-be99d8db5bd610c5b1d78bc047a03e77">tax credits</a>&nbsp;that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it.Democrats are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-government-shutdown-budget-democrats-deadline-a0a24afe93f4a1d596fdf9093db58e3d">threatening to vote to shut down</a>&nbsp;the government at the end of the month if Republicans don't extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. The tax credits, which are slated to expire at the end of the year, go to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.Some Republicans who have opposed the health care law since it was enacted under President Barack Obama are suddenly open to keeping the tax credits. They acknowledge that many of their constituents could see steep hikes in coverage if the subsidies are allowed to lapse.Still, the two sides are far apart. Republicans are divided, with many firmly opposed. GOP leaders in the House and Senate have been open but noncommittal on the extension, and many of those Republicans who say they support it argue that the tax credits should be reworked — potentially opening up a new health care debate that could take months to resolve.Democrats would be unlikely to agree to any changes in the subsidies, increasing the chances of a standoff and mounting uncertainty for health insurers, hospitals, state governments and the people who receive them.“In just a few weeks, unless Congress acts, millions of Americans will start getting letters in the mail telling them their health insurance costs are about to go through the roof — hundreds of dollars, thousands in some cases,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said this past week.<h2>Millions of Americans could face higher health insurance rates</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/obamacare-aca-health-care-coverage-biden-trump-0c73dcde4a19aea65cb83de01f2d5d2e">Enrollment in ACA plans</a>&nbsp;has surged to a record 24 million people in large part due to the billions of dollars in subsidies that have lowered costs for many people. The expanded subsidies allowed some lower income enrollees to access health plans with no premiums and capped the amount higher earners pay for premiums to 8.5% of their income. It also expanded eligibility for middle-class earners.With expiration now just a few months away, some of those people have already gotten notices that their premiums — the monthly fee paid for insurance coverage — are poised to spike next year. Insurers have sent out notices in nearly every state, with some proposing premium increases of as much as 50 percent.Lawmakers are facing pressure to act from some of the country’s biggest industries, including the insurers that cover people on the marketplace and hospital executives who say they’re already going to be squeezed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-cuts-snap-ed0d2c7c20b43c54265dbc9cb215b647">Medicaid cuts</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;“big, beautiful" tax bill.“There’s broad awareness that there’s a real spike and premiums coming right around the corner, both Republicans and Democrats,” said David Merritt, senior vice president of external affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield. “It’s certainly lining up for Congress to have an opportunity to head off this problem.”Companies have said they’ll need to raise premiums without the subsidies because healthier and younger people are more likely to opt out of coverage when it gets more expensive, leaving insurers to cover older and sicker patients.In Iowa last month, the state’s insurance commissioner weighed increases ranging from 3% to 37% against a stream of angry public comments. One woman who runs a garden center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said she was considering dropping health insurance altogether.“I am already living as frugally as I possibly can while working as hard as I possibly can, putting in as many hours as I am allowed to at my job, never missing a day of work,” the woman, LuAnn, wrote in a public comment published to the commissioner’s website.<h2>Tug-of-war over Obamacare spending plays out on the Hill</h2>On Capitol Hill, the issue has become entangled in a larger fight over government funding as a shutdown looms at the end of the month. Schumer and House Democratic Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;have said Democrats will not vote to keep the government open unless an extension of the health care tax credits is part of the deal. Republicans have said that they want more time to look at the subsidies and potentially scale them back. They will also have to wait for a signal from Trump, who has not yet weighed in.Jeffries said this past week that “we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to rip away health care from the American people.”Republican leaders are eyeing a potential stopgap bill that would keep the government open for a few weeks and are unlikely, for now, to include the extension. But GOP leaders in both the House and Senate are also under pressure from some members who worry that premium increases will be a political liability before the midterm elections.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said he wants to see a proposal from Democrats on how to extend the subsidies since they are pushing the issue. “Maybe there is something we can do in the middle as a solution," he said in a Punchbowl News interview on Thursday, adding that his members are divided on the issue.Still, Thune has ruled out quick action, even as he noted that premium notices will go out soon. He has said a short-term spending measure to fund the government for several weeks while Congress finishes its budget bills is not likely to include an extension of the benefits,House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., has said that many of his members would oppose an extension, but has not ruled it out.In recent days, 15 House Republicans in competitive political districts introduced legislation to extend the tax credits for one year. “While the enhanced premium tax credit created during the pandemic was meant to be temporary, we should not let it expire without a plan in place,” said Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who led the effort with Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.Middle-class and small business owners, like the ones who dot Kiggan's coastal Virginia district, will be especially vulnerable to big health insurance hikes if the subsidies are not extended.Several Senate Republicans also said they'd favor an extension. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said that if Congress doesn't act, some premiums will "skyrocket, and not by a little bit. We’re looking at massive increases. People will not be able to afford it.”Texas Sen. John Cornyn said he thinks Congress should scale back the subsidies for the highest income people who receive them. “I think we all know that access to health care is important and we take it very seriously,” he said.Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who has jurisdiction over the tax credits, said he's working with his colleagues to figure out if there is a solution. “There are a lot of ideas being thrown out there," Crapo said. "I'm trying to find a solution, I'm not telling you what the solution is.”Others were firmly against it. “It's costing us billions of dollars,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and people will begin to see “real sticker shock,” as ACA plan prices are posted next month, said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.“Timing is important,” Baldwin said.___

Millions face skyrocketing health insurance costs unless Congress acts

MEADE COUNTY —U.S. Highway 54 east of Plains was closed on Sunday due to a camper that was engulfed in flames, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Technical Trooper Parr was on scene and advised of propane tanks exploding from the trailer.

The KHP thanked everyone in Meade County for their tireless work to make sure the scene was secured, safe, and being able to get U.S. Highway 54 back open.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757933111647.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>MEADE COUNTY —U.S. Highway 54 east of Plains was closed on Sunday due to a camper that was engulfed in flames, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.Technical Trooper Parr was on scene and advised of propane tanks exploding from the trailer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757933092166.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The KHP thanked everyone in Meade County for their tireless work to make sure the scene was secured, safe, and being able to get U.S. Highway 54 back open.

Camper fire, exploding propane tanks shut down Kan. highway

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita police arrested a 38-year-old man on Friday after he shot and killed his neighbor, identified as 48-year-old Brian Baker.

Just after 6p.m. Friday, police responded to the 900 block of South Vassar Avenue in Wichita, according to a statement from police. First responders found Baker in a front yard with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Baker was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased at 6:41 p.m.

Investigators learned through multiple witnesses that the incident began as an argument and physical altercation between neighbors that led to the gunfire.

When officers arrived, the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Allan Taylor Gunneson, according to Sedgwick County arrest records, came out of his home and surrendered. 

He was taken to City Hall, questioned, and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. On Sunday, online jail records indicated Gunneson was on&nbsp;Unsupervised Custody; Home Incarceration.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757803004206.png" alt="GUNNESON photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>GUNNESON photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita police arrested a 38-year-old man on Friday after he shot and killed his neighbor, identified as 48-year-old Brian Baker.Just after 6p.m. Friday, police responded to the 900 block of South Vassar Avenue in Wichita, according to a statement from police. First responders found Baker in a front yard with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Baker was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased at 6:41 p.m.Investigators learned through multiple witnesses that the incident began as an argument and physical altercation between neighbors that led to the gunfire.When officers arrived, the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Allan Taylor Gunneson, according to Sedgwick County arrest records, came out of his home and surrendered. He was taken to City Hall, questioned, and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. On Sunday, online jail records indicated Gunneson was on&nbsp;Unsupervised Custody; Home Incarceration.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Kan. man accused of killing his neighbor is on unsupervised custody

KANSAS CITY —Worlds of Fun was open for business again on Sunday after the park was evacuated Saturday night on the opening of the park's Halloween Haunt event.

Just before 9:30pm. Saturday, Law enforcement and the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported shots fired call at Worlds of Fun, according to KCFD Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 After a thorough investigation and patient assessment only one individual was transported for an unrelated medical issue. KCFD is unaware of the circumstances leading up to the call only that no injuries related to the shots fired call were reported.&nbsp;

Kansas City police are in charge of the investigation. KCPD Along with Worlds of Fun security evacuated and cleared the park in an extremely short period of time, according to Hopkins. There is no evidence that shots were fired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757850599425.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Worlds of Fun was open for business again on Sunday after the park was evacuated Saturday night on the opening of the park's Halloween Haunt event.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757932752249.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9:30pm. Saturday, Law enforcement and the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported shots fired call at Worlds of Fun, according to KCFD Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757850922894.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure> After a thorough investigation and patient assessment only one individual was transported for an unrelated medical issue. KCFD is unaware of the circumstances leading up to the call only that no injuries related to the shots fired call were reported.&nbsp;Kansas City police are in charge of the investigation. KCPD Along with Worlds of Fun security evacuated and cleared the park in an extremely short period of time, according to Hopkins. There is no evidence that shots were fired.

Worlds of Fun back open after report of gunfire forced evacuation

GLENDALE, ARIZONA&nbsp; —Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist&nbsp;and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination carried out from a rooftop.

Turning Point USA, Kirk's conservative organization, will hold a memorial for him Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, where the Arizona Cardinals play. <a href="https://www.fightforcharlie.com/">Click here for more details</a> on the service.

Kirk's casket arrived Thursday in his home state aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance.

A vigil at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was among numerous tributes to Kirk on Sunday. The line of mourners in Washington wrapped around the center.

Kirk also was memorialized at Dream City Church in Phoenix, where he hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings. Attendees viewed clips of Kirk discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.” Angel Barnett, a church pastor, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.

Flowers, U.S. flags and handwritten messages were left at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-valley-university-students-bc78cfd86a9911b44c9279e32be442bf">a makeshift memorial</a>&nbsp;at Utah Valley University’s main entrance. The school has said there will be increased security when classes resume Wednesday.

His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to continue his campus tour and his radio and podcast shows.

“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said Friday in a livestreamed video. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757551583450.png" alt="Charlie Kirk photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Charlie Kirk photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>GLENDALE, ARIZONA&nbsp; —Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist&nbsp;and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination carried out from a rooftop.Turning Point USA, Kirk's conservative organization, will hold a memorial for him Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, where the Arizona Cardinals play. <a href="https://www.fightforcharlie.com/">Click here for more details</a> on the service.Kirk's casket arrived Thursday in his home state aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance.A vigil at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was among numerous tributes to Kirk on Sunday. The line of mourners in Washington wrapped around the center.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Complete remarks by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr at Charlie Kirk Memorial Service. <a href="https://t.co/RkJWmcguez">pic.twitter.com/RkJWmcguez</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1967397444494184684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Complete remarks by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at Charlie Kirk Memorial Service. <a href="https://t.co/xEAD92D89E">pic.twitter.com/xEAD92D89E</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1967397150658056597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kirk also was memorialized at Dream City Church in Phoenix, where he hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings. Attendees viewed clips of Kirk discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.” Angel Barnett, a church pastor, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.Flowers, U.S. flags and handwritten messages were left at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-valley-university-students-bc78cfd86a9911b44c9279e32be442bf">a makeshift memorial</a>&nbsp;at Utah Valley University’s main entrance. The school has said there will be increased security when classes resume Wednesday.His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to continue his campus tour and his radio and podcast shows.“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said Friday in a livestreamed video. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen.”

🎥Vigils nationwide, funeral service details for Charlie Kirk

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double homicide in Kansas City.

Just after&nbsp;7a.m. Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 6800 block of Longview Road on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 Upon arrival officers were directed to the front of a grocery store where they located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began to render aid as KCFD Medics simultaneously arrived. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene. 

Other officers arriving were directed to the north side of the grocery store parking lot where they located an additional male victim, also suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, with life threatening injuries. Just before 9 AM, investigators were notified that the second male victim died of his injuries at the hospital.

&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates there was an interaction outside of the grocery store between multiple individuals just prior to the shots being fired.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide, and no one is in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757900925738.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double homicide in Kansas City.Just after&nbsp;7a.m. Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 6800 block of Longview Road on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757900899689.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure> Upon arrival officers were directed to the front of a grocery store where they located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began to render aid as KCFD Medics simultaneously arrived. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene. Other officers arriving were directed to the north side of the grocery store parking lot where they located an additional male victim, also suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, with life threatening injuries. Just before 9 AM, investigators were notified that the second male victim died of his injuries at the hospital.&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates there was an interaction outside of the grocery store between multiple individuals just prior to the shots being fired.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide, and no one is in custody.

2 dead after KC grocery store parking lot gunfight

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seth Rogen and “The Studio”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/emmy-awards-2025-updates">turned the Emmys</a>&nbsp;into a wrap party, winning best comedy series Sunday and breaking a comedy record for victories in a season with 13, while Noah Wyle and “The Pitt” took the top drama prize.

The evening also brought meaningful wins for Jean Smart, Stephen Colbert and 15-year-old Owen Cooper, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adolescence-tv-show-netflix-filming-05ae1def60757a8cb48ae4ad847be67c">Netflix series “Adolescence”</a>&nbsp;dominated the limited series categories.

“I’m legitimately embarrassed by how happy this makes me,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/studio-seth-rogen-tv-show-52762ef0f06d28099924fecb020eabb9">“The Studio”</a>&nbsp;co-creator Rogen said with his signature giggle, surrounded by cast and crew from the Apple TV+ movie-business romp after it won best comedy at the Peacock Theater in a show hosted by Nate Bargatze that aired on CBS. Rogen personally won four, including best actor.

“The Pitt” from HBO Max completed a sentimental journey with its win for best drama series. The character-driven medical drama won over viewers and gained emotional momentum during a season whose biggest drama prizes once seemed destined to be swept by “Severance.”

Wyle won best actor in a drama for playing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/noah-wyles-new-role-in-the-pitt-563ecc546a504f039a6fddfa5403e7d6">grizzled, warm-but-worn-down supervising doctor,</a>&nbsp;getting his first Emmy after five nominations with no victories in the 1990s for playing a scrubbed young cub doctor on “ER.”

“What a dream this has been,” Wyle said. “Oh my goodness.”

Katherine LaNasa, whose nurse is perhaps the show's most beloved character, was a surprise winner of best supporting actress in a drama over three women of “The White Lotus” on a night when every acting Emmy but one went to a first-time victor.

The first-timers included Britt Lower, who won best actress in a drama, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2025-emmys-tramell-tillman-severance-bc25912d82b017cfd4dae4397b703b82">Tramell Tillman, who won best supporting actor,</a>&nbsp;in the night's two biggest moments for “Severance.”

Along with its creative arts wins, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severance-finale-season-2-ben-stiller-adam-scott-51f1c1e8665ef8915d9b3bb5c7370bd8">Orwellian workplace satire</a>&nbsp;ended up with eight for its acclaimed second season. Star Adam Scott lost out to Wyle for best actor.

The show's losses kept the evening from being a total triumph for Apple TV+, which has still never won a best drama prize, though it has now won best comedy three times between “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso.”

Lower’s win was a surprise in a category where Kathy Bates was considered a heavy favorite, for “Matlock.”

Cristin Milioti won best actress in a limited series for “The Penguin.”

Jean Smart bucked the rookie trend, winning her fourth Emmy for best actress in a comedy for “Hacks” and her seventh Emmy overall. At 73, she extended her record for oldest winner in the category.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adolescence-tv-show-netflix-filming-05ae1def60757a8cb48ae4ad847be67c">Netflix’s widely acclaimed “Adolescence,”</a>&nbsp;the story of a 13-year-old in Britain accused of a killing, won six times, including the Emmy for best limited series. Co-creator Stephen Graham won for lead acting and writing while Cooper won best supporting actor and became the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years.

Cooper said in his acceptance that he was “nothing three years ago.”

“It’s just so surreal,” Cooper said. “Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.”

Best supporting actress went to Erin Doherty, who played a therapist opposite Cooper in a riveting episode that like all four “Adolescence” episodes was filmed in a single shot.

“The Studio” came into the evening having won nine Emmys already during last weekend's Creative Arts ceremony. On Sunday night, it added four more, which all went to Rogen. Along with the comedy series award, he won best directing with his co-creator and longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, and best writing with Goldberg and others.

The show brought blockbuster buzz for its first season from the start and the Emmys ate it up, whether because of Hollywood's love for stories about itself (with A-list guest stars) or the television industry's love for stories that mock the self-importance of movie people.

Backstage, Rogen clumsily tried to hold up all four Emmys at once. Asked whether the night will be fodder for season two, he said no.

“This is, like, far too good a thing to have happen on our show,” he said. “Our show is generally based on stress and disappointment and right now, we’re all very happy.”

Smart's castmate and constant scene partner Hannah Einbinder, who had also been nominated for all four seasons of “Hacks” but unlike Smart had never won, took best supporting actress in a comedy.

She said she had become committed to a long-term bit where “it was cooler to lose.”

“But this is cool too!” she shouted, then ended her speech by cursing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and saying “Free Palestine!” Political sentiments from the stage were otherwise rare.

In perhaps the night's biggest upset, Jeff Hiller won best supporting actor in a comedy for “Somebody Somewhere,” over Ike Barinholtz of “The Studio” and others.

Colbert may have been the night's most popular winner, taking best talk series for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”</a>&nbsp;for the first time. He got huge ovations both when he took the stage to present the first award and when he won.

The win may have been the result of a protest vote and a desire to pay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-emmys-colbert-560dded88964296b588d8c6f6dcd4e73">tribute to its host,</a>&nbsp;weeks after its cancellation by CBS. Jimmy Kimmel, who was among his competitors,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-emmys-colbert-560dded88964296b588d8c6f6dcd4e73">campaigned for Colbert to win.</a>

“Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it,” Colbert said in his acceptance.

Many perceived the end of the show as punishment of Colbert and placation of President Donald Trump after Colbert was harshly critical of a legal settlement between the president and Paramount, which needed administration approval for a sale to Skydance Media. Executives called the decision strictly financial.

Colbert showed no bitterness to CBS, thanking the network, which telecast the Emmys and aired a commercial celebrating his win, for letting him be part of the late-night tradition.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nate-bargatze-2025-emmy-awards-c1e27164c0723c4b5c2988d4c586d99d">Bargatze delivered his opening monologue</a>&nbsp;only after the first award was handed out.

The show opened with a sketch where “Saturday Night Live” stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth opining on what the future of TV will be like.

Bargatze-as-Farnsworth mentions that there will one day be a Black Entertainment Television. When asked if there will be a network for white people, he replied, “Why, CBS of course.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757930400582.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seth Rogen and “The Studio”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/emmy-awards-2025-updates">turned the Emmys</a>&nbsp;into a wrap party, winning best comedy series Sunday and breaking a comedy record for victories in a season with 13, while Noah Wyle and “The Pitt” took the top drama prize.The evening also brought meaningful wins for Jean Smart, Stephen Colbert and 15-year-old Owen Cooper, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adolescence-tv-show-netflix-filming-05ae1def60757a8cb48ae4ad847be67c">Netflix series “Adolescence”</a>&nbsp;dominated the limited series categories.“I’m legitimately embarrassed by how happy this makes me,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/studio-seth-rogen-tv-show-52762ef0f06d28099924fecb020eabb9">“The Studio”</a>&nbsp;co-creator Rogen said with his signature giggle, surrounded by cast and crew from the Apple TV+ movie-business romp after it won best comedy at the Peacock Theater in a show hosted by Nate Bargatze that aired on CBS. Rogen personally won four, including best actor.“The Pitt” from HBO Max completed a sentimental journey with its win for best drama series. The character-driven medical drama won over viewers and gained emotional momentum during a season whose biggest drama prizes once seemed destined to be swept by “Severance.”Wyle won best actor in a drama for playing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/noah-wyles-new-role-in-the-pitt-563ecc546a504f039a6fddfa5403e7d6">grizzled, warm-but-worn-down supervising doctor,</a>&nbsp;getting his first Emmy after five nominations with no victories in the 1990s for playing a scrubbed young cub doctor on “ER.”“What a dream this has been,” Wyle said. “Oh my goodness.”Katherine LaNasa, whose nurse is perhaps the show's most beloved character, was a surprise winner of best supporting actress in a drama over three women of “The White Lotus” on a night when every acting Emmy but one went to a first-time victor.The first-timers included Britt Lower, who won best actress in a drama, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2025-emmys-tramell-tillman-severance-bc25912d82b017cfd4dae4397b703b82">Tramell Tillman, who won best supporting actor,</a>&nbsp;in the night's two biggest moments for “Severance.”Along with its creative arts wins, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severance-finale-season-2-ben-stiller-adam-scott-51f1c1e8665ef8915d9b3bb5c7370bd8">Orwellian workplace satire</a>&nbsp;ended up with eight for its acclaimed second season. Star Adam Scott lost out to Wyle for best actor.The show's losses kept the evening from being a total triumph for Apple TV+, which has still never won a best drama prize, though it has now won best comedy three times between “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso.”Lower’s win was a surprise in a category where Kathy Bates was considered a heavy favorite, for “Matlock.”Cristin Milioti won best actress in a limited series for “The Penguin.”Jean Smart bucked the rookie trend, winning her fourth Emmy for best actress in a comedy for “Hacks” and her seventh Emmy overall. At 73, she extended her record for oldest winner in the category.<h2>‘Adolescence’ triumphs</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/adolescence-tv-show-netflix-filming-05ae1def60757a8cb48ae4ad847be67c">Netflix’s widely acclaimed “Adolescence,”</a>&nbsp;the story of a 13-year-old in Britain accused of a killing, won six times, including the Emmy for best limited series. Co-creator Stephen Graham won for lead acting and writing while Cooper won best supporting actor and became the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years.Cooper said in his acceptance that he was “nothing three years ago.”“It’s just so surreal,” Cooper said. “Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.”Best supporting actress went to Erin Doherty, who played a therapist opposite Cooper in a riveting episode that like all four “Adolescence” episodes was filmed in a single shot.<h2>A blockbuster night for ‘The Studio’</h2>“The Studio” came into the evening having won nine Emmys already during last weekend's Creative Arts ceremony. On Sunday night, it added four more, which all went to Rogen. Along with the comedy series award, he won best directing with his co-creator and longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, and best writing with Goldberg and others.The show brought blockbuster buzz for its first season from the start and the Emmys ate it up, whether because of Hollywood's love for stories about itself (with A-list guest stars) or the television industry's love for stories that mock the self-importance of movie people.Backstage, Rogen clumsily tried to hold up all four Emmys at once. Asked whether the night will be fodder for season two, he said no.“This is, like, far too good a thing to have happen on our show,” he said. “Our show is generally based on stress and disappointment and right now, we’re all very happy.”<h2>A night of surprise winners</h2>Smart's castmate and constant scene partner Hannah Einbinder, who had also been nominated for all four seasons of “Hacks” but unlike Smart had never won, took best supporting actress in a comedy.She said she had become committed to a long-term bit where “it was cooler to lose.”“But this is cool too!” she shouted, then ended her speech by cursing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and saying “Free Palestine!” Political sentiments from the stage were otherwise rare.In perhaps the night's biggest upset, Jeff Hiller won best supporting actor in a comedy for “Somebody Somewhere,” over Ike Barinholtz of “The Studio” and others.<h2>Colbert gets a rousing send-off</h2>Colbert may have been the night's most popular winner, taking best talk series for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”</a>&nbsp;for the first time. He got huge ovations both when he took the stage to present the first award and when he won.The win may have been the result of a protest vote and a desire to pay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-emmys-colbert-560dded88964296b588d8c6f6dcd4e73">tribute to its host,</a>&nbsp;weeks after its cancellation by CBS. Jimmy Kimmel, who was among his competitors,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-emmys-colbert-560dded88964296b588d8c6f6dcd4e73">campaigned for Colbert to win.</a>“Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it,” Colbert said in his acceptance.Many perceived the end of the show as punishment of Colbert and placation of President Donald Trump after Colbert was harshly critical of a legal settlement between the president and Paramount, which needed administration approval for a sale to Skydance Media. Executives called the decision strictly financial.Colbert showed no bitterness to CBS, thanking the network, which telecast the Emmys and aired a commercial celebrating his win, for letting him be part of the late-night tradition.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nate-bargatze-2025-emmy-awards-c1e27164c0723c4b5c2988d4c586d99d">Bargatze delivered his opening monologue</a>&nbsp;only after the first award was handed out.The show opened with a sketch where “Saturday Night Live” stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth opining on what the future of TV will be like.Bargatze-as-Farnsworth mentions that there will one day be a Black Entertainment Television. When asked if there will be a network for white people, he replied, “Why, CBS of course.”___

See who won at the Emmy Awards 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City area elementary school teacher has been indicted by a federal grand jury for additional child pornography offenses, acording to the United State's Attorney.

Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, was charged in a seven-count federal indictment in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Hernandez was previously charged in a three-count criminal complaint with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Today’s indictment includes those charges and four additional counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. The offenses charged in the indictment are alleged to have occurred between August 2022 and August 2025.

The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Hernandez. If you or your child believes they were a victim of Hernandez, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are under the age of 18, please have your parent/guardian call on your behalf. Your responses are voluntary. Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.

The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755908167779.png" alt="Hernandez photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City area elementary school teacher has been indicted by a federal grand jury for additional child pornography offenses, acording to the United State's Attorney.Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, was charged in a seven-count federal indictment in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Hernandez was previously charged in a three-count criminal complaint with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Today’s indictment includes those charges and four additional counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. The offenses charged in the indictment are alleged to have occurred between August 2022 and August 2025.The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Hernandez. If you or your child believes they were a victim of Hernandez, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are under the age of 18, please have your parent/guardian call on your behalf. Your responses are voluntary. Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law.

KC area elementary teacher faces additional child porn charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — Family and friends of the 22-year-old accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;described his politics as veering left in recent years as he spent large amounts of time scrolling the “dark corners of the internet,” Utah Gov. Spencer Spencer Cox said Sunday.

Investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect, Tyler Robinson, and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive. But Cox noted that Robinson, who is not cooperating with law enforcement, disliked Kirk and may have been “radicalized” online.

“There clearly was a leftist ideology,” Cox said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” citing interviews with Robinson’s relatives and acquaintances. “Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.”

He pointed to references found engraved on the ammunition used to kill Kirk, which included anti-fascist and meme-culture language. Court records show that one bullet casing had the message, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”

A Republican who has called on all partisans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9">to tone down their rhetoric</a>&nbsp;following the attack, the governor added: “I really don’t have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, I’d be saying that as well.”

Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on Kirk, a father of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">and Trump confidant</a>&nbsp;who was killed Wednesday while on one of his signature college speaking tours at Utah Valley University. The governor said more information may come out once Robinson appears in court Tuesday.

Cox said the suspect's partner was transgender, which some politicians have pointed to as a sign Robinson was targeting Kirk, the founder of Turning Points USA, for his anti-trans views. But authorities have not said whether it is relevant as they investigate Robinson’s motive.

“The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox said. “I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.”

Investigators have spoken to Robinson’s relatives and carried out a search warrant at his family’s home in Washington, about 240 miles (390 kilometers) southwest of Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place.

State records show Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.

Robinson grew up around St. George, in the southwestern corner of Utah between Las Vegas and natural landmarks including Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.

He became a member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mormonism">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, known widely as the Mormon church, at a young age, church spokesperson Doug Andersen said.

Online activity by Robinson’s mother reflects an active family that traveled widely. In one photo, a young Robinson can be seen smiling as he grips the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun outside a military facility.

A high school honor roll student who scored in the 99th percentile nationally on standardized tests, he was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter that was posted to a family member’s social media account.

But he attended for only one semester, according to the university. He is currently enrolled as a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.

Meanwhile, Kirk was memorialized with candle-lit vigils and other events Sunday.

At Dream City Church in Phoenix, where Kirk hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings, attendees viewed clips of the conservative activist discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.”

During a question-and-answer session, a church pastor, Angel Barnett, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.

“The left is nervous,” Barnett said. “And they’re concerned because they’ve lost control. Charlie started that, and we will continue it.”

Added church panelist Brandon Tatum: “These cowards thought that they could end or eliminate the movement.”

“They just made it bigger. They just made it stronger.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757689066912.png" alt="Robinson photo released by the Utah Governor's office" />
 <figcaption>Robinson photo released by the Utah Governor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Family and friends of the 22-year-old accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;described his politics as veering left in recent years as he spent large amounts of time scrolling the “dark corners of the internet,” Utah Gov. Spencer Spencer Cox said Sunday.Investigators were still piecing together information about the suspect, Tyler Robinson, and not yet ready to discuss a potential motive. But Cox noted that Robinson, who is not cooperating with law enforcement, disliked Kirk and may have been “radicalized” online.“There clearly was a leftist ideology,” Cox said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” citing interviews with Robinson’s relatives and acquaintances. “Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.”He pointed to references found engraved on the ammunition used to kill Kirk, which included anti-fascist and meme-culture language. Court records show that one bullet casing had the message, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”A Republican who has called on all partisans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9">to tone down their rhetoric</a>&nbsp;following the attack, the governor added: “I really don’t have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, I’d be saying that as well.”Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on Kirk, a father of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">and Trump confidant</a>&nbsp;who was killed Wednesday while on one of his signature college speaking tours at Utah Valley University. The governor said more information may come out once Robinson appears in court Tuesday.Cox said the suspect's partner was transgender, which some politicians have pointed to as a sign Robinson was targeting Kirk, the founder of Turning Points USA, for his anti-trans views. But authorities have not said whether it is relevant as they investigate Robinson’s motive.“The roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox said. “I can say that he has been incredibly cooperative, this partner has been very cooperative, had no idea that this was happening.”Investigators have spoken to Robinson’s relatives and carried out a search warrant at his family’s home in Washington, about 240 miles (390 kilometers) southwest of Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place.State records show Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.Robinson grew up around St. George, in the southwestern corner of Utah between Las Vegas and natural landmarks including Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.He became a member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mormonism">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, known widely as the Mormon church, at a young age, church spokesperson Doug Andersen said.Online activity by Robinson’s mother reflects an active family that traveled widely. In one photo, a young Robinson can be seen smiling as he grips the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun outside a military facility.A high school honor roll student who scored in the 99th percentile nationally on standardized tests, he was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter that was posted to a family member’s social media account.But he attended for only one semester, according to the university. He is currently enrolled as a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.Meanwhile, Kirk was memorialized with candle-lit vigils and other events Sunday.At Dream City Church in Phoenix, where Kirk hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings, attendees viewed clips of the conservative activist discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.”During a question-and-answer session, a church pastor, Angel Barnett, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.“The left is nervous,” Barnett said. “And they’re concerned because they’ve lost control. Charlie started that, and we will continue it.”Added church panelist Brandon Tatum: “These cowards thought that they could end or eliminate the movement.”“They just made it bigger. They just made it stronger.”

Utah governor: Motive in Kirk killing not yet certain; suspect was on the left

The book report is now a thing of the past. Take-home tests and essays are becoming obsolete.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-companion-generative-teens-mental-health-9ce59a2b250f3bd0187a717ffa2ad21f">Student use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;has become so prevalent, high school and college educators say, that to assign writing outside of the classroom is like asking students to cheat.

“The cheating is off the charts. It’s the worst I’ve seen in my entire career,” says Casey Cuny, who has taught English for 23 years. Educators are no longer wondering if students will outsource schoolwork to AI chatbots. “Anything you send home, you have to assume is being AI’ed.”

The question now is how schools can adapt, because many of the teaching and assessment tools that have been used for generations are no longer effective. As&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatgpt-teacher-chatbot-b1630bc549e9044d1e3bbcc060fb422c">AI technology</a>&nbsp;rapidly improves and becomes more entwined with daily life, it is transforming how students learn and study and how teachers teach, and it’s creating new confusion over what constitutes academic dishonesty.

“We have to ask ourselves, what is cheating?” says Cuny, a 2024 recipient of California’s Teacher of the Year award. “Because I think the lines are getting blurred.”

Cuny’s students at Valencia High School in southern California now do most writing in class. He monitors student laptop screens from his desktop, using software that lets him “lock down” their screens or block access to certain sites. He’s also integrating AI into his lessons and teaching students how to use AI as a study aid “to get kids learning with AI instead of cheating with AI.”

By JOCELYN GECKER Associated PressThe book report is now a thing of the past. Take-home tests and essays are becoming obsolete.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-companion-generative-teens-mental-health-9ce59a2b250f3bd0187a717ffa2ad21f">Student use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;has become so prevalent, high school and college educators say, that to assign writing outside of the classroom is like asking students to cheat.“The cheating is off the charts. It’s the worst I’ve seen in my entire career,” says Casey Cuny, who has taught English for 23 years. Educators are no longer wondering if students will outsource schoolwork to AI chatbots. “Anything you send home, you have to assume is being AI’ed.”The question now is how schools can adapt, because many of the teaching and assessment tools that have been used for generations are no longer effective. As&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatgpt-teacher-chatbot-b1630bc549e9044d1e3bbcc060fb422c">AI technology</a>&nbsp;rapidly improves and becomes more entwined with daily life, it is transforming how students learn and study and how teachers teach, and it’s creating new confusion over what constitutes academic dishonesty.“We have to ask ourselves, what is cheating?” says Cuny, a 2024 recipient of California’s Teacher of the Year award. “Because I think the lines are getting blurred.”Cuny’s students at Valencia High School in southern California now do most writing in class. He monitors student laptop screens from his desktop, using software that lets him “lock down” their screens or block access to certain sites. He’s also integrating AI into his lessons and teaching students how to use AI as a study aid “to get kids learning with AI instead of cheating with AI.”In rural Oregon, high school teacher Kelly Gibson has made a similar shift to in-class writing. She is also incorporating more verbal assessments to have students talk through their understanding of assigned reading.“I used to give a writing prompt and say, ‘In two weeks, I want a five-paragraph essay,’” says Gibson. “These days, I can’t do that. That’s almost begging teenagers to cheat.”Take, for example, a once typical high school English assignment: Write an essay that explains the relevance of social class in “The Great Gatsby.” Many students say their first instinct is now to ask ChatGPT for help “brainstorming.” Within seconds, ChatGPT yields a list of essay ideas, plus examples and quotes to back them up. The chatbot ends by asking if it can do more: “Would you like help writing any part of the essay? I can help you draft an introduction or outline a paragraph!”<h2>Students are uncertain when AI usage is out of bounds</h2>Students say they often turn to AI with good intentions for things like research, editing or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-students-disabilities-ff1f51379b3861978efb0c1334a2a953">help reading difficult texts</a>. But AI offers unprecedented temptation, and it’s sometimes hard to know where to draw the line.College sophomore Lily Brown, a psychology major at an East Coast liberal arts school, relies on ChatGPT to help outline essays because she struggles putting the pieces together herself. ChatGPT also helped her through a freshman philosophy class, where assigned reading “felt like a different language” until she read AI summaries of the texts.“Sometimes I feel bad using ChatGPT to summarize reading, because I wonder, is this cheating? Is helping me form outlines cheating? If I write an essay in my own words and ask how to improve it, or when it starts to edit my essay, is that cheating?”Her class syllabi say things like: “Don’t use AI to write essays and to form thoughts,” she says, but that leaves a lot of grey area. Students say they often shy away from asking teachers for clarity because admitting to any AI use could flag them as a cheater.Schools tend to leave AI policies to teachers, which often means that rules vary widely within the same school. Some educators, for example, welcome the use of Grammarly.com, an AI-powered writing assistant, to check grammar. Others forbid it, noting the tool also offers to rewrite sentences.“Whether you can use AI or not depends on each classroom. That can get confusing,” says Valencia 11th grader Jolie Lahey. She credits Cuny with teaching her sophomore English class a variety of AI skills like how to upload study guides to ChatGPT and have the chatbot quiz them, and then explain problems they got wrong.But this year, her teachers have strict “No AI” policies. “It’s such a helpful tool. And if we’re not allowed to use it that just doesn’t make sense,” Lahey says. “It feels outdated.”<h2>Schools are introducing guidelines, gradually</h2>Many schools initially banned use of AI after ChatGPT launched in late 2022. But views on the role of artificial intelligence in education have shifted dramatically. The term “AI literacy” has become a buzzword of the back-to-school season, with a focus on how to balance the strengths of AI with its risks and challenges.Over the summer, several colleges and universities convened their AI task forces to draft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-colleges-and-universities-alice-mary-baldwin-general-news-e0037fe9d6731010894bb6d4b52f9665">more detailed guidelines</a>&nbsp;or provide faculty with new instructions.The University of California, Berkeley emailed all faculty new AI guidance that instructs them to “include a clear statement on their syllabus about course expectations” around AI use. The guidance offered language for three sample syllabus statements — for courses that require AI, ban AI in and out of class, or allow some AI use.“In the absence of such a statement, students may be more likely to use these technologies inappropriately,” the email said, stressing that AI is “creating new confusion about what might constitute legitimate methods for completing student work.”Carnegie Mellon University has seen a huge uptick in academic responsibility violations due to AI, but often students aren’t aware they’ve done anything wrong, says Rebekah Fitzsimmons, chair of the AI faculty advising committee at the university’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.For example, one student who is learning English wrote an assignment in his native language and used DeepL, an AI-powered translation tool, to translate his work to English. But he didn’t realize the platform also altered his language, which was flagged by an AI detector.Enforcing academic integrity policies has become more complicated, since use of AI is hard to spot and even harder to prove, Fitzsimmons said. Faculty are allowed flexibility when they believe a student has unintentionally crossed a line, but are now more hesitant to point out violations because they don't want to accuse students unfairly. Students worry that if they are falsely accused, there is no way to prove their innocence.Over the summer, Fitzsimmons helped draft detailed new guidelines for students and faculty that strive to create more clarity. Faculty have been told a blanket ban on AI “is not a viable policy” unless instructors make changes to the way they teach and assess students. A lot of faculty are doing away with take-home exams. Some have returned to pen and paper tests in class, she said, and others have moved to “flipped classrooms,” where homework is done in class.Emily DeJeu, who teaches communication courses at Carnegie Mellon’s business school, has eliminated writing assignments as homework and replaced them with in-class quizzes done on laptops in “a lockdown browser” that blocks students from leaving the quiz screen.“To expect an 18-year-old to exercise great discipline is unreasonable," DeJeu said. "That’s why it’s up to instructors to put up guardrails.”___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/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.