WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of an effort to halve the organization's staff -- a prelude to President Donald Trump's plan to dismantle the agency.

Department officials announced the cuts Tuesday, raising questions about the agency's ability to continue usual operations.

The Trump administration had already been whittling the agency's staff, though buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees. After Tuesday's layoffs, the Education Department's staff will sit at roughly half of its previous 4,100, the agency said.

The layoffs are part of a dramatic downsizing directed by Trump as he moves to reduce the footprint of the federal government. Thousands of jobs are expected to be cut across the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration and other agencies.

The department is also terminating leases on buildings in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago and Cleveland, officials said.

Department officials said it would continue to deliver on its key functions such as the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan management and oversight of Pell Grants.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said when she got to the department, she wanted to reduce bloat to be able to send more money to local education authorities.

"So many of the programs are really excellent, so we need to make sure the money goes to the states," McMahon said in an interview Tuesday on Fox News.

McMahon told employees to brace for profound cuts in a memo issued March 3, the day she was confirmed by the Senate. She said it was the department's "final mission" to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and turn over the agency's authority to states.

The department sent an email to employees Tuesday telling them its Washington headquarters and regional offices would be closed Wednesday, with access forbidden, before reopening Thursday. The only reason given for the closures was unspecified "security reasons."

Trump campaigned on a promise to close the department, saying it had been overtaken by "radicals, zealots and Marxists." At McMahon's confirmation hearing, she acknowledged only Congress has the power to abolish the agency but said it might be due for cuts and a reorganization.

Whether the cuts will be felt by America's students — as Democrats and advocates fear — is yet to be seen. Already there are concerns the administration's agenda has pushed aside some of the agency's most fundamental work, including the enforcement of civil rights for students with disabilities and the management of $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.

McMahon told lawmakers at her hearing that her aim is not to defund core programs, but to make them more efficient.

Even before the layoffs, the Education Department was among the smallest Cabinet-level agencies. Its workforce included 3,100 people in Washington and an additional 1,100 at regional offices across the country, according to a department website.

The department's workers had faced increasing pressure to quit their jobs since Trump took office, first through a deferred resignation program and then through a $25,000 buyout offer that expired March 3.

Jeanne Allen of the Center for Education Reform, which advocates for charter school expansion, said the cuts were important and necessary.

"Ending incessant federal interference will free up state and local leaders to foster more opportunities to give schools and educators true flexibility and innovation to address the needs of students, wherever they are educated," Allen said.

Some advocates were skeptical of the department's claim that its functions would not be affected by the layoffs.

"I don't see at all how that can be true," said Roxanne Garza, who was chief of staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education under President Joe Biden.

Much of what the department does, like investigating civil rights complaints and helping families apply for financial aid, is labor intensive, said Garza, who is now director of higher education policy at Education Trust, a research and advocacy organization. "How those things will not be impacted with far fewer staff ... I just don't see it."

The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741729690736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of an effort to halve the organization's staff -- a prelude to President Donald Trump's plan to dismantle the agency.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741730145915.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Department officials announced the cuts Tuesday, raising questions about the agency's ability to continue usual operations.The Trump administration had already been whittling the agency's staff, though buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees. After Tuesday's layoffs, the Education Department's staff will sit at roughly half of its previous 4,100, the agency said.The layoffs are part of a dramatic downsizing directed by Trump as he moves to reduce the footprint of the federal government. Thousands of jobs are expected to be cut across the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration and other agencies.The department is also terminating leases on buildings in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago and Cleveland, officials said.Department officials said it would continue to deliver on its key functions such as the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan management and oversight of Pell Grants.Education Secretary Linda McMahon said when she got to the department, she wanted to reduce bloat to be able to send more money to local education authorities."So many of the programs are really excellent, so we need to make sure the money goes to the states," McMahon said in an interview Tuesday on Fox News.McMahon told employees to brace for profound cuts in a memo issued March 3, the day she was confirmed by the Senate. She said it was the department's "final mission" to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and turn over the agency's authority to states.The department sent an email to employees Tuesday telling them its Washington headquarters and regional offices would be closed Wednesday, with access forbidden, before reopening Thursday. The only reason given for the closures was unspecified "security reasons."Trump campaigned on a promise to close the department, saying it had been overtaken by "radicals, zealots and Marxists." At McMahon's confirmation hearing, she acknowledged only Congress has the power to abolish the agency but said it might be due for cuts and a reorganization.Whether the cuts will be felt by America's students — as Democrats and advocates fear — is yet to be seen. Already there are concerns the administration's agenda has pushed aside some of the agency's most fundamental work, including the enforcement of civil rights for students with disabilities and the management of $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.McMahon told lawmakers at her hearing that her aim is not to defund core programs, but to make them more efficient.Even before the layoffs, the Education Department was among the smallest Cabinet-level agencies. Its workforce included 3,100 people in Washington and an additional 1,100 at regional offices across the country, according to a department website.The department's workers had faced increasing pressure to quit their jobs since Trump took office, first through a deferred resignation program and then through a $25,000 buyout offer that expired March 3.Jeanne Allen of the Center for Education Reform, which advocates for charter school expansion, said the cuts were important and necessary."Ending incessant federal interference will free up state and local leaders to foster more opportunities to give schools and educators true flexibility and innovation to address the needs of students, wherever they are educated," Allen said.Some advocates were skeptical of the department's claim that its functions would not be affected by the layoffs."I don't see at all how that can be true," said Roxanne Garza, who was chief of staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education under President Joe Biden.Much of what the department does, like investigating civil rights complaints and helping families apply for financial aid, is labor intensive, said Garza, who is now director of higher education policy at Education Trust, a research and advocacy organization. "How those things will not be impacted with far fewer staff ... I just don't see it."___The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Read the memo: U.S. Education Dept. buildings closed until Thursday

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred just after 3:30p.m. Monday in Topeka have identified the woman who died as&nbsp;Alice J. Thomas, 70, of Topeka.

The incident occurred in&nbsp; the parking lot of Walmart located at 2600 NW Rochester Road, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.. 

A vehicle struck Thomas in the store parking lot. Medical personnel pronounced her deceased on scene.&nbsp; The incident remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741742902095.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred just after 3:30p.m. Monday in Topeka have identified the woman who died as&nbsp;Alice J. Thomas, 70, of Topeka.The incident occurred in&nbsp; the parking lot of Walmart located at 2600 NW Rochester Road, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.. A vehicle struck Thomas in the store parking lot. Medical personnel pronounced her deceased on scene.&nbsp; The incident remains under investigation.

Police ID Kan. woman who died in parking lot pedestrian accident

MORRIS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase in Morris County.

Just before midnight March 8, a sheriff's deputy attempted a traffic stop on U.S. 77 at mile post 137 for an alleged traffic violation, according to a media release from the Morris County Sheriff.

The driver, later identified as a juvenile, refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued. Geary County Sheriff's deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers responded to assist. The vehicle avoided spike strips and attempted to exit off Interstate 70 through an east ditch, stuck a tree row and came to rest in an open field. Deputies found illegal drugs in the vehicle. The driver and a 27-year-old passenger identified as Jaquellin Demarquez Holland, 27, Wichita, were not injured.

Deputies arrested them. The teen driver is being held on requested charges that include flee or attempted to elude law enforcement, no proof of insurance and a number of other traffic violations.

Holland, who has a previous counterfeiting conviction, is being held on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement, possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or other stimulant and use/possess with intent to use-drug paraphernalia into human body.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741688954957.png" alt="Holland photo. KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Holland photo. KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>MORRIS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase in Morris County.Just before midnight March 8, a sheriff's deputy attempted a traffic stop on U.S. 77 at mile post 137 for an alleged traffic violation, according to a media release from the Morris County Sheriff.The driver, later identified as a juvenile, refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued. Geary County Sheriff's deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers responded to assist. The vehicle avoided spike strips and attempted to exit off Interstate 70 through an east ditch, stuck a tree row and came to rest in an open field. Deputies found illegal drugs in the vehicle. The driver and a 27-year-old passenger identified as Jaquellin Demarquez Holland, 27, Wichita, were not injured.Deputies arrested them. The teen driver is being held on requested charges that include flee or attempted to elude law enforcement, no proof of insurance and a number of other traffic violations.Holland, who has a previous counterfeiting conviction, is being held on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement, possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or other stimulant and use/possess with intent to use-drug paraphernalia into human body.

Kansas felon, teen driver jailed after high-speed chase

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators looking for the cause of the January collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people recommended a ban on some helicopter flights Tuesday to improve safety, saying the current setup “poses an intolerable risk.”

A military helicopter collided with the American Airlines jet as it was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport over the Potomac River on Jan. 29. Among the victims were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-079cca60567e6929f4b84a8e9d6c330d">28 members of the figure skating community.</a>

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the board determined that the existing separation distance between planes and helicopters at Reagan National Airport is “insufficient and poses an intolerable risk to aviation safety.”

Homendy said she was angry and also devastated for families that are grieving because they lost loved ones.

“It shouldn’t take tragedy to require immediate action,” she said.

Under the current practice helicopters and planes can be as close as 75 feet apart from each other during landing, Homendy said. Investigators have identified 15,214 instances of planes getting alerts about helicopters being in close proximity between October 2021 and December 2024, she said.

Following the crash, the FAA took steps to restrict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-crash-night-faa-helicopter-286319ac01bee91e4992c95e7946063e">helicopter flights</a>&nbsp;around Reagan National Airport to ensure that planes and helicopters are no longer sharing the same airspace. Now flights are put on hold temporarily when helicopters need to pass by the airport.

Homendy said the NTSB is recommending that the FAA find a “permanent solution” for alternate routes for helicopter traffic when two of the airport’s runways are in use.

Investigators have said the helicopter may have had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-national-airport-aircraft-crash-ntsb-3dec2686beb43ada10ce392c857751cc">inaccurate altitude readings</a>&nbsp;in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers. The collision likely occurred at an altitude just under 300 feet (91 meters), as the plane descended toward the helicopter, which was well above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.

The helicopter pilots may have also missed part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy said last month.

The helicopter was on a “check” flight that night where the pilot was undergoing an annual test and a test on using night vision goggles, Homendy said. Investigators believe the crew was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the nation’s capital.

Within just a month’s time earlier this year, there were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recent-plane-crashes-us-canada-delta-toronto-1d6e07a4bed5e229cdd1d8c415e955e5">four major aviation disasters</a>&nbsp;in North America, including the midair collision over the Potomac and most recently in mid-February when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-survivors-air-disasters-toronto-c2390902afbd1dc044e05c060339c0b6">a Delta flight flipped</a>&nbsp;and landed on its roof at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, injuring 21 people.

Those accidents and close calls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-safety-ntsb-faa-69bf8b4b3562670c7226d9d6f07925a0">left some worried</a>&nbsp;about the safety of flying even though fatal crashes are rare and the track record of U.S. airlines is remarkably sound.

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">blamed the midair collision</a>&nbsp;over Washington, D.C., on what he called an “obsolete” air traffic control system and promised to replace it. He also faulted the helicopter for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">flying too high</a>.

Federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-faa-close-calls-senate-hearing-7309801ccbf64bcecfb0cf58e3e58498">have been raising concerns</a>&nbsp;about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls between planes at U.S. airports. Among the reasons they have cited for staffing shortages are uncompetitive pay, long shifts, intensive training and mandatory retirements.

On Jan. 29, an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter collided as the plane prepared to land at Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport. Both plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people aboard.

The National Transportation Safety Board plans to give another update on the crash Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators previously said the helicopter may have had inaccurate altitude readings in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers.

The collision was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.

A string of crashes this year along with a near miss have brought attention to air travel, which remains overwhelmingly safe in the U.S. On Jan. 31, a medical transport jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing seven people. On Feb. 6, a small commuter aircraft crashed off western Alaska, killing 10. On Feb. 17, a Delta plane crashed and flipped over upon landing in Toronto. Two small planes collided in midair in Arizona on Feb. 19, killing two people. And there was a scary moment on Feb. 25 in Chicago when a Southwest Airlines plane aborted its landing to avoid crashing into another plane crossing the runway.

American Airlines Flight 5342 was coming in from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, as it approached to land on a clear night. Nearby, a U.S. Army Black Hawk with three soldiers on board was practicing emergency evacuation routes that would be used to ferry out key government officials in an attack or catastrophe.

Investigators believe the helicopter crew was wearing night-vision goggles that would have limited their peripheral vision.

A few minutes before the twin-engine jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked if it could use a shorter runway. The pilots agreed, and flight-tracking sites show the plane turned to adjust its approach.

Shortly before the collision, a controller got an alert that the plane and Black Hawk were converging and asked the helicopter if it had the plane in sight. The military pilot said yes and asked for "visual separation" with the jet for a second time — allowing it to fly closer than if the pilots couldn't see the plane. Controllers approved the request.

Roughly 20 seconds later, the aircraft collided.

The NTSB has recovered all flight data recorders and pulled the wreckage of both aircraft from the Potomac.

It will take more than a year to get the final NTSB report, but officials have provided regular updates as investigators learn more. They plan to release their preliminary report on Tuesday.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy told reporters last month that the Black Hawk's cockpit recorder suggested an incomplete radio transmission may have left the crew unable to hear air traffic control tell them, just before the crash, to move behind the jet.

"That transmission was interrupted — it was stepped on," she said at a Feb. 14 briefing, leaving the helicopter's crew unable to hear the words "pass behind the" because their microphone key was pressed.

The radio altitude of the helicopter was 278 feet (85 meters) at the time of the collision, which would put the Black Hawk above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.

Cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash indicated the crew may not have had accurate altitude readings, with the helicopter's pilot calling out that they were then at 300 feet (91 meters), but the instructor pilot saying 400 feet (122 meters), Homendy said.

"We are looking at the possibility there may be bad data," she said.

That generation of Black Hawks typically has two types of altimeters: one relying on barometric pressure and the other on radio frequency signals bounced off the ground. Helicopter pilots typically rely on barometric readings while flying, but the helicopter's black box captures its radio altitude.

Almost immediately after the crash, President Donald Trump faulted the helicopter for flying too high. He also blamed federal diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly regarding air traffic controllers. When pressed by reporters, the president could not back up those claims. A few days later, Trump blamed an "obsolete" air traffic control system that he said should have been replaced years ago.

Army officials have said the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced and familiar with the crowded skies around Washington.

The Army identified the Black Hawk crew as 28-year-old Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach of Durham, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland. O'Hara was the crew chief and Eaves and Lobach were pilots.

Among the jet's passengers were several members of the Skating Club of Boston returning from a development camp for elite junior skaters that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. A figure skating tribute event in Washington raised $1.2 million for crash victims' families.

Others killed included a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas, four members of a steamfitters' local union in suburban Maryland, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia, schools and two Chinese nationals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739539122711.png" alt="The NTSB recovers the debris of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk involved in a mid-air collision near DCA in Arlington, VA. NTSB photo" />
 <figcaption>The NTSB recovers the debris of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk involved in a mid-air collision near DCA in Arlington, VA. NTSB photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators looking for the cause of the January collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people recommended a ban on some helicopter flights Tuesday to improve safety, saying the current setup “poses an intolerable risk.”A military helicopter collided with the American Airlines jet as it was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport over the Potomac River on Jan. 29. Among the victims were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-079cca60567e6929f4b84a8e9d6c330d">28 members of the figure skating community.</a><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WUIj5-RKUKA?si=gSd0CvAMhE8dbD5R&amp;start=63" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the board determined that the existing separation distance between planes and helicopters at Reagan National Airport is “insufficient and poses an intolerable risk to aviation safety.”Homendy said she was angry and also devastated for families that are grieving because they lost loved ones.“It shouldn’t take tragedy to require immediate action,” she said.Under the current practice helicopters and planes can be as close as 75 feet apart from each other during landing, Homendy said. Investigators have identified 15,214 instances of planes getting alerts about helicopters being in close proximity between October 2021 and December 2024, she said.Following the crash, the FAA took steps to restrict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-crash-night-faa-helicopter-286319ac01bee91e4992c95e7946063e">helicopter flights</a>&nbsp;around Reagan National Airport to ensure that planes and helicopters are no longer sharing the same airspace. Now flights are put on hold temporarily when helicopters need to pass by the airport.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739560505556.png" alt="Helicopter routes map - NTSB" />
 <figcaption>Helicopter routes map - NTSB</figcaption>
 </figure>Homendy said the NTSB is recommending that the FAA find a “permanent solution” for alternate routes for helicopter traffic when two of the airport’s runways are in use.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738703092495.png" alt="The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators have said the helicopter may have had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-national-airport-aircraft-crash-ntsb-3dec2686beb43ada10ce392c857751cc">inaccurate altitude readings</a>&nbsp;in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers. The collision likely occurred at an altitude just under 300 feet (91 meters), as the plane descended toward the helicopter, which was well above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.The helicopter pilots may have also missed part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy said last month.The helicopter was on a “check” flight that night where the pilot was undergoing an annual test and a test on using night vision goggles, Homendy said. Investigators believe the crew was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the nation’s capital.Within just a month’s time earlier this year, there were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recent-plane-crashes-us-canada-delta-toronto-1d6e07a4bed5e229cdd1d8c415e955e5">four major aviation disasters</a>&nbsp;in North America, including the midair collision over the Potomac and most recently in mid-February when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-survivors-air-disasters-toronto-c2390902afbd1dc044e05c060339c0b6">a Delta flight flipped</a>&nbsp;and landed on its roof at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, injuring 21 people.Those accidents and close calls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-safety-ntsb-faa-69bf8b4b3562670c7226d9d6f07925a0">left some worried</a>&nbsp;about the safety of flying even though fatal crashes are rare and the track record of U.S. airlines is remarkably sound.President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">blamed the midair collision</a>&nbsp;over Washington, D.C., on what he called an “obsolete” air traffic control system and promised to replace it. He also faulted the helicopter for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">flying too high</a>.Federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-faa-close-calls-senate-hearing-7309801ccbf64bcecfb0cf58e3e58498">have been raising concerns</a>&nbsp;about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls between planes at U.S. airports. Among the reasons they have cited for staffing shortages are uncompetitive pay, long shifts, intensive training and mandatory retirements.___------------On Jan. 29, an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter collided as the plane prepared to land at Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport. Both plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people aboard.The National Transportation Safety Board plans to give another update on the crash Tuesday afternoon.Investigators previously said the helicopter may have had inaccurate altitude readings in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers.The collision was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.A string of crashes this year along with a near miss have brought attention to air travel, which remains overwhelmingly safe in the U.S. On Jan. 31, a medical transport jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing seven people. On Feb. 6, a small commuter aircraft crashed off western Alaska, killing 10. On Feb. 17, a Delta plane crashed and flipped over upon landing in Toronto. Two small planes collided in midair in Arizona on Feb. 19, killing two people. And there was a scary moment on Feb. 25 in Chicago when a Southwest Airlines plane aborted its landing to avoid crashing into another plane crossing the runway.Here's a look at the Jan. 29 crash:What happened?American Airlines Flight 5342 was coming in from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, as it approached to land on a clear night. Nearby, a U.S. Army Black Hawk with three soldiers on board was practicing emergency evacuation routes that would be used to ferry out key government officials in an attack or catastrophe.Investigators believe the helicopter crew was wearing night-vision goggles that would have limited their peripheral vision.A few minutes before the twin-engine jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked if it could use a shorter runway. The pilots agreed, and flight-tracking sites show the plane turned to adjust its approach.Shortly before the collision, a controller got an alert that the plane and Black Hawk were converging and asked the helicopter if it had the plane in sight. The military pilot said yes and asked for "visual separation" with the jet for a second time — allowing it to fly closer than if the pilots couldn't see the plane. Controllers approved the request.Roughly 20 seconds later, the aircraft collided.The investigationThe NTSB has recovered all flight data recorders and pulled the wreckage of both aircraft from the Potomac.It will take more than a year to get the final NTSB report, but officials have provided regular updates as investigators learn more. They plan to release their preliminary report on Tuesday.NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy told reporters last month that the Black Hawk's cockpit recorder suggested an incomplete radio transmission may have left the crew unable to hear air traffic control tell them, just before the crash, to move behind the jet."That transmission was interrupted — it was stepped on," she said at a Feb. 14 briefing, leaving the helicopter's crew unable to hear the words "pass behind the" because their microphone key was pressed.The radio altitude of the helicopter was 278 feet (85 meters) at the time of the collision, which would put the Black Hawk above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.Cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash indicated the crew may not have had accurate altitude readings, with the helicopter's pilot calling out that they were then at 300 feet (91 meters), but the instructor pilot saying 400 feet (122 meters), Homendy said."We are looking at the possibility there may be bad data," she said.That generation of Black Hawks typically has two types of altimeters: one relying on barometric pressure and the other on radio frequency signals bounced off the ground. Helicopter pilots typically rely on barometric readings while flying, but the helicopter's black box captures its radio altitude.Almost immediately after the crash, President Donald Trump faulted the helicopter for flying too high. He also blamed federal diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly regarding air traffic controllers. When pressed by reporters, the president could not back up those claims. A few days later, Trump blamed an "obsolete" air traffic control system that he said should have been replaced years ago.Army officials have said the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced and familiar with the crowded skies around Washington.The victimsThe Army identified the Black Hawk crew as 28-year-old Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach of Durham, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland. O'Hara was the crew chief and Eaves and Lobach were pilots.Among the jet's passengers were several members of the Skating Club of Boston returning from a development camp for elite junior skaters that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. A figure skating tribute event in Washington raised $1.2 million for crash victims' families.Others killed included a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas, four members of a steamfitters' local union in suburban Maryland, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia, schools and two Chinese nationals.

🎥NTSB releases new findings in DC plane, helicopter crash

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 9p.m. on March 8, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 1500 block of Topeka Avenue in Lyndon for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.

Devin G. Davis, 36, of Lyndon was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741633500529.png" alt="Davis photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Davis photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 9p.m. on March 8, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 1500 block of Topeka Avenue in Lyndon for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics.Devin G. Davis, 36, of Lyndon was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Possession of marijuana.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. man with history of crime caught with meth, marijuana

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway on Tuesday, selecting a shiny red sedan to show his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;'s electric vehicle company as it faces blowback because of his work to advance the president's political agenda and downsize the federal government.

“Wow," Trump said as he eased his way into the drivers seat of a Model S. “That's beautiful.”

Musk got in on the passenger side and joked about “giving the Secret Service a heart attack” as they talked about how to start a vehicle that can reach 60 miles per hour in a few seconds.

Trump told reporters that he would write a check for the car, which retails for roughly $80,000, and leave it at the White House so his staff can drive it. The president also said he hopes his purchase will boost Tesla's fortunes.

“It's a great product,” he said. Referring to Musk, Trump said “we have to celebrate him.”

It was the latest — and most unusual — example of how Trump has demonstrated loyalty to Musk, who spent heavily on his comeback campaign last year and has been a key figure in his second administration. Musk is leading Trump's efforts to overhaul federal agencies and reduce the workforce.

The Republican president announced on social media early Tuesday that he was going to buy a new Tesla as “a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American.”

Musk continues to run Tesla — as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/x-cyber-attack-musk-trump-77f48ea813482de03272136121ea2f5c">the social media platform X</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">the rocket manufacturer SpaceX</a>&nbsp;— while also serving as Trump's adviser.

“Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!" Trump wrote. "But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby,’ in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for.”

Others have also rallied to Musk's defense. Alex Jones, a prominent conspiracy theorist, said that he bought a customized version of a Cybertruck that he'll give away to a customer of his online store next month.

In addition to Tesla's struggles, Musk has faced other challenges too. He said X was targeted by a “massive cyberattack”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/x-cyber-attack-musk-trump-77f48ea813482de03272136121ea2f5c">that disrupted the social media platform</a>&nbsp;on Monday, and the last two test launches of his Starship rocket&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">ended in explosions</a>.

Tesla has faced sagging sales and declining stock prices as Musk devotes his time to overhauling and downsizing the federal government as an adviser to the president.

The White House did not immediately elaborate on Trump’s plans for buying a Tesla, such as how the purchase would be handled or where the car would be kept.

Presidents almost never drive for security reasons. Joe Biden got behind the wheel of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b272cb9b4effa902406fb08e6505fb7a">an electric truck</a>&nbsp;while promoting domestic manufacturing, and Barack Obama took a spin with Jerry Seinfeld in the White House driveway for a comedy show.

But regardless of the practicality of Trump's purchase, his overnight announcement about buying a Tesla represented another step in how the president has blurred lines between private and public interests.

During his first term, top adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kellyanne-conway-memoir-fdea673fecf56f08e2fdec0b20556bec">Kellyanne Conway</a>&nbsp;urged people to show their support for Trump’s daughter Ivanka by purchasing her retail products.

“Go buy Ivanka’s stuff,” she said. “I’m going to give it a free commercial here.”

Trump's wealth and business savvy is core to his political appeal.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-greenwood-2713fda3efdfa297d0f024efb1ca3003">The president promoted his products</a>&nbsp;while running for office last year, and he attached his name to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-watch-sneakers-memecoin-2b49fd975e2cce7a6f61e068f6fd04af">a cryptocurrency meme coin</a>&nbsp;that launched shortly before he took office.

However, it's rare to see Trump use his own money to support an ally, no matter how important they are.

Musk is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/worlds-first-trillionaire-richest-person-list-b00cef4c743eb3417678e8ef5beeeae2">the world's richest person</a>, with billions of dollars in government contracts. He's also exerting sweeping influence over Trump's administration through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and traveling frequently with the president.

During an interview with the Fox Business Network on Monday, host Larry Kudlow asked Musk “how are you running your other businesses” while also advising Trump.

“But there’s no turning back, you say?” Kudlow responded.

“I’m just here trying to make government more efficient, eliminate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-waste-fraud-abuse-635b1419014a43e061f548c9713860c4">waste and fraud</a>,” Musk said.

Tesla has recently faced protests and vandalism. Police are investigating gunshots fired at a dealership in Oregon, and fire officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-cybertruck-fire-seattle-7cd720096694b8455684db31159ed666">examining a blaze</a>&nbsp;that destroyed four Cybertrucks at a Tesla lot in Seattle.

At times, the White House has needed to play cleanup for Musk, who had never worked in public service before and has admitted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">he'll make mistakes along the way</a>.

For example,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">Musk presented inflated estimates of fraud</a>&nbsp;in government benefits like Social Security on Monday, leading Democrats to argue that he was planning cuts to the popular programs.

“Most of the federal spending is entitlements,” Musk said in the interview. “That’s the big one to eliminate.”

The next morning, a White House account on X criticized news organizations as “lying hacks” and told Democrats to “spare us the fake outrage" about reducing benefits.

“He was clearly talking about the WASTE in the programs," the White House posted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741724524957.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway on Tuesday, selecting a shiny red sedan to show his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;'s electric vehicle company as it faces blowback because of his work to advance the president's political agenda and downsize the federal government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump and Elon Musk get in Telsa at White House ... <a href="https://t.co/U97BJwH8T0">pic.twitter.com/U97BJwH8T0</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1899553788236562523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump and Elon Musk get in Telsa at White House ... <a href="https://t.co/U97BJwH8T0">pic.twitter.com/U97BJwH8T0</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1899553788236562523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Wow," Trump said as he eased his way into the drivers seat of a Model S. “That's beautiful.”Musk got in on the passenger side and joked about “giving the Secret Service a heart attack” as they talked about how to start a vehicle that can reach 60 miles per hour in a few seconds.Trump told reporters that he would write a check for the car, which retails for roughly $80,000, and leave it at the White House so his staff can drive it. The president also said he hopes his purchase will boost Tesla's fortunes.“It's a great product,” he said. Referring to Musk, Trump said “we have to celebrate him.”It was the latest — and most unusual — example of how Trump has demonstrated loyalty to Musk, who spent heavily on his comeback campaign last year and has been a key figure in his second administration. Musk is leading Trump's efforts to overhaul federal agencies and reduce the workforce.The Republican president announced on social media early Tuesday that he was going to buy a new Tesla as “a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American.”Musk continues to run Tesla — as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/x-cyber-attack-musk-trump-77f48ea813482de03272136121ea2f5c">the social media platform X</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">the rocket manufacturer SpaceX</a>&nbsp;— while also serving as Trump's adviser.“Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!" Trump wrote. "But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby,’ in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for.”Others have also rallied to Musk's defense. Alex Jones, a prominent conspiracy theorist, said that he bought a customized version of a Cybertruck that he'll give away to a customer of his online store next month.In addition to Tesla's struggles, Musk has faced other challenges too. He said X was targeted by a “massive cyberattack”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/x-cyber-attack-musk-trump-77f48ea813482de03272136121ea2f5c">that disrupted the social media platform</a>&nbsp;on Monday, and the last two test launches of his Starship rocket&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">ended in explosions</a>.Tesla has faced sagging sales and declining stock prices as Musk devotes his time to overhauling and downsizing the federal government as an adviser to the president.The White House did not immediately elaborate on Trump’s plans for buying a Tesla, such as how the purchase would be handled or where the car would be kept.Presidents almost never drive for security reasons. Joe Biden got behind the wheel of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b272cb9b4effa902406fb08e6505fb7a">an electric truck</a>&nbsp;while promoting domestic manufacturing, and Barack Obama took a spin with Jerry Seinfeld in the White House driveway for a comedy show.But regardless of the practicality of Trump's purchase, his overnight announcement about buying a Tesla represented another step in how the president has blurred lines between private and public interests.During his first term, top adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kellyanne-conway-memoir-fdea673fecf56f08e2fdec0b20556bec">Kellyanne Conway</a>&nbsp;urged people to show their support for Trump’s daughter Ivanka by purchasing her retail products.“Go buy Ivanka’s stuff,” she said. “I’m going to give it a free commercial here.”Trump's wealth and business savvy is core to his political appeal.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-greenwood-2713fda3efdfa297d0f024efb1ca3003">The president promoted his products</a>&nbsp;while running for office last year, and he attached his name to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-watch-sneakers-memecoin-2b49fd975e2cce7a6f61e068f6fd04af">a cryptocurrency meme coin</a>&nbsp;that launched shortly before he took office.However, it's rare to see Trump use his own money to support an ally, no matter how important they are.Musk is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/worlds-first-trillionaire-richest-person-list-b00cef4c743eb3417678e8ef5beeeae2">the world's richest person</a>, with billions of dollars in government contracts. He's also exerting sweeping influence over Trump's administration through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and traveling frequently with the president.During an interview with the Fox Business Network on Monday, host Larry Kudlow asked Musk “how are you running your other businesses” while also advising Trump.“With great difficulty,” he said.“But there’s no turning back, you say?” Kudlow responded.“I’m just here trying to make government more efficient, eliminate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-waste-fraud-abuse-635b1419014a43e061f548c9713860c4">waste and fraud</a>,” Musk said.Tesla has recently faced protests and vandalism. Police are investigating gunshots fired at a dealership in Oregon, and fire officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-cybertruck-fire-seattle-7cd720096694b8455684db31159ed666">examining a blaze</a>&nbsp;that destroyed four Cybertrucks at a Tesla lot in Seattle.At times, the White House has needed to play cleanup for Musk, who had never worked in public service before and has admitted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">he'll make mistakes along the way</a>.For example,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">Musk presented inflated estimates of fraud</a>&nbsp;in government benefits like Social Security on Monday, leading Democrats to argue that he was planning cuts to the popular programs.“Most of the federal spending is entitlements,” Musk said in the interview. “That’s the big one to eliminate.”The next morning, a White House account on X criticized news organizations as “lying hacks” and told Democrats to “spare us the fake outrage" about reducing benefits.“He was clearly talking about the WASTE in the programs," the White House posted.

🎥 Trump turns the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom to show support for Musk

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Tuesday to avert a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September, providing critical momentum as the measure now moves to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be needed to get it over the finish line.

Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to pass the funding measure, and they got it in the 217-213 House vote. GOP members of the Kansas delegation voted with the majority.

In the Senate, they'll need support from at least eight Democrats to get the bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;desk. It's one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president's second term, prompting Vice President JD Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning to rally support.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., moved ahead on the bill, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-spending-shutdown-house-senate-426823710920756447076d15077c33d7">daring Democrats to oppose it</a>&nbsp;and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers failed to act on the continuing resolution, often referred to by lawmakers as a CR.

“Here’s the bottom line. If congressional Democrats refuse to support this clean CR, they will be responsible for every troop who misses a paycheck, for every flight delay from reduced staffing at TSA, for every negative consequence that comes from shutting down the government,” Johnson said.

Johnson's strategy had the backing of Trump, who called on Republicans to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”

Lawmakers said the bill would trim $13 billion in non-defense spending from the levels in the 2024 budget year and increase defense spending by $6 billion, which are rather flat changes for both categories when compared with an overall topline of nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending. The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs is on autopilot and not regularly reviewed by Congress.

Democrats are mostly worried about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. They are already alarmed by the administration's efforts to make major cuts through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-federal-workforce-doge-cuts-republicans-03c307112ebf247a71a7ad54aea6fa6d">the Department of Government Efficiency</a>, or DOGE, run by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. And they say the spending bill would fuel the effort.

Spending bills typically come with specific funding directives for key programs, but hundreds of those directives fall away under the legislation. So the administration will have more leeway to reshape priorities.

For example, a Democratic memo said the bill would allow the administration to steer money away from combating fentanyl and instead use it on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">mass deportation initiatives</a>.

“This is not a clean CR. This bill is a blank check,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s a blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump.”

Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, acknowledged the continuing resolution was not the outcome he sought but said it was time to end the cycle of short-term funding extensions. This will be the third in recent months. He blamed Democrats for trying to rein in Trump’s authority on spending.

“We’re not going to have a Republican Senate and a Republican House restrict a Republican president from the legitimate exercise of executive authority," Cole said. "And then, oh, by the way, ask him to sign the bill.”

Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., and chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said he supported this one because it would not lead to a massive, catch-all spending bill and would reduce spending.

"This is not your grandfather’s continuing resolution," Harris said.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/thomas-massie">Thomas Massie</a>, R-Ky., was still a holdout, though. He was the only Republican to vote no on the procedural vote, and said he would vote against the bill, too.

Trump went after Massie on social media, calling him a “GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble.”

"HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him," Trump posted online.

Massie responded by saying Trump was “attacking me and Canada today. The difference is: Canada will eventually cave.”

House Democratic leaders came out strongly against the legislation. Less clear was how strongly they would push members in competitive battleground districts to follow their lead.

“This Republican shutdown bill does nothing to enhance the American dream. It undermines it,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said ahead of the vote.

Democratic leaders in the Senate generally seemed to be emphasizing patience at this stage and were waiting to see if Republicans can muscle the bill through the House before taking a stand.

“We're going to see what the House does first,” said top Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.

Still, several rank-and-file Democrats criticized the measure. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was stunned that Republicans were “trying to jam through something that is their way or the highway.”

Democrats also introduced an alternative bill Monday night funding the government through April 11. The bill could serve as a Plan B if the GOP-led effort falters.

Both parties prepared to blame the other if the bill failed.

“It looks like they're going to try to shut down the government,” Johnson said of Democrats.

“If the government shuts down with a Republican House, Republican Senate and Republican president, it will be solely because the Republicans have moved forward with a terrible, partisan, take-it-or-leave-it bill,” said Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.

The spending bill could also have major ramifications for the District of Columbia's government.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said the proposal would require the district to cut $1.1 billion in spending in the next six months since it has already passed a balanced budget and is midway through its fiscal year. That means, officials said, cuts to critical services such as education and public safety.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741730320465.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson during a news briefing Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson during a news briefing Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Tuesday to avert a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September, providing critical momentum as the measure now moves to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be needed to get it over the finish line.Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to pass the funding measure, and they got it in the 217-213 House vote. GOP members of the Kansas delegation voted with the majority.In the Senate, they'll need support from at least eight Democrats to get the bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;desk. It's one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president's second term, prompting Vice President JD Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning to rally support.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., moved ahead on the bill, essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-spending-shutdown-house-senate-426823710920756447076d15077c33d7">daring Democrats to oppose it</a>&nbsp;and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers failed to act on the continuing resolution, often referred to by lawmakers as a CR.“Here’s the bottom line. If congressional Democrats refuse to support this clean CR, they will be responsible for every troop who misses a paycheck, for every flight delay from reduced staffing at TSA, for every negative consequence that comes from shutting down the government,” Johnson said.Johnson's strategy had the backing of Trump, who called on Republicans to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”Lawmakers said the bill would trim $13 billion in non-defense spending from the levels in the 2024 budget year and increase defense spending by $6 billion, which are rather flat changes for both categories when compared with an overall topline of nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending. The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs is on autopilot and not regularly reviewed by Congress.Democrats are mostly worried about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. They are already alarmed by the administration's efforts to make major cuts through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-federal-workforce-doge-cuts-republicans-03c307112ebf247a71a7ad54aea6fa6d">the Department of Government Efficiency</a>, or DOGE, run by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. And they say the spending bill would fuel the effort.Spending bills typically come with specific funding directives for key programs, but hundreds of those directives fall away under the legislation. So the administration will have more leeway to reshape priorities.For example, a Democratic memo said the bill would allow the administration to steer money away from combating fentanyl and instead use it on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">mass deportation initiatives</a>.“This is not a clean CR. This bill is a blank check,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s a blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump.”Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, acknowledged the continuing resolution was not the outcome he sought but said it was time to end the cycle of short-term funding extensions. This will be the third in recent months. He blamed Democrats for trying to rein in Trump’s authority on spending.“We’re not going to have a Republican Senate and a Republican House restrict a Republican president from the legitimate exercise of executive authority," Cole said. "And then, oh, by the way, ask him to sign the bill.”Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., and chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said he supported this one because it would not lead to a massive, catch-all spending bill and would reduce spending."This is not your grandfather’s continuing resolution," Harris said.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/thomas-massie">Thomas Massie</a>, R-Ky., was still a holdout, though. He was the only Republican to vote no on the procedural vote, and said he would vote against the bill, too.Trump went after Massie on social media, calling him a “GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble.”"HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him," Trump posted online.Massie responded by saying Trump was “attacking me and Canada today. The difference is: Canada will eventually cave.”House Democratic leaders came out strongly against the legislation. Less clear was how strongly they would push members in competitive battleground districts to follow their lead.“This Republican shutdown bill does nothing to enhance the American dream. It undermines it,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said ahead of the vote.Democratic leaders in the Senate generally seemed to be emphasizing patience at this stage and were waiting to see if Republicans can muscle the bill through the House before taking a stand.“We're going to see what the House does first,” said top Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.Still, several rank-and-file Democrats criticized the measure. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was stunned that Republicans were “trying to jam through something that is their way or the highway.”Democrats also introduced an alternative bill Monday night funding the government through April 11. The bill could serve as a Plan B if the GOP-led effort falters.Both parties prepared to blame the other if the bill failed.“It looks like they're going to try to shut down the government,” Johnson said of Democrats.“If the government shuts down with a Republican House, Republican Senate and Republican president, it will be solely because the Republicans have moved forward with a terrible, partisan, take-it-or-leave-it bill,” said Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.The spending bill could also have major ramifications for the District of Columbia's government.Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said the proposal would require the district to cut $1.1 billion in spending in the next six months since it has already passed a balanced budget and is midway through its fiscal year. That means, officials said, cuts to critical services such as education and public safety.___

Kan. GOP lawmakers help House pass bill to fund gov't  through September

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly knife attack have made an arrest.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a report of a stabbing in the 4100 block of East Whitney Lane, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses. The caller reported someone had been stabbed in the street.

Officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to the scene and located 51- year-old Brian Edwards from Wichita suffering from stab wound to the torso.&nbsp; EMS transported Edwards to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Officers at the scene quickly identified a 24-year-old man as the suspect in this case and took William Ball, according to Sedgwick County jail records, into custody without incident. There were multiple individuals at the scene who were later interviewed by Wichita Police Department Homicide investigators. 

At this point in the investigation, it is believed that all parties involved are known to each other and this is an isolated incident. Early Tuesday, police booked Ball into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of Second Degree Murder. 

This is the third criminal homicide in Wichita in 2025. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741706450913.png" alt="Ball photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Ball photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly knife attack have made an arrest.Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a report of a stabbing in the 4100 block of East Whitney Lane, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses. The caller reported someone had been stabbed in the street.Officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to the scene and located 51- year-old Brian Edwards from Wichita suffering from stab wound to the torso.&nbsp; EMS transported Edwards to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Officers at the scene quickly identified a 24-year-old man as the suspect in this case and took William Ball, according to Sedgwick County jail records, into custody without incident. There were multiple individuals at the scene who were later interviewed by Wichita Police Department Homicide investigators. At this point in the investigation, it is believed that all parties involved are known to each other and this is an isolated incident. Early Tuesday, police booked Ball into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of Second Degree Murder. This is the third criminal homicide in Wichita in 2025.

Man accused in deadly Kansas knife attack

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark wanted the league's postseason tournament to reflect his idealized version of the league — young, hip, upscale and current — and that spilled like a bucket of paint onto the floor this week.

Goodbye, clean and traditional hardwood. Welcome, a court emblazoned with hundreds of "XII" logos that stretch from baseline to baseline and result in a polarizing Louis Vuitton-like look to some fans and an abhorrent eyesore to others.

"That court isn't about me. It's about our student-athletes," Yormark said Tuesday, shortly before Cincinnati and Oklahoma State stepped onto it for the first game in the newly expanded 16-team Big 12 Tournament.

"When I first got here," Yormark continued, "it was all about modernizing and contemporizing our brand, and connecting to the culture of current and future student-athletes, and that's what we're doing."

The gray-hued floor actually debuted during last week's women's Big 12 Tournament, featuring black baselines and sidelines and the Big 12 logo splashed across center court. The product is cool or crass, awesome or ugly, depending on who you ask, yet there appeared to be precious little middle ground among basketball fans.

"I think the Big 12 Tournament floor is going to give me a panic attack," hoops analytics expert Erik Haslam wrote on X, while others joked about staring at the floor long enough to see hidden messages. Some complained that it was causing problems for TV cameras trying to focus, especially for those streaming games, or that it might cause them to have a seizure.

Other fans thought it was daring and fashionable, or at least palatable.

Such avant-garde court designs certainly are the rage these days. FAU has an array of palm trees painted across its floor, slash marks cut across the floor at Memphis, and the NBA Cup has become known for its decorated playing surfaces.

The Big 12 court also reflects its partnership with trendy sportswear brand UNDEFEATED, whose "5-strike" logo runs along the baseline. The boutique is known for its collaborations with a focus on sports, art, music and street culture.

"I got here early and Iowa State practiced and the entire team said they loved it, loved being here. I think it's aspirational. We wanted to make a profound statement," Yormark explained. "In life, you never get it perfectly correct, but I think the people that matter the most that are weighing in love it, and that's what matters to me."

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 this season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741717627847.png" alt="File image Big 12 Conference from ESPN video" />
 <figcaption>File image Big 12 Conference from ESPN video</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark wanted the league's postseason tournament to reflect his idealized version of the league — young, hip, upscale and current — and that spilled like a bucket of paint onto the floor this week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741717734613.png" alt="-File image Big 12 Conference from ESPN video" />
 <figcaption>-File image Big 12 Conference from ESPN video</figcaption>
 </figure>Goodbye, clean and traditional hardwood. Welcome, a court emblazoned with hundreds of "XII" logos that stretch from baseline to baseline and result in a polarizing Louis Vuitton-like look to some fans and an abhorrent eyesore to others."That court isn't about me. It's about our student-athletes," Yormark said Tuesday, shortly before Cincinnati and Oklahoma State stepped onto it for the first game in the newly expanded 16-team Big 12 Tournament."When I first got here," Yormark continued, "it was all about modernizing and contemporizing our brand, and connecting to the culture of current and future student-athletes, and that's what we're doing."The gray-hued floor actually debuted during last week's women's Big 12 Tournament, featuring black baselines and sidelines and the Big 12 logo splashed across center court. The product is cool or crass, awesome or ugly, depending on who you ask, yet there appeared to be precious little middle ground among basketball fans."I think the Big 12 Tournament floor is going to give me a panic attack," hoops analytics expert Erik Haslam wrote on X, while others joked about staring at the floor long enough to see hidden messages. Some complained that it was causing problems for TV cameras trying to focus, especially for those streaming games, or that it might cause them to have a seizure.Other fans thought it was daring and fashionable, or at least palatable.Such avant-garde court designs certainly are the rage these days. FAU has an array of palm trees painted across its floor, slash marks cut across the floor at Memphis, and the NBA Cup has become known for its decorated playing surfaces.The Big 12 court also reflects its partnership with trendy sportswear brand UNDEFEATED, whose "5-strike" logo runs along the baseline. The boutique is known for its collaborations with a focus on sports, art, music and street culture."I got here early and Iowa State practiced and the entire team said they loved it, loved being here. I think it's aspirational. We wanted to make a profound statement," Yormark explained. "In life, you never get it perfectly correct, but I think the people that matter the most that are weighing in love it, and that's what matters to me."___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 this season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Crass or cool, awesome or eyesore: Big 12 Tournament's logo'd court makes a statement either way

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;‘s threat on Tuesday to double his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">planned tariffs</a>&nbsp;on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada led the provincial government of Ontario to suspend its planned surcharges on electricity sold to the United States.

As a result, the White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said the U.S. president pulled back on his doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs, even as the federal government still plans to place a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports starting Wednesday.

The drama on Tuesday delivered a win for Trump but also amplified concerns about tariffs that have roiled the stock market and stirred recession risks. Tuesday’s escalation and cooling in the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada only compounded the rising sense of uncertainty of how Trump’s tariff hikes will affect the economies of both countries.

Trump shocked markets Tuesday morning by saying that the increase of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">the tariffs</a>&nbsp;set to take effect on Wednesday had been a response to the 25% price hike that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-ontario-us-trump-tariffs-electricity-834dc3d9defd314923912f9bd8540e31">Ontario put on electricity</a>&nbsp;sold to the United States.

“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Tuesday afternoon that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called him and Ford agreed to remove the surcharge. He said he was confident that the U.S. president would also stand down on his own plans for 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

“He has to bounce it off the president but I’m pretty confident he will pull back,” Ford said on Trump’s steel and aluminum tariff threat. “By no means are we just going to roll over. What we are going to do is have a constructive conversation.”

After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-economy-tariffs-trump-rates-174603e75feb9d5cca96c08817e0c7c2">brutal stock market selloff</a>&nbsp;on Monday and further jitters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-wall-street-trump-tariffs-33b8562c7b76fe3b967ea6cd9d61719b">Tuesday</a>, Trump faces increased pressure to show he has a solid plan to grow the economy. So far the president is doubling down on tariffs and can point to Tuesday’s drama as evidence that taxes on imports are a valuable negotiating tool, even if they can generate turmoil in the stock market.

Trump suggested Tuesday that tariffs were critical for changing the U.S. economy, regardless of stock market gyrations.

The U.S. president has given a variety of explanations for his antagonism of Canada. He has said that his separate 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada, some of which are suspended for a month, are about fentanyl smuggling and voicing objections to Canada putting high taxes on dairy imports that penalize U.S. farmers. He also continued to call for Canada&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-canada-could-become-us-state-42360e10ded96c0046fd11eaaf55ab88">to become part of the United States</a>&nbsp;as a solution, which has infuriated Canadian leaders.

“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” Trump posted Tuesday. “This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741704423999.png" alt="File photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;‘s threat on Tuesday to double his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">planned tariffs</a>&nbsp;on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada led the provincial government of Ontario to suspend its planned surcharges on electricity sold to the United States.As a result, the White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said the U.S. president pulled back on his doubling of steel and aluminum tariffs, even as the federal government still plans to place a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports starting Wednesday.The drama on Tuesday delivered a win for Trump but also amplified concerns about tariffs that have roiled the stock market and stirred recession risks. Tuesday’s escalation and cooling in the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada only compounded the rising sense of uncertainty of how Trump’s tariff hikes will affect the economies of both countries.Trump shocked markets Tuesday morning by saying that the increase of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">the tariffs</a>&nbsp;set to take effect on Wednesday had been a response to the 25% price hike that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-ontario-us-trump-tariffs-electricity-834dc3d9defd314923912f9bd8540e31">Ontario put on electricity</a>&nbsp;sold to the United States.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741703315509.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted on Truth Social.Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Tuesday afternoon that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called him and Ford agreed to remove the surcharge. He said he was confident that the U.S. president would also stand down on his own plans for 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.“He has to bounce it off the president but I’m pretty confident he will pull back,” Ford said on Trump’s steel and aluminum tariff threat. “By no means are we just going to roll over. What we are going to do is have a constructive conversation.”After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-economy-tariffs-trump-rates-174603e75feb9d5cca96c08817e0c7c2">brutal stock market selloff</a>&nbsp;on Monday and further jitters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-wall-street-trump-tariffs-33b8562c7b76fe3b967ea6cd9d61719b">Tuesday</a>, Trump faces increased pressure to show he has a solid plan to grow the economy. So far the president is doubling down on tariffs and can point to Tuesday’s drama as evidence that taxes on imports are a valuable negotiating tool, even if they can generate turmoil in the stock market.Trump suggested Tuesday that tariffs were critical for changing the U.S. economy, regardless of stock market gyrations.The U.S. president has given a variety of explanations for his antagonism of Canada. He has said that his separate 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada, some of which are suspended for a month, are about fentanyl smuggling and voicing objections to Canada putting high taxes on dairy imports that penalize U.S. farmers. He also continued to call for Canada&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-canada-could-become-us-state-42360e10ded96c0046fd11eaaf55ab88">to become part of the United States</a>&nbsp;as a solution, which has infuriated Canadian leaders.“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” Trump posted Tuesday. “This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”

Trump halts doubling of tariffs on Canadian metals after Ontario folds

Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.

O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education.

&nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.

O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. 

O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.

O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. 

"While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”

"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler."

"Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”

O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741707494446.png" alt="-Charlotte O'Hara" />
 <figcaption>-Charlotte O'Hara</figcaption>
 </figure>Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education. &nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. "While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler.""Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

Former state representative announces run for Kan. governor

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 3p.m. March 9, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2025 Toyota Camry at Columbine Drive on U.S. Hwy 75, just north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, James Leroy Parr, 46, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741294954048.png" alt="Parr Photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Parr Photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 3p.m. March 9, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2025 Toyota Camry at Columbine Drive on U.S. Hwy 75, just north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver, James Leroy Parr, 46, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

Sheriff: Kansas man was transporting meth, open container

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two individuals, one on multiple felony accusations after they barricaded themselves in a home in 100 block of S. 17th St. for six and a half hours over the weekend.

Shortly after 3a.m. March 8, KCKPD Special Operations Unit responded to the home to assist KHP in serving a warrant, according to a media release.

 Despite numerous commands,36-year-old Javier Silva, a resident of Kansas City, Kan. and 51-year-old Salvadore Contreras, Jr., a resident of the home, refused to exit.

At approximately 4:42a.m., Silva exited on his own and was taken into custody without incident. Then, at approximately 9:11a.m., Contreras, also exited and was taken into custody without further incident.

 In addition to the arrests, authorities confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs from the scene that tested positive for fentanyl .Both suspects are being held without bond in the Wyandotte County Jail. Silva is being held on a probation violation. Contreras, Jr. is being held on requested felony charges of distribution of stimulants; fleeing or attempting to elude/interference with a law enforcement officer; obstruct or resist in a felony case/interference with a law enforcement officer; and a traffic violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741486857253.png" alt="Silva-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Silva-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two individuals, one on multiple felony accusations after they barricaded themselves in a home in 100 block of S. 17th St. for six and a half hours over the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741486931910.png" alt="Contreras photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Contreras photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortly after 3a.m. March 8, KCKPD Special Operations Unit responded to the home to assist KHP in serving a warrant, according to a media release. Despite numerous commands,36-year-old Javier Silva, a resident of Kansas City, Kan. and 51-year-old Salvadore Contreras, Jr., a resident of the home, refused to exit.At approximately 4:42a.m., Silva exited on his own and was taken into custody without incident. Then, at approximately 9:11a.m., Contreras, also exited and was taken into custody without further incident. In addition to the arrests, authorities confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs from the scene that tested positive for fentanyl .Both suspects are being held without bond in the Wyandotte County Jail. Silva is being held on a probation violation. Contreras, Jr. is being held on requested felony charges of distribution of stimulants; fleeing or attempting to elude/interference with a law enforcement officer; obstruct or resist in a felony case/interference with a law enforcement officer; and a traffic violation.