SEDGWICK COUNTY— A woman reported missing was found dead inside a vehicle Sunday at a south Wichita home. 

The victim has been identified as 43-year-old Rachel Johnson of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Just before 5:30p.m. Sept. 27, police received a report of a missing person under suspicious circumstances. Because of the nature of the case, homicide investigators were assigned later that evening.

Johnson was last seen by family members the morning of Sept. 26 around 9:30 a.m. driving a black 2014 Ford Fusion.

On Sept. 28, investigators were directed to a residence in the 1800 block of South Longford Circle. There, officers located the missing Ford Fusion and found Johnson deceased inside the vehicle. Officers then entered the home and located a 39-year-old man in the basement dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Preliminary findings indicate Johnson and the man had a prior domestic relationship.

The incident remains under investigation, according to Gupilan.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 911 immediately. If it’s not safe to call right away, reach out when you can to

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A woman reported missing was found dead inside a vehicle Sunday at a south Wichita home. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Wichita Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 43-year-old Rachel Johnson, who was reported missing on Saturday, September 27. <a href="https://t.co/VmhQ5G6zKP">pic.twitter.com/VmhQ5G6zKP</a>&mdash; Wichita Police (@WichitaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaPolice/status/1972316873602781605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The victim has been identified as 43-year-old Rachel Johnson of Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Just before 5:30p.m. Sept. 27, police received a report of a missing person under suspicious circumstances. Because of the nature of the case, homicide investigators were assigned later that evening.Johnson was last seen by family members the morning of Sept. 26 around 9:30 a.m. driving a black 2014 Ford Fusion.On Sept. 28, investigators were directed to a residence in the 1800 block of South Longford Circle. There, officers located the missing Ford Fusion and found Johnson deceased inside the vehicle. Officers then entered the home and located a 39-year-old man in the basement dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Preliminary findings indicate Johnson and the man had a prior domestic relationship.The incident remains under investigation, according to Gupilan.If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 911 immediately. If it’s not safe to call right away, reach out when you can to

Police: Missing Kan. woman's death investigated as homicide

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that occurred Saturday night in Wichita.

Officers responded to the&nbsp;400 block of South Vassar and found two male victims, ages 30 and 15, both suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. EMS transported both to a local hospital where they remain in critical condition.

Investigators learned the 30-year-old homeowner went outside after seeing the 15-year-old rummaging through his vehicle. The 15-year-old then fired a weapon, striking the homeowner. The homeowner returned fire, hitting the 15-year-old.

This incident remains under active investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4407. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that occurred Saturday night in Wichita.Officers responded to the&nbsp;400 block of South Vassar and found two male victims, ages 30 and 15, both suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. EMS transported both to a local hospital where they remain in critical condition.Investigators learned the 30-year-old homeowner went outside after seeing the 15-year-old rummaging through his vehicle. The 15-year-old then fired a weapon, striking the homeowner. The homeowner returned fire, hitting the 15-year-old.This incident remains under active investigation.Anyone with information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4407. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Gunfight: Kan. homeowner caught boy rummaging in vehicle

NEW YORK (AP) — About 58 million pounds of corn dogs and other sausage-on-a-stick products are being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/food-recalls">recalled</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. because pieces of wood may be embedded in the batter, with several consumers reporting injuries to date.

According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/hillshire-brands-company-recalls-corn-dog-and-sausage-a-stick-products-due-possible" target="_blank">Saturday notice</a>&nbsp;published by the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall covers select “State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick” and “Jimmy Dean Pancakes &amp; Sausage on a Stick” products from Texas-based Hillshire Brands, which is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods.

The contamination problem was discovered after Hillshire received multiple consumer complaints, the service notes, five of which involved injuries. The company later determined that a “limited number” of these products included “extraneous pieces of wooden stick within the batter,” Tyson said in a corresponding announcement — adding that it opted to initiate a recall “out of an abundance of caution.”

The recalled corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick goods were produced between March 17 and as recently Friday, per Saturday’s recall notices. Tyson, which is headquartered in Arkansas, says the issue was isolated to one facility located in Haltom City, Texas.

FSIS is worried that some of these recalled products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers in households across the U.S. — as well as some schools and other institutions. In addition to being sold online and to retailers nationwide, the agency noted Saturday, these products were also sold to school districts and Defense Department facilities.

Consumers in possession of the now recalled “State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick” and “Jimmy Dean Pancakes &amp; Sausage on a Stick” are urged to throw them away or return them to their place of purchase.

To determine which corn dogs and other sausage goods are subject to this recall, consumers should check the product’s name, use by dates and other identifying information published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf" target="_blank">online by the FSIS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tysonfoods.com/news/news-releases/2025/9/select-corn-dogs-stick-and-pancakes-sausage-stick-voluntarily-recalled" target="_blank">Tyson</a>. The products being recalled should also have an establishment number of “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging.

It’s unclear if consumers who purchased these now-recalled products will be eligible for a refund. The Associated Press reached out to contacts for Hillshire Brands and Tyson for further information Sunday.

Foreign object contamination is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-recalls-objects-trader-joes-banquet-a7c2337b14b1cd539edbeaec7dc644d4">one of the top reasons</a>&nbsp;for food recalls in the U.S. Beyond plastic,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyson-foods-chicken-nuggets-recall-703756f3a03de3289c70ec09782208c9">metal fragments</a>, bits of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trader-joes-recall-soup-falafel-bugs-rocks-00e1847cf251562bad9eb95309981193">bugs</a>&nbsp;and more “extraneous” materials have prompted recalls by making their way into packaged goods.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759092364076.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — About 58 million pounds of corn dogs and other sausage-on-a-stick products are being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/food-recalls">recalled</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. because pieces of wood may be embedded in the batter, with several consumers reporting injuries to date.According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/hillshire-brands-company-recalls-corn-dog-and-sausage-a-stick-products-due-possible" target="_blank">Saturday notice</a>&nbsp;published by the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall covers select “State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick” and “Jimmy Dean Pancakes &amp; Sausage on a Stick” products from Texas-based Hillshire Brands, which is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods.The contamination problem was discovered after Hillshire received multiple consumer complaints, the service notes, five of which involved injuries. The company later determined that a “limited number” of these products included “extraneous pieces of wooden stick within the batter,” Tyson said in a corresponding announcement — adding that it opted to initiate a recall “out of an abundance of caution.”The recalled corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick goods were produced between March 17 and as recently Friday, per Saturday’s recall notices. Tyson, which is headquartered in Arkansas, says the issue was isolated to one facility located in Haltom City, Texas.FSIS is worried that some of these recalled products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers in households across the U.S. — as well as some schools and other institutions. In addition to being sold online and to retailers nationwide, the agency noted Saturday, these products were also sold to school districts and Defense Department facilities.Consumers in possession of the now recalled “State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick” and “Jimmy Dean Pancakes &amp; Sausage on a Stick” are urged to throw them away or return them to their place of purchase.To determine which corn dogs and other sausage goods are subject to this recall, consumers should check the product’s name, use by dates and other identifying information published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/recall-030-2025-product-list.pdf" target="_blank">online by the FSIS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tysonfoods.com/news/news-releases/2025/9/select-corn-dogs-stick-and-pancakes-sausage-stick-voluntarily-recalled" target="_blank">Tyson</a>. The products being recalled should also have an establishment number of “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging.It’s unclear if consumers who purchased these now-recalled products will be eligible for a refund. The Associated Press reached out to contacts for Hillshire Brands and Tyson for further information Sunday.Foreign object contamination is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-recalls-objects-trader-joes-banquet-a7c2337b14b1cd539edbeaec7dc644d4">one of the top reasons</a>&nbsp;for food recalls in the U.S. Beyond plastic,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tyson-foods-chicken-nuggets-recall-703756f3a03de3289c70ec09782208c9">metal fragments</a>, bits of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trader-joes-recall-soup-falafel-bugs-rocks-00e1847cf251562bad9eb95309981193">bugs</a>&nbsp;and more “extraneous” materials have prompted recalls by making their way into packaged goods.

58M pounds of corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick products recalled

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

Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. 

An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. 

Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire. The number of people involved is currently unknown. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene gather evidence and collect witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or the names of the victims.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire. The number of people involved is currently unknown. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene gather evidence and collect witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or the names of the victims.

Homicide: Police unsure how many injured in deadly KC shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.

Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.

On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer,&nbsp;located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business.&nbsp; Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business.&nbsp; One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.

Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement.&nbsp; Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.

Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759016708353.png" alt="Security camera image from the burglary in June of 2023 released by Blue Steel Guns and Ammo" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image from the burglary in June of 2023 released by Blue Steel Guns and Ammo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer,&nbsp;located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business.&nbsp; Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business.&nbsp; One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement.&nbsp; Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

Kan. man admits stealing 41 firearms, transporting child porn into the U.S.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonathan-landrum-jr">JONATHAN LANDRUM JR.</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bad-bunny">Bad Bunny</a>&nbsp;will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swagger to the NFL’s biggest stage next year: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;halftime show in Northern California.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">NFL</a>, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Bad Bunny will lead the halftime festivities from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

The Puerto Rican superstar’s selection comes amid another career-defining run: He’s fresh off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-bad-bunny-concert-46e33b429e8ea4a08f52b0ae53b42d30">historic Puerto Rico residency</a>&nbsp;this month that drew more than half a million fans and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-grammy-nominations-bad-bunny-edgar-barrera-ac48d641b071870b351f1a195a14fab5">leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys</a>&nbsp;in November. He has become one of the world’s most streamed artists with albums such as “Un Verano Sin Ti,” an all-Spanish-language LP.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”

Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”

The 31-year-old artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has won three Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys. He has become a global ambassador for Latin music, starred in films such as “Bullet Train,” “Caught Stealing” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” and collaborated with top fashion houses. He’ll enter the Latin Grammys as the leading nominee with 12, dethroning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/edgar-barrera-latin-grammys-2023-75d5aeba30e60632b466fa5adff06711">producer and songwriter Édgar Barrera</a>.

Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director.

Last year, Kendrick Lamar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-halftime-show-review-1dc2bce615ebfba0c8af0ea7c3ce4b9d">shined with guest SZA</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans, setting the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show with 133.5 million viewers. His performance surpassed the audience for Michael Jackson’s 1993 show.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonathan-landrum-jr">JONATHAN LANDRUM JR.</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bad-bunny">Bad Bunny</a>&nbsp;will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swagger to the NFL’s biggest stage next year: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;halftime show in Northern California.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl halftime show next year. The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that the Grammy winner will perform at Levi&#39;s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 8. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/badbunny?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#badbunny</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/benito?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#benito</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/superbowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#superbowl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nfl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nfl</a> <a href="https://t.co/0J5Asnze3W">pic.twitter.com/0J5Asnze3W</a>&mdash; AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) <a href="https://twitter.com/APEntertainment/status/1972482009466302495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">NFL</a>, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Bad Bunny will lead the halftime festivities from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.The Puerto Rican superstar’s selection comes amid another career-defining run: He’s fresh off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-bad-bunny-concert-46e33b429e8ea4a08f52b0ae53b42d30">historic Puerto Rico residency</a>&nbsp;this month that drew more than half a million fans and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-grammy-nominations-bad-bunny-edgar-barrera-ac48d641b071870b351f1a195a14fab5">leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys</a>&nbsp;in November. He has become one of the world’s most streamed artists with albums such as “Un Verano Sin Ti,” an all-Spanish-language LP.“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”The 31-year-old artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has won three Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys. He has become a global ambassador for Latin music, starred in films such as “Bullet Train,” “Caught Stealing” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” and collaborated with top fashion houses. He’ll enter the Latin Grammys as the leading nominee with 12, dethroning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/edgar-barrera-latin-grammys-2023-75d5aeba30e60632b466fa5adff06711">producer and songwriter Édgar Barrera</a>.Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director.Last year, Kendrick Lamar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-halftime-show-review-1dc2bce615ebfba0c8af0ea7c3ce4b9d">shined with guest SZA</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans, setting the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show with 133.5 million viewers. His performance surpassed the audience for Michael Jackson’s 1993 show.

Latin superstar Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl halftime show

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">a new U.S. House map</a>&nbsp;into law Sunday as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to try to hold on to a narrow Republican majority in next year’s congressional election.

Kehoe’s signature puts the revised districts into state law with a goal of helping Republicans win one additional seat. But it may not be the final action. Opponents are pursuing a referendum petition that, if successful, would force a statewide vote on the new map. They also have brought several lawsuits against it.

U.S. House districts were redrawn across the country after the 2020 census to account for population changes. But Missouri is the third state this year to try to redraw its districts for partisan advantage, a process known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">gerrymandering</a>.

Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">lawmakers in Texas</a>&nbsp;passed a new U.S. House map last month aimed at helping their party win five additional seats. Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">lawmakers in California</a>&nbsp;countered with their own redistricting plan aimed at winning five more seats, though it still needs voter approval.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-trump-missouri-texas-california-b1c16a00f07c8df117c2f5b685542085">Other states</a>&nbsp;also are considering redistricting.

Each seat could be critical, because Democrats need to gain just three seats to win control of the House, which would allow them to obstruct Trump’s agenda and launch investigations into him. Trump is trying to stave off a historic trend in which the president’s party typically loses seats in midterm elections.

Republicans currently hold six of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats. The new map targets a seat held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver</a>&nbsp;by shaving off portions of his Kansas City district and stretching the rest of it into Republican-heavy rural areas. It reduces the number of Black and minority residents in Cleaver’s district, which he has represented for two decades after serving as Kansas City’s first Black mayor.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">Cleaver has denounced the redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;for using Kansas City’s Troost Avenue — a street that has long segregated Black and white residents — as one of the dividing lines for the new districts.

Kehoe has defended the new map as a means of boosting Missouri’s “conservative, common-sense values” in the nation’s capital.

Opponents are gathering petition signatures seeking to force a statewide referendum on the new map. They have until Dec. 11 to submit around 110,000 valid signatures, which would put the map on hold until a public vote can occur sometime next year.

Meanwhile, opponents also are pursuing a variety of legal challenges. Lawsuits by voters contend mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution. A lawsuit by the NAACP contends no “extraordinary occasion” existed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-governor-redistricting-trump-33bfdc8790cdf8201d80c8c89258df3d">Kehoe to call lawmakers into session</a>&nbsp;for redistricting.

A lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union also asserts that the new Kansas City area districts violate state constitutional requirements to be compact and contain equal populations. It notes that the redistricting legislation lists a “KC 811” voting precinct in both the fourth and fifth congressional districts, which it asserts is grounds to invalidate the new map.

But Kehoe’s office said there is no error. It said other government agencies had assigned the same name to two distinct voting locations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">a new U.S. House map</a>&nbsp;into law Sunday as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to try to hold on to a narrow Republican majority in next year’s congressional election.Kehoe’s signature puts the revised districts into state law with a goal of helping Republicans win one additional seat. But it may not be the final action. Opponents are pursuing a referendum petition that, if successful, would force a statewide vote on the new map. They also have brought several lawsuits against it.U.S. House districts were redrawn across the country after the 2020 census to account for population changes. But Missouri is the third state this year to try to redraw its districts for partisan advantage, a process known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">gerrymandering</a>.Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">lawmakers in Texas</a>&nbsp;passed a new U.S. House map last month aimed at helping their party win five additional seats. Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">lawmakers in California</a>&nbsp;countered with their own redistricting plan aimed at winning five more seats, though it still needs voter approval.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-trump-missouri-texas-california-b1c16a00f07c8df117c2f5b685542085">Other states</a>&nbsp;also are considering redistricting.Each seat could be critical, because Democrats need to gain just three seats to win control of the House, which would allow them to obstruct Trump’s agenda and launch investigations into him. Trump is trying to stave off a historic trend in which the president’s party typically loses seats in midterm elections.Republicans currently hold six of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats. The new map targets a seat held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver</a>&nbsp;by shaving off portions of his Kansas City district and stretching the rest of it into Republican-heavy rural areas. It reduces the number of Black and minority residents in Cleaver’s district, which he has represented for two decades after serving as Kansas City’s first Black mayor.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">Cleaver has denounced the redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;for using Kansas City’s Troost Avenue — a street that has long segregated Black and white residents — as one of the dividing lines for the new districts.Kehoe has defended the new map as a means of boosting Missouri’s “conservative, common-sense values” in the nation’s capital.Opponents are gathering petition signatures seeking to force a statewide referendum on the new map. They have until Dec. 11 to submit around 110,000 valid signatures, which would put the map on hold until a public vote can occur sometime next year.Meanwhile, opponents also are pursuing a variety of legal challenges. Lawsuits by voters contend mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution. A lawsuit by the NAACP contends no “extraordinary occasion” existed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-governor-redistricting-trump-33bfdc8790cdf8201d80c8c89258df3d">Kehoe to call lawmakers into session</a>&nbsp;for redistricting.A lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union also asserts that the new Kansas City area districts violate state constitutional requirements to be compact and contain equal populations. It notes that the redistricting legislation lists a “KC 811” voting precinct in both the fourth and fifth congressional districts, which it asserts is grounds to invalidate the new map.But Kehoe’s office said there is no error. It said other government agencies had assigned the same name to two distinct voting locations.

Missouri governor signs plan aimed at helping GOP win another US House seat

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegset announced that he has decided that the 20 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for their actions in 1890 at Wounded Knee will keep their awards&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">in a video posted to social media</a>&nbsp;Thursday evening.

Hegseth’s predecessor, Lloyd Austin,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-medals-soldiers-wounded-knee-7c6a7cfd2b2d9ce6b4ce0d9731439cb4">ordered the review of the awards in 2024</a>&nbsp;after a Congressional recommendation in the 2022 defense bill — itself a reflection of efforts by some lawmakers to rescind the awards for those who participated in the bloody massacre on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Wounded Knee Creek.

While the events of that day are sometimes described as a battle, historical records show that the U.S. Army, which was in the midst of amid a campaign to repress the tribes in the area, killed an estimated 250 Native Americans, including women and children, of the Lakota Sioux tribe, while attempting to disarm Native American fighters who had already surrendered at their camp.

“We’re making it clear that (the soldiers) deserve those medals,” Hegseth said in the video, before adding that “their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”

After the fighting, Medals of Honor were given to 20 soldiers from the 7th Cavalry Regiment, and their awards cite a range of actions including bravery, efforts to rescue fellow troops and actions to “dislodge Sioux Indians” who were concealed in a ravine.

The event also became a celebrated part of the regiment’s history, with their&nbsp;<a href="https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/HeraldryMulti.aspx?CategoryId=3116&amp;grp=2&amp;menu=Uniformed%20Services" target="_blank">coat of arms still featuring the head of a Native American chief</a>&nbsp;to “commemorate Indian campaigns,” according to the military’s Institute of Heraldry.

In 1990, Congress apologized to the descendants of those killed at Wounded Knee but did not revoke the medals.

According to Hegseth, the review panel ordered by Austin “concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions,” but an official from the defense secretary’s office couldn’t say if the report he was referencing in the video would be made public.

President Donald Trump issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” that decried efforts to reinterpret American history and, since then, Hegseth has undertaken multiple actions that have subverted the recommendations of a Congressionally-mandated commission that examined the use of Confederate names and references in the military.

He reverted the names of several Army bases back to their original, Confederate-linked names, though by honoring different figures.

Hegseth also restored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/confederate-memorial-arlington-national-cemetery-39de92aaafbe3765ca8fb8c343445c98">a 1914 memorial to the Confederacy</a>&nbsp;that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery. The monument features a classical female figure, crowned with olive leaves, representing the American South, alongside sanitized depictions of slavery.

In September, the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, also confirmed that a painting of Gen. Robert E. Lee dressed in his Confederate uniform was back on display in the school’s library after being removed in 2022. The portrait shows a Black man leading Lee’s horse in the background, which had been hanging in the library since the 1950s before it was placed in storage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759066705724.png" alt="Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)" />
 <figcaption>Plastic flowers and American flags are placed atop graves at the Wounded Knee Memorial and cemetery on June 30, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegset announced that he has decided that the 20 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for their actions in 1890 at Wounded Knee will keep their awards&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458" target="_blank">in a video posted to social media</a>&nbsp;Thursday evening.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Under my direction, the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will keep their medals. This decision is final. Their place in history is settled. <a href="https://t.co/klQlB6MZ6l">pic.twitter.com/klQlB6MZ6l</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1971342502650429458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hegseth’s predecessor, Lloyd Austin,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-medals-soldiers-wounded-knee-7c6a7cfd2b2d9ce6b4ce0d9731439cb4">ordered the review of the awards in 2024</a>&nbsp;after a Congressional recommendation in the 2022 defense bill — itself a reflection of efforts by some lawmakers to rescind the awards for those who participated in the bloody massacre on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Wounded Knee Creek.While the events of that day are sometimes described as a battle, historical records show that the U.S. Army, which was in the midst of amid a campaign to repress the tribes in the area, killed an estimated 250 Native Americans, including women and children, of the Lakota Sioux tribe, while attempting to disarm Native American fighters who had already surrendered at their camp.“We’re making it clear that (the soldiers) deserve those medals,” Hegseth said in the video, before adding that “their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate.”After the fighting, Medals of Honor were given to 20 soldiers from the 7th Cavalry Regiment, and their awards cite a range of actions including bravery, efforts to rescue fellow troops and actions to “dislodge Sioux Indians” who were concealed in a ravine.The event also became a celebrated part of the regiment’s history, with their&nbsp;<a href="https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/HeraldryMulti.aspx?CategoryId=3116&amp;grp=2&amp;menu=Uniformed%20Services" target="_blank">coat of arms still featuring the head of a Native American chief</a>&nbsp;to “commemorate Indian campaigns,” according to the military’s Institute of Heraldry.In 1990, Congress apologized to the descendants of those killed at Wounded Knee but did not revoke the medals.According to Hegseth, the review panel ordered by Austin “concluded that these brave soldiers should, in fact, rightfully keep their medals from actions,” but an official from the defense secretary’s office couldn’t say if the report he was referencing in the video would be made public.President Donald Trump issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” that decried efforts to reinterpret American history and, since then, Hegseth has undertaken multiple actions that have subverted the recommendations of a Congressionally-mandated commission that examined the use of Confederate names and references in the military.He reverted the names of several Army bases back to their original, Confederate-linked names, though by honoring different figures.Hegseth also restored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/confederate-memorial-arlington-national-cemetery-39de92aaafbe3765ca8fb8c343445c98">a 1914 memorial to the Confederacy</a>&nbsp;that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery. The monument features a classical female figure, crowned with olive leaves, representing the American South, alongside sanitized depictions of slavery.In September, the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, also confirmed that a painting of Gen. Robert E. Lee dressed in his Confederate uniform was back on display in the school’s library after being removed in 2022. The portrait shows a Black man leading Lee’s horse in the background, which had been hanging in the library since the 1950s before it was placed in storage.___

 🎥Wounded Knee soldiers, many based in Kan., will keep Medals of Honor

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials put the leader of Iowa's largest school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">on administrative leave</a>&nbsp;Saturday, a day after federal immigration agents arrested him because they said he was in the country illegally.

The Des Moines school board voted unanimously to place Superintendent Ian Roberts on paid leave during a three-minute-long special meeting. The board said Roberts was not available to carry out his duties for the 30,000-student district and stated that officials would reassess his status after getting more information.

After the meeting, school board president Jackie Norris read a statement, saying word of Roberts' arrest Friday made for a “jarring day” but noting that board members still didn't have all the facts.

U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-immigration-expedited-removal-d7146e4e633426afe86031cdf14a60d4">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>&nbsp;said agents detained Roberts because he was in the country illegally, didn't have authorization to work and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024. ICE agents stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.

He was held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, in northwest Iowa, about 150 miles from Des Moines.

“I want to be clear, no one here was aware of any citizenship or immigration issues that Dr. Roberts may have been facing,” Norris said. “The accusations ICE had made against Dr. Roberts are very serious, and we are taking them very seriously.”

Norris said Roberts has retained a Des Moines law firm to represent him. Lawyer Alfredo Parrish confirmed his firm was representing Roberts but declined to comment on his case.

Norris also repeated that the district had done a background check on Roberts before he was hired that didn't indicate any problems and that he signed a form affirming he was a U.S. citizen. A company that aided in the search for a superintendent in 2023 also hired another firm to conduct “comprehensive criminal, credit and background checks” on Roberts that didn't indicate any citizenship issues, Norris said.

Also Saturday, the Iowa Department of Education released a statement saying Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for an administrator license. The department said the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners conducted a criminal history check with state and federal authorities before issuing a license.

The department said it is reviewing the Des Moines district's hiring procedures for ensuring people are authorized to work in the U.S.

Roberts had previously said he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana and spent much of his childhood in Brooklyn, New York. He competed in the 2000 Olympics in track and field for Guyana.

ICE said he entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999.

A former senior Guyanese police official on Saturday remembered Roberts as a middle-distance runner who could have risen through the ranks of the South American country’s police force had he not emigrated to the U.S. decades ago. Retired assistant Guyana Police Force commissioner Paul Slowe said Roberts entered the Police Force after graduating from the country’s standard military officers’ course.

"He served for a few years and then left. He was not dismissed or dishonorably discharged at all; he just moved on,” Slowe told The Associated Press. “He was a good, promising and disciplined man.”

Associated Press writer Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925503158.png" alt="&nbsp;Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Ian Roberts in February 2020.- photo ICE</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials put the leader of Iowa's largest school district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-des-moines-superintendent-ian-roberts-b52a9ea28d002d27832c67513403368e">on administrative leave</a>&nbsp;Saturday, a day after federal immigration agents arrested him because they said he was in the country illegally.The Des Moines school board voted unanimously to place Superintendent Ian Roberts on paid leave during a three-minute-long special meeting. The board said Roberts was not available to carry out his duties for the 30,000-student district and stated that officials would reassess his status after getting more information.After the meeting, school board president Jackie Norris read a statement, saying word of Roberts' arrest Friday made for a “jarring day” but noting that board members still didn't have all the facts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758925645393.png" alt="-Roberts Photo from September 26, 2025- image ICE" />
 <figcaption>-Roberts Photo from September 26, 2025- image ICE</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-immigration-expedited-removal-d7146e4e633426afe86031cdf14a60d4">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>&nbsp;said agents detained Roberts because he was in the country illegally, didn't have authorization to work and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024. ICE agents stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.He was held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, in northwest Iowa, about 150 miles from Des Moines.“I want to be clear, no one here was aware of any citizenship or immigration issues that Dr. Roberts may have been facing,” Norris said. “The accusations ICE had made against Dr. Roberts are very serious, and we are taking them very seriously.”Norris said Roberts has retained a Des Moines law firm to represent him. Lawyer Alfredo Parrish confirmed his firm was representing Roberts but declined to comment on his case.Norris also repeated that the district had done a background check on Roberts before he was hired that didn't indicate any problems and that he signed a form affirming he was a U.S. citizen. A company that aided in the search for a superintendent in 2023 also hired another firm to conduct “comprehensive criminal, credit and background checks” on Roberts that didn't indicate any citizenship issues, Norris said.Also Saturday, the Iowa Department of Education released a statement saying Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for an administrator license. The department said the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners conducted a criminal history check with state and federal authorities before issuing a license.The department said it is reviewing the Des Moines district's hiring procedures for ensuring people are authorized to work in the U.S.Roberts had previously said he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana and spent much of his childhood in Brooklyn, New York. He competed in the 2000 Olympics in track and field for Guyana.ICE said he entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999.A former senior Guyanese police official on Saturday remembered Roberts as a middle-distance runner who could have risen through the ranks of the South American country’s police force had he not emigrated to the U.S. decades ago. Retired assistant Guyana Police Force commissioner Paul Slowe said Roberts entered the Police Force after graduating from the country’s standard military officers’ course."He served for a few years and then left. He was not dismissed or dishonorably discharged at all; he just moved on,” Slowe told The Associated Press. “He was a good, promising and disciplined man.”___Associated Press writer Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, contributed to this report.

Des Moines schools leader on leave after his arrest by immigration agents

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — Congress’ failure to pass a short-term government funding bill before midnight Tuesday will lead to the first shutdown in nearly seven years and give President Donald Trump broad authority to determine what federal operations keep running — which will have a huge impact on the government, its employees, states and Americans.&nbsp;

A funding lapse this year would have a considerably wider effect than the 35-day one that took place during Trump’s first term and could last longer, given heightened political tensions.&nbsp;

The last shutdown didn’t affect the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs, since Congress had approved those agencies’ full-year funding bills.

Lawmakers had also enacted the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, exempting Capitol Hill from any repercussions.&nbsp;

That isn’t the case this time around since none of the dozen government spending bills have become law. That means nearly every corner of the federal government will feel the pain in some way&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">if a compromise isn’t reached</a>&nbsp;by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;

States Newsroom’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/category/dc-bureau" target="_blank">Washington, D.C. Bureau</a>&nbsp;offers you a quick guide to what could happen if Republicans and Democrats don’t broker an agreement in time.

How does the White House budget office determine what government operations are essential during a shutdown?

Generally, federal programs that include the preservation of life or property as well as those addressing national security continue during a shutdown, while all other activities are supposed to cease until a funding bill becomes law.&nbsp;

But the president holds expansive power to determine what activities within the executive branch are essential and which aren’t, making the effects of a shutdown hard to pinpoint unless the Trump administration shares that information publicly.&nbsp;

Presidential administrations have&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">traditionally posted</a>&nbsp;contingency plans on the White House budget office’s website, detailing how each agency would shut down — explaining which employees are exempt and need to keep working, and which are furloughed.&nbsp;

That appears to have changed this year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/guidance/agency-contingency-plans/" target="_blank">web page</a>&nbsp;that would normally host dozens of contingency plans remained blank until late September, when the White House budget office posted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/a11.pdf" target="_blank">940-page document</a>&nbsp;released in August calls for the plans to be “hosted solely on each agency’s website.”

Only a few departments had plans from this year posted on their websites as of Friday afternoon.

The White House budget office expects agencies to develop Reduction in Force plans as part of their shutdown preparation, signaling a prolonged funding lapse will include mass firings and layoffs.

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-threatens-mass-firings-federal-employees-government-shutdown" target="_blank">two-page memo</a>&nbsp;doesn’t detail which agencies would be most affected, it says layoffs will apply to programs, projects, or activities that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

Trump will be paid during a shutdown since&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/" target="_blank">Article II, Section 1, Clause 7</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prevents the president’s salary from being increased or decreased during the current term.

No one else in the executive branch — including Cabinet secretaries, more than 2 million civilian employees and over 1 million active duty military personnel — will receive their paycheck until after the shutdown ends.&nbsp;

Are federal courts exempt from a shutdown since they’re a separate branch of government?

The Supreme Court will continue to conduct normal operations in the event of a shutdown, according to its Public Information Office.&nbsp;

The office said the court “will rely on permanent funds not subject to annual approval, as it has in the past, to maintain operations through the duration of short-term lapses of annual appropriations,” in a statement shared with States Newsroom.&nbsp;

As for any impact on lower federal courts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said the federal judiciary was still assessing the fiscal 2026 outlook and had no comment.&nbsp;

The office serves as the central support arm of the federal judiciary.&nbsp;

During the last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2018/12/22/judiciary-operating-during-shutdown" target="_blank">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;from late 2018 into early 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/judiciary-news/2019/01/07/judiciary-operating-limited-funds-during-shutdown" target="_blank">federal courts</a>&nbsp;remained open using court fee balances and “no-year” funds, which are available for an indefinite period.&nbsp;

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has said that if those funds run out, they would operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which “allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers.”&nbsp;

Supreme Court justices and appointed federal judges continue to get paid during a government shutdown, as&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/" target="_blank">Article III</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution says the judges’ compensation “shall not be diminished” during their term.

What happens to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

The three programs exist largely outside of the annual appropriations process, since lawmakers categorized them as “mandatory spending.”&nbsp;

This means Social Security checks as well as reimbursements to health care providers for Medicare and Medicaid services should continue as normal.

One possible hitch is the salaries for people who run those programs are covered by annual appropriations bills, so there could be some staffing problems for the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, depending on their contingency plans.&nbsp;

The first Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201026053427/https://www.ssa.gov/agency/shutdown/materials/contingency-plan-09-23-20.pdf" target="_blank">shutdown guidance</a>&nbsp;for the Social Security Administration showed 54,000 of 63,000 employees at that agency would have kept working. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy-2021-cms-contingency-staffing-plan/index.html" target="_blank">CMS plan</a>&nbsp;from 2020 shows that it intended to keep about 50% of its employees working in the event of a shutdown. Neither had a current plan as of Friday.

Will the Department of Veterans Affairs be able to keep providing health care and benefits?

Veterans can expect health care to continue uninterrupted at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics in the event of a shutdown. Vets would also continue to receive benefits, including compensation, pension, education and housing, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs&nbsp;<a href="https://department.va.gov/contingency-planning/" target="_blank">contingency planning</a>&nbsp;for a funding lapse that is currently published on the department’s website. It’s unclear if the plan will be the one the Trump administration puts into action.

But a shutdown would affect other VA services. For example, the GI Bill hotline would close, and all in-person and virtual career counseling and transition assistance services would be unavailable.

Additionally, all regional VA benefits offices would shutter until Congress agreed to fund the government. The closures would include the Manila Regional Office in the Philippines that serves veterans in the Pacific region.

All department public outreach to veterans would also cease.

Will Hubbard, spokesperson for Veterans Education Success, said his advocacy organization is bracing for increased phone calls and emails from veterans who would normally call the GI Bill hotline.

“Questions are going to come up, veterans are going to be looking for answers, and they’re not going to be able to call like they would be able to normally, that’s going to be a big problem,” Hubbard said.

“Most of the benefits that people are going to be most concerned about will not be affected, but the ones that do get affected, for the people that that hits, I mean, it’s going to matter a lot to them. It’s going to change the direction of their planning, and potentially the direction of their life,” Hubbard said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Management and Budget did not respond to a request for current VA shutdown guidance.

What happens to immigration enforcement and immigration courts?&nbsp;

As the Trump administration continues with its aggressive immigration tactics in cities with high immigrant populations, that enforcement is likely to continue during a government shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/2025_0303_dhs_procedures_related_to_a_lapse_in_appropriations.pdf" target="_blank">March guidance</a>&nbsp;for operating in a government shutdown.

Immigration-related fees will continue, such as for processing visas and applications from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.&nbsp;

And DHS expects nearly all of its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees to be exempt — 17,500 out of 20,500 — and continue working without pay amid a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That means that ICE officers will continue to arrest, detain and remove from the country immigrants without legal status. DHS is currently concentrating immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago, known as “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Other employees within DHS, such as those in Transportation Security Administration, will also be retained during a government shutdown. There are about 58,000 TSA employees that would be exempt and continue to work without pay in airports across the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for a contingency plan if there is a government shutdown.

Separately, a shutdown would also burden the overwhelmed immigration court system that is housed within the Department of Justice. It would lead to canceling or rescheduling court cases, when there is already a backlog of 3.4 million cases.

The only exceptions are immigration courts that are located within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention centers, but most cases would need to be rescheduled. The partial government shutdown that began in December 2018 caused nearly 43,000 court cases to be canceled,&nbsp;<a href="https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/543/" target="_blank">according to a report</a>&nbsp;by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC.

And 28 states have an immigration court, requiring some immigrants to travel hundreds, or thousands, of miles for their appointment.&nbsp;

States that do not have an immigration court include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Will people be able to visit national parks or use public lands during a shutdown?&nbsp;

Probably, but that may be bad for parks’ long-term health.

During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the first Trump administration kept parks open, with skeleton staffs across the country struggling to maintain National Park Service facilities.

Theresa Pierno, the president and CEO of the advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association, said in a Sept. 23 statement the last shutdown devastated areas of some parks.

“Americans watched helplessly as Joshua Trees were cut down, park buildings were vandalized, prehistoric petroglyphs were defaced, trash overflowed leading to wildlife impacts, and human waste piled up,” she wrote. “Visitor safety and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources were put at serious risk. We cannot allow this to happen again.”

The National Park Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-03/doi-nps-contingency-plan-2024.pdf" target="_blank">latest contingency plan</a>&nbsp;was published in March 2024, during President Joe Biden’s administration. It calls for at least some closures during a shutdown, though the document says the response will differ from park to park.&nbsp;

Restricting access to parks is difficult due to their physical characteristics, the document said, adding that staffing would generally be maintained at a minimum to allow visitors. However, some areas that are regularly closed could be locked up for the duration of a shutdown.

But that contingency plan is likely to change before Tuesday, spokespeople for the Park Service and the Interior Department, which oversees NPS, said Sept. 25.

“The lapse in funding plans on our website are from 2024,” an email from the NPS office of public affairs said. “They are currently being reviewed and updated.”

Hunters and others seeking to use public lands maintained by Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will likely be able to continue to do so, though they may have to make alternative plans if they’d planned to use facilities such as campgrounds.&nbsp;

Land Tawney, the co-chair of the advocacy group American Hunters and Anglers, said campgrounds, toilets and facilities that require staffing would be inaccessible, but most public lands would remain available.

“Those lands are kind of open and they’re just unmanned, I would say, and that’s not really gonna change much,” he said. “If you’re staying in a campground, you’ve got to figure something else out.”

As with national parks, access to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges and other hunting and fishing sites will differ from site to site, Tawney said. The Fish and Wildlife Service doesn’t require permits for hunting on its lands, but access to some refuges is determined by a staff-run lottery drawing. If those drawings can’t be held, access to those sites will be limited, Tawney said.

What happens to the Internal Revenue Service?

How the Internal Revenue Service would operate during a government shutdown remains unclear.&nbsp;

When Congress teetered on letting funding run out in March, the nation’s revenue collection agency released a contingency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26126431-irs-fy25lapseplan/" target="_blank">plan</a>&nbsp;to continue full operations during the height of tax filing season.&nbsp;

The IRS planned to use funds allocated in the 2022 budget reconciliation law to keep its roughly 95,000 employees processing returns and refunds, answering the phones, and pursuing audits.&nbsp;

Ultimately Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-stopgap-spending-bill-law-following-us-senate-passage" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;on a stopgap funding bill to avoid a March shutdown, but much has changed since then.

The new tax and spending&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fourth-july-trump-signs-his-big-beautiful-bill-law" target="_blank">law</a>, signed by Trump on July 4 and often referred to as the “one big beautiful bill,” made major changes to the U.S. tax code.&nbsp;

Additionally, the agency, which processes roughly 180 million income tax returns per year, has lost about a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JRC26_FullReport.pdf" target="_blank">quarter</a>&nbsp;of its workforce since January. Top leadership has also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/billy-long-ousted-trump-irs-chief-after-less-2-months-office" target="_blank">turned over</a>&nbsp;six times in 2025.

Rachel Snyderman, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said workforce reductions combined with a string of leadership changes could factor into how the agency would operate during a funding lapse.

“It’s really difficult to understand both what the status of the agency would be if the government were to shut down in less than a week, and also the impacts that a prolonged shutdown could have on taxpayer services and taxpayers at large,” said Snyderman, the think tank’s managing director of economic policy.

Do federal employees get back pay after a shutdown ends?

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf" target="_blank">Office of Personnel Management</a>&nbsp;— the executive branch’s chief human resources agency — “after the lapse in appropriations has ended, employees who were furloughed as the result of the lapse will receive retroactive pay for those furlough periods.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24/text/statute?statuteId=45971" target="_blank">Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019</a>&nbsp;requires furloughed government employees to receive back pay as a result of a government shutdown.&nbsp;

That law does not apply to federal contractors, who face uncertainty in getting paid during a shutdown.&nbsp;

What role does Congress have during a shutdown?

The House and Senate must approve a stopgap spending bill or all dozen full-year appropriations bills to end a shutdown, a feat that requires the support of at least some Democrats to get past the upper chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.&nbsp;

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., control their respective chambers’ calendars as well as the floor schedule, so they could keep holding votes on the stopgap bill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">Democrats have already rejected</a>&nbsp;or try to pass individual bills to alleviate the impacts on certain agencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Neither Johnson nor Thune has yet to suggest bipartisan negotiations with Democratic leaders about funding the government. And while they are open to discussions about extending the enhanced tax credits for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, they don’t want that decision connected to the funding debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Democratic leaders have said repeatedly that Republicans shouldn’t expect them to vote for legislation they had no say in drafting, especially with a health care cliff for millions of Americans coming at the end of the year.&nbsp;

Members of Congress will receive their paychecks regardless of how long a shutdown lasts, but the people who work for them would only receive their salaries after it ends.&nbsp;

Lawmakers must be paid under language in&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-6/" target="_blank">Article I, Section 6, Clause 1</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-27/" target="_blank">27th Amendment</a>, which bars members of Congress from changing their salaries during the current session.&nbsp;

Lawmakers have discretion to decide which of their staff members continue working during a shutdown and which are furloughed.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police, which is tasked with protecting members amid a sharp rise in political violence, said a shutdown “would not affect the security of the Capitol Complex.”&nbsp;

“Our officers, and the professional staff who perform or support emergency functions, would still report to work,” the spokesperson said. “Employees who are not required for emergency functions would be furloughed until funding is available.”

Federal government shutdown is nearing: A guide for what to expect

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting on August 24, that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire.

Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.

If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756165563203.png" alt="Govea photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Govea photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting on August 24, that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire.Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Search continues for Kan. teen accused of shooting ex-girlfriend 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>r

TOPEKA — Kansas hospital leaders sent&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Enhanced-Premium-Tax-Credit-Letter-to-Kansas-Congressional-Delegation.pdf">a letter</a>&nbsp;to the state’s congressional delegation urging members to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/24/kansas-governor-says-health-care-cuts-will-have-disastrous-effects-if-congress-cant-reach-deal/">extend premium tax credits</a>&nbsp;for those who receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

Republicans in Congress, including the state’s two senators and three of the four House members, stripped the tax credits from low-income families as part of a tax and spending bill earlier this year. As the federal government approaches a possible shutdown next week, Democrats are refusing to support a short-term spending plan unless Republicans make the tax credits permanent.

Health care providers say the loss of tax credits will especially hurt families and hospitals in rural parts of the state.

“The reality is that for a rural hospital like ours, every dollar counts,” said Preston Sayers, CEO of Kingman Healthcare Center. “A failure to extend the tax credits will cause Kansans to lose their coverage, and they often won’t qualify for Medicaid. This will lead to a surge in uncompensated care and make it even more difficult to keep our doors open and provide the care our communities depend on.”

More than 160,000 Kansans benefit from the tax credits that are expected to expire. They can expect to see a 77% increase in premiums.

That means a hike of $2,500 per year for a family earning $64,000 per year, or $18,000 for a 60-year-old couple making $82,800 per year, according to a news release from Ascension Via Christi, which operates hospitals in Wichita.

“As health care providers on the front lines of patient care, we know firsthand the devastating impact that a loss of affordable coverage would have on our communities,” said Kevin Strecker, CEO of Ascension Via Christi. “This is a direct threat to the financial well-being of Kansas families and the stability of our health care system, particularly our rural hospitals, which serve as a lifeline for their communities.”

In the letter sent Thursday to all six members of the state’s congressional delegation, the hospital leaders said as Kansans lose coverage, hospitals will face rising costs from uncompensated care. The letter was sent to Republican Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids, and Republican Reps. Derek Schmidt, Ron Estes and Tracey Mann.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>rTOPEKA — Kansas hospital leaders sent&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Enhanced-Premium-Tax-Credit-Letter-to-Kansas-Congressional-Delegation.pdf">a letter</a>&nbsp;to the state’s congressional delegation urging members to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/24/kansas-governor-says-health-care-cuts-will-have-disastrous-effects-if-congress-cant-reach-deal/">extend premium tax credits</a>&nbsp;for those who receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.Republicans in Congress, including the state’s two senators and three of the four House members, stripped the tax credits from low-income families as part of a tax and spending bill earlier this year. As the federal government approaches a possible shutdown next week, Democrats are refusing to support a short-term spending plan unless Republicans make the tax credits permanent.Health care providers say the loss of tax credits will especially hurt families and hospitals in rural parts of the state.“The reality is that for a rural hospital like ours, every dollar counts,” said Preston Sayers, CEO of Kingman Healthcare Center. “A failure to extend the tax credits will cause Kansans to lose their coverage, and they often won’t qualify for Medicaid. This will lead to a surge in uncompensated care and make it even more difficult to keep our doors open and provide the care our communities depend on.”More than 160,000 Kansans benefit from the tax credits that are expected to expire. They can expect to see a 77% increase in premiums.That means a hike of $2,500 per year for a family earning $64,000 per year, or $18,000 for a 60-year-old couple making $82,800 per year, according to a news release from Ascension Via Christi, which operates hospitals in Wichita.“As health care providers on the front lines of patient care, we know firsthand the devastating impact that a loss of affordable coverage would have on our communities,” said Kevin Strecker, CEO of Ascension Via Christi. “This is a direct threat to the financial well-being of Kansas families and the stability of our health care system, particularly our rural hospitals, which serve as a lifeline for their communities.”In the letter sent Thursday to all six members of the state’s congressional delegation, the hospital leaders said as Kansans lose coverage, hospitals will face rising costs from uncompensated care. The letter was sent to Republican Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids, and Republican Reps. Derek Schmidt, Ron Estes and Tracey Mann.It was signed by leaders of Ascension Via Christi, Caldwell Regional Medical Center, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Greenwood County Hospital, Hillsboro Community Hospital, Kingman Healthcare Center, NMC Health in Newton, Patterson Health Center in Anthony, Salina Regional Health Center and Wesley Healthcare.“Allowing the premium tax cuts to expire will directly affect our ability as a rural health care provider to care for the community where we live, work and serve,” said Vallerie Gleason, President and CEO of NMC Health. “I urge our Kansas congressional delegation, who care deeply about rural Kansas and rural hospitals, to support extensions of the premium tax cuts.”