WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday unveiled the holiday decorations for her family’s first Christmas back at the White House and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”

The decor also nods to next year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-cuts-humanities-america250-anniversary-doge-572cf095773c66856a1da94030ffd5a9">250th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America.

Several dozen volunteer decorators from across the country helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion with 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, more than 700 feet (213 meters) of garland, more than 2,000 strands of lights, over 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) of ribbon, over 2,800 gold stars, more than 10,000 butterflies and 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread.

A few things are different because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-ballroom-57512e0d91432f75529946fddfbfe2c5">President Donald Trump tore down the East Wing</a>&nbsp;to build a ballroom he’s long desired.

This year, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-tree-3249c03bec94e4ac99cc6002733a971c">official White House Christmas tree, which is always</a>&nbsp;on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those that lost a member during active-duty military service.

That tree was an East Wing fixture and the first one visitors encountered after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-white-house-east-wing-mclaurin-f3ca84b49843b3eb3c14ad6d48f117c3">demolished by Trump</a>&nbsp;in October as part of his ballroom plan.

Public tours, which had been suspended because of the construction, are to resume Tuesday but with a shorter route limited to just the State Floor, which includes the East Room; the Green, Blue and Red Rooms; the State Dining Room; the Cross Hall; and the Grand Foyer.

The Library and the Vermeil and China Rooms on the Ground Floor — one level below the State Floor — were cut from the tour route because of the construction.

The White House expects tens of thousands of visitors for holiday tours, receptions and parties before Christmas. Visitors will now enter through the North Portico doors on Pennsylvania Avenue using a new, semi-permanent walkway and entrance.

A statement from the White House said Christmas is a time to celebrate what makes the U.S. exceptional and that, while every home has its own traditions, shared values unite Americans.

“In every community, we are lifted by simple acts of kindness that reflect the enduring American spirit of generosity, patriotism, and gratitude,” the statement said. “These moments remind us that the heart of America is strong and that Home Is Where The Heart Is.”

Planning for the holidays starts months in advance, and the White House said Melania Trump chose every detail of the decor.

Trees in the East Room are trimmed in patriotic red, white and blue and national symbols, including golden eagle tree toppers, to highlight the coming America250 national celebration.

The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is decorated with gold stars honoring families that lost a member in the line of active-duty military service. The official tree traditionally recognizes each state and territory and this year’s fir is decorated with ornaments showcasing the official bird and flower of each.

The Green Room celebrates family fun, featuring large portraits of the first and the current presidents, George Washington and Donald Trump, respectively, each made from more than 6,000 Lego puzzle pieces.

Thousands of blue butterflies decorate the Red Room and its tree in a celebration of young people and in tribute to Melania Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-white-house-foster-care-5301987e676786c793b2b9fba0eb4c2f">Fostering the Future initiative</a>&nbsp;, which is part of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">Be Best</a>&nbsp;child-focused initiative, to support people who have been in foster care.

A holiday highlight, the gingerbread White House on display in the State Dining Room shows off the mansion’s South Portico and offers a special glimpse into the Yellow Oval Room, a sitting room off the Truman Balcony in the president’s private living quarters on the second floor.

It was made using 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar-based modeling paste; over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of chocolate and 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of royal icing.

Part of the White House creche is on display in the Grand Foyer while the rest of it is undergoing a restoration overseen by the curator’s office.

Most of the tree trimming and hall decking was done after the Trumps decamped to their Florida home early last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. They returned to the White House on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday unveiled the holiday decorations for her family’s first Christmas back at the White House and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS ❤️ America&#39;s Christmas at the White House. <a href="https://t.co/acueX2bKjz">pic.twitter.com/acueX2bKjz</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1995502174810632359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Home Is Where the Heart Is AMERICA’S CHRISTMAS This Christmas, let’s celebrate the love we hold within ourselves and share it with the world around us. After all, wherever we are, we can create a home filled with endless possibilities. <a href="https://t.co/VouZAtLpHU">pic.twitter.com/VouZAtLpHU</a>&mdash; First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1995493761363906621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The decor also nods to next year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-cuts-humanities-america250-anniversary-doge-572cf095773c66856a1da94030ffd5a9">250th anniversary</a>&nbsp;of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“We’re saying MERRY CHRISTMAS again!” - <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> 🎄🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/TcfyP5h5Uc">pic.twitter.com/TcfyP5h5Uc</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1995610845632757781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Several dozen volunteer decorators from across the country helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion with 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, more than 700 feet (213 meters) of garland, more than 2,000 strands of lights, over 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) of ribbon, over 2,800 gold stars, more than 10,000 butterflies and 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread.A few things are different because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-ballroom-57512e0d91432f75529946fddfbfe2c5">President Donald Trump tore down the East Wing</a>&nbsp;to build a ballroom he’s long desired.This year, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-tree-3249c03bec94e4ac99cc6002733a971c">official White House Christmas tree, which is always</a>&nbsp;on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those that lost a member during active-duty military service.That tree was an East Wing fixture and the first one visitors encountered after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-white-house-east-wing-mclaurin-f3ca84b49843b3eb3c14ad6d48f117c3">demolished by Trump</a>&nbsp;in October as part of his ballroom plan.Public tours, which had been suspended because of the construction, are to resume Tuesday but with a shorter route limited to just the State Floor, which includes the East Room; the Green, Blue and Red Rooms; the State Dining Room; the Cross Hall; and the Grand Foyer.The Library and the Vermeil and China Rooms on the Ground Floor — one level below the State Floor — were cut from the tour route because of the construction.The White House expects tens of thousands of visitors for holiday tours, receptions and parties before Christmas. Visitors will now enter through the North Portico doors on Pennsylvania Avenue using a new, semi-permanent walkway and entrance.A statement from the White House said Christmas is a time to celebrate what makes the U.S. exceptional and that, while every home has its own traditions, shared values unite Americans.“In every community, we are lifted by simple acts of kindness that reflect the enduring American spirit of generosity, patriotism, and gratitude,” the statement said. “These moments remind us that the heart of America is strong and that Home Is Where The Heart Is.”Planning for the holidays starts months in advance, and the White House said Melania Trump chose every detail of the decor.Trees in the East Room are trimmed in patriotic red, white and blue and national symbols, including golden eagle tree toppers, to highlight the coming America250 national celebration.The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is decorated with gold stars honoring families that lost a member in the line of active-duty military service. The official tree traditionally recognizes each state and territory and this year’s fir is decorated with ornaments showcasing the official bird and flower of each.The Green Room celebrates family fun, featuring large portraits of the first and the current presidents, George Washington and Donald Trump, respectively, each made from more than 6,000 Lego puzzle pieces.Thousands of blue butterflies decorate the Red Room and its tree in a celebration of young people and in tribute to Melania Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-white-house-foster-care-5301987e676786c793b2b9fba0eb4c2f">Fostering the Future initiative</a>&nbsp;, which is part of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">Be Best</a>&nbsp;child-focused initiative, to support people who have been in foster care.A holiday highlight, the gingerbread White House on display in the State Dining Room shows off the mansion’s South Portico and offers a special glimpse into the Yellow Oval Room, a sitting room off the Truman Balcony in the president’s private living quarters on the second floor.It was made using 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar-based modeling paste; over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of chocolate and 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of royal icing.Part of the White House creche is on display in the Grand Foyer while the rest of it is undergoing a restoration overseen by the curator’s office.Most of the tree trimming and hall decking was done after the Trumps decamped to their Florida home early last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. They returned to the White House on Sunday.

First lady reveals White House Christmas decorations and her theme

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Barton County.

Just before 10:30p.m. November 27, police&nbsp;contacted 41-year-old Laveta Elam in the 200 block of Main Street in Great Bend, according to a statement from police.

Barton County Communications confirmed Elam to have an outstanding warrant for failure to appear. While being taken into custody, Elam refused to comply with the Officer's directives, and actively resisted arrest. 

Elam was ultimately arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail. While at the Barton County Jail, narcotics were located, hidden on Elam's person. 

Elam was booked into jail on requested charges of Resisting Arrest, Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility, and the Failure to Appear warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764634799282.png" alt="Elam-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Elam-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Barton County.Just before 10:30p.m. November 27, police&nbsp;contacted 41-year-old Laveta Elam in the 200 block of Main Street in Great Bend, according to a statement from police.Barton County Communications confirmed Elam to have an outstanding warrant for failure to appear. While being taken into custody, Elam refused to comply with the Officer's directives, and actively resisted arrest. Elam was ultimately arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail. While at the Barton County Jail, narcotics were located, hidden on Elam's person. Elam was booked into jail on requested charges of Resisting Arrest, Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility, and the Failure to Appear warrant.

Kan. woman hid her illegal drugs when she was booked into jail

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump'</a>&nbsp;s doctor says the president had MRI imaging on his heart and abdomen in October as part of a preventative screening for men his age, according to a memo from the physician released by the White House on Monday.

Sean Barbabella said in a statement that Trump’s physical exam included “advanced imaging” that is “standard for an executive physical” in Trump’s age group. Barbabella concluded that the cardiovascular and abdominal imaging was “perfectly normal.”

“The purpose of this imaging is preventative: to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function,” the doctor wrote.

The White House released Barbabella's memo after Trump on Sunday said he would release the results of the scan. He and the White House have said the scan was “part of his routine physical examination” but had declined until Monday to detail why Trump had an MRI during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">his physical</a>&nbsp;in October at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or on what part of his body.

“I think that’s quite a bit of detail,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday when announcing the memo's release.

The Republican president said Sunday during an exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Florida that the results of the MRI were “perfect.”

“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” Trump said.

Trump added Sunday that he has “no idea” on what part of his body he got the MRI.

“It was just an MRI,” he said. “What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”

Doctors typically order an MRI to help with diagnosing symptoms or to monitor an ongoing health problem. So-called "preventive” cardiac and abdominal MRIs are not part of routine screening recommendations. What Trump’s doctor called an “executive physical” generally refers to adding extra, non-routine tests including MRIs to pricey and lengthy exams, not covered by insurance, that are marketed to wealthy people.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump'</a>&nbsp;s doctor says the president had MRI imaging on his heart and abdomen in October as part of a preventative screening for men his age, according to a memo from the physician released by the White House on Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump&#39;s Advanced Imaging Results: &quot;His cardiovascular system shows excellent health... and confirms that he remains at excellent overall health.&quot; — Capt Sean P. Barbabella, D.O. Physician to the President <a href="https://t.co/WJxdZEBUFS">pic.twitter.com/WJxdZEBUFS</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1995569253748211743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764616418997.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Sean Barbabella said in a statement that Trump’s physical exam included “advanced imaging” that is “standard for an executive physical” in Trump’s age group. Barbabella concluded that the cardiovascular and abdominal imaging was “perfectly normal.”“The purpose of this imaging is preventative: to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function,” the doctor wrote.The White House released Barbabella's memo after Trump on Sunday said he would release the results of the scan. He and the White House have said the scan was “part of his routine physical examination” but had declined until Monday to detail why Trump had an MRI during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">his physical</a>&nbsp;in October at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or on what part of his body.“I think that’s quite a bit of detail,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday when announcing the memo's release.The Republican president said Sunday during an exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Florida that the results of the MRI were “perfect.”“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” Trump said.Trump added Sunday that he has “no idea” on what part of his body he got the MRI.“It was just an MRI,” he said. “What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”Doctors typically order an MRI to help with diagnosing symptoms or to monitor an ongoing health problem. So-called "preventive” cardiac and abdominal MRIs are not part of routine screening recommendations. What Trump’s doctor called an “executive physical” generally refers to adding extra, non-routine tests including MRIs to pricey and lengthy exams, not covered by insurance, that are marketed to wealthy people.

Read the report: President Trump shares his MRI results

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in a deadly hit-and-run in Wichita faced a judge for the first time last week. 

Chance Flores-Leach, 27, Wichita, was charged with unintentional but reckless second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to a call about a pedestrian struck near Central and Hillside in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders found a man who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated the victim and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified as Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on bonds totaling $200,000, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763948742947.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in a deadly hit-and-run in Wichita faced a judge for the first time last week. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763983059541.png" alt="FLORES-LEACH photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>FLORES-LEACH photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Chance Flores-Leach, 27, Wichita, was charged with unintentional but reckless second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to a call about a pedestrian struck near Central and Hillside in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders found a man who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated the victim and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified as Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on bonds totaling $200,000, according to online jail records.

Kansas man in deadly hit-and-run faces a judge

SALINE COUNTY —An electrical issue caused a rural Kansas house fire on Sunday.&nbsp;

Just after 10a.m., the owner of a home in the&nbsp;400 block of West 2nd Street in Brookville heard a popping sound coming from a breaker box, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

Reportedly, the 39-year old male owner of the home reported he was in his house and suddenly heard a "popping sound." The man went to check his breaker box in a utility room and noticed sparks and smoke.

Rural Fire District #5 responded to the scene and found fire coming from the attic. Firefighters needed to break down parts of the ceiling in order to successfully extinguish the fire. There was smoke and water damage to the house and its contents. There were no injuries, according to Soldan.

 Value of the home is about a $140,000 not including personal property that was damaged, according to soldan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764612691693.jpeg" alt="Brookville house fire on Sunday, November 30. Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Brookville house fire on Sunday, November 30. Photo Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —An electrical issue caused a rural Kansas house fire on Sunday.&nbsp;Just after 10a.m., the owner of a home in the&nbsp;400 block of West 2nd Street in Brookville heard a popping sound coming from a breaker box, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764614442814.png" alt="Photo Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Reportedly, the 39-year old male owner of the home reported he was in his house and suddenly heard a "popping sound." The man went to check his breaker box in a utility room and noticed sparks and smoke.Rural Fire District #5 responded to the scene and found fire coming from the attic. Firefighters needed to break down parts of the ceiling in order to successfully extinguish the fire. There was smoke and water damage to the house and its contents. There were no injuries, according to Soldan. Value of the home is about a $140,000 not including personal property that was damaged, according to soldan.

Crews remove portion of roof to extinguish rural Kan. house fire

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and Topeka’s St. Francis hospital have failed to reach a contract agreement, leaving insurance customers out of network beginning Jan. 1 for one of Topeka’s major health care systems.

Officials with both organizations say discussions are ongoing. The current contract ends Dec. 31.

“We’re having productive talks,” said Matt All, president and CEO of BCBS of Kansas. “It’s a little complicated because they have an out-of-state owner, so we’re not just talking to people here on the ground.”

“I’m not in the business of making predictions, but our expectation is that we’ll work this out and that they’ll be in network,” he added.

Topeka’s St. Francis campus is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

People covered by BCBS of Kansas have been posting social media messages, upset about the possible loss of their doctors.

“I refuse to abandon my primary care provider whom I trust with my care, so Blue Cross Blue Shield just lost another customer,” said Topekan Carol Baldwin on her personal Facebook page.

In an emailed statement to Kansas Reflector, hospital officials said: “The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus is committed to protecting access to high-quality care for our community. We have made repeated efforts to engage directly with senior decision-makers at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair resolution.”

Rising costs in health care are causing the challenge in reaching agreement, both sides said. For All, the discussions are indicative of broader problems throughout the health care system.

“We are seeking an agreement that reimburses St. Francis Campus at rates consistent with rising costs due to inflation and supply chain pressures,” the hospital’s statement said. “Equitable reimbursement rates are critical to supporting the high-quality care that our patients deserve.”

All said BCBS, which is a mutual nonprofit that is created to benefit its members, must negotiate so that reimbursements to the hospital are reasonable and don’t translate into premiums that members can’t afford.

“For the whole 19 years I’ve been with Blue Cross, and basically our whole history, we’ve had every hospital in our service area in network, and we want St. Francis in network,” he said.

There are many good things about the country’s health care, All said, but the availability of resources isn’t evenly spread out.

“We have too many people that can’t afford coverage,” All said. “The big problem in American health care that’s existed for as long as any of us have been thinking about this is that it doesn’t control costs very well, and so there’s this steady rise in costs over the decades, and some decades are faster than others.”

For the years 2024 through 2033, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/data-research/statistics-trends-and-reports/national-health-expenditure-data/nhe-fact-sheet" target="_blank">predicts that national health expenditures</a>&nbsp;will grow 5.8%.

“Across the industry, in every market, whether you’re talking about commercial plans, the public programs and so forth, costs are rising really quickly right now,” All said. “We’ve seen it in our plan and when you combine that with possibly losing some of the subsidies in the (Affordable Care Act) market, you’re going to have some consumers that are just going to be priced out of the market.”

“That should be unacceptable to us,” All added. “In 2025, in a nation as prosperous as ours, we should be able to make sure that everybody can afford good health care.”

The health care system needs a major overhaul, All said, but having what he called an “adult conversation” on the topic is difficult.

“We need to really talk about the root causes of higher costs and the toll that takes, but also the consequences of controlling costs, because there’s another side to this,” he said. “The fact that we’re able to have two beautiful hospitals in Topeka, two great hospitals in Wichita, a beautiful hospital in Lawrence, and you can actually go there and get care — that is partly because we fund our health care system really lavishly.”

But that system isn’t working if people don’t have access to it, All said.

“If we solve the cost problem, we can solve all of the other problems,” he said. “The other problems are just technical. At that point, we have to get the cost problem solved, and we just haven’t been willing to do it yet as a country.”

The Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that focuses on affordable health care,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2023/oct/high-us-health-care-spending-where-is-it-all-going" target="_blank">compared U.S. health care costs</a>&nbsp;to those in 12 countries. It found the U.S. pays more for:

The U.S. industry is highly concentrated, All said, with about 20% of health care dollars spent on 1% of the population and more than half of health care dollars on about 5% of the population. Those are patients with chronic diseases, people with metastatic cancer, babies born prematurely and others, he said.

“In some ways that makes it easier to address because you’re talking about a smaller set of the population, but I think it actually makes it much harder to address because these are people who very much need care, and we want them to have the best care that’s available,” he said. “So how do you make that less expensive? That is the conundrum that we face in American health care.”

It’s important to make sure healthy people are covered by insurance, which was the point of the ACA mandate that required everyone to have insurance, All said. That mandate was struck down but the ACA covers about one in every six people under age 65, or about 44 million people,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/affordable-care-act-marketplace-and-medicaid-expansion-enrollment-reached-a-combined-44-million-in-2024/#:~:text=A%20new%20KFF%20analysis%20finds,age%2065%2C%20or%2016.4%25." target="_blank">according to KFF,</a>&nbsp;which tracks health policies.&nbsp;

“If you only cover people who have the costliest care then, then they won’t be able to afford it at all. None of us could,” he said.&nbsp;

All said it’s frustrating to hear people against ACA subsidies say that “most people don’t use the care anyway.”

“You would never have auto insurance, for example, where only people who get into wrecks pay their auto premium,” he said.

All said smaller towns, in particular, could be in jeopardy of losing access to local health care services with Medicaid cuts and the possibility of ACA subsidies not being renewed.

Many Kansas hospitals are in difficult financial condition with rising costs. The Kansas Hospital Association said non-reimbursed care costs continue to rise for community hospitals. In 2023, the amount was over $26 billion, and since 2015 non-reimbursed care has increased by 77%.

All said insurance companies have a responsibility to be stewards of the health care industry and work to make sure care is affordable and available.

“I think there’s a lot of criticism that’s fair of the insurance industry, but it’s not really the reason why health care costs keep going up,” All said. “It is really because we have decided that we’re going to have a system that is really rich for some people and not so rich for others and unavailable for others. Until we make a real commitment to universal coverage that’s affordable, we’re going to be in this fix.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764610665564.png" alt="Matt All, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (Photo by BCBS of Kansas)" />
 <figcaption>Matt All, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (Photo by BCBS of Kansas)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and Topeka’s St. Francis hospital have failed to reach a contract agreement, leaving insurance customers out of network beginning Jan. 1 for one of Topeka’s major health care systems.Officials with both organizations say discussions are ongoing. The current contract ends Dec. 31.“We’re having productive talks,” said Matt All, president and CEO of BCBS of Kansas. “It’s a little complicated because they have an out-of-state owner, so we’re not just talking to people here on the ground.”“I’m not in the business of making predictions, but our expectation is that we’ll work this out and that they’ll be in network,” he added.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764610620731.png" alt=" Topeka’s St. Francis hospital system and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas are struggling to reach agreement, which could leave insurance customers out of network. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption> Topeka’s St. Francis hospital system and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas are struggling to reach agreement, which could leave insurance customers out of network. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka’s St. Francis campus is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.People covered by BCBS of Kansas have been posting social media messages, upset about the possible loss of their doctors.“I refuse to abandon my primary care provider whom I trust with my care, so Blue Cross Blue Shield just lost another customer,” said Topekan Carol Baldwin on her personal Facebook page.In an emailed statement to Kansas Reflector, hospital officials said: “The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus is committed to protecting access to high-quality care for our community. We have made repeated efforts to engage directly with senior decision-makers at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair resolution.”Rising costs in health care are causing the challenge in reaching agreement, both sides said. For All, the discussions are indicative of broader problems throughout the health care system.“We are seeking an agreement that reimburses St. Francis Campus at rates consistent with rising costs due to inflation and supply chain pressures,” the hospital’s statement said. “Equitable reimbursement rates are critical to supporting the high-quality care that our patients deserve.”All said BCBS, which is a mutual nonprofit that is created to benefit its members, must negotiate so that reimbursements to the hospital are reasonable and don’t translate into premiums that members can’t afford.“For the whole 19 years I’ve been with Blue Cross, and basically our whole history, we’ve had every hospital in our service area in network, and we want St. Francis in network,” he said.<h2>Changes needed</h2>There are many good things about the country’s health care, All said, but the availability of resources isn’t evenly spread out.“We have too many people that can’t afford coverage,” All said. “The big problem in American health care that’s existed for as long as any of us have been thinking about this is that it doesn’t control costs very well, and so there’s this steady rise in costs over the decades, and some decades are faster than others.”For the years 2024 through 2033, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/data-research/statistics-trends-and-reports/national-health-expenditure-data/nhe-fact-sheet" target="_blank">predicts that national health expenditures</a>&nbsp;will grow 5.8%.“Across the industry, in every market, whether you’re talking about commercial plans, the public programs and so forth, costs are rising really quickly right now,” All said. “We’ve seen it in our plan and when you combine that with possibly losing some of the subsidies in the (Affordable Care Act) market, you’re going to have some consumers that are just going to be priced out of the market.”“That should be unacceptable to us,” All added. “In 2025, in a nation as prosperous as ours, we should be able to make sure that everybody can afford good health care.”The health care system needs a major overhaul, All said, but having what he called an “adult conversation” on the topic is difficult.“We need to really talk about the root causes of higher costs and the toll that takes, but also the consequences of controlling costs, because there’s another side to this,” he said. “The fact that we’re able to have two beautiful hospitals in Topeka, two great hospitals in Wichita, a beautiful hospital in Lawrence, and you can actually go there and get care — that is partly because we fund our health care system really lavishly.”But that system isn’t working if people don’t have access to it, All said.“If we solve the cost problem, we can solve all of the other problems,” he said. “The other problems are just technical. At that point, we have to get the cost problem solved, and we just haven’t been willing to do it yet as a country.”<h2>Health expenses</h2>The Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that focuses on affordable health care,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2023/oct/high-us-health-care-spending-where-is-it-all-going" target="_blank">compared U.S. health care costs</a>&nbsp;to those in 12 countries. It found the U.S. pays more for:<ul>
 <li>Insurance administrative costs, responsible for about 15% of the excess costs.</li><li>Administrative activities, 15% of excess.</li><li>Prescription drugs, 10% of excess.</li><li>Physician salaries, 10% of excess.</li><li>Registered nurse salaries, 5% of excess.</li><li>Investments in medical machinery and equipment, less than 5%.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The U.S. industry is highly concentrated, All said, with about 20% of health care dollars spent on 1% of the population and more than half of health care dollars on about 5% of the population. Those are patients with chronic diseases, people with metastatic cancer, babies born prematurely and others, he said.“In some ways that makes it easier to address because you’re talking about a smaller set of the population, but I think it actually makes it much harder to address because these are people who very much need care, and we want them to have the best care that’s available,” he said. “So how do you make that less expensive? That is the conundrum that we face in American health care.”It’s important to make sure healthy people are covered by insurance, which was the point of the ACA mandate that required everyone to have insurance, All said. That mandate was struck down but the ACA covers about one in every six people under age 65, or about 44 million people,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/affordable-care-act-marketplace-and-medicaid-expansion-enrollment-reached-a-combined-44-million-in-2024/#:~:text=A%20new%20KFF%20analysis%20finds,age%2065%2C%20or%2016.4%25." target="_blank">according to KFF,</a>&nbsp;which tracks health policies.&nbsp;“If you only cover people who have the costliest care then, then they won’t be able to afford it at all. None of us could,” he said.&nbsp;All said it’s frustrating to hear people against ACA subsidies say that “most people don’t use the care anyway.”“You would never have auto insurance, for example, where only people who get into wrecks pay their auto premium,” he said.All said smaller towns, in particular, could be in jeopardy of losing access to local health care services with Medicaid cuts and the possibility of ACA subsidies not being renewed.Many Kansas hospitals are in difficult financial condition with rising costs. The Kansas Hospital Association said non-reimbursed care costs continue to rise for community hospitals. In 2023, the amount was over $26 billion, and since 2015 non-reimbursed care has increased by 77%.All said insurance companies have a responsibility to be stewards of the health care industry and work to make sure care is affordable and available.“I think there’s a lot of criticism that’s fair of the insurance industry, but it’s not really the reason why health care costs keep going up,” All said. “It is really because we have decided that we’re going to have a system that is really rich for some people and not so rich for others and unavailable for others. Until we make a real commitment to universal coverage that’s affordable, we’re going to be in this fix.”

Kansas Blue Cross, Topeka hospital system struggle to reach agreement

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for allegedly selling drugs near a school.

Just after 1p.m. November 28, 2025, around 1 p.m., the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop in the 2900 block of SE Freemont Street on a black 2015 Volkswagen, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

A subsequent narcotics related search warrant was then conducted in the 3200 block of SE Bryant Street.

During the investigation, distribution amounts of illegal narcotics were located. Jason D. Sweet, 43, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: of Distribute opiate/narcotic/certain stimulant/heroin within 1000’ of a school, Distribute/possess with intent drug paraphernalia to a minor or within 1000’ of a school, Distribute/possess with intent to distribute marijuana within 1000’ of a school and Possession of a hallucinogenic drug

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763589462944.png" alt="Sweet photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sweet photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for allegedly selling drugs near a school.Just after 1p.m. November 28, 2025, around 1 p.m., the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop in the 2900 block of SE Freemont Street on a black 2015 Volkswagen, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.A subsequent narcotics related search warrant was then conducted in the 3200 block of SE Bryant Street.During the investigation, distribution amounts of illegal narcotics were located. Jason D. Sweet, 43, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: of Distribute opiate/narcotic/certain stimulant/heroin within 1000’ of a school, Distribute/possess with intent drug paraphernalia to a minor or within 1000’ of a school, Distribute/possess with intent to distribute marijuana within 1000’ of a school and Possession of a hallucinogenic drug

Kansas man accused of selling meth near a school

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they support congressional reviews of U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">strikes</a>&nbsp;against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a Sept. 2 attack.

The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week's Washington Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns.

“This rises to the level of a war crime if it's true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, when asked about a follow-up strike aimed at people no longer able to fight, said Congress does not have information that happened. He noted that leaders of the Armed Services Committee in both the House and Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-airspace-faa-maduro-pressure-campaign-39d624a0f5d5422cdfb62826a5a56373">have opened investigations</a>.

“Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Turner said.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Sunday evening while flying back to Washington from Florida, where he celebrated Thanksgiving, confirmed that he had recently spoken with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The U.S. administration says the strikes in the Caribbean are aimed at cartels, some of which it claims are controlled by Maduro. Trump also is weighing whether to carry out strikes on the Venezuelan mainland.

Trump declined to comment on details of the call, which was first reported by The New York Times.

“I wouldn’t say it went well or badly,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked about the call.

The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the call with Trump.

Turner said there are concerns in Congress about the attacks on vessels that the Trump administration says are transporting drugs, but the allegation regarding the Sept. 2 attack “is completely outside anything that has been discussed with Congress and there is an ongoing investigation.”

The comments from lawmakers during news show appearances come as the administration escalates a campaign to combat drug trafficking into the U.S. On Saturday, Trump said the airspace “above and surrounding”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;should be considered as “closed in its entirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-cartel-soles-us-drugs-terrorist-f778922c04b4f514092bd29b91e77358">U.S. pressure</a>&nbsp;on Maduro. Maduro's government accused Trump of making a ”colonial threat” and seeking to undermine the South American country’s sovereignty.

After the Post's report, Hegseth said Friday on X that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”

"Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command," Hegseth wrote.

Trump said on Sunday the administration “will look into” the matter but added, “I wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike.” The president also defended Hegseth.

“Pete said he did not order the death of those two men,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.”

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its top Democrat, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, said in a joint statement late Friday that the committee “will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”

That was followed Saturday with the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, and the ranking Democratic member, Washington Rep. Adam Smith, issuing a joint statement saying the panel was committed to “providing rigorous oversight of the Department of Defense’s military operations in the Caribbean.”

“We take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question,” Rogers and Smith said, referring to U.S. Southern Command.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., asked about the Sept. 2 attack, said Hegseth deserves a chance to present his side.

“We should get to the truth. I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, kill everybody, kill the survivors because that’s a clear violation of the law of war,” Bacon said. “So, I’m very suspicious that he would’ve done something like that because it would go against common sense.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756850570919.png" alt="U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat Sept. 2-image from Department of War" />
 <figcaption>U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat Sept. 2-image from Department of War</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they support congressional reviews of U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">strikes</a>&nbsp;against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a Sept. 2 attack.The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week's Washington Post report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns.“This rises to the level of a war crime if it's true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, when asked about a follow-up strike aimed at people no longer able to fight, said Congress does not have information that happened. He noted that leaders of the Armed Services Committee in both the House and Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-airspace-faa-maduro-pressure-campaign-39d624a0f5d5422cdfb62826a5a56373">have opened investigations</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764605216020.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>“Obviously, if that occurred, that would be very serious and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Turner said.Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Sunday evening while flying back to Washington from Florida, where he celebrated Thanksgiving, confirmed that he had recently spoken with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.The U.S. administration says the strikes in the Caribbean are aimed at cartels, some of which it claims are controlled by Maduro. Trump also is weighing whether to carry out strikes on the Venezuelan mainland.Trump declined to comment on details of the call, which was first reported by The New York Times.“I wouldn’t say it went well or badly,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked about the call.The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the call with Trump.Turner said there are concerns in Congress about the attacks on vessels that the Trump administration says are transporting drugs, but the allegation regarding the Sept. 2 attack “is completely outside anything that has been discussed with Congress and there is an ongoing investigation.”The comments from lawmakers during news show appearances come as the administration escalates a campaign to combat drug trafficking into the U.S. On Saturday, Trump said the airspace “above and surrounding”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;should be considered as “closed in its entirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-cartel-soles-us-drugs-terrorist-f778922c04b4f514092bd29b91e77358">U.S. pressure</a>&nbsp;on Maduro. Maduro's government accused Trump of making a ”colonial threat” and seeking to undermine the South American country’s sovereignty.After the Post's report, Hegseth said Friday on X that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.”"Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command," Hegseth wrote.Trump said on Sunday the administration “will look into” the matter but added, “I wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike.” The president also defended Hegseth.“Pete said he did not order the death of those two men,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.”Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its top Democrat, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, said in a joint statement late Friday that the committee “will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”That was followed Saturday with the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, and the ranking Democratic member, Washington Rep. Adam Smith, issuing a joint statement saying the panel was committed to “providing rigorous oversight of the Department of Defense’s military operations in the Caribbean.”“We take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question,” Rogers and Smith said, referring to U.S. Southern Command.Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., asked about the Sept. 2 attack, said Hegseth deserves a chance to present his side.“We should get to the truth. I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, kill everybody, kill the survivors because that’s a clear violation of the law of war,” Bacon said. “So, I’m very suspicious that he would’ve done something like that because it would go against common sense.”

Congress steps in as questions mount over Sept. drug boat attack

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations after a knife attack.

Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 900 block Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 An investigation at the scene determined the disturbance had occurred between two 18-year old men known to each other. During the disturbance Zayden Walker used a knife to threaten the 18-year-old victim. The victim was cut on the arm. 

The victim refused medical treatment at the scene. Police took Walker&nbsp; into custody and he remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; criminal restraint, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and consumption of alcohol by an underage person. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764550597711.png" alt="Walker-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Walker-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations after a knife attack.Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 900 block Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation at the scene determined the disturbance had occurred between two 18-year old men known to each other. During the disturbance Zayden Walker used a knife to threaten the 18-year-old victim. The victim was cut on the arm. The victim refused medical treatment at the scene. Police took Walker&nbsp; into custody and he remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; criminal restraint, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and consumption of alcohol by an underage person.

Kansas teen jailed for alleged knife fight

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobtukker/">Jacob Tukker</a>

Launch-day promotions and celebrity bets are right around the corner for Missouri sports betting, which began Monday at the stroke of midnight.

For those inclined to bet on sports, the earliest days after a state launch can be the only time they actually have a statistical edge on the house if they take advantage of promotions.

Multiple sportsbooks announced opening-day celebrations, including Caesar’s Sportsbook, DraftKings and Fanatics.

At the closest casino to Columbia, the Isle of Capri Boonville, former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green will make a stop on his trip to promote Caesar’s-branded sportsbooks. Green will first make a bet at Horseshoe St. Louis, then travel to Boonville, and finally hit Harrah’s Kansas City later in the day, where he will meet up with another Chiefs legend, former running back Christian Okoye.

Although Isle of Capri Boonville will not have its own retail sportsbook, the casino is welcoming members to place mobile sports bets while visiting.

DraftKings has assembled a star-studded cast of characters for its launch event at The Palladium in St. Louis.

Missouri sports legends, including St. Louis Rams receiver Isaac Bruce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez and St. Louis Blues right-winger Brett Hull, will place celebrity bets for the sportsbook’s launch event.

DraftKings’ event will also feature Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson.

Ex-Royals outfielder Alex Gordon will be promoting Fanatics’ launch by placing a ceremonial first bet at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City. Fanatics also has a retail sportsbook across the state at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles.

Two sportsbooks left the Missouri market in the previous weeks. The partnership between ESPN and PENN Entertainment, which created ESPN Bet, announced on Nov. 6 it would disband by Dec. 1, which means Missourians won’t be placing bets there.

However, since PENN still has its mobile-betting license, it will rebrand as theScore Bet, which is based in Ontario.

PENN will also rebrand its retail sportsbooks in two physical casinos, the River City Casino and the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis.

Steve Bittenbender, a gambling analyst for Gambling.com Group, says the move likely won’t change much for consumers.

“It would be like Kohl’s buying Target, and on a certain date, Target is rebranded to something else,” Bittenbender said. “It’s basically a rebrand. A very expensive rebrand.”

Customers who had previously downloaded the ESPN Bet app won’t even have to get a new app — it will be changed to theScore Bet automatically.

The second mover is Underdog Sports, which originally won one of the state’s nine mobile betting licenses. It also announced it would no longer operate a traditional online sportsbook in the state earlier in November.

Instead, it will focus on prediction markets in the same vein as Kalshi and Polymarket that aren’t taxed or heavily regulated by states, according to FOX2Now.

Last-minute early sign-up promotions, revenue projections

Here are some promotions bettors can still receive by signing up to various apps before the launch:

• DraftKings: Sign up and receive $300 in bonus bets, without a deposit required.

• BetMGM: If your first bet loses, receive bonus bets back equal to up to $1,500.

• FanDuel: Sign up and receive $100 in bonus bets, then up to $400 in bonus bets once you place your first bet of $5 or more.

• Caesar’s Sportsbook: Bet $5, get $150 if you win, plus five more profit boosts on future bets.

These promotions all require you to gamble the bonus bets again, and win, before they can be cashed out. If you miss the pre-launch registration, many sportsbooks will still have promotions, but they will likely be smaller.

Experts will be eyeing this first month of gambling closely to see what the Missouri handle will look like.

“The next six weeks will be fascinating to watch for operators and for customers, just to see how explosive the Missouri sports betting market is in actuality,” Christopher Boan of BetMissouri.com said. “I think it’s important to watch these first couple months, especially, because you’ve got NFL, you’ve got NBA, you’ve got a bunch of stuff that people want to bet on right away.”

BetMissouri projects the state’s overall handle (total bets placed) to be $65,652,274 during the first week, and $262,609,095 during the first month of operations. The total will be key for policymakers who could look to adjust taxes, regulations and more depending on the total handle. Missouri takes 10% of the sportsbooks’ adjusted gross revenue.

Boan expects the raw betting figures to be big, as revenues in other states around Missouri continue to rise.

“There’s a very strong interest in sports betting in the Show-Me State,” Boan said.

The story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/sports-betting-goes-live-monday-sports-celebrities-and-promotions-abound/article_cbbae30b-1bb1-47cc-b41e-b84b0b4266a0.html#tncms-source=topstory" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763937121412.png" alt="File photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>File photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobtukker/">Jacob Tukker</a>Launch-day promotions and celebrity bets are right around the corner for Missouri sports betting, which began Monday at the stroke of midnight.For those inclined to bet on sports, the earliest days after a state launch can be the only time they actually have a statistical edge on the house if they take advantage of promotions.<h2>Celebrity bets</h2>Multiple sportsbooks announced opening-day celebrations, including Caesar’s Sportsbook, DraftKings and Fanatics.At the closest casino to Columbia, the Isle of Capri Boonville, former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green will make a stop on his trip to promote Caesar’s-branded sportsbooks. Green will first make a bet at Horseshoe St. Louis, then travel to Boonville, and finally hit Harrah’s Kansas City later in the day, where he will meet up with another Chiefs legend, former running back Christian Okoye.Although Isle of Capri Boonville will not have its own retail sportsbook, the casino is welcoming members to place mobile sports bets while visiting.DraftKings has assembled a star-studded cast of characters for its launch event at The Palladium in St. Louis.Missouri sports legends, including St. Louis Rams receiver Isaac Bruce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez and St. Louis Blues right-winger Brett Hull, will place celebrity bets for the sportsbook’s launch event.DraftKings’ event will also feature Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson.Ex-Royals outfielder Alex Gordon will be promoting Fanatics’ launch by placing a ceremonial first bet at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City. Fanatics also has a retail sportsbook across the state at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles.<h2>Late sportsbook shifts</h2>Two sportsbooks left the Missouri market in the previous weeks. The partnership between ESPN and PENN Entertainment, which created ESPN Bet, announced on Nov. 6 it would disband by Dec. 1, which means Missourians won’t be placing bets there.However, since PENN still has its mobile-betting license, it will rebrand as theScore Bet, which is based in Ontario.PENN will also rebrand its retail sportsbooks in two physical casinos, the River City Casino and the Hollywood Casino in St. Louis.Steve Bittenbender, a gambling analyst for Gambling.com Group, says the move likely won’t change much for consumers.“It would be like Kohl’s buying Target, and on a certain date, Target is rebranded to something else,” Bittenbender said. “It’s basically a rebrand. A very expensive rebrand.”Customers who had previously downloaded the ESPN Bet app won’t even have to get a new app — it will be changed to theScore Bet automatically.The second mover is Underdog Sports, which originally won one of the state’s nine mobile betting licenses. It also announced it would no longer operate a traditional online sportsbook in the state earlier in November.Instead, it will focus on prediction markets in the same vein as Kalshi and Polymarket that aren’t taxed or heavily regulated by states, according to FOX2Now.<h2>Last-minute early sign-up promotions, revenue projections</h2>Here are some promotions bettors can still receive by signing up to various apps before the launch:• DraftKings: Sign up and receive $300 in bonus bets, without a deposit required.• BetMGM: If your first bet loses, receive bonus bets back equal to up to $1,500.• FanDuel: Sign up and receive $100 in bonus bets, then up to $400 in bonus bets once you place your first bet of $5 or more.• Caesar’s Sportsbook: Bet $5, get $150 if you win, plus five more profit boosts on future bets.These promotions all require you to gamble the bonus bets again, and win, before they can be cashed out. If you miss the pre-launch registration, many sportsbooks will still have promotions, but they will likely be smaller.Experts will be eyeing this first month of gambling closely to see what the Missouri handle will look like.“The next six weeks will be fascinating to watch for operators and for customers, just to see how explosive the Missouri sports betting market is in actuality,” Christopher Boan of BetMissouri.com said. “I think it’s important to watch these first couple months, especially, because you’ve got NFL, you’ve got NBA, you’ve got a bunch of stuff that people want to bet on right away.”BetMissouri projects the state’s overall handle (total bets placed) to be $65,652,274 during the first week, and $262,609,095 during the first month of operations. The total will be key for policymakers who could look to adjust taxes, regulations and more depending on the total handle. Missouri takes 10% of the sportsbooks’ adjusted gross revenue.Boan expects the raw betting figures to be big, as revenues in other states around Missouri continue to rise.“There’s a very strong interest in sports betting in the Show-Me State,” Boan said.The story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/sports-betting-goes-live-monday-sports-celebrities-and-promotions-abound/article_cbbae30b-1bb1-47cc-b41e-b84b0b4266a0.html#tncms-source=topstory" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Sports betting goes live in Missouri, as sports celebrities and promotions abound

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 8p.m. Sunday in Kansas City.

A Ford F150 was southbound on Sterling through the intersection of the eastbound Interstate 70 exit ramp with a green traffic control signal, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

A pedestrian was running east to west across Sterling and ran directly into the travel path of the pickup. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff. 

The driver, front seat passenger and rear seat passenger of the Ford were not injured. This is fatality #62 compared to #86 at this time in 2024, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police did not released the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 8p.m. Sunday in Kansas City.A Ford F150 was southbound on Sterling through the intersection of the eastbound Interstate 70 exit ramp with a green traffic control signal, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.A pedestrian was running east to west across Sterling and ran directly into the travel path of the pickup. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff. The driver, front seat passenger and rear seat passenger of the Ford were not injured. This is fatality #62 compared to #86 at this time in 2024, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police did not released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Pedestrian struck, killed near I-70 exit ramp

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Afghan man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-decisions-paused-national-guard-shooting-3459a0a773cfa40c90751b43e38f5db6">shooting two National Guard</a>&nbsp;members blocks from the White House had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives. Rahmanullah Lakanwal's behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal mounting warnings about the asylum-seeker whose erratic conduct raised alarms long before the attack that jolted the nation's capital on Wednesday, the eve of Thanksgiving. The previously unreported concerns offer the clearest picture yet of how he was struggling in his new life in the United States.

Even so, when the community member who works with Afghan families in Washington state saw on the news that Lakanwal was named as the suspect in the attack, they said they were stunned, unable to square the violence with the memory of seeing Lakanwal play with his young sons. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to share undisclosed details while cooperating with the FBI in its investigation.

West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder.

In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit. The units were backed by the CIA. He entered the United States in 2021 through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-afghan-operation-allies-welcome-b11c48fb0b807e8f519c266e2a004d8e">Operation Allies Welcome,</a>&nbsp;a program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the American withdrawal. Many had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats.

As investigators work to determine a motive, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that officials “believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country. We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state and we’re going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him, who were his family members.” She offered no additional information to support her statement.

Lakanwal resettled with his wife and their five sons, all under the age of 12, in Bellingham, Washington, but struggled, according to the community member, who shared emails that had been sent to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit group that provides services to refugees.

"Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father and provider since March of last year, 03/2023. He quit his job that month, and his behavior has changed greatly,” the person wrote in a January 2024 email.

The emails described a man who was struggling to assimilate, unable to hold a steady job or commit to his English courses while he alternated between “periods of dark isolation and reckless travel." Sometimes, he spent weeks in his “darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife or older kids.” At one point in 2023, the family faced eviction after months of not paying rent.

The community member, in an interview, spoke of becoming worried that Lakanwal was so depressed that he would end up harming himself. But the community member did not see any indication that Lakanwal would commit violence against another person.

Lakanwal’s family members often resorted to sending his toddler sons into his room to bring him the phone or messages because he would not respond to anyone else, one email stated. A couple of times, when his wife left him with the kids for a week to travel to visit relatives, the children would not be bathed, their clothes would not be changed, and they would not eat well. Their school raised concerns about the situation.

But then, there were “interim” weeks where Lakanwal would try to make amends and “do the right things,” according to the email, reengaging with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services as was mandated by the terms of his entry into the U.S.

“But that has quickly evolved into ‘manic’ episodes for one or two weeks at a time, where he will take off in the family car, and drive nonstop," the email outlined. Once, he went to Chicago, and another time, to Arizona.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, said this past week that Lakanwal drove across the country from Bellingham, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Seattle, to the nation's capital.

In response to the two emails, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants or USCRI, visited Bellingham a few weeks later in March 2024 and attempted to make contact with Lakanwal and his family, according to the community member, who, after not receiving any updates, was left with the impression that Lakanwal refused their assistance.

A request for comment and clarification from USCRI was not immediately returned.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764267711834.png" alt="Rahmanullah Lakanwal photo U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Rahmanullah Lakanwal photo U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Afghan man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-decisions-paused-national-guard-shooting-3459a0a773cfa40c90751b43e38f5db6">shooting two National Guard</a>&nbsp;members blocks from the White House had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives. Rahmanullah Lakanwal's behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal.Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal mounting warnings about the asylum-seeker whose erratic conduct raised alarms long before the attack that jolted the nation's capital on Wednesday, the eve of Thanksgiving. The previously unreported concerns offer the clearest picture yet of how he was struggling in his new life in the United States.Even so, when the community member who works with Afghan families in Washington state saw on the news that Lakanwal was named as the suspect in the attack, they said they were stunned, unable to square the violence with the memory of seeing Lakanwal play with his young sons. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to share undisclosed details while cooperating with the FBI in its investigation.West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder.In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit. The units were backed by the CIA. He entered the United States in 2021 through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-shooting-afghan-operation-allies-welcome-b11c48fb0b807e8f519c266e2a004d8e">Operation Allies Welcome,</a>&nbsp;a program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the American withdrawal. Many had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats.As investigators work to determine a motive, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that officials “believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country. We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state and we’re going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him, who were his family members.” She offered no additional information to support her statement.Lakanwal resettled with his wife and their five sons, all under the age of 12, in Bellingham, Washington, but struggled, according to the community member, who shared emails that had been sent to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit group that provides services to refugees."Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father and provider since March of last year, 03/2023. He quit his job that month, and his behavior has changed greatly,” the person wrote in a January 2024 email.The emails described a man who was struggling to assimilate, unable to hold a steady job or commit to his English courses while he alternated between “periods of dark isolation and reckless travel." Sometimes, he spent weeks in his “darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife or older kids.” At one point in 2023, the family faced eviction after months of not paying rent.The community member, in an interview, spoke of becoming worried that Lakanwal was so depressed that he would end up harming himself. But the community member did not see any indication that Lakanwal would commit violence against another person.Lakanwal’s family members often resorted to sending his toddler sons into his room to bring him the phone or messages because he would not respond to anyone else, one email stated. A couple of times, when his wife left him with the kids for a week to travel to visit relatives, the children would not be bathed, their clothes would not be changed, and they would not eat well. Their school raised concerns about the situation.But then, there were “interim” weeks where Lakanwal would try to make amends and “do the right things,” according to the email, reengaging with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services as was mandated by the terms of his entry into the U.S.“But that has quickly evolved into ‘manic’ episodes for one or two weeks at a time, where he will take off in the family car, and drive nonstop," the email outlined. Once, he went to Chicago, and another time, to Arizona.Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, said this past week that Lakanwal drove across the country from Bellingham, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Seattle, to the nation's capital.In response to the two emails, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants or USCRI, visited Bellingham a few weeks later in March 2024 and attempted to make contact with Lakanwal and his family, according to the community member, who, after not receiving any updates, was left with the impression that Lakanwal refused their assistance.A request for comment and clarification from USCRI was not immediately returned.

New details on the suspect in deadly National Guard attack in DC

MIAMI COUNTY —A Kansas teen faces several charges after a weekend arrest.

Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, the Miami Sheriff’s Office Communications Division received a 911 call reporting a burglary in the 29000 block of Old KC Road, according to a media release.

The reporting party stated that a partially naked man had entered a structure where their dogs are kept. As deputies arrived, the homeowner directed them to the individual, who was wearing only pants. Deputies took him into custody without incident.

The individual was identified as Ayden Christopher Leach, 18, of Leavenworth, Kansas. He was arrested on requested charges of Pedestrian Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs, and Consumption of Liquor by a Minor. Residents in the area were awakened by Leach yelling and by his friend attempting to get him into a vehicle safely.

MIAMI COUNTY —A Kansas teen faces several charges after a weekend arrest.Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, the Miami Sheriff’s Office Communications Division received a 911 call reporting a burglary in the 29000 block of Old KC Road, according to a media release.The reporting party stated that a partially naked man had entered a structure where their dogs are kept. As deputies arrived, the homeowner directed them to the individual, who was wearing only pants. Deputies took him into custody without incident.The individual was identified as Ayden Christopher Leach, 18, of Leavenworth, Kansas. He was arrested on requested charges of Pedestrian Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs, and Consumption of Liquor by a Minor. Residents in the area were awakened by Leach yelling and by his friend attempting to get him into a vehicle safely.

Kan. homeowner found 'partially naked man' on their property

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would release the results of his MRI test that he received in October.

“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” the president said during an exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Florida.

He said the results of the MRI were “perfect.”

The White House has so far declined to detail why Trump had an MRI during his physical last month, or on what part of his body.

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has said that the president received “advanced imaging” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center “as part of his routine physical examination” and that the results showed Trump remains in “exceptional physical health.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would release the results of his MRI test that he received in October.“If you want to have it released, I’ll release it,” the president said during an exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Florida.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> nukes the Fake News on his MRI: &quot;It&#39;s perfect. It&#39;s like my phone call where I got impeached, it&#39;s absolutely perfect... It wasn&#39;t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it. I got a perfect mark, which you would be incapable of doing.&quot; 😂🤣 <a href="https://t.co/gK6FLfkKr8">pic.twitter.com/gK6FLfkKr8</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1995270338826076313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He said the results of the MRI were “perfect.”The White House has so far declined to detail why Trump had an MRI during his physical last month, or on what part of his body.The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has said that the president received “advanced imaging” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center “as part of his routine physical examination” and that the results showed Trump remains in “exceptional physical health.”Trump added Sunday that he has “no idea” on what part of his body he got the MRI.“It was just an MRI,” he said. “What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”

🎥Trump responds to Democrats’ demands to release his MRI results

FINNEY COUNTY —A Garden City woman was arrested&nbsp; after the SUV she was driving struck a church building in Garden City.

Around 1:25 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 300 block of E. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported injury accident, according to a media release.

First responders found a GMC Suburban had struck the north wall of Garden Valley Church. The investigation revealed that the driver, identified as Chelby Wilson, 45, had been traveling northbound on 3rd Street when she nearly struck a parked vehicle. 

In attempting to avoid a collision, Wilson overcorrected, the SUV jumped a curb, and struck both a stop sign and a fire hydrant before the vehicle came to rest against the church building. 

Further investigation determined Wilson was allegedly driving under the influence, and she was arrested and booked into the Finney County Jail on a requested charge of driving under the influence. No injuries were reported from the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764439556491.png" alt="Photo Garden City police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Garden City police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A Garden City woman was arrested&nbsp; after the SUV she was driving struck a church building in Garden City.Around 1:25 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 300 block of E. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported injury accident, according to a media release.First responders found a GMC Suburban had struck the north wall of Garden Valley Church. The investigation revealed that the driver, identified as Chelby Wilson, 45, had been traveling northbound on 3rd Street when she nearly struck a parked vehicle. In attempting to avoid a collision, Wilson overcorrected, the SUV jumped a curb, and struck both a stop sign and a fire hydrant before the vehicle came to rest against the church building. Further investigation determined Wilson was allegedly driving under the influence, and she was arrested and booked into the Finney County Jail on a requested charge of driving under the influence. No injuries were reported from the incident.