RILEY COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.

Just before 11a.m. on Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a house fire at 2409 Lookout Drive, according to a media release from the Manhattan FIre Department.

Crews found a single-story home with fire and smoke showing from the attached garage. The fire was contained within 15 minutes. 

Family members removed an occupant with a physical disability before the fire companies arrived.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.

The building is a single-family residence. Damage to the residence was significant. The owner is listed as Wanda Jepsen who lives there, according to the fire department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762972834047.png" alt="-Photo Manhattan Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>-Photo Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.Just before 11a.m. on Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a house fire at 2409 Lookout Drive, according to a media release from the Manhattan FIre Department.Crews found a single-story home with fire and smoke showing from the attached garage. The fire was contained within 15 minutes. Family members removed an occupant with a physical disability before the fire companies arrived.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.The building is a single-family residence. Damage to the residence was significant. The owner is listed as Wanda Jepsen who lives there, according to the fire department.

Significant damage reported after fire at Kansas home 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;wrote in a 2019 email to a journalist that Donald Trump “knew about the girls," according to documents made public Wednesday, but what he knew — and whether it pertained to the sex offender’s crimes — is unclear, and the White House quickly accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president.

<a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/3-emails_redacted.pdf">Click here to read the emails</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-birthday-books-democrats-oversight-house-810140a196d24d32bd30691b8ff4d6a9">Democrats on the House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;released three emails referencing Trump, including one Epstein wrote in 2011 in which he told confidant Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a sex trafficking victim.

The disclosures seemed designed to raise new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">questions about Trump’s friendship with Epstein</a>&nbsp;and about what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracy-theories-bondi-bongino-fbi-a143076353acbc1193cb9697e7fc4a90">knowledge he may have had</a>&nbsp;regarding what prosecutors call a yearslong effort by Epstein to exploit underage girls. The Republican businessman-turned-politician has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has said he ended their relationship years ago.

The version of the 2011 email released by the Democrats redacted the name of the victim, but Republicans on the committee later said it was Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters with a number of his rich and powerful friends. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">took his own life</a>&nbsp;in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges.

Giuffre said Trump ‘couldn’t have been friendlier'

Giuffre, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">died earlier this year</a>, had long insisted that Trump was not among the men who had victimized her.

In a court deposition, she said under oath that she didn’t believe Trump had any knowledge of Epstein’s misconduct with underage girls. And in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-giuffre-memoir-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-0adb8b983ac18a45fc7ec035dc789d08">her recently released memoir</a>, she described meeting Trump only once, when she worked as a spa attendant at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/993263aaefab49a7988bb4ccb808791d">his Mar-a-Lago club</a>&nbsp;in Palm Beach, Florida, and did not accuse him of wrongdoing.

Giuffre wrote that she was introduced to Trump by her father, who also worked at the club. She described Trump as friendly and said he offered to help her get babysitting jobs with parents at the club.

Trump “couldn’t have been friendlier,” Giuffre wrote.

Other members of Epstein’s household staff also said in sworn depositions that, while Trump did stop by Epstein’s house, they didn’t see him engage in any inappropriate conduct.

Republicans says emails released to tarnish Trump

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Democrats “selectively leaked emails” to “create a fake narrative to smear President Trump.”

In July, Trump said he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago</a>&nbsp;because his one-time friend was “taking people who worked for me," including Giuffre. The women, he said, were “taken out of the spa, hired by him — in other words, gone.”

“I said, ‘Listen, we don’t want you taking our people,’” Trump told reporters. Asked if Giuffre was one of the employees poached by Epstein, the president demurred but then said Epstein “stole her.”

The emails made public Wednesday are part of a batch of 23,000 documents provided by Epstein's estate to the Oversight Committee.

Shortly after Democrats released the Trump-related emails, committee Republicans countered by disclosing what they said was an additional 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate. Among them: copies of pages from a James Patterson book about the ex-financier.

The release resurfaces a storyline that had shadowed Trump's presidency during the summer when the FBI and the Justice Department abruptly announced that they would not be releasing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">additional documents</a>&nbsp;that investigators had spent weeks examining, disappointing conspiracy theorists and online sleuths who had expected to see new revelations.

In one 2019 email to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-michael-wolff-lawsuit-epstein-e5a52952be556d2976d5aeaf6e40b1db">journalist Michael Wolff</a>, who has written extensively about Trump, Epstein wrote of Trump, “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”

In an April 2, 2011, email to Maxwell, a former Epstein girlfriend now imprisoned for conspiring to engage in sex trafficking, Epstein wrote, “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump. (Redacted name) spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75 % there."

Maxwell replied the same day: “I have been thinking about that.”

The name of the person said to have spent time with Trump was blacked out of the email, but House Democrats identified the person as a “victim.”

Leavitt said that the unnamed person referenced in the emails is Giuffre, who had accused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748">Britain’s then-Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager and who died by suicide in April. Andrew, who recently was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748">stripped of his titles</a>&nbsp;and evicted from his royal residence by King Charles III after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with Epstein, has rejected Giuffre’s allegations and said he didn’t recall meeting her.

Leavitt said in a statement that Giuffre had “repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and ‘couldn’t have been friendlier’ to her in their limited interactions.”

“The fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre,” the statement said. "These stories are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments, and any American with common sense sees right through this hoax and clear distraction from the government opening back up again.”

Messages seeking comment were left with Wolff, Maxwell attorney David Markus and representatives for Giuffre’s family.

Maxwell's interview with the Justice Department

Maxwell, interviewed in July by the Justice Department’s second-in-command, repeatedly denied witnessing any sexually inappropriate interactions involving Trump.

“I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche</a>, according to a transcript of the interview. “I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”

Giuffre came forward publicly after an initial investigation ended in an 18-month Florida jail term for Epstein, who made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/96bc4bdbd240454293888afb1f5bc600">a secret deal</a>&nbsp;to avoid federal prosecution by pleading guilty instead to relatively minor state-level charges of soliciting prostitution. He was released in 2009.

In subsequent lawsuits, Giuffre said she was a teenage spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago when she was approached in 2000 by Maxwell.

Lawyers for Maxwell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">a British socialite</a>, have argued that she never should have been tried or convicted for her role in luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. She is serving a 20-year prison term, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after the Blanche interview.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704416234390.png" alt="FILE&nbsp; photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE&nbsp; photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;wrote in a 2019 email to a journalist that Donald Trump “knew about the girls," according to documents made public Wednesday, but what he knew — and whether it pertained to the sex offender’s crimes — is unclear, and the White House quickly accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762964441190.png" alt="One of the emails released Wednesday by House Oversight Dems" />
 <figcaption>One of the emails released Wednesday by House Oversight Dems</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/3-emails_redacted.pdf">Click here to read the emails</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;In the interest of transparency, why not just go ahead, release the full files on Epstein, get this all over with?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karoline Leavitt: &quot;This administration has done more with respect to transparency when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein than any administration ever.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/t9LlWGohPt">pic.twitter.com/t9LlWGohPt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1988682162728759490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-birthday-books-democrats-oversight-house-810140a196d24d32bd30691b8ff4d6a9">Democrats on the House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;released three emails referencing Trump, including one Epstein wrote in 2011 in which he told confidant Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a sex trafficking victim.The disclosures seemed designed to raise new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">questions about Trump’s friendship with Epstein</a>&nbsp;and about what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracy-theories-bondi-bongino-fbi-a143076353acbc1193cb9697e7fc4a90">knowledge he may have had</a>&nbsp;regarding what prosecutors call a yearslong effort by Epstein to exploit underage girls. The Republican businessman-turned-politician has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has said he ended their relationship years ago.The version of the 2011 email released by the Democrats redacted the name of the victim, but Republicans on the committee later said it was Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters with a number of his rich and powerful friends. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">took his own life</a>&nbsp;in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges.<h2>Giuffre said Trump ‘couldn’t have been friendlier'</h2>Giuffre, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">died earlier this year</a>, had long insisted that Trump was not among the men who had victimized her.In a court deposition, she said under oath that she didn’t believe Trump had any knowledge of Epstein’s misconduct with underage girls. And in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-giuffre-memoir-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-0adb8b983ac18a45fc7ec035dc789d08">her recently released memoir</a>, she described meeting Trump only once, when she worked as a spa attendant at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/993263aaefab49a7988bb4ccb808791d">his Mar-a-Lago club</a>&nbsp;in Palm Beach, Florida, and did not accuse him of wrongdoing.Giuffre wrote that she was introduced to Trump by her father, who also worked at the club. She described Trump as friendly and said he offered to help her get babysitting jobs with parents at the club.Trump “couldn’t have been friendlier,” Giuffre wrote.Other members of Epstein’s household staff also said in sworn depositions that, while Trump did stop by Epstein’s house, they didn’t see him engage in any inappropriate conduct.<h2>Republicans says emails released to tarnish Trump</h2>White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Democrats “selectively leaked emails” to “create a fake narrative to smear President Trump.”In July, Trump said he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago</a>&nbsp;because his one-time friend was “taking people who worked for me," including Giuffre. The women, he said, were “taken out of the spa, hired by him — in other words, gone.”“I said, ‘Listen, we don’t want you taking our people,’” Trump told reporters. Asked if Giuffre was one of the employees poached by Epstein, the president demurred but then said Epstein “stole her.”The emails made public Wednesday are part of a batch of 23,000 documents provided by Epstein's estate to the Oversight Committee.Shortly after Democrats released the Trump-related emails, committee Republicans countered by disclosing what they said was an additional 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate. Among them: copies of pages from a James Patterson book about the ex-financier.The release resurfaces a storyline that had shadowed Trump's presidency during the summer when the FBI and the Justice Department abruptly announced that they would not be releasing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">additional documents</a>&nbsp;that investigators had spent weeks examining, disappointing conspiracy theorists and online sleuths who had expected to see new revelations.In one 2019 email to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-michael-wolff-lawsuit-epstein-e5a52952be556d2976d5aeaf6e40b1db">journalist Michael Wolff</a>, who has written extensively about Trump, Epstein wrote of Trump, “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”In an April 2, 2011, email to Maxwell, a former Epstein girlfriend now imprisoned for conspiring to engage in sex trafficking, Epstein wrote, “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump. (Redacted name) spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75 % there."Maxwell replied the same day: “I have been thinking about that.”The name of the person said to have spent time with Trump was blacked out of the email, but House Democrats identified the person as a “victim.”Leavitt said that the unnamed person referenced in the emails is Giuffre, who had accused&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748">Britain’s then-Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager and who died by suicide in April. Andrew, who recently was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748">stripped of his titles</a>&nbsp;and evicted from his royal residence by King Charles III after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with Epstein, has rejected Giuffre’s allegations and said he didn’t recall meeting her.Leavitt said in a statement that Giuffre had “repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and ‘couldn’t have been friendlier’ to her in their limited interactions.”“The fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre,” the statement said. "These stories are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments, and any American with common sense sees right through this hoax and clear distraction from the government opening back up again.”Messages seeking comment were left with Wolff, Maxwell attorney David Markus and representatives for Giuffre’s family.<h2>Maxwell's interview with the Justice Department</h2>Maxwell, interviewed in July by the Justice Department’s second-in-command, repeatedly denied witnessing any sexually inappropriate interactions involving Trump.“I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche</a>, according to a transcript of the interview. “I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”Giuffre came forward publicly after an initial investigation ended in an 18-month Florida jail term for Epstein, who made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/96bc4bdbd240454293888afb1f5bc600">a secret deal</a>&nbsp;to avoid federal prosecution by pleading guilty instead to relatively minor state-level charges of soliciting prostitution. He was released in 2009.In subsequent lawsuits, Giuffre said she was a teenage spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago when she was approached in 2000 by Maxwell.Lawyers for Maxwell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">a British socialite</a>, have argued that she never should have been tried or convicted for her role in luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. She is serving a 20-year prison term, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after the Blanche interview.

🎥Read the Epstein emails released by Democrats; White House responds

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged theft in Manhattan.

Just after 2p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;filed a report of theft in the 1300 block of Hudson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; A 73-year-old man reported an unknown suspect stole money during a meeting to purchase items for sale. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $9,000.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged theft in Manhattan.Just after 2p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;filed a report of theft in the 1300 block of Hudson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; A 73-year-old man reported an unknown suspect stole money during a meeting to purchase items for sale. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $9,000.

Police: $9,000 stolen from 73-year-old Kan. man

WASHINGTON (AP) —Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration will soon be making “substantial announcements” about steps it will take to reduce the price of food items not grown in the United States. He cited coffee, bananas and other fruits he didn’t name.

“Things like that that will bring the prices down very quickly,” Bessent said during an interview of Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends.”

Bessent’s announcement comes as Trump insists costs are down since he took office nine months ago, despite economic data that shows otherwise

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710945821669.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration will soon be making “substantial announcements” about steps it will take to reduce the price of food items not grown in the United States. He cited coffee, bananas and other fruits he didn’t name.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &quot;You&#39;re going to see substantial announcements over the next couple of days in terms of things we don&#39;t grow here... coffee being one of them, bananas, other fruits... That will bring the prices down very quickly.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/e9Vsa1UdVR">pic.twitter.com/e9Vsa1UdVR</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988615345028923902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Things like that that will bring the prices down very quickly,” Bessent said during an interview of Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends.”Bessent’s announcement comes as Trump insists costs are down since he took office nine months ago, despite economic data that shows otherwise

🎥Treasury Secretary says price drops coming on coffee and bananas

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash and continue to search for one of the drivers involved.

Just before 12:30a.m. Monday, a&nbsp;black pickup was northbound at a high rate of speed at the intersection of&nbsp;Valentine and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The pickup collided with a brown sedan which was making a turn. After impact, the black pickup collided with a parked car and the occupants fled the scene. 

EMS transported the driver of the brown sedan to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash and continue to search for one of the drivers involved.Just before 12:30a.m. Monday, a&nbsp;black pickup was northbound at a high rate of speed at the intersection of&nbsp;Valentine and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The pickup collided with a brown sedan which was making a turn. After impact, the black pickup collided with a parked car and the occupants fled the scene. EMS transported the driver of the brown sedan to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KCPD: Driver hospitalized, suspects fled 3-vehicle crash

Team owner Clark Hunt told reporters recently that he was still considering options on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line

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

TOPEKA, Kansas — The Kansas City Chiefs put out a request for proposals to design a new stadium on the Kansas side of the state line and are negotiating for land near the Kansas Speedway, according to two reports from Kansas City area talk show hosts.&nbsp;

Pete Mundo of KCMO talk radio&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmotalkradio.com/shows/mundo-in-the-morning-2/" target="_blank">broke the news</a>&nbsp;that the Chiefs contacted multiple firms regarding a new stadium to be built at Interstate 435 and Interstate 70. He said the news was confirmed by several sources.

Mundo stressed that the RFP didn’t mean the Chiefs had selected Kansas as the location for a new stadium and added that his “gut” said they would stay in Missouri.&nbsp;

On Monday, Kevin Kietzman said on his podcast that the Chiefs are in negotiations with NASCAR and the state of Kansas to acquire land just west of the Kansas Speedway. He said the Chiefs also may be building a hotel by the Hollywood Casino and creating an entertainment district.&nbsp;

“NASCAR owns a total of 880 acres of land at Village West, folks,” Kietzman said. “They only use 300 of them.”

Patrick Lowry, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said major development projects require confidentiality and the agency has no comment on negotiations regarding the stadium.&nbsp;

“Kansas Department of Commerce continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of crafting agreements to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas,” Lowry said.

The Kansas Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/" target="_blank">agreed to finance</a>&nbsp;up to 70% of the project, with a minimum $1 billion price tag, by issuing bonds to be repaid with sales tax collected in the STAR Bond district.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Missouri lawmakers hoping to convince the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals to remain in the state have&nbsp;authorized bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.

Clark Hunt, the Chiefs owner, recently told reporter that he and his family were still considering options in both Missouri and Kansas.

“I wouldn’t say we’re in limbo. Stadium projects move at their own pace,” Hunt said. “We’ve learned over the years that you can’t really force them to go faster, even if you want them to. And so it’s just important for us to keep working on both options.”

The possibility of moving the Chiefs stadium across the state line has both excited and concerned Kansas leaders. In Wyandotte County, where the Village West area is located, an economic development leader is hesitant to talk about what the stadium might bring to his county, although he’s positive that location would be a strong one for the Chiefs.&nbsp;

“I think that area is the No. 1 tourist destination in the state of Kansas,” said Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council. “There’s infrastructure and highway infrastructure. We know there’s an ability to get people in and out of major sporting events, and if we can put a deal together that works for everybody, it’s a win-win.”

Much still needs to be assessed in terms of the economic development benefits for Wyandotte County.&nbsp;

“We’re still working through the economics of it,” Kindle said. “It has to be revenue development that works for the sports teams but also drives revenue into the community. On the front end, it’s super exciting to have a national sports team in your community because you get a lot of branding, you get more tourism, you get people who are excited about being near that environment.”

Kindle referred to the success of the Kansas Speedway and Sporting KC, both of which are in the area and hold numerous events all year.&nbsp;

“Tourism areas benefit,” he said. “New things have to be happening. This would be an interesting additional asset to the area that we hope would bring in additional hotels and restaurants and interest in that area.”

Kindle said the negotiations with the Chiefs are going on through state officials and Wyandotte has offered support as needed. He’s excited about the idea the team may come to his county, but he also wants to encourage everyone to think long-term.

“They’ve been in their current location for what, 50 or 60 years. We want to make sure that whatever happens here builds on what they’ve done and the success that they’ve had, but also that we ensure that we do, in fact, get that ancillary growth that goes with the project,” Kindle said.&nbsp;

J.C. Bradbury, an economist and professor at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, is releasing a book next year titled “This One Will be Different: False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums.”&nbsp;

He said economic justifications for putting tax dollars behind stadium development don’t hold up.

Economists look at economic development differently than other professionals, who consider the process about increasing business activity in a community, Bradbury said.

“Economists use the term economic development to describe improving economic outcomes. And stadiums are absolutely not true economic development catalysts,” he said.

Bradbury said he has looked for studies that show there is an economic benefit to stadiums and hasn’t found one.

“If you went and called a doctor for a study on the dangers of smoking, you wouldn’t be able to find a doctor who would say smoking is good for you, right?” Bradbury said. “If you would ask economists about the economic benefits of stadiums, you probably couldn’t find an economist who would say that they’re beneficial. But no one wants to listen to economists on that.”

Multiple changes happen in communities when stadiums are built that lead people to believe the economy benefits, he said. Increased spending definitely happening around the stadium, but Bradbury said that spending is pulled from restaurants and stores not in the stadium’s entertainment sphere.&nbsp;

Other factors include being unable to track businesses that don’t open up in a stadium district, such as doctor’s offices and retail stores, because of traffic and people who don’t want to live near stadiums, he said.&nbsp;

“There’s actually some negative spillover effects that no one likes to talk about,” Bradbury said. He gave an example of an area in Atlanta that was near where stadiums were formerly located. For years, it was a “ghost town,” but after stadiums moved, it is now a thriving commercial district.

There are positives, including the novelty effect when the stadium first opens, Bradbury said.&nbsp;

“This is a private business that largely benefits the owners of the team. It’s generating hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars,” Bradbury said. “Athletes are paid millions of dollars of salaries. These organizations exist as economic entities because they’re profitable. There’s zero justification for taxpayers putting a dime for professional sports stadiums, but we just sort of got in the habit of doing that, and now I’m hoping to try to break this habit.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748263709817.png" alt="&nbsp;GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Team owner Clark Hunt told reporters recently that he was still considering options on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line</h2>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — The Kansas City Chiefs put out a request for proposals to design a new stadium on the Kansas side of the state line and are negotiating for land near the Kansas Speedway, according to two reports from Kansas City area talk show hosts.&nbsp;Pete Mundo of KCMO talk radio&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmotalkradio.com/shows/mundo-in-the-morning-2/" target="_blank">broke the news</a>&nbsp;that the Chiefs contacted multiple firms regarding a new stadium to be built at Interstate 435 and Interstate 70. He said the news was confirmed by several sources.Mundo stressed that the RFP didn’t mean the Chiefs had selected Kansas as the location for a new stadium and added that his “gut” said they would stay in Missouri.&nbsp;On Monday, Kevin Kietzman said on his podcast that the Chiefs are in negotiations with NASCAR and the state of Kansas to acquire land just west of the Kansas Speedway. He said the Chiefs also may be building a hotel by the Hollywood Casino and creating an entertainment district.&nbsp;“NASCAR owns a total of 880 acres of land at Village West, folks,” Kietzman said. “They only use 300 of them.”Patrick Lowry, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said major development projects require confidentiality and the agency has no comment on negotiations regarding the stadium.&nbsp;“Kansas Department of Commerce continues to conduct a careful analysis of costs and benefits as part of crafting agreements to keep the Chiefs and Royals in the region while maximizing growth opportunities for Kansas,” Lowry said.The Kansas Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-lawmakers-extend-deadline-for-chiefs-royals-to-accept-stadium-incentives/" target="_blank">agreed to finance</a>&nbsp;up to 70% of the project, with a minimum $1 billion price tag, by issuing bonds to be repaid with sales tax collected in the STAR Bond district.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Missouri lawmakers hoping to convince the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals to remain in the state have&nbsp;authorized bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.Clark Hunt, the Chiefs owner, recently told reporter that he and his family were still considering options in both Missouri and Kansas.“I wouldn’t say we’re in limbo. Stadium projects move at their own pace,” Hunt said. “We’ve learned over the years that you can’t really force them to go faster, even if you want them to. And so it’s just important for us to keep working on both options.”<h2>Wyandotte opportunity</h2>The possibility of moving the Chiefs stadium across the state line has both excited and concerned Kansas leaders. In Wyandotte County, where the Village West area is located, an economic development leader is hesitant to talk about what the stadium might bring to his county, although he’s positive that location would be a strong one for the Chiefs.&nbsp;“I think that area is the No. 1 tourist destination in the state of Kansas,” said Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council. “There’s infrastructure and highway infrastructure. We know there’s an ability to get people in and out of major sporting events, and if we can put a deal together that works for everybody, it’s a win-win.”Much still needs to be assessed in terms of the economic development benefits for Wyandotte County.&nbsp;“We’re still working through the economics of it,” Kindle said. “It has to be revenue development that works for the sports teams but also drives revenue into the community. On the front end, it’s super exciting to have a national sports team in your community because you get a lot of branding, you get more tourism, you get people who are excited about being near that environment.”Kindle referred to the success of the Kansas Speedway and Sporting KC, both of which are in the area and hold numerous events all year.&nbsp;“Tourism areas benefit,” he said. “New things have to be happening. This would be an interesting additional asset to the area that we hope would bring in additional hotels and restaurants and interest in that area.”Kindle said the negotiations with the Chiefs are going on through state officials and Wyandotte has offered support as needed. He’s excited about the idea the team may come to his county, but he also wants to encourage everyone to think long-term.“They’ve been in their current location for what, 50 or 60 years. We want to make sure that whatever happens here builds on what they’ve done and the success that they’ve had, but also that we ensure that we do, in fact, get that ancillary growth that goes with the project,” Kindle said.&nbsp;<h2>Stadium investments</h2>J.C. Bradbury, an economist and professor at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, is releasing a book next year titled “This One Will be Different: False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums.”&nbsp;He said economic justifications for putting tax dollars behind stadium development don’t hold up.Economists look at economic development differently than other professionals, who consider the process about increasing business activity in a community, Bradbury said.“Economists use the term economic development to describe improving economic outcomes. And stadiums are absolutely not true economic development catalysts,” he said.Bradbury said he has looked for studies that show there is an economic benefit to stadiums and hasn’t found one.“If you went and called a doctor for a study on the dangers of smoking, you wouldn’t be able to find a doctor who would say smoking is good for you, right?” Bradbury said. “If you would ask economists about the economic benefits of stadiums, you probably couldn’t find an economist who would say that they’re beneficial. But no one wants to listen to economists on that.”Multiple changes happen in communities when stadiums are built that lead people to believe the economy benefits, he said. Increased spending definitely happening around the stadium, but Bradbury said that spending is pulled from restaurants and stores not in the stadium’s entertainment sphere.&nbsp;Other factors include being unable to track businesses that don’t open up in a stadium district, such as doctor’s offices and retail stores, because of traffic and people who don’t want to live near stadiums, he said.&nbsp;“There’s actually some negative spillover effects that no one likes to talk about,” Bradbury said. He gave an example of an area in Atlanta that was near where stadiums were formerly located. For years, it was a “ghost town,” but after stadiums moved, it is now a thriving commercial district.There are positives, including the novelty effect when the stadium first opens, Bradbury said.&nbsp;“This is a private business that largely benefits the owners of the team. It’s generating hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars,” Bradbury said. “Athletes are paid millions of dollars of salaries. These organizations exist as economic entities because they’re profitable. There’s zero justification for taxpayers putting a dime for professional sports stadiums, but we just sort of got in the habit of doing that, and now I’m hoping to try to break this habit.”

Chiefs reportedly put out request for proposals for a new stadium in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.

(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)

At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.

The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.

Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761331970728.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=280&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2252850385227575%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="395" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

Search continues for suspect in killing at Kan. youth football game 

WASHINGTON (AP) — After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">government shutdown</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is recalling lawmakers back into session — and facing an avalanche of pent-up legislative demands from those who have largely been sidelined from governing.

Hundreds of representatives are preparing to return Wednesday to Washington after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-grijalva-526647b57faa2710382674646dfd2b37">nearly eight-week absence</a>, carrying a torrent of ideas, proposals and frustrations over work that has stalled when the Republican speaker shuttered the House doors nearly two months ago.

First will be a vote to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">reopen the government</a>. But that’s just the start. With efforts to release the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">Jeffrey Epstein files</a>&nbsp;and the swearing in of Arizona’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swear-congress-epstein-files-25636fec1d99960a5fb11501ac86cc69">Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva,</a>&nbsp;the unfinished business will pose a fresh test to Johnson’s grip on power and put a renewed focus on his leadership.

“It’s extraordinary,” said Matthew Green, a professor at the politics department at The Catholic University of America.

“What Speaker Johnson and Republicans are doing, you have to go back decades to find an example where the House — either chamber — decided not to meet.”

When the House gavels back into session, it will close this remarkable chapter of Johnson’s tenure when he showed himself to be a leader who is quietly, but brazenly, willing to upend institutional norms in pursuit of his broader strategy, even at the risk of diminishing the House itself.

Rather than use the immense powers of the speaker’s office to forcefully steer the debate in Congress, as a coequal branch of the government on par with the executive and the courts, Johnson simply closed up shop — allowing the House to become unusually deferential, particularly to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>.

Over these past weeks, the chamber has sidestepped its basic responsibilities, from passing routine legislation to conducting oversight. The silencing of the speaker’s gavel has been both unusual and surprising in a system of government where the founders envisioned the branches would vigorously protect their institutional prerogatives.

“You can see it is pretty empty around here,” Johnson, R-La., said on day three of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">shutdown</a>, tour groups no longer crowding the halls.

“When Congress decides to turn off the lights, it shifts the authority to the executive branch. That is how it works,” he said, blaming Democrats, with their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">fight over health care funds</a>, for the closures.

The speaker has defended his decision to shutter the House during what’s now the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-democrats-senate-filibuster-1f147746aab58daffd8a8cb578df0b81">longest government shutdown</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history. He argued that the chamber, under the GOP majority, had already done its job passing a stopgap funding bill in September. It would be up to the Senate to act, he said.

When the Senate failed over and over to advance the House bill, more than a dozen times, he refused to enter talks with the other leaders on a compromise. Johnson also encouraged Trump to cancel an initial sit-down with the Democratic leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Sen. Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;to avoid a broader negotiation while the government was still closed.

Instead, the speaker, whose job is outlined in the Constitution, second in line of succession to the presidency, held held almost daily press conferences on his side of the Capitol, a weekly conference call with GOP lawmakers, and private talks with Trump. He joined the president for Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-lions-commanders-c2c6e511052653e74be0ad77eb51cd64">NFL Washington Commanders</a>&nbsp;game as the Senate was slogging through a weekend session.

“People say, why aren’t you negotiating with Schumer and Jeffries? I quite literally have nothing to negotiate,” Johnson said at one point.

“As I’ve said time and time again, I don’t have anything to negotiate with,” he said on day 13 of the shutdown. “We did our job. We had that vote.”

And besides he said of the GOP lawmakers, “They are doing some of their best work in the district, helping their constituents navigate this crisis.”

In many ways, Johnson has become a surprisingly effective leader, an accidental speaker who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-republicans-emmer-mccarthy-54352a64be041cd445bda8df28b24f03">elected to the job</a>&nbsp;by his colleagues after all others failed to win it. He has now lasted more than two years, longer than many once envisioned.

This year, with Trump’s return to the White House, the speaker has commandeered his slim GOP majority and passed legislation including the president’s so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-trump-republican-spending-bill-provisions-details-06eb10bad4fd2a7ea2ac236e6535e61d">“one big beautiful bill”</a>&nbsp;of tax breaks and spending reductions that became law this summer.

Johnson’s shutdown strategy also largely achieved his goal, forcing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">Senate Democrats to break ranks</a>&nbsp;and approve the funds to reopen government without the extension of health care subsidies they were demanding to help ease the sticker shock of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">rising insurance premium costs</a>&nbsp;with the Affordable Care Act.

Johnson’s approach is seen as one that manages up — he stays close to Trump and says they speak often — and also hammers down, imposing a rigid control over the day-to-day schedule of the House, and its lawmakers.

Under a House rules change this year, Johnson was able to keep the chamber shuttered indefinitely on his own, without the usual required vote. This year his leadership team has allowed fewer opportunities for amendments on legislation, according to a recent tally. Other changes have curtailed the House’s ability to provide a robust check on the executive branch over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-trump-tariffs-china-525d652549af2fbe2931fa57aeaa32e6">Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-war-power-congress-2c8c491f88836249801b6b15b19217b5">use of war powers</a>.

Johnson’s refusal to swear-in Grijalva is a remarkable flex of the speaker’s power, leading to comparisons with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision not to consider President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, said David Rapallo, an associate professor and director of the Federal Legislation Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center. Arizona has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swearin-congress-epstein-files-adeb9e704220b65c9ae139e557c72381">sued</a>&nbsp;to seat her.

Marc Short, who headed up the White House’s legislative affairs office during the first Trump administration, said of Johnson, “It’s impressive how he’s held the conference together.”

But said Short, “The legislative branch has abdicated a lot of responsibility to the executive under his watch.”

As lawmakers make their way back to Washington, the speaker’s power will be tested again as they consider the package to reopen government.

Republicans are certain to have complaints about the bill, which funds much of the federal government through Jan. 30 and keeps certain programs including agriculture, military construction and veterans affairs running through September.

But with House Democratic leaders rejecting the package for having failed to address the health care subsidies, it will be up to Johnson to muscle it through with mostly GOP lawmakers — with hardly any room for defections in the chamber that’s narrowly split.

Jeffries, who has criticized House Republicans for what he called an extended vacation, said, “They’re not going to be able to hide this week when they return.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759875394137.png" alt="A sign advising that the Capitol Visitors Center in the U.S. Capitol is closed, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jennifer Shutt" />
 <figcaption>A sign advising that the Capitol Visitors Center in the U.S. Capitol is closed, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jennifer Shutt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">government shutdown</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is recalling lawmakers back into session — and facing an avalanche of pent-up legislative demands from those who have largely been sidelined from governing.Hundreds of representatives are preparing to return Wednesday to Washington after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-grijalva-526647b57faa2710382674646dfd2b37">nearly eight-week absence</a>, carrying a torrent of ideas, proposals and frustrations over work that has stalled when the Republican speaker shuttered the House doors nearly two months ago.First will be a vote to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">reopen the government</a>. But that’s just the start. With efforts to release the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">Jeffrey Epstein files</a>&nbsp;and the swearing in of Arizona’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swear-congress-epstein-files-25636fec1d99960a5fb11501ac86cc69">Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva,</a>&nbsp;the unfinished business will pose a fresh test to Johnson’s grip on power and put a renewed focus on his leadership.“It’s extraordinary,” said Matthew Green, a professor at the politics department at The Catholic University of America.“What Speaker Johnson and Republicans are doing, you have to go back decades to find an example where the House — either chamber — decided not to meet.”<h2>Gaveling in after two months gone</h2>When the House gavels back into session, it will close this remarkable chapter of Johnson’s tenure when he showed himself to be a leader who is quietly, but brazenly, willing to upend institutional norms in pursuit of his broader strategy, even at the risk of diminishing the House itself.Rather than use the immense powers of the speaker’s office to forcefully steer the debate in Congress, as a coequal branch of the government on par with the executive and the courts, Johnson simply closed up shop — allowing the House to become unusually deferential, particularly to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>.Over these past weeks, the chamber has sidestepped its basic responsibilities, from passing routine legislation to conducting oversight. The silencing of the speaker’s gavel has been both unusual and surprising in a system of government where the founders envisioned the branches would vigorously protect their institutional prerogatives.“You can see it is pretty empty around here,” Johnson, R-La., said on day three of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">shutdown</a>, tour groups no longer crowding the halls.“When Congress decides to turn off the lights, it shifts the authority to the executive branch. That is how it works,” he said, blaming Democrats, with their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">fight over health care funds</a>, for the closures.<h2>An empty House as a political strategy</h2>The speaker has defended his decision to shutter the House during what’s now the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-democrats-senate-filibuster-1f147746aab58daffd8a8cb578df0b81">longest government shutdown</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history. He argued that the chamber, under the GOP majority, had already done its job passing a stopgap funding bill in September. It would be up to the Senate to act, he said.When the Senate failed over and over to advance the House bill, more than a dozen times, he refused to enter talks with the other leaders on a compromise. Johnson also encouraged Trump to cancel an initial sit-down with the Democratic leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Sen. Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;to avoid a broader negotiation while the government was still closed.Instead, the speaker, whose job is outlined in the Constitution, second in line of succession to the presidency, held held almost daily press conferences on his side of the Capitol, a weekly conference call with GOP lawmakers, and private talks with Trump. He joined the president for Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-lions-commanders-c2c6e511052653e74be0ad77eb51cd64">NFL Washington Commanders</a>&nbsp;game as the Senate was slogging through a weekend session.“People say, why aren’t you negotiating with Schumer and Jeffries? I quite literally have nothing to negotiate,” Johnson said at one point.“As I’ve said time and time again, I don’t have anything to negotiate with,” he said on day 13 of the shutdown. “We did our job. We had that vote.”And besides he said of the GOP lawmakers, “They are doing some of their best work in the district, helping their constituents navigate this crisis.”<h2>Accidental speaker delivers for Trump</h2>In many ways, Johnson has become a surprisingly effective leader, an accidental speaker who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-republicans-emmer-mccarthy-54352a64be041cd445bda8df28b24f03">elected to the job</a>&nbsp;by his colleagues after all others failed to win it. He has now lasted more than two years, longer than many once envisioned.This year, with Trump’s return to the White House, the speaker has commandeered his slim GOP majority and passed legislation including the president’s so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-trump-republican-spending-bill-provisions-details-06eb10bad4fd2a7ea2ac236e6535e61d">“one big beautiful bill”</a>&nbsp;of tax breaks and spending reductions that became law this summer.Johnson’s shutdown strategy also largely achieved his goal, forcing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">Senate Democrats to break ranks</a>&nbsp;and approve the funds to reopen government without the extension of health care subsidies they were demanding to help ease the sticker shock of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">rising insurance premium costs</a>&nbsp;with the Affordable Care Act.Johnson’s approach is seen as one that manages up — he stays close to Trump and says they speak often — and also hammers down, imposing a rigid control over the day-to-day schedule of the House, and its lawmakers.<h2>Amassing quiet power</h2>Under a House rules change this year, Johnson was able to keep the chamber shuttered indefinitely on his own, without the usual required vote. This year his leadership team has allowed fewer opportunities for amendments on legislation, according to a recent tally. Other changes have curtailed the House’s ability to provide a robust check on the executive branch over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-trump-tariffs-china-525d652549af2fbe2931fa57aeaa32e6">Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-war-power-congress-2c8c491f88836249801b6b15b19217b5">use of war powers</a>.Johnson’s refusal to swear-in Grijalva is a remarkable flex of the speaker’s power, leading to comparisons with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision not to consider President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, said David Rapallo, an associate professor and director of the Federal Legislation Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center. Arizona has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swearin-congress-epstein-files-adeb9e704220b65c9ae139e557c72381">sued</a>&nbsp;to seat her.Marc Short, who headed up the White House’s legislative affairs office during the first Trump administration, said of Johnson, “It’s impressive how he’s held the conference together.”But said Short, “The legislative branch has abdicated a lot of responsibility to the executive under his watch.”<h2>Tough decisions ahead for the Speaker</h2>As lawmakers make their way back to Washington, the speaker’s power will be tested again as they consider the package to reopen government.Republicans are certain to have complaints about the bill, which funds much of the federal government through Jan. 30 and keeps certain programs including agriculture, military construction and veterans affairs running through September.But with House Democratic leaders rejecting the package for having failed to address the health care subsidies, it will be up to Johnson to muscle it through with mostly GOP lawmakers — with hardly any room for defections in the chamber that’s narrowly split.Jeffries, who has criticized House Republicans for what he called an extended vacation, said, “They’re not going to be able to hide this week when they return.”

House lawmakers return for vote to reopen the government

WASHINGTON (AP) —The USS Gerald R. Ford has officially entered the U.S. Southern Command region, almost three weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">first announced he was ordering</a>&nbsp;the aircraft carrier to aid in the campaign against alleged drug smugglers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/4329586/gerald-r-ford-carrier-strike-group-enters-us-fourth-fleet/">according to a press release</a>.

However, since the region’s borders reach well into the Atlantic Ocean, coming within a few hundred miles of Africa, it’s not clear just how close the carrier or its accompanying destroyers are to Caribbean waters. Multiple military officials wouldn’t offer further location details when asked by The Associated Press.

The Navy’s press release said the Ford and three destroyers — the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston Churchill — will join seven other ships, including three that carry a Marine Expeditionary Unit made up of thousands of Marines, that have been in the Caribbean for months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The USS Gerald R. Ford has officially entered the U.S. Southern Command region, almost three weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">first announced he was ordering</a>&nbsp;the aircraft carrier to aid in the campaign against alleged drug smugglers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/4329586/gerald-r-ford-carrier-strike-group-enters-us-fourth-fleet/">according to a press release</a>.However, since the region’s borders reach well into the Atlantic Ocean, coming within a few hundred miles of Africa, it’s not clear just how close the carrier or its accompanying destroyers are to Caribbean waters. Multiple military officials wouldn’t offer further location details when asked by The Associated Press.The Navy’s press release said the Ford and three destroyers — the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston Churchill — will join seven other ships, including three that carry a Marine Expeditionary Unit made up of thousands of Marines, that have been in the Caribbean for months.

US Navy aircraft carrier group moves closer to Caribbean Sea

KEITH COUNTY, Neb— First responders rescued two hunters and a dog on Monday who were trapped in mud flats at Lake McConaughy’s Cedar View Area on Monday, according to a social media report from&nbsp; the Lake McConaughy Dive Rescue Team 

Nebraska Game and Parks responded to assist with an airboat.&nbsp; Rescue crews in cold water survival gear removed on hunter from the mud and water and then another hunter and his dog were removed and brought to shore. 

Garden County EMS transported both hunters for treatment of hypothermia.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

Agencies assisting included the Keith County Fire Department, the Keith County Sheriff's Office, Lewellen Fire Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Keith County EMS with a drone. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762913270498.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;&nbsp;Keystone Lemoyne Fire Rescue" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;&nbsp;Keystone Lemoyne Fire Rescue</figcaption>
 </figure>KEITH COUNTY, Neb— First responders rescued two hunters and a dog on Monday who were trapped in mud flats at Lake McConaughy’s Cedar View Area on Monday, according to a social media report from&nbsp; the Lake McConaughy Dive Rescue Team Nebraska Game and Parks responded to assist with an airboat.&nbsp; Rescue crews in cold water survival gear removed on hunter from the mud and water and then another hunter and his dog were removed and brought to shore. Garden County EMS transported both hunters for treatment of hypothermia.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.Agencies assisting included the Keith County Fire Department, the Keith County Sheriff's Office, Lewellen Fire Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Keith County EMS with a drone.

Hunters and dog rescued from mud flats at Lake McConaughy 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a rollover crash that injured a juvenile passenger.

Just after noon Nov. 2, deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 9700 block of Sunflower Road in De Soto, Kansas, according to a media release. The driver, Jeyson Carabantes-Deras, 25, overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll over. A 6-year-old female passenger was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Deputies determined Carabantes-Deras appeared intoxicated, and DUI testing was conducted. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Carabantes-Deras remains jailed charges on a $500,000 bond on requested aggravated child endangerment, aggravated battery, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while suspended and other traffic violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762448240269.png" alt="Carabantes-Deras photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Carabantes-Deras photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a rollover crash that injured a juvenile passenger.Just after noon Nov. 2, deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 9700 block of Sunflower Road in De Soto, Kansas, according to a media release. The driver, Jeyson Carabantes-Deras, 25, overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll over. A 6-year-old female passenger was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.Deputies determined Carabantes-Deras appeared intoxicated, and DUI testing was conducted. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.Carabantes-Deras remains jailed charges on a $500,000 bond on requested aggravated child endangerment, aggravated battery, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while suspended and other traffic violations.

Man arrested after Kan. rollover crash injured 6-year-old

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.

The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing.

The order will expire just before midnight Thursday.

The Senate has approved a bill to end the shutdown and the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. Reopening the government would restart the program that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-641e7e2324f261da72395b604d9540e8">helps 42 million Americans</a>&nbsp;buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume.

The justices chose what is effectively the path of least resistance, anticipating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;will end soon while avoiding any substantive legal ruling about whether lower court orders to keep full payments flowing during the shutdown are correct.

Beneficiaries in some states have received their full monthly allocations while in others they have received nothing. Some states have issued partial payments.

How quickly SNAP benefits could reach recipients if the government reopens would vary by state. But states and advocates say that it's easier to make full payments quickly than partial ones.

Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength, also said there could be some technical challenges for states that have issued partial benefits to send out the remaining amount.

In Pennsylvania, full November benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.

Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and has had several strokes this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.

That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 monthly SNAP payment he previously received for himself, his wife and daughter. He said he is down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.

“It’s kind of been a lot of late nights, making sure I had everything down to the penny to make sure I was right,” Malliard said. “To say anxiety has been my issue for the past two weeks is putting it mildly.”

The political wrangling in Washington has shocked many Americans, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">some have been moved to help</a>.

“I figure that I’ve spent money on dumber stuff than trying to feed other people during a manufactured famine,” said Ashley Oxenford, a teacher who set out a “little food pantry” in her front yard this week for vulnerable neighbors in Carthage, New York.

SNAP has been the center of an intense fight in court

The Trump administration chose to cut off SNAP funding after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact food access for some 42 million Americans.

The administration went along with two rulings on Oct. 31 by judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if that means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-food-government-shutdown-trump-a807e9f0c0a7213e203c074553dc1f9b">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to pause that order.

An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>, and that requirement was set to kick in Tuesday night before the top court extended the order blocking full SNAP payments.

Congressional talks about reopening government

The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds. Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.

President Donald Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we're getting close to the shutdown ending.”

Still, the Trump administration said in a Supreme Court filing Monday that it shouldn’t be up to the courts.

“The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”

The coalition of cities and nonprofit groups who challenged the SNAP pause said in a court filing Tuesday that the Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, is to blame for the confusion.

“The chaos was sown by USDA’s delays and intransigence," they said, "not by the district court’s efforts to mitigate that chaos and the harm it has inflicted on families who need food.”

Associated Press reporter Cara Anna in Carthage, New York, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739672428485.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762903719839.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The order will expire just before midnight Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> attorneys just secured a further administrative stay through Thursday at midnight at the Supreme Court to prevent further judicial upheaval for the SNAP and Child Nutrition programs. Thank you to the Court for allowing Congress to continue its swift progress…&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1988384652139053245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senate has approved a bill to end the shutdown and the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. Reopening the government would restart the program that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-641e7e2324f261da72395b604d9540e8">helps 42 million Americans</a>&nbsp;buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume.The justices chose what is effectively the path of least resistance, anticipating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;will end soon while avoiding any substantive legal ruling about whether lower court orders to keep full payments flowing during the shutdown are correct.Beneficiaries in some states have received their full monthly allocations while in others they have received nothing. Some states have issued partial payments.How quickly SNAP benefits could reach recipients if the government reopens would vary by state. But states and advocates say that it's easier to make full payments quickly than partial ones.Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength, also said there could be some technical challenges for states that have issued partial benefits to send out the remaining amount.<h2>An urgent need for beneficiaries</h2>In Pennsylvania, full November benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and has had several strokes this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 monthly SNAP payment he previously received for himself, his wife and daughter. He said he is down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.“It’s kind of been a lot of late nights, making sure I had everything down to the penny to make sure I was right,” Malliard said. “To say anxiety has been my issue for the past two weeks is putting it mildly.”The political wrangling in Washington has shocked many Americans, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">some have been moved to help</a>.“I figure that I’ve spent money on dumber stuff than trying to feed other people during a manufactured famine,” said Ashley Oxenford, a teacher who set out a “little food pantry” in her front yard this week for vulnerable neighbors in Carthage, New York.<h2>SNAP has been the center of an intense fight in court</h2>The Trump administration chose to cut off SNAP funding after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact food access for some 42 million Americans.The administration went along with two rulings on Oct. 31 by judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if that means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-food-government-shutdown-trump-a807e9f0c0a7213e203c074553dc1f9b">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to pause that order.An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>, and that requirement was set to kick in Tuesday night before the top court extended the order blocking full SNAP payments.<h2>Congressional talks about reopening government</h2>The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds. Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.President Donald Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we're getting close to the shutdown ending.”Still, the Trump administration said in a Supreme Court filing Monday that it shouldn’t be up to the courts.“The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”The coalition of cities and nonprofit groups who challenged the SNAP pause said in a court filing Tuesday that the Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, is to blame for the confusion.“The chaos was sown by USDA’s delays and intransigence," they said, "not by the district court’s efforts to mitigate that chaos and the harm it has inflicted on families who need food.”___Associated Press reporter Cara Anna in Carthage, New York, contributed.

Read the order: Supreme Court extends block on full SNAP payments

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man charged in a deadly shooting in Wichita attended a plea hearing on Monday.

James Standefer, 37,&nbsp; pled guilty to murder in the 2nd degree (reckless), for the death of&nbsp; 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.

In September, the Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located Standefer at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.

Just before 3 a.m., the day before his arrest, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.&nbsp;

The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, according to district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757414371485.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man charged in a deadly shooting in Wichita attended a plea hearing on Monday.James Standefer, 37,&nbsp; pled guilty to murder in the 2nd degree (reckless), for the death of&nbsp; 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757419911292.png" alt="STANDEFER photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>STANDEFER photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.In September, the Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located Standefer at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.Just before 3 a.m., the day before his arrest, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.&nbsp;The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, according to district attorney's office.

Plea deal: Kan. man killed victim during fight in SUV

MITCHELL COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 11:30a.m.&nbsp; Tuesday in Mitchell County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1991 Buick Century driven by Brian&nbsp;Christianson, 69, Hunter, was northbound on Kansas 181 just south of Timothy Trail.&nbsp; &nbsp;The driver attempted to pass a 2005 International semi driven by Ronald&nbsp;Dubbert, 52, Hebron, Nebraska, in a no passing zone. The semi failed to&nbsp;maintain its lane and crossed the center line when negotiating a curve. 

The Buick left the roadway and when it reentered, it made impact with the semi. The semi then left the roadway, entered the east ditch and rolled.&nbsp;

A passenger in the semi identified as 84-year-old Mary&nbsp;Dubbert, 84, Tipton, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Funeral Home.

EMS transported Ronald Dubbert to the Mitchell County Hospital. Christianson was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714501971078.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>MITCHELL COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 11:30a.m.&nbsp; Tuesday in Mitchell County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1991 Buick Century driven by Brian&nbsp;Christianson, 69, Hunter, was northbound on Kansas 181 just south of Timothy Trail.&nbsp; &nbsp;The driver attempted to pass a 2005 International semi driven by Ronald&nbsp;Dubbert, 52, Hebron, Nebraska, in a no passing zone. The semi failed to&nbsp;maintain its lane and crossed the center line when negotiating a curve. The Buick left the roadway and when it reentered, it made impact with the semi. The semi then left the roadway, entered the east ditch and rolled.&nbsp;A passenger in the semi identified as 84-year-old Mary&nbsp;Dubbert, 84, Tipton, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Funeral Home.EMS transported Ronald Dubbert to the Mitchell County Hospital. Christianson was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman killed after car, semi crash in no passing zone

NEW YORK&nbsp;–Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – rang the Nasdaq Exchange Opening Bell today in honor of Veterans Day with members of the U.S. Marine Corps and veterans on board the USS Intrepid in New York City. During the ceremony, Sen. Moran paid tribute to his father, Raymond Edwin Moran, a World War II veteran who served in the Army in North Africa and Italy.

“Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing their gratitude and respect for those who serve our country today and for those who served our country in the past,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I think sometimes we think we have no heroes. But we look to the basketball courts and the amphitheaters of musicians, whenever the person that we work with, or down the hall, or across the street, served our nation in uniform.”

“It wasn’t too long ago that I was at the World War II Memorial, and I went to the Kansas pillar, and I thought of my dad back home in small-town western Kansas who was a World War II veteran, so I called him on my flip phone,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Fortunately, I got the answering machine, and I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the World War II Memorial, built in your honor, and I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your service, Dad, and I love you.’ ”“We stand together as Americans, and say to those who serve in uniform, and those who served us in the past, we respect you, we thank you for your service, and we love you,”&nbsp;concluded Sen. Moran.

NEW YORK&nbsp;–Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – rang the Nasdaq Exchange Opening Bell today in honor of Veterans Day with members of the U.S. Marine Corps and veterans on board the USS Intrepid in New York City. During the ceremony, Sen. Moran paid tribute to his father, Raymond Edwin Moran, a World War II veteran who served in the Army in North Africa and Italy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">It was great to join the U.S. Marines to recognize Veterans Day this morning for a special ceremony for the <a href="https://twitter.com/NasdaqExchange?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NasdaqExchange</a> Opening Bell on board the USS Intrepid. Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing… <a href="https://t.co/eWBsSt4J1c">pic.twitter.com/eWBsSt4J1c</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1988359890063024542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing their gratitude and respect for those who serve our country today and for those who served our country in the past,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I think sometimes we think we have no heroes. But we look to the basketball courts and the amphitheaters of musicians, whenever the person that we work with, or down the hall, or across the street, served our nation in uniform.”“It wasn’t too long ago that I was at the World War II Memorial, and I went to the Kansas pillar, and I thought of my dad back home in small-town western Kansas who was a World War II veteran, so I called him on my flip phone,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Fortunately, I got the answering machine, and I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the World War II Memorial, built in your honor, and I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your service, Dad, and I love you.’ ”“We stand together as Americans, and say to those who serve in uniform, and those who served us in the past, we respect you, we thank you for your service, and we love you,”&nbsp;concluded Sen. Moran.

🎥Sen. Moran rings Nasdaq opening bell in honor of Veterans Day 

By JOHN D. HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219843330.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN D. HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A rural Kansas county has agreed to pay a little more than $3 million and apologize over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">a law enforcement raid on a small-town weekly newspaper</a>&nbsp;in August 2023 that sparked an outcry over press freedom, the paper's editor said Tuesday.Marion County was among multiple defendants in five federal lawsuits filed by the company that publishes the Marion County Record, its publisher, the estate of his late mother Joan Meyer, the paper’s co-owner, employees of the paper and a former Marion City Council member whose home also was raided.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762894807869.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Eric Meyer, the paper's editor and publisher, told The Associated Press he is hoping the size of the payment is large enough to discourage similar actions against news organizations in the future.“The goal isn’t to get the money. The money is symbolic,” Meyer said. “The press has basically been under assault.”Sheriff Jeff Soyez issued an apology that mentioned the publisher and his late mother Joan Meyer by name, along with former council member Ruth Herbel and her husband.“The Sheriff’s Office wishes to express its sincere regrets to Eric and Joan Meyer and Ruth and Ronald Herbel for its participation in the drafting and execution of the Marion County Police Department’s search warrants on their homes and the Marion County Record," the sheriff's statement said.The Marion County Commission approved the agreement Monday after discussing it in private for 15 minutes.The raid triggered a national debate about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-county-record-kansas-newspaper-raid-f1e49c4e542ddb3cf19c9ca02a0a21fb">press freedom</a>&nbsp;focused on Marion, a town of about 1,900 people set among rolling prairie hills some 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. Also, Meyer's mother, who co-owned the newspaper and lived with him, died the day after the raid of a heart attack, which he blamed on the stress of the raid.A search warrant tied the raid -- which was led by Marion’s police chief -- to a dispute between the newspaper and a local restaurant owner who had accused the Marion County Record of invading her privacy and illegally accessing information about her and her driving record. Meyer has said believed the newspaper’s aggressive coverage of local politics and issues played a role and that his newsroom had been examining the police chief’s past work history.