NEW YORK (AP) — Lenders will no longer be able to consider unpaid medical bills as a credit history factor when they evaluate potential borrowers in the U.S. for mortgages, car loans or business loans, according to a rule the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-harris-medical-debt-credit-reports-d914b690602a14348d7d25508fa8f890">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>&nbsp;finalized Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-credit-report-biden-ff69ce483467062d94f083116e4de8cc">Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports</a>&nbsp;is expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said. The CFPB says its research showed that outstanding health care claims are a poor predictor of someone’s ability to repay a loan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-forgiveness-majorities-favor-poll-cc46b73d93dbf883ce9f9f2e07bbfcaf">yet often are used to deny mortgage applications</a>.

The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — said last year that they were removing medical collections under $500 from U.S. consumer credit reports. The government agency’s new rule goes further by banning all outstanding medical bills from appearing on credit reports and prohibiting lenders from using the information.

The rule is set to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, although President-elect Donald Trump has proposed sweeping changes and limits to the CFPB’s regulatory reach.

The CFPB estimates the rule will remove $49 million in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. According to the agency, one in five Americans have at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts.

The problem disproportionately affects people of color, the CFPB has found: 28% of Black people and 22% of Latino people in the U.S. carry medical debt versus 17% of white people. While the national credit reporting agencies voluntarily agreed to disregard medical debt below $500, many consumers have amounts much higher than this threshold on their reports.

The CFPB says its action will give millions of consumers increased access to loans and lead to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional mortgages a year. Americans with outstanding medical bills may see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points, according to the bureau.

The rule was also drafted to increase privacy protections and to help keep debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people into paying bills they don’t owe. The CFPB has found that consumers frequently receive inaccurate bills or are asked to pay bills that should have been covered by insurance or financial assistance programs.

What’s more, lenders will be barred from using information about medical devices, such as prosthetic limbs, to make them serve as collateral for a loan and subject to repossession, according to the CFPB’s announcement.

Nonprofits in the healthcare space are pleased.

“This decision is great news for everyday Americans,” said Carrie Joy Grimes, founder of personal finance organization WorkMoney. “Medical debt is not a reflection of being bad with money — any one of us can experience illness or injury. With this new rule, Americans will now be able to focus less on the strain of medical debt and more on getting back on their feet.”

Patricia Kelmar, health care campaigns director for the U.S. Public Interest Resource Group, said the rule would help “many financially responsible families who have accumulated medical debt from unpredictable health issues, high out-of-pocket costs, insurance claim denials and billing errors.”

What should you do after receiving an unexpectedly high medical bill?

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surprise-medical-bills-handle-58dfe56afa490b582ddce491aa0ac3bc">high medical bills are common in the US</a>, including for individuals and households with insurance, there are ways to get relief.

First, determine whether you qualify for charity care. Federal law requires nonprofit hospitals to lower or write off bills for individuals depending on household income. To determine if you qualify, do an internet search for the hospital or health care provider along with the phrase “charity care” or “financial assistance policy.” The nonprofit organization Dollar For also provides&nbsp;<a href="https://dollarfor.org/how-we-help/" target="_blank">a simplified online tool</a>&nbsp;for patients.

Next, appeal under the provisions of the No Surprises Act, a federal law that says insurance companies must reasonably cover any out-of-network services related to emergency and some non-emergency medical care. If you’re being charged more than you’re used to or expect when you receive in-network services, that bill may be illegal.

Also: Always ask for an itemized bill. Medical billing is notoriously complicated and rife with errors. An itemized bill includes the billing codes of all care received. If something is off between these codes and the care provided, contesting your bill can yield changes.

Another approach — comparing the bill with insurance companies’ estimates of fair charges for services can also help. If the price you were charged is more than average, you may have your costs lowered. You could even take the provider to small claims court over the discrepancy - or let them know you have a case.

Finally, always compare your insurance company’s “explanation of benefits” to the bill. The hospital’s bill must match the explanation of costs that are covered and not covered. If it does not, you have another reason not to pay and to ask the provider to work with your insurance company further first.

Even after taking these steps, you can always appeal health claims with your insurance company if you believe there is any reason the bills should be covered entirely or more than the company initially decided. You may also contact your state insurance commissioner for support.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lenders will no longer be able to consider unpaid medical bills as a credit history factor when they evaluate potential borrowers in the U.S. for mortgages, car loans or business loans, according to a rule the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-harris-medical-debt-credit-reports-d914b690602a14348d7d25508fa8f890">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>&nbsp;finalized Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> and I finalized a rule that will eliminate medical debt from your credit score. As someone who has spent my career fighting to protect consumers and lower medical bills, I know our historic rule will help more Americans save money, build wealth, and thrive.&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1876714422804127753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-credit-report-biden-ff69ce483467062d94f083116e4de8cc">Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports</a>&nbsp;is expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said. The CFPB says its research showed that outstanding health care claims are a poor predictor of someone’s ability to repay a loan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-forgiveness-majorities-favor-poll-cc46b73d93dbf883ce9f9f2e07bbfcaf">yet often are used to deny mortgage applications</a>.The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — said last year that they were removing medical collections under $500 from U.S. consumer credit reports. The government agency’s new rule goes further by banning all outstanding medical bills from appearing on credit reports and prohibiting lenders from using the information.The rule is set to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, although President-elect Donald Trump has proposed sweeping changes and limits to the CFPB’s regulatory reach.Here’s what to know:<h2>How many people will this affect?</h2>The CFPB estimates the rule will remove $49 million in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. According to the agency, one in five Americans have at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts.The problem disproportionately affects people of color, the CFPB has found: 28% of Black people and 22% of Latino people in the U.S. carry medical debt versus 17% of white people. While the national credit reporting agencies voluntarily agreed to disregard medical debt below $500, many consumers have amounts much higher than this threshold on their reports.<h2>What will the impact be for consumers?</h2>The CFPB says its action will give millions of consumers increased access to loans and lead to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional mortgages a year. Americans with outstanding medical bills may see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points, according to the bureau.The rule was also drafted to increase privacy protections and to help keep debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people into paying bills they don’t owe. The CFPB has found that consumers frequently receive inaccurate bills or are asked to pay bills that should have been covered by insurance or financial assistance programs.What’s more, lenders will be barred from using information about medical devices, such as prosthetic limbs, to make them serve as collateral for a loan and subject to repossession, according to the CFPB’s announcement.<h2>How are advocates responding?</h2>Nonprofits in the healthcare space are pleased.“This decision is great news for everyday Americans,” said Carrie Joy Grimes, founder of personal finance organization WorkMoney. “Medical debt is not a reflection of being bad with money — any one of us can experience illness or injury. With this new rule, Americans will now be able to focus less on the strain of medical debt and more on getting back on their feet.”Patricia Kelmar, health care campaigns director for the U.S. Public Interest Resource Group, said the rule would help “many financially responsible families who have accumulated medical debt from unpredictable health issues, high out-of-pocket costs, insurance claim denials and billing errors.”<h2>What should you do after receiving an unexpectedly high medical bill?</h2>While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surprise-medical-bills-handle-58dfe56afa490b582ddce491aa0ac3bc">high medical bills are common in the US</a>, including for individuals and households with insurance, there are ways to get relief.First, determine whether you qualify for charity care. Federal law requires nonprofit hospitals to lower or write off bills for individuals depending on household income. To determine if you qualify, do an internet search for the hospital or health care provider along with the phrase “charity care” or “financial assistance policy.” The nonprofit organization Dollar For also provides&nbsp;<a href="https://dollarfor.org/how-we-help/" target="_blank">a simplified online tool</a>&nbsp;for patients.Next, appeal under the provisions of the No Surprises Act, a federal law that says insurance companies must reasonably cover any out-of-network services related to emergency and some non-emergency medical care. If you’re being charged more than you’re used to or expect when you receive in-network services, that bill may be illegal.Also: Always ask for an itemized bill. Medical billing is notoriously complicated and rife with errors. An itemized bill includes the billing codes of all care received. If something is off between these codes and the care provided, contesting your bill can yield changes.Another approach — comparing the bill with insurance companies’ estimates of fair charges for services can also help. If the price you were charged is more than average, you may have your costs lowered. You could even take the provider to small claims court over the discrepancy - or let them know you have a case.Finally, always compare your insurance company’s “explanation of benefits” to the bill. The hospital’s bill must match the explanation of costs that are covered and not covered. If it does not, you have another reason not to pay and to ask the provider to work with your insurance company further first.Even after taking these steps, you can always appeal health claims with your insurance company if you believe there is any reason the bills should be covered entirely or more than the company initially decided. You may also contact your state insurance commissioner for support.

Medical debt banned from credit reports by new Biden admin. rule

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is asking the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A666/336760/20250107212856360_2025-01-07%20-%20Trump%20v.%20New%20York%20-%20Supreme%20Court%20Stay%20Application.pdf">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to call off Friday's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25476891-people-v-trump-judges-decision-upholding-verdict-and-scheduling-sentencing/">sentencing</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-criminal-case-excerpts-59e72847cd80e5f0c734b02fa0426e17">hush money case</a>&nbsp;in New York.

Trump's lawyers turned to the nation's highest court on Wednesday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-554341d84b66d84bc04313e78fa04793">New York courts</a>&nbsp;refused to postpone the sentencing by Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump's trial and conviction last May on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>. Trump has denied wrongdoing.

Prosecutors were expected to file a response by Thursday morning.

Trump's team sought an immediate stay of the scheduled sentencing, saying it would wrongly restrict him as he prepares to take office. While Merchan has indicated he will not impose jail time, fines or probation, Trump's lawyers argued a felony conviction would still have intolerable side effects.

The sentencing should be delayed as he appeals the conviction to “prevent grave injustice and harm to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government," they argued.

The emergency motion is from lawyers John Sauer, Trump’s pick for solicitor general, who represents the government before the high court, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-defense-lawyers-blanche-31e05c8bc960d112adf3f1eacc7bd047">Todd Blanche</a>, in line to be the second-ranking official at the Justice Department.

They also pointed to the Supreme Court ruling giving Trump and other presidents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecutions over their actions in office, saying it supports their argument that his New York conviction should be overturned.

Their filing said the New York trial court “lacks authority to impose sentence and judgment on President Trump — or conduct any further criminal proceedings against him— until the resolution of his underlying appeal raising substantial claims of Presidential immunity, including by review in this Court if necessary.”

The Republican president-elect's spokesman, Steven Cheung, said in a statement that the case was politically motivated and should be dismissed.

Trump's lawyers also asked New York's highest court for an emergency stay to halt all proceedings Wednesday afternoon, urging quick action to avoid the threat of disrupting the presidential transition.

In a filing that largely echoed their Supreme Court arguments, the attorneys charged that Merchan and the state’s mid-level appellate court both “erroneously failed” to stop the sentencing, arguing that the constitution requires an automatic pause as they appeal the judge’s ruling upholding the verdict.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, meanwhile, said it will respond in court papers. The emergency motion was submitted to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who hears appeals from New York.

Trump's convictions arose from what prosecutors said was an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election.

Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. He denies it.

The Supreme Court's immunity opinion came in a separate election interference case against him, but Trump’s lawyers say it means some of the evidence used against him in his hush money trial should have been shielded by presidential immunity. That includes testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made while he was in office.

Merchan has disagreed, finding they would qualify as personal business. The Supreme Court's immunity decision was largely about official acts of presidents while in office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717105639201.png" alt="File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is asking the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A666/336760/20250107212856360_2025-01-07%20-%20Trump%20v.%20New%20York%20-%20Supreme%20Court%20Stay%20Application.pdf">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to call off Friday's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25476891-people-v-trump-judges-decision-upholding-verdict-and-scheduling-sentencing/">sentencing</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-criminal-case-excerpts-59e72847cd80e5f0c734b02fa0426e17">hush money case</a>&nbsp;in New York.Trump's lawyers turned to the nation's highest court on Wednesday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-554341d84b66d84bc04313e78fa04793">New York courts</a>&nbsp;refused to postpone the sentencing by Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump's trial and conviction last May on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>. Trump has denied wrongdoing.Prosecutors were expected to file a response by Thursday morning.Trump's team sought an immediate stay of the scheduled sentencing, saying it would wrongly restrict him as he prepares to take office. While Merchan has indicated he will not impose jail time, fines or probation, Trump's lawyers argued a felony conviction would still have intolerable side effects.The sentencing should be delayed as he appeals the conviction to “prevent grave injustice and harm to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government," they argued.The emergency motion is from lawyers John Sauer, Trump’s pick for solicitor general, who represents the government before the high court, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-defense-lawyers-blanche-31e05c8bc960d112adf3f1eacc7bd047">Todd Blanche</a>, in line to be the second-ranking official at the Justice Department.They also pointed to the Supreme Court ruling giving Trump and other presidents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecutions over their actions in office, saying it supports their argument that his New York conviction should be overturned.Their filing said the New York trial court “lacks authority to impose sentence and judgment on President Trump — or conduct any further criminal proceedings against him— until the resolution of his underlying appeal raising substantial claims of Presidential immunity, including by review in this Court if necessary.”The Republican president-elect's spokesman, Steven Cheung, said in a statement that the case was politically motivated and should be dismissed.Trump's lawyers also asked New York's highest court for an emergency stay to halt all proceedings Wednesday afternoon, urging quick action to avoid the threat of disrupting the presidential transition.In a filing that largely echoed their Supreme Court arguments, the attorneys charged that Merchan and the state’s mid-level appellate court both “erroneously failed” to stop the sentencing, arguing that the constitution requires an automatic pause as they appeal the judge’s ruling upholding the verdict.The Manhattan district attorney’s office, meanwhile, said it will respond in court papers. The emergency motion was submitted to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who hears appeals from New York.Trump's convictions arose from what prosecutors said was an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election.Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. He denies it.The Supreme Court's immunity opinion came in a separate election interference case against him, but Trump’s lawyers say it means some of the evidence used against him in his hush money trial should have been shielded by presidential immunity. That includes testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made while he was in office.Merchan has disagreed, finding they would qualify as personal business. The Supreme Court's immunity decision was largely about official acts of presidents while in office.

Supreme Court could block sentencing in Trump hush money case 

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

"But did you die" is a famous line from&nbsp;Hangover II, a sequel to the 2009 surprise box office hit. But one Ellinwood family may not be laughing at either of the&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;movies for a while. The Maxwells spent hours stuck in the ice and snow on and around I-70, passing the time by watching the first&nbsp;Hangover&nbsp;over and over. Twenty-six hours after leaving Gardner just southwest of Overland Park, the family arrived safely at home Monday morning.

Greg and Becca Maxwell were coaching their daughter, Mette, and the rest of the Velocity Volleyball Club team in Gardner at the Heart of America regional qualifier. They knew the winter weather was coming but at 8:30 a.m., attempted to beat the weather and avoid getting stuck at the hotel. Everything was slow going before coming to a complete stop between Manhattan and Junction City at 11:45.

"Hundreds of cars and trucks were stranded," Becca said. "Just parked on interstate. It wasn’t just us. It was back to back cars and trucks and so many semis stranded. The truck in front of us was from a furniture company that guaranteed delivery no matter the weather, and his customers in Colorado wanted the furniture. The young gentleman behind us was headed to his military base, and we were a family just trying to get home after a volleyball tournament to get home for work on Monday. We were just lucky we were on the road and not stuck in the ditch in the snow."

Biological functions do not cease just because cars are backed up on interstate. By 1 p.m., that's becoming an issue for several members in the Maxwell vehicle.

"It’s freezing cold," said Becca. "I braved the elements to try going outside, but apparently, my insides were frozen, too—no luck. I went back to the truck, but now we realize we can’t keep the truck running. We had to conserve gas so we would run the truck for 10 minutes every hour to stay warm."

Now six hours into the trip and still not moving, Becca tried staying busy by editing photos but there was no cell service in the area. Greg, who grew up in Leadville, Colo., the highest-elevated city in the United States at 10,000 feet and an area that is no stranger to large snowfalls, could not listen to his beloved Denver Broncos. The girls were left without their social media accounts.

"For Greg to make the decision to drive in the snow and ice was like a Tuesday in Leadville," said Becca. "This was a normal, everyday occurrence in the Colorado area. Greg mentioned that Colorado definitely has the ability and the snowplows because this happens every weekend in Colorado. There's always a big storm. In Kansas, they were saying this was the 'storm of the decade.' I don't think we were prepared for a storm of this magnitude."

Bathroom problems persisted. By 3 p.m., Becca was considering crafting an adult diaper out of a roll of paper towels. Instead, she tried the going outside again only be be blasted by 30-mile-per-hour winds.

"Thankfully, we were behind a gigantic semi truck so it felt like you had your own private spot," Becca said. "I think everyone was getting out of their cars. You couldn't see much because of the blinding snow and wind and I don't think anyone stood out there a very long time. We just kind of minded our own business."

The Maxwells, traveling to and from a volleyball tournament, had accidentally packed a safety kit. The family devoured everything in the volleyball snack bag. With internet options limited, Mette remembered she had downloaded&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;and the family watched it for the first time.

"We were lucky to have a bag full with six bottles of water," said Becca. "We started to ration that and the gas, but when you have a volleyball bag full of beef jerky, oranges, bananas, crackers, and cheese, we were probably good to go for at least three days but we would have had to watch&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;more than just three times had we been there longer."

Seven hours after coming to a stop, the Maxwells were still stuck amongst hundreds of vehicles by 6 p.m. With nothing else to do, the family hit repeat on The Hangover. The irony of watching a movie that involved a travel mishap was not lost on them.

By 7 p.m., more than 11 hours after leaving Gardner, the Maxwells resigned to the fact that they would be sleeping in the truck. They made bunk beds out of blankets, suitcases, and jackets.

Sleep was tough in the crowded automobile and an unexpected knock on the window by a police officer was a welcome surprise at 8:40 p.m. The officer said the Maxwells could follow him out of the traffic if they felt comfortable driving their 4-wheel-drive truck on the ice.

That slow-moving journey lasted approximately an hour before coming to a halt near Chapman due to a jackknifed semi truck blocking both lanes. Fifteen minutes later, the journey resumed. The Maxwells took the first clear exit and made their way to a gas station where they were able to purchase hot food before getting back on the road. Greg was trying to stay behind a semi driver he trusted.

"Another semi driver had just passed us," Becca said. "Greg didn't think that looked good and that truck ended up taking out a small vehicle. We saw him hit their vehicle, take off the bumper off the back of the car and their mirror. He just kept going because he couldn't stop. The smaller cars, if you weren't in far enough, the semi trucks were still trying to go because there was no stopping."

By 10:30, the Maxwells were stuck again. Interstate plowing had stopped and another plow was stuck in a nearby ditch. Mya approached two vehicles on an exit to ask if they could move over to allow room for the Maxwell vehicle to reach a nearby Love's gas station with the intent of staying the night there.

"Morale was not good," Becca said. People were cranky. The was very little camaraderie as the night got longer. We had made calls for hotels in Junction City and Abilene but you couldn’t get to them. Roads were impassable in town and the hotel employees and gas station workers I talked to had to walk into work. One employee said her car was snowed in at the gas station so she was just staying there for two days and most likely won’t get home for another day."

It took an hour to get to the Love's near Abilene. The family hand-shoveled space near the gas station where they were able to park and sleep.

"Maybe knowing you are steps from a bathroom and coffee helps," said Becca. "And, honestly, it was much warmer off interstate with a little block from the straight winds and blowing snow."

Just after midnight, the clan journeyed inside the gas station for one last restroom break. Once back in the vehicle, they decided on one more play of The Hangover. With gas options now available, they were also able to run the truck for heat.

With little to no sleep, by 6:15 a.m., 22 hours after leaving the original hotel, the Maxwells could see the nearby offramp is cleared, meaning traffic was likely again allowed on I-70. More than four hours later, the family finally arrived in Ellinwood, 26 hours after the trip began.

Becca said the trip was a learning experience that made her family extra grateful for the road workers and law enforcement who tried to keep roads open and assisted those who needed it.

"The semi trucks rule the road," she said. "There are so many of them it is really difficult to shut down interstate. There were clearly not enough stops and cleared space for all of them to just stop driving and get off the road. That was not possible. They had to park on interstate. I don’t know where else they could have gone."

Still, the decision was not an easy when she the Maxwells made the decision to drive home. The volleyball tournament was a large one with teams spending a lot of money to attend. Rules dictate how and when teams can drop out of tournaments and what happens to those teams if they break the rules.

"Tournaments are difficult to reschedule and I understand the need to not cancel because it’s very difficult to make things up with how busy families are," Becca said. "It was a significant cost for us to play in that tournament, so there is a financial burden as well."

The storm ended up dropping nearly six inches of snow around Gardner, but was part of a larger storm that dumped up to 18 inches of snow in the region. The official measurement at Kansas City International Airport was 11 inches, marking the fourth-largest single-day snowfall total in Kansas City history.

Becca said the biggest lesson learned was for drivers to take heed of precautions and stay off the road when officials advise.

Several serious accidents were reported across northeast and north central Kansas Saturday through Monday. On Monday afternoon, a man was killed at the gas station near the I-70 and K-156 junction north of Ellsworth. The man was attempted to help a semi truck navigate a snow-covered parking lot when he was ran over by the truck.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736260509071.jpeg" alt="Maxwell family courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Maxwell family courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post"But did you die" is a famous line from&nbsp;Hangover II, a sequel to the 2009 surprise box office hit. But one Ellinwood family may not be laughing at either of the&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;movies for a while. The Maxwells spent hours stuck in the ice and snow on and around I-70, passing the time by watching the first&nbsp;Hangover&nbsp;over and over. Twenty-six hours after leaving Gardner just southwest of Overland Park, the family arrived safely at home Monday morning.Greg and Becca Maxwell were coaching their daughter, Mette, and the rest of the Velocity Volleyball Club team in Gardner at the Heart of America regional qualifier. They knew the winter weather was coming but at 8:30 a.m., attempted to beat the weather and avoid getting stuck at the hotel. Everything was slow going before coming to a complete stop between Manhattan and Junction City at 11:45."Hundreds of cars and trucks were stranded," Becca said. "Just parked on interstate. It wasn’t just us. It was back to back cars and trucks and so many semis stranded. The truck in front of us was from a furniture company that guaranteed delivery no matter the weather, and his customers in Colorado wanted the furniture. The young gentleman behind us was headed to his military base, and we were a family just trying to get home after a volleyball tournament to get home for work on Monday. We were just lucky we were on the road and not stuck in the ditch in the snow."Biological functions do not cease just because cars are backed up on interstate. By 1 p.m., that's becoming an issue for several members in the Maxwell vehicle."It’s freezing cold," said Becca. "I braved the elements to try going outside, but apparently, my insides were frozen, too—no luck. I went back to the truck, but now we realize we can’t keep the truck running. We had to conserve gas so we would run the truck for 10 minutes every hour to stay warm."Now six hours into the trip and still not moving, Becca tried staying busy by editing photos but there was no cell service in the area. Greg, who grew up in Leadville, Colo., the highest-elevated city in the United States at 10,000 feet and an area that is no stranger to large snowfalls, could not listen to his beloved Denver Broncos. The girls were left without their social media accounts."For Greg to make the decision to drive in the snow and ice was like a Tuesday in Leadville," said Becca. "This was a normal, everyday occurrence in the Colorado area. Greg mentioned that Colorado definitely has the ability and the snowplows because this happens every weekend in Colorado. There's always a big storm. In Kansas, they were saying this was the 'storm of the decade.' I don't think we were prepared for a storm of this magnitude."Bathroom problems persisted. By 3 p.m., Becca was considering crafting an adult diaper out of a roll of paper towels. Instead, she tried the going outside again only be be blasted by 30-mile-per-hour winds."Thankfully, we were behind a gigantic semi truck so it felt like you had your own private spot," Becca said. "I think everyone was getting out of their cars. You couldn't see much because of the blinding snow and wind and I don't think anyone stood out there a very long time. We just kind of minded our own business."The Maxwells, traveling to and from a volleyball tournament, had accidentally packed a safety kit. The family devoured everything in the volleyball snack bag. With internet options limited, Mette remembered she had downloaded&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;and the family watched it for the first time."We were lucky to have a bag full with six bottles of water," said Becca. "We started to ration that and the gas, but when you have a volleyball bag full of beef jerky, oranges, bananas, crackers, and cheese, we were probably good to go for at least three days but we would have had to watch&nbsp;The Hangover&nbsp;more than just three times had we been there longer."Seven hours after coming to a stop, the Maxwells were still stuck amongst hundreds of vehicles by 6 p.m. With nothing else to do, the family hit repeat on The Hangover. The irony of watching a movie that involved a travel mishap was not lost on them.By 7 p.m., more than 11 hours after leaving Gardner, the Maxwells resigned to the fact that they would be sleeping in the truck. They made bunk beds out of blankets, suitcases, and jackets.Sleep was tough in the crowded automobile and an unexpected knock on the window by a police officer was a welcome surprise at 8:40 p.m. The officer said the Maxwells could follow him out of the traffic if they felt comfortable driving their 4-wheel-drive truck on the ice.That slow-moving journey lasted approximately an hour before coming to a halt near Chapman due to a jackknifed semi truck blocking both lanes. Fifteen minutes later, the journey resumed. The Maxwells took the first clear exit and made their way to a gas station where they were able to purchase hot food before getting back on the road. Greg was trying to stay behind a semi driver he trusted."Another semi driver had just passed us," Becca said. "Greg didn't think that looked good and that truck ended up taking out a small vehicle. We saw him hit their vehicle, take off the bumper off the back of the car and their mirror. He just kept going because he couldn't stop. The smaller cars, if you weren't in far enough, the semi trucks were still trying to go because there was no stopping."By 10:30, the Maxwells were stuck again. Interstate plowing had stopped and another plow was stuck in a nearby ditch. Mya approached two vehicles on an exit to ask if they could move over to allow room for the Maxwell vehicle to reach a nearby Love's gas station with the intent of staying the night there."Morale was not good," Becca said. People were cranky. The was very little camaraderie as the night got longer. We had made calls for hotels in Junction City and Abilene but you couldn’t get to them. Roads were impassable in town and the hotel employees and gas station workers I talked to had to walk into work. One employee said her car was snowed in at the gas station so she was just staying there for two days and most likely won’t get home for another day."It took an hour to get to the Love's near Abilene. The family hand-shoveled space near the gas station where they were able to park and sleep."Maybe knowing you are steps from a bathroom and coffee helps," said Becca. "And, honestly, it was much warmer off interstate with a little block from the straight winds and blowing snow."Just after midnight, the clan journeyed inside the gas station for one last restroom break. Once back in the vehicle, they decided on one more play of The Hangover. With gas options now available, they were also able to run the truck for heat.With little to no sleep, by 6:15 a.m., 22 hours after leaving the original hotel, the Maxwells could see the nearby offramp is cleared, meaning traffic was likely again allowed on I-70. More than four hours later, the family finally arrived in Ellinwood, 26 hours after the trip began.Becca said the trip was a learning experience that made her family extra grateful for the road workers and law enforcement who tried to keep roads open and assisted those who needed it."The semi trucks rule the road," she said. "There are so many of them it is really difficult to shut down interstate. There were clearly not enough stops and cleared space for all of them to just stop driving and get off the road. That was not possible. They had to park on interstate. I don’t know where else they could have gone."Still, the decision was not an easy when she the Maxwells made the decision to drive home. The volleyball tournament was a large one with teams spending a lot of money to attend. Rules dictate how and when teams can drop out of tournaments and what happens to those teams if they break the rules."Tournaments are difficult to reschedule and I understand the need to not cancel because it’s very difficult to make things up with how busy families are," Becca said. "It was a significant cost for us to play in that tournament, so there is a financial burden as well."The storm ended up dropping nearly six inches of snow around Gardner, but was part of a larger storm that dumped up to 18 inches of snow in the region. The official measurement at Kansas City International Airport was 11 inches, marking the fourth-largest single-day snowfall total in Kansas City history.Becca said the biggest lesson learned was for drivers to take heed of precautions and stay off the road when officials advise.Several serious accidents were reported across northeast and north central Kansas Saturday through Monday. On Monday afternoon, a man was killed at the gas station near the I-70 and K-156 junction north of Ellsworth. The man was attempted to help a semi truck navigate a snow-covered parking lot when he was ran over by the truck.

Kan. family safe after stuck on I-70 for 24 hours during snow storm

Death toll from wildfire in Los Angeles continues to climb

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Wednesday that troops have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza and were examining whether another body recovered was also that of a captive.

Earlier, Israel's defense minister said that troops recovered the bodies of two hostages.

The military said the body of Yosef Al Zaydani was brought to Israel on Tuesday after being discovered in an underground tunnel near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It said troops uncovered information about Al Zaydani's son Hamzah that “raised serious concerns for his life." Military spokesman Col. Nadav Shoshani said the military was looking into the identity of a second set of remains recovered.

Al Zaydani and his son were taken captive during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, among 250 hostages snatched by the militant group during its cross-border raid.

Israel believes a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead.

The body's recovery comes as Israel and Hamas are considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-prisoners-409a3c76c83e75abb7ff2b1d8a5abd38">a ceasefire deal</a>&nbsp;that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.

However, Yosef and Hamzah Al Zaydani were believed to still be alive and their return could ramp up the pressure on Israel to move ahead on a deal.

Yosef Al Zaydani's name was on a list of 34 hostages shared by a Hamas official with The Associated Press that the group said were slated for release.

Many families of hostages say the continuation of the war in Gaza puts the lives of the remaining hostages at risk. They have demanded throughout the conflict that Israel reaches a deal with Hamas to free their loved ones.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736354399937.png" alt="Zaydani-photo Hostages and Missing Family Forum" />
 <figcaption>Zaydani-photo Hostages and Missing Family Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Wednesday that troops have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza and were examining whether another body recovered was also that of a captive.Earlier, Israel's defense minister said that troops recovered the bodies of two hostages.The military said the body of Yosef Al Zaydani was brought to Israel on Tuesday after being discovered in an underground tunnel near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It said troops uncovered information about Al Zaydani's son Hamzah that “raised serious concerns for his life." Military spokesman Col. Nadav Shoshani said the military was looking into the identity of a second set of remains recovered.Al Zaydani and his son were taken captive during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, among 250 hostages snatched by the militant group during its cross-border raid.Israel believes a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead.The body's recovery comes as Israel and Hamas are considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-prisoners-409a3c76c83e75abb7ff2b1d8a5abd38">a ceasefire deal</a>&nbsp;that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.However, Yosef and Hamzah Al Zaydani were believed to still be alive and their return could ramp up the pressure on Israel to move ahead on a deal.Yosef Al Zaydani's name was on a list of 34 hostages shared by a Hamas official with The Associated Press that the group said were slated for release.Many families of hostages say the continuation of the war in Gaza puts the lives of the remaining hostages at risk. They have demanded throughout the conflict that Israel reaches a deal with Hamas to free their loved ones.------------

Israeli military recovers body of another hostage

WASHINGTON (AP) —President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would move to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” a name he said has a “beautiful ring to it.”

It's his latest suggestion to redraw the map of the Western Hemisphere. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-trump-tariffs-trudeau-trade-opposition-border-5d3dbbb4a701bb1676ee588bfbf2396a">repeatedly referred to Canada</a>&nbsp;as the “51st State,” demanded that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">Denmark consider ceding Greenland</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-panama-canal-turning-point-unity-97cba0d41f043dd9f156dc8355ee3f44">called for Panama to return</a>&nbsp;the Panama Canal.

Here's a look at his comment and what goes into a name.

Why is Trump talking about renaming the Gulf of Mexico?

Since his first run for the White House in 2016, Trump has repeatedly clashed with Mexico over a number of issues, including border security and the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. He vowed then to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. The U.S. ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-political-news-bc664278ac096e6ff878116034ec06bb">constructed or refurbished about 450 miles of wall</a>&nbsp;during his first term.

The Gulf of Mexico is often referred to as the United States' “Third Coast” due to its coastline across five southeastern states. Mexicans use a Spanish version of the same name for the gulf: “El Golfo de México.”

Americans and Mexicans diverge on what to call another key body of water, the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo.

Can Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?

Maybe, but it's not a unilateral decision, and other countries don't have to go along.

The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the United States and Mexico are members — works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation.

It can be easier when a landmark or body of water is within a country's boundaries. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order from the Department of Interior to rename Mount McKinley — the highest peak in North America — to Denali, a move that Trump has also said he wants to reverse.

Just after Trump's comments on Tuesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said during an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson that she would direct her staff to draft legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, a move she said would take care of funding for new maps and administrative policy materials throughout the federal government.

The body of water has been depicted with that name for more than four centuries, an original determination believed to have been taken from a Native American city of “Mexico.”

Has renaming the Gulf of Mexico come up before?

Yes. In 2012, a member of the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill to rename portions of the gulf that touch that state's beaches “Gulf of America,” a move the bill author later referred to as a “joke.” That bill, which was referred to a committee, did not pass.

Two years earlier, comedian Stephen Colbert had joked on his show that, following the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it should be renamed “Gulf of America” because, "We broke it, we bought it.”

Are there other international disputes over the names of places?

There's a long-running dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan among Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, with South Korea arguing that the current name wasn't commonly used until Korea was under Japanese rule. At an International Hydrographic Organization meeting in 2020, member states agreed on a plan to replace names with numerical identifiers and develop a new digital standard for modern geographic information systems.

The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of “Gulf” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps.

There have been other conversations about bodies of water, including from Trump’s 2016 opponent. According to materials revealed by WikiLeaks in a hack of her campaign chairman’s personal account, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2013 told an audience that, by China’s logic that it claimed nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, then the U.S. after World War II could have labeled the Pacific Ocean the “American Sea.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would move to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” a name he said has a “beautiful ring to it.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President-elect Trump: &quot;We&#39;re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America...what a beautiful name. It&#39;s appropriate.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ZspLXgkgcZ">pic.twitter.com/ZspLXgkgcZ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876674752741314677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's his latest suggestion to redraw the map of the Western Hemisphere. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-trump-tariffs-trudeau-trade-opposition-border-5d3dbbb4a701bb1676ee588bfbf2396a">repeatedly referred to Canada</a>&nbsp;as the “51st State,” demanded that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-offshore-drilling-gulf-of-america-fa66f8d072eb39c00a8128a8941ede75">Denmark consider ceding Greenland</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-panama-canal-turning-point-unity-97cba0d41f043dd9f156dc8355ee3f44">called for Panama to return</a>&nbsp;the Panama Canal.Here's a look at his comment and what goes into a name.<h2>Why is Trump talking about renaming the Gulf of Mexico?</h2>Since his first run for the White House in 2016, Trump has repeatedly clashed with Mexico over a number of issues, including border security and the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. He vowed then to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. The U.S. ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-political-news-bc664278ac096e6ff878116034ec06bb">constructed or refurbished about 450 miles of wall</a>&nbsp;during his first term.The Gulf of Mexico is often referred to as the United States' “Third Coast” due to its coastline across five southeastern states. Mexicans use a Spanish version of the same name for the gulf: “El Golfo de México.”Americans and Mexicans diverge on what to call another key body of water, the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo.<h2>Can Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?</h2>Maybe, but it's not a unilateral decision, and other countries don't have to go along.The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the United States and Mexico are members — works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation.It can be easier when a landmark or body of water is within a country's boundaries. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order from the Department of Interior to rename Mount McKinley — the highest peak in North America — to Denali, a move that Trump has also said he wants to reverse.Just after Trump's comments on Tuesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said during an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson that she would direct her staff to draft legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, a move she said would take care of funding for new maps and administrative policy materials throughout the federal government.<h2>How did the Gulf of Mexico get its name?</h2>The body of water has been depicted with that name for more than four centuries, an original determination believed to have been taken from a Native American city of “Mexico.”<h2>Has renaming the Gulf of Mexico come up before?</h2>Yes. In 2012, a member of the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill to rename portions of the gulf that touch that state's beaches “Gulf of America,” a move the bill author later referred to as a “joke.” That bill, which was referred to a committee, did not pass.Two years earlier, comedian Stephen Colbert had joked on his show that, following the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it should be renamed “Gulf of America” because, "We broke it, we bought it.”<h2>Are there other international disputes over the names of places?</h2>There's a long-running dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan among Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, with South Korea arguing that the current name wasn't commonly used until Korea was under Japanese rule. At an International Hydrographic Organization meeting in 2020, member states agreed on a plan to replace names with numerical identifiers and develop a new digital standard for modern geographic information systems.The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of “Gulf” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps.There have been other conversations about bodies of water, including from Trump’s 2016 opponent. According to materials revealed by WikiLeaks in a hack of her campaign chairman’s personal account, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2013 told an audience that, by China’s logic that it claimed nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, then the U.S. after World War II could have labeled the Pacific Ocean the “American Sea.”___

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official launched a campaign for governor Wednesday after building his public profile by pushing back against unfounded election conspiracy theories and breaking with fellow Republicans on voting rights issues.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab is the first candidate to confirm plans to seek the GOP nomination in 2026 to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. He announced his campaign in an online video, giving the August 2026 primary race an early start.

Schwab has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-lies-trump-republicans-2024-legitimacy-f9b015fb3ead18f5c7b1432415680361">repeatedly vouched</a>&nbsp;for the integrity of Kansas elections on his two-term watch, despite President-elect Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-lies-explainer-816a43ed964e6d35f03b0930e6e56c82">false assertions</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, Such assertions circulated widely within the GOP.

Schwab also has defended the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-6b1315110a7cc5c09055793581ee4ac2">ballot drop boxes</a>&nbsp;and countered other Republicans' suggestions that voting by noncitizens —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">which is rare</a>&nbsp;— is a serious problem in U.S. elections.

Republicans are keen to recapture the governor’s office in GOP-leaning Kansas after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">Kelly narrowly won</a>&nbsp;a second four-year term in 2022 despite Democratic President Joe Biden’s unpopularity with voters. With Kelly in office, Republicans have been unable to enact some policies seen in other red states, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-affirming-care-minors-ban-kansas-veto-b63daeec39cf26e0741569b03aa9ebe9">a ban on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for transgender minors and a program let parents use state education dollars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-choice-funding-kansas-a4e59ff5713915e28d86362144fd72d1">to pay for private schooling</a>. Many Republicans expect a crowded primary.

Schwab compiled an orthodox conservative record on issues such as tax cuts, abortion and even election issues in 14 years in the Kansas House before he was first elected secretary of state in 2018. In his announcement video, he advocated a cut in local property taxes and endorsed proposed rules on foreign land restriction, particularly China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foreign-land-ownership-kansas-china-iraq-a1dc29f81acdf6fe46e64427c6764fbe">something Kelly vetoed this year.</a>

“I believe that to do something great, you have to throw off the chains that hold you back,” he said in his video statement. “For Kansas, those chains come from big government.”

Yet Schwab has become notable for his willingness to dispute fellow Republicans’ assertions on election issues. He won a second term in 2022 after beating back a primary challenge from an election conspiracy promoter, Mike Brown, who later became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-ba265d04c9ac03870352ce4399b99755">Kansas Republican Party chair</a>.

Schwab has repeatedly expressed frustration over unfounded arguments that fraud is widespread, noting in December that GOP complaints dropped after Trump’s victory in 2024. He attributed conspiracy theories to “a small group of people” and told reporters, “When their person wins, then they don’t complain.”

“Are there going to be people who say the world is still flat? Are there going people say we’ve never been to the moon?” Schwab said after he and other officials certified the November results. “I do my job, and I let the work of our election workers speak for itself.”

His embrace of ballot drop boxes has also put him at odds with some Trump supporters — including state Attorney General Kris Kobach — who suggest that they make fraud easier, despite a lack of evidence of problems.

As a legislator, Schwab backed a law that took effect in 2013 to require new Kansas voters to provide proof of citizenship to register, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-noncitizen-voting-proof-of-citizenship-50d56a0b8d1f0fde15480aab3db67f4f">he reconsidered</a>&nbsp;after it kept more than 31,000 eligible citizens from voting and the federal courts struck it down. He has also rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">unfounded arguments</a>&nbsp;that voting by immigrants in the U.S. illegally is potentially a serious problem.

“If I’m an illegal immigrant — I’m here illegally — the last thing I’m going to do is go to government to let them know I’m here,” he said in December. “And that’s exactly what voter registration is.”

Schwab, 52, launched his bid for governor 8 1/2 years after a searing and highly public family tragedy: In 2016, one of his four sons, 10-year-old Caleb,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-eed5bd3e86f241b59797a70d3ce91ba9">died while riding</a>&nbsp;what was billed as the world's tallest water slide at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/former-schlitterbahn-waterpark-site-to-house-youth-sports-resort">now-demolished water park</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas.

The park closed after its 2018 season, and Schwab's family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-domestic-news-domestic-news-f8a82fd4164945e686546d6cf296f2cf">settled legal claims</a>&nbsp;against its operators and other parties for nearly $20 million, according to court documents.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official launched a campaign for governor Wednesday after building his public profile by pushing back against unfounded election conspiracy theories and breaking with fellow Republicans on voting rights issues.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas has a decision to make: Which path will we take? We need to cut property taxes, ban China from buying land near our military bases, restore conservative values in Topeka, and so much more. That’s why I’m running for Governor.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/vpKIKeveV1">pic.twitter.com/vpKIKeveV1</a>&mdash; Scott Schwab (@ScottSchwabKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottSchwabKS/status/1876974001836134483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Secretary of State Scott Schwab is the first candidate to confirm plans to seek the GOP nomination in 2026 to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. He announced his campaign in an online video, giving the August 2026 primary race an early start.Schwab has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-lies-trump-republicans-2024-legitimacy-f9b015fb3ead18f5c7b1432415680361">repeatedly vouched</a>&nbsp;for the integrity of Kansas elections on his two-term watch, despite President-elect Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-lies-explainer-816a43ed964e6d35f03b0930e6e56c82">false assertions</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, Such assertions circulated widely within the GOP.Schwab also has defended the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-6b1315110a7cc5c09055793581ee4ac2">ballot drop boxes</a>&nbsp;and countered other Republicans' suggestions that voting by noncitizens —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">which is rare</a>&nbsp;— is a serious problem in U.S. elections.Republicans are keen to recapture the governor’s office in GOP-leaning Kansas after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">Kelly narrowly won</a>&nbsp;a second four-year term in 2022 despite Democratic President Joe Biden’s unpopularity with voters. With Kelly in office, Republicans have been unable to enact some policies seen in other red states, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-affirming-care-minors-ban-kansas-veto-b63daeec39cf26e0741569b03aa9ebe9">a ban on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for transgender minors and a program let parents use state education dollars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-choice-funding-kansas-a4e59ff5713915e28d86362144fd72d1">to pay for private schooling</a>. Many Republicans expect a crowded primary.Schwab compiled an orthodox conservative record on issues such as tax cuts, abortion and even election issues in 14 years in the Kansas House before he was first elected secretary of state in 2018. In his announcement video, he advocated a cut in local property taxes and endorsed proposed rules on foreign land restriction, particularly China,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foreign-land-ownership-kansas-china-iraq-a1dc29f81acdf6fe46e64427c6764fbe">something Kelly vetoed this year.</a>“I believe that to do something great, you have to throw off the chains that hold you back,” he said in his video statement. “For Kansas, those chains come from big government.”Yet Schwab has become notable for his willingness to dispute fellow Republicans’ assertions on election issues. He won a second term in 2022 after beating back a primary challenge from an election conspiracy promoter, Mike Brown, who later became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-state-government-ba265d04c9ac03870352ce4399b99755">Kansas Republican Party chair</a>.Schwab has repeatedly expressed frustration over unfounded arguments that fraud is widespread, noting in December that GOP complaints dropped after Trump’s victory in 2024. He attributed conspiracy theories to “a small group of people” and told reporters, “When their person wins, then they don’t complain.”“Are there going to be people who say the world is still flat? Are there going people say we’ve never been to the moon?” Schwab said after he and other officials certified the November results. “I do my job, and I let the work of our election workers speak for itself.”His embrace of ballot drop boxes has also put him at odds with some Trump supporters — including state Attorney General Kris Kobach — who suggest that they make fraud easier, despite a lack of evidence of problems.As a legislator, Schwab backed a law that took effect in 2013 to require new Kansas voters to provide proof of citizenship to register, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-noncitizen-voting-proof-of-citizenship-50d56a0b8d1f0fde15480aab3db67f4f">he reconsidered</a>&nbsp;after it kept more than 31,000 eligible citizens from voting and the federal courts struck it down. He has also rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">unfounded arguments</a>&nbsp;that voting by immigrants in the U.S. illegally is potentially a serious problem.“If I’m an illegal immigrant — I’m here illegally — the last thing I’m going to do is go to government to let them know I’m here,” he said in December. “And that’s exactly what voter registration is.”Schwab, 52, launched his bid for governor 8 1/2 years after a searing and highly public family tragedy: In 2016, one of his four sons, 10-year-old Caleb,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-eed5bd3e86f241b59797a70d3ce91ba9">died while riding</a>&nbsp;what was billed as the world's tallest water slide at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/former-schlitterbahn-waterpark-site-to-house-youth-sports-resort">now-demolished water park</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas.The park closed after its 2018 season, and Schwab's family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-domestic-news-domestic-news-f8a82fd4164945e686546d6cf296f2cf">settled legal claims</a>&nbsp;against its operators and other parties for nearly $20 million, according to court documents.

Kansas Secretary of State announces he is a candidate for governor

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's the&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">largest prosecution</a>&nbsp;in Justice Department history — with reams of evidence, harrowing videos and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">hundreds of convictions</a>&nbsp;of the rioters who stormed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021</a>. Now Donald Trump's return to power has thrown into question the future of the more than 1,500 federal cases brought over the last four years.

Jan. 6 trials, guilty pleas and sentencings have continued chugging along in Washington's federal court despite Trump's promise to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardons-congress-capitol-riot-crimes-4443c672fc3b1492640684652647cde6">pardon rioters</a>, whom he has called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-rioters-defiant-judges-trump-4c42aabc97c5aa7ffa25430d7f3be3f2">“political prisoners"</a>&nbsp;and “hostages” he contends were treated too harshly.

In a statement Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Justice Department prosecutors “have sought to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy with unrelenting integrity.”

“They have conducted themselves in a manner that adheres to the rule of law and honors our obligation to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone in this country,” Garland said.

Here's a look at where the prosecutions stand on the fourth anniversary of the Capitol riot and what could happen next:

Hundreds of arrests, guilty pleas and prison sentences

More than 1,500 people across the U.S. have been charged with federal crimes related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-crime-riots-donald-trump-capitol-siege-f7f8dead93998991cfc728e83ea31602">the deadly riot</a>. Hundreds of people who did not engage in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor offenses for entering the Capitol illegally. Others were charged with felony offenses, including assault for beating police officers. Leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys extremist groups were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-founder-guilty-of-seditious-conspiracy-42affe1614425c6820f7cbe8fd18ba96">convicted of seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;for what prosecutors described as plots to use violence to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump, a Republican, to Joe Biden, a Democrat.

About 250 people have been convicted of crimes by a judge or a jury after a trial. Only two people were acquitted of all charges by judges after bench trials. No jury has fully acquitted a Capitol riot defendant. At least 1,020 others had pleaded guilty as of Jan. 1.

More than 1,000 rioters have already been sentenced, with over 700 receiving at least some time behind bars. The rest were given some combination of probation, community service, home detention or fines.

The longest sentence, 22 years, went to former&nbsp;<a>Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio</a>, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy along with three lieutenants. A California man with a history of political violence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-dempsey-capitol-riot-prison-sentence-d724e95dd3a39951deae482fa3ec4ff5">got 20 years in prison</a>&nbsp;for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the riot. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes</a>&nbsp;is serving an 18-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy and other offenses.

Dozens of cases are still winding through the court

More than 100 Jan. 6 defendants are scheduled to stand trial in 2025, while at least 168 riot defendants are set to be sentenced this year.

The FBI has continued to arrest people on Capitol riot charges since Trump’s electoral victory in November. The Justice Department says prosecutors are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1382981/dl?inline">evaluating nearly 200 riot cases</a>&nbsp;investigated by the FBI, including more than 60 cases in which the suspects are accused of assaulting or interfering with police officers who were guarding the Capitol.

Citing Trump's promise of pardons, several defendants have sought to have their cases delayed — with little success.

In denying one such request, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who was nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, wrote: "This Court recently had the occasion to discuss what effect the speculative possibility of a presidential pardon has on the timetable for a pending criminal matter. In short: little to none."

One defendant who convinced a judge to postpone his trial, William Pope, told the court that the “American people gave President Trump a mandate to carry out the agenda he campaigned on, which includes ending the January 6 prosecutions and pardoning those who exercised First Amendment rights at the Capitol.” Pope has now asked the judge to allow him to travel to Washington to attend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-xi-trump-inauguration-d654da01f90bf3bec071bb9890ffbd29">Trump's inauguration</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 20.

Scope of Trump's potential pardons remains unclear

Trump embraced the Jan. 6 rioters on the campaign trail, downplaying the violence that was broadcast on live TV and has been documented extensively through video, testimony and other evidence in the federal cases.

Trump has vowed to begin issuing pardons of Jan. 6 rioters on his first day in office. He has said he will look at individuals on a case-by-case basis, but he has not explained how he will decide who receives such relief.

He has said there may be “some exceptions" — if “somebody was radical, crazy." But he has not ruled out pardons for people convicted of serious crimes, like assaulting police officers. When confronted in a recent NBC News interview about the dozens of people who have pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement, Trump responded: “Because they had no choice."

In a letter dated Monday to Trump, a lawyer for Tarrio urged the president-elect to pardon the former Proud Boys leader, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy.

Judges decry efforts to rewrite the history of Jan. 6

Many judges in Washington's federal court have condemned the depiction of the rioters as “political prisoners," and some have raised alarm about the potential pardons.

"No matter what ultimately becomes of the Capital Riots cases already concluded and still pending, the true story of what happened on January 6, 2021 will never change," Judge Lamberth recently said in a statement when handing down a sentence.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-pardons-judge-carl-nichols-17d0d2587ee5635218428c2eaafad821">it would be “beyond frustrating and disappointing”</a>&nbsp;if Trump hands out mass pardons to rioters.

In another case, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-stewart-rhodes-judge-amit-mehta-d2a498d980bc9fa3186e1072a94c0dad">alluded to the prospect of a pardon for Rhodes</a>, the Oath Keepers founder convicted of seditious conspiracy.

“The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved of his actions is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country,” said Mehta, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654808700580.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It's the&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">largest prosecution</a>&nbsp;in Justice Department history — with reams of evidence, harrowing videos and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">hundreds of convictions</a>&nbsp;of the rioters who stormed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021</a>. Now Donald Trump's return to power has thrown into question the future of the more than 1,500 federal cases brought over the last four years.Jan. 6 trials, guilty pleas and sentencings have continued chugging along in Washington's federal court despite Trump's promise to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardons-congress-capitol-riot-crimes-4443c672fc3b1492640684652647cde6">pardon rioters</a>, whom he has called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-rioters-defiant-judges-trump-4c42aabc97c5aa7ffa25430d7f3be3f2">“political prisoners"</a>&nbsp;and “hostages” he contends were treated too harshly.In a statement Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Justice Department prosecutors “have sought to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy with unrelenting integrity.”“They have conducted themselves in a manner that adheres to the rule of law and honors our obligation to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone in this country,” Garland said.Here's a look at where the prosecutions stand on the fourth anniversary of the Capitol riot and what could happen next:<h2>Hundreds of arrests, guilty pleas and prison sentences</h2>More than 1,500 people across the U.S. have been charged with federal crimes related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-crime-riots-donald-trump-capitol-siege-f7f8dead93998991cfc728e83ea31602">the deadly riot</a>. Hundreds of people who did not engage in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor offenses for entering the Capitol illegally. Others were charged with felony offenses, including assault for beating police officers. Leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys extremist groups were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-founder-guilty-of-seditious-conspiracy-42affe1614425c6820f7cbe8fd18ba96">convicted of seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;for what prosecutors described as plots to use violence to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump, a Republican, to Joe Biden, a Democrat.About 250 people have been convicted of crimes by a judge or a jury after a trial. Only two people were acquitted of all charges by judges after bench trials. No jury has fully acquitted a Capitol riot defendant. At least 1,020 others had pleaded guilty as of Jan. 1.More than 1,000 rioters have already been sentenced, with over 700 receiving at least some time behind bars. The rest were given some combination of probation, community service, home detention or fines.The longest sentence, 22 years, went to former&nbsp;<a>Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio</a>, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy along with three lieutenants. A California man with a history of political violence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-dempsey-capitol-riot-prison-sentence-d724e95dd3a39951deae482fa3ec4ff5">got 20 years in prison</a>&nbsp;for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the riot. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-b3ed4556a3dec577539c4181639f666c">Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes</a>&nbsp;is serving an 18-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy and other offenses.<h2>Dozens of cases are still winding through the court</h2>More than 100 Jan. 6 defendants are scheduled to stand trial in 2025, while at least 168 riot defendants are set to be sentenced this year.The FBI has continued to arrest people on Capitol riot charges since Trump’s electoral victory in November. The Justice Department says prosecutors are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1382981/dl?inline">evaluating nearly 200 riot cases</a>&nbsp;investigated by the FBI, including more than 60 cases in which the suspects are accused of assaulting or interfering with police officers who were guarding the Capitol.Citing Trump's promise of pardons, several defendants have sought to have their cases delayed — with little success.In denying one such request, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who was nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, wrote: "This Court recently had the occasion to discuss what effect the speculative possibility of a presidential pardon has on the timetable for a pending criminal matter. In short: little to none."One defendant who convinced a judge to postpone his trial, William Pope, told the court that the “American people gave President Trump a mandate to carry out the agenda he campaigned on, which includes ending the January 6 prosecutions and pardoning those who exercised First Amendment rights at the Capitol.” Pope has now asked the judge to allow him to travel to Washington to attend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-xi-trump-inauguration-d654da01f90bf3bec071bb9890ffbd29">Trump's inauguration</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 20.<h2>Scope of Trump's potential pardons remains unclear</h2>Trump embraced the Jan. 6 rioters on the campaign trail, downplaying the violence that was broadcast on live TV and has been documented extensively through video, testimony and other evidence in the federal cases.Trump has vowed to begin issuing pardons of Jan. 6 rioters on his first day in office. He has said he will look at individuals on a case-by-case basis, but he has not explained how he will decide who receives such relief.He has said there may be “some exceptions" — if “somebody was radical, crazy." But he has not ruled out pardons for people convicted of serious crimes, like assaulting police officers. When confronted in a recent NBC News interview about the dozens of people who have pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement, Trump responded: “Because they had no choice."In a letter dated Monday to Trump, a lawyer for Tarrio urged the president-elect to pardon the former Proud Boys leader, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy.<h2>Judges decry efforts to rewrite the history of Jan. 6</h2>Many judges in Washington's federal court have condemned the depiction of the rioters as “political prisoners," and some have raised alarm about the potential pardons."No matter what ultimately becomes of the Capital Riots cases already concluded and still pending, the true story of what happened on January 6, 2021 will never change," Judge Lamberth recently said in a statement when handing down a sentence.U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-pardons-judge-carl-nichols-17d0d2587ee5635218428c2eaafad821">it would be “beyond frustrating and disappointing”</a>&nbsp;if Trump hands out mass pardons to rioters.In another case, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-stewart-rhodes-judge-amit-mehta-d2a498d980bc9fa3186e1072a94c0dad">alluded to the prospect of a pardon for Rhodes</a>, the Oath Keepers founder convicted of seditious conspiracy.“The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved of his actions is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country,” said Mehta, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.___

Hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions in limbo as court awaits Trump's return

KANSAS CITY —Based on results of the medical exam, and preliminary report on the cause of death, the&nbsp;two children killed January 3 at a home in Kansas City are the victims of the homicide and&nbsp; their father, is the victim of the suicide and the suspect of the murders, according to KCPD&nbsp; Captain Jake Becchina.

The three dead have identified the victims as 39-year-old&nbsp;Zachary D. Hatcher; 7-year-old&nbsp;Charlotte Hatcher and 9-year-old&nbsp;Jeffery Hatcher, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 10p.m. January 3, police responded to the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace in Kansas City on a reported check the welfare call for service.

When officers arrived they began checking the exterior of the residence. They smelled smoke and could see smoke inside the home. Officers made entry into the home but had to quickly back out due to a fire inside. 

The Kansas City Fire Department simultaneously responded and were able to extinguish the fire. Upon reentering the home, police found a girl, a boy and a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel declared the girl and the man deceased at the scene. 

EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he died a short time later, according DiMartino.

&nbsp;&nbsp;This case is now being investigated as a Murder – Suicide

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735905558733.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Based on results of the medical exam, and preliminary report on the cause of death, the&nbsp;two children killed January 3 at a home in Kansas City are the victims of the homicide and&nbsp; their father, is the victim of the suicide and the suspect of the murders, according to KCPD&nbsp; Captain Jake Becchina.The three dead have identified the victims as 39-year-old&nbsp;Zachary D. Hatcher; 7-year-old&nbsp;Charlotte Hatcher and 9-year-old&nbsp;Jeffery Hatcher, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 10p.m. January 3, police responded to the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace in Kansas City on a reported check the welfare call for service.When officers arrived they began checking the exterior of the residence. They smelled smoke and could see smoke inside the home. Officers made entry into the home but had to quickly back out due to a fire inside. The Kansas City Fire Department simultaneously responded and were able to extinguish the fire. Upon reentering the home, police found a girl, a boy and a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel declared the girl and the man deceased at the scene. EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he died a short time later, according DiMartino.&nbsp;&nbsp;This case is now being investigated as a Murder – Suicide

Medical examiner: Father killed two children at KC home

First responders have almost been overwhelmed with the work needed on highways during the recent winter ice and snow storm. They are reminding motorists to slow down and watch for first responders.

On Tuesday evening, a Missouri State Highway Patrol officers patrol vehicle was struck while the Trooper was helping a stranded motorist on Interstate 270. Fortunately nobody was injured. 

"Please watch for emergency vehicles, tow trucks and department of transportation workers and move over when their emergency lights are activated."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736302023706.png" alt="Photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders have almost been overwhelmed with the work needed on highways during the recent winter ice and snow storm. They are reminding motorists to slow down and watch for first responders.On Tuesday evening, a Missouri State Highway Patrol officers patrol vehicle was struck while the Trooper was helping a stranded motorist on Interstate 270. Fortunately nobody was injured. "Please watch for emergency vehicles, tow trucks and department of transportation workers and move over when their emergency lights are activated."

State Trooper's vehicle struck while helping stranded driver

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Jimmy Carter will continue to lie in state Wednesday after his remains arrived in Washington a day earlier as part of state funeral rites.

The Georgia Democrat and 39th president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">died Dec. 29 at the age of 100</a>.

Carter served as president from 1977-81, winning office as an outsider in the wake of the Vietnam War and Watergate. He endured a rocky four years of economic unrest and international crises that ended with his defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. But he also lived long enough to see historians reassess his presidency more charitably than voters did in 1980.

He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-funeral-lie-state-9200a643ca205719d94895c9a5deb36f">remembered Tuesday at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;for his deep religious faith, long public service and decades of humanitarian work beyond what he accomplished in politics.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Mike Johnson were among those who offered bipartisan tributes to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda, where his flag-draped casket remains atop the Lincoln catafalque for members of the public to pay their respects.

Carter will remain at the Capitol until Thursday morning, when he is transported to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, a longtime Carter ally, will deliver a eulogy. Other living former presidents, including President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, are expected to attend.

After the funeral, the Boeing 747 that is Air Force One when a sitting president is aboard will carry Carter and his family back to Georgia. An invitation-only funeral will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church in tiny Plains, where Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-plains-georgia-maranatha-sunday-school-a1a692079be175cf2e882176fc343344">taught Sunday School</a>&nbsp;for decades after leaving office.

Carter will be buried next to his wife, former first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-69fadff26354d26bdda94c5d52558a7f">Rosalynn Carter</a>, in a plot near the home they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962 and where they lived out their lives with the exception of four years in the Georgia Governor's Mansion and four years in the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 44 years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter">Jimmy Carter</a>&nbsp;left the nation's capital in humbling defeat, the 39th president returned to the Washington area for three days of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-jimmy-carter-funeral-services-d8ec9471cda40e8e0e377850f64c9905">state funeral</a>&nbsp;rites.

Carter’s remains, which had been lying in repose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-funeral-plains-georgia-39d9be789f75b477b34fccdc2531238c">at the Carter Presidential Center since Saturday</a>, left the Atlanta campus Tuesday morning, accompanied by his children and extended family. Special Air Mission 39 departed Dobbins Air Reserve Base north of Atlanta and arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. A motorcade will carry the casket into Washington and the Capitol, where members of Congress will pay their respects.

In Georgia, eight military pallbearers held Carter's casket as cannons fired on the tarmac nearby. They carried it to a vehicle that lifted it to the passenger compartment of the aircraft, the iconic blue and white Boeing 747 variant that is known as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board. Carter never traveled as president on the jet, which first flew as Air Force One in 1990 with President George H.W. Bush.

The scene repeated outside Washington. The former president's casket was removed from the plane, cannons fired and a military band played. A hearse emblazoned with the seal of the president joined a motorcade that steered toward Washington.

A bipartisan delegation of members of Congress were led into the Capitol Rotunda by Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Democrats who represent Carter’s home state. Vice President Kamala Harris, members of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;cabinet and three of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices — John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan — also were present.

The U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet played as people awaited the casket. The room fell silent as three knocks on the rotunda door marked Carter's arrival. The casket was placed in the middle of the room on the Lincoln catafalque, a platform built in 1865 to hold slain president Abraham Lincoln's casket in the same place.

Harris, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered eulogies celebrating Carter's faith, military service and devotion to service, including his hands-on contributions to building homes for those in need through Habitat for Humanity.

“Jimmy Carter was that all too rare example of a gifted man who also walks with humility, modesty and grace,” Harris said, recalling his unpretentious approach to campaigning. He slept in the homes of his supporters to “share a meal with them at their table and listen to what was on their minds,” she said.

The U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club performed the patriotic hymn “My Country, 'Tis of Thee” before bipartisan congressional leaders and Harris, accompanied by her husband Doug Emhoff, placed wreaths beside the casket. Members of Carter's family, including some of his grandchildren, wiped tears.

Carter, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">died Dec. 29 at the age of 100</a>, will lie in state Tuesday night and again Wednesday. He receives a state funeral Thursday at Washington National Cathedral. Biden will deliver a eulogy.

There are the familiar rituals that follow a president’s death — the Air Force ride back to the Beltway, a military honor guard carrying a flag-draped casket up the Capitol steps, the Lincoln catafalque in the rotunda.

There also will be symbolism unique to Carter. As he was carried from his presidential center, a military band played hymns — “Amazing Grace” and “Blessed Assurance” for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-baptist-faith-93343181bb9fac49723470c7e10561d1">outspoken Baptist evangelical</a>&nbsp;who called himself a “born-again Christian” when he sought and won the presidency in 1976. In Washington, his hearse stopped at the U.S. Navy Memorial, where his remains were transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for the rest of his trip to the Capitol. The location nods to Carter’s place as the lone U.S. Naval Academy graduate to become commander in chief.

All of the pomp carries some irony for the Democrat who went from his family peanut warehouse to the Governor’s Mansion and eventually the White House. Carter won the presidency as the smiling Southerner and technocratic engineer who promised to change the ways of Washington — and eschewed many of those unwritten rules when he got there.

From 1977 to 1981, Carter was Washington's highest-ranking resident. But he never mastered it.

“He could be prickly and a not very appealing personality” in a town that thrives on relationships, said biographer Jonathan Alter, describing a president who struggled with schmoozing lawmakers and reporters.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-habitat-for-humanity-carter-center-eae94114f97acec388f8e32b9202f782">Carter</a>&nbsp;often flouted the ceremonial trappings that have been on display in Georgia and will continue in Washington.

As president, he wanted to keep the Marine Band from playing “Hail to the Chief,” thinking it elevated the president too much. His advisers convinced him to accept it as part of the job. The song played Saturday as he arrived at his presidential center after a motorcade through his hometown of Plains and past his boyhood farm. It played again as his remains were carried out on their way to Washington.

He also never used his full name, James Earl Carter Jr., even taking the oath of office. His full name was printed on memorial cards given to all mourners who paid their respects in Atlanta.

He once addressed the nation from the White House residence wearing a cardigan, now on display at his museum and library. His remains now rest in a wooden casket being carried and guarded by military pallbearers in their impeccable dress uniforms.

As Carter's remains left Georgia, President-elect Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carter-trump-contradictory-relationship-e82074628e4faa974d8263017c8b5b3a">criticized</a>&nbsp;the late former president during a news conference in Florida for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-panama-canal-turning-point-unity-97cba0d41f043dd9f156dc8355ee3f44">ceding control of the Panama Canal</a>&nbsp;to its home country.

Pressed on if criticism of Carter was appropriate during the solemn funeral rites, Trump responded, “I liked him as a man. I disagreed with his policies. He thought giving away the Panama Canal was a good thing.”

“I didn’t want to bring up the Panama Canal because of Jimmy Carter’s death,” he added, even though he had first mentioned it unprompted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736283143560.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Jimmy Carter will continue to lie in state Wednesday after his remains arrived in Washington a day earlier as part of state funeral rites.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Jimmy Carter&#39;s casket arrives in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. <a href="https://t.co/t1YMjvbLHt">pic.twitter.com/t1YMjvbLHt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876754969094758700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Georgia Democrat and 39th president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">died Dec. 29 at the age of 100</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">U.S. <a href="https://twitter.com/NavalAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavalAcademy</a> Glee Club performs &#39;My Country, &#39;Tis of Thee&#39; at President Jimmy Carter Memorial Service. <a href="https://t.co/PVd51SHLwp">pic.twitter.com/PVd51SHLwp</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876762661955760293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Carter served as president from 1977-81, winning office as an outsider in the wake of the Vietnam War and Watergate. He endured a rocky four years of economic unrest and international crises that ended with his defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. But he also lived long enough to see historians reassess his presidency more charitably than voters did in 1980.He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-funeral-lie-state-9200a643ca205719d94895c9a5deb36f">remembered Tuesday at the Capitol</a>&nbsp;for his deep religious faith, long public service and decades of humanitarian work beyond what he accomplished in politics.Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Mike Johnson were among those who offered bipartisan tributes to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda, where his flag-draped casket remains atop the Lincoln catafalque for members of the public to pay their respects.Carter will remain at the Capitol until Thursday morning, when he is transported to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, a longtime Carter ally, will deliver a eulogy. Other living former presidents, including President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, are expected to attend.After the funeral, the Boeing 747 that is Air Force One when a sitting president is aboard will carry Carter and his family back to Georgia. An invitation-only funeral will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church in tiny Plains, where Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-plains-georgia-maranatha-sunday-school-a1a692079be175cf2e882176fc343344">taught Sunday School</a>&nbsp;for decades after leaving office.Carter will be buried next to his wife, former first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-69fadff26354d26bdda94c5d52558a7f">Rosalynn Carter</a>, in a plot near the home they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962 and where they lived out their lives with the exception of four years in the Georgia Governor's Mansion and four years in the White House.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 44 years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter">Jimmy Carter</a>&nbsp;left the nation's capital in humbling defeat, the 39th president returned to the Washington area for three days of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-jimmy-carter-funeral-services-d8ec9471cda40e8e0e377850f64c9905">state funeral</a>&nbsp;rites.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Jimmy Carter arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (<a href="https://twitter.com/Andrews_JBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Andrews_JBA</a>). <a href="https://t.co/iO2fnY7zvl">pic.twitter.com/iO2fnY7zvl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876718862659465265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Jimmy Carter procession from the U.S. Naval Memorial to U.S. Capitol. <a href="https://t.co/sb2PkfYIcI">pic.twitter.com/sb2PkfYIcI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876736917779169666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Jimmy Carter&#39;s casket arrives at the U.S. Capitol. <a href="https://t.co/hSc7alh0lj">pic.twitter.com/hSc7alh0lj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876754915273441546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/41Z7eoQkiY">pic.twitter.com/41Z7eoQkiY</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1876752331242406185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Carter’s remains, which had been lying in repose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-funeral-plains-georgia-39d9be789f75b477b34fccdc2531238c">at the Carter Presidential Center since Saturday</a>, left the Atlanta campus Tuesday morning, accompanied by his children and extended family. Special Air Mission 39 departed Dobbins Air Reserve Base north of Atlanta and arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. A motorcade will carry the casket into Washington and the Capitol, where members of Congress will pay their respects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736285862827.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>In Georgia, eight military pallbearers held Carter's casket as cannons fired on the tarmac nearby. They carried it to a vehicle that lifted it to the passenger compartment of the aircraft, the iconic blue and white Boeing 747 variant that is known as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board. Carter never traveled as president on the jet, which first flew as Air Force One in 1990 with President George H.W. Bush.The scene repeated outside Washington. The former president's casket was removed from the plane, cannons fired and a military band played. A hearse emblazoned with the seal of the president joined a motorcade that steered toward Washington.A bipartisan delegation of members of Congress were led into the Capitol Rotunda by Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Democrats who represent Carter’s home state. Vice President Kamala Harris, members of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;cabinet and three of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices — John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan — also were present.The U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet played as people awaited the casket. The room fell silent as three knocks on the rotunda door marked Carter's arrival. The casket was placed in the middle of the room on the Lincoln catafalque, a platform built in 1865 to hold slain president Abraham Lincoln's casket in the same place.Harris, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered eulogies celebrating Carter's faith, military service and devotion to service, including his hands-on contributions to building homes for those in need through Habitat for Humanity.“Jimmy Carter was that all too rare example of a gifted man who also walks with humility, modesty and grace,” Harris said, recalling his unpretentious approach to campaigning. He slept in the homes of his supporters to “share a meal with them at their table and listen to what was on their minds,” she said.The U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club performed the patriotic hymn “My Country, 'Tis of Thee” before bipartisan congressional leaders and Harris, accompanied by her husband Doug Emhoff, placed wreaths beside the casket. Members of Carter's family, including some of his grandchildren, wiped tears.Carter, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">died Dec. 29 at the age of 100</a>, will lie in state Tuesday night and again Wednesday. He receives a state funeral Thursday at Washington National Cathedral. Biden will deliver a eulogy.There are the familiar rituals that follow a president’s death — the Air Force ride back to the Beltway, a military honor guard carrying a flag-draped casket up the Capitol steps, the Lincoln catafalque in the rotunda.There also will be symbolism unique to Carter. As he was carried from his presidential center, a military band played hymns — “Amazing Grace” and “Blessed Assurance” for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-baptist-faith-93343181bb9fac49723470c7e10561d1">outspoken Baptist evangelical</a>&nbsp;who called himself a “born-again Christian” when he sought and won the presidency in 1976. In Washington, his hearse stopped at the U.S. Navy Memorial, where his remains were transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for the rest of his trip to the Capitol. The location nods to Carter’s place as the lone U.S. Naval Academy graduate to become commander in chief.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736283662446.png" alt="Procession to the Capitol-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Procession to the Capitol-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>All of the pomp carries some irony for the Democrat who went from his family peanut warehouse to the Governor’s Mansion and eventually the White House. Carter won the presidency as the smiling Southerner and technocratic engineer who promised to change the ways of Washington — and eschewed many of those unwritten rules when he got there.From 1977 to 1981, Carter was Washington's highest-ranking resident. But he never mastered it.“He could be prickly and a not very appealing personality” in a town that thrives on relationships, said biographer Jonathan Alter, describing a president who struggled with schmoozing lawmakers and reporters.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-habitat-for-humanity-carter-center-eae94114f97acec388f8e32b9202f782">Carter</a>&nbsp;often flouted the ceremonial trappings that have been on display in Georgia and will continue in Washington.As president, he wanted to keep the Marine Band from playing “Hail to the Chief,” thinking it elevated the president too much. His advisers convinced him to accept it as part of the job. The song played Saturday as he arrived at his presidential center after a motorcade through his hometown of Plains and past his boyhood farm. It played again as his remains were carried out on their way to Washington.He also never used his full name, James Earl Carter Jr., even taking the oath of office. His full name was printed on memorial cards given to all mourners who paid their respects in Atlanta.He once addressed the nation from the White House residence wearing a cardigan, now on display at his museum and library. His remains now rest in a wooden casket being carried and guarded by military pallbearers in their impeccable dress uniforms.As Carter's remains left Georgia, President-elect Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carter-trump-contradictory-relationship-e82074628e4faa974d8263017c8b5b3a">criticized</a>&nbsp;the late former president during a news conference in Florida for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-panama-canal-turning-point-unity-97cba0d41f043dd9f156dc8355ee3f44">ceding control of the Panama Canal</a>&nbsp;to its home country.Pressed on if criticism of Carter was appropriate during the solemn funeral rites, Trump responded, “I liked him as a man. I disagreed with his policies. He thought giving away the Panama Canal was a good thing.”“I didn’t want to bring up the Panama Canal because of Jimmy Carter’s death,” he added, even though he had first mentioned it unprompted.___

🎥Jimmy Carter continues to lie in state at Capitol Rotunda ahead of state funeral

LABETTE COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Labette County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by John Jason&nbsp;Cammalleri, 46, Lusk, Wyoming, was westbound on U.S. 400 just west of U.S. 59.

The semi struck the driver side of a 2008 Ford F150 driven by Rachel J.&nbsp;Haslett, 25, Parsons, who was conducting an unsafe U-turn on U400. 

EMS transported Haslett and three passengers including Destiny R. Miller, 25, Pittsburg, a 3-year-old boy and a 1-year-old boy to Labette Health. The 3-year-old child was not restrained in a booster seat, according to the KHP.

LABETTE COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Labette County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by John Jason&nbsp;Cammalleri, 46, Lusk, Wyoming, was westbound on U.S. 400 just west of U.S. 59.The semi struck the driver side of a 2008 Ford F150 driven by Rachel J.&nbsp;Haslett, 25, Parsons, who was conducting an unsafe U-turn on U400. EMS transported Haslett and three passengers including Destiny R. Miller, 25, Pittsburg, a 3-year-old boy and a 1-year-old boy to Labette Health. The 3-year-old child was not restrained in a booster seat, according to the KHP.