Saline County and two other Kansas communities, have accepted and implemented a program that is meant to help children who are at risk of, or are dually-involved between the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

According to the <a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/Pages/default.aspx">Kansas Department for Children and Families</a>&nbsp;(DCF), and the <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/">Kansas Department of Corrections</a> (KDOC), they have partnered with the Center for&nbsp;Youth Justice (CYJ) program at Georgetown University, to implement the <a href="https://cyj.georgetown.edu/our-work/crossover-youth-practice-model/">Crossover Youth Practice Model </a>(CYPM) in 2019.

According to the KDOC, Kansas has fully implemented the program in three communities and will be expanding into three new communities.

This will mean the communities like Saline, will implement a collaborative framework between the child welfare and juvenile justice systems to better support "crossover youth"—those who are at risk of or are dually-involved with both systems.

"Ultimately, the CYPM provides Saline County with a proven, research-supported strategy to help vulnerable young people stay connected, supported, and on a positive path," said Joe Hay, Saline County Commissioner. "As Kansas continues to broaden its implementation, local youth will benefit from a more responsive, coordinated, and effective system of care."&nbsp;

Some of the effects of "crossover youth" include:&nbsp;

- Higher rates of mental and physical health problems. 

- Increased juvenile-justice involvement.

- Poorer long-term outcomes in education and employment.

According to KDOC,&nbsp;the CYPM has been implemented in over 125 counties across 23 states, including several jurisdictions in Kansas.

- Creating a process for identifying youth at the earliest point of crossover.

- Ensuring that staff exchange information in a timely manner both within their own agency and with the other agencies and partners involved.

- Developing a coordinated case planning process between the agencies involved with the youth.

- Ensuring transparency in case processes for youth and families.

- Addressing foster care bias, including at detention or disposition. 

- Maximize the services utilized by each system to prevent crossover and unnecessary system involvement from occurring.

Megan Milner, KDOC Deputy Secretary of Juvenile &amp; Adult Community-Based Services, said “Cross-system collaboration is essential to meeting the needs of crossover youth, who are some of the highest need youths in our state. The CYPM model has helped Kansas create a lasting framework for our systems to work together at both the state and local levels to benefit system-involved youth and communities who are serving them”.

Kansas defines "crossover youth" as a young person age 10 or older, with any level of concurrent involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.&nbsp;

Involvement in the juvenile justice system includes, but is not limited to, court-ordered community supervision, Immediate Intervention Programs (IIPS), and youth placed in detention and correctional facilities. 

Involvement in the child welfare system includes, but is not limited to, out-of-home placements or participation in preventative services.

Additionally, CYJ and the statewide Crossover Coordinators from the DCF, KDOC, and Office of Judicial Administration (OJA) assisted Sedgwick County in updating their existing CYPM protocols, by providing technical assistance to the local CYPM team.

Stacy Tidwell, Deputy Director of Youth Programs for DCF, said, “The work around the CYPM model and the subsequent toolkit represents an intentional collaboration between DCF, OJA, and KDOC, partnering to support some of the highest need youth in the state. This is about identifying and removing systemic barriers and capitalizing on the resources available in Kansas communities to support youth and families."

The Kansas Crossover Statewide Toolkit was released April 17th, to assist counties in understanding what CYPM implementation would entail.&nbsp;

Technical assistance and support will be provided by the Kansas Crossover Coordinators for up to 24 months via regular virtual and in-person meetings to accomplish selected communities’ goals for their adoption of the CYPM.

Jurisdictions will be selected to implement the Model based on need, interest and capacity.

"We are in the beginning stages locally here in Saline County with only a couple of collaboration meetings being held thus far," said Hay.

Learn more about CYPM and access the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fjuvenile-services%2Fcrossover-youth-practice-model%2Fkansas-statewide-crossover-toolkit/1/0101019aeb0eaecf-be7c80a1-b824-4289-8d5b-c3703aed62f4-000000/UZV3UJTZG9Jnxd6i3IlZlnGJhnlGujERWscfxn2wICg=434">toolkit</a>&nbsp;by visiting the Kansas Department of Corrections’ website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fjuvenile-services%2Fcrossover-youth-practice-model/1/0101019aeb0eaecf-be7c80a1-b824-4289-8d5b-c3703aed62f4-000000/HTZK1jIulEDPQ_XQ4tKhLNKI8JZDUbQkCrTQ4jXmf98=434">doc.ks.gov</a>.

<a href="https://cyj.georgetown.edu/about-us/">CYJ at Georgetown,</a>&nbsp;supports and educates leaders across systems of care to advance a balanced, multi-system approach to improving outcomes for, and promoting the positive development of, youth at risk of youth legal system involvement.

Shay Bilchik founded CYJ as the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown in 2007.

According to Bilchik, he founded CYJ, as he would  "hope it would become an influential voice in shaping best policy and practice in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, particularly as it relates to working across systems of care.”

This year it was named as Center for Youth Justice.

Learn more by clicking <a href="https://cyj.georgetown.edu/about-us/we-are-now-the-center-for-youth-justice/">here</a>.

Saline County to implement program meant to help children involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems

The Salvation Army&nbsp;in Salina is urgently calling on the community to return&nbsp;129 Angel Tree gifts that have already been taken from local trees but have not yet been delivered.

These angel tags have been claimed, but the gifts are still missing. Without them, children and families may not receive their Christmas presents in time.

The Salvation Army are asking all donors who took an Angel Tree tag, to&nbsp;return the gifts immediately&nbsp;—&nbsp;today or no later than tomorrow&nbsp;— so they can be processed and distributed.

- The Salina local Walmart or Sam’s Club

- The Salvation Army Salina Corps Community Center (1137 N. Santa Fe, Salina, KS)

“All of these angels were already taken because someone cared,” said Major Patricia Salas, Corps Officer in Salina. &nbsp;"Now we urgently need those gifts brought back so no child is left without Christmas.”

If you have an Angel Tree gift at home, please bring it back&nbsp;now. &nbsp;Gifts should be dropped off today, so our team can prepare them for families.

Salina Salvation Army missing 129 Angel Tree gifts: Immediate drop-off needed

Kansas Wesleyan University will host,&nbsp;Reflect, Refresh, Renew: A One-Day Self-Improvement Retreat on Friday, January 16, beginning at 8:00 am.

Cost to attend is $25 and lunch is included.

Guests of the retreat will attend three, approximately hour-long sessions of their choice, with topics ranging from parenting and finances, all the way to bread-making and gardening. 

The event will begin with a keynote speech by Eric Clark, chief culture and communications officer at JRI Hospitality, and end with words from Dr. Ralita Cheeks ’07.

Those interested in attending the event can find the sign-up link at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kwu.edu/ReflectRefreshRenew2026">www.kwu.edu/ReflectRefreshRenew2026</a>.

Spaces in some sessions may be limited, and signing up early is encouraged. 

The final day to sign up will be Friday, January 9.

Questions regarding the event can be directed to Cathy Doubrava at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cathy.doubrava@kwu.edu">cathy.doubrava@kwu.edu</a>&nbsp;or 785-833-4392.

Registration open for "Reflect, Refresh, Renew: A One-Day Self-Improvement Retreat" at KWU 

A male juvenile received medical treatment and was booked into a detention center, after shooting himself in Salina.

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Saturday at around 3:30 am, officers were dispatched to Salina Regional Health Center for the report of a 16-year old male who reportedly suffered a gunshot wound.

SPD investigated the circumstance and determined the gunshot was self-inflicted. SPD stated the boy was in a vehicle with other individuals, and was carrying a handgun under his left arm.

The boy then reached for the handgun and a shot was fired, where he received a superficial wound in his left armpit area.

The individual operating the vehicle then transported him to the hospital.

Officers conducted a search warrant on the vehicle and confirmed the boy had shot himself. However, the gun was not recovered, but marijuana and drug paraphernalia were located.

The 16-year old was booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in Junction City for; Criminal Use of a Weapon, Criminal Carrying of a Weapon, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm and Liquor Consumption.

The 16-year old was treated at the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Male juvenile receives medical treatment and booked into detention center after shooting himself in Salina

A gun was pulled out during an altercation at a Salina neighborhood, resulting in an arrest

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Friday just before 5:00 pm, officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Max for a witness report of someone allegedly pulling out a gun during an altercation.

Reportedly, there was an online dispute between a 16-year old male and 17-year old male. SPD stated the 17-year old went over to the 16-year old's location in the 700 block of Max to "fight."

Afterwards, the 17-year old then arrived in a red 4-door pickup truck with 3 other individuals. The 16-year old went to the vehicle and the dispute continued, as the 17-year old was inside the truck.

SPD stated, an 18-year old identified as DeSean Hassler (who was inside the truck), pulled out a handgun during the altercation.

SPD confirmed Hassler is related to the 17-year old.

The individuals inside the truck drove away from the scene, and this is when witnesses in the area reported the incident to police.

A group of officers went to the 700 block of Max, and found out the suspect vehicle went to the 2300 block of Quincy.

Officers then went to the 2300 block of Quincy, and located the suspect vehicle as it was pulling into the driveway of a home. Officers discovered four individuals exiting the vehicle and entering into the house.

Subsequently, officers came in contact with the four individuals who were two juvenile males (14 &amp; 16), the 17-year old male and Hassler.

Each of the individuals were taken to the police station, and officers secured a search warrant to the suspect vehicle and home at the 2300 block of Quincy.

During the search warrant officers located the handgun Hassler allegedly used. Additionally, officers located marijuana and drug paraphernalia that belonged to the 17-year old.

As a result, officers cited the 17-year old for the marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

He was then released by SPD with his parents.

Hassler was booked into the Saline County Jail with the requested charges of, Aggravated Assault, Contributing to a Child's Misconduct (4), Disorderly Conduct (4).

The 14 and 16-year old were not charged at this moment.

However, possible requested charges are pending.

Gun pulled out during altercation at a Salina neighborhood results in arrest

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Driving while habitual violator

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 8

DICKINSON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Sunday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Honda Pilot driven by Sung H. Lee, 67, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, was eastbound on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Kansas 15 Highway.&nbsp; The SUV traveled into the north ditch just west of the Chapman exit. The vehicle continued down an embankment, through a KDOT fence and came to rest 100 yards off the highway in a field.

EMS transported the driver to the hospital in Abilene. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after SUV travels down embankment on I-70

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 8 - December 10

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Salina Post obituary policy (subject to change)

Salina Post understands the importance of honoring the deceased and welcomes all submissions of obituaries with a full summary of their life, survivors, services, website of the funeral home and a photo.

Salina Post accepts all obituaries&nbsp;free of charge&nbsp;and you can email all obituaries:&nbsp;<a href="https://newstips@salinapost.com/">newstips@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>&nbsp;and will be posted on the website within 24 business hours.

Recent obituaries and service times, how to submit an obituary

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Unsafe turning or stopping - Fail to Signal

REQUESTED CHARGE: Probation Violation

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 7

The Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center (SDRC) is excited to host “Go Green &amp; Give!” holiday donation drive on Saturday, December 13, supporting the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank and Salina Animal Services.

From 8:30 am to 2:00 pm, community members are invited to drop off donations with their recyclables, making it easy to give back while staying in the comfort of their vehicle.

You can drop off your donations, along with your recyclables at the&nbsp;Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center, 125 W. North Street (corner of Santa Fe Ave. &amp; North St.)

Volunteers from both partner organizations will be on-site to accept contributions and share information about their services. 

This year’s most-needed donation items include:

· Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank: Non-perishable holiday foods such as instant potatoes, canned vegetables, stuffing, gravy, and other seasonal staples that help provide warm, comforting meals for local families.

· Salina Animal Services: Dog and cat food, Kong toys, pill pockets, treats, and paper towels, items that support daily care and enrichment for animals awaiting adoption.

For anyone who hasn’t visited the Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center before, this event is a great chance to see the drive-thru process in action and learn more about the City’s recycling program. 

The City of Salina appreciates the community’s continued commitment to sustainability and encourages residents to take advantage of the center’s convenient services year-round.

For more information contact Brent Curtis: (785) 309-5750 or by email: brent.curtis@salina.org

Give this holiday season to Salina organizations during the "Go Green & Give" initiative 

Four day weather forecast Salina, December 5 - December 8

According to the US National Weather Service, there is a slight chance of snow flurries for Wednesday afternoon and into the evening in Salina.

A chance of sprinkles before 4:00 pm, then a chance of sprinkles and flurries.&nbsp;Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a north wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

A chance of flurries before 10pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 15. North northeast wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

Slight chance of flurries in Salina Wednesday evening

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 3 - December 5

What a way to start December, as accumulated snow has touched down in Salina and several areas throughout central Kansas.

KDOT webcams (See above) showing accumulated snow on roadways at Russell and Great Bend in central Kansas early this morning. This will create hazardous travel conditions during the morning commute.

Salina is under a winter weather advisory until 6:00 pm on Monday. The high for today is 28, and the low is 14.

The US National Weather Service has provided winter travel safety tips for those who are will be traveling on the roads for the holidays.

- Share your travel plans with friends or family.

- Frequently check weather forecasts in your area.

Accumulated snowfall throughout Salina and central Kansas kicks off month of December

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 1 - December 3

Traces of snowfall have touched down in Central Kansas, with more snow expected for Monday, plus cold air throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Throughout Central Kansas, colder air will spread southward across the region for Saturday along with strong and gusty northwest winds. Wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are likely.

Rain will change to snow briefly over parts of central Kansas through mid-morning on Saturday. Minor accumulations on elevated and grassy surfaces are possible.

Low of 7 degrees is expected for Sunday, with a high of 30 in Salina.

Salina is also under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm for Saturday.

According to the US National Weather Service, light to moderate snow is expected to move-in from the west on Monday and provide many locations with the first measurable snow of the season. 

 Snow will start around or shortly after sunrise and continue through the Monday afternoon hours with travel impacts likely, especially across central and northeast Kansas.

Highs are expected to be between 27-32 degrees, with the low expected to be around 14 degrees throughout the region.

Traces of snow have touched down in Central Kansas, more snow expected for Monday

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 28 - December 1

Salina and parts of Central Kansas will experience a cold front, along with below freezing temperatures and a possibility of snow this upcoming weekend.

According to the US National Weather Service, a cold front is expected to occur this upcoming weekend. Showers are possible Friday and Saturday, along with a light wintry mix on Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

Lows for Saturday night are in the teens, with wind chills expected to be near 0 degrees into Sunday morning.

Highs will struggle to even make it above freezing temperatures as well.

Salina has a 47% chance of traces of snow on Saturday afternoon. The low is expected to 17 degrees on Saturday night, with a high of 29 on Sunday.

Stay updated with local weather on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a> Facebook page.

Cold front, below freezing temps, possibility of snow anticipated for Salina and Central Kansas

Three day weather forecast Salina, November 26 - November 28

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-park-service">National Park Service</a>&nbsp;will offer free admission to U.S. residents on President Donald Trump’s birthday next year — which also happens to be Flag Day — but is eliminating the benefit for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm" target="_blank">new list</a>&nbsp;of free admission days for Americans is the latest example of the Trump administration downplaying America’s civil rights history while also promoting the president’s image, name and legacy.

<a href="https://www.doi.gov/blog/mark-your-calendars-fee-free-days-2025" target="_blank">Last year</a>, the list of free days included Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth — which is June 19 — but not June 14, Trump’s birthday.

The new free-admission policy takes effect Jan. 1 and was one of several changes announced by the Park Service late last month, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-fees-international-tourists-557f52a2e3c12540594f19cadbbc8334">higher admission fees</a>&nbsp;for international visitors.

The other days of free park admission in 2026 are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27) and the anniversary of the creation of the Park Service (Aug. 25).

Eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm" target="_blank">Martin Luther King Jr</a>. Day and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/juneteenth.htm" target="_blank">Juneteenth</a>, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans were emancipated, removes two of the nation’s most prominent civil rights holidays.

Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend.

“The raw &amp; rank racism here stinks to high heaven,” Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks, a former president of the NAACP, wrote on social media about the new policy.

Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that while presidential administrations have tweaked the free days in the past, the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is particularly concerning. For one, the day has become a popular day of service for community groups that use the free day to perform volunteer projects at parks.

That will now be much more expensive, said Brengel, whose organization is a nonprofit that advocates for the park system.

“Not only does it recognize an American hero, it’s also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,” Brengel said. “Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition … For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn’t be.”

Some Democratic lawmakers also weighed in to object to the new policy.

“The President didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom,” said Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. “Our country deserves better.”

A spokesperson for the National Park Service did not immediately respond to questions on Saturday seeking information about the reasons behind the changes.

Since taking office, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">sought to eliminate</a>&nbsp;programs seen as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-tuskegee-airmen-women-war-history-88a92c8485281d7c088c5eafe5dbf002">promoting diversity</a>&nbsp;across the federal government, actions that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-purge-images-pentagon-diversity-women-black-8efcfaec909954f4a24bad0d49c78074">erased or downplayed</a>&nbsp;America’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-service-disparaging-d861b3c902ef68b0184c2bd776f707e4">history of racism</a>&nbsp;as well as the civil rights victories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-black-history-smithsonian-dei-687fd306dc9c6d7611300d74fe49b8aa">Black Americans</a>.

Self-promotion is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-greenwood-2713fda3efdfa297d0f024efb1ca3003">old habit of the president’s</a>&nbsp;and one he has continued in his second term. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-misses-out-on-nobel-peace-prize-729973788d8953da9af1cbc136232e96">unsuccessfully put himself forward</a>&nbsp;for the Nobel Peace Prize,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-institute-of-peace-6545c0101a02b677359f2732b019bf6a">renamed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Institute of Peace after himself, sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-commanders-stadium-name-nfl-d229beaf321af4fad2f5ae36b8227c34">put his name</a>&nbsp;on the planned NFL stadium in the nation’s capital and had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-accounts-kids-michael-dell-1831095c23ead75b67edc65ead5309fd">a new children’s savings program</a>&nbsp;named after him.

National parks fee-free calendar drops Juneteenth, MLK Day

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A suspect accused in a deadly Labor Day weekend robbery, killing is due back in court Monday.

Lafayette J. Washington, 21, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in&nbsp;Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to move forward.

In September, Washington was charged with First degree murder, theft of property and criminal possession of a firearm in the shooting death of 23-year-old D’Andre Rubio of Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police.

The shooting occurred&nbsp; just after 1:30 a.m. September 1, in the 100 block of Rock Island in Wichita. Officers arrived and found Rubio suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives have learned that a disturbance took place before the shooting.&nbsp;

Washinton is being held on bond of over $1 million dollars.

Preliminary Hearing for Kansas Labor Day robbery, killing

&nbsp;Boeing on Monday announced it has completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, according to a media release from the aerospace company.

"This is a pivotal moment in Boeing's history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations and establish Spirit Defense," said&nbsp;Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company. "As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry."

Boeing's acquisition includes all of Spirit's Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. It also includes commercially procured fuselages for the P-8 and KC-46.

The transaction also brings Boeing's largest supplier of spare parts in house, expands Boeing's global maintenance, repair and overhaul services footprint and adds to Boeing's rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio with Spirit's aftermarket businesses.

Spirit Defense will continue to support its customers as an independent supplier to the defense industry to ensure uninterrupted support for its customers. It will act as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space &amp; Security, aligning for financial reporting and select enterprise functional and site support, but maintaining independent governance and operations.

In addition, portions of Spirit AeroSystems' operations in&nbsp;Belfast, Northern Ireland, have been acquired by Boeing, and the&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;site will operate as an independent subsidiary branded as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company.

Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations in&nbsp;Wichita, Kansas;&nbsp;Dallas, Texas; and&nbsp;Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick,&nbsp;Scotland, will begin to integrate into Boeing. Approximately 15,000 teammates across the five sites are becoming a part of Boeing.

"Kansas'&nbsp;aviation expertise reaches far beyond our borders," said&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Laura Kelly. "We help manufacture the aircraft the world relies on. Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems underscores the global significance of the work happening in our state and positions&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;to continue shaping the future of aerospace innovation for decades to come."

"Wichita&nbsp;would not be the Air Capital of the World without the extraordinary engineers, designers and manufacturers who have invested in our aerospace industry and made&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;their home," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Jerry Moran. "Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems will help build bridges between&nbsp;Seattle&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and bring new opportunities to the Air Capital of the World. I welcome Boeing back to&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and look forward to working with them to build a lasting relationship with the community and its workforce, as well as current and future suppliers, to continue building on the growth we have seen in recent years."

"Today's announcement is a great recognition of the world-class talent we have in&nbsp;Wichita," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger Marshall. "Our workers and the unions that represent them have kept America as the gold standard in aerospace, and they deserve to be at the center of any future investment. I'm grateful that this agreement further solidifies&nbsp;Wichita's&nbsp;prestige in the industry."

Moran celebrates Boeing's acquisition of Kan. aircraft parts maker

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts has led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;'s conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency, starting well before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's time in the White House</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen</a> to the oral argument 9a.m. CDT

The justices could take the next step in a case being argued Monday that calls for a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/humphreys-executor-supreme-court-trump-independent-agencies-8facfe6107fa94b28f391734d1620fe4">90-year-old decision</a>&nbsp;limiting executive authority to be overturned.

The court's conservatives, liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted in September, seem to be “raring to take that action.”

They already have allowed Trump, in the opening months of the Republican's second term, to fire almost everyone he has wanted, despite the court's 1935 decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep295/usrep295602/usrep295602.pdf">Humphrey's Executor</a>&nbsp;that prohibits the president from removing the heads of independent agencies without cause.

The officials include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-supreme-court-dbe174d342817e1ae84bce3e9c40bd48">Rebecca Slaughter</a>, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-firings-bedoya-slaughter-488bfe5419e48d5acbd95d3f9401404b">firing</a>&nbsp;from the Federal Trade Commission is at issue in the current case, as well as officials from the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The only officials who have so far survived efforts to remove them are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-federal-reserve-lisa-cook-5a48941a9e30017b0ed3e5837492d288">Lisa Cook</a>, a Federal Reserve governor, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-copyright-official-firing-c5ccca29ff5413815347340ffa300f69">Shira Perlmutter</a>, a copyright official with the Library of Congress. The court already has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a966_1b8e.pdf">suggested</a>&nbsp;that it will view the Fed differently from other independent agencies, and Trump has said he wants her out because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">allegations of mortgage fraud</a>. Cook says she did nothing wrong.

Humphrey's Executor has long been a target of the conservative legal movement that has embraced an expansive view of presidential power known as the unitary executive.

The case before the high court involves the same agency, the FTC, that was at issue in 1935. The justices established that presidents — Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt at the time — could not fire the appointed leaders of the alphabet soup of federal agencies without cause.

The decision ushered in an era of powerful independent federal agencies charged with regulating labor relations, employment discrimination, the air waves and much else.

Proponents of the unitary executive theory have said the modern administrative state gets the Constitution all wrong: Federal agencies that are part of the executive branch answer to the president, and that includes the ability to fire their leaders at will.

As Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in a 1988 dissent that has taken on mythical status among conservatives, “this does not mean some of the executive power, but all of the executive power.”

Since 2010 and under Roberts' leadership, the Supreme Court has steadily whittled away at laws restricting the president's ability to fire people.

In 2020, Roberts wrote for the court that “the President’s removal power is the rule, not the exception” in a decision upholding Trump’s firing of the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau despite job protections similar to those upheld in Humphrey’s case.

In the 2024 immunity decision that spared Trump from being prosecuted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Roberts included the power to fire among the president's “conclusive and preclusive” powers that Congress lacks the authority to restrict.

But according to legal historians and even a prominent proponent of the originalism approach to interpreting the Constitution that is favored by conservatives, Roberts may be wrong about the history underpinning the unitary executive.

“Both the text and the history of Article II are far more equivocal than the current Court has been suggesting,” wrote Caleb Nelson, a University of Virginia law professor who once served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.

Jane Manners, a Fordham University law professor, said she and other historians filed briefs with the court to provide history and context about the removal power in the country's early years that also could lead the court to revise its views. “I'm not holding my breath,” she said.

Slaughter's lawyers embrace the historians' arguments, telling the court that limits on Trump's power are consistent with the Constitution and U.S. history.

The Justice Department argues Trump can fire board members for any reason as he works to carry out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">his agenda</a>&nbsp;and that the precedent should be tossed aside.

“Humphrey’s Executor was always egregiously wrong,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.

A second question in the case could affect Cook, the Fed governor. Even if a firing turns out to be illegal, the court wants to decide whether judges have the power to reinstate someone.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote earlier this year that fired employees who win in court can likely get back pay, but not reinstatement.

That might affect Cook's ability to remain in her job. The justices have seemed wary about the economic uncertainty that might result if Trump can fire the leaders of the central bank. The court will hear separate arguments in January about whether Cook can remain in her job as her court case challenging her firing proceeds.

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