SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend hit-and-run have made an arrest.

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

Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified in booking records as 27-year-old Chance M. Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony Hit and Run Resulting in a Death.&nbsp;

Anyone with more information is urged to contact Accident Follow-Up detectives at 316-350-3686. Tips can also be anonymously submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763948742947.png" alt="Photo Courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend hit-and-run have made an arrest.Just after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to a call about a pedestrian hit near Central and Hillside in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders found a a man who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated the victim and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763983059541.png" alt="FLORES-LEACH -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>FLORES-LEACH -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified in booking records as 27-year-old Chance M. Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony Hit and Run Resulting in a Death.&nbsp;Anyone with more information is urged to contact Accident Follow-Up detectives at 316-350-3686. Tips can also be anonymously submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Fatal crash: Pedestrian struck by 3 vehicles, 1 Kan. driver arrested

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident involving three individuals who entered private property without authorization, climbed a secured tower, and parachuted from the structure, according to a statement from the Shawnee County Sheriff.

"While no injuries were reported, this type of activity is extremely dangerous and illegal."

"Climbing restricted towers poses significant risks, including electrocution, falls from great heights, and structural failures."

"Unauthorized parachute jumps endanger not only the individuals involved but also nearby residents and first responders who must address the situation."

The sheriff's office reminded the public that trespassing on private or secured property is a criminal offense, and high-risk stunts like this can quickly turn deadly.

If you have any information on this incident or if you see suspicious activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.Thank you for helping us keep Shawnee County safe!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763859634187.png" alt="Image from security camera provided by the Shawnee County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera provided by the Shawnee County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident involving three individuals who entered private property without authorization, climbed a secured tower, and parachuted from the structure, according to a statement from the Shawnee County Sheriff."While no injuries were reported, this type of activity is extremely dangerous and illegal."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763859280555.png" alt="Image Shwnee County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Shwnee County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>"Climbing restricted towers poses significant risks, including electrocution, falls from great heights, and structural failures.""Unauthorized parachute jumps endanger not only the individuals involved but also nearby residents and first responders who must address the situation."The sheriff's office reminded the public that trespassing on private or secured property is a criminal offense, and high-risk stunts like this can quickly turn deadly.If you have any information on this incident or if you see suspicious activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.Thank you for helping us keep Shawnee County safe!

Sheriff: 3 parachute from secured Kan. tower on private property

CARACAS (AP) — International airlines increasingly canceled flights to Venezuela on Sunday after t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-airline-pilots-warning-trump-military-1a612d86f5271c2f99ee9446680a2198">he U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots</a>&nbsp;to use caution when flying in the country’s airspace because of worsening security and heightened military activity.

Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, told The Associated Press that six carriers have indefinitely suspended flights: TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol and Caribbean. Turkish Airlines suspended flights from Nov. 24 to 28.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote Sunday on X that “there must be regular flights to all Latin American countries and from Latin America and the world.”

“Countries are not blocked, because blocking countries means blocking people, and that is a crime against humanity,” Petro added.

On Friday, the FAA warned pilots that unspecified threats “could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes” as well planes taking off and landing in the country and even aircraft on the ground.

The warning came as the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. military has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">conducted bomber flights</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela, sometimes as part of a training exercise to simulate an attack, and sent the aircraft carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-venezuela-trump-ford-strikes-drugs-241ea9e039d717b9f80f793922cb7cc9">USS Gerald R. Ford into the region</a>.

The Ford aircraft carrier and several destroyers were just the latest addition to the largest U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force assembled in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;near Venezuela in generations. The Trump administration does not see Maduro, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>, as the legitimate leader of the South American country.

The Trump administration also has carried out a series of strikes on small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that it accuses of ferrying drugs to the U.S., killing over 80 people in total since the campaign began in early September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763334754276.png" alt="The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, including the flagship USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), front, USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), right, USS Mahan (DDG 72), left, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), and embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight F/A-18E/F Super Hornets assigned to Strike Fighter Squadrons 31, 37, 87, and 213, operates as a joint, multi-domain force with a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, Nov. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces, like the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, are deployed in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the President’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. -Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Gladjimi Basisage" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, including the flagship USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), front, USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), right, USS Mahan (DDG 72), left, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), and embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight F/A-18E/F Super Hornets assigned to Strike Fighter Squadrons 31, 37, 87, and 213, operates as a joint, multi-domain force with a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, Nov. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces, like the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, are deployed in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the President’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. -Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Gladjimi Basisage</figcaption>
 </figure>CARACAS (AP) — International airlines increasingly canceled flights to Venezuela on Sunday after t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-airline-pilots-warning-trump-military-1a612d86f5271c2f99ee9446680a2198">he U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots</a>&nbsp;to use caution when flying in the country’s airspace because of worsening security and heightened military activity.Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, told The Associated Press that six carriers have indefinitely suspended flights: TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol and Caribbean. Turkish Airlines suspended flights from Nov. 24 to 28.Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote Sunday on X that “there must be regular flights to all Latin American countries and from Latin America and the world.”“Countries are not blocked, because blocking countries means blocking people, and that is a crime against humanity,” Petro added.On Friday, the FAA warned pilots that unspecified threats “could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes” as well planes taking off and landing in the country and even aircraft on the ground.The warning came as the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. military has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-maduro-supersonic-bombers-03b246ca6cf7ed9fa6d39e1f716b1754">conducted bomber flights</a>&nbsp;up to the coast of Venezuela, sometimes as part of a training exercise to simulate an attack, and sent the aircraft carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-venezuela-trump-ford-strikes-drugs-241ea9e039d717b9f80f793922cb7cc9">USS Gerald R. Ford into the region</a>.The Ford aircraft carrier and several destroyers were just the latest addition to the largest U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force assembled in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;near Venezuela in generations. The Trump administration does not see Maduro, who faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.</a>, as the legitimate leader of the South American country.The Trump administration also has carried out a series of strikes on small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that it accuses of ferrying drugs to the U.S., killing over 80 people in total since the campaign began in early September.___

Airlines cancel flights after FAA warns of military activity in Venezuela

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment fire in Kansas&nbsp; City.

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported apartment fire in the 10604 E. 98th Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

&nbsp;Crews reported smoke showing from a three-story apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. The fire was contained to a single apartment on the third floor; however multiple apartments received water and smoke damage.&nbsp;

There were no injuries reported&nbsp; Red Cross is assisting a number of those who were displaced.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment fire in Kansas&nbsp; City.Just before 6p.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported apartment fire in the 10604 E. 98th Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp;Crews reported smoke showing from a three-story apartment building. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. The fire was contained to a single apartment on the third floor; however multiple apartments received water and smoke damage.&nbsp;There were no injuries reported&nbsp; Red Cross is assisting a number of those who were displaced.

Residents displaced after fire in 3-story KC apartment building

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash that critically injured two.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a&nbsp;white, four-door sedan was westbound on Ward Parkway from the Plaza in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

The driver failed to negotiate the curve transitioning to the southbound lanes. The vehicle vaulted over the guardrail and came to rest upside down in Brush Creek.

EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763914090050.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash that critically injured two.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a&nbsp;white, four-door sedan was westbound on Ward Parkway from the Plaza in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The driver failed to negotiate the curve transitioning to the southbound lanes. The vehicle vaulted over the guardrail and came to rest upside down in Brush Creek.EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details.

2 critically injured after car flips into Kansas City creek 

MIAME COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after an arrest in rural Miami County Kansas.

Just before 1p.m. November 20,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 28980 Osawatomie Road, with assistance from the Osawatomie Police Department, according to. media release.

The search warrant resulted from an Osawatomie Police Department investigation into stolen property that led officers to the rural Miami County residence. During the search of the home, numerous items of stolen property were recovered related to an Osawatomie Police Department case, estimated to be valued at approximately $3,000. 

Additional stolen property belonging to victims in rural Miami County was also recovered, valued at around $500. Deputies additionally seized 1,076.5 grams (2.37 pounds) of marijuana from the property.

Larry Arthur Poage Jr., 56, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana – and transported to the Miami County Jail. While inside the jail, additional drug paraphernalia was located on his person, resulting in two additional requested felony charges that include Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility. As the investigations continue, additional charges may be filed. Poage has previous drug and driving convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763582371025.png" alt="Poag photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Poag photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAME COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after an arrest in rural Miami County Kansas.Just before 1p.m. November 20,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 28980 Osawatomie Road, with assistance from the Osawatomie Police Department, according to. media release.The search warrant resulted from an Osawatomie Police Department investigation into stolen property that led officers to the rural Miami County residence. During the search of the home, numerous items of stolen property were recovered related to an Osawatomie Police Department case, estimated to be valued at approximately $3,000. Additional stolen property belonging to victims in rural Miami County was also recovered, valued at around $500. Deputies additionally seized 1,076.5 grams (2.37 pounds) of marijuana from the property.Larry Arthur Poage Jr., 56, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana – and transported to the Miami County Jail. While inside the jail, additional drug paraphernalia was located on his person, resulting in two additional requested felony charges that include Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility. As the investigations continue, additional charges may be filed. Poage has previous drug and driving convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon caught with stolen property and 2 pounds of pot

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign students enrolled at U.S. colleges in strong numbers this fall despite fears that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-visas-trump-uk-dubai-6fd432398ce4c87f49a89c9c39421dec">Trump administration crackdown</a>&nbsp;would trigger a nosedive, yet there are signs of turbulence as fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-enrollment-visa-trump-ebece1b2ba81dd512aca161fd794a3b6">new, first-time students</a>&nbsp;arrived from other countries, according to a new report.

Overall, U.S. campuses saw a 1% decrease in international enrollment this fall compared with last year, according to a survey from the Institute of International Education. But that figure is propped up by large numbers of students who stayed in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. The number of new students entering the United States for the first time fell by 17%, the sharpest decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some universities are seeing backslides that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-f1-student-visa-trump-college-3f10a430b4ee48342ecb62d47c53cfbc">punched big holes</a>&nbsp;in tuition revenue, but overall the falloff is less severe than some industry groups had forecast. Researchers credit colleges for helping students navigate visa issues through the summer.

“I think colleges and universities did absolutely everything in their power to advocate to get these students to the United States,” said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning for the institute.

At DePaul University, a Catholic university in Chicago, the number of international graduate students fell by almost 62% this fall, a driving factor in recent spending cuts. The university president blamed student visa troubles and declining interest to study in the U.S., calling it a “massive” disruption.

Overall, nearly 60% of colleges reported a decrease in new foreign students this fall, the survey found, while 30% saw increases and others held even. More than 800 schools responded to the survey, which offers an early look at trends before full data is released next year.

Trump administration has pressed for reductions in foreign enrollment

The Trump administration has sought to reduce America’s reliance on foreign students. The White House is pushing colleges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-trump-deal-00eef5dca9f003e593d2cb151f5cce17">cap enrollment of foreign students</a>&nbsp;and enroll more from the U.S. In June, the State Department began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7">screening visa applications more closely</a>&nbsp;after temporarily halting all interviews.

Visa processing has continued to lag in some countries, including India, the largest source of America’s foreign students. Education firms have reported that future college students are now showing decreased interest in the U.S. and more in Europe and Asia. While international enrollment remained relatively steady, there are concerns about its sustainability.

“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” said Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, which represents colleges and recruitment agencies.

Foreign students make up about 6% of America’s college students but they play an outsize role in campus budgets. Most pay higher tuition rates and don’t get financial aid, effectively subsidizing U.S. students. Their numbers are far higher at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-harvard-columbia-ivy-league-cb330dbf66d4b035e66ea160e4ede856">elite campuses</a>, often making up a quarter or more of the student body.

International students at the graduate level saw the biggest backslide this fall, with a 12% drop. That was mostly offset by rising numbers of students participating in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opt-international-student-visa-f1-h1b-77095c8abefe0e03a4d26673becbd85b">Optional Practical Training</a>, which allows students to stay in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. Undergraduate numbers ticked up slightly.

Graduate students make up the biggest share of foreign students in the U.S., often coming for science, math and business programs. Numbers had already started leveling off last year after a post-pandemic surge, but the recent turmoil appears to have accelerated the downturn. In the survey, colleges that saw decreases cite factors including visa issues and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-ban-trump-college-international-students-2b23373c85cafbdcfc7a2498d66cb83d">travel restrictions</a>.

Drops lead to budget cuts at some colleges

Many smaller and regional colleges have reported downswings, especially among master’s and doctoral students.

In a recent campus address, the president of the University at Albany said a decrease in foreign graduate students was having a “disproportionate impact” on the school’s budget. At Kent State University in Ohio, falling international numbers required an additional $4 million in cuts to balance the budget, the president wrote in an October update.

Even the biggest public universities weren’t immune. The University of Illinois’ flagship campus saw its international numbers dip, fueled by a 6% drop in graduate students. At the University of Michigan, foreign graduate enrollment fell by a similar share. Arizona State University, which has more foreign students than any other public campus, saw its overall numbers fall by 3%.

Universities are offering wider flexibility to students who couldn’t make it to campus this fall, according to the survey. Almost three-quarters are allowing foreign students to defer their enrollment to the spring term, and more than half are allowing deferrals until fall 2026.

Colleges in other countries, meanwhile, have sought to capitalize on the disruption, said Joann Ng Hartmann, senior impact officer at NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. In Germany, Canada and some other countries, colleges are ramping up efforts to recruit students who might be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-reshaping-of-higher-education-tests-americas-appeal-for-international-students/" target="_blank">rethinking college in the U.S.</a>

“They have friendlier policies, and students realize that,” she said. “They have friendlier messaging for students that welcomes them.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761050707809.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign students enrolled at U.S. colleges in strong numbers this fall despite fears that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-visas-trump-uk-dubai-6fd432398ce4c87f49a89c9c39421dec">Trump administration crackdown</a>&nbsp;would trigger a nosedive, yet there are signs of turbulence as fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-enrollment-visa-trump-ebece1b2ba81dd512aca161fd794a3b6">new, first-time students</a>&nbsp;arrived from other countries, according to a new report.Overall, U.S. campuses saw a 1% decrease in international enrollment this fall compared with last year, according to a survey from the Institute of International Education. But that figure is propped up by large numbers of students who stayed in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. The number of new students entering the United States for the first time fell by 17%, the sharpest decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic.Some universities are seeing backslides that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-f1-student-visa-trump-college-3f10a430b4ee48342ecb62d47c53cfbc">punched big holes</a>&nbsp;in tuition revenue, but overall the falloff is less severe than some industry groups had forecast. Researchers credit colleges for helping students navigate visa issues through the summer.“I think colleges and universities did absolutely everything in their power to advocate to get these students to the United States,” said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning for the institute.At DePaul University, a Catholic university in Chicago, the number of international graduate students fell by almost 62% this fall, a driving factor in recent spending cuts. The university president blamed student visa troubles and declining interest to study in the U.S., calling it a “massive” disruption.Overall, nearly 60% of colleges reported a decrease in new foreign students this fall, the survey found, while 30% saw increases and others held even. More than 800 schools responded to the survey, which offers an early look at trends before full data is released next year.<h2>Trump administration has pressed for reductions in foreign enrollment</h2>The Trump administration has sought to reduce America’s reliance on foreign students. The White House is pushing colleges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-trump-deal-00eef5dca9f003e593d2cb151f5cce17">cap enrollment of foreign students</a>&nbsp;and enroll more from the U.S. In June, the State Department began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7">screening visa applications more closely</a>&nbsp;after temporarily halting all interviews.Visa processing has continued to lag in some countries, including India, the largest source of America’s foreign students. Education firms have reported that future college students are now showing decreased interest in the U.S. and more in Europe and Asia. While international enrollment remained relatively steady, there are concerns about its sustainability.“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” said Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, which represents colleges and recruitment agencies.Foreign students make up about 6% of America’s college students but they play an outsize role in campus budgets. Most pay higher tuition rates and don’t get financial aid, effectively subsidizing U.S. students. Their numbers are far higher at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-harvard-columbia-ivy-league-cb330dbf66d4b035e66ea160e4ede856">elite campuses</a>, often making up a quarter or more of the student body.International students at the graduate level saw the biggest backslide this fall, with a 12% drop. That was mostly offset by rising numbers of students participating in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opt-international-student-visa-f1-h1b-77095c8abefe0e03a4d26673becbd85b">Optional Practical Training</a>, which allows students to stay in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. Undergraduate numbers ticked up slightly.Graduate students make up the biggest share of foreign students in the U.S., often coming for science, math and business programs. Numbers had already started leveling off last year after a post-pandemic surge, but the recent turmoil appears to have accelerated the downturn. In the survey, colleges that saw decreases cite factors including visa issues and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-ban-trump-college-international-students-2b23373c85cafbdcfc7a2498d66cb83d">travel restrictions</a>.<h2>Drops lead to budget cuts at some colleges</h2>Many smaller and regional colleges have reported downswings, especially among master’s and doctoral students.In a recent campus address, the president of the University at Albany said a decrease in foreign graduate students was having a “disproportionate impact” on the school’s budget. At Kent State University in Ohio, falling international numbers required an additional $4 million in cuts to balance the budget, the president wrote in an October update.Even the biggest public universities weren’t immune. The University of Illinois’ flagship campus saw its international numbers dip, fueled by a 6% drop in graduate students. At the University of Michigan, foreign graduate enrollment fell by a similar share. Arizona State University, which has more foreign students than any other public campus, saw its overall numbers fall by 3%.Universities are offering wider flexibility to students who couldn’t make it to campus this fall, according to the survey. Almost three-quarters are allowing foreign students to defer their enrollment to the spring term, and more than half are allowing deferrals until fall 2026.Colleges in other countries, meanwhile, have sought to capitalize on the disruption, said Joann Ng Hartmann, senior impact officer at NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. In Germany, Canada and some other countries, colleges are ramping up efforts to recruit students who might be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-reshaping-of-higher-education-tests-americas-appeal-for-international-students/" target="_blank">rethinking college in the U.S.</a>“They have friendlier policies, and students realize that,” she said. “They have friendlier messaging for students that welcomes them.”___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Foreign enrollment at US colleges holds steady despite Trump's visa crackdown

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

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Larkin Walsh is not in her seat because of a predetermined plan or politics.

She is there because of people, she said in her first moments after being formally sworn in as the state’s newest justice. Walsh pledged to be the type of justice all Kansans deserve.

“And that is someone who, with a clear understanding of the legal issues, will faithfully interpret and impartially apply the law to the facts of each unique case, irrespective of popular opinion or political wins, and all while maintaining a humble awareness of each decision’s impact on people and on history,” she said.

Roughly 200 people gathered Friday in the Kansas Supreme Court in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka. Family, friends, colleagues, former justices and members of all three branches of government watched as Walsh said her first words from her new chair.

“I’m mindful of the climate and the context in which I am joining this court. This is without a doubt a critical time for the judiciary. But that has always been true,” Walsh said, “and that is because the judicial branch is so critical to our democracy.”

Former Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier and Walsh’s husband, Matt, introduced her to the court, and acting Chief Justice Eric Rosen swore her in. Walsh’s four children helped her shrug on what was once Beier’s robe.

Walsh applied to work for Beier as a fresh graduate of the University of Kansas Law School. Beier said a professor told her Walsh would be “the best hire I ever made.”

“I thought no new graduate could possibly deliver the performance he promised,” she said. “I have never been so happy to be so wrong.”

Beier added: “Like Athena, born from the head of Zeus, she was fully formed as a discerning intellect and an unusually mature lawyer and adviser.”

Walsh, the youngest justice on the court, began her duties two months ago after an informal swearing-in ceremony. She succeeded former Justice Evelyn Wilson, who retired in July following a Lou Gehrig’s disease diagnosis.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who was present at the ceremony, appointed Walsh in August from a slate of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/10/kansas-commission-nominates-two-judges-private-attorney-for-vacancy-on-supreme-court/">three nominees</a>.

In her remarks, Walsh characterized the judicial selection process she endured as rigorous and transparent, a subtle nod to the recent challenges to the state’s merit-based approach. In August 2026, a constitutional amendment will appear on voters’ ballots asking whether they’d like to switch to a popular-vote approach.

Walsh spent the past dozen years in private practice, focusing on civil rights, workers’ rights, consumer protection and complex class actions, according to Kansas Judicial Branch spokesperson Lisa Taylor. Walsh, a Leawood resident, was most recently senior counsel at Stueve Siegel Hanson.

She has worked on at least two class action cases defending victims of sexual abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/22-897.html" target="_blank">One</a>&nbsp;was against Ohio State University for failing to protect hundreds of male student athletes from&nbsp;<a href="https://straussinvestigation.osu.edu/" target="_blank">Richard Strauss</a>’ systemic abuse. The case rose to the U.S. Supreme Court but wasn’t accepted for review.

She was also part of a Kansas legal team that represented&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2025/04/17/lmh-ku-health-lawsuit/" target="_blank">a group of women who in April sued</a>&nbsp;Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the University of Kansas Hospital Authority after a KU physical therapist accessed their medical files, which included images and body measurements. The physical therapist had never treated the women and accessed images for approximately two years without detection, according to court filings. The case is ongoing in federal court, and Walsh withdrew as an attorney in August. Walsh withdrew from the&nbsp;<a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/07/11/in-new-documentary-former-ohio-state-wrestlers-say-u-s-rep-jim-jordan-knew-about-strauss-abuse/" target="_blank">ongoing</a>&nbsp;Ohio case in January 2024.

She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, majoring in art and English. She is a 2004 graduate of the University of Kansas law school. In addition to her time as a research attorney for Beier, Walsh clerked for U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia. She served two five-year terms on the Kansas Board of Law Examiners and has been involved with the Kansas Bar Association’s Annual Survey of Law for 20 years, beginning as co-chair and transitioning to editor, a role she still holds.

After one year in office, new justices undergo a retention vote to continue holding a seat on the court. Subsequent retention votes occur every six years.

In public interviews during the judicial selection process, Walsh said she was not a “self-promoter.” She said at the time that ego can hinder effective justice, and she emphasized adherence to law and careful consideration and examination of facts and issues.

Her parents, relatives and friends attended the ceremony, and Matt Walsh thanked many of them, while praising Larkin Walsh for her abilities as a mother, lawyer and new justice.

Matt Walsh and Beier spoke of her positivity, empathy, dignity and humility.

“Larkin knows exactly what court service demands,” Beier said. “She embraces the responsibility and she has crafted a record of achievement and service made to measure.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763828076795.png" alt=" Justice Larkin Walsh speaks after her official swearing-in on Nov. 21, 2025, Topeka, becoming the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest addition. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Justice Larkin Walsh speaks after her official swearing-in on Nov. 21, 2025, Topeka, becoming the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest addition. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Larkin Walsh is not in her seat because of a predetermined plan or politics.She is there because of people, she said in her first moments after being formally sworn in as the state’s newest justice. Walsh pledged to be the type of justice all Kansans deserve.“And that is someone who, with a clear understanding of the legal issues, will faithfully interpret and impartially apply the law to the facts of each unique case, irrespective of popular opinion or political wins, and all while maintaining a humble awareness of each decision’s impact on people and on history,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763828003078.png" alt="Justice Larkin Walsh is sworn in as the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest addition on Nov. 21, 2025, in Topeka. She previously worked in private practice, litigating at all levels of the judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Justice Larkin Walsh is sworn in as the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest addition on Nov. 21, 2025, in Topeka. She previously worked in private practice, litigating at all levels of the judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Roughly 200 people gathered Friday in the Kansas Supreme Court in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka. Family, friends, colleagues, former justices and members of all three branches of government watched as Walsh said her first words from her new chair.“I’m mindful of the climate and the context in which I am joining this court. This is without a doubt a critical time for the judiciary. But that has always been true,” Walsh said, “and that is because the judicial branch is so critical to our democracy.”Former Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier and Walsh’s husband, Matt, introduced her to the court, and acting Chief Justice Eric Rosen swore her in. Walsh’s four children helped her shrug on what was once Beier’s robe.Walsh applied to work for Beier as a fresh graduate of the University of Kansas Law School. Beier said a professor told her Walsh would be “the best hire I ever made.”Beier was skeptical.“I thought no new graduate could possibly deliver the performance he promised,” she said. “I have never been so happy to be so wrong.”Beier added: “Like Athena, born from the head of Zeus, she was fully formed as a discerning intellect and an unusually mature lawyer and adviser.”Walsh, the youngest justice on the court, began her duties two months ago after an informal swearing-in ceremony. She succeeded former Justice Evelyn Wilson, who retired in July following a Lou Gehrig’s disease diagnosis.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who was present at the ceremony, appointed Walsh in August from a slate of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/10/kansas-commission-nominates-two-judges-private-attorney-for-vacancy-on-supreme-court/">three nominees</a>.In her remarks, Walsh characterized the judicial selection process she endured as rigorous and transparent, a subtle nod to the recent challenges to the state’s merit-based approach. In August 2026, a constitutional amendment will appear on voters’ ballots asking whether they’d like to switch to a popular-vote approach.Walsh spent the past dozen years in private practice, focusing on civil rights, workers’ rights, consumer protection and complex class actions, according to Kansas Judicial Branch spokesperson Lisa Taylor. Walsh, a Leawood resident, was most recently senior counsel at Stueve Siegel Hanson.She has worked on at least two class action cases defending victims of sexual abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/22-897.html" target="_blank">One</a>&nbsp;was against Ohio State University for failing to protect hundreds of male student athletes from&nbsp;<a href="https://straussinvestigation.osu.edu/" target="_blank">Richard Strauss</a>’ systemic abuse. The case rose to the U.S. Supreme Court but wasn’t accepted for review.She was also part of a Kansas legal team that represented&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2025/04/17/lmh-ku-health-lawsuit/" target="_blank">a group of women who in April sued</a>&nbsp;Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the University of Kansas Hospital Authority after a KU physical therapist accessed their medical files, which included images and body measurements. The physical therapist had never treated the women and accessed images for approximately two years without detection, according to court filings. The case is ongoing in federal court, and Walsh withdrew as an attorney in August. Walsh withdrew from the&nbsp;<a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/07/11/in-new-documentary-former-ohio-state-wrestlers-say-u-s-rep-jim-jordan-knew-about-strauss-abuse/" target="_blank">ongoing</a>&nbsp;Ohio case in January 2024.She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, majoring in art and English. She is a 2004 graduate of the University of Kansas law school. In addition to her time as a research attorney for Beier, Walsh clerked for U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia. She served two five-year terms on the Kansas Board of Law Examiners and has been involved with the Kansas Bar Association’s Annual Survey of Law for 20 years, beginning as co-chair and transitioning to editor, a role she still holds.After one year in office, new justices undergo a retention vote to continue holding a seat on the court. Subsequent retention votes occur every six years.In public interviews during the judicial selection process, Walsh said she was not a “self-promoter.” She said at the time that ego can hinder effective justice, and she emphasized adherence to law and careful consideration and examination of facts and issues.Her parents, relatives and friends attended the ceremony, and Matt Walsh thanked many of them, while praising Larkin Walsh for her abilities as a mother, lawyer and new justice.Matt Walsh and Beier spoke of her positivity, empathy, dignity and humility.“Larkin knows exactly what court service demands,” Beier said. “She embraces the responsibility and she has crafted a record of achievement and service made to measure.”

Newest addition to Kansas Supreme Court promises to be the justice all Kansans deserve

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A report of a suspicious vehicle led to the arrest of two people in Bentley earlier this month, according to the Bentley Police Department.

Deputy Chief Scott Harris responded to a call around 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 after residents reported a suspicious character driving through the neighborhood near Devonshire and Midland. Mt. Hope Officer Brandon Endicott also assisted with checking the area.

Officers located the vehicle parked partially on public right of way and private property at 150 S. Dacey. The car displayed an expired Oklahoma registration and was occupied by a single woman. Officers observed burglary tools inside and learned from a citizen that a male passenger had left the vehicle and was seen walking south on Phelps.

Chief Bryan and Police Service Dog Edy arrived to search the vehicle. A free air sniff resulted in a positive alert, and a subsequent search led to the discovery of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana and multiple items of drug paraphernalia.

While responding to assist, Colwich Officer Tyson Ridenour was advised of a man walking in the roadway near K-96 and 151st Street West. He stopped the man, determined he was the second occupant of the vehicle and placed him under arrest on two outstanding warrants.

Police identified the woman as Susan Lepich, 39. She was was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of controlled substances, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, no proof of insurance and operating without valid registration. Investigators noted she has previous drug-related convictions, including a 2020 conviction in Colorado Springs for dangerous drugs and criminal trespass, and a September arrest in Greensburg for possession of methamphetamine. Her initial appearance is scheduled for December in Kiowa County District Court. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a 3,250 dollar bond.

The male suspect, identified as Chad E. Hendershot, 43, of Wichita, was transported and booked on two warrants issued through the Wichita Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763928049906.png" alt="Hendershot photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hendershot photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A report of a suspicious vehicle led to the arrest of two people in Bentley earlier this month, according to the Bentley Police Department.Deputy Chief Scott Harris responded to a call around 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 after residents reported a suspicious character driving through the neighborhood near Devonshire and Midland. Mt. Hope Officer Brandon Endicott also assisted with checking the area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763928017717.png" alt="Lepich photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Lepich photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers located the vehicle parked partially on public right of way and private property at 150 S. Dacey. The car displayed an expired Oklahoma registration and was occupied by a single woman. Officers observed burglary tools inside and learned from a citizen that a male passenger had left the vehicle and was seen walking south on Phelps.Chief Bryan and Police Service Dog Edy arrived to search the vehicle. A free air sniff resulted in a positive alert, and a subsequent search led to the discovery of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana and multiple items of drug paraphernalia.While responding to assist, Colwich Officer Tyson Ridenour was advised of a man walking in the roadway near K-96 and 151st Street West. He stopped the man, determined he was the second occupant of the vehicle and placed him under arrest on two outstanding warrants.Police identified the woman as Susan Lepich, 39. She was was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of controlled substances, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, no proof of insurance and operating without valid registration. Investigators noted she has previous drug-related convictions, including a 2020 conviction in Colorado Springs for dangerous drugs and criminal trespass, and a September arrest in Greensburg for possession of methamphetamine. Her initial appearance is scheduled for December in Kiowa County District Court. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a 3,250 dollar bond.The male suspect, identified as Chad E. Hendershot, 43, of Wichita, was transported and booked on two warrants issued through the Wichita Police Department.

Kansas couple arrested after report of suspicious vehicle 

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the nonprofit organization planning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">America’s 250th birthday celebrations</a>&nbsp;decided it wanted an ornament to commemorate that milestone in history, its leadership knew just where to turn for guidance.

<a href="https://store.america250.org/#94c50f5b631ed7d597c252e9926cfd7a">Click here to visit the website</a>

America250.org worked with the White House Historical Association, which, since 1981,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-ornament-state-dinners-8cbcc2e474ec5c0fecbaa09f6743440b">has sold a popular Christmas tree ornament</a>&nbsp;honoring a president or a key White House anniversary. More than 1 million of those ornaments are now sold every year.

The two groups worked together to produce a keepsake to mark the anniversary — officially known as the semiquincentennial — and America250.org unveiled it on Monday.

The limited-edition, hand-crafted ornament features the Declaration of Independence, the document the Second Continental Congress used to announce it was breaking away from Britain on July 4, 1776. President Donald Trump has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">copy hanging in the Oval Office</a>.

One side of the keepsake features the document printed on linen and the other side shows American flags waving atop the White House and the America250 logo with the years 1776-2026 on a red ribbon. The ornament is trimmed in 24-karat gold.

Organizers say they view the celebration of America’s founding as an opportunity to help unite a politically divided country. “It’s a moment for us to reflect on the last 250 years and, even more importantly, where we’re going for the next 250th,” said Jennifer Condon, executive vice president of America250.org.

Condon said she hopes the ornament will play a small part in that endeavor as “a symbol of, truly, this unity that we’re trying to strive for.”

It is rare for the White House association to release an ornament outside of its annual holiday series. Stewart McLaurin, the White House association’s president, said his nonprofit organization had helped create a collector’s piece “that embodies the spirit and history of our nation.”

It is made by the veteran-owned Rhode Island company that produces the White House association’s ornaments, and will be sold exclusively starting Monday at America250.org for $26.95, and in January on the White House association’s website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763408466250.png" alt="Image from the America250 website" />
 <figcaption>Image from the America250 website</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — When the nonprofit organization planning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">America’s 250th birthday celebrations</a>&nbsp;decided it wanted an ornament to commemorate that milestone in history, its leadership knew just where to turn for guidance.<a href="https://store.america250.org/#94c50f5b631ed7d597c252e9926cfd7a">Click here to visit the website</a>America250.org worked with the White House Historical Association, which, since 1981,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-ornament-state-dinners-8cbcc2e474ec5c0fecbaa09f6743440b">has sold a popular Christmas tree ornament</a>&nbsp;honoring a president or a key White House anniversary. More than 1 million of those ornaments are now sold every year.The two groups worked together to produce a keepsake to mark the anniversary — officially known as the semiquincentennial — and America250.org unveiled it on Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763408420881.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The limited-edition, hand-crafted ornament features the Declaration of Independence, the document the Second Continental Congress used to announce it was breaking away from Britain on July 4, 1776. President Donald Trump has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-america-250th-birthday-iowa-e6fb5df832cdba107ae4e9c62f2577e9">copy hanging in the Oval Office</a>.One side of the keepsake features the document printed on linen and the other side shows American flags waving atop the White House and the America250 logo with the years 1776-2026 on a red ribbon. The ornament is trimmed in 24-karat gold.Organizers say they view the celebration of America’s founding as an opportunity to help unite a politically divided country. “It’s a moment for us to reflect on the last 250 years and, even more importantly, where we’re going for the next 250th,” said Jennifer Condon, executive vice president of America250.org.Condon said she hopes the ornament will play a small part in that endeavor as “a symbol of, truly, this unity that we’re trying to strive for.”It is rare for the White House association to release an ornament outside of its annual holiday series. Stewart McLaurin, the White House association’s president, said his nonprofit organization had helped create a collector’s piece “that embodies the spirit and history of our nation.”It is made by the veteran-owned Rhode Island company that produces the White House association’s ornaments, and will be sold exclusively starting Monday at America250.org for $26.95, and in January on the White House association’s website.

Commemorative ornament for America's 250th birthday celebration

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.

Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.

“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”

The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.

“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.

“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.

Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;

Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.

“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”

In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”

In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”

“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”

She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.

The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;

Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.

“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”

In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.

Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.

Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.

An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.

Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;

According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.

At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”

“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”

Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.

Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.

“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.

Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.

Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;

But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;

Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion

Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.

That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.

“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.

Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.

“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.

Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”<h2>What did Rollins say?</h2>In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.<h2>Low fraud rate</h2>Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”<h2>More targeted reforms</h2>Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;<h2>Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion</h2>Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

USDA wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean?

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.

Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police responded to several reports of gunshots around SE 37th Street and SE Adams Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police  LT Jason Schumacher.

 While officers were investigating that area, they received information on a victim arriving at a local hospital by private vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. That individual was later pronounced deceased. Police released no additional details.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police responded to several reports of gunshots around SE 37th Street and SE Adams Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police LT Jason Schumacher. While officers were investigating that area, they received information on a victim arriving at a local hospital by private vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. That individual was later pronounced deceased. Police released no additional details.

Police: Kansas shooting victim died at the hospital

Sen. Jerry Moran seeks to insulate FAA; Rep. Ron Estes hunts CBO transparency

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas joined five dozen colleagues requesting a House vote on legislation extending federal tax credits set to expire at the end of December that were implemented to moderate Affordable Care Act insurance costs.

In the letter signed by 59 lawmakers and sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the coalition said a bill preserving the tax credit would allow more than 24 million Americans in the ACA to avoid substantial premium increases in 2026. Sky-high premiums could prompt as many as 4 million people to drop health coverage.

Davids said 160,000 Kansans relied on federal tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on health care premiums.

“Families in Kansas and across the country are staring down massive health care price hikes because Congress hasn’t done its job,” said Davids, the Democrat representing the 3rd District in the Kansas City area. “Republican leadership in the Senate has already promised a vote to extend ACA tax credits. There is no excuse for the House to stall any longer.”

Davids said a bipartisan majority in the House support action to mitigate rising health care costs. While Democrats have sought a tax-credit extension, Republicans complained the credits were costly to the government and helped boost insurance company profits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost the $350 billion in the next decade if the subsidy were extended.

“Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans’ budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs,” the letter said.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, said the 43-day government shutdown inhibited operation of the Federal Aviation Administration, caused widespread flight delays and interrupted an estimated $6 billion in travel spending.

Moran convened a Senate hearing to lay the groundwork for legislation capable of shielding the industry during government shutdowns.

“We convened this hearing because of the importance of the aviation and travel industry, a vital component of our nation’s economy,” Moran said. “We must do our part to enable the FAA and the Department of Transportation to make certain that America remains the standard for aviation and air safety.”

In March, the Kansas Republican introduced a bill that would insulate the FAA by making emergency funding available for critical operations and to pay air traffic controllers.

“When Congress fails to act, the FAA and the aviation industry suffer,” Moran said. “The people who work in the airports and in aviation cannot further afford the instability and chaos.”

The U.S. Travel Association reported more than $6 billion in travel spending was lost because of the inability of aircraft to fly as a result of the shutdown.

Moran said he was pleased the problem with flight delays had eased ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A record 31 million passengers were expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1. The busiest days were expected to be Sunday Nov. 30 and Monday Dec. 1.

U.S. Rep. Ron&nbsp;Estes, a Kansas Republican serving the Wichita area, said transparency and accuracy of the Congressional Budget Office was essential to the federal legislative process.

During a House budget committee hearing, Estes told CBO director Phillip Swagel that reports issued by the office had a dramatic impact on bills in the House and Senate. CBO, which operates as designated budget scorekeeper, influenced public perception of legislation, Estes said.

“We need to make sure that CBO works to improve scores, to actually make sure that they align with reality,” Estes said. “Unfortunately, as we’ve talked about previously in the committee room, CBO sometimes falls short of making those good estimates that help us make decisions.”

Estes said an example was the CBO’s estimate on the 2022 Inflation Adjustment Act, which focused on health care, climate and taxes, and was signed by President Joe Biden. Estes and GOP U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner of Kansas voted against the bill. Davids voted for it.

Estes said the CBO’s initial report said the energy and climate provisions of the bill would cost $391 billion. Credit Suisse concluded the cost was closer to $800 billion, he said.

“My struggle, and I think a lot of our struggle, is that we’re literally making trillion-dollar decisions based on this information, so we want to make sure it’s the best possible,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763824856148.png" alt=" U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, says the U.S. House should vote on legislation to extend tax credits useful to people who secure health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. In this image, Davids speaks during a Feb. 28, 2025, news conference in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, says the U.S. House should vote on legislation to extend tax credits useful to people who secure health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. In this image, Davids speaks during a Feb. 28, 2025, news conference in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Sen. Jerry Moran seeks to insulate FAA; Rep. Ron Estes hunts CBO transparency</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas joined five dozen colleagues requesting a House vote on legislation extending federal tax credits set to expire at the end of December that were implemented to moderate Affordable Care Act insurance costs.In the letter signed by 59 lawmakers and sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the coalition said a bill preserving the tax credit would allow more than 24 million Americans in the ACA to avoid substantial premium increases in 2026. Sky-high premiums could prompt as many as 4 million people to drop health coverage.Davids said 160,000 Kansans relied on federal tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on health care premiums.“Families in Kansas and across the country are staring down massive health care price hikes because Congress hasn’t done its job,” said Davids, the Democrat representing the 3rd District in the Kansas City area. “Republican leadership in the Senate has already promised a vote to extend ACA tax credits. There is no excuse for the House to stall any longer.”Davids said a bipartisan majority in the House support action to mitigate rising health care costs. While Democrats have sought a tax-credit extension, Republicans complained the credits were costly to the government and helped boost insurance company profits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost the $350 billion in the next decade if the subsidy were extended.“Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans’ budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs,” the letter said.<h2>Moran: Aviation shutdown</h2>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, said the 43-day government shutdown inhibited operation of the Federal Aviation Administration, caused widespread flight delays and interrupted an estimated $6 billion in travel spending.Moran convened a Senate hearing to lay the groundwork for legislation capable of shielding the industry during government shutdowns.“We convened this hearing because of the importance of the aviation and travel industry, a vital component of our nation’s economy,” Moran said. “We must do our part to enable the FAA and the Department of Transportation to make certain that America remains the standard for aviation and air safety.”In March, the Kansas Republican introduced a bill that would insulate the FAA by making emergency funding available for critical operations and to pay air traffic controllers.“When Congress fails to act, the FAA and the aviation industry suffer,” Moran said. “The people who work in the airports and in aviation cannot further afford the instability and chaos.”The U.S. Travel Association reported more than $6 billion in travel spending was lost because of the inability of aircraft to fly as a result of the shutdown.Moran said he was pleased the problem with flight delays had eased ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A record 31 million passengers were expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1. The busiest days were expected to be Sunday Nov. 30 and Monday Dec. 1.<h2>Estes: CBO transparency</h2>U.S. Rep. Ron&nbsp;Estes, a Kansas Republican serving the Wichita area, said transparency and accuracy of the Congressional Budget Office was essential to the federal legislative process.During a House budget committee hearing, Estes told CBO director Phillip Swagel that reports issued by the office had a dramatic impact on bills in the House and Senate. CBO, which operates as designated budget scorekeeper, influenced public perception of legislation, Estes said.“We need to make sure that CBO works to improve scores, to actually make sure that they align with reality,” Estes said. “Unfortunately, as we’ve talked about previously in the committee room, CBO sometimes falls short of making those good estimates that help us make decisions.”Estes said an example was the CBO’s estimate on the 2022 Inflation Adjustment Act, which focused on health care, climate and taxes, and was signed by President Joe Biden. Estes and GOP U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner of Kansas voted against the bill. Davids voted for it.Estes said the CBO’s initial report said the energy and climate provisions of the bill would cost $391 billion. Credit Suisse concluded the cost was closer to $800 billion, he said.“My struggle, and I think a lot of our struggle, is that we’re literally making trillion-dollar decisions based on this information, so we want to make sure it’s the best possible,” he said.

Rep. Sharice Davids encourages House vote on extending tax credit for health insurance

BOSTON (AP) —John F. Kennedy's granddaughter disclosed Saturday that she has terminal cancer, writing in an essay in “The New Yorker” that one of her doctors said she might live for about another year and criticizing policies pushed by her cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rfk-jr-maha-summit-199786933b09fc610feb9c08695cbfc8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>.

Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Kennedy's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, said she was diagnosed in May 2024 at 34. After the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.

Her essay was published on the 62nd anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-files-released-trump-4e82e40715312f68b4f1f0d0592a8c42">her grandfather's assassination.</a>

Schlossberg, an environmental journalist, wrote she has undergone rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants, the first using cells from her sister and the next from an unrelated donor, and participated in clinical trials. During the latest trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”

Schlossberg also said policies backed by RFK could hurt cancer patients like her. Caroline Kennedy urged&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26293924-ruling-in-irs-case/">senators to reject</a>&nbsp;his confirmation.

“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.

Schlossberg wrote about her fears that her daughter and son won't remember her. She feels cheated and sad that she won't get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran. While her parents and siblings try to hide their pain from her, she said she feels it every day.

“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763869170904.jpeg" alt="FILE - Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) —John F. Kennedy's granddaughter disclosed Saturday that she has terminal cancer, writing in an essay in “The New Yorker” that one of her doctors said she might live for about another year and criticizing policies pushed by her cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rfk-jr-maha-summit-199786933b09fc610feb9c08695cbfc8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>.Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Kennedy's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, said she was diagnosed in May 2024 at 34. After the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.Her essay was published on the 62nd anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-files-released-trump-4e82e40715312f68b4f1f0d0592a8c42">her grandfather's assassination.</a>Schlossberg, an environmental journalist, wrote she has undergone rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants, the first using cells from her sister and the next from an unrelated donor, and participated in clinical trials. During the latest trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”Schlossberg also said policies backed by RFK could hurt cancer patients like her. Caroline Kennedy urged&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26293924-ruling-in-irs-case/">senators to reject</a>&nbsp;his confirmation.“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.Schlossberg wrote about her fears that her daughter and son won't remember her. She feels cheated and sad that she won't get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran. While her parents and siblings try to hide their pain from her, she said she feels it every day.“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

JFK's granddaughter reveals terminal cancer diagnosis

WILSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a pedestrian identified as 21-year-old Angel M.&nbsp;Stephens of Altoona, was walking westbound on 7th Street in Altoona.&nbsp; She accidentally walked in front of and was struck by a northbound train.&nbsp;

Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that she did not see or hear the train, according to the KHP.

She was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home in Fredonia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763862132048.png" alt="Near the location of the accident in Altoona-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Near the location of the accident in Altoona-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WILSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a pedestrian identified as 21-year-old Angel M.&nbsp;Stephens of Altoona, was walking westbound on 7th Street in Altoona.&nbsp; She accidentally walked in front of and was struck by a northbound train.&nbsp;Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that she did not see or hear the train, according to the KHP.She was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home in Fredonia.&nbsp;