DEKALB COUNTY, Missouri—One person died in a house fire Sunday in Cameron, Missouri.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police along with fire crews and EMS responded to 911 call for a fire in a home at 424 N. Nettleton Street in Cameron, according to a media release from Cameron Police.&nbsp;

The caller indicated a possible victim trapped inside the home. Another caller reported hearing an explosion within the home.

Cameron Police were first to arrive and observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the front porch area of the home. During this time, a good Samaritan was able to break a window and rescue a child from inside the home.&nbsp;

Despite the swift response and efforts from Cameron Fire crews, the home became fully engulfed. There was one fatality. Police have not released the name or additional details on the victim. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office with assistance from the Cameron Police Detectives.&nbsp; Cameron is located approximately 45 minutes north of Kansas City, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752487414987.png" alt="Photo by Ale Espinosa courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Ale Espinosa courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>DEKALB COUNTY, Missouri—One person died in a house fire Sunday in Cameron, Missouri.Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police along with fire crews and EMS responded to 911 call for a fire in a home at 424 N. Nettleton Street in Cameron, according to a media release from Cameron Police.&nbsp;The caller indicated a possible victim trapped inside the home. Another caller reported hearing an explosion within the home.Cameron Police were first to arrive and observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the front porch area of the home. During this time, a good Samaritan was able to break a window and rescue a child from inside the home.&nbsp;Despite the swift response and efforts from Cameron Fire crews, the home became fully engulfed. There was one fatality. Police have not released the name or additional details on the victim. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office with assistance from the Cameron Police Detectives.&nbsp; Cameron is located approximately 45 minutes north of Kansas City, Missouri.

1 dead, Good Samaritan rescues child from house fire

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transition-ukraine-russia-war-kellogg-68b413ecde625f6643aebe5759a752e7">retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg</a>, arrived in Kyiv on Monday, a senior Ukrainian official said, as anticipation grew over a possible shift in the Trump administration’s policy on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">more than three-year war</a>.

Trump last week teased that he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday. Trump made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly stopping the war</a>&nbsp;one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-ukraine-not-happy-weapons-pause-51b774fc94f9835c7aae4707da444291">increasingly expressed frustration</a>&nbsp;about Russian President Vladimir&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-peace-talks-istanbul-7cafd1b233b30de0c9683aaa2b042212">Putin’s unbudging stance</a>&nbsp;on U.S-led peace efforts.

Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war and called him a “dictator without elections.”

But Russia’s relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump’s patience. In April, Trump urged Putin to “STOP!” launching deadly barrages on Kyiv, and the following month said in a social media post that the Russian leader “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-1f2d99bbc4fa9c4bfcc84b50c94ca578">has gone absolutely CRAZY</a>!” as the bombardments continued.

“I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late Sunday. "He’ll talk so beautifully and then he’ll bomb people at night. We don’t like that.”

Trump confirmed the U.S. is sending Ukraine badly needed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriot-missile-system-explainer-b16125509161de8a7a3b4c38022534c7">U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles</a>&nbsp;to help it fend off Russia’s intensifying aerial attacks.

Trump said that the European Union will pay the U.S. for the “various pieces of very sophisticated” weaponry it is sending.

However, the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons. EU member countries are buying and sending weapons to Ukraine, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. EU countries set up the European Peace Facility so that countries which supply arms to Ukraine could be refunded to backfill their own stocks.

Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-record-drone-attack-ukraine-war-fe3d23673b9b5696bb5097def9ed0775">including the capital, Kyiv</a>, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defenses are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 wounded, the U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine said Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month last year, it said.

That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-spring-fighting-offensive-ceasefire-talks-49ee814cc4a8416c444ab7deae42488c">a new effort</a>&nbsp;to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

A top ally of Trump, Republican Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-us-ukraine-russia-sanctions-graham-blumenthal-d1ec6840d4452a0209403e4c4c3ef861">Lindsey Graham</a>&nbsp;of South Carolina, said Sunday that the conflict is nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It’s a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of U.S. taxpayer money.

“In the coming days, you’ll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves,” Graham said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He added: “One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there’s going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table.”

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for international investment who took part in talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in February, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington.

“Constructive dialogue between Russia and the United States is more effective than doomed-to-fail attempts at pressure,” Dmitriev said in a post on Telegram. “This dialogue will continue, despite titanic efforts to disrupt it by all possible means.”

“Equal dialogue, mutual respect, realism and economic cooperation are the foundations of global security,” he added, echoing comments by Putin.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday. He planned to hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress.

Talks during Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv will cover “defense, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States,” said the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrii Yermak.

“Russia does not want a cease fire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump’s principle, and we support this approach,” Yermak said.

Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor’s office said. Four others were injured, including a 7-year-old, it said.

Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defenses downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transition-ukraine-russia-war-kellogg-68b413ecde625f6643aebe5759a752e7">retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg</a>, arrived in Kyiv on Monday, a senior Ukrainian official said, as anticipation grew over a possible shift in the Trump administration’s policy on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">more than three-year war</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Patriot missile defenses for Ukraine: &quot;The European Union is paying for it. We&#39;re not paying anything for it. We will send it. It&#39;ll be business for us.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0kkfvL7UZC">pic.twitter.com/0kkfvL7UZC</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944546839987958042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump last week teased that he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday. Trump made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly stopping the war</a>&nbsp;one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-ukraine-not-happy-weapons-pause-51b774fc94f9835c7aae4707da444291">increasingly expressed frustration</a>&nbsp;about Russian President Vladimir&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-peace-talks-istanbul-7cafd1b233b30de0c9683aaa2b042212">Putin’s unbudging stance</a>&nbsp;on U.S-led peace efforts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I am very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was somebody that meant what he said — and he&#39;ll talk so beautifully, then he&#39;ll bomb people at night. We don&#39;t like that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/9HaGgLiKEJ">pic.twitter.com/9HaGgLiKEJ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944549417266364443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war and called him a “dictator without elections.”But Russia’s relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump’s patience. In April, Trump urged Putin to “STOP!” launching deadly barrages on Kyiv, and the following month said in a social media post that the Russian leader “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-1f2d99bbc4fa9c4bfcc84b50c94ca578">has gone absolutely CRAZY</a>!” as the bombardments continued.“I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late Sunday. "He’ll talk so beautifully and then he’ll bomb people at night. We don’t like that.”<h2>The European Union can't buy weapons</h2>Trump confirmed the U.S. is sending Ukraine badly needed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriot-missile-system-explainer-b16125509161de8a7a3b4c38022534c7">U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles</a>&nbsp;to help it fend off Russia’s intensifying aerial attacks.Trump said that the European Union will pay the U.S. for the “various pieces of very sophisticated” weaponry it is sending.However, the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons. EU member countries are buying and sending weapons to Ukraine, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. EU countries set up the European Peace Facility so that countries which supply arms to Ukraine could be refunded to backfill their own stocks.Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-record-drone-attack-ukraine-war-fe3d23673b9b5696bb5097def9ed0775">including the capital, Kyiv</a>, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defenses are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 wounded, the U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine said Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month last year, it said.That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-spring-fighting-offensive-ceasefire-talks-49ee814cc4a8416c444ab7deae42488c">a new effort</a>&nbsp;to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.<h2>Trump ally says war at inflection point</h2>A top ally of Trump, Republican Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-us-ukraine-russia-sanctions-graham-blumenthal-d1ec6840d4452a0209403e4c4c3ef861">Lindsey Graham</a>&nbsp;of South Carolina, said Sunday that the conflict is nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It’s a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of U.S. taxpayer money.“In the coming days, you’ll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves,” Graham said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He added: “One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there’s going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table.”Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for international investment who took part in talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in February, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington.“Constructive dialogue between Russia and the United States is more effective than doomed-to-fail attempts at pressure,” Dmitriev said in a post on Telegram. “This dialogue will continue, despite titanic efforts to disrupt it by all possible means.”“Equal dialogue, mutual respect, realism and economic cooperation are the foundations of global security,” he added, echoing comments by Putin.<h2>NATO chief visits Washington</h2>NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday. He planned to hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress.Talks during Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv will cover “defense, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States,” said the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrii Yermak.“Russia does not want a cease fire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump’s principle, and we support this approach,” Yermak said.Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor’s office said. Four others were injured, including a 7-year-old, it said.Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight.The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defenses downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea.

🎥Trump rips Putin, suggests a shift in policy on war in Ukraine

BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating the cause of a fatal crash that occurred just after 4:30p.m. Saturday in El Dorado.

A vehicle driven by a 53-year-old woman was traveling at the intersection of Taylor Street and Locust Avenue in El Dorado. The vehicle struck an power pole, according to El Dorado police.

&nbsp;A 61-year-old male passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene.

First responders extracted the driver from the vehicle. EMS transported her and a 40-year-old male passenger to an area hospital.&nbsp; Police did not release names of the victims.

BUTLER COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating the cause of a fatal crash that occurred just after 4:30p.m. Saturday in El Dorado.A vehicle driven by a 53-year-old woman was traveling at the intersection of Taylor Street and Locust Avenue in El Dorado. The vehicle struck an power pole, according to El Dorado police.&nbsp;A 61-year-old male passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene.First responders extracted the driver from the vehicle. EMS transported her and a 40-year-old male passenger to an area hospital.&nbsp; Police did not release names of the victims.

Man dead, 2 hospitalized after car struck power pole

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a fire in a high rise building in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 6:30a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department responded to a reported "high rise" fire in the 900 block of Grand, according to to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. It was later identified as the&nbsp; former Federal Reserve Bank building.

After gaining entrance to the secured building, crews encountered heavy smoke conditions, along with fire on the 1st floor. An offensive attack was initiated, the fire was extinguished with two handlines and a booster line. 

Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. While searching the upper floors of the building, heavy smoke conditions were found, but no fire. During overhaul operations, hot spots and small fires on the 1st floor were exposed and quickly extinguished, followed by the ventilation of smoke from the building. There were no injuries reported.

Just before 1:30p.m. Saturday, the KCFD responded to a reported high-rise fire in the 700 block of East 8th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Nolan.

 The fire was reported to be on the 15th floor. The first "fire attack group" was assigned and investigated, finding heavy smoke and fire in a single unit. They were quickly able to extinguish the fire and begin overhaul operations to ensure there were no further hazards. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. Crews ventilated smoke from the building allowing the residents to return to their units once completed.&nbsp; No injuries were reported at this incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752355385180.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a fire in a high rise building in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 6:30a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department responded to a reported "high rise" fire in the 900 block of Grand, according to to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan. It was later identified as the&nbsp; former Federal Reserve Bank building.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752355359847.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After gaining entrance to the secured building, crews encountered heavy smoke conditions, along with fire on the 1st floor. An offensive attack was initiated, the fire was extinguished with two handlines and a booster line. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. While searching the upper floors of the building, heavy smoke conditions were found, but no fire. During overhaul operations, hot spots and small fires on the 1st floor were exposed and quickly extinguished, followed by the ventilation of smoke from the building. There were no injuries reported.Just before 1:30p.m. Saturday, the KCFD responded to a reported high-rise fire in the 700 block of East 8th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Nolan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752370499768.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure> The fire was reported to be on the 15th floor. The first "fire attack group" was assigned and investigated, finding heavy smoke and fire in a single unit. They were quickly able to extinguish the fire and begin overhaul operations to ensure there were no further hazards. Searches were conducted on all floors and came back all clear. Crews ventilated smoke from the building allowing the residents to return to their units once completed.&nbsp; No injuries were reported at this incident.

2 fires in high rise buildings in Kansas City under investigation

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 7a.m.n July 9,&nbsp; the Osage County Sheriff’s Office conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 300 block of Holliday Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on suspicion of the following charges:

Noah D. Powell, 31, and Tyeler L. Miller, 29, both of Osage City are being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution on marijuana, Possession of cocaine. Possession of drug paraphernalia and No drug tax stamp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752025739824.png" alt="Miller photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on drug allegations.Just after 7a.m.n July 9,&nbsp; the Osage County Sheriff’s Office conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 300 block of Holliday Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on suspicion of the following charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752025759441.png" alt="Powell photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Powell photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>Noah D. Powell, 31, and Tyeler L. Miller, 29, both of Osage City are being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution on marijuana, Possession of cocaine. Possession of drug paraphernalia and No drug tax stamp.

Sheriff: 2 Kansas men had cocaine and were selling  marijuana

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an investigation in southwest Kansas.

On July 9, the Finney County Sheriff’s Office / Garden City Police Department Joint Drug Task Force served a search warrant of an apartment located in the 1800 block of W. Kansas Ave in Garden City, KS. This search warrant stemmed from an investigation into the activities of one of the residents identified as 62-year-old Pedro Rodriguez.

The search of the residence resulted in the location and seizure of approximately 262.61 grams of suspected cocaine located in multiple bags, numerous items known to be associated with the distribution of illegal substances, and a significant amount of cash.

Rodriguez was arrested and is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Distribution of Opiates; 100 grams &lt; Kilogram, Aggravated Child Endangerment, No Drug Tax Stamp and Violate offender registration act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752194633938.png" alt="Rodriguez-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Rodriguez-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an investigation in southwest Kansas.On July 9, the Finney County Sheriff’s Office / Garden City Police Department Joint Drug Task Force served a search warrant of an apartment located in the 1800 block of W. Kansas Ave in Garden City, KS. This search warrant stemmed from an investigation into the activities of one of the residents identified as 62-year-old Pedro Rodriguez.The search of the residence resulted in the location and seizure of approximately 262.61 grams of suspected cocaine located in multiple bags, numerous items known to be associated with the distribution of illegal substances, and a significant amount of cash.Rodriguez was arrested and is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Distribution of Opiates; 100 grams &lt; Kilogram, Aggravated Child Endangerment, No Drug Tax Stamp and Violate offender registration act.

Police: SW Kansas man accused of selling cocaine

KANSAS CITY— The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium is mourning the loss of a popular orangutan.

&nbsp;Rufus, a 36-year-old male Bornean orangutan, who had lived at the Zoo more than two decades, passed away peacefully on Saturday due to a chronic heart condition, according to a media release from the zoo.

Rufus was born at Utah's Hogle Zoo in 1988 and arrived in Kansas City in May 2003. He was a subadult at that time, but eventually grew the large cheek flanges that are an identifying feature of adult male orangutans. Rufus had a heart condition that the Zoo's veterinary health team had been treating and monitoring for many years. 

Through the strong relationship he had with his animal care specialists, Rufus was trained with positive reinforcement to voluntarily participate in ultrasounds of his heart and blood sampling. Due to this outstanding care, which allowed the diagnosis and treatment of his condition, Rufus lived years beyond what was originally expected when diagnosed. Though the species is solitary by nature, Rufus did find companionship with Jill, the oldest female orangutan at the Zoo. He never had offspring of his own but was a father figure and playmate to Josie and Kalijon in their younger years. 

Rufus was quite particular and made his unique preferences known, an endearing part of his personality for his caregivers. He had an appreciation for tidy spaces and loved to be outdoors, even if it was a little chilly or hot outside. Animal care specialists say he was cautious, but earning his trust was well worth the wait. 

Though perhaps biased, some Zoo staff considered him the most handsome of all orangutans. Staff and guests alike will greatly miss this smart fellow who defied the odds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752447182178.png" alt="Rufus photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium" />
 <figcaption>Rufus photo courtesy Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium is mourning the loss of a popular orangutan.&nbsp;Rufus, a 36-year-old male Bornean orangutan, who had lived at the Zoo more than two decades, passed away peacefully on Saturday due to a chronic heart condition, according to a media release from the zoo.Rufus was born at Utah's Hogle Zoo in 1988 and arrived in Kansas City in May 2003. He was a subadult at that time, but eventually grew the large cheek flanges that are an identifying feature of adult male orangutans. Rufus had a heart condition that the Zoo's veterinary health team had been treating and monitoring for many years. Through the strong relationship he had with his animal care specialists, Rufus was trained with positive reinforcement to voluntarily participate in ultrasounds of his heart and blood sampling. Due to this outstanding care, which allowed the diagnosis and treatment of his condition, Rufus lived years beyond what was originally expected when diagnosed. Though the species is solitary by nature, Rufus did find companionship with Jill, the oldest female orangutan at the Zoo. He never had offspring of his own but was a father figure and playmate to Josie and Kalijon in their younger years. Rufus was quite particular and made his unique preferences known, an endearing part of his personality for his caregivers. He had an appreciation for tidy spaces and loved to be outdoors, even if it was a little chilly or hot outside. Animal care specialists say he was cautious, but earning his trust was well worth the wait. Though perhaps biased, some Zoo staff considered him the most handsome of all orangutans. Staff and guests alike will greatly miss this smart fellow who defied the odds.

KC Zoo and Aquarium mourning the loss of popular orangutan 

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The lead prosecutor tasked with finding justice for four University of Idaho students killed in a grisly quadruple stabbing more than two years ago laid out his key evidence last week at a court hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who agreed to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty.

The evidentiary summary — recited by lead prosecutor Bill Thompson before Kohberger entered his pleas — spun a dramatic tale that included a DNA-laden Q-tip plucked from the garbage in the dead of the night, a getaway car stripped so clean of evidence that it was “essentially disassembled inside” and a fateful early-morning Door Dash order that may have put one of the victims in Kohberger’s path.

These details offered new insights into how the crime unfolded on Nov. 13, 2022, and how investigators ultimately solved the case using surveillance footage, cell phone tracking and DNA matching. But the synopsis leaves hanging key questions that could have been answered at trial — including a motive for the stabbings and why Kohberger picked that house, and those victims, all apparent strangers to him.

<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moscow-idaho-boise-university-of-d0ed74d74bd11f3c58e5f78ea52a0b6c">The small farming community</a>&nbsp;of Moscow, in the northern Idaho panhandle, had not had a homicide in about five years when Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen were found dead at a rental home near campus.

Kohberger, now 30, had begun a doctoral degree in criminal justice at nearby Washington State University — across the state line from Moscow, Idaho — months before the crimes.

“The defendant has studied crime,” Thompson said, as the victims’ family members dabbed at their tears. “In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his Ph.D., and he had that knowledge skillset.”

Kohberger’s cell phone began connecting with cell towers in the area of the crime more than four months before the stabbings, Thompson said, and pinged on those towers 23 times between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in that time period.

A compilation of surveillance videos from neighbors and businesses also placed Kohberger’s vehicle — known to investigators because of a routine traffic stop by police in August — in the area.

On the night of the killings, Kohberger parked behind the house and entered through a sliding door to the kitchen at the back of the house shortly after 4 a.m., Thompson said. He moved to the third floor, where Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were sleeping.

After killing both of them with a knife, Kohberger left a knife sheath next to Mogen’s body. Both victims’ blood was later found on the sheath, along with DNA from a single male that ultimately helped investigators pinpoint Kohberger as the only suspect.

On the floor below, another student was still awake. Xana Kernodle had ordered Door Dash not long before, and as Kohberger was leaving, he crossed paths with her and killed her with a large knife, Thompson said. He then killed her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was sleeping in Kernodle’s bedroom.

Kohberger left two others in the house alive, including one roommate who was expected to testify at trial that sometime before 4:19 a.m. she saw an intruder there with “bushy eyebrows,” wearing black clothing and a ski mask.

Roughly five minutes later, the car could be seen on the next-door neighbor’s surveillance camera. speeding away so fast “the car almost loses control as it makes the corner,” Thompson said.

After Kohberger fled the scene, Thompson said, his cover-up was elaborate.

Prosecutors believe he drove backroads to his apartment in Pullman, Washington, to avoid surveillance cameras on the major roads and didn’t turn his cell phone back on until 4:48 a.m. By 5:26 a.m., he was back in Pullman, Thompson said.

Later, Kohberger changed his car registration from Pennsylvania to Washington State — significant for investigators who were combing through surveillance camera footage because Pennsylvania law doesn’t require a front license plate, making it harder to identify the vehicle.

And by the time investigators did catch up with him weeks later, his apartment and office in nearby Pullman were scrubbed clean.

“Spartan would be a kind characterization. There was nothing there, nothing of evidentiary value was found,” Thompson said of Kohberger’s apartment.

The car, too, “had been essentially disassembled inside,” he added. “It was spotless. The defendant’s car had been meticulously cleaned inside.”

Investigators had honed in on Kohberger, but they needed to prove he was their suspect.

With the DNA of a single mystery male on the knife sheath, they worked with the FBI and the local sanitation department to secretly retrieve garbage from the Pennsylvania home of Kohberger’s parents, seeking a DNA match to their suspect.

“They conducted what’s called a trash pull during the nighttime hours,” Thompson said, and “took trash that had been set out on the street for collection” and sent it to Idaho’s forensics lab.

The pile of garbage yielded investigative gold: A Q-tip that contained DNA identified “as coming from the father of the person whose DNA was found on the knife sheath that was found by Madison Mogen’s body on the bed,” he said.

With that, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he had gone for the holidays, and ultimately was extradited to Idaho for prosecution.

Even while prosecutors detailed that night, a key question remains: Why did Kohberger target that house and those victims? Did he know them? And what was his motive?

“We do not have evidence that the defendant had direct contact with 1122 or with residents in 1122, but we can put his phone in the area on those times,” Thompson said, referring to the house number where the murders took place.

Some of that evidence may have come out at trial, and may yet be contained in documents related to the case that have been sealed by the court until after a July 23 sentencing hearing. A gag order in place for all attorneys in the case is still in effect as well.

Those documents include witness lists, a list of exhibits, an analysis of the evidence, requests for additional discovery, filings about mitigating factors and various unsuccessful defense motions that sought to introduce alternative suspects, among other things.

The families of the victims are split over the plea deal

With the case solved, families remain divided over its resolution.

The deal stipulates that Kohberger will be spared execution in exchange for four consecutive life sentences. He also waived his right to appeal and to challenge the sentence.

Chapin’s and Mogen’s families support the deal.

“We now embark on a new path. We embark on a path of hope and healing,” Mogen’s family said in a statement.

The family of Kaylee Goncalves publicly denounced the plea deal ahead of Wednesday’s hearing and her father refused to attend the proceedings.

Goncalves 18-year-old sister, Aubrie Goncalves, said in a Facebook post that “Bryan Kohberger facing a life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world.”

“Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever,” she wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751459170755.png" alt="Kohberger photo Ada Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Kohberger photo Ada Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The lead prosecutor tasked with finding justice for four University of Idaho students killed in a grisly quadruple stabbing more than two years ago laid out his key evidence last week at a court hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who agreed to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty.The evidentiary summary — recited by lead prosecutor Bill Thompson before Kohberger entered his pleas — spun a dramatic tale that included a DNA-laden Q-tip plucked from the garbage in the dead of the night, a getaway car stripped so clean of evidence that it was “essentially disassembled inside” and a fateful early-morning Door Dash order that may have put one of the victims in Kohberger’s path.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751479520041.png" alt="From top left, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle." />
 <figcaption>From top left, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle.</figcaption>
 </figure>These details offered new insights into how the crime unfolded on Nov. 13, 2022, and how investigators ultimately solved the case using surveillance footage, cell phone tracking and DNA matching. But the synopsis leaves hanging key questions that could have been answered at trial — including a motive for the stabbings and why Kohberger picked that house, and those victims, all apparent strangers to him.<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23564673/122922-affidavit-exhibit-a-statement-of-brett-payne_redacted.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full&nbsp;unsealed affidavit, which explains the basis for Kohberger's arrest.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moscow-idaho-boise-university-of-d0ed74d74bd11f3c58e5f78ea52a0b6c">The small farming community</a>&nbsp;of Moscow, in the northern Idaho panhandle, had not had a homicide in about five years when Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen were found dead at a rental home near campus.Kohberger, now 30, had begun a doctoral degree in criminal justice at nearby Washington State University — across the state line from Moscow, Idaho — months before the crimes.“The defendant has studied crime,” Thompson said, as the victims’ family members dabbed at their tears. “In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his Ph.D., and he had that knowledge skillset.”<h2>What we learned from the hearing</h2>Kohberger’s cell phone began connecting with cell towers in the area of the crime more than four months before the stabbings, Thompson said, and pinged on those towers 23 times between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in that time period.A compilation of surveillance videos from neighbors and businesses also placed Kohberger’s vehicle — known to investigators because of a routine traffic stop by police in August — in the area.On the night of the killings, Kohberger parked behind the house and entered through a sliding door to the kitchen at the back of the house shortly after 4 a.m., Thompson said. He moved to the third floor, where Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were sleeping.After killing both of them with a knife, Kohberger left a knife sheath next to Mogen’s body. Both victims’ blood was later found on the sheath, along with DNA from a single male that ultimately helped investigators pinpoint Kohberger as the only suspect.On the floor below, another student was still awake. Xana Kernodle had ordered Door Dash not long before, and as Kohberger was leaving, he crossed paths with her and killed her with a large knife, Thompson said. He then killed her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was sleeping in Kernodle’s bedroom.Kohberger left two others in the house alive, including one roommate who was expected to testify at trial that sometime before 4:19 a.m. she saw an intruder there with “bushy eyebrows,” wearing black clothing and a ski mask.Roughly five minutes later, the car could be seen on the next-door neighbor’s surveillance camera. speeding away so fast “the car almost loses control as it makes the corner,” Thompson said.<h2>What did Kohberger do next?</h2>After Kohberger fled the scene, Thompson said, his cover-up was elaborate.Prosecutors believe he drove backroads to his apartment in Pullman, Washington, to avoid surveillance cameras on the major roads and didn’t turn his cell phone back on until 4:48 a.m. By 5:26 a.m., he was back in Pullman, Thompson said.Later, Kohberger changed his car registration from Pennsylvania to Washington State — significant for investigators who were combing through surveillance camera footage because Pennsylvania law doesn’t require a front license plate, making it harder to identify the vehicle.And by the time investigators did catch up with him weeks later, his apartment and office in nearby Pullman were scrubbed clean.“Spartan would be a kind characterization. There was nothing there, nothing of evidentiary value was found,” Thompson said of Kohberger’s apartment.The car, too, “had been essentially disassembled inside,” he added. “It was spotless. The defendant’s car had been meticulously cleaned inside.”<h2>The Q-tip that broke the case</h2>Investigators had honed in on Kohberger, but they needed to prove he was their suspect.With the DNA of a single mystery male on the knife sheath, they worked with the FBI and the local sanitation department to secretly retrieve garbage from the Pennsylvania home of Kohberger’s parents, seeking a DNA match to their suspect.“They conducted what’s called a trash pull during the nighttime hours,” Thompson said, and “took trash that had been set out on the street for collection” and sent it to Idaho’s forensics lab.The pile of garbage yielded investigative gold: A Q-tip that contained DNA identified “as coming from the father of the person whose DNA was found on the knife sheath that was found by Madison Mogen’s body on the bed,” he said.With that, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania, where he had gone for the holidays, and ultimately was extradited to Idaho for prosecution.<h2>The mysteries that remain</h2>Even while prosecutors detailed that night, a key question remains: Why did Kohberger target that house and those victims? Did he know them? And what was his motive?“We do not have evidence that the defendant had direct contact with 1122 or with residents in 1122, but we can put his phone in the area on those times,” Thompson said, referring to the house number where the murders took place.Some of that evidence may have come out at trial, and may yet be contained in documents related to the case that have been sealed by the court until after a July 23 sentencing hearing. A gag order in place for all attorneys in the case is still in effect as well.Those documents include witness lists, a list of exhibits, an analysis of the evidence, requests for additional discovery, filings about mitigating factors and various unsuccessful defense motions that sought to introduce alternative suspects, among other things.<h2>The families of the victims are split over the plea deal</h2>With the case solved, families remain divided over its resolution.The deal stipulates that Kohberger will be spared execution in exchange for four consecutive life sentences. He also waived his right to appeal and to challenge the sentence.Chapin’s and Mogen’s families support the deal.“We now embark on a new path. We embark on a path of hope and healing,” Mogen’s family said in a statement.The family of Kaylee Goncalves publicly denounced the plea deal ahead of Wednesday’s hearing and her father refused to attend the proceedings.Goncalves 18-year-old sister, Aubrie Goncalves, said in a Facebook post that “Bryan Kohberger facing a life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world.”“Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever,” she wrote.

Q-tip and spotless car: Key evidence linking suspect to murders of 4 Idaho students

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/dee-ann-durbin">DEE-ANN DURBIN</a>

Millions of U.S. workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-tips-trump-workers-restaurants-182a89e3dc5c1da51fcd3ad1aadc571f">earn tips</a>&nbsp;and overtime pay may be eligible for a federal tax break when they file their 2025 income taxes next year.

But which workers will qualify for the new deductions is among the details the government has to work out after President Donald Trump’s signature spending and policy package won final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">congressional approval</a>.

Under the bill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">Trump signed into law</a>&nbsp;on July 4, the U.S. Treasury Department must publish a list by Oct. 2 of occupations that qualify for tax-free tips. The department is also expected to publish guidance on how to report tips and overtime pay, and what documentation will be required.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-on-tips-things-to-know-budget-bill-02b9d99dbe17cef93a81bc0cbb2cffcb">deduction provisions</a>&nbsp;are not permanent but were written to expire after the 2028 tax year.

Overtime pay isn’t currently separated out on an employee’s W-2 tax form, for example, but employers generally keep track of it and itemize it on employees’ pay stubs, said Miguel Burgos, a certified public accountant with TurboTax.

Employers should continue to withhold taxes while waiting for guidance, Burgos said. The bill doesn’t apply to state and local taxes or to federal payroll taxes, which help fund&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-congress-big-bill-tax-social-security-adea287e00c7c553f69f3667d3ef78cc">Social Security</a>&nbsp;and Medicare.

Here’s what we know about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-tips-taxes-pay-workers-election-9ed6e049a53b1943471ce2b6479b9ffb">tax-free tips</a>&nbsp;and overtime:

Who is expected to qualify for tax-free tips?

The bill says eligible workers are those who already regularly received tips before December 2024. In the restaurant industry alone, there are 2.1 million tipped servers and bartenders, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Barbers, hairdressers, nail technicians and delivery drivers are also expected to be included. Workers must include a Social Security number when they file their taxes to be eligible, and a spouse’s Social Security number if they’re married and filing jointly.

How much will eligible workers be able to deduct?

Workers will be able to deduct up to $25,000 in tips if they make less than $150,000 (or $300,000 if they’re married and filing jointly). The amount workers can deduct is reduced by $100 for every $1,000 they make over $150,000.

Who will see the most benefit from not paying federal taxes on tips?

The change will not affect around 40% of tipped workers since they already pay little to no income tax, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The other 60% of tipped workers are expected to see an average tax cut of $1,800 per year.

Both cash tips and credit cards are included. Tips pooled together and then distributed to a restaurant’s employees are also included, although servers may be less inclined to participate in tip pooling now that they are eligible for a tax deduction. Service charges – such as an automatic gratuity for a large party – aren’t included because the bill makes clear that eligible tips must be “paid voluntarily.”

Who will be eligible for tax-free overtime?

The Budget Lab at Yale estimates that 8% of U.S. hourly workers and 4% of salaried workers are regularly paid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires overtime pay of at least time and a half once employees have worked 40 hours in a week. People working in many jobs, including clergy, teachers and executives, are exempt from federal overtime rules.

How much in overtime can workers deduct from their federal taxes?

Workers can deduct up to $12,500 in overtime (or up to $25,000 in a joint return). Like the tip measure, the amount workers can deduct is reduced if they make more than $150,000. And they must include a Social Security number when they file.

How much of a tax cut is an overtime deduction likely to yield?

The average worker is expected to see a tax cut of between $1,400 and $1,750 per year, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752371084421.jpg" alt="Image Pixab" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixab</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/dee-ann-durbin">DEE-ANN DURBIN</a>Millions of U.S. workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-tips-trump-workers-restaurants-182a89e3dc5c1da51fcd3ad1aadc571f">earn tips</a>&nbsp;and overtime pay may be eligible for a federal tax break when they file their 2025 income taxes next year.But which workers will qualify for the new deductions is among the details the government has to work out after President Donald Trump’s signature spending and policy package won final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">congressional approval</a>.Under the bill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">Trump signed into law</a>&nbsp;on July 4, the U.S. Treasury Department must publish a list by Oct. 2 of occupations that qualify for tax-free tips. The department is also expected to publish guidance on how to report tips and overtime pay, and what documentation will be required.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-on-tips-things-to-know-budget-bill-02b9d99dbe17cef93a81bc0cbb2cffcb">deduction provisions</a>&nbsp;are not permanent but were written to expire after the 2028 tax year.Overtime pay isn’t currently separated out on an employee’s W-2 tax form, for example, but employers generally keep track of it and itemize it on employees’ pay stubs, said Miguel Burgos, a certified public accountant with TurboTax.Employers should continue to withhold taxes while waiting for guidance, Burgos said. The bill doesn’t apply to state and local taxes or to federal payroll taxes, which help fund&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-congress-big-bill-tax-social-security-adea287e00c7c553f69f3667d3ef78cc">Social Security</a>&nbsp;and Medicare.Here’s what we know about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-tips-taxes-pay-workers-election-9ed6e049a53b1943471ce2b6479b9ffb">tax-free tips</a>&nbsp;and overtime:<h2>Who is expected to qualify for tax-free tips?</h2>The bill says eligible workers are those who already regularly received tips before December 2024. In the restaurant industry alone, there are 2.1 million tipped servers and bartenders, according to the National Restaurant Association.Barbers, hairdressers, nail technicians and delivery drivers are also expected to be included. Workers must include a Social Security number when they file their taxes to be eligible, and a spouse’s Social Security number if they’re married and filing jointly.<h2>How much will eligible workers be able to deduct?</h2>Workers will be able to deduct up to $25,000 in tips if they make less than $150,000 (or $300,000 if they’re married and filing jointly). The amount workers can deduct is reduced by $100 for every $1,000 they make over $150,000.<h2>Who will see the most benefit from not paying federal taxes on tips?</h2>The change will not affect around 40% of tipped workers since they already pay little to no income tax, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. The other 60% of tipped workers are expected to see an average tax cut of $1,800 per year.<h2>What kinds of tips will be counted?</h2>Both cash tips and credit cards are included. Tips pooled together and then distributed to a restaurant’s employees are also included, although servers may be less inclined to participate in tip pooling now that they are eligible for a tax deduction. Service charges – such as an automatic gratuity for a large party – aren’t included because the bill makes clear that eligible tips must be “paid voluntarily.”<h2>Who will be eligible for tax-free overtime?</h2>The Budget Lab at Yale estimates that 8% of U.S. hourly workers and 4% of salaried workers are regularly paid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires overtime pay of at least time and a half once employees have worked 40 hours in a week. People working in many jobs, including clergy, teachers and executives, are exempt from federal overtime rules.<h2>How much in overtime can workers deduct from their federal taxes?</h2>Workers can deduct up to $12,500 in overtime (or up to $25,000 in a joint return). Like the tip measure, the amount workers can deduct is reduced if they make more than $150,000. And they must include a Social Security number when they file.<h2>How much of a tax cut is an overtime deduction likely to yield?</h2>The average worker is expected to see a tax cut of between $1,400 and $1,750 per year, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

What to know -- and what isn't known yet -- about US tax deductions for tips and overtime pay

Court document outlines missed opportunities for DCF, district attorney to shield her

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 — An attorney representing Mickel Cherry in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old Topeka girl asserted in a court document Friday that Kansas’ child welfare agency and the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office missed opportunities to intervene and possibly save her life.

Cherry, a former Texas resident who entered a guilty plea last year to murder and sexual assault charges to avoid the death penalty, confessed to killing Zoey Felix in October 2023 at a tent encampment used by homeless people. Zoey was left in Cherry’s care by the girl’s father while he was at work.

Defense counsel Peter Conley, a state deputy capital defender, said in court documents that Felix’s welfare was investigated seven separate times by the Kansas Department for Children and Families in the year before her death. After a DUI charge against the girl’s mother, Conley said, DCF informed District Attorney Mike Kagay’s office that evidence indicated Felix’s mother engaged in abuse or neglect of the girl.

The district attorney eventually began child-in-need-of-care proceedings, but Felix died before the legal system advanced the case to a point where she could be placed in state custody and potentially placed in the foster care system. Instead of the promise of safety, Felix was strangled by Cherry, who had endured years of abuse from his mother before placed in the Texas foster care system from age 5 to 18.

Conley’s filing on behalf of the 27-year-old Cherry says his client had to bear ultimate responsibility for raping and killing Felix, but the case raised important issues.

“Kansas had multiple opportunities to protect her from the harm she endured,” Conley wrote in the court document. “While it is easy and tempting to place all the blame on Mickel Cherry, we must also confront a harder truth. The systems designed to protect children failed her. Not because they lacked authority, but because we have tolerated that failure. Our systems can save children. We must expect, and demand, that they do.”

He said Felix’s murder was “entirely avoidable” and that “multiple moments of intervention were present that could have saved her.”

A DCF spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment about the defense attorney’s court filing and the pending sentencing of Cherry.

The document outlining DCF’s involvement with Felix as well as Cherry’s own life experience in foster care was filed by Conley in preparation for sentencing at a Shawnee County District Court hearing scheduled to start Monday. Cherry pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder and rape of a child in December.

Conley requested Cherry be ordered to serve two concurrent 25-year-to-life sentences in prison. In that were the result, Cherry wouldn’t be eligible for release until after serving a quarter century behind bars.

On behalf of the district attorney’s office, Kagay recommended two life sentences for the murder and rape to be served consecutively. That would create a minimum 50-year term in prison before consideration of parole.

If released from the Kansas Department of Corrections in the future, Cherry would be subject to civil commitment at a state psychiatric hospital under Kansas laws applied to sexually violent predators.

Conley’s supplement to the court record said it was an “open secret that those (former foster) children, abused and neglected, become the majority of defendants and victims in our legal system.” He said the Cherry case was a “trainwreck of childhood trauma and institutional indifference.”

He wrote that it was troubling a homeless and developmentally disabled Texan who spent much of his childhood in a foster care system that was ruled by the courts to be “constitutionally inadequate” and where “rape, abuse, psychotropic medication and instability were the norm” came to occupy a makeshift camp with Felix and her father.

He posed questions about how Felix, known to be chronically truant from preschool, found by police wandering Topeka streets, subject of multiple DCF investigations and on the district attorney’s radar, fell through the cracks of a system that could have removed her from unsafe living conditions.

In September 2022, Conley’s court document says, DCF received the first report concerning Felix residing with her mother, who was allegedly abusing drugs and the victim of domestic violence. DCF closed that case after the mother refused to participate in the state’s voluntary family preservation program. On a scale forecasting the “lasting safety” of a family, DCF gave Felix’s home environment a nine on the 10-point scale with 10 reflecting confidence the problems were no more serious than those of a typical family.

Less than two months later, Topeka police were called to help locate Felix at 2:42 a.m. She was found at a house a block away. Law enforcement officers returned the girl to her mother and reported to DCF the mother could be neglecting Felix.

A Topeka school contacted DCF in November 2022 to report Felix had missed 25 days of school during the fall part of the academic year. The document filed by Conley said it wasn’t clear if the school or DCF referred the truancy to the district attorney’s office.

On Nov. 18, 2022, DCF was informed Felix’s mother was arrested for DUI after a traffic accident in which Felix was sitting unbuckled in the front seat of the vehicle. Felix was placed in police protective custody until released to her father.

Despite four cases raising questions about Felix’s well-being, Conley’s filing said, DCF records didn’t indicate whether the state agency sought to confirm the father’s ability to care for Felix.

In May 2023, DCF received a report that indicated Felix’s father had been evicted from his home and the girl was back in the care of her mother, who had been released from jail on the DUI charge and placed on probation. At this point, in June 2023, DCF issued a finding of “lack of supervision” regarding Felix. That was apparently shared with the district attorney’s office, but child-in-need-of-care proceedings weren’t immediately initiated.

The district attorney subsequently launched that proceeding on Felix’s behalf to determine whether she was abused, neglected or otherwise unsafe. DCF continued to give a score of nine out of 10 on the “lasting safety” scale applied to Felix, the court document said.

DCF was again notified in August 2023 — two months before Felix’s death — that the girl was living with her mother in a house without running water. The report said the girl didn’t have shoes, was wearing the same clothes every day and was “outside around the neighborhood for hours at a time.”

“DCF sent an investigator to the house seven times in September, but no one was ever home. The case was closed,” Corley wrote in the court document.

In fact, he wrote, Felix was now relying on her father for parental care and was closer to falling victim to Cherry at the homeless camp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mickel Cherry-photo Shawnee County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Mickel Cherry-photo Shawnee County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Court document outlines missed opportunities for DCF, district attorney to shield her</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 — An attorney representing Mickel Cherry in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old Topeka girl asserted in a court document Friday that Kansas’ child welfare agency and the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office missed opportunities to intervene and possibly save her life.Cherry, a former Texas resident who entered a guilty plea last year to murder and sexual assault charges to avoid the death penalty, confessed to killing Zoey Felix in October 2023 at a tent encampment used by homeless people. Zoey was left in Cherry’s care by the girl’s father while he was at work.Defense counsel Peter Conley, a state deputy capital defender, said in court documents that Felix’s welfare was investigated seven separate times by the Kansas Department for Children and Families in the year before her death. After a DUI charge against the girl’s mother, Conley said, DCF informed District Attorney Mike Kagay’s office that evidence indicated Felix’s mother engaged in abuse or neglect of the girl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The district attorney eventually began child-in-need-of-care proceedings, but Felix died before the legal system advanced the case to a point where she could be placed in state custody and potentially placed in the foster care system. Instead of the promise of safety, Felix was strangled by Cherry, who had endured years of abuse from his mother before placed in the Texas foster care system from age 5 to 18.Conley’s filing on behalf of the 27-year-old Cherry says his client had to bear ultimate responsibility for raping and killing Felix, but the case raised important issues.“Kansas had multiple opportunities to protect her from the harm she endured,” Conley wrote in the court document. “While it is easy and tempting to place all the blame on Mickel Cherry, we must also confront a harder truth. The systems designed to protect children failed her. Not because they lacked authority, but because we have tolerated that failure. Our systems can save children. We must expect, and demand, that they do.”He said Felix’s murder was “entirely avoidable” and that “multiple moments of intervention were present that could have saved her.”A DCF spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment about the defense attorney’s court filing and the pending sentencing of Cherry.<h2>Trainwreck of trauma</h2>The document outlining DCF’s involvement with Felix as well as Cherry’s own life experience in foster care was filed by Conley in preparation for sentencing at a Shawnee County District Court hearing scheduled to start Monday. Cherry pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder and rape of a child in December.Conley requested Cherry be ordered to serve two concurrent 25-year-to-life sentences in prison. In that were the result, Cherry wouldn’t be eligible for release until after serving a quarter century behind bars.On behalf of the district attorney’s office, Kagay recommended two life sentences for the murder and rape to be served consecutively. That would create a minimum 50-year term in prison before consideration of parole.If released from the Kansas Department of Corrections in the future, Cherry would be subject to civil commitment at a state psychiatric hospital under Kansas laws applied to sexually violent predators.Conley’s supplement to the court record said it was an “open secret that those (former foster) children, abused and neglected, become the majority of defendants and victims in our legal system.” He said the Cherry case was a “trainwreck of childhood trauma and institutional indifference.”He wrote that it was troubling a homeless and developmentally disabled Texan who spent much of his childhood in a foster care system that was ruled by the courts to be “constitutionally inadequate” and where “rape, abuse, psychotropic medication and instability were the norm” came to occupy a makeshift camp with Felix and her father.He posed questions about how Felix, known to be chronically truant from preschool, found by police wandering Topeka streets, subject of multiple DCF investigations and on the district attorney’s radar, fell through the cracks of a system that could have removed her from unsafe living conditions.In September 2022, Conley’s court document says, DCF received the first report concerning Felix residing with her mother, who was allegedly abusing drugs and the victim of domestic violence. DCF closed that case after the mother refused to participate in the state’s voluntary family preservation program. On a scale forecasting the “lasting safety” of a family, DCF gave Felix’s home environment a nine on the 10-point scale with 10 reflecting confidence the problems were no more serious than those of a typical family.Less than two months later, Topeka police were called to help locate Felix at 2:42 a.m. She was found at a house a block away. Law enforcement officers returned the girl to her mother and reported to DCF the mother could be neglecting Felix.A Topeka school contacted DCF in November 2022 to report Felix had missed 25 days of school during the fall part of the academic year. The document filed by Conley said it wasn’t clear if the school or DCF referred the truancy to the district attorney’s office.On Nov. 18, 2022, DCF was informed Felix’s mother was arrested for DUI after a traffic accident in which Felix was sitting unbuckled in the front seat of the vehicle. Felix was placed in police protective custody until released to her father.<h2>‘Case was closed’</h2>Despite four cases raising questions about Felix’s well-being, Conley’s filing said, DCF records didn’t indicate whether the state agency sought to confirm the father’s ability to care for Felix.In May 2023, DCF received a report that indicated Felix’s father had been evicted from his home and the girl was back in the care of her mother, who had been released from jail on the DUI charge and placed on probation. At this point, in June 2023, DCF issued a finding of “lack of supervision” regarding Felix. That was apparently shared with the district attorney’s office, but child-in-need-of-care proceedings weren’t immediately initiated.The district attorney subsequently launched that proceeding on Felix’s behalf to determine whether she was abused, neglected or otherwise unsafe. DCF continued to give a score of nine out of 10 on the “lasting safety” scale applied to Felix, the court document said.DCF was again notified in August 2023 — two months before Felix’s death — that the girl was living with her mother in a house without running water. The report said the girl didn’t have shoes, was wearing the same clothes every day and was “outside around the neighborhood for hours at a time.”“DCF sent an investigator to the house seven times in September, but no one was ever home. The case was closed,” Corley wrote in the court document.In fact, he wrote, Felix was now relying on her father for parental care and was closer to falling victim to Cherry at the homeless camp.

Kan. defense attorney: State’s child protection system failed murdered 5-year-old girl

Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.

Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.

Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.

National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.

There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.

Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”

Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.

The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.

Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.

“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.

Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.

That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.

But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.

Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.

Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.

“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.

Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.

All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.

The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.

The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.

“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”

Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.

They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.

Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.

“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.

Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751161934969.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752369967885.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

Midwest farm economies suffered while some Sun Belt states kept rolling in early 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-trump-nonprofit-religion-courts-eee4b690ad475d5c8a52137c14cb03de">surprise move by the IRS</a>&nbsp;that would allow pastors to back political candidates from the pulpit without losing their organization’s tax-exempt status is drawing praise from conservatives and even some progressive religious groups but concern from other leaders of faith, along with tax and legal experts.

A 1954 provision in the tax code called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-287f4cd55eea49d699e9924e3984a38e">Johnson Amendment</a>&nbsp;says churches and other nonprofits could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The rule was rarely enforced.

While the IRS did not go as far as calling for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, it said in court documents Monday that communications in good faith by a church to its flock does not amount to “intervening” or affecting the outcome of a political campaign.

“Communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted,” the IRS said.

The new IRS interpretation came after decades of debate and, most recently, lawsuits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christian-broadcasters-am-radio-cars-9f9ac90674b8d429ebf4871e4e1f16a1">National Religious Broadcasters</a>&nbsp;association and other conservative churches complaining that the amendment violates their First Amendment rights, among other legal protections.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-west-africa-leaders-aid-cuts-e4b3a3f568151656eb177f0b7de6ae08">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;called the IRS’ assessment “terrific.”

“I love the fact that churches can endorse a political candidate,” he said. “We have a lot of respect for the people that lead the church.”

While some congregations see a new freedom to speak openly about preferred candidates, others see openings for campaign finance corruption, new pressures on religious leaders and an overall entanglement between church and state.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-evangelicals-christians-politics-jesus-2024-election-2850284ccf3e7155273131b7344a0dd0">Robert Jeffress</a>, pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas and a Trump ally, called it “the right decision.” He said his church’s tax-exempt status was threatened because of an IRS investigation into their political endorsements, costing the megachurch hundreds of thousands in legal fees.

“The IRS has no business dictating what can be said from the pulpit,” he said. “They need to stay the heck out of our churches.”

Calvary Church Chino Hills, a Southern California megachurch led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-churches-ballot-gathering-evangelicals-1d1a48c53f8e970fb3f31a7650f200fb">Jack Hibbs</a>, has been endorsing candidates for years, particularly in local elections. Gina Gleason, director of the church’s political engagement team, said she hopes the move will encourage smaller churches previously hesitant for fear of triggering an IRS response.

“I’d have thought if the IRS had targeted any church it would’ve been us,” she said. “But we got sound legal advice from lawyers and religious liberty organizations that explained we were within our constitutional rights.”

For Democrats trying to connect with people of faith, this decision is timely, said Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, a progressive and evangelical Christian organization.

“Conservative pastors who have been blatantly endorsing candidates regardless of the Johnson Amendment over the years created a disadvantage causing Democrats to step away from faith voters,” he said. “There was a true imbalance between how many more opportunities there were for Republican voters.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-trump-nonprofit-religion-courts-eee4b690ad475d5c8a52137c14cb03de">surprise move by the IRS</a>&nbsp;that would allow pastors to back political candidates from the pulpit without losing their organization’s tax-exempt status is drawing praise from conservatives and even some progressive religious groups but concern from other leaders of faith, along with tax and legal experts.A 1954 provision in the tax code called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-287f4cd55eea49d699e9924e3984a38e">Johnson Amendment</a>&nbsp;says churches and other nonprofits could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The rule was rarely enforced.While the IRS did not go as far as calling for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, it said in court documents Monday that communications in good faith by a church to its flock does not amount to “intervening” or affecting the outcome of a political campaign.“Communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted,” the IRS said.The new IRS interpretation came after decades of debate and, most recently, lawsuits from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christian-broadcasters-am-radio-cars-9f9ac90674b8d429ebf4871e4e1f16a1">National Religious Broadcasters</a>&nbsp;association and other conservative churches complaining that the amendment violates their First Amendment rights, among other legal protections.Speaking to reporters Wednesday, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-west-africa-leaders-aid-cuts-e4b3a3f568151656eb177f0b7de6ae08">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;called the IRS’ assessment “terrific.”“I love the fact that churches can endorse a political candidate,” he said. “We have a lot of respect for the people that lead the church.”While some congregations see a new freedom to speak openly about preferred candidates, others see openings for campaign finance corruption, new pressures on religious leaders and an overall entanglement between church and state.<h2>Praises to the IRS</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-evangelicals-christians-politics-jesus-2024-election-2850284ccf3e7155273131b7344a0dd0">Robert Jeffress</a>, pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas and a Trump ally, called it “the right decision.” He said his church’s tax-exempt status was threatened because of an IRS investigation into their political endorsements, costing the megachurch hundreds of thousands in legal fees.“The IRS has no business dictating what can be said from the pulpit,” he said. “They need to stay the heck out of our churches.”Calvary Church Chino Hills, a Southern California megachurch led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-churches-ballot-gathering-evangelicals-1d1a48c53f8e970fb3f31a7650f200fb">Jack Hibbs</a>, has been endorsing candidates for years, particularly in local elections. Gina Gleason, director of the church’s political engagement team, said she hopes the move will encourage smaller churches previously hesitant for fear of triggering an IRS response.“I’d have thought if the IRS had targeted any church it would’ve been us,” she said. “But we got sound legal advice from lawyers and religious liberty organizations that explained we were within our constitutional rights.”For Democrats trying to connect with people of faith, this decision is timely, said Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, a progressive and evangelical Christian organization.“Conservative pastors who have been blatantly endorsing candidates regardless of the Johnson Amendment over the years created a disadvantage causing Democrats to step away from faith voters,” he said. “There was a true imbalance between how many more opportunities there were for Republican voters.”The IRS statement, Pagitt says, also puts an end to the delicate dance pastors and congregations were forced to do.“You could talk about politics in the church gymnasium, but not in the sanctuary or from the pulpit,” he said. “Pastors could express political opinions on their personal Facebook page, but not on the church’s website. It’s just silly.”<h2>Church politicking concerns</h2>Tax and constitutional law experts, meanwhile, are wary of what entanglements could arise from the IRS’ new position.<a href="https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/philip-hackney" target="_blank">Philip Hackney</a>, a University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor who studies the relationship between churches and tax authority, said the decree could allow churches to push new boundaries.“It’s essentially creating a political intervention tax shelter for churches,” Hackney said. “It has the potential to corrupt their mission, more towards politics and away from their true beliefs.”Other religious groups, particularly in faith communities of color, are viewing it with skepticism. The Rev.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pa-state-wire-tx-state-wire-new-york-ny-state-wire-nv-state-wire-165f7ac1b3ce8b90a537da1a1f8886a4">Mark Whitlock</a>, senior pastor at Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland, said it raises more questions than answers.“From those of us in the Black church, this decision is being viewed with caution, apprehension and skepticism,” he said. “The question we’re asking is: ‘Why now?’”Whitlock said he will continue to do what the Black church has always done — educating and civically engaging parishioners. His congregants’ political views vary, too.“If I do say something in church, it needs to be God-centered, God-focused and a revelation that God gave you,” Whitlock said. “You can’t go to the pulpit as a campaign manager.”Raymond Chang, president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, warned that a repeal of the Johnson Amendment could help tether some congregations to certain parties or candidates.“This can lead to a partisan identity becoming the primary marker of a church or congregation, over a commitment to the Gospel, which cuts against both existing major parties,” he said. “Church leaders may also face pressure to make political endorsements.”California Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-newsom-south-carolina-democratic-primary-d04d1f313fbe7697aa31785e0e47440b">Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he finds the IRS’ position on the issue “politically convenient and cynical.”“We’ve seen a lot of the pulpit be coming more and more political over the years — almost weaponized in that respect,” the Democrat said at a church in South Carolina.<h2>What comes next</h2>About 8 in 10 U.S. adults believe churches and other houses of worship should not come out in favor of one political candidate over another during elections, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/10/27/religion-in-public-life/" target="_blank">2022</a>&nbsp;found.White evangelicals and Black Protestants were a little more divided on the matter, with about one-third in each group favoring political endorsements. But in every other religious group surveyed, there was a strong consensus against political involvement by houses of worship.Others are more optimistic that the IRS statement puts to bed unfounded criticisms against the agency for a rarely enforced rule.Terry Lemons, a former IRS official who began at the agency under Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-clinton-reinventing-government-gore-a95795eb75cacc03734ef0065c1b0a6d">Bill Clinton</a>, called it a “common sense approach through a narrowly written filing.”Roger Colinvaux, a Catholic University of America law professor, said he would caution churches against “overinterpreting” the IRS statement. He points out that the word “endorse” does not appear anywhere in it and said his biggest concern is religion being used as a partisan tool in campaigns.Pagitt at Common Good said not all pastors will seize the opportunity because they might be ministering to a divided congregation or might not be comfortable mixing politics and religion.Chieko Noguchi, spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Tuesday that the IRS statement doesn’t “change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate.”“The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good,” Noguchi said. “The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.”___Bharath reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in South Carolina contributed reporting.___