<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22NICK%20INGRAM%20and%20HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By NICK INGRAM and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH </a>

KANSAS CITY (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;has made a surprise stop at a Kansas City children’s hospital, shocking parents and patients alike as she laughed with them, posed for photos and exchanged gifts.

All parent Cassie Thomas was told beforehand was that she might want to brush her hair and teeth because there was going to be a special visitor. But she was stunned when Swift, fresh off her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-numbers-2-billion-118a7f5ea4609c5d3072a29152e387bb">Eras Tour</a>&nbsp;and one day before her 35th birthday, walked into her son's son Beckett Thomas' room on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

“No rumors. Like, we literally had absolutely no idea this was happening,” Thomas recalled.

Her 13-year-old son, Beckett Thomas, is a cancer patient and a fan of Swift's Kansas City Chiefs tight-end boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Beckett uses a 3D printer to make earrings bearing his and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' names, walking around the hospital unit selling them to nurses.

“She was amazing,” Beckett's mom said. “So down to earth.”

Another patient told Swift that her favorite song was “Love Story" and had some questions about San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, whose team played the Chiefs in the Super Bowl earlier this year.

Surprised, Taylor, muttered: “Brock Purdy, What? I mean, I don’t mind Brock Purdy.” She then continued: “He put me through a lot last February.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-las-vegas-opening-night-chiefs-49ers-8ec1d950f7f6be86e72963cc1dcbe7f7">Asked before the Super Bowl whether he was</a>&nbsp;prepared to disappoint Swift, Purdy responded: “Yes.”

The game ended with Mahomes rallying the Chiefs to second straight Super Bowl title, 25-22 over the 49ers in overtime.

“I was very stressed for a second but it all ended up fine,” Swift told the girl, their recorded conversation posted online.

The girl then chimed in: “I like Travis now.” Swift responded with: “Me too. That’s an absolute yes on that one."

There is no word on whether Swift will be in the stands when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-browns-preview-77ebd2cd1344e97a0489d7697001ca93">Chiefs play the Browns</a>&nbsp;on Sunday in Kelce’s hometown of Cleveland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734122660700.png" alt="n this image provided by Cassie Thomas, Beckett Thomas, 13, who is a patient at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., poses with Taylor Swift, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (Cassie Thomas via AP)" />
 <figcaption>n this image provided by Cassie Thomas, Beckett Thomas, 13, who is a patient at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., poses with Taylor Swift, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (Cassie Thomas via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22NICK%20INGRAM%20and%20HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By NICK INGRAM and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH </a>KANSAS CITY (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;has made a surprise stop at a Kansas City children’s hospital, shocking parents and patients alike as she laughed with them, posed for photos and exchanged gifts.All parent Cassie Thomas was told beforehand was that she might want to brush her hair and teeth because there was going to be a special visitor. But she was stunned when Swift, fresh off her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-numbers-2-billion-118a7f5ea4609c5d3072a29152e387bb">Eras Tour</a>&nbsp;and one day before her 35th birthday, walked into her son's son Beckett Thomas' room on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.“No rumors. Like, we literally had absolutely no idea this was happening,” Thomas recalled.Her 13-year-old son, Beckett Thomas, is a cancer patient and a fan of Swift's Kansas City Chiefs tight-end boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Beckett uses a 3D printer to make earrings bearing his and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' names, walking around the hospital unit selling them to nurses.Now, Swift has a pair as well.“She was amazing,” Beckett's mom said. “So down to earth.”Another patient told Swift that her favorite song was “Love Story" and had some questions about San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, whose team played the Chiefs in the Super Bowl earlier this year.Surprised, Taylor, muttered: “Brock Purdy, What? I mean, I don’t mind Brock Purdy.” She then continued: “He put me through a lot last February.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-las-vegas-opening-night-chiefs-49ers-8ec1d950f7f6be86e72963cc1dcbe7f7">Asked before the Super Bowl whether he was</a>&nbsp;prepared to disappoint Swift, Purdy responded: “Yes.”The game ended with Mahomes rallying the Chiefs to second straight Super Bowl title, 25-22 over the 49ers in overtime.“I was very stressed for a second but it all ended up fine,” Swift told the girl, their recorded conversation posted online.The girl then chimed in: “I like Travis now.” Swift responded with: “Me too. That’s an absolute yes on that one."There is no word on whether Swift will be in the stands when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-browns-preview-77ebd2cd1344e97a0489d7697001ca93">Chiefs play the Browns</a>&nbsp;on Sunday in Kelce’s hometown of Cleveland.

Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children's hospital

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man who lived in a makeshift camp with a homeless 5-year-old Kansas girl and her father pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder and rape in connection with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-kansas-zoey-felix-homeless-suspect-8b9832341fc8bb6dcf06672e9363059b">the child’s death.</a>

Prosecutors said Mickel Cherry, 26, admitted under questioning to suffocating Zoey Felix in October 2023 with a pillow in a tent at the camp in Topeka when he was alone with the girl. Doctors who examined her at a hospital saw injuries consistent with a sexual assault, and DNA evidence pointed to Cherry, the prosecutor said.

Cherry’s plea in Shawnee County District Court in Topeka means he will not face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-topeka-kansas-a39c4aa86bd21287f981c4a09a58576d">the death penalty.</a>&nbsp;He had been charged with capital murder and rape, but District Attorney Mike Kagay said there is evidence that Cherry has an intellectual disability, something that would bar his execution under state and federal court decisions.

In court, Cherry told District Judge Jessica Heinen: “I’m mentally slow. I have trouble learning.”

It wasn’t clear with a capital murder conviction how soon a sentence of lethal injection would have been carried out because Kansas hasn’t executed anyone since 1965.

With Cherry's guilty plea, state law requires Heinen to sentence Cherry to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. However, the judge has the authority to make it 50 years in prison without parole, and Kagay is asking for that.

The sentencing will be June 2-4. Cherry’s attorney, Peter Conley, did not want the date to be sooner and sought up to three days for a hearing, telling Heinen that he and other defense attorneys need time to investigate Cherry’s interactions with the Texas foster care system as a minor.

Conley did not respond immediately Friday to an email seeking additional details about what defense attorneys are investigating.

Kagay said Cherry made conflicting false statements to authorities about another man committing the crimes before acknowledging that he'd raped and suffocated her. Kagay said Cherry was alone with the girl for almost five hours while her father was at his job at a gas station across the street from the makeshift camp.

In court Friday, Cherry looked down, his eyes closed, as he answered the last of Heinen's questions about his plea agreement with prosecutors. He wore a yellow jail jumpsuit and remained handcuffed during the hearing.

Aimee Slusser, a friend of Felix’s father, who described herself as a mentor to the girl, left the courtroom in tears when Kagay discussed medical evidence that the girl was raped. She said afterward that whatever sentence Cherry faced, she didn’t feel justice would be done.

“A little girl’s life has been taken,” she told reporters. “Whatever he gets, it won’t bring her back”

The girl’s father was present for the entire 30-minute hearing but declined comment afterward.

Felix’s death had child welfare advocates asking why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-topeka-kansas-9816c6dd6f49dde6cfeb6fd435836eb0">the state didn’t remove</a>&nbsp;the girl from a dangerous environment, and Slusser told reporters Friday that had the state done that, “Zoey would still be here.”

Kansas' child welfare department reported that it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zoey-felix-girl-killed-topeka-kansas-088d335f41de0826f1991aab39dba620">investigated the family five times</a>&nbsp;in the last 13 months of Felix’s life but couldn’t confirm allegations of neglect or drug use by her mother, including after she was arrested for driving drunk with the girl in the car. The agency also said the family repeatedly declined help.

Court and police records show that Topeka police were called to the mother's home dozens of times. Neighbors said they saw the girl wandering the street outside dirty and hungry, and both parents alleged abuse. Felix’s mother was jailed at the end of 2022 over the drunken driving, which involved a crash with the girl in the front seat.

A neighbor said the mother threw Felix and her father out of the house two weeks before the girl died. They lived among the trees on a vacant lot about three-quarters of a mile to the south.

Cherry was involved with Felix's family before he was living with them in the makeshift homeless encampment. But authorities haven't said why he was involved with Felix's family, when he'd met the girl and her parents and how much contact he'd had with them. One police record listed him as living at the mother's home just weeks before Felix's death.

Police records show that before Cherry came to Topeka, he'd been living in Amarillo, Texas, 400 miles (605 kilometers) southwest of Topeka, at least as of October 2021. Documents show that his life in Texas was marked by periods of homelessness.

In court Friday, Heinen asked Cherry about whether he had any mental health issues, and he told her that he is taking medication for anxiety, depression and ADHD, or Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

In May 2018, Cherry, then 20, was in Nacogdoches, Texas, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) southeast of Amarillo. A police report said Cherry walked into the police department’s headquarters and reported being homeless, on daily medication for “mental problems” and that he had “voices going off in his head.” The report did not say what happened afterward.

By August 2019, Cherry was back in Amarillo, municipal court records show. He was jailed briefly there that year for mistreating an animal and again in June 2021 for trespassing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mikel Cherry photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Mikel Cherry photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man who lived in a makeshift camp with a homeless 5-year-old Kansas girl and her father pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder and rape in connection with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-kansas-zoey-felix-homeless-suspect-8b9832341fc8bb6dcf06672e9363059b">the child’s death.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors said Mickel Cherry, 26, admitted under questioning to suffocating Zoey Felix in October 2023 with a pillow in a tent at the camp in Topeka when he was alone with the girl. Doctors who examined her at a hospital saw injuries consistent with a sexual assault, and DNA evidence pointed to Cherry, the prosecutor said.Cherry’s plea in Shawnee County District Court in Topeka means he will not face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-topeka-kansas-a39c4aa86bd21287f981c4a09a58576d">the death penalty.</a>&nbsp;He had been charged with capital murder and rape, but District Attorney Mike Kagay said there is evidence that Cherry has an intellectual disability, something that would bar his execution under state and federal court decisions.In court, Cherry told District Judge Jessica Heinen: “I’m mentally slow. I have trouble learning.”It wasn’t clear with a capital murder conviction how soon a sentence of lethal injection would have been carried out because Kansas hasn’t executed anyone since 1965.With Cherry's guilty plea, state law requires Heinen to sentence Cherry to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. However, the judge has the authority to make it 50 years in prison without parole, and Kagay is asking for that.The sentencing will be June 2-4. Cherry’s attorney, Peter Conley, did not want the date to be sooner and sought up to three days for a hearing, telling Heinen that he and other defense attorneys need time to investigate Cherry’s interactions with the Texas foster care system as a minor.Conley did not respond immediately Friday to an email seeking additional details about what defense attorneys are investigating.Kagay said Cherry made conflicting false statements to authorities about another man committing the crimes before acknowledging that he'd raped and suffocated her. Kagay said Cherry was alone with the girl for almost five hours while her father was at his job at a gas station across the street from the makeshift camp.In court Friday, Cherry looked down, his eyes closed, as he answered the last of Heinen's questions about his plea agreement with prosecutors. He wore a yellow jail jumpsuit and remained handcuffed during the hearing.Aimee Slusser, a friend of Felix’s father, who described herself as a mentor to the girl, left the courtroom in tears when Kagay discussed medical evidence that the girl was raped. She said afterward that whatever sentence Cherry faced, she didn’t feel justice would be done.“A little girl’s life has been taken,” she told reporters. “Whatever he gets, it won’t bring her back”The girl’s father was present for the entire 30-minute hearing but declined comment afterward.Felix’s death had child welfare advocates asking why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-topeka-kansas-9816c6dd6f49dde6cfeb6fd435836eb0">the state didn’t remove</a>&nbsp;the girl from a dangerous environment, and Slusser told reporters Friday that had the state done that, “Zoey would still be here.”Kansas' child welfare department reported that it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zoey-felix-girl-killed-topeka-kansas-088d335f41de0826f1991aab39dba620">investigated the family five times</a>&nbsp;in the last 13 months of Felix’s life but couldn’t confirm allegations of neglect or drug use by her mother, including after she was arrested for driving drunk with the girl in the car. The agency also said the family repeatedly declined help.Court and police records show that Topeka police were called to the mother's home dozens of times. Neighbors said they saw the girl wandering the street outside dirty and hungry, and both parents alleged abuse. Felix’s mother was jailed at the end of 2022 over the drunken driving, which involved a crash with the girl in the front seat.A neighbor said the mother threw Felix and her father out of the house two weeks before the girl died. They lived among the trees on a vacant lot about three-quarters of a mile to the south.Cherry was involved with Felix's family before he was living with them in the makeshift homeless encampment. But authorities haven't said why he was involved with Felix's family, when he'd met the girl and her parents and how much contact he'd had with them. One police record listed him as living at the mother's home just weeks before Felix's death.Police records show that before Cherry came to Topeka, he'd been living in Amarillo, Texas, 400 miles (605 kilometers) southwest of Topeka, at least as of October 2021. Documents show that his life in Texas was marked by periods of homelessness.In court Friday, Heinen asked Cherry about whether he had any mental health issues, and he told her that he is taking medication for anxiety, depression and ADHD, or Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.In May 2018, Cherry, then 20, was in Nacogdoches, Texas, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) southeast of Amarillo. A police report said Cherry walked into the police department’s headquarters and reported being homeless, on daily medication for “mental problems” and that he had “voices going off in his head.” The report did not say what happened afterward.By August 2019, Cherry was back in Amarillo, municipal court records show. He was jailed briefly there that year for mistreating an animal and again in June 2021 for trespassing.____

Man pleads guilty in death of 5-year-old living in Kan. homeless camp

&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Commemoration in Bastogne, Belgium, on Friday.

&nbsp;Moran led the official Senate delegation to the ceremonies in Belgium and Luxembourg. The bipartisan delegation includes Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

Moran wrote on his social media page, "Honored to represent Kansas and the U.S. Senate at the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium."

"The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and most costly battle for the Americans during WWII."

"We are here to pay tribute to, and honor the memory of, the men who fought for freedom and the more than 10,000 Americans who remain here still, lying in eternal rest at the Ardennes American Cemetery &amp; the Luxembourg American Cemetery."

Moran closed his remarks by sharing an inscription that is on a smaller Battle of the Bulge memorial in Abilene, KS at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library.

"It reads: “let us be glad that such heroes have lived, and mourn those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

"Let us indeed be glad that such heroes have lived, and let us strive to live our lives in a manner worthy of their sacrifice."

The ceremonies were hosted by the American Battle Monuments Commission

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734123434736.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Commemoration in Bastogne, Belgium, on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734123059902.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Moran led the official Senate delegation to the ceremonies in Belgium and Luxembourg. The bipartisan delegation includes Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734123612154.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Moran wrote on his social media page, "Honored to represent Kansas and the U.S. Senate at the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium.""The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and most costly battle for the Americans during WWII." "We are here to pay tribute to, and honor the memory of, the men who fought for freedom and the more than 10,000 Americans who remain here still, lying in eternal rest at the Ardennes American Cemetery &amp; the Luxembourg American Cemetery."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nasa</a> Bill Nelson and Members of Congress to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg and Belgium. The sacrifices of brave <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWII</a> soldiers echo from the past, reminding us that each generation must continue the fight for freedom and… <a href="https://t.co/ae50RVceWL">pic.twitter.com/ae50RVceWL</a>&mdash; U.S. Embassy Luxembourg (@USEmbLuxembourg) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbLuxembourg/status/1867570544675090828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Moran closed his remarks by sharing an inscription that is on a smaller Battle of the Bulge memorial in Abilene, KS at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library."It reads: “let us be glad that such heroes have lived, and mourn those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”"Let us indeed be glad that such heroes have lived, and let us strive to live our lives in a manner worthy of their sacrifice." The ceremonies were hosted by the American Battle Monuments Commission

Moran leads Senate delegation at 80th anniversary of Battle of the Bulge

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — School districts across Kansas will receive a 20-page report containing guidance on cell phones that recommends daytime cell phone bans, mental health awareness and bolstered parental oversight.

The Kansas State Board of Education hasn’t mandated digital device policies, instead deferring to local districts and schools to create their own. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to accept the report’s recommendations and directed Kansas Department of Education staff to send it to local districts.

“Prior to the vote, Board Chair Melanie Haas of Overland Park emphasized the State Board accepting the report was an acknowledgement of the task force’s work, not an endorsement of the recommendations,” said Denise Kahler, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Education, in a Tuesday news release.

The 36-member task force consisted of state board members, district officials, school employees, students, parents and legislators who crafted 22 recommendations for locales. They met weekly between late August and early November and divided their recommendations into three categories: personal devices in school, screen time and mental health and parental oversight of district-owned devices.

State education officials proposed the task force in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-board-of-education-to-study-limitations-on-cellphone-use-in-classrooms/">July</a>, envisioning it as a way to examine how students use cell phones and other digital devices and the toll social media takes on their mental health. It was a way to help districts distill research into clear guidelines that they can use if they choose to create local policies, said Randy Watson, state education commissioner, at Tuesday’s meeting.

“This is not the state board telling any local district what you shall do,” he said.

Initial recommendations suggest districts should mandate K-12 students’ personal cell phones be powered off from the beginning of the school day to the end, including during lunch and passing periods, and stored in an off-limits location. Such restrictions are called bell-to-bell policies.

“A 2024 study reveals 72% of high school teachers, 33% of middle school teachers, and 6% of elementary school teachers say students distracted by cell phones in class is a major problem,” the report said.

Some studies also link screen time and school performance, the report said.

The task force also recommended districts create personal device policies for school staff, develop safety and emergency procedures that don’t rely on students’ personal devices and identify a district’s technology gaps so students aren’t forced to use their own devices.

Parental oversight had the lengthiest list of recommendations, with 13 items. The task force suggested policies should allow families to have stronger oversight over their students’ district-owned devices Some included broader parental controls, full access to student devices, the ability to block certain websites and the use of systems that let families see a mirrored view of a student’s screen.

About 47% of voting task force members opposed the screen mirroring recommendation, and 45% opposed the recommendation suggesting districts allow families to manage and request additional blocked websites on district-owned devices, according to the report.

The task force also endorsed stronger educational efforts to help parents understand how they can manage and monitor student devices.

Under mental health and screentime, the task force recommended districts implement independent, research-based guidance on online use and its effects on mental health, regular breaks from screens throughout the school day and means of communication with students and families outside of social media platforms.&nbsp;

About 40% of voting members opposed the recommendation for communication outside of social media.

Task force members sifted through national research illustrating the detrimental impact of social media and excessive screen time on adolescents. The report cited a 2023 study that found 46% of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their body image and a 2018 study in which 59% of teens said they have experienced cyberbullying.

The state board’s direction comes about a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/03/dc/u-s-education-department-pings-states-schools-to-set-policies-on-cellphone-use/">the U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;urged states and local school districts to&nbsp;create their own “well-thought-out” cell phone policies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694441377819.jpeg" alt="Image pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — School districts across Kansas will receive a 20-page report containing guidance on cell phones that recommends daytime cell phone bans, mental health awareness and bolstered parental oversight.The Kansas State Board of Education hasn’t mandated digital device policies, instead deferring to local districts and schools to create their own. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to accept the report’s recommendations and directed Kansas Department of Education staff to send it to local districts.“Prior to the vote, Board Chair Melanie Haas of Overland Park emphasized the State Board accepting the report was an acknowledgement of the task force’s work, not an endorsement of the recommendations,” said Denise Kahler, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Education, in a Tuesday news release.The 36-member task force consisted of state board members, district officials, school employees, students, parents and legislators who crafted 22 recommendations for locales. They met weekly between late August and early November and divided their recommendations into three categories: personal devices in school, screen time and mental health and parental oversight of district-owned devices.State education officials proposed the task force in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-board-of-education-to-study-limitations-on-cellphone-use-in-classrooms/">July</a>, envisioning it as a way to examine how students use cell phones and other digital devices and the toll social media takes on their mental health. It was a way to help districts distill research into clear guidelines that they can use if they choose to create local policies, said Randy Watson, state education commissioner, at Tuesday’s meeting.“This is not the state board telling any local district what you shall do,” he said.Initial recommendations suggest districts should mandate K-12 students’ personal cell phones be powered off from the beginning of the school day to the end, including during lunch and passing periods, and stored in an off-limits location. Such restrictions are called bell-to-bell policies.“A 2024 study reveals 72% of high school teachers, 33% of middle school teachers, and 6% of elementary school teachers say students distracted by cell phones in class is a major problem,” the report said.Some studies also link screen time and school performance, the report said.The task force also recommended districts create personal device policies for school staff, develop safety and emergency procedures that don’t rely on students’ personal devices and identify a district’s technology gaps so students aren’t forced to use their own devices.Parental oversight had the lengthiest list of recommendations, with 13 items. The task force suggested policies should allow families to have stronger oversight over their students’ district-owned devices Some included broader parental controls, full access to student devices, the ability to block certain websites and the use of systems that let families see a mirrored view of a student’s screen.About 47% of voting task force members opposed the screen mirroring recommendation, and 45% opposed the recommendation suggesting districts allow families to manage and request additional blocked websites on district-owned devices, according to the report.The task force also endorsed stronger educational efforts to help parents understand how they can manage and monitor student devices.Under mental health and screentime, the task force recommended districts implement independent, research-based guidance on online use and its effects on mental health, regular breaks from screens throughout the school day and means of communication with students and families outside of social media platforms.&nbsp;About 40% of voting members opposed the recommendation for communication outside of social media.Task force members sifted through national research illustrating the detrimental impact of social media and excessive screen time on adolescents. The report cited a 2023 study that found 46% of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their body image and a 2018 study in which 59% of teens said they have experienced cyberbullying.The state board’s direction comes about a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/03/dc/u-s-education-department-pings-states-schools-to-set-policies-on-cellphone-use/">the U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;urged states and local school districts to&nbsp;create their own “well-thought-out” cell phone policies.

Kan. BOE accepts report supporting phone bans, sends to local districts 

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her – making national headlines that stirred tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes -- has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story.

Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn't true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.”

“I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong,” Mangum, 46, said in the interview, which was released Monday. The interview was recorded last month at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Mangum is incarcerated for fatally stabbing her boyfriend in 2011.

The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum's story fell apart under legal scrutiny.

The state attorney general’s office concluded there was no credible evidence an attack ever occurred, and its investigation found no DNA, witness or other evidence to confirm Mangum’s story.

The Durham prosecutor who championed Mangum’s case was disbarred for lying and misconduct. Prosecutors at the time declined to press charges against Mangum for the false accusations.

The former lacrosse players reached an undisclosed settlement with Duke University in 2007 after suing it for the handling of the rape allegations.

Mangum, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 and is eligible to be released from prison as early as 2026, told the podcast interviewer that she hopes the three falsely accused men can forgive her.

“I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve that,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734111754507.png" alt="Mangum is in prison for the murder of her boyfriend- Image North Carolina Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Mangum is in prison for the murder of her boyfriend- Image North Carolina Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her – making national headlines that stirred tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes -- has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story.Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn't true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.”“I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong,” Mangum, 46, said in the interview, which was released Monday. The interview was recorded last month at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Mangum is incarcerated for fatally stabbing her boyfriend in 2011.The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum's story fell apart under legal scrutiny.The state attorney general’s office concluded there was no credible evidence an attack ever occurred, and its investigation found no DNA, witness or other evidence to confirm Mangum’s story.The Durham prosecutor who championed Mangum’s case was disbarred for lying and misconduct. Prosecutors at the time declined to press charges against Mangum for the false accusations.The former lacrosse players reached an undisclosed settlement with Duke University in 2007 after suing it for the handling of the rape allegations.Mangum, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 and is eligible to be released from prison as early as 2026, told the podcast interviewer that she hopes the three falsely accused men can forgive her.“I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve that,” she said.

Former stripper finally admits she made up rape story that rocked the nation 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Following the conviction of Michael Hurley in the case connected with the accident that killed Trey Jones and critically injured Amy and Ava Jones of Nickerson, Kansas, Hurley received a sentence of 70 years in prison at a sentencing hearing on&nbsp;Friday, December 13.

The Jones family was in Louisville for an AAU basketball tournament Ava Jones was playing in.&nbsp;

Michael Hurley was on probation in Indiana for drug-related charges at the time of the crash, according to court documents detailing his criminal history.

He admitted to officers that he was doing drugs before the July 5, 2022 accident.&nbsp;

In October, Hurley was convicted of one count of murder, three counts of assault and one count of driving under the influence.&nbsp;

Ava Jones remains on scholarship at the University of Iowa, though she&nbsp;announced earlier this spring that she is no longer going to attempt to return to basketball.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657123638963.jpeg" alt="Michael Hurley-Louisville Metro Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Michael Hurley-Louisville Metro Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Following the conviction of Michael Hurley in the case connected with the accident that killed Trey Jones and critically injured Amy and Ava Jones of Nickerson, Kansas, Hurley received a sentence of 70 years in prison at a sentencing hearing on&nbsp;Friday, December 13.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717777993147.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Jones family was in Louisville for an AAU basketball tournament Ava Jones was playing in.&nbsp;Michael Hurley was on probation in Indiana for drug-related charges at the time of the crash, according to court documents detailing his criminal history.He admitted to officers that he was doing drugs before the July 5, 2022 accident.&nbsp;In October, Hurley was convicted of one count of murder, three counts of assault and one count of driving under the influence.&nbsp;Ava Jones remains on scholarship at the University of Iowa, though she&nbsp;announced earlier this spring that she is no longer going to attempt to return to basketball.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Man sentenced for deadly crash into Kan. family in downtown Louisville

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman.

Pelosi, 84, was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-us-wwii-battle-of-bulge-6b4d87e4f7b79614e4f8ccb343c81c47">80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-war-ii">World War II</a>. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip.

He did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. Another person familiar with the situation said she injured her hip. The people requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly.

Krager said that Pelosi “looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon."

Among the members on the trip was Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, R-Texas, who posted on social media that he was “praying for a speedy recovery,” for Pelosi. The two lawmakers were captured holding hands in a group photo Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg.

“I’m disappointed Speaker Emerita Pelosi won’t be able to join the rest of our delegation’s events this weekend as I know how much she looked forward to honoring our veterans,” McCaul wrote on X. “But she is strong, and I am confident she will be back on her feet in no time.”

The former leader's fall comes two years after her husband Paul was attacked by a man with a hammer at their San Francisco home. The man, who was sentenced in October to 30 years in federal prison, broke into their home looking for Pelosi.

Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987 and served as speaker twice,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-house-future-plans-updates-3839ff31c605efa0ec1ee4ff004b72d2">stepped down</a>&nbsp;from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November.

She has remained active in the two years since she left the top job, working with Democrats in private and in public and attending official events. Last summer, she was instrumental in her party's behind the scenes push to urge President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;to leave the presidential ticket.

She attended the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington last weekend and was on the Senate floor Monday to attend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adam-schiff-senate-trump-california-1f611ee885e9c6b73a22ea1cab0d08bc">swearing in</a>&nbsp;of her former Democratic House colleagues,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/adam-schiff">Adam Schiff</a>&nbsp;of California and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-new-jersey-senate-kim-bashaw-42b8fe654b8cf03c7f50d030ab3374db">Andy Kim</a>&nbsp;of New Jersey.

Earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>, 82,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-fall-republican-8d58004d3f14c1995d83c11319d77d72">tripped and fell in the Senate</a>, spraining his wrist and cutting his face. McConnell, who is stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-fall-absent-gop-republican-43eb4c142f089fe5ce0c00f3b4e3c8aa">missed Senate votes</a>&nbsp;on Thursday after experiencing some stiffness in his leg from the fall, his office said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575554925834.png" alt="File photo Nancy Pelosi courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Nancy Pelosi courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman.Pelosi, 84, was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-us-wwii-battle-of-bulge-6b4d87e4f7b79614e4f8ccb343c81c47">80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/world-war-ii">World War II</a>. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nasa</a> Bill Nelson and Members of Congress to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg and Belgium. The sacrifices of brave <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWII</a> soldiers echo from the past, reminding us that each generation must continue the fight for freedom and… <a href="https://t.co/ae50RVceWL">pic.twitter.com/ae50RVceWL</a>&mdash; U.S. Embassy Luxembourg (@USEmbLuxembourg) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbLuxembourg/status/1867570544675090828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. Another person familiar with the situation said she injured her hip. The people requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly.Krager said that Pelosi “looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon."Among the members on the trip was Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, R-Texas, who posted on social media that he was “praying for a speedy recovery,” for Pelosi. The two lawmakers were captured holding hands in a group photo Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg.“I’m disappointed Speaker Emerita Pelosi won’t be able to join the rest of our delegation’s events this weekend as I know how much she looked forward to honoring our veterans,” McCaul wrote on X. “But she is strong, and I am confident she will be back on her feet in no time.”The former leader's fall comes two years after her husband Paul was attacked by a man with a hammer at their San Francisco home. The man, who was sentenced in October to 30 years in federal prison, broke into their home looking for Pelosi.Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987 and served as speaker twice,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-house-future-plans-updates-3839ff31c605efa0ec1ee4ff004b72d2">stepped down</a>&nbsp;from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November.She has remained active in the two years since she left the top job, working with Democrats in private and in public and attending official events. Last summer, she was instrumental in her party's behind the scenes push to urge President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;to leave the presidential ticket.She attended the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington last weekend and was on the Senate floor Monday to attend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adam-schiff-senate-trump-california-1f611ee885e9c6b73a22ea1cab0d08bc">swearing in</a>&nbsp;of her former Democratic House colleagues,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/adam-schiff">Adam Schiff</a>&nbsp;of California and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-new-jersey-senate-kim-bashaw-42b8fe654b8cf03c7f50d030ab3374db">Andy Kim</a>&nbsp;of New Jersey.Earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>, 82,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-fall-republican-8d58004d3f14c1995d83c11319d77d72">tripped and fell in the Senate</a>, spraining his wrist and cutting his face. McConnell, who is stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-fall-absent-gop-republican-43eb4c142f089fe5ce0c00f3b4e3c8aa">missed Senate votes</a>&nbsp;on Thursday after experiencing some stiffness in his leg from the fall, his office said.

Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after fall during trip to Luxembourg

SARASOTA, Florida (AP) —Dick Vitale said he's cancer-free after his fourth bout with the disease in just over three years.

The 85-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst announced Thursday on social media that he got the news after a morning scan.

“SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called &amp; said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER !” Vitale posted on X. “OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your (prayers). Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!”

Vitale had surgery in the summer to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck. He was previously treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and had radiation treatments last year for vocal cord cancer.

The Basketball Hall of Famer has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. The former college and NBA coach called ESPN’s first college basketball broadcast.

He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research, helping friend Jim Valvano to the stage at the 1993 ESPYs, where Valvano delivered his famous “Don’t give up” speech. Valvano died of adenocarcinoma less than two months later.

SARASOTA, Florida (AP) —Dick Vitale said he's cancer-free after his fourth bout with the disease in just over three years.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called &amp; said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER ! OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your 🙏🙏🙏Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship! <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMontagGroup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheMontagGroup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jksports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jksports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheVCEO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheVCEO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNPR</a> @ <a href="https://twitter.com/WSB_Speakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WSB_Speakers</a> <a href="https://t.co/XGa1bJ8pzu">pic.twitter.com/XGa1bJ8pzu</a>&mdash; Dick Vitale (@DickieV) <a href="https://twitter.com/DickieV/status/1867284607424442494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 85-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst announced Thursday on social media that he got the news after a morning scan.“SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called &amp; said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER !” Vitale posted on X. “OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your (prayers). Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!”Vitale had surgery in the summer to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck. He was previously treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and had radiation treatments last year for vocal cord cancer.The Basketball Hall of Famer has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. The former college and NBA coach called ESPN’s first college basketball broadcast.He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research, helping friend Jim Valvano to the stage at the 1993 ESPYs, where Valvano delivered his famous “Don’t give up” speech. Valvano died of adenocarcinoma less than two months later.

🎥Dick Vitale says he's cancer-free after 4th bout with the disease 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star Morgan Wallen on Thursday pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-nashville-court-chair-88fbc39ad52e535ff879570ceff6af1b">throwing a chair from the rooftop of a six-story bar</a>&nbsp;in Nashville and nearly hitting two police officers with it.

Wallen, who appeared in court alongside his attorney, was sentenced to spend seven days in a DUI education center and be under supervised probation for two years.

“Conditionally guilty,” Wallen said when Judge Cynthia Chappell asked how he would plead.

According to the arrest affidavit, Wallen was accused of throwing a chair off the roof of Chief’s bar on April 7. The chair landed about a yard&nbsp; from the officers, who spoke to witnesses and reviewed security footage. Witnesses told officers that they saw Wallen pick up a chair, throw it off the roof and laugh about it.

Shortly after the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-arrest-bar-message-12788b00384ed365ab75e12d5b166dee">Wallen issued a statement</a>&nbsp;in which he said he accepted “responsibility” and was “not proud” of his behavior. The statement did not include an apology but did mention making “amends” and touching base with law enforcement.

The “One Thing at a Time” singer was initially charged with three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

Worrick Robinson, Wallen's attorney, said in a statement that the singer “has cooperated fully with authorities throughout these last eight months, directly communicating and apologizing to all involved."

“Upon the successful completion of his probation, the charges will be eligible for dismissal and expungement,” Robinson added.

Wallen did not make a statement after the brief 10-minute hearing concluded on Thursday. Instead, he was quickly escorted out by several security guards.

Wallen is one of the biggest names in contemporary country and was named the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cma-awards-morgan-wallen-post-malone-32859c3a9f19a64df6fbffe1ff20b302">Country Music Association Awards' entertainer of the year</a>&nbsp;last month.

In 2021, Wallen was suspended indefinitely from his label after video surfaced of him shouting a racial slur. In 2020, he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges after being kicked out of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712583620863.png" alt="Wallen photo Nashville Police" />
 <figcaption>Wallen photo Nashville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star Morgan Wallen on Thursday pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-nashville-court-chair-88fbc39ad52e535ff879570ceff6af1b">throwing a chair from the rooftop of a six-story bar</a>&nbsp;in Nashville and nearly hitting two police officers with it.Wallen, who appeared in court alongside his attorney, was sentenced to spend seven days in a DUI education center and be under supervised probation for two years.“Conditionally guilty,” Wallen said when Judge Cynthia Chappell asked how he would plead.According to the arrest affidavit, Wallen was accused of throwing a chair off the roof of Chief’s bar on April 7. The chair landed about a yard&nbsp; from the officers, who spoke to witnesses and reviewed security footage. Witnesses told officers that they saw Wallen pick up a chair, throw it off the roof and laugh about it.Shortly after the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-arrest-bar-message-12788b00384ed365ab75e12d5b166dee">Wallen issued a statement</a>&nbsp;in which he said he accepted “responsibility” and was “not proud” of his behavior. The statement did not include an apology but did mention making “amends” and touching base with law enforcement.The “One Thing at a Time” singer was initially charged with three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.Worrick Robinson, Wallen's attorney, said in a statement that the singer “has cooperated fully with authorities throughout these last eight months, directly communicating and apologizing to all involved."“Upon the successful completion of his probation, the charges will be eligible for dismissal and expungement,” Robinson added.Wallen did not make a statement after the brief 10-minute hearing concluded on Thursday. Instead, he was quickly escorted out by several security guards.Wallen is one of the biggest names in contemporary country and was named the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cma-awards-morgan-wallen-post-malone-32859c3a9f19a64df6fbffe1ff20b302">Country Music Association Awards' entertainer of the year</a>&nbsp;last month.In 2021, Wallen was suspended indefinitely from his label after video surfaced of him shouting a racial slur. In 2020, he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges after being kicked out of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville.

Morgan Wallen sentenced for throwing chair off roof of bar

Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard.

<a href="https://stanley1913tmrecall.expertinquiry.com/">Click here to&nbsp;</a>get a replacement

The company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard.

Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide, including 16 in the U.S., of the recalled travel mugs’ lids detaching during use, resulting in 38 burn injuries worldwide, including two burn injuries in the U.S., with 11 consumers worldwide requiring medical attention.

Stanley said the recall includes double-walled mugs sold in a variety of colors including white, black and green, in 12 oz., 16 oz. and 20 oz. sizes with a polypropylene lid. The Stanley logo appears on the front and bottom of the mug.

The mugs were sold on Amazon's website and at Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target and other stores nationwide and online from June 2016 through December 2024 for between $20 and $50, depending on the model.

Consumers are advised to immediately stop using the recalled travel mugs. They may contact Stanley to receive a free replacement lid, including shipping.

Consumers may call 866-792-5445 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or go online to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stanley1913tmrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.Stanley1913TMrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>, or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.us%2Fv3%2F__http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stanley1913.com%2F__%3B!!K4v5ATkRwarYYQ!ylJx9WK8NLVc2744qVsIokmYMRiLYc0FpufafuPzkIew_bjuuYE8hP-6TsOE4rVJCCqIuLQNtOe681AO7g%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7CPWILLIAMS%40shb.com%7Cfd017db518944b65483108dd0e84fe2a%7C7be5e27659ab444899e76ab9030adfbf%7C1%7C0%7C638682686560763600%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=nF0EHp2ATLciWKGvtVI2auOC7JyjWlcz0soi7jRpyXw%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.stanley1913.com</a>&nbsp;and click on the corresponding link to submit a recall claim or get more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734095354911.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard.<a href="https://stanley1913tmrecall.expertinquiry.com/">Click here to&nbsp;</a>get a replacementThe company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard.Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide, including 16 in the U.S., of the recalled travel mugs’ lids detaching during use, resulting in 38 burn injuries worldwide, including two burn injuries in the U.S., with 11 consumers worldwide requiring medical attention.Stanley said the recall includes double-walled mugs sold in a variety of colors including white, black and green, in 12 oz., 16 oz. and 20 oz. sizes with a polypropylene lid. The Stanley logo appears on the front and bottom of the mug.The mugs were sold on Amazon's website and at Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target and other stores nationwide and online from June 2016 through December 2024 for between $20 and $50, depending on the model.Consumers are advised to immediately stop using the recalled travel mugs. They may contact Stanley to receive a free replacement lid, including shipping.Consumers may call 866-792-5445 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or go online to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stanley1913tmrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.Stanley1913TMrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>, or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.us%2Fv3%2F__http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stanley1913.com%2F__%3B!!K4v5ATkRwarYYQ!ylJx9WK8NLVc2744qVsIokmYMRiLYc0FpufafuPzkIew_bjuuYE8hP-6TsOE4rVJCCqIuLQNtOe681AO7g%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7CPWILLIAMS%40shb.com%7Cfd017db518944b65483108dd0e84fe2a%7C7be5e27659ab444899e76ab9030adfbf%7C1%7C0%7C638682686560763600%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=nF0EHp2ATLciWKGvtVI2auOC7JyjWlcz0soi7jRpyXw%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.stanley1913.com</a>&nbsp;and click on the corresponding link to submit a recall claim or get more information.

Stanley recalls travel mugs due to possible burn hazard

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in a deadly double murder made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.

Judge Shawn Elliot charged 15-year-old Elias Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In January, poli e responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested a 14-year-old from Wichita later identified as Cerda. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He is being held on a one million dollar bond and is due back in court January 6, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734098604588.png" alt="Cerda-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cerda-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in a deadly double murder made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.Judge Shawn Elliot charged 15-year-old Elias Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In January, poli e responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested a 14-year-old from Wichita later identified as Cerda. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp; He is being held on a one million dollar bond and is due back in court January 6, according to the district attorney's office.

15-year-old goes to court for Kansas double murder

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A U.S. senator has called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-a978470fa3bb07ed3e98c5b7c18f0abb">mysterious drones</a>&nbsp;spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft.

“We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill.

People in the New York region are also concerned that the drones may be sharing airspace with commercial airlines, he said, demanding more transparency from the Biden administration.

The White House said Thursday that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He said the U.S. Coast Guard has not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels.

“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby said, echoing statements from the Pentagon and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh has said they are not U.S. military drones.

In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said they and their federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, “continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.”

The agencies said they have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and that reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft.

“There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space,” according to the statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-0f4aba00748ac464d42270fbe7457733">The drones</a>&nbsp;appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.

The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once.

The worry stems partly from the flying objects&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-sightings-central-new-jersey-cd8866c9c2568216759007716990decf">initially being spotted</a>&nbsp;near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.

In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off.

Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.

Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey appeared to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency, saying it could help spread fear and misinformation.

“We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said Thursday.

John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said witnesses may be confused about what they are seeing, especially in the dark, and noted it’s hard to know the size of the drones or how close they might be.

“There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” Duesler said Thursday.

Duesler said the drones — and those flying them — likely cannot evade detection.

“They will leave a radio frequency footprint, they all leave a signature," he said. "We will find out what kind of drones they were, who was flying them and where they were flying them.”

Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the sightings from the New York City area across New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. It is unknown at this time whether the sightings are related.

Duesler said the public wants to know what's going on.

“I hope (the government agencies) will come out with more information about this to ease our fears. But this could just be the acts of rogue drone operators, it’s not an ‘invasion’ as some reports have called it,” Duesler said. “I am concerned about this it but not alarmed by it.”

Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and reporter Darlene Superville and videojournalists Serkan Gurbuz and Nathan Ellgren in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A U.S. senator has called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-a978470fa3bb07ed3e98c5b7c18f0abb">mysterious drones</a>&nbsp;spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a> and DHS jointly issued a statement on reported drone sightings in New Jersey ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/kzbmTzjvkr">pic.twitter.com/kzbmTzjvkr</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1867317812450246759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">John Kirby on drone activity in and around New Jersey: &quot;We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus... We have not been able to...corroborate any of the reported visual sightings.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xfxFaJQUaN">pic.twitter.com/xfxFaJQUaN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1867283595619930459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>People in the New York region are also concerned that the drones may be sharing airspace with commercial airlines, he said, demanding more transparency from the Biden administration.The White House said Thursday that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He said the U.S. Coast Guard has not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels.“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby said, echoing statements from the Pentagon and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh has said they are not U.S. military drones.In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said they and their federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, “continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.”The agencies said they have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and that reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft.“There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space,” according to the statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-0f4aba00748ac464d42270fbe7457733">The drones</a>&nbsp;appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once.The worry stems partly from the flying objects&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-sightings-central-new-jersey-cd8866c9c2568216759007716990decf">initially being spotted</a>&nbsp;near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off.Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey appeared to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists.Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency, saying it could help spread fear and misinformation.“We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said Thursday.John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said witnesses may be confused about what they are seeing, especially in the dark, and noted it’s hard to know the size of the drones or how close they might be.“There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” Duesler said Thursday.Duesler said the drones — and those flying them — likely cannot evade detection.“They will leave a radio frequency footprint, they all leave a signature," he said. "We will find out what kind of drones they were, who was flying them and where they were flying them.”Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the sightings from the New York City area across New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. It is unknown at this time whether the sightings are related.Duesler said the public wants to know what's going on.“I hope (the government agencies) will come out with more information about this to ease our fears. But this could just be the acts of rogue drone operators, it’s not an ‘invasion’ as some reports have called it,” Duesler said. “I am concerned about this it but not alarmed by it.”___Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and reporter Darlene Superville and videojournalists Serkan Gurbuz and Nathan Ellgren in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

🎥FBI and DHS issue statement on reported drone sightings 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement took a murder suspect into custody following a&nbsp;barricade situation at a residence in Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 6:30p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Special Operations Unit was in the area near McGrew Grove and Quindaro Blvd. serving a warrant in the November 30 shooting death of 17-year-old Nicholas Brooks. 

Once on scene, officers made contact with the suspect, an adult male, who then entered a residence and refused to exit, barricading himself inside for several hours.

At approximately 9p.m., following several tactical interventions, Kansas City, Kansas police negotiators were successful in convincing the suspect, to exit the residence. 

He was then taken into custody without incident. Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department also responded to the scene to investigate the suspect as a person of interest in a number of violent crimes in their city.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police did not release the name of the suspect.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement took a murder suspect into custody following a&nbsp;barricade situation at a residence in Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 6:30p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Special Operations Unit was in the area near McGrew Grove and Quindaro Blvd. serving a warrant in the November 30 shooting death of 17-year-old Nicholas Brooks. Once on scene, officers made contact with the suspect, an adult male, who then entered a residence and refused to exit, barricading himself inside for several hours.At approximately 9p.m., following several tactical interventions, Kansas City, Kansas police negotiators were successful in convincing the suspect, to exit the residence. He was then taken into custody without incident. Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department also responded to the scene to investigate the suspect as a person of interest in a number of violent crimes in their city.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police did not release the name of the suspect.

Police capture suspect in killing of 17-year-old Kan. boy

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

Just before 10:30a.m December 11, special agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrested Brian W. Black, 40, without incident at his residence in Arkansas City, according to a media release from the KBI.

 Black was arrested on a warrant on requested charges that include three counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of exploitation of a child, two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, abuse of a child, and battery.

  In September 2023, the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance with a sexual assault investigation involving a 16-year-old girl who had reported that Black had raped her. 

Special agents began investigating. They conducted interviews, executed search warrants and gathered evidence. Following the arrest, Black was booked into the Cowley County Jail. Bond was set at $500,000. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734044955692.png" alt="Black photo Cowley County" />
 <figcaption>Black photo Cowley County</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.Just before 10:30a.m December 11, special agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation arrested Brian W. Black, 40, without incident at his residence in Arkansas City, according to a media release from the KBI. Black was arrested on a warrant on requested charges that include three counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of exploitation of a child, two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, abuse of a child, and battery. In September 2023, the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance with a sexual assault investigation involving a 16-year-old girl who had reported that Black had raped her. Special agents began investigating. They conducted interviews, executed search warrants and gathered evidence. Following the arrest, Black was booked into the Cowley County Jail. Bond was set at $500,000.

KBI: Teen accused Kansas man of sex crimes

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American who disappeared seven months ago into former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">Syrian President Bashar Assad’s</a>&nbsp;notorious prison system said early Friday he was released by the “liberators” who arrived in Damascus a day after the longtime ruler fled the capital.

Travis Timmerman called his release a “blessing” when he spoke to The Associated Press from a hotel room in Damascus, where he arrived late Thursday. He was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-saydnaya-prison-assad-families-search-9f533d54b4df72f97416f90921dd2a9c">thousands of people released from Syria’s sprawling military prisons</a>&nbsp;this week after rebels reached Damascus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">overthrowing Assad</a>&nbsp;and ending his family’s 54-year rule.

Timmerman, 29, said he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.”

The political affairs office of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that led the lightning offensive to topple Assad’s government, said the group had secured his release.

“We affirm our readiness to cooperate directly with the U.S. administration to complete the search for American citizens disappeared by the former Assad regime,” the group said, adding that a search was underway for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tice-journalist-syria-carstens-e20547144d1ad0580e7d64462b8c4135">Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing</a>&nbsp;in Syria 12 years ago. An official with the group later said it was arranging for Timmerman to leave Syria, but gave no details.

Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them.

He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility.

“I was there seven months. There were women there up above me,” Timmerman said. He heard the women singing and teaching their children and could hear some of the men being beaten regularly. “I was never beaten,” he said.

He was detained after he crossed into Syria from a mountain along the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle in June. He was questioned for three and half hours by interrogators who thought he must be a spy. In a brief second interview, they searched his mobile phone, and in the last interview, he started discussing his dreams with his captors.

He said their threat of using violence against him was “implicit” because he could hear daily beatings next door. But his captors let him use his mobile to call his family three weeks ago. At the time, Timmerman didn’t tell his family he was in Damascus, only that he was fine.

He said later in his detention, he could hear explosions — at a time when Israel was intensifying its strikes in Syria. Israel’s war with the Hezbollah militant group had intensified in September, before a ceasefire was reached last month.

“I heard some explosives that shook the building,” he said.

In his prison cell, Timmerman said he had a mattress, a plastic drinking container and two others for waste. He had three bathroom breaks and had exercise breaks in the first half of his stay.

He said the Friday calls to prayers helped keep track of days.

He said he gained weight at first because he ate unleavened bread, rice and oats. Sometimes he would get a potato or a tomato — a treatment clearly reserved for non-Syrian prisoners, who often ended up emaciated or sick.

“It is a time of solace and you can meditate on your life,” he told AP. “It was good for me.”

Timmerman was disheveled, with a scraggly beard and long hair and nails. He said he had a good sleep and a meal on Thursday.

He said he planned to return to Damascus.

Timmerman is from Urbana, Missouri, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Springfield in the southwestern part of the state. He earned a finance degree from Missouri State University in 2017.

Timmerman’s mother, Stacey Gardiner, told the AP that as of Thursday evening, she hadn’t spoken to her son. She said he told her he was visiting Prague and Budapest, Hungary, to “write about different churches.” She said she last heard from him in May, when he said he was going somewhere without internet and that he would call when he had access again. Then he stopped replying to calls and texts and she didn't know whether he was alive or dead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734009338567.png" alt="Missouri State Highway Patrol bulletin identified him as “Pete Travis Timmerman,” 29, and said he had gone missing in Hungary in early June. I" />
 <figcaption>Missouri State Highway Patrol bulletin identified him as “Pete Travis Timmerman,” 29, and said he had gone missing in Hungary in early June. I</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American who disappeared seven months ago into former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">Syrian President Bashar Assad’s</a>&nbsp;notorious prison system said early Friday he was released by the “liberators” who arrived in Damascus a day after the longtime ruler fled the capital.Travis Timmerman called his release a “blessing” when he spoke to The Associated Press from a hotel room in Damascus, where he arrived late Thursday. He was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-saydnaya-prison-assad-families-search-9f533d54b4df72f97416f90921dd2a9c">thousands of people released from Syria’s sprawling military prisons</a>&nbsp;this week after rebels reached Damascus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">overthrowing Assad</a>&nbsp;and ending his family’s 54-year rule.Timmerman, 29, said he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.”The political affairs office of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that led the lightning offensive to topple Assad’s government, said the group had secured his release.“We affirm our readiness to cooperate directly with the U.S. administration to complete the search for American citizens disappeared by the former Assad regime,” the group said, adding that a search was underway for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tice-journalist-syria-carstens-e20547144d1ad0580e7d64462b8c4135">Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing</a>&nbsp;in Syria 12 years ago. An official with the group later said it was arranging for Timmerman to leave Syria, but gave no details.Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them.He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility.“I was there seven months. There were women there up above me,” Timmerman said. He heard the women singing and teaching their children and could hear some of the men being beaten regularly. “I was never beaten,” he said.He was detained after he crossed into Syria from a mountain along the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle in June. He was questioned for three and half hours by interrogators who thought he must be a spy. In a brief second interview, they searched his mobile phone, and in the last interview, he started discussing his dreams with his captors.He said their threat of using violence against him was “implicit” because he could hear daily beatings next door. But his captors let him use his mobile to call his family three weeks ago. At the time, Timmerman didn’t tell his family he was in Damascus, only that he was fine.He said later in his detention, he could hear explosions — at a time when Israel was intensifying its strikes in Syria. Israel’s war with the Hezbollah militant group had intensified in September, before a ceasefire was reached last month.“I heard some explosives that shook the building,” he said.In his prison cell, Timmerman said he had a mattress, a plastic drinking container and two others for waste. He had three bathroom breaks and had exercise breaks in the first half of his stay.He said the Friday calls to prayers helped keep track of days.He said he gained weight at first because he ate unleavened bread, rice and oats. Sometimes he would get a potato or a tomato — a treatment clearly reserved for non-Syrian prisoners, who often ended up emaciated or sick.“It is a time of solace and you can meditate on your life,” he told AP. “It was good for me.”Timmerman was disheveled, with a scraggly beard and long hair and nails. He said he had a good sleep and a meal on Thursday.He said he planned to return to Damascus.Timmerman is from Urbana, Missouri, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Springfield in the southwestern part of the state. He earned a finance degree from Missouri State University in 2017.Timmerman’s mother, Stacey Gardiner, told the AP that as of Thursday evening, she hadn’t spoken to her son. She said he told her he was visiting Prague and Budapest, Hungary, to “write about different churches.” She said she last heard from him in May, when he said he was going somewhere without internet and that he would call when he had access again. Then he stopped replying to calls and texts and she didn't know whether he was alive or dead.“I couldn’t help him, and that broke my heart more and more each day,” Gardiner said. “I just want my baby (to) come home.”The family reported him missing, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a bulletin saying “Pete Timmerman" had gone missing in Hungary in early June. In late August, Hungarian police put out a missing persons announcement for “Travis Pete Timmerman,” saying he was last seen at a church in Budapest. Timmerman goes by Travis.In describing his release from prison, Timmerman said the action outside his cell woke him up. Those who came to release him spoke to him in Arabic. “It was an excited scene. It was not clear if the guards who were there were still there,” Timmerman said. “I didn’t know if they were taking us out in the midst of a war zone … in hindsight, this shooting was not actual clashes.”He said he was panicked for a moment. But he realized some of the gunfire was celebratory from blanks. One man was shooting from an AK-47. At one point, he went running back into the prison with two other prisoners. A fellow prisoner helped him out, holding his arm, and speaking Arabic to those around. They both accompanied a female prisoner to her home.He spent two nights in Damascus, one in abandoned apartment in the old town and another at a new friend’s house.He then started walking toward Jordan, when a Syrian family found him barefoot on a main road in the countryside of Damascus early Thursday.At first some mistook him for Tice.The Syrian family told AP that Timmerman appeared cold and hungry so they brought him back to their home.“I fed him and called a doctor,” said Mosaed al-Rifai, the 68-year-old waste collector who first found Timmerman.A few hours after al-Rifai discovered him, rebels arrived at the family’s house to pick him up, he said.Mouaz Mostafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a U.S.-based nonprofit group, who was in Damascus learned of Timmerman’s location, reached him and contacted US authorities about him.Timmerman is now recovering until the rebels can figure out how to hand him to U.S. authorities, Moustafa said.From Aqaba, Jordan, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that the White House was “working to bring him home, to bring him out of Syria” but declined further comment for privacy reasons.Washington’s top hostage negotiator, Roger Carstens, travelled to Lebanon this week in hopes of collecting information on the whereabouts of Tice.President Joe Biden has said his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, though he also acknowledged on Sunday that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. The case has frustrated U.S. intelligence officials for years.“This is a priority for the United States,” Blinken said.Tice, who has had his work published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and others, disappeared at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus in August 2012 as the Syrian civil war intensified.A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him blindfolded and held by armed men. He hasn’t been heard from since.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-middle-east-syria-journalists-bashar-assad-f7e100380b1bc75c3c895858db9edbc5">Assad’s government had denied</a>&nbsp;that it was holding him.___Ingram reported from Urbana, Missouri. Associated Press writers Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; and Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.--------------DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American citizen who disappeared seven months ago into former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">Syrian President Bashar Assad’s</a>&nbsp;notorious prison system was suddenly discovered Thursday outside Damascus after being released and handed over to rebel forces, Syria’s new authorities said.The political affairs office of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that led the lightning offensive to topple Assad’s government, said the group had secured the release of U.S. citizen Travis Timmerman. In interviews with media in Syria, Timmerman said he was imprisoned after crossing from Lebanon into Syria on a Christian pilgrimage.He appeared to be among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-saydnaya-prison-assad-families-search-9f533d54b4df72f97416f90921dd2a9c">thousands of people released from Syria's sprawling military prisons</a>&nbsp;this week after rebels reached Damascus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/syria">overthrowing Assad</a>&nbsp;and ending his family’s 54-year rule.“We affirm our readiness to cooperate directly with the U.S. administration to complete the search for American citizens disappeared by the former Assad regime,” the group said, adding that a search was underway for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tice-journalist-syria-carstens-e20547144d1ad0580e7d64462b8c4135">Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing</a>&nbsp;in Syria 12 years ago.As footage emerged online Thursday of Timmerman, looking disheveled and disoriented as rebels led him out of a family's home near Damascus, some initially mistook him for Tice.In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket. A group of men in the video said that he was being treated well and would be safely returned home.A Syrian family told The Associated Press they found Timmerman barefoot on a main road in the countryside of Damascus early on Thursday. He appeared cold and hungry so they brought him back to their home.“I fed him and called a doctor,” said Mosaed al-Rifai, the 68-year-old waste collector who first found Timmerman.Al-Rifai said it was hard to communicate because of the language barrier but it seemed Timmerman had been held by an internal security agency. A few hours after al-Rifai discovered him, rebels arrived at the family’s house to pick him up, he said.Mouaz Mostafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a U.S.-based nonprofit group, said he met Timmerman at the house and arranged for a car to take him to Damascus, where the new authorities gave the ex-detainee food and water and brought him clothes and shoes. Timmerman had lice in his long, unkempt hair, Mostafa said, and reported walking for 13 miles barefoot before being discovered.Timmerman — now recovering until the rebels can figure out how to hand him to U.S. authorities — was planning to get to Jordan after his release to obtain a new passport, Mostafa said.Earlier this year, a Missouri State Highway Patrol bulletin identified him as “Pete Travis Timmerman,” 29, and said he had gone missing in Hungary in early June. In late August, Hungarian police put out a missing persons announcement for “Travis Pete Timmerman,” saying he was last seen at a church in Hungary’s capital, Budapest.Authorities in Missouri and Hungary had shared photos of a young man who strongly resembles the ex-prisoner who identified himself as “Travis Timmerman" in interviews with international news outlets on Thursday.Missouri court records indicate Timmerman is from Urbana, Missouri, about 50 miles north of Springfield in the southwestern part of the state. A graduation list from Missouri State University shows he earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in the spring of 2017.Timmerman’s mother, Stacey Collins Gardiner, told National Public Radio that he returned home to Urbana after working in Chicago for a couple of years. He then left for Budapest with the goal of writing about his Christian faith and helping people, she said.Timmerman had warned her, she added, that his travels might make communication difficult. After losing contact with him during his stay in Hungary, Gardiner later learned that her son had gone to Lebanon.On Thursday, she heard that he was found through the media.“I will hug him. ... And then I probably won’t let him go,” she said, laughing. “I’ll say, well, thank God you’re still alive. And I’m so happy. Our prayers came true."U.S. officials said they were working to confirm Timmerman's identity and provide the support. From Aqaba, Jordan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that the White House was “working to bring him home, to bring him out of Syria” but declined further comment for privacy reasons.Timmerman, with a scraggly beard and grey sweatshirt, later spoke with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago before being detained and held in a cell alone.He said that he was treated well in detention, but could hear other young men being tortured.“It was OK. I was fed. I was watered. The one difficulty was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to,” he said. He said he was only allowed to go three times a day.“I was not beaten and the guards treated me decently,” he added.Washington's top hostage negotiator, Roger Carstens, traveled to Lebanon earlier this week in hopes of collecting information on the whereabouts of Tice.President Joe Biden has said his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, though he also acknowledged on Sunday that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. The case has frustrated U.S. intelligence officials for years.On Thursday, Blinken emphasized the administration’s work on Tice's case.“Every single day we are working to find him and to bring him home” Blinken said. "This is a priority for the United States.”Tice, who has had his work published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and others, disappeared at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus in August 2012 as the Syrian civil war intensified.A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him blindfolded and held by armed men. He hasn't been heard from since.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-middle-east-syria-journalists-bashar-assad-f7e100380b1bc75c3c895858db9edbc5">Assad's government had denied</a>&nbsp;that it was holding him.