NEW YORK (AP) — Jeannie Seely, the soulful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/country-music">country music</a>&nbsp;singer behind such standards like “Don’t Touch Me,” has died. She was 85.

Her publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, said she died Friday after succumbing to complications from an intestinal infection.

Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her unique vocal style, Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s.

Her second husband, Gene Ward, died in December. In May, Seely revealed that she was in recovery after undergoing multiple back surgeries, two emergency procedures and spending 11 days in the ICU. She also suffered a bout of pneumonia.

“Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine!” she said in a statement at the time. “The unsinkable Seely is working her way back.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;was one of several country music luminaries paying her tribute on Friday, saying she met Seely when they were both young and starting out in Nashville.

“She was one of my dearest friends,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM1SdH_MhRm/?hl=en">Parton said on her social media</a>&nbsp;accounts. “I think she was one of the greater singers in Nashville and she had a wonderful sense of humor. We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together and she will be missed."

Singer&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CharlieDaniels/status/1951435028606423321">Charlie Daniels</a>&nbsp;said on X that Seely was “a national treasure, and one fine lady.”

Seely was born in July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Pittsburgh and raised in nearby Townville. Her love of country music was instant; her mother sang, and her father played the banjo. When she was a child, she sang on local radio programs and performed on local television. In her early 20s, she moved to Los Angeles to kick-start a career, taking a job with Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood.

She kept writing and recording. Nashville was next: She sang on Porter Wagoner's show; she got a deal with Monument Records. Her greatest hit would arrive soon afterward: “Don’t Touch Me,” the crossover ballad written by Hank Cochran. The song earned Seely her first and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">only Grammy Award,</a>&nbsp;for best country &amp; western vocal performance in the female category.

Cochran and Seely were married in 1969 and divorced in 1979.

Seely broke boundaries in her career — at a time when country music expected a kind of subservience from its women performers, Seely was a bit of a rebel, known for wearing a miniskirt on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-chris-young-vince-gill-music-936be52ddfb9e30bee3ab14f530607df">Grand Ole Opry</a>&nbsp;stage when it was still taboo.

And she had a number of country hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, including three Top 10 hits on what is now known as Billboard's hot country songs chart: “Don't Touch Me,” 1967's “I'll Love You More (Than You Need)” and 1973's “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?”, adapted from the folk song “Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister?”

In the years since, Seely continued to release albums, perform, and host, regularly appearing on country music programming. Her songs are considered classics, and have been recorded by everyone from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-758afddd9bc54eeb9159933b0b52b122">Merle Haggard,</a>&nbsp;Ray Price and Connie Smith to Ernest Tubb, Grandpa Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens.

And Seely never stopped working in country music. Since 2018, she's hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/willie-nelson">Willie Nelson's</a>&nbsp;Willie’s Roadhouse SiriusXM channel. That same year, she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame.

She appeared nearly 5,400 times at the Grand Ole Opry, which she has been a member of since 1967. Grubbs said Saturday's Grand Ole Opry show would be dedicated to Seely.

She released her latest song in July 2024, a cover of Dottie West's “Suffertime,” recorded at the world-renowned RCA Studio B. She performed it at the Opry the year before.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754100037720.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Jeannie Seely, the soulful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/country-music">country music</a>&nbsp;singer behind such standards like “Don’t Touch Me,” has died. She was 85.Her publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, said she died Friday after succumbing to complications from an intestinal infection.Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her unique vocal style, Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s.Her second husband, Gene Ward, died in December. In May, Seely revealed that she was in recovery after undergoing multiple back surgeries, two emergency procedures and spending 11 days in the ICU. She also suffered a bout of pneumonia.“Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine!” she said in a statement at the time. “The unsinkable Seely is working her way back.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;was one of several country music luminaries paying her tribute on Friday, saying she met Seely when they were both young and starting out in Nashville.“She was one of my dearest friends,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM1SdH_MhRm/?hl=en">Parton said on her social media</a>&nbsp;accounts. “I think she was one of the greater singers in Nashville and she had a wonderful sense of humor. We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together and she will be missed."Singer&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CharlieDaniels/status/1951435028606423321">Charlie Daniels</a>&nbsp;said on X that Seely was “a national treasure, and one fine lady.”Seely was born in July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Pittsburgh and raised in nearby Townville. Her love of country music was instant; her mother sang, and her father played the banjo. When she was a child, she sang on local radio programs and performed on local television. In her early 20s, she moved to Los Angeles to kick-start a career, taking a job with Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood.She kept writing and recording. Nashville was next: She sang on Porter Wagoner's show; she got a deal with Monument Records. Her greatest hit would arrive soon afterward: “Don’t Touch Me,” the crossover ballad written by Hank Cochran. The song earned Seely her first and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">only Grammy Award,</a>&nbsp;for best country &amp; western vocal performance in the female category.Cochran and Seely were married in 1969 and divorced in 1979.Seely broke boundaries in her career — at a time when country music expected a kind of subservience from its women performers, Seely was a bit of a rebel, known for wearing a miniskirt on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-chris-young-vince-gill-music-936be52ddfb9e30bee3ab14f530607df">Grand Ole Opry</a>&nbsp;stage when it was still taboo.And she had a number of country hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, including three Top 10 hits on what is now known as Billboard's hot country songs chart: “Don't Touch Me,” 1967's “I'll Love You More (Than You Need)” and 1973's “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?”, adapted from the folk song “Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister?”In the years since, Seely continued to release albums, perform, and host, regularly appearing on country music programming. Her songs are considered classics, and have been recorded by everyone from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-758afddd9bc54eeb9159933b0b52b122">Merle Haggard,</a>&nbsp;Ray Price and Connie Smith to Ernest Tubb, Grandpa Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens.And Seely never stopped working in country music. Since 2018, she's hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/willie-nelson">Willie Nelson's</a>&nbsp;Willie’s Roadhouse SiriusXM channel. That same year, she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame.She appeared nearly 5,400 times at the Grand Ole Opry, which she has been a member of since 1967. Grubbs said Saturday's Grand Ole Opry show would be dedicated to Seely.She released her latest song in July 2024, a cover of Dottie West's “Suffertime,” recorded at the world-renowned RCA Studio B. She performed it at the Opry the year before.

Jeannie Seely, soulful country singer behind hits like 'Don't Touch Me,' dies at 85

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita Police have arrested 31-year-old Kyle Bearden on a requested charge of&nbsp; first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Mariana Christian.

Around 10:30 a.m. on July 21, a friend of Christian filed a missing person report. The friend said Ms. Christian had a history of mental health challenges and often relied on them for transportation to work. That morning, Christian was not at her home in the 1200 block of S. Paige when the friend arrived to pick her up.

At the residence, the friend encountered an unidentified man later identified as Kyle Bearden who said he didn’t know Ms. Christian’s whereabouts. 

He claimed Mariana Christian had left the apartment on Friday, July 18, in a truck with an unknown man and woman and hadn’t returned. He also expressed concern for her safety. Although not listed on the lease, the man appeared to be living in the apartment.

Although Ms. Christian was last seen on Friday, July 18, she wasn’t reported missing until Monday, July 21. After multiple failed attempts to reach her and finding her absence unusual, the friend contacted police. Officers issued an attempt-to-locate alert, and investigators took over the case.

WPD investigators identified Bearden as a person of interest. They followed leads to locate Ms. Christian, discovering evidence of her death and where her remains were left in Cottonwood Park near Armor and Bayley in Wichita.

Wichita Police officers responded to the area and located human remains. Investigators believe Bearden shot Ms. Christian.

Crime scene investigators processed Ms. Christian’s apartment and found evidence of foul play. 

On the morning of July 31, the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center positively identified the remains as those of Mariana Christian.

Kyle Bearden was arrested on July 30 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He made his first court appearance Friday afternoon and has been formally charged with premeditated first-degree murder.

“This is a tragic case, and I extend my deepest condolences to Mariana Christian's family and friends," said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “From the patrol officer who initially responded, our investigators, recruits, and mounted unit, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, our department united to find answers. Their collective efforts resulted in the suspect's arrest and, ultimately, provided some closure regarding Mariana’s disappearance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754062859608.png" alt="Police issued a missing person alert for Mariana Christian on July 27" />
 <figcaption>Police issued a missing person alert for Mariana Christian on July 27</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita Police have arrested 31-year-old Kyle Bearden on a requested charge of&nbsp; first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Mariana Christian.Around 10:30 a.m. on July 21, a friend of Christian filed a missing person report. The friend said Ms. Christian had a history of mental health challenges and often relied on them for transportation to work. That morning, Christian was not at her home in the 1200 block of S. Paige when the friend arrived to pick her up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753958410010.png" alt="Bearden photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bearden photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>At the residence, the friend encountered an unidentified man later identified as Kyle Bearden who said he didn’t know Ms. Christian’s whereabouts. He claimed Mariana Christian had left the apartment on Friday, July 18, in a truck with an unknown man and woman and hadn’t returned. He also expressed concern for her safety. Although not listed on the lease, the man appeared to be living in the apartment.Although Ms. Christian was last seen on Friday, July 18, she wasn’t reported missing until Monday, July 21. After multiple failed attempts to reach her and finding her absence unusual, the friend contacted police. Officers issued an attempt-to-locate alert, and investigators took over the case.WPD investigators identified Bearden as a person of interest. They followed leads to locate Ms. Christian, discovering evidence of her death and where her remains were left in Cottonwood Park near Armor and Bayley in Wichita.Wichita Police officers responded to the area and located human remains. Investigators believe Bearden shot Ms. Christian.Crime scene investigators processed Ms. Christian’s apartment and found evidence of foul play. On the morning of July 31, the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center positively identified the remains as those of Mariana Christian.Kyle Bearden was arrested on July 30 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He made his first court appearance Friday afternoon and has been formally charged with premeditated first-degree murder.“This is a tragic case, and I extend my deepest condolences to Mariana Christian's family and friends," said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “From the patrol officer who initially responded, our investigators, recruits, and mounted unit, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, our department united to find answers. Their collective efforts resulted in the suspect's arrest and, ultimately, provided some closure regarding Mariana’s disappearance.”

Man found at missing Kan. woman's home is accused of her murder

By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers

The U.S. stock market had its worst day since May on Friday after the government reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">a sharp slowdown in hiring</a>&nbsp;and President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-1-2025">Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports</a>&nbsp;from a number of U.S. trading partners.

The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.6%, its biggest decline since May 21 and its fourth straight loss. The index is also posted a 2.4% loss for the week, marking a sharp shift from last week’s record-setting streak of gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.2%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 2.2%.

Worries on Wall Street about a weakening economy were heavily reinforced by the latest report on job growth in the U.S. Employers added just 73,000 jobs in July. That is sharply lower than economists expected. The Labor Department also reported that revisions shaved a stunning 258,000 jobs off May and June payrolls.

Markets also reacted to the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-3b03b98296424e59c7dc19a865d21969">tariff news</a>. President Donald Trump announced tariff rates on dozens of countries and pushed back the scheduled effective date to Aug. 7, adding more uncertainty to the global trade picture.

“The market has been felled by a one-two punch of additional tariffs, as well as the weaker-than-expected employment data -— not only for this month, but for the downward revisions to the prior months,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-firing-f00e9bf96d0110519be9bf4f3ec89195">Trump’s decision to order the immediate firing</a>&nbsp;of the head of the government agency that produces the monthly jobs figures will only fuel the market’s uncertainty, Stovall added.

The surprisingly weak hiring numbers led investors to step up their expectations for an interest rate cut in September. The market’s odds of a quarter-point cut by the Federal Reserve rose to around 87% from just under 40% a day earlier, according to data from CME FedWatch.

The question now: Will the Fed’s policymakers consider a half-point cut next month, or even a quarter-point cut sometime before their next committee meeting, Stovall said.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.21% from 4.39% just before the hiring report was released. That’s a big move for the bond market. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, plunged to 3.68% from 3.94% just prior to the report’s release.

The Fed has held rates steady since December. A cut in rates would give the job market and overall economy a boost, but it could also risk fueling inflation, which is hovering stubbornly above the central bank’s 2% target.

An update on Thursday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-economy-8c9298ce80d2e40a71a17e0c3af3c292">the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation</a>&nbsp;showed that prices ticked higher in June, rising to 2.6% from 2.4% in May. The Fed has remained cautious about cutting interest rates because of worries that tariffs will add more fuel to inflation and weigh down economic growth.

The central bank, though, also counts “maximum employment” as one of its two mandates along with keeping prices stable. Issues with either of those goals could prompt a shift in policy.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-trump-rates-99d90bab1ba2faa0fc5d4a6106125da7">Fed held rates steady</a>&nbsp;again at its most recent meeting this week. Fed Chair Jerome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-interest-rates-federal-reserve-fed-88fe11c20c3074bbd1445a69bbdc623e">Powell has been pressured by Trump</a>&nbsp;to cut the benchmark rate, though that decision isn’t his to make alone, but belongs to the 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee.

“What had looked like a Teflon labor market showed some scratches this morning, as tariffs continue to work their way through the economy,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. “A Fed that still appeared hesitant to lower rates may see a clearer path to a September cut, especially if data over the next month confirms the trend.”

Businesses, investors and the Fed are all operating under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-effect-05bc12428163b9f28ef80f952cf9dafd">cloud of uncertainty</a>&nbsp;from Trump’s tariff policy. The latest moves give 66 countries, the European Union, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands another seven days, instead of taking effect on Friday, as Trump stated earlier.

Companies have been warning investors that the policy, with some tariffs already in effect while others change or get extended, has made it difficult to make forecasts. Walmart, Procter &amp; Gamble and many others have warned about import taxes raising costs, eating into profits and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-consumers-prices-ebf959d8f8ad24bd0757d8e3693924c1">raising prices for consumers</a>.

Internet retail giant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-earnings-tariffs-secondquarter-6ea0c9b31ed5a0c3970ceef0056de063">Amazon</a>&nbsp;fell 8.3%, despite reporting encouraging profit and sales for its most recent quarter. Technology behemoth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-earnings-quarter-iphone-tariffs-de927c8c1baaf70418e2261ae5b494f2">Apple</a>&nbsp;fell 2.5% after also beating Wall Street’s profit and revenue forecasts. Both companies face tougher operating conditions because of tariffs, with Apple forecasting a $1.1 billion hit from the fees in the current quarter.

Exxon Mobil fell 1.8% after reporting that profit dropped to the lowest level in four years and sales fell as oil prices slumped as OPEC+ ramped up production.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 101.38 points to 6,238.01. The Dow dropped 542.40 points to 43,588.58, and the Nasdaq gave up 472.32 points to finish at 20,650.13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business WritersThe U.S. stock market had its worst day since May on Friday after the government reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">a sharp slowdown in hiring</a>&nbsp;and President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-1-2025">Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports</a>&nbsp;from a number of U.S. trading partners.The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.6%, its biggest decline since May 21 and its fourth straight loss. The index is also posted a 2.4% loss for the week, marking a sharp shift from last week’s record-setting streak of gains.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.2%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 2.2%.Worries on Wall Street about a weakening economy were heavily reinforced by the latest report on job growth in the U.S. Employers added just 73,000 jobs in July. That is sharply lower than economists expected. The Labor Department also reported that revisions shaved a stunning 258,000 jobs off May and June payrolls.Markets also reacted to the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-3b03b98296424e59c7dc19a865d21969">tariff news</a>. President Donald Trump announced tariff rates on dozens of countries and pushed back the scheduled effective date to Aug. 7, adding more uncertainty to the global trade picture.“The market has been felled by a one-two punch of additional tariffs, as well as the weaker-than-expected employment data -— not only for this month, but for the downward revisions to the prior months,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-firing-f00e9bf96d0110519be9bf4f3ec89195">Trump’s decision to order the immediate firing</a>&nbsp;of the head of the government agency that produces the monthly jobs figures will only fuel the market’s uncertainty, Stovall added.The surprisingly weak hiring numbers led investors to step up their expectations for an interest rate cut in September. The market’s odds of a quarter-point cut by the Federal Reserve rose to around 87% from just under 40% a day earlier, according to data from CME FedWatch.The question now: Will the Fed’s policymakers consider a half-point cut next month, or even a quarter-point cut sometime before their next committee meeting, Stovall said.The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.21% from 4.39% just before the hiring report was released. That’s a big move for the bond market. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, plunged to 3.68% from 3.94% just prior to the report’s release.The Fed has held rates steady since December. A cut in rates would give the job market and overall economy a boost, but it could also risk fueling inflation, which is hovering stubbornly above the central bank’s 2% target.An update on Thursday for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-economy-8c9298ce80d2e40a71a17e0c3af3c292">the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation</a>&nbsp;showed that prices ticked higher in June, rising to 2.6% from 2.4% in May. The Fed has remained cautious about cutting interest rates because of worries that tariffs will add more fuel to inflation and weigh down economic growth.The central bank, though, also counts “maximum employment” as one of its two mandates along with keeping prices stable. Issues with either of those goals could prompt a shift in policy.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-trump-rates-99d90bab1ba2faa0fc5d4a6106125da7">Fed held rates steady</a>&nbsp;again at its most recent meeting this week. Fed Chair Jerome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-interest-rates-federal-reserve-fed-88fe11c20c3074bbd1445a69bbdc623e">Powell has been pressured by Trump</a>&nbsp;to cut the benchmark rate, though that decision isn’t his to make alone, but belongs to the 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee.“What had looked like a Teflon labor market showed some scratches this morning, as tariffs continue to work their way through the economy,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. “A Fed that still appeared hesitant to lower rates may see a clearer path to a September cut, especially if data over the next month confirms the trend.”Businesses, investors and the Fed are all operating under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-effect-05bc12428163b9f28ef80f952cf9dafd">cloud of uncertainty</a>&nbsp;from Trump’s tariff policy. The latest moves give 66 countries, the European Union, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands another seven days, instead of taking effect on Friday, as Trump stated earlier.Companies have been warning investors that the policy, with some tariffs already in effect while others change or get extended, has made it difficult to make forecasts. Walmart, Procter &amp; Gamble and many others have warned about import taxes raising costs, eating into profits and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-consumers-prices-ebf959d8f8ad24bd0757d8e3693924c1">raising prices for consumers</a>.Internet retail giant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-earnings-tariffs-secondquarter-6ea0c9b31ed5a0c3970ceef0056de063">Amazon</a>&nbsp;fell 8.3%, despite reporting encouraging profit and sales for its most recent quarter. Technology behemoth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-earnings-quarter-iphone-tariffs-de927c8c1baaf70418e2261ae5b494f2">Apple</a>&nbsp;fell 2.5% after also beating Wall Street’s profit and revenue forecasts. Both companies face tougher operating conditions because of tariffs, with Apple forecasting a $1.1 billion hit from the fees in the current quarter.Exxon Mobil fell 1.8% after reporting that profit dropped to the lowest level in four years and sales fell as oil prices slumped as OPEC+ ramped up production.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 101.38 points to 6,238.01. The Dow dropped 542.40 points to 43,588.58, and the Nasdaq gave up 472.32 points to finish at 20,650.13.

Wall Street falls the most since May after job report and tariffs roll out

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced Friday that it will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill, which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades, according to a statement on the organization's web site.

The organization distributed funds to National Public Radio stations and PBS television stations nationwide.

"For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community."

“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”

CPB informed its employees Friday that the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations. This team will focus on compliance, final distributions, and resolution of long-term financial obligations, including ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system.

“Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”

CPB’s Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the profound challenges ahead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754071502049.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced Friday that it will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill, which excludes funding for CPB for the first time in more than five decades, according to a statement on the organization's web site.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754071475812.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The organization distributed funds to National Public Radio stations and PBS television stations nationwide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752606245570.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community."“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”CPB informed its employees Friday that the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations. This team will focus on compliance, final distributions, and resolution of long-term financial obligations, including ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system.“Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”CPB’s Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the profound challenges ahead.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting, funder of NPR and PBS, to close 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronauts sidelined for the past year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing’s Starliner trouble</a>&nbsp;blasted off to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-space-station-spacex-retire-plunge-3076b8f67488a699240b23bc7f27fc8d">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;on Friday, getting a lift from SpaceX.

The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four rocketed from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They’ll replace colleagues who launched to the space station in March as fill-ins for NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacex-boeing-419f98f239a25cfb54f970b8522dc1d2">stuck astronauts.</a>

Their SpaceX capsule should reach the orbiting lab this weekend and stay for at least six months.

Zena Cardman, a biologist and polar explorer who should have launched last year, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-boeing-starliner-stuck-astronauts-6c2db96fa6c6859a48a8c26438fab1d5">yanked</a>&nbsp;along with another NASA crewmate to make room for Starliner’s star-crossed test pilots.

“I have no emotion but joy right now. That was absolutely transcendent. Ride of a lifetime,” Cardman, the flight commander, said after reaching orbit.

The botched Starliner demo forced Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to switch to SpaceX to get back from the space station more than nine months after departing on what should have been a weeklong trip.

“Every astronaut wants to be in space. None of us want to stay on the ground, but it’s not about me,” Cardman said before her flight.

NASA’s Mike Fincke — Cardman’s co-pilot — was the backup for Wilmore and Williams on Starliner, making those three still the only ones certified to fly it. Fincke and Japan’s Kimiya Yui, former military officers with previous spaceflight experience, were training for Starliner’s second astronaut mission. With Starliner grounded until 2026, NASA switched the two to the latest SpaceX flight.

“Boy, it's great to be back in orbit again,” Fincke radioed. He last soared on NASA's next-to-last space shuttle flight in 2011.

Rounding out the crew is Russia’s Oleg Platonov. The former fighter pilot was pulled a few years ago from the Russian Soyuz flight lineup because of an undisclosed health issue that he said has since been resolved.

On hand for the first launch attempt on Thursday, NASA's new acting administrator, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, met with Roscosmos director general Dmitry Bakanov, an invited guest. The two discussed future collaboration, then left town after thick clouds forced a last-minute delay.

“What we learn on these missions is what’s going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is I think the direction that NASA has to be,” Duffy said in a NASA interview. “There's critical real estate on the moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners.”

To save money in light of tight budgets, NASA is looking to increase its space station stays from six months to eight months, a move already adopted by Russia's space agency. SpaceX is close to certifying its Dragon capsules for longer flights, which means the newly launched crew could be up there until April.

NASA is also considering smaller crews — three astronauts launching on SpaceX instead of the typical four — to cut costs.

As for Starliner, NASA is leaning toward launching the next one with cargo before flying another crew.

Engineers are still investigating the thruster failures and helium leaks that bedeviled Starliner following liftoff. Time is running out as NASA looks to abandon the aging space station by 2030. An air leak on the Russian side of the station remains unresolved after years of patching.

“I am not in the least worried” about the leak, which is localized, Platonov said earlier this month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754067765162.png" alt="Image of the astronauts during the launch from NASA video" />
 <figcaption>Image of the astronauts during the launch from NASA video</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronauts sidelined for the past year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing’s Starliner trouble</a>&nbsp;blasted off to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-space-station-spacex-retire-plunge-3076b8f67488a699240b23bc7f27fc8d">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;on Friday, getting a lift from SpaceX.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">…And off they go! Crew-11 lifted off from <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a> at 11:43am ET (1543 UTC), headed towards the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. <a href="https://t.co/VmRfLrIOXC">pic.twitter.com/VmRfLrIOXC</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1951308608173437367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four rocketed from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They’ll replace colleagues who launched to the space station in March as fill-ins for NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacex-boeing-419f98f239a25cfb54f970b8522dc1d2">stuck astronauts.</a>Their SpaceX capsule should reach the orbiting lab this weekend and stay for at least six months.Zena Cardman, a biologist and polar explorer who should have launched last year, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-boeing-starliner-stuck-astronauts-6c2db96fa6c6859a48a8c26438fab1d5">yanked</a>&nbsp;along with another NASA crewmate to make room for Starliner’s star-crossed test pilots.“I have no emotion but joy right now. That was absolutely transcendent. Ride of a lifetime,” Cardman, the flight commander, said after reaching orbit.The botched Starliner demo forced Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to switch to SpaceX to get back from the space station more than nine months after departing on what should have been a weeklong trip.“Every astronaut wants to be in space. None of us want to stay on the ground, but it’s not about me,” Cardman said before her flight.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Launching tomorrow: L-1. Space has been calling my name ever since I returned from my last mission in 2011. Our crew is ready. Let&#39;s do this! Go Falcon, Go Dragon, Go Crew-11! <a href="https://t.co/f91BPiZ6Lt">pic.twitter.com/f91BPiZ6Lt</a>&mdash; Col. Mike Fincke (@AstroIronMike) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroIronMike/status/1950605368221983051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>NASA’s Mike Fincke — Cardman’s co-pilot — was the backup for Wilmore and Williams on Starliner, making those three still the only ones certified to fly it. Fincke and Japan’s Kimiya Yui, former military officers with previous spaceflight experience, were training for Starliner’s second astronaut mission. With Starliner grounded until 2026, NASA switched the two to the latest SpaceX flight.“Boy, it's great to be back in orbit again,” Fincke radioed. He last soared on NASA's next-to-last space shuttle flight in 2011.Rounding out the crew is Russia’s Oleg Platonov. The former fighter pilot was pulled a few years ago from the Russian Soyuz flight lineup because of an undisclosed health issue that he said has since been resolved.On hand for the first launch attempt on Thursday, NASA's new acting administrator, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, met with Roscosmos director general Dmitry Bakanov, an invited guest. The two discussed future collaboration, then left town after thick clouds forced a last-minute delay.“What we learn on these missions is what’s going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is I think the direction that NASA has to be,” Duffy said in a NASA interview. “There's critical real estate on the moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners.”To save money in light of tight budgets, NASA is looking to increase its space station stays from six months to eight months, a move already adopted by Russia's space agency. SpaceX is close to certifying its Dragon capsules for longer flights, which means the newly launched crew could be up there until April.NASA is also considering smaller crews — three astronauts launching on SpaceX instead of the typical four — to cut costs.As for Starliner, NASA is leaning toward launching the next one with cargo before flying another crew.Engineers are still investigating the thruster failures and helium leaks that bedeviled Starliner following liftoff. Time is running out as NASA looks to abandon the aging space station by 2030. An air leak on the Russian side of the station remains unresolved after years of patching.“I am not in the least worried” about the leak, which is localized, Platonov said earlier this month.

🎥4 Astronauts launch to the space station for 6 month mission

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri woman with illegally obtaining controlled narcotics, according to the United State's Attorney

According to court documents, Brooke Haller, 40, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.

Haller, a nurse, allegedly obtained Percocet and Oxycodone through misrepresentation and fraud.

The defendant made her initial court appearance on July 25, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri woman with illegally obtaining controlled narcotics, according to the United State's AttorneyAccording to court documents, Brooke Haller, 40, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.Haller, a nurse, allegedly obtained Percocet and Oxycodone through misrepresentation and fraud.The defendant made her initial court appearance on July 25, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case

Nurse indicted in Kansas for deceptively obtaining painkillers

JOHNSON COUNTY—Just before 3a.m. Friday,&nbsp; the Shawnee Police Department and Lenexa Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious person near 79th Street and Quivira Road, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers located a person who matched the description of the suspect in a stabbing that occurred on Thursday in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street.

After a brief foot pursuit, officers took the suspect into custody. Police have not released the name of the suspect.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack and looking for a suspect.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday the Shawnee Police Department responded to a physical disturbance in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release. A male suspect stabbed a victim inside a local business.

The male victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect then ran south from the scene. He is described as a white male with long black hair, wearing a black shirt, black shorts or pants, and black shoes.

Officers were searching for the suspect near 79th and Nieman. Call 911 if you see anyone matching the suspect’s description. Do not approach him. If you recognize the suspect, please contact the Shawnee Police Department at 913-631-2150 or call 911. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1754009809989.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Just before 3a.m. Friday,&nbsp; the Shawnee Police Department and Lenexa Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious person near 79th Street and Quivira Road, according to a media release.Upon arrival, officers located a person who matched the description of the suspect in a stabbing that occurred on Thursday in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street.After a brief foot pursuit, officers took the suspect into custody. Police have not released the name of the suspect.------------JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack and looking for a suspect.Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday the Shawnee Police Department responded to a physical disturbance in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release. A male suspect stabbed a victim inside a local business.The male victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect then ran south from the scene. He is described as a white male with long black hair, wearing a black shirt, black shorts or pants, and black shoes.Officers were searching for the suspect near 79th and Nieman. Call 911 if you see anyone matching the suspect’s description. Do not approach him. If you recognize the suspect, please contact the Shawnee Police Department at 913-631-2150 or call 911.

Police capture Kansas knife attack suspect

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The bill authorizing state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-kansas-city-stadium-funding-st-louis-disaster-aid/">support for professional sports stadiums</a>&nbsp;is unconstitutional because it grants&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/13/rudi-splains-it-how-kansas-city-stadium-funding-clears-state-constitutional-hurdles/">public aid to private interests</a>&nbsp;and combines widely different and unrelated subjects, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by two state lawmakers.

State Sen. Mile Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, and state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, a Republican from Ste. Genevieve, filed the case in Cole County Circuit Court. They were joined as plaintiffs by Ron Calzone, a long-time activist who has successfully challenged past legislation on constitutional grounds.

During a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">special session in June</a>, lawmakers passed the bill to provide up to $1.5 billion in state tax funds to back bonds that would finance new construction or stadium improvements for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. Gov. Mike Kehoe pushed for the bill to counter moves from Kansas intended to lure one or both teams across the state line.

Moon objected to the bill as unconstitutional when it was passed and said in an interview Thursday that getting court guidance over what can and cannot be in a single bill is an important goal of the lawsuit.

The Constitution “kind of gives us our marching orders for legislators and how we pass bills and what they should look like,” Moon said. “Can you amend the bill beyond a certain point? I’ve come to realize it seems like we have veered way off the road.”

Kehoe let his ambition to retain the Chiefs and Royals cloud his constitutional judgment, Moon said.

“This was a pretty big deal for the governor,” Moon said. “I’m not knocking the governor, but yet he was a legislator at one time, and he should know the bounds that we are governed by.”

In the bill, stadium construction would be financed by diverting tax money from economic activity surrounding the teams — sales tax on tickets, merchandise and food, income tax from player and team staff salaries — to repay bonds.

The lawsuit seeks to toss the bill in its entirety, alleging that it violates requirements that bills be limited to a&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++23&amp;bid=31763&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">single subject</a>&nbsp;with a title that “clearly” states its purpose. The petition also alleges the bill was amended to go&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++21&amp;bid=31761&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">beyond its original purpose</a>&nbsp;and that the property tax provisions are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++40&amp;bid=31796&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">“special laws”</a>&nbsp;forbidden by the constitution.&nbsp;

“The stadium provisions subsidize business enterprises; the tax credits for disaster relief and for property tax relief subsidize homeowners,” attorneys W. Bevis Schock and Erich Vieth wrote in the lawsuit for Moon and Wolfin. “The former showers beneficence on billionaires; the latter showers the beneficence on all homeowners. The former will likely produce political contributions in vast sums from those able to make such contributions; the latter will likely produce political benefit but likely no political contributions.”

The title of the bill, relating to taxation, is so vague as to be meaningless, the attorneys wrote.

“The bill’s procedural infirmities,” they wrote, “mean it is not severable and fails in its entirety.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754043650988.png" alt=" Republican Sen. Mike Moon speaks during February 2022 on Senate floor. He is suing to block a bill passed in a June special session that would finance stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals (photo by Madeline Carter)." />
 <figcaption> Republican Sen. Mike Moon speaks during February 2022 on Senate floor. He is suing to block a bill passed in a June special session that would finance stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals (photo by Madeline Carter).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The bill authorizing state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-kansas-city-stadium-funding-st-louis-disaster-aid/">support for professional sports stadiums</a>&nbsp;is unconstitutional because it grants&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/13/rudi-splains-it-how-kansas-city-stadium-funding-clears-state-constitutional-hurdles/">public aid to private interests</a>&nbsp;and combines widely different and unrelated subjects, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by two state lawmakers.State Sen. Mile Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, and state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, a Republican from Ste. Genevieve, filed the case in Cole County Circuit Court. They were joined as plaintiffs by Ron Calzone, a long-time activist who has successfully challenged past legislation on constitutional grounds.During a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">special session in June</a>, lawmakers passed the bill to provide up to $1.5 billion in state tax funds to back bonds that would finance new construction or stadium improvements for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. Gov. Mike Kehoe pushed for the bill to counter moves from Kansas intended to lure one or both teams across the state line.Moon objected to the bill as unconstitutional when it was passed and said in an interview Thursday that getting court guidance over what can and cannot be in a single bill is an important goal of the lawsuit.The Constitution “kind of gives us our marching orders for legislators and how we pass bills and what they should look like,” Moon said. “Can you amend the bill beyond a certain point? I’ve come to realize it seems like we have veered way off the road.”Kehoe let his ambition to retain the Chiefs and Royals cloud his constitutional judgment, Moon said.“This was a pretty big deal for the governor,” Moon said. “I’m not knocking the governor, but yet he was a legislator at one time, and he should know the bounds that we are governed by.”In the bill, stadium construction would be financed by diverting tax money from economic activity surrounding the teams — sales tax on tickets, merchandise and food, income tax from player and team staff salaries — to repay bonds.The bill also included provisions to:<ul>
 <li>Cap increases in property tax bills in most counties of the state. There are 75 counties where basic tax bills would not increase more than 5% per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater, and 22 where no increase would be allowed.</li><li>Extend a tax credit for amateur sporting events.</li><li>Provide a tax credit for damage from natural disasters this year to help property owners recover losses not met by insurance or other payments.</li><li>Require the courts to preserve any portions of the bill found constitutional by severing them from unconstitutional portions.</li>
 </ul>The lawsuit seeks to toss the bill in its entirety, alleging that it violates requirements that bills be limited to a&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++23&amp;bid=31763&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">single subject</a>&nbsp;with a title that “clearly” states its purpose. The petition also alleges the bill was amended to go&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++21&amp;bid=31761&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">beyond its original purpose</a>&nbsp;and that the property tax provisions are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++40&amp;bid=31796&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">“special laws”</a>&nbsp;forbidden by the constitution.&nbsp;“The stadium provisions subsidize business enterprises; the tax credits for disaster relief and for property tax relief subsidize homeowners,” attorneys W. Bevis Schock and Erich Vieth wrote in the lawsuit for Moon and Wolfin. “The former showers beneficence on billionaires; the latter showers the beneficence on all homeowners. The former will likely produce political contributions in vast sums from those able to make such contributions; the latter will likely produce political benefit but likely no political contributions.”The title of the bill, relating to taxation, is so vague as to be meaningless, the attorneys wrote.“The bill’s procedural infirmities,” they wrote, “mean it is not severable and fails in its entirety.”

Legislators' lawsuit claims stadium funding for Chiefs, Royals unconstitutional

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man involved in a&nbsp;deadly shooting&nbsp; rampage in Wichita last fall was sentenced on Friday.

Judge Tyler Roush sentenced&nbsp;Jose A. Acosta, 33,&nbsp;to over 50 years in prison,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man involved in a&nbsp;deadly shooting&nbsp; rampage in Wichita last fall will learn his fate Friday.

Jose A. Acosta, 33, will appear in the courtroom of Judge Tyler Roush, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office after he entered a guilty plea in May.

Acosta was charged with&nbsp;First-degree murder;&nbsp;Criminal discharge of a firearm; Occupied dwelling with bodily harm;&nbsp;riminal discharge of a firearm; Recklessly at an occupied vehicle;&nbsp;aggravated robbery; Armed with a dangerous weapon; aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; Use of a deadly weapon; Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter&nbsp; listed the violent incidents involving Acosta on November 22, 2024.

At 8:52 PM, Wichita Police officers were dispatched to a reported robbery involving a firearm in the 1400 block of North Otis. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jose Antonio Acosta, pistol whipped one individual and pointed the gun at another, stealing their bicycle.

At 8:56 PM, as Acosta walked away from the robbery, he fired multiple shots into a residence in the 1400 block of North Otis. The homeowner narrowly avoided being shot, but the gunfire struck their dog.

At 9:16 PM, another victim reported an attempted carjacking that occurred near 16th&nbsp;and Broadway. Acosta allegedly struck the vehicle's window with a gun before firing several rounds at the car as the driver fled. Evidence of gunfire, including damage to the vehicle’s back window, was confirmed.

At 9:20 PM, officers investigating the area heard gunshots south of 13th and Broadway. It was determined that Acosta had engaged in a confrontation with an unidentified man at 11th and Broadway, firing multiple rounds. Detectives are actively seeking this individual.

Around the same time, Acosta confronted a woman across the street at a convenience store. Following a verbal altercation, he fired several shots at her. Fortunately, she was not injured.

At 9:26 PM, two WPD officers located Acosta near 11th and Broadway next to the stolen bicycle. After repeated commands to surrender, Acosta attempted to draw his firearm, hindered by an extended magazine. He eventually raised the weapon toward the officers, prompting them to fire. Acosta sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.

During interviews with victims of the Otis robbery, officers searched Prospect Park near 13th and Main. There, they discovered the body of 40-year-old Myron Tucker of Wichita, who had sustained gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Tucker was shot around 8:49 PM, shortly before the robbery.

Acosta was released from the hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732580870839.png" alt="Acosta photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Acosta photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man involved in a&nbsp;deadly shooting&nbsp; rampage in Wichita last fall was sentenced on Friday.Judge Tyler Roush sentenced&nbsp;Jose A. Acosta, 33,&nbsp;to over 50 years in prison,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.----------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man involved in a&nbsp;deadly shooting&nbsp; rampage in Wichita last fall will learn his fate Friday.Jose A. Acosta, 33, will appear in the courtroom of Judge Tyler Roush, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office after he entered a guilty plea in May.Acosta was charged with&nbsp;First-degree murder;&nbsp;Criminal discharge of a firearm; Occupied dwelling with bodily harm;&nbsp;riminal discharge of a firearm; Recklessly at an occupied vehicle;&nbsp;aggravated robbery; Armed with a dangerous weapon; aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; Use of a deadly weapon; Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter&nbsp; listed the violent incidents involving Acosta on November 22, 2024.Timeline of EventsAt 8:52 PM, Wichita Police officers were dispatched to a reported robbery involving a firearm in the 1400 block of North Otis. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jose Antonio Acosta, pistol whipped one individual and pointed the gun at another, stealing their bicycle.At 8:56 PM, as Acosta walked away from the robbery, he fired multiple shots into a residence in the 1400 block of North Otis. The homeowner narrowly avoided being shot, but the gunfire struck their dog.At 9:16 PM, another victim reported an attempted carjacking that occurred near 16th&nbsp;and Broadway. Acosta allegedly struck the vehicle's window with a gun before firing several rounds at the car as the driver fled. Evidence of gunfire, including damage to the vehicle’s back window, was confirmed.At 9:20 PM, officers investigating the area heard gunshots south of 13th and Broadway. It was determined that Acosta had engaged in a confrontation with an unidentified man at 11th and Broadway, firing multiple rounds. Detectives are actively seeking this individual.Around the same time, Acosta confronted a woman across the street at a convenience store. Following a verbal altercation, he fired several shots at her. Fortunately, she was not injured.At 9:26 PM, two WPD officers located Acosta near 11th and Broadway next to the stolen bicycle. After repeated commands to surrender, Acosta attempted to draw his firearm, hindered by an extended magazine. He eventually raised the weapon toward the officers, prompting them to fire. Acosta sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.Additional IncidentDuring interviews with victims of the Otis robbery, officers searched Prospect Park near 13th and Main. There, they discovered the body of 40-year-old Myron Tucker of Wichita, who had sustained gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Tucker was shot around 8:49 PM, shortly before the robbery.ArrestAcosta was released from the hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Sentencing Day for Kansas man wounded in deadly rampage

Former President Joe Biden said Thursday that “these are dark days” in the United States, as he decries Donald Trump and his administration during a speech at the National Bar Association Convention in Chicago.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/former-president-biden-speaks-at-natl-bar-association-gala/663661">Click here to watch the full speech</a>

Former President Joe Biden said Thursday that “these are dark days” in the United States, as he decries Donald Trump and his administration during a speech at the National Bar Association Convention in Chicago.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fmr. Pres. Biden: “There are moments so stark that they divide all that came before and everything that followed. Moments that force us to confront hard truths about ourselves, our institutions and democracy itself. We are in my view at such a moment in American history.” <a href="https://t.co/SHhij2OGPg">pic.twitter.com/SHhij2OGPg</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1951094158438887817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Biden — randomly shouting — claims President Trump is working to &quot;erase&quot; everything his administration did. Correct. <a href="https://t.co/FLHk4ZWn5T">pic.twitter.com/FLHk4ZWn5T</a>&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1951102023853650256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Joe Biden says Trump is trying to “dismantle&quot; the Constitution. “I’m being deadly earnest, man.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uY5sKjwAUj">pic.twitter.com/uY5sKjwAUj</a>&mdash; Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/1951115836716150982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/former-president-biden-speaks-at-natl-bar-association-gala/663661">Click here to watch the full speech</a>

🎥Former President Biden critical of Trump admin. in new speech

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple possible charges after an incident at a Kansas City area home.

Just after 5a.m. Thursday, the&nbsp;Lake Lotawana, Missouri Police Department was dispatched to the 9500 block of S. Main Entrance Drive regarding an armed disturbance, according to a statement from the Jackson County Sheriff's office.

Upon arrival, officers spoke to an Uber driver who indicated he was called to the residence to pick up a woman and a male inside the residence was armed and would not let her leave.

Officers attempted to contact the residents, but after being unsuccessful, they requested assistance from Jackson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Jackson County Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence, and after announcements from the Emergency Response Team, the suspect surrendered without incident and was taken into custody. The woman was treated by EMS at the scene.

"This serves as a strong reminder of the importance of the ‘see something, say something’ principle,” said Sheriff Forté. “In this instance, we are grateful that the Uber driver was alert and observant, recognizing that something was amiss and promptly contacting law enforcement.

Thanks to their vigilance and the swift response of our team, the suspect was safely taken into custody.”

The name of the suspect is currently being withheld pending possible charges. Lake Lotawana is a city in Jackson County located 35 miles southeast of downtown Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1754015985106.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple possible charges after an incident at a Kansas City area home.Just after 5a.m. Thursday, the&nbsp;Lake Lotawana, Missouri Police Department was dispatched to the 9500 block of S. Main Entrance Drive regarding an armed disturbance, according to a statement from the Jackson County Sheriff's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1754015968340.jpeg" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival, officers spoke to an Uber driver who indicated he was called to the residence to pick up a woman and a male inside the residence was armed and would not let her leave.Officers attempted to contact the residents, but after being unsuccessful, they requested assistance from Jackson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Jackson County Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence, and after announcements from the Emergency Response Team, the suspect surrendered without incident and was taken into custody. The woman was treated by EMS at the scene."This serves as a strong reminder of the importance of the ‘see something, say something’ principle,” said Sheriff Forté. “In this instance, we are grateful that the Uber driver was alert and observant, recognizing that something was amiss and promptly contacting law enforcement.Thanks to their vigilance and the swift response of our team, the suspect was safely taken into custody.”The name of the suspect is currently being withheld pending possible charges. Lake Lotawana is a city in Jackson County located 35 miles southeast of downtown Kansas City.

Alert Uber driver's report helps save KC woman from violence

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump on Thursday</a>&nbsp;reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children, a fixture of public schools for decades that gauged young people's health and athleticism with 1-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises.

Click below to watch President Trump comment on Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker.

This is a wonderful tradition, and we're bringing it back,” Trump said of the fitness test that began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration.

An executive order he signed Thursday also reinvigorates a national sports council that the president stocked with former and current athletes and other figures from the sports world. Several prominent athletes joined Trump and top administration officials, including allies such as friend and pro golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-turnberry-dechambeau-british-open-312c12266062ffe863566c10e9049dff">Bryson DeChambeau</a>; and others who've attracted controversy such as former New York Giants linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawrence-taylor-nfl-charged-florida-152a808ded5b29e5ea71b6110bd5209d">Lawrence Taylor</a>, a registered sex offender.

It's the latest athletics-related push from Trump, an avid golfer who remains enthralled with the world of sports. He played baseball in high school and plays golf almost every weekend. Much of the domestic travel he has done this year that is not related to weekend golf games at his clubs in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia was built around attending sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and UFC matches.

“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports,” Trump said. “When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else. To an extent, this is one of the reasons I like golf. You get away for a couple of hours.”

The announcement also came as Trump readies the United States to host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup games and the 2028 Summer Olympics. He also signed a different executive order earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-name-image-likeness-order-standards-ncaa-fc81ce9ab3813e02b763494223930a93">mandating that federal authorities clarify</a>&nbsp;whether college athletes can be considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-c5e0cea45fd210cc935cff992ab16f25">employees of the schools</a>&nbsp;they play for.

Trump on Thursday said the council, known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, will also deal with various issues on college athletics, such as the transfer portal that has more easily allowed athletes to switch from school to school. The council, which will have up to 30 members, will also develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. The fitness test will be administered by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let's Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise.

The Youth Fitness Test, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/programs-awards/presidential-youth-fitness-program">Health and Human Services Department website</a>&nbsp;last updated in 2023 but still online Thursday, “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.”

Among those who joined Trump on Thursday, in addition to DeChambeau and Taylor, were Kansas City Chiefs kicker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-butker-6b308c23c218a10201a3c3bafa2aaca1">Harrison Butker</a>; Swedish golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-golf-gary-player-kayleigh-mcenany-8353c96f50a00ecf4c868c3c9e1a3992">Annika Sorenstam</a>; and WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the son-in-law of Trump's education secretary, Linda McMahon.

Taylor, who has appeared on stage with Trump at campaign rallies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-entertainment-lawrence-taylor-arrests-c132f6917890586f7eeb490430a08f49">pleaded guilty in New York in 2011</a>&nbsp;to misdemeanor criminal charges of sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to six years of probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in 2021 in Broward County, Florida, and charged with failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender. He later pleaded no contest to an amended charge, was ordered to pay $261 in court fees, and the case was closed, court records show.

“I’m just proud to be on this team,” Taylor said as he briefly took the microphone at the signing. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, but I’m here to serve. And I’m here to serve you.”

The NFL distanced itself from comments Butker made last year during a commencement address at a Kansas college, when he said most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children than entering the workforce and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also assailed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pride-parade-protest-lgbtq-nyc-6afa739efa2f66d750175b3db77516fc">Pride Month</a>&nbsp;and railed against Democratic President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

Butker later formed a political action committee designed to encourage Christians to vote for what the PAC describes as “traditional values.”

Sorenstam faced backlash for accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump on Jan. 7, 2021, the day after rioters spurred by Trump's false claims about his election loss to Biden stormed the Capitol in Washington.

Other well-known figures in athletics are on the council but did not attend the event Thursday. They include retired golfers Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League.

The return of the exam brought mixed reactions from some who study exercise.

Trump is putting a welcome focus on physical activity, but a test alone won’t make America’s children healthier, said Laura Richardson, a kinesiology professor at the University of Michigan. The exam is only a starting point that should be paired with lessons to help all students improve, she said.

“It’s not just, you get a score and you’re doomed,” said Richardson, whose teaching focuses on obesity. “But you get a score, and we can figure out a program that really helps the improvement.”

Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Collin Binkley in Washington and John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump on Thursday</a>&nbsp;reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children, a fixture of public schools for decades that gauged young people's health and athleticism with 1-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump: &quot;I&#39;m pleased to announce that we&#39;re officially restoring the Presidential Fitness Test and the Presidential Fitness Award.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/QOE5w6trr0">pic.twitter.com/QOE5w6trr0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1951019288980013239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/buttkicker7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@buttkicker7</a>: &quot;I&#39;m excited to do my part to help make America healthy again — to help our youth be healthy and thrive and grow up and be great citizens of this country, be great family members ... I think you have to be strong in mind, in body, and soul.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xHuUM6f1EA">pic.twitter.com/xHuUM6f1EA</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951021058695270699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Click below to watch President Trump comment on Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump to Harrison Butker: You&#39;re a handsome guy, by the way. It&#39;s usually not my thing, but he is a good-looking sucker WTF was that??? <a href="https://t.co/5KnQWXeiVi">pic.twitter.com/5KnQWXeiVi</a>&mdash; Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1951032656017134072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President&#39;s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition Chair Bryson DeChambeau (<a href="https://twitter.com/brysondech?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brysondech</a>): &quot;We&#39;ve got a great established council with us that we believe that we can change the fabric of our communities and kid&#39;s livelihoods for the future generations that are to come.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/QofssXo2u0">pic.twitter.com/QofssXo2u0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1951020039655625186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a> on the Presidential Fitness Test: &quot;We need to re-instill that spirit of competition and that commitment to nutrition and physical fitness — and I&#39;m so grateful to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> for your leadership in bringing this back for our country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/f0KOxlwsdJ">pic.twitter.com/f0KOxlwsdJ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951020726292545607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Paul &quot;Triple H&quot; Levesque: &quot;I truly appreciate all that everybody is doing for the health and wellness for the entire country... I look forward to the opportunity to help make our youth healthy—help get them engaged in sports and let them learn what it takes to be successful in… <a href="https://t.co/Nw8vPXb05W">pic.twitter.com/Nw8vPXb05W</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951020063500144962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This is a wonderful tradition, and we're bringing it back,” Trump said of the fitness test that began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration.An executive order he signed Thursday also reinvigorates a national sports council that the president stocked with former and current athletes and other figures from the sports world. Several prominent athletes joined Trump and top administration officials, including allies such as friend and pro golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-turnberry-dechambeau-british-open-312c12266062ffe863566c10e9049dff">Bryson DeChambeau</a>; and others who've attracted controversy such as former New York Giants linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawrence-taylor-nfl-charged-florida-152a808ded5b29e5ea71b6110bd5209d">Lawrence Taylor</a>, a registered sex offender.It's the latest athletics-related push from Trump, an avid golfer who remains enthralled with the world of sports. He played baseball in high school and plays golf almost every weekend. Much of the domestic travel he has done this year that is not related to weekend golf games at his clubs in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia was built around attending sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and UFC matches.“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports,” Trump said. “When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else. To an extent, this is one of the reasons I like golf. You get away for a couple of hours.”The announcement also came as Trump readies the United States to host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup games and the 2028 Summer Olympics. He also signed a different executive order earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-name-image-likeness-order-standards-ncaa-fc81ce9ab3813e02b763494223930a93">mandating that federal authorities clarify</a>&nbsp;whether college athletes can be considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-c5e0cea45fd210cc935cff992ab16f25">employees of the schools</a>&nbsp;they play for.Trump on Thursday said the council, known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, will also deal with various issues on college athletics, such as the transfer portal that has more easily allowed athletes to switch from school to school. The council, which will have up to 30 members, will also develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. The fitness test will be administered by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let's Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise.The Youth Fitness Test, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/programs-awards/presidential-youth-fitness-program">Health and Human Services Department website</a>&nbsp;last updated in 2023 but still online Thursday, “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.”Among those who joined Trump on Thursday, in addition to DeChambeau and Taylor, were Kansas City Chiefs kicker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-butker-6b308c23c218a10201a3c3bafa2aaca1">Harrison Butker</a>; Swedish golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-golf-gary-player-kayleigh-mcenany-8353c96f50a00ecf4c868c3c9e1a3992">Annika Sorenstam</a>; and WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the son-in-law of Trump's education secretary, Linda McMahon.Taylor, who has appeared on stage with Trump at campaign rallies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-entertainment-lawrence-taylor-arrests-c132f6917890586f7eeb490430a08f49">pleaded guilty in New York in 2011</a>&nbsp;to misdemeanor criminal charges of sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to six years of probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in 2021 in Broward County, Florida, and charged with failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender. He later pleaded no contest to an amended charge, was ordered to pay $261 in court fees, and the case was closed, court records show.“I’m just proud to be on this team,” Taylor said as he briefly took the microphone at the signing. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, but I’m here to serve. And I’m here to serve you.”The NFL distanced itself from comments Butker made last year during a commencement address at a Kansas college, when he said most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children than entering the workforce and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also assailed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pride-parade-protest-lgbtq-nyc-6afa739efa2f66d750175b3db77516fc">Pride Month</a>&nbsp;and railed against Democratic President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.Butker later formed a political action committee designed to encourage Christians to vote for what the PAC describes as “traditional values.”Sorenstam faced backlash for accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump on Jan. 7, 2021, the day after rioters spurred by Trump's false claims about his election loss to Biden stormed the Capitol in Washington.Other well-known figures in athletics are on the council but did not attend the event Thursday. They include retired golfers Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League.The return of the exam brought mixed reactions from some who study exercise.Trump is putting a welcome focus on physical activity, but a test alone won’t make America’s children healthier, said Laura Richardson, a kinesiology professor at the University of Michigan. The exam is only a starting point that should be paired with lessons to help all students improve, she said.“It’s not just, you get a score and you’re doomed,” said Richardson, whose teaching focuses on obesity. “But you get a score, and we can figure out a program that really helps the improvement.”—-Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Collin Binkley in Washington and John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report.

🎥 President Trump compliments Chiefs' Butker during  White House event

KANSAS CITY—A driver injured in a crash that occurred July 10 in Kansas City has died.

A Subaru Forrester was northbound on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection at Blue Ridge Boulevard from a stop sign and struck a southbound Dodge Dakota, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The impact caused the Dodge to rotate, striking the curb and a metal light pole before overturning.&nbsp;The front seat passenger of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and was pronounced deceased on Thursday afternoon, according to DiMartino.

The driver and rear seat juvenile passenger of the Subaru were uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; The occupants of the pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the names of the victims.

KANSAS CITY—A driver injured in a crash that occurred July 10 in Kansas City has died.A Subaru Forrester was northbound on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection at Blue Ridge Boulevard from a stop sign and struck a southbound Dodge Dakota, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The impact caused the Dodge to rotate, striking the curb and a metal light pole before overturning.&nbsp;The front seat passenger of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and was pronounced deceased on Thursday afternoon, according to DiMartino.The driver and rear seat juvenile passenger of the Subaru were uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; The occupants of the pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the names of the victims.

Driver dies 3 weeks after pickup, SUV crash in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose that occurred earlier this year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2678/Anderson-Caitlin---Warrant-Packet-redacted">Caitlin L. Anderson</a>, 32,&nbsp;faces one count of 1st Degree Involuntary Manslaughter, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2679/Anderson-Caitlin---Probable-Cause_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a residence in south Kansas City on Feb. 21 on a medical call. Upon arrival, they located the victim deceased. A later autopsy determined the cause of death was combined fentanyl and ethanol use.&nbsp;

Detectives recovered the victim’s cell phone and text messages between Anderson and the victim discussing drug sales. The victim had purchased fentanyl from Anderson two weeks before his death and overdosed. The victim purchased fentanyl from Anderson again on Feb. 21 and overdosed shortly after their meeting.&nbsp;

In a text message to the victim, just two and a half hours before he was declared deceased, Anderson asked him to delete their conversation.&nbsp;

During an interview with detectives, Anderson admitted to selling the victim the fentanyl on both occasions.&nbsp; She is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753135686290.png" alt="Anderson Photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Anderson Photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose that occurred earlier this year.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2678/Anderson-Caitlin---Warrant-Packet-redacted">Caitlin L. Anderson</a>, 32,&nbsp;faces one count of 1st Degree Involuntary Manslaughter, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2679/Anderson-Caitlin---Probable-Cause_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a residence in south Kansas City on Feb. 21 on a medical call. Upon arrival, they located the victim deceased. A later autopsy determined the cause of death was combined fentanyl and ethanol use.&nbsp;Detectives recovered the victim’s cell phone and text messages between Anderson and the victim discussing drug sales. The victim had purchased fentanyl from Anderson two weeks before his death and overdosed. The victim purchased fentanyl from Anderson again on Feb. 21 and overdosed shortly after their meeting.&nbsp;In a text message to the victim, just two and a half hours before he was declared deceased, Anderson asked him to delete their conversation.&nbsp;During an interview with detectives, Anderson admitted to selling the victim the fentanyl on both occasions.&nbsp; She is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

KC fentanyl dealer tried to hide text message before deadly overdose

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred late Wednesday night at the Longbranch Mobile Home Park near Derby.

At 11:32 p.m., Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from 49-year-old Sharmaine Marlene Burke, according to a media release from the sheriff's office. Burke reported that her son-in-law, 29-year-old Stephen J. Rogers of Wichita, was drunk and had threatened to shoot her. She also stated that her eight-year-old grandson, Rogers’ son, was inside the home at the time.

The 911 call-taker stayed on the line as deputies responded. A few minutes into the call, gunshots were heard, and the line went silent.

Deputies arrived at 11:41 p.m. and found Burke with multiple gunshot wounds to her upper body. Deputies and Sedgwick County EMS attempted life-saving measures, but Burke succumbed to her injuries at 11:57 p.m.

Rogers and his son were not at the scene when deputies arrived. An immediate search for both the suspect and the child began. Deputies obtained critical information, including a description of Rogers’ vehicle, and shared it with surrounding law enforcement agencies.

At 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, FLOCK camera technology detected Rogers’ vehicle in Augusta. Butler County law enforcement quickly located and stopped the vehicle on U.S. Highway 54 near Haverhill Road. Rogers was arrested and the child was found unharmed inside the vehicle.

Rogers was taken to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division, and he has since been booked into jail on requested charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment.

Deputies and investigators provided immediate resources to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.

The Sheriff’s Office coordinated with multiple agencies during the investigation. Quick action and cooperation allowed law enforcement to safely locate the child and apprehend the suspect.

As part of the investigation, it was determined that an Amber Alert was not necessary because investigators obtained real-time intelligence on the suspect’s vehicle and used FLOCK technology to track it. Issuing an Amber Alert could have alerted the suspect, increasing the risk to the child and complicating the search.

 The process for issuing an alert also involves the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the timeline indicates the alert would have been issued only after the suspect and child were located.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1754002321266.png" alt="Rogers photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Rogers photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred late Wednesday night at the Longbranch Mobile Home Park near Derby.At 11:32 p.m., Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from 49-year-old Sharmaine Marlene Burke, according to a media release from the sheriff's office. Burke reported that her son-in-law, 29-year-old Stephen J. Rogers of Wichita, was drunk and had threatened to shoot her. She also stated that her eight-year-old grandson, Rogers’ son, was inside the home at the time.The 911 call-taker stayed on the line as deputies responded. A few minutes into the call, gunshots were heard, and the line went silent.Deputies arrived at 11:41 p.m. and found Burke with multiple gunshot wounds to her upper body. Deputies and Sedgwick County EMS attempted life-saving measures, but Burke succumbed to her injuries at 11:57 p.m.Rogers and his son were not at the scene when deputies arrived. An immediate search for both the suspect and the child began. Deputies obtained critical information, including a description of Rogers’ vehicle, and shared it with surrounding law enforcement agencies.At 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, FLOCK camera technology detected Rogers’ vehicle in Augusta. Butler County law enforcement quickly located and stopped the vehicle on U.S. Highway 54 near Haverhill Road. Rogers was arrested and the child was found unharmed inside the vehicle.Rogers was taken to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division, and he has since been booked into jail on requested charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment.Deputies and investigators provided immediate resources to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.The Sheriff’s Office coordinated with multiple agencies during the investigation. Quick action and cooperation allowed law enforcement to safely locate the child and apprehend the suspect.As part of the investigation, it was determined that an Amber Alert was not necessary because investigators obtained real-time intelligence on the suspect’s vehicle and used FLOCK technology to track it. Issuing an Amber Alert could have alerted the suspect, increasing the risk to the child and complicating the search. The process for issuing an alert also involves the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the timeline indicates the alert would have been issued only after the suspect and child were located.

8-year-old Kan. boy found safe after his grandmother is killed

Washington, D.C.&nbsp;— For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. 

President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people.

The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance. 

The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space, with a seated capacity of 650 people — a significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House.

In recent weeks, President Trump has held several meetings with members of the White House Staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss design features and planning.&nbsp;President Trump has chosen McCrery Architects as lead architect, which is well-known for their classical architectural design and based in our nation’s capital. 

CEO Jim McCrery said: “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”

The construction team will be headed by Clark Construction, and the engineering team will be led by AECOM.&nbsp;The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.&nbsp;

Washington, D.C.&nbsp;— For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;We are proud to announce the construction of the new White House ballroom will begin...The White House state ballroom will be a much needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Zm548HUNMc">pic.twitter.com/Zm548HUNMc</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1950985304199901450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The White House will continue to provide the American public with updates on this project. Check out the renderings below ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/NSILmJDkNi">pic.twitter.com/NSILmJDkNi</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1950988231945629824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people.The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance. The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space, with a seated capacity of 650 people — a significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House.In recent weeks, President Trump has held several meetings with members of the White House Staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss design features and planning.&nbsp;President Trump has chosen McCrery Architects as lead architect, which is well-known for their classical architectural design and based in our nation’s capital. CEO Jim McCrery said: “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”The construction team will be headed by Clark Construction, and the engineering team will be led by AECOM.&nbsp;The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.&nbsp;President Trump, and other patriot donors, have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million dollar structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications.&nbsp;The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, it’s theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical. The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942.&nbsp;The White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said the following: “President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail. The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.”&nbsp;