A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that took place at a West Side gas station in Kansas on July 4, 2024, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2535/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-JONES-REDACTED">Orlando Smith, 22,&nbsp;</a>is charged with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2534/Orlando-Smith-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a gas station on and observed a female victim in her vehicle with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.&nbsp;

Detectives reviewed surveillance video in the area showing a man, who detectives later identified as Smith armed with a pistol and walking toward a light pole near the gas station. An unknown man is also seen near the light pole. As the victim’s vehicle is pulling into the gas station parking lot, a muzzle flash is seen coming from where the defendant is standing.

Witnesses reported Smith got into an argument with a homeless man, fired a shot in the air, and then attacked the man. One witness stated the defendant could not control his firearm as it continued firing until he removed his finger from the trigger.&nbsp;

Detectives interviewed Smith and he admitted to shooting a Glock 22 with an extended magazine after getting into an argument with an unknown man. He said he thought he shot twice into the ground and was not aware anyone was killed.&nbsp;

The defendant is being held without bond. &nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741966273012.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson Co." />
                        <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that took place at a West Side gas station in Kansas on July 4, 2024, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson</p><p><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2535/Afterhours-Complaint-Packet-JONES-REDACTED">Orlando Smith, 22,&nbsp;</a>is charged with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2534/Orlando-Smith-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a gas station on and observed a female victim in her vehicle with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.&nbsp;</p><p>Detectives reviewed surveillance video in the area showing a man, who detectives later identified as Smith armed with a pistol and walking toward a light pole near the gas station. An unknown man is also seen near the light pole. As the victim’s vehicle is pulling into the gas station parking lot, a muzzle flash is seen coming from where the defendant is standing.</p><p>Witnesses reported Smith got into an argument with a homeless man, fired a shot in the air, and then attacked the man. One witness stated the defendant could not control his firearm as it continued firing until he removed his finger from the trigger.&nbsp;</p><p>Detectives interviewed Smith and he admitted to shooting a Glock 22 with an extended magazine after getting into an argument with an unknown man. He said he thought he shot twice into the ground and was not aware anyone was killed.&nbsp;</p><p>The defendant is being held without bond. &nbsp;</p>

Double-homicide: KC suspect told police he was unaware anyone died

RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Monday in Hutchinson.

According to Hutchinson Police, a motorcycle operator, identified as 52-year-old Joseph L. Kelly of Hutchinson, was northbound on Monroe Street at 15th Street and struck an eastbound passenger vehicle driven by 94-year-old Doris L. Sloup of Hutchinson

EMS transported Kelly to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

The accident remains under investigation by the Hutchinson Police Department Traffic Unit.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742235069353.jpeg" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 11a.m. Monday in Hutchinson.</p><p>According to Hutchinson Police, a motorcycle operator, identified as 52-year-old Joseph L. Kelly of Hutchinson, was northbound on Monroe Street at 15th Street and struck an eastbound passenger vehicle driven by 94-year-old Doris L. Sloup of Hutchinson</p><p>EMS transported Kelly to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;</p><p>The accident remains under investigation by the Hutchinson Police Department Traffic Unit.</p>

Police ID Kansas motorcyclist who died in 2-vehicle crash

KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. 

The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. 

Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742306039181.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.</p><p>Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742305766866.png" alt="Image courtesy KMBC" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief. </p><p>The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition. </p><p>Kansas City Fire officials ordered Bomb and Arson officials to investigate. The Kansas City Police Department will assist withe the investigation.</p>

Arson investigation: Tesla Cyber trucks burn at KC dealership

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA <br>Associated Press</a>

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A gust of wind sweeps over bare soil, kicking up enough dirt and dust to cut visibility to nearly zero, and for drivers, the dust storm seems to come out of nowhere.

Such conditions resulted in a pileup on Interstate 70 last week in western Kansas involving dozens of cars and trucks that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-wildfires-deaths-eb53f6b2463a96b18a08ca9e2db266ab">left eight people dead</a>. Blinding dust also prompted New Mexico's transportation department to close Interstate 25 from the Colorado border southwest to Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Hazy or dust-darkened skies have recalled the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930s, when millions of tons of blowing soil buried farms and coated towns across the Great Plains. Lesser storms occur every year, particularly in the western U.S., particularly when farmland hasn't been planted yet in the spring. Some scientists worry that many motorists don't take them seriously enough.

“We have a very low level of public awareness of a dust storm and what damage it can cause,” said Daniel Tong, an associate professor of atmospheric chemistry at George Mason University who is among the authors of a 2023 paper on dust storm deaths.

Dust storms have a history of causing fatalities

The High Plains Museum in Goodland displays a photo of a tractor buried in blown soil in the 1930s, a reminder of the consequences of a severe drought across the Great Plains that came after farming had destroyed native grasses.

The fatalities Friday near Goodland were the first in the area in a dust storm since 2014, said Jeremy Martin, the Weather Service meteorologist in charge there.

But they came less than a month after an 11-car pileup on I-25 left three people dead, with heavy dust cited as a factor, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/three-killed-in-11-car-pileup-west-of-lordsburg/">to Albuquerque TV's KRQE.</a>&nbsp;Similarly, a dust storm on I-55 between St. Louis and Springfield, Illinois, in 2023 led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-highway-wind-dust-storm-crashes-14cf5174d293741f94a17eed9d8f4a2d">a fatal pileup</a>&nbsp;involving dozens of vehicles.

In 1991, 17 people died in an accident involving more than 100 vehicles on I-5 in California's San Joaquin Valley, blamed on blowing dust.

Tong and four co-authors concluded in their paper published in 2023 in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society that there were&nbsp;<a href="https://research.noaa.gov/how-deadly-are-dust-storms/">232 deaths</a>&nbsp;from “windblown dust events” from 2007 through 2017, far higher than the number recorded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association data.

<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01506-4">In January,</a>&nbsp;he and four colleagues concluded that the economic damaged caused by wind erosion and dust is four times higher than previously calculated and more than $154 billion a year.

A cold front carries dust through western Kansas

Martin said a cold front moved through the area of the pileup after it had been warm and dry for six hours. Winds that reached 70 miles per hour (113 kph) kicked up dust that then became trapped in the cold front.

“That's when you get that classic wall of dust," he said.

As blowing dust cut visibility on the road to almost zero, drivers slowed down, causing collisions, authorities said.

A preliminary investigation found that 71 vehicles were involved, said Kansas Highway Patrol spokesperson April McCollum. Aerial photos showed at least 10 were semis.

“It was hard to even keep your eyes open outside because there was so much dust in the air,” said Jeremy Martin, the National Weather Service meteorologist in charge in Goodland. “It kind of stung to even breathe out in it.”

Similar conditions in eastern Colorado prompted the Colorado State Patrol to warn drivers: “Zero visibility due to high winds and blowing dirt.”

“You couldn’t see,” said Jerry Burkhart, the fire and emergency services chief in Lamar, Colorado. “The best thing to do is get way off the road in a parking lot or something like that.”

A lack of visibility is not the only problem

Martin said it's hard to tell how thick dust is from a distance, so motorists often don't know they won't able to see until they're in it.

Weather Service forecasters also said some of the advice for motorists in a dust storm is counter-intuitive. Michael Anand, a NWS meteorologist in Albuquerque, said motorists should pull off the road as safely as possible, turn off all lights and never use their high beams.

“You don’t want people behind you to think you’re going in the road,” Martin said. “That light from your tail light might be the only thing they can see. They’re thinking the road suddenly curves.”

High winds make cars harder to control, and a dust storm coats the road with fine particles that slow breaking, and drivers panic, Tong said.

He said dust storms are frequent and widespread enough across the U.S. that states should test prospective drivers on what to do in a dust storm on license exams.

“That could be, actually, a very easy way to educate drivers,” he said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742057657995.png" alt="Photos by Brian James, Goodland Fire and EMS" />
                        <figcaption>Photos by Brian James, Goodland Fire and EMS</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA <br>Associated Press</a></p><p>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A gust of wind sweeps over bare soil, kicking up enough dirt and dust to cut visibility to nearly zero, and for drivers, the dust storm seems to come out of nowhere.</p><p>Such conditions resulted in a pileup on Interstate 70 last week in western Kansas involving dozens of cars and trucks that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-wildfires-deaths-eb53f6b2463a96b18a08ca9e2db266ab">left eight people dead</a>. Blinding dust also prompted New Mexico's transportation department to close Interstate 25 from the Colorado border southwest to Las Vegas, New Mexico.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742075593579.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Hazy or dust-darkened skies have recalled the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930s, when millions of tons of blowing soil buried farms and coated towns across the Great Plains. Lesser storms occur every year, particularly in the western U.S., particularly when farmland hasn't been planted yet in the spring. Some scientists worry that many motorists don't take them seriously enough.</p><p>“We have a very low level of public awareness of a dust storm and what damage it can cause,” said Daniel Tong, an associate professor of atmospheric chemistry at George Mason University who is among the authors of a 2023 paper on dust storm deaths.</p><h2>Dust storms have a history of causing fatalities</h2><p>The High Plains Museum in Goodland displays a photo of a tractor buried in blown soil in the 1930s, a reminder of the consequences of a severe drought across the Great Plains that came after farming had destroyed native grasses.</p><p>The fatalities Friday near Goodland were the first in the area in a dust storm since 2014, said Jeremy Martin, the Weather Service meteorologist in charge there.</p><p>But they came less than a month after an 11-car pileup on I-25 left three people dead, with heavy dust cited as a factor, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/three-killed-in-11-car-pileup-west-of-lordsburg/">to Albuquerque TV's KRQE.</a>&nbsp;Similarly, a dust storm on I-55 between St. Louis and Springfield, Illinois, in 2023 led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-highway-wind-dust-storm-crashes-14cf5174d293741f94a17eed9d8f4a2d">a fatal pileup</a>&nbsp;involving dozens of vehicles.</p><p>In 1991, 17 people died in an accident involving more than 100 vehicles on I-5 in California's San Joaquin Valley, blamed on blowing dust.</p><p>Tong and four co-authors concluded in their paper published in 2023 in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society that there were&nbsp;<a href="https://research.noaa.gov/how-deadly-are-dust-storms/">232 deaths</a>&nbsp;from “windblown dust events” from 2007 through 2017, far higher than the number recorded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association data.</p><p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01506-4">In January,</a>&nbsp;he and four colleagues concluded that the economic damaged caused by wind erosion and dust is four times higher than previously calculated and more than $154 billion a year.</p><h2>A cold front carries dust through western Kansas</h2><p>Martin said a cold front moved through the area of the pileup after it had been warm and dry for six hours. Winds that reached 70 miles per hour (113 kph) kicked up dust that then became trapped in the cold front.</p><p>“That's when you get that classic wall of dust," he said.</p><p>As blowing dust cut visibility on the road to almost zero, drivers slowed down, causing collisions, authorities said.</p><p>A preliminary investigation found that 71 vehicles were involved, said Kansas Highway Patrol spokesperson April McCollum. Aerial photos showed at least 10 were semis.</p><p>“It was hard to even keep your eyes open outside because there was so much dust in the air,” said Jeremy Martin, the National Weather Service meteorologist in charge in Goodland. “It kind of stung to even breathe out in it.”</p><p>Similar conditions in eastern Colorado prompted the Colorado State Patrol to warn drivers: “Zero visibility due to high winds and blowing dirt.”</p><p>“You couldn’t see,” said Jerry Burkhart, the fire and emergency services chief in Lamar, Colorado. “The best thing to do is get way off the road in a parking lot or something like that.”</p><h2>A lack of visibility is not the only problem</h2><p>Martin said it's hard to tell how thick dust is from a distance, so motorists often don't know they won't able to see until they're in it.</p><p>Weather Service forecasters also said some of the advice for motorists in a dust storm is counter-intuitive. Michael Anand, a NWS meteorologist in Albuquerque, said motorists should pull off the road as safely as possible, turn off all lights and never use their high beams.</p><p>“You don’t want people behind you to think you’re going in the road,” Martin said. “That light from your tail light might be the only thing they can see. They’re thinking the road suddenly curves.”</p><p>High winds make cars harder to control, and a dust storm coats the road with fine particles that slow breaking, and drivers panic, Tong said.</p><p>He said dust storms are frequent and widespread enough across the U.S. that states should test prospective drivers on what to do in a dust storm on license exams.</p><p>“That could be, actually, a very easy way to educate drivers,” he said.</p>

Highway pileup in western Kan. shows how dust storms can turn deadly

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash and are working to determine if gunfire was involved.

Just before 8:30p.m. Monday., police&nbsp; responded to a report of a crash in the 4600 block of E. Mt. Vernon in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford. Fesponders located two vehicles involved in the collision.

In the first vehicle, emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures on a 46-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The vehicle’s other two occupants, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old man, sustained severe injuries and were transported to a local hospital.

The second vehicle had three occupants. EMS transported&nbsp; 40-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl to a local hospital for treatment. A 24-year-old man declined medical care.

Through further investigation, detectives now believe a possible shooting incident may have contributed to the crash. Police are working to confirm this and determine the circumstances leading up to the incident.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742240574782.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash and are working to determine if gunfire was involved.</p><p>Just before 8:30p.m. Monday., police&nbsp; responded to a report of a crash in the 4600 block of E. Mt. Vernon in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford. Fesponders located two vehicles involved in the collision.</p><p>In the first vehicle, emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures on a 46-year-old man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The vehicle’s other two occupants, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old man, sustained severe injuries and were transported to a local hospital.</p><p>The second vehicle had three occupants. EMS transported&nbsp; 40-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl to a local hospital for treatment. A 24-year-old man declined medical care.</p><p>Through further investigation, detectives now believe a possible shooting incident may have contributed to the crash. Police are working to confirm this and determine the circumstances leading up to the incident.</p>

Police: Gunfire may have caused deadly Kansas crash

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">stuck astronauts</a>&nbsp;headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">dramatic marathon mission</a>&nbsp;that began with a bungled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams</a>&nbsp;bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">a SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.

The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.

Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.

“We'll miss you, but have a great journey home,” NASA's Anne McClain called out from the space station as the capsule pulled away 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific.

Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work.” While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.

Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a new record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.

Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.

Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.

Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.

NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.

Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.

Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her mother. They’ll have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before the long-awaited reunion with their loved ones.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742291660677.png" alt="Image courtesy SpaceX" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy SpaceX</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-butch-wilmore-suni-williams-432d8c3ebf8d617d2df4d3ae53db51c3">stuck astronauts</a>&nbsp;headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stuck-astronauts-nasa-boeing-starliner-1929d955463291701b99d4862b2c45ef">dramatic marathon mission</a>&nbsp;that began with a bungled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing test flight</a>&nbsp;more than nine months ago.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch Dragon depart the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> and return to Earth with the Crew-9 astronauts → <a href="https://t.co/ZZEmGU8Aar">https://t.co/ZZEmGU8Aar</a> <a href="https://t.co/kWcj6rvu1V">https://t.co/kWcj6rvu1V</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1901857375897923826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacewalk-2cb2b5897892449f9d4661449a88de1c">Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams</a>&nbsp;bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">a SpaceX capsule</a>&nbsp;alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742294003477.png" alt="NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. NASA" />
                        <figcaption>NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. NASA</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.</p><p>Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.</p><p>“We'll miss you, but have a great journey home,” NASA's Anne McClain called out from the space station as the capsule pulled away 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific.</p><p>Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work.” While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.</p><p>Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a new record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.</p><p>Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.</p><p>Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.</p><p>Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.</p><p>NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.</p><p>Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.</p><p>Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her mother. They’ll have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before the long-awaited reunion with their loved ones.</p><p>___</p>

🎥NASA's stuck astronauts are on their way back to Earth after 9 months in space

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating two deaths at a home northeast of Kansas City have identified the victims as 33-year-old Dare M. Kinney and 31-year-old Chad D. Wooten, according to a statement from police.

Just after 8:30p.m. March 10, Excelsior Springs police received a 911 call requesting a welfare check for a home in the 200 Block of Woods Avenue, according to media release.&nbsp; A family member of the residents requested the check.

First responders found the residence was secure and a family member then asked officers to force entry into the home to check on the residents. Police found the two men deceased.

Police have not released a possible cause of death but indicated the victims died of unnatural causes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating two deaths at a home northeast of Kansas City have identified the victims as 33-year-old Dare M. Kinney and 31-year-old Chad D. Wooten, according to a statement from police.</p><p>Just after 8:30p.m. March 10, Excelsior Springs police received a 911 call requesting a welfare check for a home in the 200 Block of Woods Avenue, according to media release.&nbsp; A family member of the residents requested the check.</p><p>First responders found the residence was secure and a family member then asked officers to force entry into the home to check on the residents. Police found the two men deceased.</p><p>Police have not released a possible cause of death but indicated the victims died of unnatural causes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Police: ID 2 found dead in Kansas City area home

WASHINGTON (AP)—Military leaders say the U.S. airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi targets have struck more than 30 targets since Saturday, including headquarters locations, drone launch sites and weapons storage facilities.

Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, estimated those strikes have killed “dozens” of militants and would continue in the coming days.

The strikes targeted headquarters positions and drone sites where militants the Pentagon identified as “key leaders” for the Houthis’ drone program were located, Grynkewich told reporters Monday.

During the attacks, the Houthis claimed to fire one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles in response.

At a news briefing, both Grynkewich and Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the responses “didn’t come anywhere near” U.S. assets in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP)—Military leaders say the U.S. airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi targets have struck more than 30 targets since Saturday, including headquarters locations, drone launch sites and weapons storage facilities.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CENTCOM forces continue strikes against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists… <a href="https://t.co/Ao5FD7mDHW">pic.twitter.com/Ao5FD7mDHW</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1901784324812218796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 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"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CENTCOM forces continue operations against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists... <a href="https://t.co/zEWykoDKQR">pic.twitter.com/zEWykoDKQR</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1901428374486089974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, estimated those strikes have killed “dozens” of militants and would continue in the coming days.</p><p>The strikes targeted headquarters positions and drone sites where militants the Pentagon identified as “key leaders” for the Houthis’ drone program were located, Grynkewich told reporters Monday.</p><p>During the attacks, the Houthis claimed to fire one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles in response.</p><p>At a news briefing, both Grynkewich and Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the responses “didn’t come anywhere near” U.S. assets in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.</p>

U.S. forces continue strikes against Iran-backed terrorists

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.

On March 9th police began an investigation that focused on crimes committed against a 32-year-old woman that occurred at the Walmart store at 1920 U.S.73.in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 The victim had reported that on the late afternoon of March 9th as she was leaving the store she was approached by a man who identified himself as being an asset protection officer with Walmart. 

The man escorted her to a restroom at the back of of the store where he sexually assaulted her. It was quickly determined that the suspect was not working for Walmart. The investigation continued and on at around 4p.m. Sunday, police were notified that the suspect was back at Walmart, walking around the store.

 Officers located&nbsp; 42-year-old Justin Metz inside the store and took him into custody on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, and sexual battery.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742227712683.png" alt="Metz phot Atchison County." />
                        <figcaption>Metz phot Atchison County.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.</p><p>On March 9th police began an investigation that focused on crimes committed against a 32-year-old woman that occurred at the Walmart store at 1920 U.S.73.in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.</p><p> The victim had reported that on the late afternoon of March 9th as she was leaving the store she was approached by a man who identified himself as being an asset protection officer with Walmart. </p><p>The man escorted her to a restroom at the back of of the store where he sexually assaulted her. It was quickly determined that the suspect was not working for Walmart. The investigation continued and on at around 4p.m. Sunday, police were notified that the suspect was back at Walmart, walking around the store.</p><p> Officers located&nbsp; 42-year-old Justin Metz inside the store and took him into custody on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, and sexual battery.</p>

Kan. man accused of sex assault of shopper at big box store

PARIS (AP) — Hey, America: Give the Statue of Liberty back to France.

So says a French politician who is making headlines in his country for suggesting that the U.S. is no longer worthy of the monument that was a gift from France nearly 140 years ago.

White House Press Secretary on Monday afternoon responded to a question about President Trump giving the Statue of Liberty back.

As a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, Raphaël Glucksmann cannot claim to speak for all of his compatriots.

But his assertion in a speech this weekend that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants” reflects the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-europe-france-boycott-usa-trump-6e4b568ef4ae5705ac200a3986a8ebf6">broad shockwaves</a>&nbsp;that U.S. President Donald Trump’s seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policy are triggering in France and elsewhere in Europe.

“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann said, speaking Sunday to supporters of his Public Place party, who applauded and whistled.

“It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us,” Glucksmann said.

UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural arm that has the statue on its list of World Heritage treasures, notes that the iconic monument is U.S. government property.

It was initially envisaged as a monumental gesture of French-American friendship to mark the 100th anniversary of the July 4, 1776,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/today-in-history/july-4">Declaration of Independence.</a>

But a war that erupted in 1870 between France and German states led by Prussia diverted the energies of the monument’s designer, French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi.

The gift also took time to be funded, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quimper.bzh/uploads/Image/0a/18701_266_souscription-a-l-erection-de-la-statue-de-la-Liberte.jpg" target="_blank">a decision taken</a>&nbsp;that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal.

Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled Oct. 28, 1886.

Is France’s government offering asylum to Lady Liberty?

No. French-U.S. relations would have to drop off a cliff before Glucksmann found support from French President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

For the moment, the French president is treading a fine line — trying to work with Trump and temper some of his policy shifts on the one hand but also pushing back hard against some White House decisions, notably Trump’s tariff hikes.

Macron has let his prime minister, François Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-france-bayrou-ukraine-oval-office-1b12c5024d0aad34bd4336ef931e51f0">Bayrou tore into the “brutality”</a>&nbsp;that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">during his White House visit</a>&nbsp;and suggested that Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-ukraine-bayrou-macron-trump-military-drones-aef148aa847dd36722cbf0c99c901022">risked handing victory to Russia</a>&nbsp;when it paused military aid to Ukraine.

Glucksmann’s party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Trump is wielding power in an “authoritarian” manner and is “preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter” to Russia.

In his speech, Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazarus’ words about the statue, the “mighty woman with a torch” who promised a home for the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

“Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was,” Glucksmann said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742235074825.png" alt="Statue of Liberty photo National Park Service" />
                        <figcaption>Statue of Liberty photo National Park Service</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>PARIS (AP) — Hey, America: Give the Statue of Liberty back to France.</p><p>So says a French politician who is making headlines in his country for suggesting that the U.S. is no longer worthy of the monument that was a gift from France nearly 140 years ago.</p><p>White House Press Secretary on Monday afternoon responded to a question about President Trump giving the Statue of Liberty back.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/pdoocy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pdoocy</a>: &quot;Is President Trump going to send the Statue of Liberty back to France?&quot;<br><br>.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;Absolutely not...it&#39;s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now. So, they should be very grateful, to our great country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/rQHFyTP7iK">pic.twitter.com/rQHFyTP7iK</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1901688362378957273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>As a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, Raphaël Glucksmann cannot claim to speak for all of his compatriots.</p><p>But his assertion in a speech this weekend that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants” reflects the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denmark-europe-france-boycott-usa-trump-6e4b568ef4ae5705ac200a3986a8ebf6">broad shockwaves</a>&nbsp;that U.S. President Donald Trump’s seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policy are triggering in France and elsewhere in Europe.</p><p>“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann said, speaking Sunday to supporters of his Public Place party, who applauded and whistled.</p><p>“It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us,” Glucksmann said.</p><h2>Can France claim it back?</h2><p>Dream on.</p><p>UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural arm that has the statue on its list of World Heritage treasures, notes that the iconic monument is U.S. government property.</p><p>It was initially envisaged as a monumental gesture of French-American friendship to mark the 100th anniversary of the July 4, 1776,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/today-in-history/july-4">Declaration of Independence.</a></p><p>But a war that erupted in 1870 between France and German states led by Prussia diverted the energies of the monument’s designer, French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi.</p><p>The gift also took time to be funded, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quimper.bzh/uploads/Image/0a/18701_266_souscription-a-l-erection-de-la-statue-de-la-Liberte.jpg" target="_blank">a decision taken</a>&nbsp;that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal.</p><p>Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled Oct. 28, 1886.</p><p>ADVERTISEMENT</p><h2>Is France’s government offering asylum to Lady Liberty?</h2><p>No. French-U.S. relations would have to drop off a cliff before Glucksmann found support from French President Emmanuel Macron’s government.</p><p>For the moment, the French president is treading a fine line — trying to work with Trump and temper some of his policy shifts on the one hand but also pushing back hard against some White House decisions, notably Trump’s tariff hikes.</p><p>Macron has let his prime minister, François Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-france-bayrou-ukraine-oval-office-1b12c5024d0aad34bd4336ef931e51f0">Bayrou tore into the “brutality”</a>&nbsp;that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">during his White House visit</a>&nbsp;and suggested that Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-ukraine-bayrou-macron-trump-military-drones-aef148aa847dd36722cbf0c99c901022">risked handing victory to Russia</a>&nbsp;when it paused military aid to Ukraine.</p><p>Glucksmann’s party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Trump is wielding power in an “authoritarian” manner and is “preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter” to Russia.</p><p>In his speech, Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazarus’ words about the statue, the “mighty woman with a torch” who promised a home for the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”</p><p>“Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was,” Glucksmann said.</p>

🎥White House on French politician demanding US return Statue of Liberty

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a deadly hit-and run accident was in court Friday.

Peyton Allart, 19, Wichita, entered a guilty plea to leaving the scene of an accident that killed&nbsp;28-year-old Jaz Brooks, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 3a.m. June 23, police responded to a vehicule collision at the intersection of Central and Mclean in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders discovered a dark-colored Saturn involved in the incident. The passenger, identified as Brooks, was found trapped inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased. The driver of the Saturn received an evaluation by EMS for non-lifethreatening injuries at the scene.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a black Ford F-150 had collided with the Saturn on its passenger side and fled prior to law enforcement's arrival. Officers successfully located the suspect identified as Allart and the vehicle several hours later.&nbsp; &nbsp;She is scheduled for sentencing on April 25, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719242864860.png" alt="Allart photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Allart photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a deadly hit-and run accident was in court Friday.</p><p>Peyton Allart, 19, Wichita, entered a guilty plea to leaving the scene of an accident that killed&nbsp;28-year-old Jaz Brooks, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.</p><p>Just after 3a.m. June 23, police responded to a vehicule collision at the intersection of Central and Mclean in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.</p><p>First responders discovered a dark-colored Saturn involved in the incident. The passenger, identified as Brooks, was found trapped inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased. The driver of the Saturn received an evaluation by EMS for non-lifethreatening injuries at the scene.</p><p>Preliminary investigations revealed that a black Ford F-150 had collided with the Saturn on its passenger side and fled prior to law enforcement's arrival. Officers successfully located the suspect identified as Allart and the vehicle several hours later.&nbsp; &nbsp;She is scheduled for sentencing on April 25, according to the district attorney's office.</p>

Kansas teen gets plea deal in connection with fatal crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —Trump, after he was sworn into office, ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">release of the remaining classified files</a>&nbsp;related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>.

While at the Kennedy Center, Trump told reporters his administration will release 80,000 files on Tuesday, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of documents that have already been made public.

“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said to reporters.

He also said he doesn’t believe anything will be redacted from the files.

“I said, ‘Just don’t redact. You can’t redact,’” he said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700660678254.png" alt="FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)" />
                        <figcaption>FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) —Trump, after he was sworn into office, ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">release of the remaining classified files</a>&nbsp;related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on JFK Files: &quot;We are tomorrow announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files...I don&#39;t believe we are are going to redact anything...it&#39;s going to be very interesting...approximately 80,000 pages.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0NW4QdLSzL">pic.twitter.com/0NW4QdLSzL</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1901732784483308013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>While at the Kennedy Center, Trump told reporters his administration will release 80,000 files on Tuesday, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of documents that have already been made public.</p><p>“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said to reporters.</p><p>He also said he doesn’t believe anything will be redacted from the files.</p><p>“I said, ‘Just don’t redact. You can’t redact,’” he said.</p>

🎥Trump: Files on JFK assassination to be released Tuesday

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A former pastor of a Texas megachurch accused of child sexual abuse surrendered to Oklahoma authorities Monday.

Robert Preston Morris, 63, turned himself in to officials in Osage County, where he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-megachurch-pastor-child-sexual-abuse-charges-7780fee17c2f670f1ef34a8d72bc6a14">charged last week</a>&nbsp;with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, told The Associated Press.

Court records show an Osage County judge set a $50,000 bond and ordered Morris to surrender his passport.

Morris is expected to make an initial appearance before a judge at 10 a.m. on May 9, Bacharach said.

Attorney Mack Martin declined to comment on the charges but said he anticipated entering a not guilty plea on Morris' behalf.

Morris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-pastor-robert-morris-abuse-cb2c633de3a5d43538141c1736e33245">resigned last year</a>&nbsp;as pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas suburb of Southlake after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s.

The victim, referred to in the indictment as C.C., told authorities the abuse started when she was 12 years old and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family, according to the attorney general’s office. She said the abuse continued for four years.

Cindy Clemishire, Morris’ accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful “justice will ultimately prevail.”

“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” said Clemishire, now 55. “Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.”

The AP typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Clemishire said she would like her name included.

Morris was known to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6725d707f61847ebb770bad1ca3a2376">politically active</a>. The church hosted President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-says-hell-pursue-police-use-of-force-standard-5278fb5b255c9ddf1aface6636a0d848">discussion on race relations</a>&nbsp;and the economy.

Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges, according to the attorney general’s office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742233797006.png" alt="Morris photo Osage Co. Oklahoma Sheriff" />
                        <figcaption>Morris photo Osage Co. Oklahoma Sheriff</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A former pastor of a Texas megachurch accused of child sexual abuse surrendered to Oklahoma authorities Monday.</p><p>Robert Preston Morris, 63, turned himself in to officials in Osage County, where he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-megachurch-pastor-child-sexual-abuse-charges-7780fee17c2f670f1ef34a8d72bc6a14">charged last week</a>&nbsp;with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, told The Associated Press.</p><p>Court records show an Osage County judge set a $50,000 bond and ordered Morris to surrender his passport.</p><p>Morris is expected to make an initial appearance before a judge at 10 a.m. on May 9, Bacharach said.</p><p>Attorney Mack Martin declined to comment on the charges but said he anticipated entering a not guilty plea on Morris' behalf.</p><p>Morris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-pastor-robert-morris-abuse-cb2c633de3a5d43538141c1736e33245">resigned last year</a>&nbsp;as pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas suburb of Southlake after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s.</p><p>The victim, referred to in the indictment as C.C., told authorities the abuse started when she was 12 years old and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family, according to the attorney general’s office. She said the abuse continued for four years.</p><p>Cindy Clemishire, Morris’ accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful “justice will ultimately prevail.”</p><p>“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” said Clemishire, now 55. “Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.”</p><p>The AP typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Clemishire said she would like her name included.</p><p>Morris was known to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6725d707f61847ebb770bad1ca3a2376">politically active</a>. The church hosted President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-says-hell-pursue-police-use-of-force-standard-5278fb5b255c9ddf1aface6636a0d848">discussion on race relations</a>&nbsp;and the economy.</p><p>Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges, according to the attorney general’s office.</p>

Former megachurch pastor accused of child sex abuse surrenders 

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal judge dismissed the charges Monday against a Minnesota man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical “The Wizard of Oz” after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-plea-b837881c5cf57961400763123d01db2c">change his plea to guilty</a>&nbsp;in January but that hearing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-plea-89b213b57a7a9fdbed4240a7ffc5717e">postponed indefinitely</a>&nbsp;after he was hospitalized.

Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley notified the court in a one-page motion Monday that Saliterman died Sunday but did not say how or where. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz granted the request and dropped the charges.

Defense attorney John Brink confirmed Monday that his client had died but declined to give details. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fargo, North Dakota, which is handling the case, did not immediately return a phone call seeking further information.

According to court filings, Saliterman was hospitalized in early January "for inability to walk and sepsis,” an infection that can be life-threatening. He attended his arraignment three days later via video from what looked like a hospital room. In an update to the court late last month, Brink told the court that his client had been discharged to a hospice facility and that his prognosis was poor. An accompanying letter from his doctor listed severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen and Parkinson's disease.

Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on oxygen last March when he made his first court appearance. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-ruby-slippers-dorothy-judy-garland-e96057028c8d1b5ab6c4ffeef28fd123">charged then</a>&nbsp;with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering for his role in the ruby slippers case.

The sequined red slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Their whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 13 years until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>. They fetched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-auction-6d5ccf8af71e1d7941d6f01ae4653b76">a record for movie memorabilia of $32.5 million</a>&nbsp;in December, according to Heritage Auctions. The slippers were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-minnesota-6a5231773021fab3ef7e39b4a2568799">three other pairs</a>&nbsp;remain.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
                        <figcaption>FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal judge dismissed the charges Monday against a Minnesota man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical “The Wizard of Oz” after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.</p><p>Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, who had been in poor health with lung disease and other ailments, had been scheduled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-plea-b837881c5cf57961400763123d01db2c">change his plea to guilty</a>&nbsp;in January but that hearing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-plea-89b213b57a7a9fdbed4240a7ffc5717e">postponed indefinitely</a>&nbsp;after he was hospitalized.</p><p>Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley notified the court in a one-page motion Monday that Saliterman died Sunday but did not say how or where. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz granted the request and dropped the charges.</p><p>Defense attorney John Brink confirmed Monday that his client had died but declined to give details. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fargo, North Dakota, which is handling the case, did not immediately return a phone call seeking further information.</p><p>According to court filings, Saliterman was hospitalized in early January "for inability to walk and sepsis,” an infection that can be life-threatening. He attended his arraignment three days later via video from what looked like a hospital room. In an update to the court late last month, Brink told the court that his client had been discharged to a hospice facility and that his prognosis was poor. An accompanying letter from his doctor listed severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen and Parkinson's disease.</p><p>Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on oxygen last March when he made his first court appearance. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-ruby-slippers-dorothy-judy-garland-e96057028c8d1b5ab6c4ffeef28fd123">charged then</a>&nbsp;with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering for his role in the ruby slippers case.</p><p>The sequined red slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Their whereabouts remained a mystery for nearly 13 years until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>. They fetched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-auction-6d5ccf8af71e1d7941d6f01ae4653b76">a record for movie memorabilia of $32.5 million</a>&nbsp;in December, according to Heritage Auctions. The slippers were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-minnesota-6a5231773021fab3ef7e39b4a2568799">three other pairs</a>&nbsp;remain.</p>

Man accused of hiding stolen ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz' is dead

GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the woman trapped in her car overnight after a crash that occurred just after 11:30p.m. Sunday on Interstate 70 in Geary County.

According to the Patrol, a 2023 Ford Edge driven by Rhonda L. Moore, 65, Wise, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Humboldt Creek Road.

The SUV traveled off the road into the north ditch and rolled onto on its top.&nbsp; A passing motorist finally saw the SUV just before 8a.m. Monday and called for help. EMS transported Moore to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a single-vehicle crash that critically injured a woman in Geary County.

Early Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper responded to the serious rollover crash on Interstate 70, where the driver had been trapped in her wrecked vehicle overnight—injured, alone, and waiting for help, according to a social media report from the patrol.

The KHP is working to determine exactly when the crash occurred.&nbsp; First responders were notified just after 8a.m. Monday.

"Geary County first responders were first on the scene, quickly working to assess the situation, provide medical care, and begin the initial response."

"As daylight broke, the wreckage finally became visible to a passing motorist, who made the call that set everything into motion. With EMS, fire crews, and KHP working together, Life Star was called in to airlift the woman to a hospital."

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742224877114.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the woman trapped in her car overnight after a crash that occurred just after 11:30p.m. Sunday on Interstate 70 in Geary County.</p><p>According to the Patrol, a 2023 Ford Edge driven by Rhonda L. Moore, 65, Wise, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Humboldt Creek Road.</p><p>The SUV traveled off the road into the north ditch and rolled onto on its top.&nbsp; A passing motorist finally saw the SUV just before 8a.m. Monday and called for help. EMS transported Moore to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.</p><p>-----------</p><p>GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a single-vehicle crash that critically injured a woman in Geary County.</p><p>Early Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper responded to the serious rollover crash on Interstate 70, where the driver had been trapped in her wrecked vehicle overnight—injured, alone, and waiting for help, according to a social media report from the patrol.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742224855150.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The KHP is working to determine exactly when the crash occurred.&nbsp; First responders were notified just after 8a.m. Monday.</p><p>"Geary County first responders were first on the scene, quickly working to assess the situation, provide medical care, and begin the initial response."</p><p>"As daylight broke, the wreckage finally became visible to a passing motorist, who made the call that set everything into motion. With EMS, fire crews, and KHP working together, Life Star was called in to airlift the woman to a hospital."</p><p>Check the Post for additional details as they become available.</p>

KHP IDs woman trapped in SUV overnight after crash on I-70

"It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely."

<p>"It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick&#39;s Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely. 🍀 <a href="https://t.co/2gpnwiLODg">pic.twitter.com/2gpnwiLODg</a></p>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1901713841970393423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Gov. Kelly attends the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day parade

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump signed a measure on Monday to end the Biden-enra methane fee on oil and gas producers.

The measure, approved by Republican majorities in the House and Senate, eliminates a federal fee on companies that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-texas-trending-news-climate-and-environment-0eb6880f7c4532a845155a3bd44c2e4be-epa-climate-biden-oil-gas-5020fdf48c51918d42176e0a4f6093dd">release high levels of methane</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-satellite-monitoring-ghgsat-climate-change-c5bdd53058cdcbf0c83a6a1080398222">planet-warming “super pollutant.”</a>

The fee, which hadn’t gone into effect, was expected to bring in more than $7 billion over the next decade and lower U.S. methane emissions, averting thousands of early deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks and lost school days every year.

Methane is a much stronger global warming gas than carbon dioxide, especially in the short term. Oil and gas producers are among the biggest U.S. methane emitters.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump signed a measure on Monday to end the Biden-enra methane fee on oil and gas producers.</p><p>The measure, approved by Republican majorities in the House and Senate, eliminates a federal fee on companies that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-texas-trending-news-climate-and-environment-0eb6880f7c4532a845155a3bd44c2e4be-epa-climate-biden-oil-gas-5020fdf48c51918d42176e0a4f6093dd">release high levels of methane</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-satellite-monitoring-ghgsat-climate-change-c5bdd53058cdcbf0c83a6a1080398222">planet-warming “super pollutant.”</a></p><p>The fee, which hadn’t gone into effect, was expected to bring in more than $7 billion over the next decade and lower U.S. methane emissions, averting thousands of early deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks and lost school days every year.</p><p>Methane is a much stronger global warming gas than carbon dioxide, especially in the short term. Oil and gas producers are among the biggest U.S. methane emitters.</p>

Trump has more good news for oil and gas producers

The Sedgwick County Zoo announced on Monday that 29-year-old African elephant Simunye, delivered a stillborn calf following a healthy, full-term pregnancy, according to a social media report from the zoo.

 The Zoo community, staff, and elephant herd alike are mourning this devastating loss. This would have marked the first elephant born at Sedgwick County Zoo in its 54-year history.

 The monumental journey of Simunye's 22-month pregnancy ended in heartbreak on Friday, despite the expert care provided by the elephant care and veterinary teams. 

Regular prenatal exams and behavioral observations indicated that both mom and calf were healthy with no sign of complications throughout the entire gestational term. 

Simunye began showing signs of active labor early Thursday morning while the care team watched remotely to allow for the most natural birthing environment. She delivered her calf Friday afternoon and despite her best attempts to assist, it showed no signs of movement. 

Other members of the herd surrounded Simunye throughout labor, and continued to provide support throughout the night as they grieved the loss together. The calf, a female, was named Malaika, which means “angel” in Swahili.&nbsp;

“This is a time of extreme sadness for the entire Zoo family, “ said Scott Newland, President and CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo. “We were so excited to welcome a new member to the herd, and the entire pregnancy progressed exactly as it should have. Unfortunately though, not all pregnancies end in healthy births and we don’t always get an answer as to why.”&nbsp;

A thorough necropsy has been conducted and determined that the calf died during the birthing process.

Simunye will continue to recover under the careful watch of the herd and the elephant care team. Elephants are extremely intelligent, social, and emotional animals, exhibiting strong bonds within their herd. They are known to provide support and comfort for one another through every birth, death, and each milestone in between.&nbsp;

“We know the deep connection our community has with our elephant herd, and we are grateful for your compassion, understanding, and support as we navigate this difficult time,” said Newland. “The team remains committed to providing the very best physical and emotional care for Simunye, as well as the rest of the herd as they process this unexpected loss.”

The Sedgwick County Zoo remains steadfast in its commitment to the preservation of African elephants in North America, actively participating in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Elephant Species Survival Plan. Four other elephants in Sedgwick County Zoo’s herd are expecting calves this year, and the team will continue to do everything they can to ensure healthy births for Talia, Arusi, Xolani, and Zuberi, while honoring the memory of the calf we so dearly hoped to welcome to the herd.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742239828754.png" alt="Photo Sedgwick County Zoo" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Sedgwick County Zoo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The Sedgwick County Zoo announced on Monday that 29-year-old African elephant Simunye, delivered a stillborn calf following a healthy, full-term pregnancy, according to a social media report from the zoo.</p><p> The Zoo community, staff, and elephant herd alike are mourning this devastating loss. This would have marked the first elephant born at Sedgwick County Zoo in its 54-year history.</p><p> The monumental journey of Simunye's 22-month pregnancy ended in heartbreak on Friday, despite the expert care provided by the elephant care and veterinary teams. </p><p>Regular prenatal exams and behavioral observations indicated that both mom and calf were healthy with no sign of complications throughout the entire gestational term. </p><p>Simunye began showing signs of active labor early Thursday morning while the care team watched remotely to allow for the most natural birthing environment. She delivered her calf Friday afternoon and despite her best attempts to assist, it showed no signs of movement. </p><p>Other members of the herd surrounded Simunye throughout labor, and continued to provide support throughout the night as they grieved the loss together. The calf, a female, was named Malaika, which means “angel” in Swahili.&nbsp;</p><p>“This is a time of extreme sadness for the entire Zoo family, “ said Scott Newland, President and CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo. “We were so excited to welcome a new member to the herd, and the entire pregnancy progressed exactly as it should have. Unfortunately though, not all pregnancies end in healthy births and we don’t always get an answer as to why.”&nbsp;</p><p>A thorough necropsy has been conducted and determined that the calf died during the birthing process.</p><p>Simunye will continue to recover under the careful watch of the herd and the elephant care team. Elephants are extremely intelligent, social, and emotional animals, exhibiting strong bonds within their herd. They are known to provide support and comfort for one another through every birth, death, and each milestone in between.&nbsp;</p><p>“We know the deep connection our community has with our elephant herd, and we are grateful for your compassion, understanding, and support as we navigate this difficult time,” said Newland. “The team remains committed to providing the very best physical and emotional care for Simunye, as well as the rest of the herd as they process this unexpected loss.”</p><p>The Sedgwick County Zoo remains steadfast in its commitment to the preservation of African elephants in North America, actively participating in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Elephant Species Survival Plan. Four other elephants in Sedgwick County Zoo’s herd are expecting calves this year, and the team will continue to do everything they can to ensure healthy births for Talia, Arusi, Xolani, and Zuberi, while honoring the memory of the calf we so dearly hoped to welcome to the herd.</p>

Devastating loss to elephant herd at Kansas zoo

WASHINGTON (AP) —Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced nearly three dozen deregulatory moves that he said would spur the U.S. economy by rolling back rules that have unfairly burdened industry. Many of the moves would affect landmark regulations aimed at protecting clean air and water.

Here’s a look at some of the 31 regulatory changes Zeldin announced:

Reconsider power plant emissions standards

The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/power-plants-coal-natural-gas-biden-epa-5c96ca146e7f70b47806beb4bc3713e6">set limits on planet-warming emissions</a>&nbsp;from existing gas and coal-fired power plants – a major step in the administration’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases from the heavily polluting energy sector. Trump has long opposed such tough, climate-friendly limits and has instead promoted oil and gas development. Zeldin said the agency would reconsider the Biden administration standards to avoid constraining energy production.

Reconsider toxic emission limits on power plants

Coal plants emit toxic metals like mercury and the Biden administration issued a rule&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mercury-coal-epa-power-plant-health-9fc882da610ff750a91b7ac50ca33bd6">to severely limit those pollutants.</a>&nbsp;Officials at the time said technology had progressed enough for these plants to do better. The EPA on Wednesday said nearly two dozen states had sued, arguing the rule was costly and a major burden, especially to coal plants. They also considering offering industry a two-year compliance extension while officials reconsider the rule.

Reconsider wastewater rules for coal and other power plants

Hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic end up in the wastewater of steam-powered electric generating power plants like coal. These can have serious health effects including increasing cancer rates and lowering childhood IQ scores. The Biden administration tightened regulations of this wastewater. The EPA said it will revisit those “stringent” rules that are costly to industry and therefore may raise residential energy bills.

Currently, treated wastewater generated from oil and gas drilling can be used in limited ways in certain western lands, such as for agriculture. Environmentalists say there can be a broad range of contaminants in the wastewater, some of which might not be known. The EPA said it will reconsider those rules and look at how the treated water could be used for other purposes like cooling data centers, fighting fires and other ecological needs. They say the current rules are costly, old and don’t reflect the capabilities of modern treatment technologies.

Reconsider petrochemical emergency planning

The Biden administration tightened safeguards against accidents for industrial and chemical plants that millions of people live near. The agency’s risk management program added planning and reporting requirements for facilities and forced some to implement new safeguards. Accidents at these plants can be severe – a 2019 explosion at a Texas facility, for example, forced tens of thousands to evacuate, for example. Industry associations have criticized parts of the rule, such as requirements to publicly report sensitive information.

Zeldin said Biden administration officials “ignored recommendations from national security experts on how their rule makes chemical and other sensitive facilities in America more vulnerable to attack.” The EPA is reconsidering the rule.

Reconsidering greenhouse gas reporting requirements

The EPA said it was reconsidering its mandatory greenhouse gas reporting program, which requires thousands of major industrial polluters to tell the agency about its emissions. Zeldin said the “bureaucratic government program” costs hundreds of millions of dollars and doesn’t help air quality. Until now, the EPA said the data helped businesses compare their emissions to competitors and find opportunities to reduce them and lower costs.

Reconsider light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicle regulations

Zeldin vowed to review his agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-electric-vehicles-emissions-limits-climate-biden-e6d581324af51294048df24269b5d20a">emissions standards for cars and trucks</a>, calling the tightened emissions rules the “foundation for the Biden-Harris electric vehicle mandate.” Nothing the Biden administration implemented required automakers to make and sell EVs or for consumers to buy them. Loosening standards would allow vehicles to emit more planet-warming greenhouse gases, but many automakers have already been investing in making their vehicles more efficient.

Reconsider 2009 Endangerment Finding and regulations that rely on it

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741878557152.png" alt="EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin-courtesy image" />
                        <figcaption>EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin-courtesy image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) —Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced nearly three dozen deregulatory moves that he said would spur the U.S. economy by rolling back rules that have unfairly burdened industry. Many of the moves would affect landmark regulations aimed at protecting clean air and water.</p><p>Here’s a look at some of the 31 regulatory changes Zeldin announced:</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">For too long, Kansans have been burdened by complicated federal rules telling farmers &amp; ranchers how to use the water on their land.<br><br>I appreciate the administration working to lift harmful regulations &amp; setting consistent, commonsense guidelines that support Kansas producers. <a href="https://t.co/bk310CeRaz">https://t.co/bk310CeRaz</a></p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1900214604380119477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 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"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/EPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EPA</a> is initiating 31 historic actions to Power the Great American Comeback in the greatest day of deregulation in American history!<br> <br>Our actions will unleash energy dominance, lower costs for Americans, strengthen the U.S. auto industry, and protect our environment. <a href="https://t.co/7B3fh5qBKY">pic.twitter.com/7B3fh5qBKY</a></p>&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1899876025363837292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ICYMI: Yesterday under <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EPALeeZeldin</a>’s leadership we initiated 31 historic actions to Power the Great American Comeback in the greatest day of deregulation in American history! <a href="https://t.co/MozpklhLXi">pic.twitter.com/MozpklhLXi</a></p>&mdash; U.S. EPA (@EPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/EPA/status/1900197990553334055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Reconsider power plant emissions standards</h2><p>The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/power-plants-coal-natural-gas-biden-epa-5c96ca146e7f70b47806beb4bc3713e6">set limits on planet-warming emissions</a>&nbsp;from existing gas and coal-fired power plants – a major step in the administration’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases from the heavily polluting energy sector. Trump has long opposed such tough, climate-friendly limits and has instead promoted oil and gas development. Zeldin said the agency would reconsider the Biden administration standards to avoid constraining energy production.</p><h2>Reconsider toxic emission limits on power plants</h2><p>Coal plants emit toxic metals like mercury and the Biden administration issued a rule&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mercury-coal-epa-power-plant-health-9fc882da610ff750a91b7ac50ca33bd6">to severely limit those pollutants.</a>&nbsp;Officials at the time said technology had progressed enough for these plants to do better. The EPA on Wednesday said nearly two dozen states had sued, arguing the rule was costly and a major burden, especially to coal plants. They also considering offering industry a two-year compliance extension while officials reconsider the rule.</p><h2>Reconsider wastewater rules for coal and other power plants</h2><p>Hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic end up in the wastewater of steam-powered electric generating power plants like coal. These can have serious health effects including increasing cancer rates and lowering childhood IQ scores. The Biden administration tightened regulations of this wastewater. The EPA said it will revisit those “stringent” rules that are costly to industry and therefore may raise residential energy bills.</p><h2>New uses for oil and gas wastewater</h2><p>Currently, treated wastewater generated from oil and gas drilling can be used in limited ways in certain western lands, such as for agriculture. Environmentalists say there can be a broad range of contaminants in the wastewater, some of which might not be known. The EPA said it will reconsider those rules and look at how the treated water could be used for other purposes like cooling data centers, fighting fires and other ecological needs. They say the current rules are costly, old and don’t reflect the capabilities of modern treatment technologies.</p><h2>Reconsider petrochemical emergency planning</h2><p>The Biden administration tightened safeguards against accidents for industrial and chemical plants that millions of people live near. The agency’s risk management program added planning and reporting requirements for facilities and forced some to implement new safeguards. Accidents at these plants can be severe – a 2019 explosion at a Texas facility, for example, forced tens of thousands to evacuate, for example. Industry associations have criticized parts of the rule, such as requirements to publicly report sensitive information.</p><p>Zeldin said Biden administration officials “ignored recommendations from national security experts on how their rule makes chemical and other sensitive facilities in America more vulnerable to attack.” The EPA is reconsidering the rule.</p><h2>Reconsidering greenhouse gas reporting requirements</h2><p>The EPA said it was reconsidering its mandatory greenhouse gas reporting program, which requires thousands of major industrial polluters to tell the agency about its emissions. Zeldin said the “bureaucratic government program” costs hundreds of millions of dollars and doesn’t help air quality. Until now, the EPA said the data helped businesses compare their emissions to competitors and find opportunities to reduce them and lower costs.</p><h2>Reconsider light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicle regulations</h2><p>Zeldin vowed to review his agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-electric-vehicles-emissions-limits-climate-biden-e6d581324af51294048df24269b5d20a">emissions standards for cars and trucks</a>, calling the tightened emissions rules the “foundation for the Biden-Harris electric vehicle mandate.” Nothing the Biden administration implemented required automakers to make and sell EVs or for consumers to buy them. Loosening standards would allow vehicles to emit more planet-warming greenhouse gases, but many automakers have already been investing in making their vehicles more efficient.</p><h2>Reconsider 2009 Endangerment Finding and regulations that rely on it</h2><p>The scientific finding, under the 2009 Clean Air Act, determined that planet-warming greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. It has been at the core of the nation’s action against climate change. Trump had already directed the EPA to consider the finding’s “legality” in an executive order. Experts say the impacts of climate change on human health and the environment are already clear, and that upending the finding would be devastating.</p><h2>Reconsideration of technology transition rule</h2><p>This program enforced strict rules to reduce the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hfc-refrigerant-chemical-air-conditioners-epa-ac01324c05ba5bf5f54bc794c1054296">hydrofluorocarbons</a>, highly potent and planet-warming greenhouse gases used in refrigerators, air conditioners, heat pumps and more. HFCs, as they are known, are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide and leak through equipment that uses compressed refrigerants. Dozens of countries around the globe have pledged to slash their use and production of the chemicals.</p><h2>Ending ‘Good Neighbor Plan’</h2><p>This rule was intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-epa-good-neighbor-air-pollution-ea23421c78999293267339faf4453cdb">limit air pollution by restricting</a>&nbsp;power plant smokestack emissions, and those from other industrial sites, across 11 states. Eliminating it would especially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/epa-plan-would-limit-downwind-pollution-from-power-plants-b319d86b609aa149f58d4895be406bb2">impact downwind neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;that are burdened by pollution from ground-level ozone, or smog, that is out of their control. However, the Supreme Court had already put a hold on the rule&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-epa-good-neighbor-air-pollution-6665ba500aa2abb797bd9704e014909c">last summer,</a>&nbsp;ruling that states challenging it were likely to prevail.</p><h2>Reconstitute Science Advisory Board and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee</h2><p>These seats have long been politicized given how influential they can be in setting national environmental policy. The board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-science-advisory-board-sab-and-sab-staff-office" target="_blank">reviews</a>&nbsp;“the quality and relevance of the scientific and technical information being used by the EPA or proposed as the basis for Agency regulations” and agency research programs. Congress directed the agency to establish the board to provide the Administrator science advice in 1978. The committee can give “independent advice” to the agency’s Administrator specific to the nation’s Ambient Air Quality Standards.</p><h2>Reconsider Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards</h2><p>Power plants and industrial facilities release particulate matter, or soot, that can easily pass through a person’s lungs and into their bloodstream. Last year, the Biden administration tightened standards regulating soot in response to scientific research indicating existing regulations were insufficient. At the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-02/pm-naaqs-overview.pdf" target="_blank">the EPA estimated</a>&nbsp;its stronger regulations would save thousands of lives and prevent hundreds of thousands of cases of asthma and lost workdays annually. The Trump administration’s EPA says these regulations are “a major obstacle” for companies and that the U.S. has low levels of soot.</p><h2>Reconsider national emission standards for air pollutants for American energy and manufacturing</h2><p>These EPA standards apply to pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer, birth defects or other serious health problems. Industrial facilities are required to follow strict standards to monitor and limit the amount of these chemicals they release into the air. Last year, the EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-medical-devices-ethylene-oxide-sterilize-cancer-4b4399394b1be01023d400beb7cf3f9a">tightened standards surrounding ethylene oxide</a>&nbsp;emissions, a human carcinogen commonly used as a sterilizer for medical equipment. The Trump administration said it is considering a “2-year compliance exemption” for facilities affected by these standards, among others.</p><h2>Restructure the Regional Haze Program</h2><p>For decades, this EPA program has required states to reduce pollution that threatens scenic views in more than 150 national parks and wilderness areas, including in the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Zeldin said that the U.S. has made strides in improving visibility in national parks and that the program is being used as justification for shutting down industrial facilities and threatening affordable energy.</p><h2>Overhauling ‘Social Cost of Carbon’</h2><p>The social cost of carbon is an EPA tool to weigh the economic costs and benefits of regulating polluting industries by putting a price tag on climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions – set at $190 per ton under the Biden administration’s EPA. That calculation is used in cost-benefit analyses, and was intended to account for greenhouse gas emissions’ impacts including natural disasters, crop damage, health problems and sea-level rise. Under the first Trump administration, carbon was pegged at around $5 per ton. An executive order Trump signed on his first day in office directs the EPA to consider eliminating this calculation entirely to advance his “Unleashing American Energy” policy.</p><h2>Prioritizing coal ash program to expedite state permit reviews and update regulations</h2><p>After coal is burned, ash filled with heavy pollutants including arsenic, lead and mercury is left behind and typically stored in giant pits under federal regulation. The EPA says it is now seeking to rapidly put regulation “more fully into state hands,” which environmental groups fear could lead to weaker standards. Last year, the Biden administration closed a gap that had allowed companies to avoid responsibility for cleaning up inactive coal ash pits – a policy that environmental groups say could now be repealed.</p><h2>___</h2><p>The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/standards-for-working-with-outside-groups/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/discover/Supporting-AP" target="_blank">AP.org</a>.</p>