NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rate-trump-china-4aae117f7a02df19b82dcf1b5f58fd27">climbed again</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on hopes for a coming cut to interest rates.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.9% after breaking out of a morning lull and is back within 1.8% of its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 664 points, or 1.4%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.7%.

Stocks got a boost from easing yields in the bond market. Lower interest rates can cover up many sins in financial markets, including prices going too high, and hopes are strong that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">the Federal Reserve will cut</a>&nbsp;its main interest rate at its next meeting to juice the economy further.

A raft of mixed economic data on Tuesday left traders betting on a nearly 83% probability that the Fed will cut in December, according to data from CME Group. That’s roughly the same as a day before and up sharply from the coin flip’s chance that they saw just a week ago.

One of Tuesday’s reports said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-retail-consumers-68854ba56ab37f1c3d5d2efe9656a4ae">shoppers bought less at U.S. retailers</a>&nbsp;in September than economists expected. Another said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-55848421b5ff33ed244c8a4291f7facf">confidence among U.S. consumers worsened</a>&nbsp;by more in November than expected, a second signal that the economy could potentially use the help of lower interest rates.

Easier rates can boost the economy by encouraging households and companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-672fc089b1cf87dabf11fed9e7ac3cb5">to borrow more</a>&nbsp;and investors to pay higher prices for investments than they would otherwise.

A third report, meanwhile, said inflation at the wholesale level was a touch worse in September than economists expected, but a closely tracked underlying trend was slightly better. That’s important because lower interest rates can make inflation worse, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">high inflation</a>&nbsp;is the main deterrent that could keep the Fed from cutting rates.

After taking all the data together, economists suggested the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, could be leaning toward cutting rates on Dec. 10. The Fed has already cut rates twice this year in hopes of shoring up the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">slowing job market</a>.

“Taking a pause on rate cuts would probably do more damage to sentiment than a cut would help,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, who also said “Powell doesn’t need to be the Grinch that stole Christmas.”

Easier interest rates can give particularly big boosts to smaller companies, because many of them need to borrow to grow. The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks jumped 2.1% to lead the market.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, several retailers leaped after delivering stronger profits for the summer than analysts expected.

Abercrombie &amp; Fitch soared 37.5% after the apparel seller reported a better profit than expected. It also raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for revenue and profit over the full year.

Kohl’s surged 42.5% after reporting a profit for the latest quarter, when analysts were expecting a loss.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/best-buy-earnings-economy-a82022e44a9f4eac0196d898509b3cae">Best Buy</a>&nbsp;rose 5.3% after boosting its profit forecast for the full year following a better-than-expected third quarter, citing strength across computing, gaming and mobile phones.

Dick’s Sporting Goods erased an early drop of 4% to add 0.2%. It raised its forecast for results at its Dick’s stores, though its purchase of Foot Locker is requiring some work. Executive Chairman Ed Stack said the company is “cleaning out the garage” at Foot Locker by clearing inventory, closing poorly performing stores and making other moves.

Swings also continued in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;industry, which has battled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">concerns that too many dollars are pouring into data centers</a>&nbsp;and may not produce the revolution of bigger profits and productivity that proponents are predicting.

Alphabet rose another 1.5%, continuing a strong run on excitement about its recently released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-gemini-artificial-intelligence-9d584d1be428bf5d0a98ecd411c6d23e">Gemini AI model</a>. Chinese giant Alibaba, meanwhile, saw its stock that trades in the United States fall 2.3% after losing an early gain. It reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alibaba-ai-agi-ecommerce-revenue-2b891a2c649a3e983052a37c5cb0a11d">stronger revenue</a>&nbsp;than analysts expected for the latest quarter thanks in part to the AI boom, but its overall profit fell short of forecasts.

Some chip companies dropped sharply following a report from The Information that Meta Platforms is in talks to spend billions of dollars on AI chips from Alphabet instead of them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-earnings-artificial-intelligence-boom-bubble-6feaf871d527436f98fbd8d228377b30">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;sank 2.6% and Advanced Micro Devices dropped 4.1%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 60.76 points to 6,765.88. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 664.18 to 47,112.45, and the Nasdaq composite gained 153.59 to 23,025.59.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.00% from 4.04% late Monday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across Europe and Asia. Germany’s DAX returned 1%, and stocks in Shanghai climbed 0.9% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rate-trump-china-4aae117f7a02df19b82dcf1b5f58fd27">climbed again</a>&nbsp;Tuesday on hopes for a coming cut to interest rates.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.9% after breaking out of a morning lull and is back within 1.8% of its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 664 points, or 1.4%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.7%.Stocks got a boost from easing yields in the bond market. Lower interest rates can cover up many sins in financial markets, including prices going too high, and hopes are strong that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">the Federal Reserve will cut</a>&nbsp;its main interest rate at its next meeting to juice the economy further.A raft of mixed economic data on Tuesday left traders betting on a nearly 83% probability that the Fed will cut in December, according to data from CME Group. That’s roughly the same as a day before and up sharply from the coin flip’s chance that they saw just a week ago.One of Tuesday’s reports said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-retail-consumers-68854ba56ab37f1c3d5d2efe9656a4ae">shoppers bought less at U.S. retailers</a>&nbsp;in September than economists expected. Another said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-55848421b5ff33ed244c8a4291f7facf">confidence among U.S. consumers worsened</a>&nbsp;by more in November than expected, a second signal that the economy could potentially use the help of lower interest rates.Easier rates can boost the economy by encouraging households and companies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-672fc089b1cf87dabf11fed9e7ac3cb5">to borrow more</a>&nbsp;and investors to pay higher prices for investments than they would otherwise.A third report, meanwhile, said inflation at the wholesale level was a touch worse in September than economists expected, but a closely tracked underlying trend was slightly better. That’s important because lower interest rates can make inflation worse, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">high inflation</a>&nbsp;is the main deterrent that could keep the Fed from cutting rates.After taking all the data together, economists suggested the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, could be leaning toward cutting rates on Dec. 10. The Fed has already cut rates twice this year in hopes of shoring up the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">slowing job market</a>.“Taking a pause on rate cuts would probably do more damage to sentiment than a cut would help,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, who also said “Powell doesn’t need to be the Grinch that stole Christmas.”Easier interest rates can give particularly big boosts to smaller companies, because many of them need to borrow to grow. The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks jumped 2.1% to lead the market.Elsewhere on Wall Street, several retailers leaped after delivering stronger profits for the summer than analysts expected.Abercrombie &amp; Fitch soared 37.5% after the apparel seller reported a better profit than expected. It also raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for revenue and profit over the full year.Kohl’s surged 42.5% after reporting a profit for the latest quarter, when analysts were expecting a loss.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/best-buy-earnings-economy-a82022e44a9f4eac0196d898509b3cae">Best Buy</a>&nbsp;rose 5.3% after boosting its profit forecast for the full year following a better-than-expected third quarter, citing strength across computing, gaming and mobile phones.Dick’s Sporting Goods erased an early drop of 4% to add 0.2%. It raised its forecast for results at its Dick’s stores, though its purchase of Foot Locker is requiring some work. Executive Chairman Ed Stack said the company is “cleaning out the garage” at Foot Locker by clearing inventory, closing poorly performing stores and making other moves.Swings also continued in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;industry, which has battled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">concerns that too many dollars are pouring into data centers</a>&nbsp;and may not produce the revolution of bigger profits and productivity that proponents are predicting.Alphabet rose another 1.5%, continuing a strong run on excitement about its recently released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-gemini-artificial-intelligence-9d584d1be428bf5d0a98ecd411c6d23e">Gemini AI model</a>. Chinese giant Alibaba, meanwhile, saw its stock that trades in the United States fall 2.3% after losing an early gain. It reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alibaba-ai-agi-ecommerce-revenue-2b891a2c649a3e983052a37c5cb0a11d">stronger revenue</a>&nbsp;than analysts expected for the latest quarter thanks in part to the AI boom, but its overall profit fell short of forecasts.Some chip companies dropped sharply following a report from The Information that Meta Platforms is in talks to spend billions of dollars on AI chips from Alphabet instead of them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-earnings-artificial-intelligence-boom-bubble-6feaf871d527436f98fbd8d228377b30">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;sank 2.6% and Advanced Micro Devices dropped 4.1%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 60.76 points to 6,765.88. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 664.18 to 47,112.45, and the Nasdaq composite gained 153.59 to 23,025.59.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.00% from 4.04% late Monday.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across Europe and Asia. Germany’s DAX returned 1%, and stocks in Shanghai climbed 0.9% for two of the world’s bigger moves.___

Another big day for stocks as Dow rallies over 600 points

LYON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Monday on the Kansas Turnpike Lyon Coutny.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Pedro Ocampo, 64, Berwyn, Illinois, was southbound on Interstate 35 approaching the entry ramp for Interstate 335.&nbsp; The driver failed to use caution, according to the patrol.&nbsp; The vehicle entered the curve too fast. The semi left the road, struck three posts and overturned into a ditch.

Ocampo was pronounced deceased and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Blue Funeral Home. The KHP released no additional details.

LYON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Monday on the Kansas Turnpike Lyon Coutny.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Pedro Ocampo, 64, Berwyn, Illinois, was southbound on Interstate 35 approaching the entry ramp for Interstate 335.&nbsp; The driver failed to use caution, according to the patrol.&nbsp; The vehicle entered the curve too fast. The semi left the road, struck three posts and overturned into a ditch.Ocampo was pronounced deceased and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Blue Funeral Home. The KHP released no additional details.

KHP IDs driver who died in Turnpike semi crash 

WASHINGTON (AP) —The White announced on Monday they back the Pentagon investigation of Democrat Senator Mark Kelly.

On Tuesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth used his private social media account to criticize Kelly.

“I think what Sen. Mark Kelly was actually trying to do is intimidate the 1.3 million active duty members serving in our United States armed forces with that video that he and his Democrat colleagues put out,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.

She added, “You can’t have a functioning military if there is disorder and chaos within the ranks, and that’s what these Democrat members were encouraging.”

The Pentagon announced earlier Monday it is investigating the Democratic senator from Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy “illegal orders.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —The White announced on Monday they back the Pentagon investigation of Democrat Senator Mark Kelly.On Tuesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth used his private social media account to criticize Kelly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So “Captain” Kelly, not only did your sedition video intentionally undercut good order &amp; discipline…but you can’t even display your uniform correctly. Your medals are out of order &amp; rows reversed. When/if you are recalled to active duty, it’ll start with a uniform inspection. <a href="https://t.co/rsSyrPcmbg">https://t.co/rsSyrPcmbg</a>&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1993295993321009570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice] to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful.” - <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a> <a href="https://t.co/vaKFEo4i2q">pic.twitter.com/vaKFEo4i2q</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1993333869878054992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I think what Sen. Mark Kelly was actually trying to do is intimidate the 1.3 million active duty members serving in our United States armed forces with that video that he and his Democrat colleagues put out,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/42TxcjdJiK">pic.twitter.com/42TxcjdJiK</a>&mdash; Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/1993436056008507865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She added, “You can’t have a functioning military if there is disorder and chaos within the ranks, and that’s what these Democrat members were encouraging.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764097679232.png" alt="Image from the online video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the online video</figcaption>
 </figure>The Pentagon announced earlier Monday it is investigating the Democratic senator from Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy “illegal orders.”

Secretary of War adds new criticism in alleged sedition video fight

CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase in the Kansas City area.

Just before 2:30a.m. Nov. 20,&nbsp; a sheriff's deputy attempted to make a vehicle stop on a northbound vehicle on Interstate 49 in rural Peculiar, Missouri, according to the Cass County Sheriff.

The vehicle had a defective taillight — and the driver began to accelerate as the deputy activated his emergency lights. As the pursuit passed North Cass Parkway, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeltonPD?__cft__[0]=AZVmdSArvpMuNsigW1izv8HHKA2IiSeIAAMOB0WfwmWUBFVwpUWabkEzt4ktSmdhp9tSqdQWkfUyTgXQSBYjxXAHSCMESauMTOGg2IKuN54ioL9aCwUKl7qF_jO_exN3LTWeilt1X9Rqokw8Y11QusE79BM7yi5IqDVc0v8i7fBZMNs6gZeqFnhIVBxN_txozmo&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Belton Missouri Police Department</a> successfully deployed tire deflation devices.

The pursuit continued near Red Bridge Road in Kansas City, when the vehicle became inoperable. The driver complied with deputies and was arrested.&nbsp; Rodney Camp, 59, of Belton has been charged with Driving While Revoked/Suspended (E Felony) and Aggravated Fleeing a Stop (D Felony). He’s currently being held at the Cass County Jail with a $35,000 cash only bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763601093489.png" alt="Camp photo Cass County" />
 <figcaption>Camp photo Cass County</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high speed chase in the Kansas City area.Just before 2:30a.m. Nov. 20,&nbsp; a sheriff's deputy attempted to make a vehicle stop on a northbound vehicle on Interstate 49 in rural Peculiar, Missouri, according to the Cass County Sheriff. The vehicle had a defective taillight — and the driver began to accelerate as the deputy activated his emergency lights. As the pursuit passed North Cass Parkway, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeltonPD?__cft__[0]=AZVmdSArvpMuNsigW1izv8HHKA2IiSeIAAMOB0WfwmWUBFVwpUWabkEzt4ktSmdhp9tSqdQWkfUyTgXQSBYjxXAHSCMESauMTOGg2IKuN54ioL9aCwUKl7qF_jO_exN3LTWeilt1X9Rqokw8Y11QusE79BM7yi5IqDVc0v8i7fBZMNs6gZeqFnhIVBxN_txozmo&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Belton Missouri Police Department</a> successfully deployed tire deflation devices. The pursuit continued near Red Bridge Road in Kansas City, when the vehicle became inoperable. The driver complied with deputies and was arrested.&nbsp; Rodney Camp, 59, of Belton has been charged with Driving While Revoked/Suspended (E Felony) and Aggravated Fleeing a Stop (D Felony). He’s currently being held at the Cass County Jail with a $35,000 cash only bond.

Driver charged after KC area high speed chase

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy&nbsp; launched a new civility campaign titled&nbsp;“The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.”

The campaign, according to a statement from the agency, is intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel. This won’t just make the travel experience better for the flying public – it will ensure the safety of passengers, gate workers, flight attendants, and pilots.&nbsp;

It’s not just your imagination – the data backs up the feeling that travel has become more unruly.&nbsp;

Secretary Duffy posed a few key questions every flyer should ask themselves this holiday season to help Americans reach their destinations as quickly, efficiently and comfortably as possible: &nbsp;

There’s no question we’ve lost sight of what makes travel fun – the excitement, the relaxation, the cordial conversations. Americans already feel divided and stressed. We can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense. When we can unite around shared values, we can feel more connected as a country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy&nbsp; launched a new civility campaign titled&nbsp;“The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our civility campaign is all about asking ourselves — how can we all inject a little more kindness into travel this holiday season? Ushering in the return to the Golden Age of travel… and it starts with all of us🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/a8IpGBgIC4">pic.twitter.com/a8IpGBgIC4</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1993082015562772963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The campaign, according to a statement from the agency, is intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel. This won’t just make the travel experience better for the flying public – it will ensure the safety of passengers, gate workers, flight attendants, and pilots.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5UUOD-sa5As?si=Fe3kUnj9BYXF97Q0&amp;start=6" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>It’s not just your imagination – the data backs up the feeling that travel has become more unruly.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Since 2019, the FAA has seen a&nbsp;400% increase of in-flight outbursts—ranging from disruptive behavior to outright violence  &nbsp;</li><li>13,800 unruly passenger incidents since 2021&nbsp;</li><li>Unruly passenger reports rose 6x between 2020 and 2021&nbsp;</li><li>1 in 5 flight attendants experienced physical incidents in 2021&nbsp;</li><li>2024 saw&nbsp;double the number of unruly passenger events compared with 2019&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Secretary Duffy posed a few key questions every flyer should ask themselves this holiday season to help Americans reach their destinations as quickly, efficiently and comfortably as possible: &nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Are you helping a pregnant woman or the elderly with placing their bags in the overhead bin?</li><li>Are you dressing with respect?</li><li>Are you keeping control of your children and helping them through the airport?</li><li>Are you saying thank you to your flight attendants?</li><li>Are you saying please and thank you in general?</li>
 </ol>There’s no question we’ve lost sight of what makes travel fun – the excitement, the relaxation, the cordial conversations. Americans already feel divided and stressed. We can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense. When we can unite around shared values, we can feel more connected as a country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥DOT Secretary: Stop wearing pajamas on airplanes

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a violent armed robbery and asking for help to locate four suspects.

Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to near the 600 Block of South Curtis Street in Olathe for a reported robbery that occurred during a private sale of property, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

The victim stated during the process of the sale, he was robbed at gunpoint and battered by four suspects. A thorough area search was conducted, and no contact was made with the suspects.

The suspects were described as A white male who was possibly in his early twenties, had blonde hair, and was wearing a white t-shirt.&nbsp; A white male who was wearing a white ski mask, black hoodie, and blue ripped skinny jeans. A white male subject who was wearing a grey hoodie and a fourth male subject, unknown clothing. &nbsp;

The suspects left the area in an unknown direction of travel in an older model dark passenger vehicle with black rims.

&nbsp;Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a violent armed robbery and asking for help to locate four suspects.Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to near the 600 Block of South Curtis Street in Olathe for a reported robbery that occurred during a private sale of property, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.The victim stated during the process of the sale, he was robbed at gunpoint and battered by four suspects. A thorough area search was conducted, and no contact was made with the suspects.The suspects were described as A white male who was possibly in his early twenties, had blonde hair, and was wearing a white t-shirt.&nbsp; A white male who was wearing a white ski mask, black hoodie, and blue ripped skinny jeans. A white male subject who was wearing a grey hoodie and a fourth male subject, unknown clothing. &nbsp;The suspects left the area in an unknown direction of travel in an older model dark passenger vehicle with black rims.&nbsp;Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man battered during armed robbery

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/seung-min-kim">SEUNG MIN KIM</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">The White House</a>&nbsp;is circulating a proposal that would extend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220">subsidies to help consumers</a>&nbsp;pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act for two more years, as millions of Americans face spiking health care costs when the current tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year.

The draft plan suggests that President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordable-care-act-health-subsidies-expire-2d9fad3c8132ae49a2b9bc27a7ac8531">Trump is open to extending a provision of Obamacare</a>&nbsp;as his administration and congressional Republicans search for a broader policy solution to a fight that has long flummoxed the party. The White House stresses that no plan is final until Trump announces it.

The subsidies were at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">heart of the Democrats’ demands</a>&nbsp;in the government shutdown fight that ended earlier this month. Most Democratic lawmakers had insisted on a straight extension of the tax credits, which expire at the end of the year as a condition of keeping the government open.

Eligibility for the Obamacare subsidies, which were put in place during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>&nbsp;to help people afford health care coverage, would be capped at 700% of the federal poverty level, according to two people with knowledge of the proposal. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss a White House proposal that is in draft form.

The baseline tax credits that were originally part of the Affordable Care Act were capped at 400% of the federal poverty level, but that cut-off was suspended because of the temporary COVID-era credits that allowed middle- and higher-income people to benefit from subsidies too.

The White House would also require those on Obamacare, regardless of the type of coverage, to pay some sort of premium for their Obamacare plans. That would effectively end zero-premium plans for those with lower incomes, addressing a concern from Republicans that the program has enabled fraud. One option is a requirement that everyone pay 2% of their income, or at least $5 per month, for lower-tier plans.

Even as the White House’s proposal remains in flux, the notion of extending any part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement</a>&nbsp;is likely to rankle conservatives who have sought to repeal and replace the law for well over a decade.

“Until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the administration’s health care positions is mere speculation,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said Monday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday afternoon that Trump “is very much involved in these talks” and that he is “focused on unveiling a health care proposal that will fix the system and will bring down costs for consumers.”

But there are signs that parts of the nascent White House plan could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-premiums-congress-subsidies-shutdown-aca-6e2e705d229ea003f19aad72994db0e1">get buy-in from Democrats</a>. New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, one of eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted to reopen the government earlier this month, said it “represents a starting point for serious negotiations.”

“The fact that President Trump is putting forward any offer at all to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits shows that there is a broad understanding that inaction in this regard will cause serious harm to the American people,” Hassan said.

Fellow New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who led bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown, added that “I’m glad the president is reportedly considering a serious proposal.”

“I’ve had constructive conversations with many of my Republican colleagues who I believe want to get this done,” Shaheen said. “They understand that the vast majority of people who benefit from these tax credits live in states the President won, and that the President’s own pollsters have underscored the enormous political urgency of Republicans acting.”

In 2017, Trump fell short in a push to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, an embarrassing defeat for Republicans who had just seized control of all levers of power in Washington. The GOP has failed to coalesce around a unified health care proposal since, and the expiration of the pandemic-era subsidies gives Trump and his party an opportunity to put their own stamp on the issue.

As the White House worked quietly on its plan, led by the Domestic Policy Council, key lawmakers on Capitol Hill have drafted their own proposals. For instance, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and others have proposed various ideas for redirecting the program’s spending on federal subsidies into health savings accounts that enrollees could use to shop for plans or defray out-of-pocket costs. Scott’s plan has been discussed with the White House multiple times since it was released Thursday, according to a person familiar not authorized to discuss the private conversations.

The draft of the White House plan would allow those in lower-tier plans, such as the bronze-level or catastrophic plans, to put money into health savings accounts.

It would also codify the “program integrity rule” to further help root out fraud, waste and abuse.

Americans shopping for Obamacare coverage have already faced the sticker shock of price hikes, because the window for selecting next year’s coverage began Nov. 1. Without congressional action, the average subsidized enrollee will face more than double their current cost in premiums next year, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-shutdown-health-care-insurance-costs-trump-f0282a0f5bedf3f01172ed3fa0ba4fd2">Recent national polls</a>&nbsp;have shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-shutdown-e94d96a8a837a5f7f681dc6893872d3b">Americans are concerned about health care costs,</a>&nbsp;along with broader affordability issues. Those concerns played out in elections earlier this month, which swept to power Democrats whose political messaging focused on the rising cost of living.

Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764040197249.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/seung-min-kim">SEUNG MIN KIM</a>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">The White House</a>&nbsp;is circulating a proposal that would extend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220">subsidies to help consumers</a>&nbsp;pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act for two more years, as millions of Americans face spiking health care costs when the current tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year.The draft plan suggests that President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordable-care-act-health-subsidies-expire-2d9fad3c8132ae49a2b9bc27a7ac8531">Trump is open to extending a provision of Obamacare</a>&nbsp;as his administration and congressional Republicans search for a broader policy solution to a fight that has long flummoxed the party. The White House stresses that no plan is final until Trump announces it.The subsidies were at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">heart of the Democrats’ demands</a>&nbsp;in the government shutdown fight that ended earlier this month. Most Democratic lawmakers had insisted on a straight extension of the tax credits, which expire at the end of the year as a condition of keeping the government open.Eligibility for the Obamacare subsidies, which were put in place during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>&nbsp;to help people afford health care coverage, would be capped at 700% of the federal poverty level, according to two people with knowledge of the proposal. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss a White House proposal that is in draft form.The baseline tax credits that were originally part of the Affordable Care Act were capped at 400% of the federal poverty level, but that cut-off was suspended because of the temporary COVID-era credits that allowed middle- and higher-income people to benefit from subsidies too.The White House would also require those on Obamacare, regardless of the type of coverage, to pay some sort of premium for their Obamacare plans. That would effectively end zero-premium plans for those with lower incomes, addressing a concern from Republicans that the program has enabled fraud. One option is a requirement that everyone pay 2% of their income, or at least $5 per month, for lower-tier plans.Even as the White House’s proposal remains in flux, the notion of extending any part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement</a>&nbsp;is likely to rankle conservatives who have sought to repeal and replace the law for well over a decade.“Until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the administration’s health care positions is mere speculation,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said Monday.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday afternoon that Trump “is very much involved in these talks” and that he is “focused on unveiling a health care proposal that will fix the system and will bring down costs for consumers.”But there are signs that parts of the nascent White House plan could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-premiums-congress-subsidies-shutdown-aca-6e2e705d229ea003f19aad72994db0e1">get buy-in from Democrats</a>. New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, one of eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted to reopen the government earlier this month, said it “represents a starting point for serious negotiations.”“The fact that President Trump is putting forward any offer at all to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits shows that there is a broad understanding that inaction in this regard will cause serious harm to the American people,” Hassan said.Fellow New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who led bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown, added that “I’m glad the president is reportedly considering a serious proposal.”“I’ve had constructive conversations with many of my Republican colleagues who I believe want to get this done,” Shaheen said. “They understand that the vast majority of people who benefit from these tax credits live in states the President won, and that the President’s own pollsters have underscored the enormous political urgency of Republicans acting.”In 2017, Trump fell short in a push to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, an embarrassing defeat for Republicans who had just seized control of all levers of power in Washington. The GOP has failed to coalesce around a unified health care proposal since, and the expiration of the pandemic-era subsidies gives Trump and his party an opportunity to put their own stamp on the issue.As the White House worked quietly on its plan, led by the Domestic Policy Council, key lawmakers on Capitol Hill have drafted their own proposals. For instance, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and others have proposed various ideas for redirecting the program’s spending on federal subsidies into health savings accounts that enrollees could use to shop for plans or defray out-of-pocket costs. Scott’s plan has been discussed with the White House multiple times since it was released Thursday, according to a person familiar not authorized to discuss the private conversations.The draft of the White House plan would allow those in lower-tier plans, such as the bronze-level or catastrophic plans, to put money into health savings accounts.It would also codify the “program integrity rule” to further help root out fraud, waste and abuse.Americans shopping for Obamacare coverage have already faced the sticker shock of price hikes, because the window for selecting next year’s coverage began Nov. 1. Without congressional action, the average subsidized enrollee will face more than double their current cost in premiums next year, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-shutdown-health-care-insurance-costs-trump-f0282a0f5bedf3f01172ed3fa0ba4fd2">Recent national polls</a>&nbsp;have shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-shutdown-e94d96a8a837a5f7f681dc6893872d3b">Americans are concerned about health care costs,</a>&nbsp;along with broader affordability issues. Those concerns played out in elections earlier this month, which swept to power Democrats whose political messaging focused on the rising cost of living.—Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

White House circulates a plan to extend Obamacare subsidies

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;– One suspect arrested and an exchange of gunfire with a Kansas deputy on Friday in Basehor, Kansas, has a long criminal history.

Just before 9p.m., deputies from the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 16900 block of Dempsey Road where a resident reported being threatened, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; The reporting party provided a description of the suspect’s vehicle, which was a white Honda SUV.

Preliminary information indicates deputies located the Honda nearby, and attempted to stop the SUV, when the driver fled. While the Honda traveled eastbound in the 17000 block of Dempsey Road, gunshots were fired from the SUV toward the pursuing patrol vehicle. Near N. 147th&nbsp;and Parallel Road, in Basehor, gunshots were again fired from the Honda, and the responding deputy crashed his patrol vehicle.

The pursuit continued to the area of N. 156th&nbsp;and Parallel Road, where the Honda collided with a passenger car. As a deputy pulled behind the Honda, a male subject, later identified as Andrew M. Amundsen, 33, of Leavenworth, exited the passenger side, and fired several rounds. The deputy returned fire. The driver of the vehicle, Mariah Huggins, 29, of Kansas City, Kansas, was taken into custody at the crash site.

Amundsen fled on foot. In an attempt to hide, he broke a basement window of an area home, entered the residence, but then exited and continued to flee. Sheriff's deputies located him hiding in a truck bed in the area of N. 157th&nbsp;and Cedar Street and took him into custody. Amundsen was uninjured, and later booked into the Leavenworth County Jail on an outstanding arrest warrant. He has previous felony convictions for burglary, theft, evading a road block, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The deputy involved in the wreck was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries and then released. No other deputies or civilians were hurt during this incident. As a precaution, Huggins was examined by hospital personnel, and then booked into the Leavenworth County Jail on a pre-existing warrant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Amundsen has been charged with attempted capital murder, aggravated residential burglary, interference with a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, two counts of criminal threat,&nbsp; criminal damage to property and aggravated endangering of a child, according to the Leavenworth County Attorney's office.

Huggins has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, as well as misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and driving while suspended.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763841798756.png" alt="Huggins photo Leavenworth County" />
 <figcaption>Huggins photo Leavenworth County</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;– One suspect arrested and an exchange of gunfire with a Kansas deputy on Friday in Basehor, Kansas, has a long criminal history.Just before 9p.m., deputies from the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 16900 block of Dempsey Road where a resident reported being threatened, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; The reporting party provided a description of the suspect’s vehicle, which was a white Honda SUV.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763841640176.png" alt="Amundsen photo Leavenworth County" />
 <figcaption>Amundsen photo Leavenworth County</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary information indicates deputies located the Honda nearby, and attempted to stop the SUV, when the driver fled. While the Honda traveled eastbound in the 17000 block of Dempsey Road, gunshots were fired from the SUV toward the pursuing patrol vehicle. Near N. 147th&nbsp;and Parallel Road, in Basehor, gunshots were again fired from the Honda, and the responding deputy crashed his patrol vehicle.The pursuit continued to the area of N. 156th&nbsp;and Parallel Road, where the Honda collided with a passenger car. As a deputy pulled behind the Honda, a male subject, later identified as Andrew M. Amundsen, 33, of Leavenworth, exited the passenger side, and fired several rounds. The deputy returned fire. The driver of the vehicle, Mariah Huggins, 29, of Kansas City, Kansas, was taken into custody at the crash site.Amundsen fled on foot. In an attempt to hide, he broke a basement window of an area home, entered the residence, but then exited and continued to flee. Sheriff's deputies located him hiding in a truck bed in the area of N. 157th&nbsp;and Cedar Street and took him into custody. Amundsen was uninjured, and later booked into the Leavenworth County Jail on an outstanding arrest warrant. He has previous felony convictions for burglary, theft, evading a road block, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.The deputy involved in the wreck was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries and then released. No other deputies or civilians were hurt during this incident. As a precaution, Huggins was examined by hospital personnel, and then booked into the Leavenworth County Jail on a pre-existing warrant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Amundsen has been charged with attempted capital murder, aggravated residential burglary, interference with a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, two counts of criminal threat,&nbsp; criminal damage to property and aggravated endangering of a child, according to the Leavenworth County Attorney's office.Huggins has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, as well as misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and driving while suspended.

Suspect in gunfight with Kan. deputy has a history of crime

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City.

Just before 2:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 4200 block of NE Davidson Road in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported "nothing showing" from the exterior of a three-story occupied apartment building. After entering the structure, smoke was found on the 3rd floor.&nbsp; Searches of the structure were conducted and came back all clear. The fire was brought under control just after 2:35 p.m.&nbsp;

Red Cross has been ordered for 2 adults and 6 children.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY—Authorities are investigating the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City.Just before 2:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 4200 block of NE Davidson Road in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.On arrival, crews reported "nothing showing" from the exterior of a three-story occupied apartment building. After entering the structure, smoke was found on the 3rd floor.&nbsp; Searches of the structure were conducted and came back all clear. The fire was brought under control just after 2:35 p.m.&nbsp;Red Cross has been ordered for 2 adults and 6 children.&nbsp;

2 adults, 6 children displaced after KC apartment fire

By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel Writer

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-airlines-b708727c3a548ba14635e0dfa42274f8">turbulence caused by the longest U.S. government shutdown</a>&nbsp;may still be fresh on the minds of travelers this Thanksgiving, but experts say preparing for the usual holiday crush of winter weather, heavy traffic and crowded airports can help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-cancellations-faa-government-shutdown-2535828689edac07e693c2e54a2f5f16">ease the jitters</a>.

“I think the shutdown at this point is history for air travel. The airlines understand this time of year so well. They know exactly what they need to do,” said Sheldon H. Jacobson, an airport and airlines operations expert. “The real challenge is making sure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-cancellations-what-to-expect-986ef2236e545fa32253b4e4bc7621e9">travelers can help themselves</a>.”

Here's a guide to navigating the busiest travel week of the year:

Travel forecasts point to packed airports, roads and trains.

A week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-flight-cuts-travel-restrictions-faa-a815668eb562513f60d4115b5d695c73">lifting the unprecedented flight restrictions</a>&nbsp;it placed on commercial airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-reduced-flights-a082a6817d960101968a923f7dfd8ef0">during the shutdown</a>, the Federal Aviation Administration is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years, with more than 360,000 flights scheduled between Monday and next Tuesday. That’s more than 17.8 million people who will be screened at airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday at a news conference that air traffic controller staffing levels have stabilized in time for what he says will be the busiest Thanksgiving on record for travel, while the head of the FAA reassured passengers that they can “fly with confidence” this week.

AAA projects 1.3 million more travelers will be on the roads than last year, pushing the total number of people traveling by car to at least 73 million.

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how prepared you are if a storm hits. If your flight is canceled or delayed, will you drive instead or postpone or cancel your trip? Knowing your options ahead of time can reduce stress if a storm leaves you stranded.

The Weather Channel offers a&nbsp;<a href="https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/2025-11-24-thanksgiving-travel-weather-forecast-us-airports">Thanksgiving weekly forecast</a>&nbsp;highlighting major airports and highways that could be affected by bad weather — including snow, ice and rain — along with a free online tool in the Weather Channel app that shows how or if your travel route might be impacted.

Forecasters warned of flooding rain and the possibility of severe thunderstorms Monday from Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana into Mississippi. By Monday evening, more than 1,000 flights into and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were delayed and over 100 canceled, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.

On Tuesday, the FAA's busiest day with more than 52,000 flights scheduled, forecasters say rain is expected in the Pacific Northwest and in much of the eastern U.S. Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. could be impacted, according to the Weather Channel. Another winter storm in the central U.S. could also take shape late Friday into Saturday.

“The details will come into better focus over the next few days, but anyone traveling home after Thanksgiving should check in on the evolving forecast and be ready for changing conditions,” said Matt Sitkowski, science editor-in-chief at the Weather Channel.

Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, recommends starting your packing by unpacking.

Check every pocket in case TSA-restricted items, like full-sized bottles, were left behind from a previous trip. This simple scan can help you get through security faster, especially when airports are crowded.

If you’re traveling with gifts, Jacobson suggests wrapping them at your destination because TSA agents may need to open them.

When deciding which clothes and shoes to pack, James Belanger, vice president of meteorology at the Weather Company, said to check the “feels like” temperature for a better sense of the weather, especially for those not used to the cold.

And don't forget&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-travelers-tsa-when-deadline-f0923fe95923e9675d556ee7e08df326">a REAL ID is required</a>&nbsp;to fly within the U.S., or bring another accepted form of ID, like a passport or military ID.

People with iPhones can now also add their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-travel-passport-ae7ab15d6a32e6005d9c85def4e39737">U.S. passport details to Apple Wallet</a>, which can be scanned at participating airports if travelers don’t have a REAL ID. More than a dozen states already accept some form of a mobile ID at airport checkpoints, and travelers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id/participating-states">the TSA website</a>&nbsp;for more details.

Whether driving is your top choice or backup plan, AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz suggests checking your tires, car battery and fluids, then hitting the road with a full tank of gas as early as possible to avoid traffic. Last year, AAA said, it responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls during the Thanksgiving travel period to help drivers stranded by dead batteries, flat tires and empty tanks.

— Traffic on Wednesday is expected to be 14% heavier than usual between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with peak traffic from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

— On Thanksgiving Day, the roads will be busiest between noon and 3 p.m.

— When it’s time to head home, avoid driving from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, when traffic is heaviest.

“...is an informed passenger,” Jacobson likes to say.

Download your airline's app to track your flight status, and check it regularly as your travel date approaches. That way, if your flight is canceled the day before, you can quickly look for alternatives.

Driving or flying, leave earlier than you think you need to. Knowing you won't have to rush to your destination can help calm any nerves, whether it's lingering anxiety from the shutdown or because you're traveling with young kids or someone who needs extra help getting around.

“These are some very simple things to think about, but they’re important things to think about,” Jacobson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762519687453.png" alt="File LAX Airport camera view" />
 <figcaption>File LAX Airport camera view</figcaption>
 </figure>By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel WriterThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-airlines-b708727c3a548ba14635e0dfa42274f8">turbulence caused by the longest U.S. government shutdown</a>&nbsp;may still be fresh on the minds of travelers this Thanksgiving, but experts say preparing for the usual holiday crush of winter weather, heavy traffic and crowded airports can help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-cancellations-faa-government-shutdown-2535828689edac07e693c2e54a2f5f16">ease the jitters</a>.“I think the shutdown at this point is history for air travel. The airlines understand this time of year so well. They know exactly what they need to do,” said Sheldon H. Jacobson, an airport and airlines operations expert. “The real challenge is making sure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-cancellations-what-to-expect-986ef2236e545fa32253b4e4bc7621e9">travelers can help themselves</a>.”Here's a guide to navigating the busiest travel week of the year:<h2>How busy could it be?</h2>Travel forecasts point to packed airports, roads and trains.A week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-flight-cuts-travel-restrictions-faa-a815668eb562513f60d4115b5d695c73">lifting the unprecedented flight restrictions</a>&nbsp;it placed on commercial airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-reduced-flights-a082a6817d960101968a923f7dfd8ef0">during the shutdown</a>, the Federal Aviation Administration is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years, with more than 360,000 flights scheduled between Monday and next Tuesday. That’s more than 17.8 million people who will be screened at airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday at a news conference that air traffic controller staffing levels have stabilized in time for what he says will be the busiest Thanksgiving on record for travel, while the head of the FAA reassured passengers that they can “fly with confidence” this week.AAA projects 1.3 million more travelers will be on the roads than last year, pushing the total number of people traveling by car to at least 73 million.<h2>Winter weather</h2>You can’t control the weather, but you can control how prepared you are if a storm hits. If your flight is canceled or delayed, will you drive instead or postpone or cancel your trip? Knowing your options ahead of time can reduce stress if a storm leaves you stranded.The Weather Channel offers a&nbsp;<a href="https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/2025-11-24-thanksgiving-travel-weather-forecast-us-airports">Thanksgiving weekly forecast</a>&nbsp;highlighting major airports and highways that could be affected by bad weather — including snow, ice and rain — along with a free online tool in the Weather Channel app that shows how or if your travel route might be impacted.Forecasters warned of flooding rain and the possibility of severe thunderstorms Monday from Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana into Mississippi. By Monday evening, more than 1,000 flights into and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were delayed and over 100 canceled, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.On Tuesday, the FAA's busiest day with more than 52,000 flights scheduled, forecasters say rain is expected in the Pacific Northwest and in much of the eastern U.S. Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. could be impacted, according to the Weather Channel. Another winter storm in the central U.S. could also take shape late Friday into Saturday.“The details will come into better focus over the next few days, but anyone traveling home after Thanksgiving should check in on the evolving forecast and be ready for changing conditions,” said Matt Sitkowski, science editor-in-chief at the Weather Channel.<h2>What to pack (and what to skip)</h2>Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, recommends starting your packing by unpacking.Check every pocket in case TSA-restricted items, like full-sized bottles, were left behind from a previous trip. This simple scan can help you get through security faster, especially when airports are crowded.If you’re traveling with gifts, Jacobson suggests wrapping them at your destination because TSA agents may need to open them.When deciding which clothes and shoes to pack, James Belanger, vice president of meteorology at the Weather Company, said to check the “feels like” temperature for a better sense of the weather, especially for those not used to the cold.And don't forget&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-travelers-tsa-when-deadline-f0923fe95923e9675d556ee7e08df326">a REAL ID is required</a>&nbsp;to fly within the U.S., or bring another accepted form of ID, like a passport or military ID.People with iPhones can now also add their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-travel-passport-ae7ab15d6a32e6005d9c85def4e39737">U.S. passport details to Apple Wallet</a>, which can be scanned at participating airports if travelers don’t have a REAL ID. More than a dozen states already accept some form of a mobile ID at airport checkpoints, and travelers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id/participating-states">the TSA website</a>&nbsp;for more details.<h2>Road trip ready</h2>Whether driving is your top choice or backup plan, AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz suggests checking your tires, car battery and fluids, then hitting the road with a full tank of gas as early as possible to avoid traffic. Last year, AAA said, it responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls during the Thanksgiving travel period to help drivers stranded by dead batteries, flat tires and empty tanks.According to an analysis by Google Maps:— Traffic on Wednesday is expected to be 14% heavier than usual between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with peak traffic from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.— On Thanksgiving Day, the roads will be busiest between noon and 3 p.m.— When it’s time to head home, avoid driving from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, when traffic is heaviest.<h2>The best passenger</h2>“...is an informed passenger,” Jacobson likes to say.Download your airline's app to track your flight status, and check it regularly as your travel date approaches. That way, if your flight is canceled the day before, you can quickly look for alternatives.Driving or flying, leave earlier than you think you need to. Knowing you won't have to rush to your destination can help calm any nerves, whether it's lingering anxiety from the shutdown or because you're traveling with young kids or someone who needs extra help getting around.“These are some very simple things to think about, but they’re important things to think about,” Jacobson said.___

A guide to Thanksgiving travel after the government shutdown

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Several city snow plows are sporting a new look this winter thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Hutchinson and USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools.

For the first time, each plow was assigned to a different elementary school, including Graber, Faris, Lincoln McCandless, Allen STEM Magnet, Morgan and Wiley. Students at each site painted the equipment, transforming the traditionally plain plows into colorful rolling murals.

City officials said the project gives students a chance to showcase their creativity while helping brighten up the city’s streets during the winter months.

As the season’s first rounds of winter weather approach, residents are encouraged to watch for the newly decorated plows in their neighborhoods. Those who spot a plow featuring their school’s artwork are invited to take a photo and share it with the city.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764037955649.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Several city snow plows are sporting a new look this winter thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Hutchinson and USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools.For the first time, each plow was assigned to a different elementary school, including Graber, Faris, Lincoln McCandless, Allen STEM Magnet, Morgan and Wiley. Students at each site painted the equipment, transforming the traditionally plain plows into colorful rolling murals.City officials said the project gives students a chance to showcase their creativity while helping brighten up the city’s streets during the winter months.As the season’s first rounds of winter weather approach, residents are encouraged to watch for the newly decorated plows in their neighborhoods. Those who spot a plow featuring their school’s artwork are invited to take a photo and share it with the city.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764037993568.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764038079614.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764038063982.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764037979199.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764038008963.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure>

Hutchinson students turn city snow plows into rolling murals

KANSAS CITY —One of two people injured in a crash into a creek near the Kansas City Plaza has died.

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

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

EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Late Sunday St. Luke's Hospital staff reported the passenger died, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver remains in critical condition.&nbsp; This is fatality number 60 in Kansas City, Missouri for 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763914090050.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —One of two people injured in a crash into a creek near the Kansas City Plaza has died.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a&nbsp;white, four-door sedan was westbound on Ward Parkway from the Plaza in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The driver failed to negotiate the curve transitioning to the southbound lanes. The vehicle vaulted over the guardrail and came to rest upside down in Brush Creek.EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Late Sunday St. Luke's Hospital staff reported the passenger died, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver remains in critical condition.&nbsp; This is fatality number 60 in Kansas City, Missouri for 2025.

KCPD: One injured when car flips into creek has died

Just after 3 p.m., November 17, police were dispatched to an a dispute at the the Salvation Army, 2545 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.

Upon their arrival, they contacted Leslie DeWitt, 49, and learned that she had exhibited disruptive behavior in the business and had been asked several times by the store personnel to leave the property.

Officers informed DeWitt that she was no longer welcome on the business property and she entered her vehicle and drove away. A short time later, an officer observed DeWitt's vehicle back in the Salvation Army parking lot and observed DeWitt exiting the store. DeWitt entered her vehicle as the officer approached to detain her.&nbsp;

As the officer was standing between the open car door and the woman, DeWitt placed her vehicle in reverse and proceeded to back up, striking the officer with the door and briefly pulling him alongside the moving vehicle. 

DeWitt then drove eastbound on 10th Street at a high rate of speed. She was relocated and taken into custody a short time later.

After her arrest,&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed and alerted to her vehicle. A search of DeWitt's vehicle was conducted and THC, opiates, and drug paraphernalia were located. During subsequent processing for DUI,&nbsp; DeWitt kicked, spit on, and attempted to bite members of the Great Bend Police Department.

DeWitt was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery on a law enforcement officer, Felony Interference, Felony DUI, Possession of THC, Possession of Opiates, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Assault on Law enforcement officer.

The GBPD was assisted on this call by the Barton County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Great Bend Fire Department.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764035676465.png" alt="Dewitt-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Dewitt-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 3 p.m., November 17, police were dispatched to an a dispute at the the Salvation Army, 2545 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.Upon their arrival, they contacted Leslie DeWitt, 49, and learned that she had exhibited disruptive behavior in the business and had been asked several times by the store personnel to leave the property.Officers informed DeWitt that she was no longer welcome on the business property and she entered her vehicle and drove away. A short time later, an officer observed DeWitt's vehicle back in the Salvation Army parking lot and observed DeWitt exiting the store. DeWitt entered her vehicle as the officer approached to detain her.&nbsp;As the officer was standing between the open car door and the woman, DeWitt placed her vehicle in reverse and proceeded to back up, striking the officer with the door and briefly pulling him alongside the moving vehicle. DeWitt then drove eastbound on 10th Street at a high rate of speed. She was relocated and taken into custody a short time later.After her arrest,&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed and alerted to her vehicle. A search of DeWitt's vehicle was conducted and THC, opiates, and drug paraphernalia were located. During subsequent processing for DUI,&nbsp; DeWitt kicked, spit on, and attempted to bite members of the Great Bend Police Department.DeWitt was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery on a law enforcement officer, Felony Interference, Felony DUI, Possession of THC, Possession of Opiates, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Assault on Law enforcement officer.The GBPD was assisted on this call by the Barton County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Great Bend Fire Department.&nbsp;

Kansas woman accused of striking officer with her car

NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/betting-arrests-sports-gambling-poker-fa72cd1ced5bdaacfabe1688d873bf45">rigged poker games</a>&nbsp;involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">federal takedown</a>&nbsp;of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday's proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-hall-of-fame-induction-6e9a225d4a29f9d13c35179d7f2b847c">inducted</a>&nbsp;into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rozier-billups-jones-betting-arrests-4241238cb43d998f1b9eac47b8d326a7">Damon Jones</a>&nbsp;was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">exploit insider information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-arrest-65eb67f6a0ed283ca6dd011d70425df8">most beloved</a>&nbsp;in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons' title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">multiyear extension</a>&nbsp;with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Los Angeles Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/terry-rozier-salary-sports-betting-db662e66f4f56959ad4765d33cf5ced8">unpaid leave</a>&nbsp;and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-trail-blazers-tiago-splitter-7a126fe382491a95a8d33d0d580ca399">interim coach</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761225884441.png" alt="Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers" />
 <figcaption>Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/betting-arrests-sports-gambling-poker-fa72cd1ced5bdaacfabe1688d873bf45">rigged poker games</a>&nbsp;involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">federal takedown</a>&nbsp;of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday's proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-hall-of-fame-induction-6e9a225d4a29f9d13c35179d7f2b847c">inducted</a>&nbsp;into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.Former NBA player and assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rozier-billups-jones-betting-arrests-4241238cb43d998f1b9eac47b8d326a7">Damon Jones</a>&nbsp;was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">exploit insider information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.But he is perhaps&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-arrest-65eb67f6a0ed283ca6dd011d70425df8">most beloved</a>&nbsp;in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons' title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">multiyear extension</a>&nbsp;with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Los Angeles Clippers.After his arrest, he was placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/terry-rozier-salary-sports-betting-db662e66f4f56959ad4765d33cf5ced8">unpaid leave</a>&nbsp;and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-trail-blazers-tiago-splitter-7a126fe382491a95a8d33d0d580ca399">interim coach</a>.

Former Big 12 star enters a plea in NBA gambling scandal 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy "illegal orders."

The Pentagon’s statement, posted on social media, cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other measures.

It is extraordinary for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump's second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical, to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation. It comes after Trump ramped up the rhetoric last week by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">accusing the lawmakers of sedition</a>&nbsp;“punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days after the video was released.

In its statement Monday, the Pentagon suggested that Kelly’s statements in the video interfered with the “loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces” by citing the federal law that prohibits such actions.

“A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures,” the statement said.

In the video posted last Tuesday, Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers who have served in the military or intelligence community to speak “directly to members of the military.” The other lawmakers are Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/slotkin-democratic-response-text-trump-congress-6ba1012264201e715c290da1b8f45bc4">Elissa Slotkin</a>&nbsp;and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who are seen as possible future aspirants for higher office and elevated their political profiles with the video's wide exposure.

Kelly, who was a fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders,” while other lawmakers in the video said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws ... our Constitution.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Kelly was facing investigation because he is the only one of the lawmakers who formally retired from the military and is still under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.

“Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately," Hegseth said on his personal X account. Of the wider group, he added that “their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger.”

Kelly’s office did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on the Pentagon investigation. Speaking Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Kelly said Trump’s words were “very serious” and “carry tremendous weight,” adding that “because of what he says there is now increased threats against us.”

His fellow Democratic Arizona senator, Ruben Gallego, decried the Trump administration for targeting Kelly after he “dedicated his life to serving this country with honor.”

“Mark told the truth — in America, we swear an oath to the Constitution, not wannabe kings,” Gallego posted on social media.

Kelly and the other lawmakers didn’t mention specific circumstances in the video last week, but its release comes as the Trump administration has ordered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the military to blow up small boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean accused of ferrying drugs and continues its attempts at deploying National Guard troops into U.S. cities despite some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">legal setbacks</a>.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said last week that “our military follows orders, and our civilians give legal orders."

Troops, especially uniformed commanders, do have specific obligations to reject orders that are unlawful, if they make that determination.

While commanders have military lawyers on their staffs to consult with in making such a determination, rank-and-file troops who are tasked with carrying out those orders are rarely in a similar position and often have to rely on their superiors.

Broad legal precedence also holds that just following orders — colloquially known as the “Nuremberg defense,” as it was used unsuccessfully by senior Nazi officials to justify their actions under Adolf Hitler — doesn’t absolve troops.

Yet, there has been little reaction online from troops to the lawmakers' video.

A former service member who helps run an online military forum and spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation said the lawmakers’ message is unlikely even to reach troops because the video was posted only on X and was far too long to be reposted on platforms like TikTok where troops actually consume information.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy "illegal orders."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764005998423.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Pentagon’s statement, posted on social media, cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other measures.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763674382514.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>It is extraordinary for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump's second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical, to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation. It comes after Trump ramped up the rhetoric last week by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">accusing the lawmakers of sedition</a>&nbsp;“punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days after the video was released.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In its statement Monday, the Pentagon suggested that Kelly’s statements in the video interfered with the “loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces” by citing the federal law that prohibits such actions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;The White House is supportive of the <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a>&#39;s investigation into Senator Mark Kelly, and I think what Senator Mark Kelly was actually trying to do was intimidate the 1.3M active duty service members who are currently serving... you can&#39;t have a functioning… <a href="https://t.co/F2Aiq6UoP9">https://t.co/F2Aiq6UoP9</a> <a href="https://t.co/QcmQv6cExr">pic.twitter.com/QcmQv6cExr</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1993058026069410266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures,” the statement said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When I was 22 years old, I commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and swore an oath to the Constitution. I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, test pilot school, four space… <a href="https://t.co/jMAlYEozQ6">pic.twitter.com/jMAlYEozQ6</a>&mdash; Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkKelly/status/1993025671757807746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the video posted last Tuesday, Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers who have served in the military or intelligence community to speak “directly to members of the military.” The other lawmakers are Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/slotkin-democratic-response-text-trump-congress-6ba1012264201e715c290da1b8f45bc4">Elissa Slotkin</a>&nbsp;and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who are seen as possible future aspirants for higher office and elevated their political profiles with the video's wide exposure.Kelly, who was a fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders,” while other lawmakers in the video said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws ... our Constitution.”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Kelly was facing investigation because he is the only one of the lawmakers who formally retired from the military and is still under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.“Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately," Hegseth said on his personal X account. Of the wider group, he added that “their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger.”Kelly’s office did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on the Pentagon investigation. Speaking Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Kelly said Trump’s words were “very serious” and “carry tremendous weight,” adding that “because of what he says there is now increased threats against us.”His fellow Democratic Arizona senator, Ruben Gallego, decried the Trump administration for targeting Kelly after he “dedicated his life to serving this country with honor.”“Mark told the truth — in America, we swear an oath to the Constitution, not wannabe kings,” Gallego posted on social media.Kelly and the other lawmakers didn’t mention specific circumstances in the video last week, but its release comes as the Trump administration has ordered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the military to blow up small boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean accused of ferrying drugs and continues its attempts at deploying National Guard troops into U.S. cities despite some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">legal setbacks</a>.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said last week that “our military follows orders, and our civilians give legal orders."Troops, especially uniformed commanders, do have specific obligations to reject orders that are unlawful, if they make that determination.While commanders have military lawyers on their staffs to consult with in making such a determination, rank-and-file troops who are tasked with carrying out those orders are rarely in a similar position and often have to rely on their superiors.Broad legal precedence also holds that just following orders — colloquially known as the “Nuremberg defense,” as it was used unsuccessfully by senior Nazi officials to justify their actions under Adolf Hitler — doesn’t absolve troops.Yet, there has been little reaction online from troops to the lawmakers' video.A former service member who helps run an online military forum and spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation said the lawmakers’ message is unlikely even to reach troops because the video was posted only on X and was far too long to be reposted on platforms like TikTok where troops actually consume information.

Pentagon investigates U.S. Senator for video urging troops defy ‘illegal orders’

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a shooting that left two dead in Topeka.&nbsp;

Just before 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting at McDonalds restaurant in the 1200 block of SW Gage Boulevard in Topeka, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Jayme Green.

 At the scene, first responders located two victims who were&nbsp;deceased. EMS transported a third victim to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the name of the victims or any additional details on Monday afternoon.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to email telltpd@topeka.org or contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764000702973.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a shooting that left two dead in Topeka.&nbsp;Just before 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting at McDonalds restaurant in the 1200 block of SW Gage Boulevard in Topeka, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Jayme Green. At the scene, first responders located two victims who were&nbsp;deceased. EMS transported a third victim to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the name of the victims or any additional details on Monday afternoon.Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to email telltpd@topeka.org or contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online

2 dead, 1 wounded in shooting at Kan. fast food restaurant

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday welcomed this year’s official White House Christmas tree, a white fir from a farm in Michigan that arrived by horse-drawn carriage.

The tree, which came from Korson’s Tree Farms, arrived on the North Portico. It was delivered by a pair of Clydesdales named Logan and Ben in a carriage driven by one of three men, all wearing top hats, who were on board.

“It’s a beautiful tree,” the first lady said as she circled the carriage and posed for pictures.

Wearing a cream-colored overcoat and dark red gloves, she shook hands with one of the drivers and a woman who was standing with the horses.

The 18 1/2-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room.

Korson’s Tree Farms secured the honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s national tree contest. The winner of that contest has produced the official White House Christmas tree since 1966.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday welcomed this year’s official White House Christmas tree, a white fir from a farm in Michigan that arrived by horse-drawn carriage.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">First Lady Melania Trump receives the 2025 White House Christmas Tree 🌲 <a href="https://t.co/exxZAN5Qf6">pic.twitter.com/exxZAN5Qf6</a>&mdash; Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstLadyOffice/status/1993045306116866403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“It will be beautiful! We are going to plan, and it’s starting today” <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> ❤️🎄 <a href="https://t.co/bfAMYzQjSQ">pic.twitter.com/bfAMYzQjSQ</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1993006026782826922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 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">First Lady Melania Trump (<a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>) receives White House Christmas Tree. <a href="https://t.co/jGFkc8IJH8">pic.twitter.com/jGFkc8IJH8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1993005187934347329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tree, which came from Korson’s Tree Farms, arrived on the North Portico. It was delivered by a pair of Clydesdales named Logan and Ben in a carriage driven by one of three men, all wearing top hats, who were on board.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“It will be beautiful! We are going to plan, and it’s starting today” <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> ❤️🎄 <a href="https://t.co/bfAMYzQjSQ">pic.twitter.com/bfAMYzQjSQ</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1993006026782826922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a beautiful tree,” the first lady said as she circled the carriage and posed for pictures.Wearing a cream-colored overcoat and dark red gloves, she shook hands with one of the drivers and a woman who was standing with the horses.The 18 1/2-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room.Korson’s Tree Farms secured the honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s national tree contest. The winner of that contest has produced the official White House Christmas tree since 1966.