WICHITA, Kan. — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 63-year-old male inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday night at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.

Just after 10p.m. Tuesday, deputies discovered the inmate, according to sheriff's office spokesman Branden Stitt. Detention staff and on-site medical personnel immediately began life-saving measures. Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:44 p.m.

The inmate, identified from county booking records as Timothy Reid Cullen was a resident of Blanchard, Oklahoma, and had been in the custody since Jun 21, 2025, on charges of aggravated assault, criminal threat, violation of a protective order, and possession of narcotics.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been notified, and detectives are conducting a thorough investigation.

Preliminary evidence indicates the death was the result of suicide through self-asphyxiation. This incident marks the fifth in-custody death at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility in 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756913280772.png" alt="Timothy Reid Cullen from his Sedgwick County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Timothy Reid Cullen from his Sedgwick County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 63-year-old male inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday night at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737476354827.jpeg" alt="Sedgwick County Jail&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sedgwick County Jail&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10p.m. Tuesday, deputies discovered the inmate, according to sheriff's office spokesman Branden Stitt. Detention staff and on-site medical personnel immediately began life-saving measures. Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:44 p.m.The inmate, identified from county booking records as Timothy Reid Cullen was a resident of Blanchard, Oklahoma, and had been in the custody since Jun 21, 2025, on charges of aggravated assault, criminal threat, violation of a protective order, and possession of narcotics.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been notified, and detectives are conducting a thorough investigation.Preliminary evidence indicates the death was the result of suicide through self-asphyxiation. This incident marks the fifth in-custody death at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility in 2025.

5th in custody death of 2025 reported at Sedgwick Co. Jail

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide at a Kansas City area park and have identified the victim as&nbsp;44-year-old Sean Booth, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just before 8a.m. August 27,&nbsp;&nbsp;patrol officers were dispatched to 23rd and Topping on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they were directed towards Blue Valley Park, to the south end of the park. There, in a wooded area, officers located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

KCFD EMS responded and transported the victim to a local hospital with critical injuries. A short time later hospital personnel declared the victim deceased, according to DiMartino.

This is being investigated as a homicide. While officers were on scene they received information about the involvement of a vehicle and a subject of interest.

A short distance away, officers took a subject of interest into custody pending further investigation. Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756319368214.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide at a Kansas City area park and have identified the victim as&nbsp;44-year-old Sean Booth, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just before 8a.m. August 27,&nbsp;&nbsp;patrol officers were dispatched to 23rd and Topping on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they were directed towards Blue Valley Park, to the south end of the park. There, in a wooded area, officers located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.KCFD EMS responded and transported the victim to a local hospital with critical injuries. A short time later hospital personnel declared the victim deceased, according to DiMartino.This is being investigated as a homicide. While officers were on scene they received information about the involvement of a vehicle and a subject of interest.A short distance away, officers took a subject of interest into custody pending further investigation. Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp;

Police ID homicide victim found near Kansas City park

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/steve-karnowski">STEVE KARNOWSKI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-vancleave">MARK VANCLEAVE</a>

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vance-leo-vatican-ukraine-russia-trump-c1572b31e231e4eee61baaaad5c1445f">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday met with families and victims of a shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis that killed two schoolchildren and injured 21 people.

Security was heavy outside Annunciation Catholic Church ahead of the visit by Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, and second lady Usha Vance. The visit comes one week after an attacker opened fire during the first Mass of the school year for students of the nearby Annuciation Catholic School.

“They will hold a series of private meetings to convey condolences to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-2d6f42878e210383e4b5cef108aa78b0">the families of those affected</a>&nbsp;by the tragedy,” the White House said in a statement but released few other details.

After arriving at the church, the Vances stood in front of a memorial and laid bouquets amid the numerous other flowers before walking to meet the families.

Some family and neighbors gathered across the street as the Vances arrived at the church, holding signs calling for bans on assault weapons. One read, “Pro-Life = Pro-Gun Safety.” Another read, “When you pray, move your feet,” a popular phrase from people who say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-school-shooting-prayers-gun-control-391dddff5e3bcffab4efd3b47500f47c">thoughts and prayers are not enough.</a>

“Nothing is happening,” said Kacie Sharpe, whose 8-year-old son, Trip, was sitting near one of children who was killed. “And it keeps happening over and over and over — and nothing changes. And it’s the most helpless feeling in the world to know that you can’t send your kids to school and have them be safe.”

Vance made no public statement after the meeting, which lasted roughly an hour and 45 minutes. As he left, his motorcade rolled past a few dozen protesters, several holding signs saying, “Hate Won’t Make America Great.”

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis told Minnesota Public Radio earlier Thursday that he apparently didn’t make the cut for invitations and wouldn’t be there. But Hebda, who has met with the families himself, welcomed Vance’s visit.

“I was happy to hear that the parents were interested in meeting with the vice president,” Hebda told MPR. “I know they’ve met with other politicians as well, and I think it gives an opportunity for them to put a face on this great tragedy.”

Hebda also said it has been edifying to see all the prayers and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-minnesota-1f96b0e6cf8cfd6307a559b3492fac4d">support from Pope Leo</a>&nbsp;and other clergy, the community and beyond, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-minneapolis-victims-0a935fe3a8deeb58f4fb119eb2deb928">all the families</a>&nbsp;whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-victims-grief-e116fe0dd0d0662bbe69f5026e3fb313">children attend Annuciation.</a>

“For them to have the opportunity to share, up close, with the vice president and his wife, as they’ve done with our governor and our senator and our mayor, I think is a great opportunity to educate about what occurred and then to begin planning for how we can move forward,” the archbishop said.

The shooter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-school-shooting-annunciation-c4ebf0eaa7b4f67c697d93d679cb0e4b">23-year-old Robin Westman</a>, died by suicide after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">firing 116 rifle rounds</a>&nbsp;through the church’s stained-glass windows last Wednesday as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-church-shooting-09e2fb36ee076f89b7ffed4f7e371e0d">hundreds of students</a>&nbsp;and others gathered for worship.

While investigators say they have not found a clear motive for the attack, the shooter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-minneapolis-victims-0a935fe3a8deeb58f4fb119eb2deb928">had connections</a>&nbsp;to the school. Westman’s mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, and Westman once attended the school.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">the shooter left behind videos and writings</a>&nbsp;that “expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable” but admiration for mass killers.

The school has not said when classes will resume or a ceremony will be held to essentially reconsecrate the church so that worship can resume there. The church celebrated its Masses last weekend in the school gym.

One of the children who was injured, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, had surgery Wednesday to remove a bullet fragment from his neck, his family said in a statement issued through Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis.

“The procedure went well, and Weston is expected to make a full physical recovery,” they said.

Weston, a 5th grader, didn’t realize he was hit at the time. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-church-shooting-09e2fb36ee076f89b7ffed4f7e371e0d">told reporters after the shots blasted through the windows</a>&nbsp;that he ducked for the pews, covering his head.

“My friend Victor like saved me though because he laid on top of me. But he got hit,” he said.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/steve-karnowski">STEVE KARNOWSKI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-vancleave">MARK VANCLEAVE</a>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vance-leo-vatican-ukraine-russia-trump-c1572b31e231e4eee61baaaad5c1445f">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday met with families and victims of a shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis that killed two schoolchildren and injured 21 people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VP Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance lay flowers at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis in remembrance of the victims of last week’s shooting. <a href="https://t.co/4AmXFmhx0v">pic.twitter.com/4AmXFmhx0v</a>&mdash; Vice President JD Vance (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1963335839758581825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> in Minneapolis. &quot;These parents — in the midst of the worst grief of their entire lives — they opened up their lives. They opened up their hearts.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XqZXKkPLYk">pic.twitter.com/XqZXKkPLYk</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1963335590054686901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Security was heavy outside Annunciation Catholic Church ahead of the visit by Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, and second lady Usha Vance. The visit comes one week after an attacker opened fire during the first Mass of the school year for students of the nearby Annuciation Catholic School.“They will hold a series of private meetings to convey condolences to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-2d6f42878e210383e4b5cef108aa78b0">the families of those affected</a>&nbsp;by the tragedy,” the White House said in a statement but released few other details.After arriving at the church, the Vances stood in front of a memorial and laid bouquets amid the numerous other flowers before walking to meet the families.Some family and neighbors gathered across the street as the Vances arrived at the church, holding signs calling for bans on assault weapons. One read, “Pro-Life = Pro-Gun Safety.” Another read, “When you pray, move your feet,” a popular phrase from people who say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-school-shooting-prayers-gun-control-391dddff5e3bcffab4efd3b47500f47c">thoughts and prayers are not enough.</a>“Nothing is happening,” said Kacie Sharpe, whose 8-year-old son, Trip, was sitting near one of children who was killed. “And it keeps happening over and over and over — and nothing changes. And it’s the most helpless feeling in the world to know that you can’t send your kids to school and have them be safe.”Vance made no public statement after the meeting, which lasted roughly an hour and 45 minutes. As he left, his motorcade rolled past a few dozen protesters, several holding signs saying, “Hate Won’t Make America Great.”Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis told Minnesota Public Radio earlier Thursday that he apparently didn’t make the cut for invitations and wouldn’t be there. But Hebda, who has met with the families himself, welcomed Vance’s visit.“I was happy to hear that the parents were interested in meeting with the vice president,” Hebda told MPR. “I know they’ve met with other politicians as well, and I think it gives an opportunity for them to put a face on this great tragedy.”Hebda also said it has been edifying to see all the prayers and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-minnesota-1f96b0e6cf8cfd6307a559b3492fac4d">support from Pope Leo</a>&nbsp;and other clergy, the community and beyond, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-minneapolis-victims-0a935fe3a8deeb58f4fb119eb2deb928">all the families</a>&nbsp;whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-victims-grief-e116fe0dd0d0662bbe69f5026e3fb313">children attend Annuciation.</a>“For them to have the opportunity to share, up close, with the vice president and his wife, as they’ve done with our governor and our senator and our mayor, I think is a great opportunity to educate about what occurred and then to begin planning for how we can move forward,” the archbishop said.The shooter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-school-shooting-annunciation-c4ebf0eaa7b4f67c697d93d679cb0e4b">23-year-old Robin Westman</a>, died by suicide after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">firing 116 rifle rounds</a>&nbsp;through the church’s stained-glass windows last Wednesday as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-church-shooting-09e2fb36ee076f89b7ffed4f7e371e0d">hundreds of students</a>&nbsp;and others gathered for worship.While investigators say they have not found a clear motive for the attack, the shooter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-school-shooting-minneapolis-victims-0a935fe3a8deeb58f4fb119eb2deb928">had connections</a>&nbsp;to the school. Westman’s mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, and Westman once attended the school.Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">the shooter left behind videos and writings</a>&nbsp;that “expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable” but admiration for mass killers.The school has not said when classes will resume or a ceremony will be held to essentially reconsecrate the church so that worship can resume there. The church celebrated its Masses last weekend in the school gym.One of the children who was injured, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, had surgery Wednesday to remove a bullet fragment from his neck, his family said in a statement issued through Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis.“The procedure went well, and Weston is expected to make a full physical recovery,” they said.Weston, a 5th grader, didn’t realize he was hit at the time. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-church-shooting-09e2fb36ee076f89b7ffed4f7e371e0d">told reporters after the shots blasted through the windows</a>&nbsp;that he ducked for the pews, covering his head.“My friend Victor like saved me though because he laid on top of me. But he got hit,” he said.

🎥VP Vance meets with families in Minneapolis after church shooting

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs Wednesday night thanks to dozens of drawings without a big winner.

The massive Powerball prize is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot</a>. It's a result of 40 consecutive drawings stretching over the summer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh-EUIo12hM">without anyone matching</a>&nbsp;all of the game's six numbers.

No one has won the grand prize since May 31, and the 41st drawing on Wednesday will be just one fewer than the record set last year.

All of that losing stems from Powerball's abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million, though lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game's many smaller prizes. There are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-c750b32664d0b02d318ae8030f671952">three drawings each week</a>.

The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the game's cash option, which for this drawing would be an estimated $634.3 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs Wednesday night thanks to dozens of drawings without a big winner.The massive Powerball prize is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-80fcb836622ba8e18883ce778786c1cc">sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot</a>. It's a result of 40 consecutive drawings stretching over the summer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh-EUIo12hM">without anyone matching</a>&nbsp;all of the game's six numbers.No one has won the grand prize since May 31, and the 41st drawing on Wednesday will be just one fewer than the record set last year.All of that losing stems from Powerball's abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million, though lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game's many smaller prizes. There are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-c750b32664d0b02d318ae8030f671952">three drawings each week</a>.The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the game's cash option, which for this drawing would be an estimated $634.3 million.Top Ten Powerball® Jackpots<ol>
 <li>$2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA</li><li>$1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 - CA</li><li>$1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN</li><li>$1.40 Billion (estimated) – Sept. 3, 2025</li><li>$1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 – OR</li><li>$1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA</li><li>$842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI</li><li>$768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI</li><li>$758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA</li><li>$754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA</li>
 </ol>

Powerball prize is now the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the U.S. House Transportation &amp; Infrastructure (T&amp;I) Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://transportation.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=409017" target="_blank">successfully passed</a>&nbsp;two of Kansas Representative Sharice Davids’ bipartisan bills, sending them to the House floor for a full vote. These bills modernize emergency response systems and provide tribal governments with critical resources to respond to disasters.

“These bills are about keeping communities safe, empowering first responders, and ensuring people get timely alerts and support during emergencies,” said&nbsp;Davids. “In Kansas, where tornadoes, wildfires, and severe storms can strike with little warning, having modern alert systems and strong support for emergency responders isn’t just important — it’s essential for protecting lives and property.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/davids.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/Weather%20Alert%20Response%20and%20Notification%20Redraft%20-%20119th.pdf">WARN Act</a>&nbsp;would modernize the nation’s emergency alert systems. It would ensure that federal, state, and local authorities can send timely, reliable alerts during natural disasters, severe weather, or other emergencies — helping communities respond quickly and save lives.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3957/text" target="_blank">second</a>&nbsp;bill would authorize the President to provide fire management assistance directly to Indian Tribal Governments. This ensures tribal nations have the federal support necessary to respond effectively to wildfires and other emergencies, protecting both people and property.

As a member of the House T&amp;I Committee, Davids has championed pragmatic, bipartisan solutions to improve infrastructure, emergency management, and public safety nationwide. Today’s committee action underscores her commitment to delivering results for local communities, tribal nations, and first responders.

With committee approval secured, both bills will now move to the full House for a vote. Davids continues to work across the aisle to ensure these critical measures become law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741033325356.png" alt="File photo Congresswoman Sharice Davids" />
 <figcaption>File photo Congresswoman Sharice Davids</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the U.S. House Transportation &amp; Infrastructure (T&amp;I) Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://transportation.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=409017" target="_blank">successfully passed</a>&nbsp;two of Kansas Representative Sharice Davids’ bipartisan bills, sending them to the House floor for a full vote. These bills modernize emergency response systems and provide tribal governments with critical resources to respond to disasters.“These bills are about keeping communities safe, empowering first responders, and ensuring people get timely alerts and support during emergencies,” said&nbsp;Davids. “In Kansas, where tornadoes, wildfires, and severe storms can strike with little warning, having modern alert systems and strong support for emergency responders isn’t just important — it’s essential for protecting lives and property.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://davids.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/davids.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/Weather%20Alert%20Response%20and%20Notification%20Redraft%20-%20119th.pdf">WARN Act</a>&nbsp;would modernize the nation’s emergency alert systems. It would ensure that federal, state, and local authorities can send timely, reliable alerts during natural disasters, severe weather, or other emergencies — helping communities respond quickly and save lives.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3957/text" target="_blank">second</a>&nbsp;bill would authorize the President to provide fire management assistance directly to Indian Tribal Governments. This ensures tribal nations have the federal support necessary to respond effectively to wildfires and other emergencies, protecting both people and property.As a member of the House T&amp;I Committee, Davids has championed pragmatic, bipartisan solutions to improve infrastructure, emergency management, and public safety nationwide. Today’s committee action underscores her commitment to delivering results for local communities, tribal nations, and first responders.With committee approval secured, both bills will now move to the full House for a vote. Davids continues to work across the aisle to ensure these critical measures become law.

House will vote on Kan. congresswoman's emergency response bills

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida will work to phase out all childhood vaccine mandates in the state, building on the effort by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-desantis-florida-cdc-fda-4c903eae40ef2d9012fef6f6cfa7062e">curb vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;and other health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DeSantis also announced on Wednesday the creation of a state-level “Make America Healthy Again” commission modeled after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maha-report-children-health-food-rfk-f0c624d30da939fc9cca09687f8a4273">similar initiatives</a>&nbsp;pushed at the federal level by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

On the vaccines, state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as an “immoral” intrusion on people's rights bordering on “slavery,” and hampers parents' ability to make health decisions for their children.

“People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions,” said Ladapo, who has frequently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-florida-ron-desantis-ccea6d2ca421f837257b08cb0efe7b4c">clashed with the medical establishment</a>, at a news conference in Valrico, Florida, in the Tampa area. “They don’t have the right to tell you what to put in your body. Take it away from them.”

The state Health Department, Ladapo said, can scrap its own rules for some vaccine mandates, but others would require action by the Florida Legislature. He did not specify any particular vaccines but repeated several times the effort would end “all of them. Every last one of them.”

Florida would be the first state to eliminate so many vaccine mandates, Ladapo added.

Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is running for Orlando mayor, said in a social media post that scrapping vaccines “is reckless and dangerous” and could cause outbreaks of preventable disease.

“This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State,” she said on the social platform X.

Meanwhile, the Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-west-coast-vaccines-trump-fd5ce557532a3c9f37b77ff9f14b07b9">they created an alliance</a>&nbsp;to safeguard health policies, contending that the administration of President Donald Trump is politicizing public health decisions.

The partnership plans to coordinate health guidelines by aligning immunization plans based on recommendations from respected national medical organizations, according to a joint statement from Gov. Bob Ferguson of Washington, Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.

In Florida, vaccine mandates for child day care facilities and public schools include shots for measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), polio and other diseases, according to the state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/immunization/children-and-adolescents/school-immunization-requirements/index.html">Health Department’s website.</a>

Under DeSantis, Florida resisted imposing COVID vaccines on schoolchildren, requiring “passports” for places that draw crowds, school closures and mandates that workers get the shots to keep their jobs.

“I don’t think there’s another state that’s done as much as Florida. We want to stay ahead of the curve,” the governor said.

The state “MAHA” commission would look into such things as allowing informed consent in medical matters, promoting safe and nutritious food, boosting parental rights regarding medical decisions about their children, and eliminating “medical orthodoxy that is not supported by the data,” DeSantis said. The commission will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis.

“We’re getting government out of the way, getting government out of your lives," Collins said.

The commission's work will help inform a large “medical freedom package” to be introduced in the Legislature next session, which would address the vaccine mandates required by state law and make permanent the recent state COVID decisions relaxing restrictions, DeSantis said.

“There will be a broad package,” the governor said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756922257490.png" alt="Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo from the video provided Wednesday by the state of Florida." />
 <figcaption>Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo from the video provided Wednesday by the state of Florida.</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida will work to phase out all childhood vaccine mandates in the state, building on the effort by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-desantis-florida-cdc-fda-4c903eae40ef2d9012fef6f6cfa7062e">curb vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;and other health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Governor DeSantis Announces Florida MAHA Commission and Medical Freedom Protections <a href="https://t.co/o4lglzuXAT">https://t.co/o4lglzuXAT</a>&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1963244415520268670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>DeSantis also announced on Wednesday the creation of a state-level “Make America Healthy Again” commission modeled after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maha-report-children-health-food-rfk-f0c624d30da939fc9cca09687f8a4273">similar initiatives</a>&nbsp;pushed at the federal level by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.On the vaccines, state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as an “immoral” intrusion on people's rights bordering on “slavery,” and hampers parents' ability to make health decisions for their children.“People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions,” said Ladapo, who has frequently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-florida-ron-desantis-ccea6d2ca421f837257b08cb0efe7b4c">clashed with the medical establishment</a>, at a news conference in Valrico, Florida, in the Tampa area. “They don’t have the right to tell you what to put in your body. Take it away from them.”The state Health Department, Ladapo said, can scrap its own rules for some vaccine mandates, but others would require action by the Florida Legislature. He did not specify any particular vaccines but repeated several times the effort would end “all of them. Every last one of them.”Florida would be the first state to eliminate so many vaccine mandates, Ladapo added.Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is running for Orlando mayor, said in a social media post that scrapping vaccines “is reckless and dangerous” and could cause outbreaks of preventable disease.“This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State,” she said on the social platform X.Meanwhile, the Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-west-coast-vaccines-trump-fd5ce557532a3c9f37b77ff9f14b07b9">they created an alliance</a>&nbsp;to safeguard health policies, contending that the administration of President Donald Trump is politicizing public health decisions.The partnership plans to coordinate health guidelines by aligning immunization plans based on recommendations from respected national medical organizations, according to a joint statement from Gov. Bob Ferguson of Washington, Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.In Florida, vaccine mandates for child day care facilities and public schools include shots for measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), polio and other diseases, according to the state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/immunization/children-and-adolescents/school-immunization-requirements/index.html">Health Department’s website.</a>Under DeSantis, Florida resisted imposing COVID vaccines on schoolchildren, requiring “passports” for places that draw crowds, school closures and mandates that workers get the shots to keep their jobs.“I don’t think there’s another state that’s done as much as Florida. We want to stay ahead of the curve,” the governor said.The state “MAHA” commission would look into such things as allowing informed consent in medical matters, promoting safe and nutritious food, boosting parental rights regarding medical decisions about their children, and eliminating “medical orthodoxy that is not supported by the data,” DeSantis said. The commission will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis.“We’re getting government out of the way, getting government out of your lives," Collins said.The commission's work will help inform a large “medical freedom package” to be introduced in the Legislature next session, which would address the vaccine mandates required by state law and make permanent the recent state COVID decisions relaxing restrictions, DeSantis said.“There will be a broad package,” the governor said.

First state will end all vaccine requirements for kids to attend school

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man who pleaded guilty in connection with the 2023 shooting death of a man in Wichita is going to prison.

On Wednesday, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 21-year-old James Sawyer to more than 31-years in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections for the murder of 34-year-old Daniel McPherson during an attempted robbery,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man who pleaded guilty in connection with the 2023 shooting death of a man in Wichita will learn his fate Wednesday.

Judge Jeffrey Goering will sentence 21-year-old James Sawyer for the murder of 34-year-old Daniel McPherson during an attempted robbery,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In July, Sawyer pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery.

On Dec. 6, 2023, the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Department contacted Sedgwick County Dispatch, reporting a shooting investigation involving two individuals including Sawyer and 18-year-old Phillip Walls who had entered a Blackwell hospital, with one of them sustaining a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Ford.

Following discussions with the subjects, Blackwell Police shared information with Sedgwick County Dispatch. Consequently, the Wichita Police Department was alerted to respond to the Hydraulic and MacArthur area based on information suggesting that the shooting victim, 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, would be found there.

Upon arrival, officers discovered McPherson with a gunshot wound to his head. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide investigators were dispatched to conduct the investigation and later traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma where Walls and Sawyer were in custody.&nbsp;

In May of 2024, Walls pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the shooting and&nbsp;was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752095618673.png" alt="-Sawyer photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>-Sawyer photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man who pleaded guilty in connection with the 2023 shooting death of a man in Wichita is going to prison.On Wednesday, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 21-year-old James Sawyer to more than 31-years in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections for the murder of 34-year-old Daniel McPherson during an attempted robbery,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.---------------SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man who pleaded guilty in connection with the 2023 shooting death of a man in Wichita will learn his fate Wednesday.Judge Jeffrey Goering will sentence 21-year-old James Sawyer for the murder of 34-year-old Daniel McPherson during an attempted robbery,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In July, Sawyer pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery.On Dec. 6, 2023, the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Department contacted Sedgwick County Dispatch, reporting a shooting investigation involving two individuals including Sawyer and 18-year-old Phillip Walls who had entered a Blackwell hospital, with one of them sustaining a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Ford.Following discussions with the subjects, Blackwell Police shared information with Sedgwick County Dispatch. Consequently, the Wichita Police Department was alerted to respond to the Hydraulic and MacArthur area based on information suggesting that the shooting victim, 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, would be found there.Upon arrival, officers discovered McPherson with a gunshot wound to his head. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide investigators were dispatched to conduct the investigation and later traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma where Walls and Sawyer were in custody.&nbsp;In May of 2024, Walls pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the shooting and&nbsp;was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison, according to the district attorney's office.---------------

Kan. man captured in Oklahoma sentenced for murder

On Tuesday, Kansas game wardens used their social media page to remind hunters the importance of knowing of how to clean your gun before you go hunting.&nbsp; They shared photos of a weapon damaged by mud.

"This is why it is so important and why it is talked about in Hunter Education, to ensure the muzzle does not get obstructed and how to properly clear an obstruction."

"This happened on the opening of Dove season on Monday and was the result of mud obstructing the muzzle." Fortunately, no one was injured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756847375036.png" alt="Photos Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday, Kansas game wardens used their social media page to remind hunters the importance of knowing of how to clean your gun before you go hunting.&nbsp; They shared photos of a weapon damaged by mud."This is why it is so important and why it is talked about in Hunter Education, to ensure the muzzle does not get obstructed and how to properly clear an obstruction."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756847431957.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"This happened on the opening of Dove season on Monday and was the result of mud obstructing the muzzle." Fortunately, no one was injured.

Kan. game wardens: Know how to clean your gun before hunting

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/anne-dinnocenzio">ANNE D’INNOCENZIO</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is ending a program that allows members of its Prime membership subscription program to share their free shipping benefits with people who don’t have the same primary address.

In an update to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GXULX24SE2RD7EXS" target="_blank">customer service section</a>&nbsp;of its website, the online behemoth says it will eliminate the sharing on Oct. 1 and is encouraging users outside the household of the account holder to sign up for their own Prime subscription.

Amazon is encouraging users who don’t live with the account holder to subscribe to their own membership at a discounted rate of $14.99 for one year. After that, it’s $14.99 per month or $139 annually. The offer starts this Friday and is valid until Dec. 31, 2025.

Amazon is replacing the so-called Prime Invitee program with Amazon Family, which lets account holders share the free two-day shipping perk as well as a broad range of other perks like exclusive deals and movies with only one other adult in their household, up to four teens (who were added before April 7) and up to four profiles for children, according to Amazon’s website. Amazon said that the adult could be a spouse, family member or roommate.

The news comes as the Seattle-based company is making big investments in expanding its network to bring faster delivery to customers in less densely populated areas across the U.S. The service is available in 1,000 of the more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities targeted by year-end, the company said in late July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687370941423.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/anne-dinnocenzio">ANNE D’INNOCENZIO</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is ending a program that allows members of its Prime membership subscription program to share their free shipping benefits with people who don’t have the same primary address.In an update to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GXULX24SE2RD7EXS" target="_blank">customer service section</a>&nbsp;of its website, the online behemoth says it will eliminate the sharing on Oct. 1 and is encouraging users outside the household of the account holder to sign up for their own Prime subscription.Amazon is encouraging users who don’t live with the account holder to subscribe to their own membership at a discounted rate of $14.99 for one year. After that, it’s $14.99 per month or $139 annually. The offer starts this Friday and is valid until Dec. 31, 2025.Amazon is replacing the so-called Prime Invitee program with Amazon Family, which lets account holders share the free two-day shipping perk as well as a broad range of other perks like exclusive deals and movies with only one other adult in their household, up to four teens (who were added before April 7) and up to four profiles for children, according to Amazon’s website. Amazon said that the adult could be a spouse, family member or roommate.The news comes as the Seattle-based company is making big investments in expanding its network to bring faster delivery to customers in less densely populated areas across the U.S. The service is available in 1,000 of the more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities targeted by year-end, the company said in late July.

Amazon announced major change to prime benefits

SEDGWICK COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a fatal gunfight and have made an arrest.&nbsp;

Just after 2p.m. Monday, officers were called to a liquor store on North Broadway in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found three men with gunshot wounds including&nbsp;19-year-old Mario Gustavo. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect and another man were taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Investigators learned that&nbsp;a disturbance in the parking lot led to gunfire.

A retired Wichita police lieutenant saw a vehicle flee the scene and followed it. Officers stopped the car, driven by a woman, near the 800 block of North Main Street. A male passenger, identified as an associate of Gustavo, had a gunshot wound to the hand and was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition. Investigators believe he was shot at the exact location as the other three men.

Detectives continue to investigate the sequence of events and the individuals involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756850370219.png" alt="Police on the scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a fatal gunfight and have made an arrest.&nbsp;Just after 2p.m. Monday, officers were called to a liquor store on North Broadway in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found three men with gunshot wounds including&nbsp;19-year-old Mario Gustavo. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect and another man were taken to a hospital in critical condition.Investigators learned that&nbsp;a disturbance in the parking lot led to gunfire.A retired Wichita police lieutenant saw a vehicle flee the scene and followed it. Officers stopped the car, driven by a woman, near the 800 block of North Main Street. A male passenger, identified as an associate of Gustavo, had a gunshot wound to the hand and was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition. Investigators believe he was shot at the exact location as the other three men.Detectives continue to investigate the sequence of events and the individuals involved.

Suspect in deadly Kan. liquor store gunfight remains hospitalized

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court panel ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to speed the deportations of people his administration accuses of membership in a Venezuelan gang, blocking a signature administration push that is destined for a final showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court.

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative federal appeals courts in the country, agreed with immigrant rights lawyers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-judge-ruling-f1988c63140c95f8228b42368caed96b">lower court judges</a>&nbsp;who argued the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">Alien Enemies Act</a>&nbsp;of 1798 was not intended to be used against gangs like Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan group Trump targeted in his March invocation.

Lee Gelernt, who argued the case for the ACLU, said Tuesday: “The Trump administration’s use of a wartime statute during peacetime to regulate immigration was rightly shut down by the court. This is a critically important decision reining in the administration’s view that it can simply declare an emergency without any oversight by the courts.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The administration deported people designated as Tren de Aragua members to a notorious prison in El Salvador where, it argued, U.S. courts could not order them freed.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisoner-swap-venezuela-united-states-el-salvador-a0c3070355fbdc31f028a16096c5655c">deal announced in July</a>, more than 250 of the deported migrants returned to Venezuela.

The Alien Enemies Act was only used three times before in U.S. history, all during declared wars — in the War of 1812 and the two World Wars. The Trump administration unsuccessfully argued that courts cannot second-guess the president’s determination that Tren de Aragua was connected to Venezuela’s government and represented a danger to the United States, meriting use of the act.

In a 2-1 ruling, the judges said they granted the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiffs because they “found no invasion or predatory incursion” in this case.

The decision bars deportations from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In the majority were U.S. Circuit Judges Leslie Southwick, a George W. Bush appointee, and Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Joe Biden appointee. Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee, dissented.

The majority opinion said Trump’s allegations about Tren de Aragua do not meet the historical levels of national conflict that Congress intended for the act.

“A country’s encouraging its residents and citizens to enter this country illegally is not the modern-day equivalent of sending an armed, organized force to occupy, to disrupt, or to otherwise harm the United States,” the judges wrote.

In a lengthy dissent, Oldham complained his two colleagues were second-guessing Trump’s conduct of foreign affairs and national security, realms where courts usually give the president great deference.

“The majority’s approach to this case is not only unprecedented—it is contrary to more than 200 years of precedent,” Oldham wrote.

The panel did grant the Trump administration one legal victory, finding the procedures it uses to advise detainees under the Alien Enemies Act of their legal rights is appropriate.

The ruling can be appealed to the full 5th Circuit or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is likely to make the ultimate decision on the issue.

Indeed, the ruling and dissent both seemed to acknowledge the judges were weighing in on issues destined to be settled only by the nation's highest court, repeatedly noting the unprecedented nature of the case and delving into 18th century conflicts and other landmark events in the nation's early decades as justification.

The Supreme Court has already gotten involved twice before in the tangled history of the Trump administration's use of the AEA. In the initial weeks after the March declaration, the court ruled that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could deport people under the act</a>, but unanimously found that those targeted needed to be given a reasonable chance to argue their case before judges in the areas where they were held.

Then, as the administration moved to rapidly deport more Venezuelans from Texas, the high court stepped in again with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-trump-deport-venezuelans-supreme-court-5d85ffec44fca7c267315b34cec9ddb2">an unusual, post-midnight ruling</a>&nbsp;that they couldn't do so until the 5th Circuit decided whether the administration was providing adequate notice to the immigrants and could weigh in on the broader legal issues of the case. The high court has yet to address whether a gang can be cited as an alien enemy under the AEA.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743444105379.png" alt="Image from video provided by U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>Image from video provided by U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court panel ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to speed the deportations of people his administration accuses of membership in a Venezuelan gang, blocking a signature administration push that is destined for a final showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court.A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative federal appeals courts in the country, agreed with immigrant rights lawyers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-judge-ruling-f1988c63140c95f8228b42368caed96b">lower court judges</a>&nbsp;who argued the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">Alien Enemies Act</a>&nbsp;of 1798 was not intended to be used against gangs like Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan group Trump targeted in his March invocation.Lee Gelernt, who argued the case for the ACLU, said Tuesday: “The Trump administration’s use of a wartime statute during peacetime to regulate immigration was rightly shut down by the court. This is a critically important decision reining in the administration’s view that it can simply declare an emergency without any oversight by the courts.”The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The administration deported people designated as Tren de Aragua members to a notorious prison in El Salvador where, it argued, U.S. courts could not order them freed.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisoner-swap-venezuela-united-states-el-salvador-a0c3070355fbdc31f028a16096c5655c">deal announced in July</a>, more than 250 of the deported migrants returned to Venezuela.The Alien Enemies Act was only used three times before in U.S. history, all during declared wars — in the War of 1812 and the two World Wars. The Trump administration unsuccessfully argued that courts cannot second-guess the president’s determination that Tren de Aragua was connected to Venezuela’s government and represented a danger to the United States, meriting use of the act.In a 2-1 ruling, the judges said they granted the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiffs because they “found no invasion or predatory incursion” in this case.The decision bars deportations from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In the majority were U.S. Circuit Judges Leslie Southwick, a George W. Bush appointee, and Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Joe Biden appointee. Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee, dissented.The majority opinion said Trump’s allegations about Tren de Aragua do not meet the historical levels of national conflict that Congress intended for the act.“A country’s encouraging its residents and citizens to enter this country illegally is not the modern-day equivalent of sending an armed, organized force to occupy, to disrupt, or to otherwise harm the United States,” the judges wrote.In a lengthy dissent, Oldham complained his two colleagues were second-guessing Trump’s conduct of foreign affairs and national security, realms where courts usually give the president great deference.“The majority’s approach to this case is not only unprecedented—it is contrary to more than 200 years of precedent,” Oldham wrote.The panel did grant the Trump administration one legal victory, finding the procedures it uses to advise detainees under the Alien Enemies Act of their legal rights is appropriate.The ruling can be appealed to the full 5th Circuit or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is likely to make the ultimate decision on the issue.Indeed, the ruling and dissent both seemed to acknowledge the judges were weighing in on issues destined to be settled only by the nation's highest court, repeatedly noting the unprecedented nature of the case and delving into 18th century conflicts and other landmark events in the nation's early decades as justification.The Supreme Court has already gotten involved twice before in the tangled history of the Trump administration's use of the AEA. In the initial weeks after the March declaration, the court ruled that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could deport people under the act</a>, but unanimously found that those targeted needed to be given a reasonable chance to argue their case before judges in the areas where they were held.Then, as the administration moved to rapidly deport more Venezuelans from Texas, the high court stepped in again with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aclu-trump-deport-venezuelans-supreme-court-5d85ffec44fca7c267315b34cec9ddb2">an unusual, post-midnight ruling</a>&nbsp;that they couldn't do so until the 5th Circuit decided whether the administration was providing adequate notice to the immigrants and could weigh in on the broader legal issues of the case. The high court has yet to address whether a gang can be cited as an alien enemy under the AEA.

Court: Trump cannot use 1798 law to deport members of Venezuelan gang

Officer Hunter Simoncic will be honored at a public funeral service at 10a.m. Wednesday at Children's Mercy Park. 

Parking lots will open at 7:30 AM, and stadium gates will open at 8:00 AM. Attendees should approach Children’s Mercy Park from State Avenue. Public parking will be located on the south side of the stadium in Blue Lot 2 on the grounds of the Kansas Speedway. 

Please, be aware that Village West Parkway and France Family Drive will be closed to public traffic.

For those unable to attend, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwJIrCt-Bk">click here to view</a> the funeral. The feed will go live 10 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwJIrCt-Bk&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeUlXV0FoWFh4TlRuTDJubwEepGX-Q2BBKK_8uRZXSc5PbMc2vAUyUpUsX8Ib1qE8_OUaboScNv7ZMHiGwSs_aem_tP-TflS0nBPVRKT80SQWuA" target="_blank"></a>A procession through the KCK community will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the funeral service. We encourage residents and businesses to line the route and display blue ribbons along the route as a sign of support for the Simoncic family and the men and women of the KCKPD.

 It is a small gesture, but a very powerful and unifying one. 

The procession route is as follows:- France Family Drive to Village West Parkway- Village West Parkway south to State Avenue- State Avenue east to Interstate 635- I-635 north to Parallel Parkway- Parallel Parkway east to North Fifth Street- North Fifth Street north to Stewart Avenue- Stewart Avenue east to North Third Street- North Third Street south to Interstate 70- I-70 west to Interstate 435 northOutside agency and the public vehicles in the procession will be dismissed at the interchange of I-70 W and 435 N.

Hunter Lee Simoncic, age 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, passed away on August 26, 2025, while proudly serving his community as a police officer with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.

Born on April 16, 1999, Hunter grew up on a small farm in Galesburg, Kansas, where he developed a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for family and community. He was accomplished in his academic pursuits, graduating from Erie High School in 2018 and Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology in 2021. His passion for justice and science led him to further his education at Oklahoma State University, where he earned a Master’s in Forensic Science in 2023.

In November of 2023, Hunter fulfilled his calling to public service by graduating from the KCKPD Academy and beginning his career as a police officer. His dedication, courage, and compassion quickly became evident to both his colleagues and the community he served.

Hunter was energetic, adventurous, and full of life. He embraced new experiences wholeheartedly — recently serving as an extra in the Hallmark movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story and exploring opportunities in modeling. In his free time, he enjoyed painting, lifting weights, writing his book, and training as an avid CrossFitter at Mission Barbell Club.

Hunter had a heart for giving back. He served as a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City, forming meaningful connections with the youth he mentored. He also volunteered through the Lead to Read program, spending time each week reading to students at Banneker Elementary School — a role he cherished deeply.

Above all, Hunter will be remembered for his kind spirit, his love of family, and his unwavering devotion to serving others both in and out of uniform.

He is survived by his father, Ron Simoncic of Franklin, KS; his mother, Christine Brungardt of Galesburg, KS; his brother, Fischer Simoncic of Wichita, KS; his grandmother, Rose Brungardt of Parsons, KS; and his aunts and uncles, including Rick and Jacque Simoncic of Frontenac, KS and Rod and Denise Fleming of Parsons, KS.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Frank and Shirley Simoncic, and Francis Brungardt; and his aunt and uncle, Terri Brungardt and Kirk Brungardt. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, fellow officers, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A gathering of family and friends will begin at 1:30 pm, Thursday September 4, 2025 followed by a Rosary service at 2:00 pm with Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 2:30 pm at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1807 Stevens Avenue, Parsons, Kansas 67357. Hunter's final resting place will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Parsons, KS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756332955180.png" alt="Officer Hunder Simoncic courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer Hunder Simoncic courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Officer Hunter Simoncic will be honored at a public funeral service at 10a.m. Wednesday at Children's Mercy Park. Parking lots will open at 7:30 AM, and stadium gates will open at 8:00 AM. Attendees should approach Children’s Mercy Park from State Avenue. Public parking will be located on the south side of the stadium in Blue Lot 2 on the grounds of the Kansas Speedway. Please, be aware that Village West Parkway and France Family Drive will be closed to public traffic.For those unable to attend, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwJIrCt-Bk">click here to view</a> the funeral. The feed will go live 10 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756333095649.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwJIrCt-Bk&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeUlXV0FoWFh4TlRuTDJubwEepGX-Q2BBKK_8uRZXSc5PbMc2vAUyUpUsX8Ib1qE8_OUaboScNv7ZMHiGwSs_aem_tP-TflS0nBPVRKT80SQWuA" target="_blank"></a>A procession through the KCK community will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the funeral service. We encourage residents and businesses to line the route and display blue ribbons along the route as a sign of support for the Simoncic family and the men and women of the KCKPD. It is a small gesture, but a very powerful and unifying one. The procession route is as follows:- France Family Drive to Village West Parkway- Village West Parkway south to State Avenue- State Avenue east to Interstate 635- I-635 north to Parallel Parkway- Parallel Parkway east to North Fifth Street- North Fifth Street north to Stewart Avenue- Stewart Avenue east to North Third Street- North Third Street south to Interstate 70- I-70 west to Interstate 435 northOutside agency and the public vehicles in the procession will be dismissed at the interchange of I-70 W and 435 N.Hunter Lee Simoncic, age 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, passed away on August 26, 2025, while proudly serving his community as a police officer with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.Born on April 16, 1999, Hunter grew up on a small farm in Galesburg, Kansas, where he developed a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for family and community. He was accomplished in his academic pursuits, graduating from Erie High School in 2018 and Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology in 2021. His passion for justice and science led him to further his education at Oklahoma State University, where he earned a Master’s in Forensic Science in 2023.In November of 2023, Hunter fulfilled his calling to public service by graduating from the KCKPD Academy and beginning his career as a police officer. His dedication, courage, and compassion quickly became evident to both his colleagues and the community he served.Hunter was energetic, adventurous, and full of life. He embraced new experiences wholeheartedly — recently serving as an extra in the Hallmark movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story and exploring opportunities in modeling. In his free time, he enjoyed painting, lifting weights, writing his book, and training as an avid CrossFitter at Mission Barbell Club.Hunter had a heart for giving back. He served as a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City, forming meaningful connections with the youth he mentored. He also volunteered through the Lead to Read program, spending time each week reading to students at Banneker Elementary School — a role he cherished deeply.Above all, Hunter will be remembered for his kind spirit, his love of family, and his unwavering devotion to serving others both in and out of uniform.He is survived by his father, Ron Simoncic of Franklin, KS; his mother, Christine Brungardt of Galesburg, KS; his brother, Fischer Simoncic of Wichita, KS; his grandmother, Rose Brungardt of Parsons, KS; and his aunts and uncles, including Rick and Jacque Simoncic of Frontenac, KS and Rod and Denise Fleming of Parsons, KS.He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Frank and Shirley Simoncic, and Francis Brungardt; and his aunt and uncle, Terri Brungardt and Kirk Brungardt. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, fellow officers, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.A gathering of family and friends will begin at 1:30 pm, Thursday September 4, 2025 followed by a Rosary service at 2:00 pm with Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 2:30 pm at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1807 Stevens Avenue, Parsons, Kansas 67357. Hunter's final resting place will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Parsons, KS.

🎥Funeral service honoring life of Officer Hunter Simoncic

LYON COUNTY —Following a joint investigation by the Emporia Fire Department, Emporia Police Department, and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire and explosion that occurred June 18 at a home at 1814 E 6th Avenue in Emporia has been determined to be an accidental natural gas explosion originating within the interior of the home, according to city of Emporia spokesperson&nbsp;Christine Torrens.

Just before 5:00 p.m. June 18,&nbsp; emergency crews were dispatched to a report of a house explosion near E 6th Avenue and Weaver Street,&nbsp; according to Torrens.&nbsp;&nbsp;The home had collapsed, and was fully engulfed with fire within minutes.

Around 8:30 pm, emergency workers found the bodies of 78-year-old Darrell Bontrager and 73-year-old Terry Bontrager both of home. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756864483095.png" alt="Photo Courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Following a joint investigation by the Emporia Fire Department, Emporia Police Department, and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire and explosion that occurred June 18 at a home at 1814 E 6th Avenue in Emporia has been determined to be an accidental natural gas explosion originating within the interior of the home, according to city of Emporia spokesperson&nbsp;Christine Torrens.Just before 5:00 p.m. June 18,&nbsp; emergency crews were dispatched to a report of a house explosion near E 6th Avenue and Weaver Street,&nbsp; according to Torrens.&nbsp;&nbsp;The home had collapsed, and was fully engulfed with fire within minutes.Around 8:30 pm, emergency workers found the bodies of 78-year-old Darrell Bontrager and 73-year-old Terry Bontrager both of home.

Fire Marshal confirms cause of deadly Kansas home explosion

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;

Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to 100 NE St. Luke’s Boulevard on a reported shooting that is believed to have occurred near 88th Place and James A Reed, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival, officers were advised a boy under 16 arrived at the hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. Medical staff made every attempt to perform life saving measures before subsequently being pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates the boy was walking outside when he heard several sounds of shots and was struck by gunfire. He was able to call a friend for help and a private vehicle picked him up and transported him to the hospital.

Police do not have any suspect information and no one is currently in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756859767882.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;Just after 2:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to 100 NE St. Luke’s Boulevard on a reported shooting that is believed to have occurred near 88th Place and James A Reed, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival, officers were advised a boy under 16 arrived at the hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. Medical staff made every attempt to perform life saving measures before subsequently being pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates the boy was walking outside when he heard several sounds of shots and was struck by gunfire. He was able to call a friend for help and a private vehicle picked him up and transported him to the hospital.Police do not have any suspect information and no one is currently in custody.

KCPD: Boy shot and killed by random gunfire

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang.

The president said in a social media posting that 11 people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Americas, a dramatic escalation in the Republican administration's effort to stem the flow of narcotics from Latin America. Trump also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said on Truth Social. “No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.”

The video appears to show a long, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea when a bright flash of light bursts over the craft. The boat is then briefly seen covered in flames.

The video, which is largely in black and white, is not clear enough to see if the craft is carrying as many as 11 people. The video also did not show any large or clear stashes of drugs inside the boat.

Tren de Aragua originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries or the U.S.

Trump and administration officials have repeatedly blamed the gang for being at the root of the violence and illicit drug dealing that plague some cities. And the president on Tuesday repeated his claim —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-103919f71db9a9e7a9a3de1028585483">contradicted by a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment</a>&nbsp;— that Tren de Aragua is operating under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's control.

The White House did not immediately explain how the military determined that those aboard the vessel were Tren de Aragua members. The size of the gang is unclear, as is the extent to which its actions are coordinated across state lines and national borders.

After Trump announced the strike, Venezuelan state television showed Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores walking the streets of his childhood neighborhood. A television presenter said Maduro was “bathing in patriotic love” as he interacted with supporters.

“In the face of imperialist threats, God (is) with us,” Maduro told supporters.

Maduro did not address the strike directly, but charged that the U.S. is “coming for Venezuela’s riches,” including oil and gas. The South American country has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

“From the neighborhoods of Caracas ... I tell you, there will be peace in Venezuela, with sovereignty,” he said.

Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez questioned the veracity of the video. “Based on the video provided, it is very likely that it was created using Artificial Intelligence,” he said on his Telegram account. He couldn’t say what tools would have been used to create the video, but said it showed an “almost cartoonish animation, rather than a realistic depiction of an explosion.”

Trump and Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;first announced the strike earlier Tuesday, shortly before Rubio left on a trip to Mexico and Ecuador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-mexico-ecuador-trump-3b4050ef46b3e3dfe7cfec6041d976f8">for talks on drug cartels, security, tariffs and more.</a>

In a brief exchange with reporters before departing Miami for Mexico City, Rubio deferred questions about the specifics of the strike to the Pentagon. He said the drugs on the vessel were likely headed to Trinidad or elsewhere in the Caribbean.

For years, Rubio has spoken out against Maduro and other Latin American leftist governments and supported opposition leaders. In 2018, during Trump’s first term, Rubio told Univision there was a “strong argument” to be made for the use of the U.S. military in Venezuela. He's also accused Venezuelan officials of aiding drug traffickers.

Asked if Trump would carry out operations on Venezuelan soil, Rubio was opaque. “We’re going to take on drug cartels wherever they are and wherever they’re operating against the interests of the United States,” he said.

US sent destroyers to waters off Venezuela

The operation came after the U.S. announced plans last month to boost its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-e33794ebc24d9031e536d132ce205b4c">maritime force in the waters off Venezuela</a>&nbsp;to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cia-senate-national-security-threats-fe773ac76f8f01eba1d3a26409816396">threats from Latin American drug cartels</a>.

Maduro's government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela's coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia.

Maduro has insisted that the U.S. is building a false drug-trafficking narrative to try to force him out of office. He and other government officials have repeatedly cited a United Nations report that they say shows traffickers attempt to move only 5% of the cocaine produced in Colombia through Venezuela. Landlocked Bolivia and Colombia, with access to the Pacific and Caribbean, are the world’s top cocaine producers.

The latest U.N. World Drug Report shows that various countries in South America, including Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, reported larger cocaine seizures in 2022 than in 2021, but it does not assign Venezuela the outsize role that the White House has in recent months.

“The impact of increased cocaine trafficking has been felt in Ecuador in particular, which has seen a wave of lethal violence in recent years linked to both local and transnational crime groups, most notably from Mexico and the Balkan countries,” according to the report.

Maduro on Monday told reporters he “would constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if his country were attacked by U.S. forces deployed to the Caribbean.

Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City. AP journalists Matthew Lee in Mexico City, Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, Adriana Gomez Licon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Sagar Meghani in Washington contributed reporting.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg">https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9ktAlDQUi">pic.twitter.com/s9ktAlDQUi</a>&mdash; Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1962992360822104110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 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">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: We just, over the last few minutes, shot out a drug-carrying boat... and there&#39;s more where that came from... These came out of Venezuela. <a href="https://t.co/JlurCZWBpG">pic.twitter.com/JlurCZWBpG</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1962955342523879613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 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">President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela. <a href="https://t.co/g82nOBEftt">pic.twitter.com/g82nOBEftt</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1962972437865283848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president said in a social media posting that 11 people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Americas, a dramatic escalation in the Republican administration's effort to stem the flow of narcotics from Latin America. Trump also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said on Truth Social. “No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.”The video appears to show a long, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea when a bright flash of light bursts over the craft. The boat is then briefly seen covered in flames.The video, which is largely in black and white, is not clear enough to see if the craft is carrying as many as 11 people. The video also did not show any large or clear stashes of drugs inside the boat.Tren de Aragua originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries or the U.S.Trump and administration officials have repeatedly blamed the gang for being at the root of the violence and illicit drug dealing that plague some cities. And the president on Tuesday repeated his claim —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-alien-enemies-act-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-103919f71db9a9e7a9a3de1028585483">contradicted by a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment</a>&nbsp;— that Tren de Aragua is operating under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's control.The White House did not immediately explain how the military determined that those aboard the vessel were Tren de Aragua members. The size of the gang is unclear, as is the extent to which its actions are coordinated across state lines and national borders.<h2>What Maduro had to say</h2>After Trump announced the strike, Venezuelan state television showed Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores walking the streets of his childhood neighborhood. A television presenter said Maduro was “bathing in patriotic love” as he interacted with supporters.“In the face of imperialist threats, God (is) with us,” Maduro told supporters.Maduro did not address the strike directly, but charged that the U.S. is “coming for Venezuela’s riches,” including oil and gas. The South American country has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.“From the neighborhoods of Caracas ... I tell you, there will be peace in Venezuela, with sovereignty,” he said.Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez questioned the veracity of the video. “Based on the video provided, it is very likely that it was created using Artificial Intelligence,” he said on his Telegram account. He couldn’t say what tools would have been used to create the video, but said it showed an “almost cartoonish animation, rather than a realistic depiction of an explosion.”Trump and Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;first announced the strike earlier Tuesday, shortly before Rubio left on a trip to Mexico and Ecuador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-mexico-ecuador-trump-3b4050ef46b3e3dfe7cfec6041d976f8">for talks on drug cartels, security, tariffs and more.</a>In a brief exchange with reporters before departing Miami for Mexico City, Rubio deferred questions about the specifics of the strike to the Pentagon. He said the drugs on the vessel were likely headed to Trinidad or elsewhere in the Caribbean.For years, Rubio has spoken out against Maduro and other Latin American leftist governments and supported opposition leaders. In 2018, during Trump’s first term, Rubio told Univision there was a “strong argument” to be made for the use of the U.S. military in Venezuela. He's also accused Venezuelan officials of aiding drug traffickers.Asked if Trump would carry out operations on Venezuelan soil, Rubio was opaque. “We’re going to take on drug cartels wherever they are and wherever they’re operating against the interests of the United States,” he said.<h2>US sent destroyers to waters off Venezuela</h2>The operation came after the U.S. announced plans last month to boost its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-e33794ebc24d9031e536d132ce205b4c">maritime force in the waters off Venezuela</a>&nbsp;to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cia-senate-national-security-threats-fe773ac76f8f01eba1d3a26409816396">threats from Latin American drug cartels</a>.Maduro's government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela's coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia.Maduro has insisted that the U.S. is building a false drug-trafficking narrative to try to force him out of office. He and other government officials have repeatedly cited a United Nations report that they say shows traffickers attempt to move only 5% of the cocaine produced in Colombia through Venezuela. Landlocked Bolivia and Colombia, with access to the Pacific and Caribbean, are the world’s top cocaine producers.The latest U.N. World Drug Report shows that various countries in South America, including Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, reported larger cocaine seizures in 2022 than in 2021, but it does not assign Venezuela the outsize role that the White House has in recent months.“The impact of increased cocaine trafficking has been felt in Ecuador in particular, which has seen a wave of lethal violence in recent years linked to both local and transnational crime groups, most notably from Mexico and the Balkan countries,” according to the report.Maduro on Monday told reporters he “would constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if his country were attacked by U.S. forces deployed to the Caribbean.___Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City. AP journalists Matthew Lee in Mexico City, Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, Adriana Gomez Licon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Sagar Meghani in Washington contributed reporting.

🎥 Video shows US launch deadly strike on drug boat in the Caribbean 

KINGMAN COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 7p.m. Tuesday in Kingman County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Blake L. Reese, 16, Kingman, was southbound on NE 70 Avenue at NE 50th Street approximately five miles southeast of Pretty Prairie. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck a westbound 2012 Econoline van driven by Kyle K.&nbsp;Meireis, 54, Kingman.

Reese was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Livingston Mortuary.&nbsp; Meireis and six passengers in the van were not injured. Reese was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

KINGMAN COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 7p.m. Tuesday in Kingman County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Blake L. Reese, 16, Kingman, was southbound on NE 70 Avenue at NE 50th Street approximately five miles southeast of Pretty Prairie. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and struck a westbound 2012 Econoline van driven by Kyle K.&nbsp;Meireis, 54, Kingman.Reese was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Livingston Mortuary.&nbsp; Meireis and six passengers in the van were not injured. Reese was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

16-year-old Kansas boy killed in motorcycle, van crash

KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson last week announced the office secured a seven-year sentence for a man involved in a drug trafficking case.

In May,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2715/BYRON-D-KITCHEN-2416-CR00381-01-Judgment_Redacted_FINAL">Byron D. Kitchen</a>, 46,&nbsp;pleaded guilty to 2nd Degree Trafficking Drugs and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2716/Redacted-Probable-Cause-1">According to court records</a>, the Jackson County Drug Task Force began investigating Kitchen in September 2023 after receiving intelligence that he was selling fentanyl pills. Following about five months of the Task Force’s surveillance, the Blue Springs Police Department executed a search warrant, seizing two firearms, ammunition, about 90 fentanyl pills, and other controlled substances.&nbsp;

The Jackson County Drug Task Force brings together detectives from multiple county police departments and sheriff’s offices with federal, state, and local agencies to target drug dealers across the metro. Their outstanding work has earned national recognition:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756498463427.png" alt="Kitchen photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Kitchen photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson last week announced the office secured a seven-year sentence for a man involved in a drug trafficking case.In May,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2715/BYRON-D-KITCHEN-2416-CR00381-01-Judgment_Redacted_FINAL">Byron D. Kitchen</a>, 46,&nbsp;pleaded guilty to 2nd Degree Trafficking Drugs and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2716/Redacted-Probable-Cause-1">According to court records</a>, the Jackson County Drug Task Force began investigating Kitchen in September 2023 after receiving intelligence that he was selling fentanyl pills. Following about five months of the Task Force’s surveillance, the Blue Springs Police Department executed a search warrant, seizing two firearms, ammunition, about 90 fentanyl pills, and other controlled substances.&nbsp;The Jackson County Drug Task Force brings together detectives from multiple county police departments and sheriff’s offices with federal, state, and local agencies to target drug dealers across the metro. Their outstanding work has earned national recognition:<ul>
 <li>Missouri Narcotics Officer’s Association’s Law Enforcement Unit of the Year&nbsp;seven times in 13 years, including 2024</li><li>Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Outstanding Community Impact Investigation in 2023</li><li>More than $35 million in controlled substances&nbsp;seized in 2024 alone</li><li>127 firearms confiscated&nbsp;last year, including illegal machine switches and silencers</li>
 </ul>

Prison for selling fentanyl pills in Kansas City area

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday publicly posted the files it has received from the Justice Department on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">sex trafficking investigations into Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/98fthv8otekjk28lcrnc5/AIn3egnE58MYe4Bn4fliVBw?rlkey=m7p8e9omml96fgxl13kr2nuyt&amp;e=2&amp;st=0xvm0p08&amp;dl=0">Click here to view the files</a>

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TrGxDGQLDLZu1vvvZDBAh-e7wN3y6Hoz?usp=sharing">here</a>&nbsp;to read Epstein-related documents&nbsp;

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/98fthv8otekjk28lcrnc5/AIn3egnE58MYe4Bn4fliVBw?rlkey=m7p8e9omml96fgxl13kr2nuyt&amp;st=0xvm0p08&amp;dl=0">here</a>. for back up access to the files.

The folders contained hundreds of image files of years-old court filings related to Epstein and Maxwell. They also contained video files appearing to be body cam footage from police searches, as well as law enforcement interviews with victims with their faces obscured.

The Justice Department released the files to the committee in response to a subpoena, but the files mostly contain information that was already publicly known.

Still, pressure is growing in Congress for lawmakers to act to force greater disclosure in the case. House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to quell an effort by Democrats and some Republicans to force a vote on a bill that would require the Justice Department to release all the information in the so-called Epstein files, with the exception of the victims’ personal information of the victims.

Acting quickly, lawmakers pressing for the full release of the so-called Epstein files launched a campaign for the House to take up their bill. Meanwhile, Johnson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers met with survivors of abuse by Epstein and his former girlfriend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>.

“The objective here is not just to uncover, investigate the Epstein evils, but also to ensure that this never happens again and ultimately to find out why justice has been delayed for these ladies for so very long,” said Johnson, R-La., after he emerged from a two-hour meeting with six of the survivors.

“It is inexcusable. And it will stop now because the Congress is dialed in on this,” he added.

But there are still intense disagreements on how lawmakers should proceed. Johnson is pressing for the inquiry to be handled by the House Oversight Committee and putting forward a resolution that directs the committee to publicly release its findings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday publicly posted the files it has received from the Justice Department on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">sex trafficking investigations into Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/98fthv8otekjk28lcrnc5/AIn3egnE58MYe4Bn4fliVBw?rlkey=m7p8e9omml96fgxl13kr2nuyt&amp;e=2&amp;st=0xvm0p08&amp;dl=0">Click here to view the files</a>Click&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TrGxDGQLDLZu1vvvZDBAh-e7wN3y6Hoz?usp=sharing">here</a>&nbsp;to read Epstein-related documents&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/98fthv8otekjk28lcrnc5/AIn3egnE58MYe4Bn4fliVBw?rlkey=m7p8e9omml96fgxl13kr2nuyt&amp;st=0xvm0p08&amp;dl=0">here</a>. for back up access to the files.The folders contained hundreds of image files of years-old court filings related to Epstein and Maxwell. They also contained video files appearing to be body cam footage from police searches, as well as law enforcement interviews with victims with their faces obscured.The Justice Department released the files to the committee in response to a subpoena, but the files mostly contain information that was already publicly known.Still, pressure is growing in Congress for lawmakers to act to force greater disclosure in the case. House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to quell an effort by Democrats and some Republicans to force a vote on a bill that would require the Justice Department to release all the information in the so-called Epstein files, with the exception of the victims’ personal information of the victims.Acting quickly, lawmakers pressing for the full release of the so-called Epstein files launched a campaign for the House to take up their bill. Meanwhile, Johnson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers met with survivors of abuse by Epstein and his former girlfriend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>.“The objective here is not just to uncover, investigate the Epstein evils, but also to ensure that this never happens again and ultimately to find out why justice has been delayed for these ladies for so very long,” said Johnson, R-La., after he emerged from a two-hour meeting with six of the survivors.“It is inexcusable. And it will stop now because the Congress is dialed in on this,” he added.But there are still intense disagreements on how lawmakers should proceed. Johnson is pressing for the inquiry to be handled by the House Oversight Committee and putting forward a resolution that directs the committee to publicly release its findings.The files released Tuesday included audio of an Epstein employee describing to a law enforcement official how “there were a lot of girls that were very, very young” visiting the home but couldn’t say for sure if they were minors.Over the course of Epstein’s visits to the home, the man said more than a dozen girls might visit, and that he was charged with cleaning the room where Epstein had massages, twice daily.Some of the interviews with officers from the Palm Beach Police Department date to 2005, according to timestamps read out by officials at the beginning of the files.Most, if not all, of the text documents posted Tuesday had already been public. Notably, the probable cause affidavit and other records from the 2005 investigation into Epstein contained a notation indicating that they’d been previously released in a 2017 public records request. An internet search showed those files were posted to the website of the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office in July 2017.If the purpose of the release was to provide answers to a public still curious over the long-concluded cases, the raw mechanics of the clunky rollout made that a challenge.Lawmakers at 6 p.m. released thousands of pages and videos via a cumbersome Google Drive, leaving it to readers and viewers to decipher new and interesting tidbits on their own. The disclosure also left open the question of why the Justice Department did not release the material directly to the public instead of operating through Capitol Hill.Meanwhile, Democrats and some Republicans are trying to maneuver around Johnson’s control of the House floor to hold a vote on a separate bill that would require the Justice Department to publicly release the files, with the exception of names and personal information of the victims.The clash suggests little has changed in Congress since late July, when Johnson sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-jeffrey-epstein-trump-f2a03eca247268b14a9e38858338eded">lawmakers home early</a>&nbsp;in hopes of cooling the political battle over the Epstein case. Members of both parties remain dissatisfied and are demanding more details on the years-old investigation into Epstein, the wealthy and well-connected financier whose 2019 death in a New York jail cell while he faced sex trafficking charges has sparked wide-ranging conspiracy theories and speculation.