WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday honored Pope Francis with the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47639#:~:text=The%20Presidential%20Medal%20of%20Freedom,%2C%20science%2C%20or%20other%20fields.">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>&nbsp;with distinction, the highest civilian award given by the president, saying the pontiff was “a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”

Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to the pope in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California.

The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.

It's the only time Biden has presented the honor with distinction during his presidency. Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obama's two terms when he awarded that version of the medal.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/11/president-biden-awards-presidential-medal-of-freedom-with-distinction-to-his-holiness-pope-francis/">citation for the pope</a>&nbsp;says "his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths.”

Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-medal-of-freedom-clinton-soros-denzel-washington-4b19a363d3058ac3b8107e2002b93651">doled out honors</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-citizens-medals-jan-6-cheney-thompson-f725b7003ea11239b90962a8cf0d5305">prominent individuals</a>, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736637074926.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday honored Pope Francis with the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47639#:~:text=The%20Presidential%20Medal%20of%20Freedom,%2C%20science%2C%20or%20other%20fields.">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>&nbsp;with distinction, the highest civilian award given by the president, saying the pontiff was “a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People&#39;s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world. Today, it was my honor to award His Holiness Pope Francis the Presidential… <a href="https://t.co/q4a0DKoSyi">pic.twitter.com/q4a0DKoSyi</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1878181517068836894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to the pope in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California.The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.It's the only time Biden has presented the honor with distinction during his presidency. Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obama's two terms when he awarded that version of the medal.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/11/president-biden-awards-presidential-medal-of-freedom-with-distinction-to-his-holiness-pope-francis/">citation for the pope</a>&nbsp;says "his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths.”Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-medal-of-freedom-clinton-soros-denzel-washington-4b19a363d3058ac3b8107e2002b93651">doled out honors</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-citizens-medals-jan-6-cheney-thompson-f725b7003ea11239b90962a8cf0d5305">prominent individuals</a>, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks.

Biden honors Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.

Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said in a statement Saturday evening.

The previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing.

There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.

By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).

In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.

With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue.

“Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday,” Traum said.

Fighting to save public and private areas

A fierce battle occurred Saturday in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities not far from the Pacific coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill. Firefighters on the ground used hoses in an attempt to beat back leaping flames as thick smoke blanketed the chaparral-covered hillside.

CalFire Operations Chief Christian Litz said Saturday that a main focus was the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus.

New evacuations were ordered Friday evening after a flare up on the eastern side of the Palisades Fire.

The National Weather Service warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/santa-ana-winds-california-0b2c68cdc29a7c354238c6ccc09c830c">strong Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around to city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>

The fire also threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.

Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Most evacuation orders for the area were lifted, officials said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;has been determined for the largest fires and early estimates indicate the wildfires could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.

Volunteers overflowed donation centers and some had to be turned away at locations including the Santa Anita Park horse racing track, where people who lost their homes sifted through stacks of donated shirts, blankets and other household goods.

Altadena resident Jose Luis Godinez said three homes occupied by more than a dozen of his family members were destroyed.

“Everything is gone,” he said, speaking in Spanish. "All my family lived in those three houses and now we have nothing.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents against venturing back to destroyed homes to sift through rubble for keepsakes.

“We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” Luna said, urging people to abide by curfews.

Officials on Saturday warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

“If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in,” said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire who warned the material was "toxic.”

Residents will be allowed to return with protective gear after damage teams evaluate their properties, Thomas said.

LA Mayor Karen Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.

Los Angeles Fire Chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-fire-chief-crowley-bass-9076f31e7929b559e3afede572e119a4">Kristin Crowley</a>&nbsp;said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.

“When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” Crowley said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-f473e0423125c92c693b9c368ca20532">level of devastation is jarring</a>&nbsp;even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires. Traum of the state Office of Emergency Services said those impacted by the fires can apply online for immediate government assistance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736685604329.png" alt="Photo California National Guard" />
 <figcaption>Photo California National Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said in a statement Saturday evening.The previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing.There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Do not fly your drone near or around areas affected by the LA wildfires. Anyone who interferes with emergency response operations may face severe fines and criminal prosecution. If you fly, emergency responders can&#39;t. <a href="https://t.co/UE5wqAlR1O">pic.twitter.com/UE5wqAlR1O</a>&mdash; The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1877525547082813725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue.“Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday,” Traum said.<h2>Fighting to save public and private areas</h2>A fierce battle occurred Saturday in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities not far from the Pacific coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill. Firefighters on the ground used hoses in an attempt to beat back leaping flames as thick smoke blanketed the chaparral-covered hillside.CalFire Operations Chief Christian Litz said Saturday that a main focus was the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus.New evacuations were ordered Friday evening after a flare up on the eastern side of the Palisades Fire.The National Weather Service warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/santa-ana-winds-california-0b2c68cdc29a7c354238c6ccc09c830c">strong Santa Ana winds</a>&nbsp;could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around to city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>The fire also threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.<h2>Historical cost</h2>The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Most evacuation orders for the area were lifted, officials said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;has been determined for the largest fires and early estimates indicate the wildfires could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.<h2>Overflowing kindness</h2>Volunteers overflowed donation centers and some had to be turned away at locations including the Santa Anita Park horse racing track, where people who lost their homes sifted through stacks of donated shirts, blankets and other household goods.Altadena resident Jose Luis Godinez said three homes occupied by more than a dozen of his family members were destroyed.“Everything is gone,” he said, speaking in Spanish. "All my family lived in those three houses and now we have nothing.”<h2>Officials warn against returning</h2>Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents against venturing back to destroyed homes to sift through rubble for keepsakes.“We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” Luna said, urging people to abide by curfews.Officials on Saturday warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.“If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in,” said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire who warned the material was "toxic.”Residents will be allowed to return with protective gear after damage teams evaluate their properties, Thomas said.<h2>Leadership accused of skimping</h2>LA Mayor Karen Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.Los Angeles Fire Chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-fire-chief-crowley-bass-9076f31e7929b559e3afede572e119a4">Kristin Crowley</a>&nbsp;said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.“When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” Crowley said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-f473e0423125c92c693b9c368ca20532">level of devastation is jarring</a>&nbsp;even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires. Traum of the state Office of Emergency Services said those impacted by the fires can apply online for immediate government assistance.

Los Angeles fire death toll rises as crews fight winds to save homes, landmarks

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home where two young children were living.

Deputies conducting surveillance at a residence at 601 E. Edison in Independence observed activity leading to a vehicle stop conducted by the Independence Police Department, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

The driver, identified as 59-year-old Bobbie Austin Jr. of Independence, was found in possession of over 7 pounds of suspected marijuana and was taken into custody. Based on evidence gathered, deputies obtained a search warrant for 601 E. Edison. 

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Independence Police Department, and Kansas Bureau of Investigations executed the warrant. Several individuals were located at the residence, including 65-year-old Clifford Craft; 34-year-old&nbsp; Dylan Craft; 41-year-old Tabitha Parks and 25-year-old Chase Vankirk all of Independence, Kansas,

Two juveniles, aged six and four, were also present. Law enforcement seized suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and various pills from the residence. 

The juveniles were placed in police protective custody, and all adults were arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.Recommended Charges:

Bobbie Austin Jr was jailed on requested charges of Distribution of marijuana (450 grams to 30 kilograms).

Clifford Craft was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of depressants and aggravated child endangerment.

Dylan Craft as jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; aggravated child endangerment.

Tabitha Parks was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Chase Vankirk was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; interference with a law enforcement officer.

This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be recommended, according to Sheriff Wade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462567725.png" alt="Dylan Craft -photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Dylan Craft -photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home where two young children were living.Deputies conducting surveillance at a residence at 601 E. Edison in Independence observed activity leading to a vehicle stop conducted by the Independence Police Department, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.The driver, identified as 59-year-old Bobbie Austin Jr. of Independence, was found in possession of over 7 pounds of suspected marijuana and was taken into custody. Based on evidence gathered, deputies obtained a search warrant for 601 E. Edison. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462763377.png" alt="Clifford Craft-photo Montgomery&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Clifford Craft-photo Montgomery&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Independence Police Department, and Kansas Bureau of Investigations executed the warrant. Several individuals were located at the residence, including 65-year-old Clifford Craft; 34-year-old&nbsp; Dylan Craft; 41-year-old Tabitha Parks and 25-year-old Chase Vankirk all of Independence, Kansas,Two juveniles, aged six and four, were also present. Law enforcement seized suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and various pills from the residence. The juveniles were placed in police protective custody, and all adults were arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.Recommended Charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462593726.png" alt="Parks-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Parks-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bobbie Austin Jr was jailed on requested charges of Distribution of marijuana (450 grams to 30 kilograms).Clifford Craft was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of depressants and aggravated child endangerment.Dylan Craft as jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; aggravated child endangerment.Tabitha Parks was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462652443.png" alt="Vankirk photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Vankirk photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Chase Vankirk was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; interference with a law enforcement officer.This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be recommended, according to Sheriff Wade.

Police found drugs and 2 small children at Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating what is now determined as a homicide from last summer and have identified the victim.

Just after 10:30a.m. August 13, police responded to a Topeka hospital after in individual arrived with life-threatening injuries, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

It was also reported that medical personnel had responded to a medical call in the 1200 Block of NW Central in Topeka. A man was transported for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The individual identified as 43-year-old Ocelopanhuetzi Texotic Martinez, 43, of Topeka died September 1.&nbsp; After an autopsy, Topeka Police investigators determined the incident to be a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest in the case.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating what is now determined as a homicide from last summer and have identified the victim.Just after 10:30a.m. August 13, police responded to a Topeka hospital after in individual arrived with life-threatening injuries, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.It was also reported that medical personnel had responded to a medical call in the 1200 Block of NW Central in Topeka. A man was transported for treatment of life-threatening injuries.The individual identified as 43-year-old Ocelopanhuetzi Texotic Martinez, 43, of Topeka died September 1.&nbsp; After an autopsy, Topeka Police investigators determined the incident to be a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest in the case.

Police: Autopsy shows Kan. man's death a homicide

Some researchers question long-term cost savings for state programs.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Over her three-decade career, weight management physician Dr. Sarah Ro has seen hundreds of patients. Many of them are on Medicaid and have become yo-yo dieters who, despite their best efforts at changing their eating habits and lifestyles, cannot seem to shed the pounds hurting their health.

“They have a tremendous amount of disease burden,” said Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Physicians Network weight management program, which serves patients from marginalized communities at clinics across the state. “All the complications that you could think of.”

But the increasingly popular drug therapy known as GLP-1s could help, she said.

GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone in the intestinal tract to balance the body’s blood sugar levels. And while GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have been around for years to help patients with diabetes, they are growing in popularity to treat patients in need of significant weight loss. That’s because the drugs also send the brain a signal that reduces hunger.

Due to their high list price in the United States — ranging from about $940 to $1,350 a month before insurance, rebates or discounts — many patients can’t afford them.

But now that these drugs are in greater demand from both patients and doctors, state Medicaid programs are grappling with whether to cover them for weight loss, both for reasons of equity and to save on future health expenditures. Some researchers, however, question whether the drugs can help lower costs in the long run.

Last August, North Carolina became the latest state to begin covering some federal Food and Drug Administration-approved GLP-1s for obesity treatment among some populations, joining a dozen other states.

“For me, it wasn’t ever an option not to cover it,” said Kody Kinsley, who just ended his term as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services under former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

“The first big reason was just a sense of doing what is right for folks,” Kinsley told Stateline. He also thinks coverage is the right investment economically, estimating that the North Carolina Medicaid program spends about a billion dollars a year on obesity-related expenses.

He told Stateline that funding drugs that can cut those costs down by even a small percentage is worth it over the long run. He also noted that Medicaid covers other expensive drugs. The department expects the cost of covering GLP-1s to be about $16 million a year under the new policy. By comparison, coverage for Dupixent, a drug commonly used to treat eczema, runs the state about $28 million a year.

“It is my experience that the only time we seem to really get up in arms as a society about the cost of a drug — to the point where we are willing to not cover it — is when it is for some sort of stigmatized disease,” Kinsley told Stateline.

Obesity, he noted, is a recognized medical condition.

Medicaid programs cover some GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity in a dozen other states: California, Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin.

An annual survey from the health policy research organization KFF recently found that half of the remaining state Medicaid programs are considering covering the drugs, but that the high costs are still prohibitive for most despite federal matches and rebate programs with drug manufacturers.

State officials say health equity — the idea that all groups regardless of background deserve equal access to health care — is one of the main reasons they are considering the coverage, but that they worry higher costs will put pressure on their Medicaid budgets, said KFF senior policy analyst Liz Williams, who co-authored the survey of state Medicaid program directors.

Medicaid spending on GLP-1s for all conditions increased from $597.3 million for about 755,000 prescriptions in 2019, to $3.9 billion for 3.8 million prescriptions in 2023, according to KFF. It’s hard to tell, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/#:~:text=From%20Medicaid%20data%20publicly%20available%2C%20there%20is%20no%20way%20yet%20to%20disentangle%20how%20much%20of%20the%20growing%20use%20of%20GLP%2D1s%20is%20related%20to%20treatment%20for%20diabetes%20versus%20obesity%2C%20or%20a%20combination%20of%20both." target="_blank">how much</a>&nbsp;of the increase is solely for obesity vs. diabetes, or a combination of both, the study noted.

Some states in KFF’s survey said they are considering whether coverage expansion in the future may reduce long-term Medicaid spending on chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

But one researcher, John Cawley, a professor of economics and public policy at Cornell University, and his colleagues found that while obesity “basically doubles a person’s annual health care costs,” the savings associated with public insurance plans covering GLP-1s for just obesity treatment are dependent on the patient’s starting body mass index, or BMI.

A healthy weight is a BMI of up to 25. People who are obese, based on their height and weight, have an amount of fat on their bodies representing a BMI of 30 or higher.

“You shouldn’t expect to see almost any cost savings for somebody whose BMI is around 30 or 31,” Cawley told Stateline. He noted that most significant savings would happen at a starting BMI of around 40, but added that “those savings still may not be great enough to pay for the current list price of these drugs.”

Cawley said there are numerous other reasons to cover the drug, though, such as improving someone’s quality of life.

Ro, the weight management doctor, told Stateline that across North Carolina, people in vulnerable communities can be predisposed to developing obesity because they often live within what’s known as an “obesogenic environment” — a combination of physical, economic and social factors that promotes obesity.

Residents struggle with losing weight not only due to a diet of unhealthy foods, but also because of generational genetics, a dearth of grocery stores with healthy foods, and busy schedules with multiple jobs and a lack of child care. Many cities in the state aren’t that “walkable,” leaving many residents with few options for basic exercise.

And some of the state’s most popular foods are high-fat, high-sugar dishes such as pork shoulder slathered in sugary and smoky barbecue sauce, peach cobbler, fried shrimp and fried green tomatoes. North Carolina is the “buckle of the barbecue belt,” Kinsley said.

There, 70% of residents are either overweight or obese. Obesity is linked to several comorbidities, such as diabetes and heart failure. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34% of North Carolina adults — compared with 40% nationally — are obese.

That rate rises across demographic groups. While white North Carolinians experience an obesity rate of 32%, Hispanic populations sit at 34%, Indigenous North Carolinians are at 38%, and Black North Carolinians have a rate of 48%.

Most Medicaid enrollees in the state are people of color.

In late November, the Biden administration proposed a new rule to require Medicaid and Medicare programs to cover GLP-1s for weight loss. The incoming Trump administration will have to decide whether to approve those changes.

The Biden administration estimates that the change would cost the federal government about $11 billion over the course of 10 years for Medicaid. States would have to pay an estimated $3.8 billion.

While states assess their capacities and the federal government considers its plans, Ro said her patients are getting a better shot at getting healthier by having access to the coverage.

“GLP-1s are not the answer for everybody,” Ro told Stateline. “But If I have a high-risk patient with heart disease, with sleep apnea and advanced liver disease, this could be a lifesaving medication.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736176419950.png" alt="Ozempic was originally approved to treat people with Type 2 diabetes, but demand has surged because of the drug’s weight-loss benefits.&nbsp;Thirteen states cover GLP-1 drugs through their Medicaid programs, and others are considering following suit.- courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Ozempic was originally approved to treat people with Type 2 diabetes, but demand has surged because of the drug’s weight-loss benefits.&nbsp;Thirteen states cover GLP-1 drugs through their Medicaid programs, and others are considering following suit.- courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Some researchers question long-term cost savings for state programs.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a> Over her three-decade career, weight management physician Dr. Sarah Ro has seen hundreds of patients. Many of them are on Medicaid and have become yo-yo dieters who, despite their best efforts at changing their eating habits and lifestyles, cannot seem to shed the pounds hurting their health.“They have a tremendous amount of disease burden,” said Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Physicians Network weight management program, which serves patients from marginalized communities at clinics across the state. “All the complications that you could think of.”But the increasingly popular drug therapy known as GLP-1s could help, she said.GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone in the intestinal tract to balance the body’s blood sugar levels. And while GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have been around for years to help patients with diabetes, they are growing in popularity to treat patients in need of significant weight loss. That’s because the drugs also send the brain a signal that reduces hunger.Due to their high list price in the United States — ranging from about $940 to $1,350 a month before insurance, rebates or discounts — many patients can’t afford them.But now that these drugs are in greater demand from both patients and doctors, state Medicaid programs are grappling with whether to cover them for weight loss, both for reasons of equity and to save on future health expenditures. Some researchers, however, question whether the drugs can help lower costs in the long run.Last August, North Carolina became the latest state to begin covering some federal Food and Drug Administration-approved GLP-1s for obesity treatment among some populations, joining a dozen other states.“For me, it wasn’t ever an option not to cover it,” said Kody Kinsley, who just ended his term as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services under former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.“The first big reason was just a sense of doing what is right for folks,” Kinsley told Stateline. He also thinks coverage is the right investment economically, estimating that the North Carolina Medicaid program spends about a billion dollars a year on obesity-related expenses.He told Stateline that funding drugs that can cut those costs down by even a small percentage is worth it over the long run. He also noted that Medicaid covers other expensive drugs. The department expects the cost of covering GLP-1s to be about $16 million a year under the new policy. By comparison, coverage for Dupixent, a drug commonly used to treat eczema, runs the state about $28 million a year.“It is my experience that the only time we seem to really get up in arms as a society about the cost of a drug — to the point where we are willing to not cover it — is when it is for some sort of stigmatized disease,” Kinsley told Stateline.Obesity, he noted, is a recognized medical condition.<h2>Medicaid spending</h2>Medicaid programs cover some GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity in a dozen other states: California, Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin.An annual survey from the health policy research organization KFF recently found that half of the remaining state Medicaid programs are considering covering the drugs, but that the high costs are still prohibitive for most despite federal matches and rebate programs with drug manufacturers.State officials say health equity — the idea that all groups regardless of background deserve equal access to health care — is one of the main reasons they are considering the coverage, but that they worry higher costs will put pressure on their Medicaid budgets, said KFF senior policy analyst Liz Williams, who co-authored the survey of state Medicaid program directors.Medicaid spending on GLP-1s for all conditions increased from $597.3 million for about 755,000 prescriptions in 2019, to $3.9 billion for 3.8 million prescriptions in 2023, according to KFF. It’s hard to tell, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/#:~:text=From%20Medicaid%20data%20publicly%20available%2C%20there%20is%20no%20way%20yet%20to%20disentangle%20how%20much%20of%20the%20growing%20use%20of%20GLP%2D1s%20is%20related%20to%20treatment%20for%20diabetes%20versus%20obesity%2C%20or%20a%20combination%20of%20both." target="_blank">how much</a>&nbsp;of the increase is solely for obesity vs. diabetes, or a combination of both, the study noted.Some states in KFF’s survey said they are considering whether coverage expansion in the future may reduce long-term Medicaid spending on chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.But one researcher, John Cawley, a professor of economics and public policy at Cornell University, and his colleagues found that while obesity “basically doubles a person’s annual health care costs,” the savings associated with public insurance plans covering GLP-1s for just obesity treatment are dependent on the patient’s starting body mass index, or BMI.A healthy weight is a BMI of up to 25. People who are obese, based on their height and weight, have an amount of fat on their bodies representing a BMI of 30 or higher.“You shouldn’t expect to see almost any cost savings for somebody whose BMI is around 30 or 31,” Cawley told Stateline. He noted that most significant savings would happen at a starting BMI of around 40, but added that “those savings still may not be great enough to pay for the current list price of these drugs.”Cawley said there are numerous other reasons to cover the drug, though, such as improving someone’s quality of life.<h2>An ‘obesogenic environment’</h2>Ro, the weight management doctor, told Stateline that across North Carolina, people in vulnerable communities can be predisposed to developing obesity because they often live within what’s known as an “obesogenic environment” — a combination of physical, economic and social factors that promotes obesity.Residents struggle with losing weight not only due to a diet of unhealthy foods, but also because of generational genetics, a dearth of grocery stores with healthy foods, and busy schedules with multiple jobs and a lack of child care. Many cities in the state aren’t that “walkable,” leaving many residents with few options for basic exercise.And some of the state’s most popular foods are high-fat, high-sugar dishes such as pork shoulder slathered in sugary and smoky barbecue sauce, peach cobbler, fried shrimp and fried green tomatoes. North Carolina is the “buckle of the barbecue belt,” Kinsley said.There, 70% of residents are either overweight or obese. Obesity is linked to several comorbidities, such as diabetes and heart failure. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34% of North Carolina adults — compared with 40% nationally — are obese.That rate rises across demographic groups. While white North Carolinians experience an obesity rate of 32%, Hispanic populations sit at 34%, Indigenous North Carolinians are at 38%, and Black North Carolinians have a rate of 48%.Most Medicaid enrollees in the state are people of color.In late November, the Biden administration proposed a new rule to require Medicaid and Medicare programs to cover GLP-1s for weight loss. The incoming Trump administration will have to decide whether to approve those changes.The Biden administration estimates that the change would cost the federal government about $11 billion over the course of 10 years for Medicaid. States would have to pay an estimated $3.8 billion.While states assess their capacities and the federal government considers its plans, Ro said her patients are getting a better shot at getting healthier by having access to the coverage.“GLP-1s are not the answer for everybody,” Ro told Stateline. “But If I have a high-risk patient with heart disease, with sleep apnea and advanced liver disease, this could be a lifesaving medication.”

As demand for weight-loss drugs rises, states grapple with Medicaid coverage

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TED ANTHONY AP National Writer</a>

Look at their faces — formal, etched with experience, laden with the weight of momentous decisions. Add up their years: 379 to be exact, enough time to take you back into the mid-1600s, when the notion of the American nation was still more than a century away.

Consider why they were there: to bid farewell to a member of their fraternity who was the last of his generation and whose own life began just a few years after World War I's ashes stopped smoldering.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-w-bush">George W. Bush</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

Inside&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/about/">Washington National Cathedral</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, the five men who have occupied the Oval Office since 1993 convened for a rare moment together at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-state-funeral-joe-biden-donald-trump-df391a578d6b4627ad500f5df03ac1ff">Jimmy Carter's state funeral</a>. In that one act, they created a momentary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/">timeline of American history</a>, a strand that connects them to the Roosevelts, to Lincoln and to Washington, the first of them. Visible right next to the five, too, were four people who were a heartbeat away from the same position —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dan-quayle">Dan Quayle,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-gore">Al Gore</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, the current vice president.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government">three coequal branches</a>&nbsp;of the American government were designed to transcend just one person. Yet somehow, with our love of big personalities and our elevation of the individual, the president of the United States became a different breed entirely — an amalgam of person and office that now occupies a space in the culture like no other.

The American presidency is draped in ritual.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-united-states-marine-band-hail-to-the-chief">“Hail to the Chief”</a>&nbsp;is played when a president enters an official event. People stand when a president comes into the room.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.secretservice.gov/about/faq/general#:~:text=By%20law%2C%20the%20Secret%20Service,families%20of%20the%20above%20individuals">A protective cocoon</a>&nbsp;envelopes a president’s every move. Speeches are given behind a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/a-brief-history-of-the-presidential-seal">presidential seal</a>. The office confers an aura that continues up until the moment of an elaborate, dayslong memorial.

That aura — and the fact that many have hardly been ideological kindred spirits — is what makes images like those at Carter's service so extraordinary.

Yet it's not merely that these are the fellow citizens who led Americans through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-recak-massacre-342a0b7bf31573ccc853705f1911c52f">Kosovo war</a>, through the aftermath of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">9/11</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">Iraq War</a>, through the rise of the internet and economic calamities, climate change and pandemic. It's not that, adore them or despise them, they rose to the lead the nation and did consequential things — positive and negative — in Americans' name.

To see these men of history shoulder to shoulder in cathedral pews shows that they're people like all of us. And on this day of mourning, in a display of unity and continuity, they dressed up for a funeral and said farewell to a touchstone of an earlier generation, To view them in a single snapshot where no one — not even the sitting president — was in charge of the proceedings serves to humanize them. It reinforces the notion that Abraham Lincoln spoke of so many years ago — “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

“The power of regular people,” Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, said in his eulogy.

In a country where political money is unfathomable in its amounts and its power, this isn't to say these five men are “regular people.” The power they commanded, command or will command astonishes.

But that power is ultimately limited, and not just by checks and balances. Whatever history thinks in the end of Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush and Clinton, it will always have the last word for the five who gathered Thursday — and the sixth, Carter, for whom they gathered.

Which doesn’t make Thursday’s image any less momentous. Stuart Eizenstat, a longtime Carter friend and adviser, had this to say about the 39th president at the service, but it probably works for all the commanders in chief in attendance: “He may not be a candidate for Mount Rushmore, but he belongs in the foothills."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736444823928.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22TED%20ANTHONY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By TED ANTHONY AP National Writer</a>Look at their faces — formal, etched with experience, laden with the weight of momentous decisions. Add up their years: 379 to be exact, enough time to take you back into the mid-1600s, when the notion of the American nation was still more than a century away.Consider why they were there: to bid farewell to a member of their fraternity who was the last of his generation and whose own life began just a few years after World War I's ashes stopped smoldering.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-w-bush">George W. Bush</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.Inside&nbsp;<a href="https://cathedral.org/about/">Washington National Cathedral</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, the five men who have occupied the Oval Office since 1993 convened for a rare moment together at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-state-funeral-joe-biden-donald-trump-df391a578d6b4627ad500f5df03ac1ff">Jimmy Carter's state funeral</a>. In that one act, they created a momentary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/">timeline of American history</a>, a strand that connects them to the Roosevelts, to Lincoln and to Washington, the first of them. Visible right next to the five, too, were four people who were a heartbeat away from the same position —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dan-quayle">Dan Quayle,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/al-gore">Al Gore</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, the current vice president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736435376951.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government">three coequal branches</a>&nbsp;of the American government were designed to transcend just one person. Yet somehow, with our love of big personalities and our elevation of the individual, the president of the United States became a different breed entirely — an amalgam of person and office that now occupies a space in the culture like no other.The American presidency is draped in ritual.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-united-states-marine-band-hail-to-the-chief">“Hail to the Chief”</a>&nbsp;is played when a president enters an official event. People stand when a president comes into the room.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.secretservice.gov/about/faq/general#:~:text=By%20law%2C%20the%20Secret%20Service,families%20of%20the%20above%20individuals">A protective cocoon</a>&nbsp;envelopes a president’s every move. Speeches are given behind a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/a-brief-history-of-the-presidential-seal">presidential seal</a>. The office confers an aura that continues up until the moment of an elaborate, dayslong memorial.That aura — and the fact that many have hardly been ideological kindred spirits — is what makes images like those at Carter's service so extraordinary.Yet it's not merely that these are the fellow citizens who led Americans through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-recak-massacre-342a0b7bf31573ccc853705f1911c52f">Kosovo war</a>, through the aftermath of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">9/11</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">Iraq War</a>, through the rise of the internet and economic calamities, climate change and pandemic. It's not that, adore them or despise them, they rose to the lead the nation and did consequential things — positive and negative — in Americans' name.It's the precise opposite, actually.To see these men of history shoulder to shoulder in cathedral pews shows that they're people like all of us. And on this day of mourning, in a display of unity and continuity, they dressed up for a funeral and said farewell to a touchstone of an earlier generation, To view them in a single snapshot where no one — not even the sitting president — was in charge of the proceedings serves to humanize them. It reinforces the notion that Abraham Lincoln spoke of so many years ago — “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”“The power of regular people,” Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, said in his eulogy.In a country where political money is unfathomable in its amounts and its power, this isn't to say these five men are “regular people.” The power they commanded, command or will command astonishes.But that power is ultimately limited, and not just by checks and balances. Whatever history thinks in the end of Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush and Clinton, it will always have the last word for the five who gathered Thursday — and the sixth, Carter, for whom they gathered.Which doesn’t make Thursday’s image any less momentous. Stuart Eizenstat, a longtime Carter friend and adviser, had this to say about the 39th president at the service, but it probably works for all the commanders in chief in attendance: “He may not be a candidate for Mount Rushmore, but he belongs in the foothills."___

 American snapshot: A singular image, 5 presidents, 379 years of history

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly road-rage shooting in Kansas City.

Just after 7p.m. Friday, police were called to the area of southbound Interstate 29 near NW 72nd Street in Kansas City in regard to a vehicle that was observed to have run off the roadway, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

First responders located a vehicle south of NW 72nd Street, off the highway on the southbound side and down an embankment up against a barrier fence on the outer road, NW Prairie View Road.

Officers approached the vehicle and located a man, who appeared to have been shot, unresponsive inside the vehicle. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over. 

EMS transported the victim to the hospital for treatment. A short time later the victim was declared deceased at the hospital, according to Becchina. 

Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting likely occurred while the victim was traveling southbound at or north of NW 72nd Street. Detectives and crime scene investigators temporarily closed north of that location to conduct their investigation and search closely for any potential evidence. 

Detectives ask if anyone was in this area of Interstate 29 around that time and saw anything of note, no matter how small for them to contact Homicide Unit directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736605549132.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly road-rage shooting in Kansas City.Just after 7p.m. Friday, police were called to the area of southbound Interstate 29 near NW 72nd Street in Kansas City in regard to a vehicle that was observed to have run off the roadway, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.First responders located a vehicle south of NW 72nd Street, off the highway on the southbound side and down an embankment up against a barrier fence on the outer road, NW Prairie View Road.Officers approached the vehicle and located a man, who appeared to have been shot, unresponsive inside the vehicle. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over. EMS transported the victim to the hospital for treatment. A short time later the victim was declared deceased at the hospital, according to Becchina. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting likely occurred while the victim was traveling southbound at or north of NW 72nd Street. Detectives and crime scene investigators temporarily closed north of that location to conduct their investigation and search closely for any potential evidence. Detectives ask if anyone was in this area of Interstate 29 around that time and saw anything of note, no matter how small for them to contact Homicide Unit directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD: Man who died after Interstate crash had been shot

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/best-buy-q3-earnings-consumer-electronics-0d04b5e90f9746e3cd390d00ace1da66">Kohl’s</a>&nbsp;said Friday it was closing 27 underperforming locations in 15 states by April — a fraction of its 1,150 store base — as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-restaurants-winners-losers-bankruptcies-2024-2a5b608814960de49f741207daa7aa01">struggling department store</a>&nbsp;chain aims to boost profitability and improve sagging sales.

There are 12 Kohl's stores in Kansas. None are on the list of stores set to close.

The announcement comes as the Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based chain has posted 11 consecutive quarters of sales declines.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kohls-ceo-ashley-buchanan-c874d3ce09ca22c0510bc12826f46435">Michaels CEO and retail veteran Ashley Buchanan</a>&nbsp;is set to take over as the chief executive of Kohl’s next week.

Buchanan will take over the top job from Tom Kingsbury, who will stay as an adviser to the new CEO and retain his position on Kohl’s board until his scheduled retirement in May. Kingsbury served as Kohl’s interim CEO in December 2022 and was named its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/levi-strauss-and-co-business-ee81d36eff822ed1d1abacf81146281f">permanent leader in February 2023.</a>

Kohl’s declined to disclose the number of employees affected. It said workers have been informed and were offered a “competitive severance package” or the chance to apply to other open roles at Kohl’s. The stores identified for closure included 10 in California.

“As we continue to build on our long-term growth strategy, it is important that we also take difficult but necessary actions to support the health and future of our business for our customers and our teams,” Kingsbury said in a statement.

U.S. department stores have had a challenging few years as consumers continue to seek out deals online.

On Thursday, Macy’s disclosed the locations of&nbsp;<a href="https://s202.q4cdn.com/285121676/files/doc_downloads/investors/FY-2024-Year-End-Closures-1-9-2025.pdf" target="_blank">66 stores</a>&nbsp;that it will be closing early this year, including one in a historic landmark building in Philadelphia. The majority of these stores will close during the company’s first fiscal quarter of this year, Macy’s said.

The announcement is part of a strategy announced in February 2024, that calls for shuttering roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-fourthquarter-tony-spring-investor-adb135fab8bf9ddf6d01119bfcbffb83">150 underproductive stores while upgrading its remaining 350 stores</a>&nbsp;through fiscal 2026. The closings come as Macy’s is looking to improve its sales as shoppers have pulled back on discretionary items amid still high inflation.

In November, Macy’s reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-third-quarter-earnings-profit-holiday-60800dd9f1c194510ee9cacbfbba4725">falling profit and sales in its fiscal third quarter.</a>&nbsp;It raised sales expectations for the current fiscal year, but lowered profit projections.

The Macy’s stores set to close account for 25% of the company’s overall square footage but less than 10% of its sales, the company had said.

These are the 27 locations Kohl's announced would be closing:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736565938892.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/best-buy-q3-earnings-consumer-electronics-0d04b5e90f9746e3cd390d00ace1da66">Kohl’s</a>&nbsp;said Friday it was closing 27 underperforming locations in 15 states by April — a fraction of its 1,150 store base — as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-restaurants-winners-losers-bankruptcies-2024-2a5b608814960de49f741207daa7aa01">struggling department store</a>&nbsp;chain aims to boost profitability and improve sagging sales.There are 12 Kohl's stores in Kansas. None are on the list of stores set to close.The announcement comes as the Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based chain has posted 11 consecutive quarters of sales declines.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kohls-ceo-ashley-buchanan-c874d3ce09ca22c0510bc12826f46435">Michaels CEO and retail veteran Ashley Buchanan</a>&nbsp;is set to take over as the chief executive of Kohl’s next week.Buchanan will take over the top job from Tom Kingsbury, who will stay as an adviser to the new CEO and retain his position on Kohl’s board until his scheduled retirement in May. Kingsbury served as Kohl’s interim CEO in December 2022 and was named its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/levi-strauss-and-co-business-ee81d36eff822ed1d1abacf81146281f">permanent leader in February 2023.</a>Kohl’s declined to disclose the number of employees affected. It said workers have been informed and were offered a “competitive severance package” or the chance to apply to other open roles at Kohl’s. The stores identified for closure included 10 in California.“As we continue to build on our long-term growth strategy, it is important that we also take difficult but necessary actions to support the health and future of our business for our customers and our teams,” Kingsbury said in a statement.U.S. department stores have had a challenging few years as consumers continue to seek out deals online.On Thursday, Macy’s disclosed the locations of&nbsp;<a href="https://s202.q4cdn.com/285121676/files/doc_downloads/investors/FY-2024-Year-End-Closures-1-9-2025.pdf" target="_blank">66 stores</a>&nbsp;that it will be closing early this year, including one in a historic landmark building in Philadelphia. The majority of these stores will close during the company’s first fiscal quarter of this year, Macy’s said.The announcement is part of a strategy announced in February 2024, that calls for shuttering roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-fourthquarter-tony-spring-investor-adb135fab8bf9ddf6d01119bfcbffb83">150 underproductive stores while upgrading its remaining 350 stores</a>&nbsp;through fiscal 2026. The closings come as Macy’s is looking to improve its sales as shoppers have pulled back on discretionary items amid still high inflation.In November, Macy’s reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-third-quarter-earnings-profit-holiday-60800dd9f1c194510ee9cacbfbba4725">falling profit and sales in its fiscal third quarter.</a>&nbsp;It raised sales expectations for the current fiscal year, but lowered profit projections.The Macy’s stores set to close account for 25% of the company’s overall square footage but less than 10% of its sales, the company had said.<h2>List of Kohl's stores closing nationwide</h2>These are the 27 locations Kohl's announced would be closing:Alabama<ul>
 <li>Spanish Fort:&nbsp;21000 Town Center Ave.</li>
 </ul>Arkansas<ul>
 <li>Little Rock West:&nbsp;13909 Chenal Pkwy.</li>
 </ul>California<ul>
 <li>Balboa (San Diego):&nbsp;5505 Balboa Ave.</li><li>Encinitas:&nbsp;134 N El Camino Real</li><li>Fremont:&nbsp;43782 Christy St.</li><li>Mountain View:&nbsp;350 Showers Drive</li><li>Napa:&nbsp;1116 1st St.</li><li>Pleasanton:&nbsp;4525 Rosewood Drive</li><li>Point West (Sacramento):&nbsp;1896 Arden Way</li><li>San Rafael:&nbsp;5010 Northgate Drive</li><li>San Luis Obispo:&nbsp;205 Madonna Road</li><li>Westchester:&nbsp;8739 S Sepulveda Blvd.</li>
 </ul>Colorado<ul>
 <li>Arapahoe Crossing (Aurora):&nbsp;6584 S Parker Road</li>
 </ul>Georgia<ul>
 <li>Duluth:&nbsp;2050 W Liddell Road</li>
 </ul>Idaho<ul>
 <li>Boise:&nbsp;400 N Milwaukee St.</li>
 </ul>Illinois<ul>
 <li>Plainfield: 11860 S Route 59</li><li>Spring Hill (West Dundee):&nbsp;3000 Spring Hill Ring Road</li>
 </ul>Massachusetts<ul>
 <li>Stoughton:&nbsp;501 Technology Center Drive</li>
 </ul>New Jersey<ul>
 <li>East Windsor:&nbsp;72 Princeton Hightstown Road</li>
 </ul>Ohio<ul>
 <li>Blue Ash:&nbsp;4150 Hunt Road</li><li>Forest Park (Cincinnati):&nbsp;100 Cincinnati Mills Drive</li>
 </ul>Oregon<ul>
 <li>Portland Gateway:&nbsp;10010 NE Halsey St.</li>
 </ul>Pennsylvania<ul>
 <li>Pottstown:&nbsp;351 W Schuylkill Road</li>
 </ul>Texas<ul>
 <li>North Dallas:&nbsp;18224 Preston Road</li>
 </ul>Utah<ul>
 <li>Riverton:&nbsp;13319 S 3600 W Ste 13LOT</li>
 </ul>Virginia<ul>
 <li>Herndon:&nbsp;2100 Centreville Road</li><li>Williamsburg:&nbsp;100 Gristmill Plz</li>
 </ul>

See the list: Kohl’s to close 27 stores nationwide

JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school student has admitted to his role in a school shooting.

On Friday, 21-year-old Jaylon D. Elmore pleaded guilty to attempted premeditated murder and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the 2022 shooting in the assistant principal's office at Olathe East High School, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

Prosecutors allege Elmore, who was a 19-year-old senior at the time, was called to the office when he refused to allow school officials to search his backpack after reports that he had a gun. Elmore shot school resource officer Erik Clark.

Clark and Elmore shot each other during the scuffle, according to court documents. The assistant principal was hit by bullets “most likely” shot by Clark during the confrontation, investigators said.

Both men survived their injuries and were released shortly after the shooting. Elmore was hospitalized in critical condition for several months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652189950125.png" alt="Elmore photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Elmore photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school student has admitted to his role in a school shooting.On Friday, 21-year-old Jaylon D. Elmore pleaded guilty to attempted premeditated murder and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the 2022 shooting in the assistant principal's office at Olathe East High School, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646417385414.png" alt="--Scene outside the school on the morning of the shooting -photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>--Scene outside the school on the morning of the shooting -photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors allege Elmore, who was a 19-year-old senior at the time, was called to the office when he refused to allow school officials to search his backpack after reports that he had a gun. Elmore shot school resource officer Erik Clark.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646450835191.png" alt="-Erik Clark-photo courtesy Olathe Police" />
 <figcaption>-Erik Clark-photo courtesy Olathe Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Clark and Elmore shot each other during the scuffle, according to court documents. The assistant principal was hit by bullets “most likely” shot by Clark during the confrontation, investigators said.Both men survived their injuries and were released shortly after the shooting. Elmore was hospitalized in critical condition for several months.Elmore is set for sentencing March 20.

Former student admits guilt in shooting at Kansas high school

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday seemed likely to uphold a law that would ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">TikTok</a>&nbsp;in the United States beginning Jan. 19 unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argument

Hearing arguments in a momentous clash of free speech and national security concerns, the justices seemed persuaded by arguments that the national security threat posed by the company's connections to China override concerns about restricting the speech either of TikTok or its 170 million users in the United States.

Early in arguments that lasted more than two and a half hours, Chief Justice John Roberts identified his main concern: TikTok’s ownership by China-based ByteDance and the parent company's requirement to cooperate with the Chinese government’s intelligence operations.

If left in place, the law passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April will require TikTok to “go dark” on Jan. 19, lawyer Noel Francisco told the justices on behalf of TikTok.

At the very least, Francisco urged, the justices should enter a temporary pause that would allow TikTok to keep operating. “We might be in a different world again” after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on TikTok, also has called for the deadline to be pushed back to give him time to negotiate a “political resolution.” Francisco served as Trump's solicitor general in his first presidential term.

But it was not clear whether any justices would choose such a course. And only Justice Neil Gorsuch sounded like he would side with TikTok to find that the ban violates the Constitution.

Gorsuch labeled arguments advanced by the Biden administration’ in defense of the law a “paternalistic point of view.” TikTok, he said, has offered to post a warning that the content could be manipulated by the Chinese government.

“Don’t we normally assume that the best remedy for problematic speech is counter speech?” he asked Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law for the Biden administration

A warning wouldn’t be enough to counterbalance the spread of misinformation, Prelogar said.

Francisco and lawyer Jeffrey Fisher, representing content creators and TikTok users, repeatedly tried to focus the court on the First Amendment restrictions that would fall on TikTok and its users, imperiling the livelihood of content creators, if the law is allowed to take effect.

But compared to the mildly challenging questions directed to Prelogar, they faced skepticism from every justice other than Gorsuch.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised U.S. concerns about China accessing information on tens of millions of Americans, including especially teenagers and people in their 20s, with whom TikTok is extremely popular.

“That seems like a huge concern for the future of the country,” said Kavanaugh, whose daughters are in that age range.

Roberts downplayed Fisher’s argument that banning TikTok violates American users’ free speech rights. “Congress is fine with the expression,” Roberts said. “They’re not fine with a foreign adversary, as they’ve determined it is, gathering all this information about the 170 million people who use TikTok.”

The justices are expected to act within days, almost certainly ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline.

Content creators and small business owners who rely on the app are awaiting a decision with anxiety.

“There’s really no replacement for this app," said Skip Chapman, co-owner of KAFX Body in Manasquan, N.J., a maker and seller of natural deodorants. Chapman said more than 80% of his sales come on TikTok and he has not found the same traction on Amazon or other platforms.

Lee Zavorskas, a TikTok creator and a licensed esthetician based in New Hampshire, said she makes nearly half of her income on the platform by promoting products for other businesses. Zavorskas said she found it too stressful to listen to Friday's arguments. Instead, she spent her time building a YouTube channel.

ByteDance has said it won’t sell the short-form video platform, and Francisco said a sale might never be possible under the conditions set in the law.

But some investors have been eyeing TikTok, including Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-mnuchin-house-senate-ffdf37776e63a09bb6966d741df7093b">Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchi</a>&nbsp;n and billionaire businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-mccourt-sale-bytedance-843d24334321f90bebeeac4b32896a9a">Frank McCourt</a>. On Thursday, McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative said it, along with its unnamed partners, presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.

If TikTok isn’t sold to an approved buyer, the federal law would prohibit app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, from offering the popular app. It would also bar internet hosting services from hosting TikTok.

TikTok users who already have the app on their phones will continue to have access to it. But new users won’t be able to download the app, and existing ones will no longer be able to receive updates. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.

Prelogar said an eventual sale of the platform, even after the ban kicks in, would allow TikTok to resume operations. The sale of Twitter to Elon Musk, who renamed it X, shows that the sale of a social media platform can happen quickly, she said.

That high-profile transaction went through in about six months from offer to completion, she said.

TikTok, meanwhile, has been “on notice” since 2020, during Trump's first term, that its sale could be required if it couldn’t satisfy the U.S. government’s national security concerns

The federal law was the culmination of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">yearslong saga in Washington</a>&nbsp;over TikTok, which the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">sees as a national security threat</a>&nbsp;due to its connections to China.

U.S. officials argue that the vast amounts of user data that TikTok collects, including sensitive information on viewing habits, could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. They also are concerned that the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who could pressure ByteDance to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.

TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing.

The company negotiated with the Biden administration between 2021 and 2022 to resolve the concerns around U.S. data privacy and potential algorithmic manipulation. In court documents, it has accused the administration of essentially walking away from those negotiations after it presented a draft agreement in August 2022. But the Justice Department has said the Biden administration concluded the proposal was “insufficient” because it would maintain TikTok’s ties to China. The agency said the Executive Branch also could “neither trust ByteDance to comply nor detect noncompliance before it was too late.”

A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok's quick appeal to the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday seemed likely to uphold a law that would ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">TikTok</a>&nbsp;in the United States beginning Jan. 19 unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argumentHearing arguments in a momentous clash of free speech and national security concerns, the justices seemed persuaded by arguments that the national security threat posed by the company's connections to China override concerns about restricting the speech either of TikTok or its 170 million users in the United States.Early in arguments that lasted more than two and a half hours, Chief Justice John Roberts identified his main concern: TikTok’s ownership by China-based ByteDance and the parent company's requirement to cooperate with the Chinese government’s intelligence operations.If left in place, the law passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April will require TikTok to “go dark” on Jan. 19, lawyer Noel Francisco told the justices on behalf of TikTok.At the very least, Francisco urged, the justices should enter a temporary pause that would allow TikTok to keep operating. “We might be in a different world again” after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on TikTok, also has called for the deadline to be pushed back to give him time to negotiate a “political resolution.” Francisco served as Trump's solicitor general in his first presidential term.But it was not clear whether any justices would choose such a course. And only Justice Neil Gorsuch sounded like he would side with TikTok to find that the ban violates the Constitution.Gorsuch labeled arguments advanced by the Biden administration’ in defense of the law a “paternalistic point of view.” TikTok, he said, has offered to post a warning that the content could be manipulated by the Chinese government.“Don’t we normally assume that the best remedy for problematic speech is counter speech?” he asked Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law for the Biden administrationA warning wouldn’t be enough to counterbalance the spread of misinformation, Prelogar said.Francisco and lawyer Jeffrey Fisher, representing content creators and TikTok users, repeatedly tried to focus the court on the First Amendment restrictions that would fall on TikTok and its users, imperiling the livelihood of content creators, if the law is allowed to take effect.But compared to the mildly challenging questions directed to Prelogar, they faced skepticism from every justice other than Gorsuch.Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised U.S. concerns about China accessing information on tens of millions of Americans, including especially teenagers and people in their 20s, with whom TikTok is extremely popular.“That seems like a huge concern for the future of the country,” said Kavanaugh, whose daughters are in that age range.Roberts downplayed Fisher’s argument that banning TikTok violates American users’ free speech rights. “Congress is fine with the expression,” Roberts said. “They’re not fine with a foreign adversary, as they’ve determined it is, gathering all this information about the 170 million people who use TikTok.”The justices are expected to act within days, almost certainly ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline.Content creators and small business owners who rely on the app are awaiting a decision with anxiety.“There’s really no replacement for this app," said Skip Chapman, co-owner of KAFX Body in Manasquan, N.J., a maker and seller of natural deodorants. Chapman said more than 80% of his sales come on TikTok and he has not found the same traction on Amazon or other platforms.Lee Zavorskas, a TikTok creator and a licensed esthetician based in New Hampshire, said she makes nearly half of her income on the platform by promoting products for other businesses. Zavorskas said she found it too stressful to listen to Friday's arguments. Instead, she spent her time building a YouTube channel.ByteDance has said it won’t sell the short-form video platform, and Francisco said a sale might never be possible under the conditions set in the law.But some investors have been eyeing TikTok, including Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-mnuchin-house-senate-ffdf37776e63a09bb6966d741df7093b">Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchi</a>&nbsp;n and billionaire businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-mccourt-sale-bytedance-843d24334321f90bebeeac4b32896a9a">Frank McCourt</a>. On Thursday, McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative said it, along with its unnamed partners, presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.If TikTok isn’t sold to an approved buyer, the federal law would prohibit app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, from offering the popular app. It would also bar internet hosting services from hosting TikTok.TikTok users who already have the app on their phones will continue to have access to it. But new users won’t be able to download the app, and existing ones will no longer be able to receive updates. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.Prelogar said an eventual sale of the platform, even after the ban kicks in, would allow TikTok to resume operations. The sale of Twitter to Elon Musk, who renamed it X, shows that the sale of a social media platform can happen quickly, she said.That high-profile transaction went through in about six months from offer to completion, she said.TikTok, meanwhile, has been “on notice” since 2020, during Trump's first term, that its sale could be required if it couldn’t satisfy the U.S. government’s national security concernsThe federal law was the culmination of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">yearslong saga in Washington</a>&nbsp;over TikTok, which the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">sees as a national security threat</a>&nbsp;due to its connections to China.U.S. officials argue that the vast amounts of user data that TikTok collects, including sensitive information on viewing habits, could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. They also are concerned that the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who could pressure ByteDance to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing.The company negotiated with the Biden administration between 2021 and 2022 to resolve the concerns around U.S. data privacy and potential algorithmic manipulation. In court documents, it has accused the administration of essentially walking away from those negotiations after it presented a draft agreement in August 2022. But the Justice Department has said the Biden administration concluded the proposal was “insufficient” because it would maintain TikTok’s ties to China. The agency said the Executive Branch also could “neither trust ByteDance to comply nor detect noncompliance before it was too late.”A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok's quick appeal to the Supreme Court.

🎧Supreme Court seems likely to uphold law to ban TikTok

This story is the first in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays, Kansas, resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a>.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

On March 21, 2022, an ambulance was called to 324 W. 24th St. in Hays.&nbsp;

Karen Schumacher was transported to Hays Medical Center, where further examination showed significant trauma to her head, face and chest, upper extremities, lower ribs, and upper abdomen.

Jeremiah, Karen's only son, said she was bruised from head to toe.

Karen died at 9:03 on the morning of March 22. She was 60 years old, a mother, grandmother, sister and friend.&nbsp;

Her husband, Jay Schumacher, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.

The violence that ended in Karen's death in 2022 started decades earlier, according to Karen's friends and family and letters Karen wrote and hid from her husband throughout the family's home.

Karen was caught in a cycle of control, cruelty and violence that was at first hidden and is far too common for other women.

Karen's family and friends have given a voice to Karen's story in hopes of eliciting change in a system that they say betrayed Karen. They hope telling her story will prevent what happened to her from happening to someone else.

Karen and Jay met at a party. Karen became pregnant with her only child, Jeremiah, who was born shortly after they were married. A fairy tale romance, it was not. Cracks in the marriage appeared soon after Jeremiah was born.

Jay was a trucker. He drove at night and would sleep in the basement during the day.

"When I came over, she had to silence me," Sue Rohr, Karen's sister, said. "'Shh. If I wake up Jay, he's going to go off on me.' We had to talk outside or go for a drive or a walk because she said even walking on the floor, he would come up and go off on her. I didn't know what 'go off' meant."

Sue said she did not understand until many years later that “go off on her” meant a beating.

Four months after Jeremiah was born, Karen met her sister, Sue, for a visit, and Karen had a black eye. Sue asked what had happened, and Karen said she was changing Jeremiah’s diaper, and he kicked her.

"A little baby kick wouldn't give her a black eye. Jay was in the kitchen. I went over and said, 'If I ever see any marks on my sister, I will report you to the police,'" Sue said.

"Unbeknownst to me," Sue said, "that was when he started punching her in the head." Sue added Jay would hit Karen beneath the hairline so the bruises wouldn't show.

Sue said this pattern of head trauma would become evident years later, according to a neurologist hired by Karen's family.

Sue saw no more black eyes. Karen kept the violence in the household silent, hidden. Sue thought her sister was safe.

Scarlett Deutscher waited tables with Karen at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant, and the two women struck up a friendship.

Deutscher described the crew at the restaurant as one big family.

“Back then, Karen was lots of fun. She was always laughing. She was always singing, always very positive. You would not know anything was ever wrong with her. She was very happy, always late, but that was Karen, late for everything,”&nbsp;Deutscher giggled.

Deutscher&nbsp;and Karen shared their lives between service and tabs, both of them suffering in similar ways. Deutscher was also struggling with an abusive partner.&nbsp;

"We talked about stuff that had happened in the past that she kind of let on about. I know she didn't share too much because everyone knew Jay,"&nbsp;Deutscher  said. "She didn't want to say too much because of what could happen to her or how he would take it out on her and Jeremiah."

Deutscher said Karen came to work one day with broken glasses that she taped back together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736611103393.png" alt="Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer" />
 <figcaption>Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer</figcaption>
 </figure>This story is the first in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays, Kansas, resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a>.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ghy04fyZPaM?si=J9XFFvlGs-Q9iXwq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostOn March 21, 2022, an ambulance was called to 324 W. 24th St. in Hays.&nbsp;Karen Schumacher was transported to Hays Medical Center, where further examination showed significant trauma to her head, face and chest, upper extremities, lower ribs, and upper abdomen.Jeremiah, Karen's only son, said she was bruised from head to toe.Karen died at 9:03 on the morning of March 22. She was 60 years old, a mother, grandmother, sister and friend.&nbsp;Her husband, Jay Schumacher, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.The violence that ended in Karen's death in 2022 started decades earlier, according to Karen's friends and family and letters Karen wrote and hid from her husband throughout the family's home.Karen was caught in a cycle of control, cruelty and violence that was at first hidden and is far too common for other women.Karen's family and friends have given a voice to Karen's story in hopes of eliciting change in a system that they say betrayed Karen. They hope telling her story will prevent what happened to her from happening to someone else.Karen and Jay met at a party. Karen became pregnant with her only child, Jeremiah, who was born shortly after they were married. A fairy tale romance, it was not. Cracks in the marriage appeared soon after Jeremiah was born.Jay was a trucker. He drove at night and would sleep in the basement during the day."When I came over, she had to silence me," Sue Rohr, Karen's sister, said. "'Shh. If I wake up Jay, he's going to go off on me.' We had to talk outside or go for a drive or a walk because she said even walking on the floor, he would come up and go off on her. I didn't know what 'go off' meant."Sue said she did not understand until many years later that “go off on her” meant a beating.Four months after Jeremiah was born, Karen met her sister, Sue, for a visit, and Karen had a black eye. Sue asked what had happened, and Karen said she was changing Jeremiah’s diaper, and he kicked her."A little baby kick wouldn't give her a black eye. Jay was in the kitchen. I went over and said, 'If I ever see any marks on my sister, I will report you to the police,'" Sue said."Unbeknownst to me," Sue said, "that was when he started punching her in the head." Sue added Jay would hit Karen beneath the hairline so the bruises wouldn't show.Sue said this pattern of head trauma would become evident years later, according to a neurologist hired by Karen's family.Sue saw no more black eyes. Karen kept the violence in the household silent, hidden. Sue thought her sister was safe.Scarlett Deutscher waited tables with Karen at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant, and the two women struck up a friendship.Deutscher described the crew at the restaurant as one big family.“Back then, Karen was lots of fun. She was always laughing. She was always singing, always very positive. You would not know anything was ever wrong with her. She was very happy, always late, but that was Karen, late for everything,”&nbsp;Deutscher giggled.Deutscher&nbsp;and Karen shared their lives between service and tabs, both of them suffering in similar ways. Deutscher was also struggling with an abusive partner.&nbsp;"We talked about stuff that had happened in the past that she kind of let on about. I know she didn't share too much because everyone knew Jay,"&nbsp;Deutscher said. "She didn't want to say too much because of what could happen to her or how he would take it out on her and Jeremiah."But there were subtle signs.Deutscher said Karen came to work one day with broken glasses that she taped back together."If she would wear a shorter shirt, you might see something,"&nbsp;Deutscher said of Karen's bruises. "She always played it off as 'I ran into something.' Or 'I'm a klutz.'"In a recent interview with the Hays Post,&nbsp;Deutscher said she now regrets not doing more to help her friend then and the years prior to her death.“We didn’t talk about it too much because I was going through things back then, too,”&nbsp;Deutscher said, “a boyfriend and being through domestic abuse through him. I was working through my own turmoil.”“Knowing how I was then and how I am now. I was so weak back then,”&nbsp;Deutscher began to cry."I got away, and after a good year to year and a half of listening to 'I won't do this anymore. I love you' and sending flowers that were supposed to make everything better."“I was just a low place in my life, that I just felt like I couldn’t do anything without him,” she said.Deutscher escaped her abuser. She has been happily married to her current husband for 17 years.Deutscher said it took courage and support from her family to leave.&nbsp;"It took just knowing that I could do better. Knowing that I really didn't need this person in my life anymore," she said. "I couldn't let my kids see me like that anymore, knowing he could possibly do more."<h2>Beyond the bruises</h2>As&nbsp;Deutscher struggled to leave her abuser, Jay was closing his grasp tighter around Karen. There were other signs that all was not well in the Schumacher household.Sue and&nbsp;Deutscher said Jay was in control of the family finances.&nbsp;"Most Friday nights, she would tell me she was supposed to buy groceries, and 'Jay gave me 20 bucks to buy groceries for the week,'"&nbsp;Deutscher said."He controlled everything. He controlled the car she drove. I don't think she even had access to their finances, to be honest," she said.Karen sometimes worked multiple jobs, including waitressing and cleaning houses. Sue said Jay forced her to give him all of her tips.Jeremiah recalled his mother cashing in quarters to buy enough gasoline to get to work.He allowed her money for diapers and pet food. Sue said Jay wouldn't even pay for essentials like bras for Karen.&nbsp;<h2>'I figured it was normal'</h2>Jeremiah, who is now 44, described the violence he witnessed in the house. As a young boy, he thought he was the source of his father's anger and violence.He described his parents' relationship as "hot and cold."“They were either great, or they weren’t. There was really no in-between,” Jeremiah said. “Dad would come in with a smile on his face, and five minutes later, he would be screaming at the top of his lungs, throwing things, up in people’s faces. No good. We all lived on eggshells.”Jeremiah said he saw his father hit his mother many times, but no one intervened. He described an incident when the family was living in Victoria. Jeremiah was about 7."We had a cop that lived across the street," Jeremiah said. "Any time that dad would get on his big tirades, I would open my window and scream at the top of my lungs, hoping that someone would come help. "One night, that cop shows up in his underwear and a white wife beater and beats on the door, and I thought we were finally getting some help. Dad answered the door, and he said, 'Jay, get this over in a hurry. I've got to get some sleep. I've got to work in the morning.'"“So after that, I figured it was normal,” he said. “I thought that’s what everybody went through.”The beatings didn't stop with his mother."I was terrified of him, always. Absolutely terrified," Jeremiah said of his father. "I got beat profusely because the toilet lid fell down when I went to go to the bathroom as a child when he was sleeping. It was so terrifying that I would take water bottles and milk jugs to pee in my room because I was too afraid to leave."Jeremiah tried to avoid his father and spent as much time away from the house as possible.“But if I got in any trouble, if I forgot to do a chore or anything like that, I would be grounded for two weeks or a month or two, or God knows how long,” he said, “And I would have to hide in my room the entire time.”Jeremiah said the length of the grounding often depended on how long it took the bruises to heal.“I couldn’t come out. If I did, I had to be church mouse quiet because otherwise, that other shoe could fall at any minute,” he said.Then there were the words he used as fists."I was told that I was worthless, that I should have been aborted, that he would kill me and make one just like me," he said.“As a little kid, seeing the thing that my dad did, it scared the hell out of me,” he said.Jeremiah didn't know until much later in his adulthood what Jay was telling his mother—something so awful she chose not to leave her husband in the face of so much violence and cruelty.Jeremiah moved out of his parents' house when he was 19. He thought the violence for his mother stopped. He had always been told he was the reason his father was violent.<h2>Gut him like a deer</h2>As an adult, Jeremiah begged his mother to leave."'He's not going to do anything here,'" Jeremiah said to his mother, pleading with her to come live with him. "'Fuck, Mom, why didn't you leave when I was a kid and get me out of this and get us out of this?'"“She looked at me and said, ‘Your dad told me if I ever tried to leave, he would gut you like a deer in front of me just so I could watch you die before he killed me.’”Jeremiah said he thought he knew what his father was capable of, but that statement shook him.“I was pretty taken aback,” Jeremiah said. “I knew my dad never liked me for the most part unless I was useful for something, but I didn’t know he would kill me or that was a thing he would say to her until that day.”What mattered was that Karen believed it.Although Karen tried to leave many times and even separated from Jay in preparation for a divorce,&nbsp;Deutscher said she believed the threat against Jeremiah ultimately kept Karen in the relationship.“Her worry was money and that he would come after her and Jeremiah,”&nbsp;Deutscher said."As moms, we want to protect our children and grandkids, the people who we love the most," said Deutscher, a mother and grandmother herself. "That was a worry. What he might do is why she actually didn't go through with the divorce."Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, the parent company of the Hays Post.