By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A Hays native is coming home with his own Western feature film, "Was Once a Hero," at the same theatre where he grew up watching classic movies.

The film will screen at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $13.99 and are available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-fox-theatre-32076173407">online</a> in advance and at the door on both days.

Paige Smith took on multiple roles in the film, as co-writer, co-producer, costume designer and assistant director, after Dan Searles, whom he met at a film festival, approached him with a short script.

"I wrote the first draft based on his outline and then the two of us sort of molded it to our preference," Smith said.

The story centers on a veteran battling PTSD and dementia who sets out on a final journey and forms an unexpected bond along the way. It was primarily shot in Maryland with a small crew and a budget of less than $200,000.

The film stars Darby Hinton as Malcom Hunter and includes performances by Rebecca Holden, Robert Carradine and John Carter Cash. Smith also appears in the film as an actor.

"We really want to push the idea that family comes from anywhere. You can be yourself and still be loved by others who maybe come from somewhere different. ... We come together through diversity and through the tragedies in our lives," he said.

Smith will attend the screening to introduce the film and be available to answer questions.

Smith graduated from Hays High School in 1994 and later attended Kansas State University, where he initially studied biology before transitioning to theater, drawing inspiration from his family.

"As a kid, I watched my dad work on books and bounce ideas off people around him. It's very inspiring to watch somebody go for it," Smith said. "My brother was an actor as well. I watched him go for it and give it a shot."

Smith moved to Chicago after college, where he worked in local theater and began gaining television experience. He later moved to Los Angeles to continue building his career in acting and writing.

Smith has created several short films, including one that won Best Action/Adventure at Comic-Con in San Diego. He has also acted in and been involved in television series such as "Chicago Fire," "Chicago Med," "Shameless," "Goliath" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."

He said most of those roles were “day jobs” and that breaking into the industry was difficult. This led him to create his own projects, which are now set to screen at the same theater he visited as a kid.

"Being able to go full circle and see a movie that I made in the theatre where I grew up watching movies is incredible and quite possibly once in a lifetime for me. It means the world to me," Smith said.

Filming took just a few weeks, but the whole process, from development through post-production and editing, took three years to complete.

You can learn more about Smith on his <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5812325/?ref_=tt_cst_2_2">IMDb page</a>&nbsp;and about "Was Once a Hero"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19715532/">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750696678689.jpeg" alt="Cast and production members on the set of 'Was Once a Hero'. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cast and production members on the set of 'Was Once a Hero'. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA Hays native is coming home with his own Western feature film, "Was Once a Hero," at the same theatre where he grew up watching classic movies.The film will screen at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $13.99 and are available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-fox-theatre-32076173407">online</a> in advance and at the door on both days.Paige Smith took on multiple roles in the film, as co-writer, co-producer, costume designer and assistant director, after Dan Searles, whom he met at a film festival, approached him with a short script."I wrote the first draft based on his outline and then the two of us sort of molded it to our preference," Smith said.The story centers on a veteran battling PTSD and dementia who sets out on a final journey and forms an unexpected bond along the way. It was primarily shot in Maryland with a small crew and a budget of less than $200,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750696866837.jpeg" alt="Cast and production members of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cast and production members of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750696939851.jpeg" alt="Cast and production members on the set of "Was Once a Hero" filming a scene. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cast and production members on the set of "Was Once a Hero" filming a scene. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750696908901.jpeg" alt="Cast members on the set of "Was Once a Hero."Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Cast members on the set of "Was Once a Hero."Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750696819937.jpeg" alt="Darby Hinton as Malcom Hunter on the set of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Darby Hinton as Malcom Hunter on the set of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The film stars Darby Hinton as Malcom Hunter and includes performances by Rebecca Holden, Robert Carradine and John Carter Cash. Smith also appears in the film as an actor."We really want to push the idea that family comes from anywhere. You can be yourself and still be loved by others who maybe come from somewhere different. ... We come together through diversity and through the tragedies in our lives," he said.Smith will attend the screening to introduce the film and be available to answer questions.Smith graduated from Hays High School in 1994 and later attended Kansas State University, where he initially studied biology before transitioning to theater, drawing inspiration from his family."As a kid, I watched my dad work on books and bounce ideas off people around him. It's very inspiring to watch somebody go for it," Smith said. "My brother was an actor as well. I watched him go for it and give it a shot."Smith moved to Chicago after college, where he worked in local theater and began gaining television experience. He later moved to Los Angeles to continue building his career in acting and writing.Smith has created several short films, including one that won Best Action/Adventure at Comic-Con in San Diego. He has also acted in and been involved in television series such as "Chicago Fire," "Chicago Med," "Shameless," "Goliath" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."He said most of those roles were “day jobs” and that breaking into the industry was difficult. This led him to create his own projects, which are now set to screen at the same theater he visited as a kid."Being able to go full circle and see a movie that I made in the theatre where I grew up watching movies is incredible and quite possibly once in a lifetime for me. It means the world to me," Smith said.Filming took just a few weeks, but the whole process, from development through post-production and editing, took three years to complete.You can learn more about Smith on his <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5812325/?ref_=tt_cst_2_2">IMDb page</a>&nbsp;and about "Was Once a Hero"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19715532/">here</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750697710259.jpeg" alt="Paige Smith of Hays, co-writer, co-producer, costume designer, actor and assistant director of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Paige Smith of Hays, co-writer, co-producer, costume designer, actor and assistant director of "Was Once a Hero." Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

NW Kan. native to screen western film 'Was Once a Hero' in Hays

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly has sent two letters to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting extensions to submit requests for major presidential disasters for the public assistance program for the incident periods of June 3-7, 2025, and June 17-18, 2025, according to a media release from the Adjutant General’s Department.

For the June 3-7 incident, Governor Kelly has requested an extension to Aug. 6, 2025, for the severe thunderstorms, accompanied by large hail, damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes and torrential rainfall resulting in areal flooding as well as flooding along rivers, creeks, and streams.

For the June 17-18 incident, Governor Kelly has requested an extension to Aug. 17, 2025, for the severe thunderstorms, accompanied by large hail, damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes and torrential rainfall resulting in areal flooding, as well as flooding along rivers, creeks, and streams.

“These extensions are required due to challenges in gathering data on sustained damages that will strain local budgets to repair,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am seeking time to collect data and validate all legitimate expenses to aid local governments in restoring the infrastructure so vital to the safety and wellbeing of Kansans.”

Governor Kelly made the request to allow more time for preliminary damage assessments to seek federal assistance through the Public Assistance Program as well as time to review the assessment data. The program provides funds on a cost-share basis to repair damaged public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751052596147.png" alt="NWS Dodge City image from storms on June 5" />
 <figcaption>NWS Dodge City image from storms on June 5</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly has sent two letters to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting extensions to submit requests for major presidential disasters for the public assistance program for the incident periods of June 3-7, 2025, and June 17-18, 2025, according to a media release from the Adjutant General’s Department.For the June 3-7 incident, Governor Kelly has requested an extension to Aug. 6, 2025, for the severe thunderstorms, accompanied by large hail, damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes and torrential rainfall resulting in areal flooding as well as flooding along rivers, creeks, and streams.For the June 17-18 incident, Governor Kelly has requested an extension to Aug. 17, 2025, for the severe thunderstorms, accompanied by large hail, damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes and torrential rainfall resulting in areal flooding, as well as flooding along rivers, creeks, and streams.“These extensions are required due to challenges in gathering data on sustained damages that will strain local budgets to repair,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am seeking time to collect data and validate all legitimate expenses to aid local governments in restoring the infrastructure so vital to the safety and wellbeing of Kansans.”Governor Kelly made the request to allow more time for preliminary damage assessments to seek federal assistance through the Public Assistance Program as well as time to review the assessment data. The program provides funds on a cost-share basis to repair damaged public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.

Kan. gov. requests extensions to file for severe storms disaster declarations

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSAY%20WHITEHURST%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSAY WHITEHURST&nbsp;</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday upheld a Texas law aimed at blocking children under 18 from seeing online pornography.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf">Click here to read the full Supreme Court ruling</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1122">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argument from January

Nearly half all states have passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/porn-age-verification-utah-8f8f4960ad1ec4afc5d59fd7d34c3b9d">similar age verification laws</a>&nbsp;as smartphones and other devices make it easier to access&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pornography">online porn</a>, including hardcore obscene material.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25985319-free-speech-coalition-v-paxton/">The 6-3 ruling</a>&nbsp;comes after an adult-entertainment industry trade group called the Free Speech Coalition challenged the Texas law. The court split along ideological lines.

The group said the law puts an unfair free-speech burden on adults by requiring them to submit personal information that could be vulnerable to hacking or tracking. It agreed, though, that children under 18 shouldn’t be seeing porn.

A leading adult-content website, Pornhub, has stopped operating in several states, citing the technical and privacy hurdles in complying with the laws.

The Supreme Court has confronted the issue before. In 1996, it struck down parts of a law banning explicit material viewable by kids online. A divided court also ruled against a different federal law aimed at stopping kids from being exposed to porn in 2004 but said less restrictive measures like content filtering are constitutional.

Texas argues that technology has improved significantly in the last 20 years, allowing online platforms to easily check users’ ages with a quick picture. Those requirements are more like ID checks at brick-and-mortar adult stores that were upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1960s, the state said.

District courts initially blocked laws in Indiana and Tennessee as well as Texas, but appeals courts reversed the decisions and let the laws take effect.

Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise in Nashville contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706036605430.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSAY%20WHITEHURST%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSAY WHITEHURST&nbsp;</a>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday upheld a Texas law aimed at blocking children under 18 from seeing online pornography.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf">Click here to read the full Supreme Court ruling</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1122">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argument from JanuaryNearly half all states have passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/porn-age-verification-utah-8f8f4960ad1ec4afc5d59fd7d34c3b9d">similar age verification laws</a>&nbsp;as smartphones and other devices make it easier to access&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pornography">online porn</a>, including hardcore obscene material.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25985319-free-speech-coalition-v-paxton/">The 6-3 ruling</a>&nbsp;comes after an adult-entertainment industry trade group called the Free Speech Coalition challenged the Texas law. The court split along ideological lines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751040262939.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The group said the law puts an unfair free-speech burden on adults by requiring them to submit personal information that could be vulnerable to hacking or tracking. It agreed, though, that children under 18 shouldn’t be seeing porn.A leading adult-content website, Pornhub, has stopped operating in several states, citing the technical and privacy hurdles in complying with the laws.The Supreme Court has confronted the issue before. In 1996, it struck down parts of a law banning explicit material viewable by kids online. A divided court also ruled against a different federal law aimed at stopping kids from being exposed to porn in 2004 but said less restrictive measures like content filtering are constitutional.Texas argues that technology has improved significantly in the last 20 years, allowing online platforms to easily check users’ ages with a quick picture. Those requirements are more like ID checks at brick-and-mortar adult stores that were upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1960s, the state said.District courts initially blocked laws in Indiana and Tennessee as well as Texas, but appeals courts reversed the decisions and let the laws take effect.___Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise in Nashville contributed to this report.

🎧Supreme Court rules to stop children from being exposed to porn online

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a 7-year-old boy was back in court Thursday.&nbsp;

Judge Sean Hatfield set a trial date for September 15, according to the SedgwickCounty District Attorney's Office. She has been charged with 1st degree murder and 7 counts of aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On March 16, police responded to a call of a shooting at an apartment in the 3700 block of E Ross Parkway, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The caller reported that someone had been shot and that a child was bleeding.

When officers arrived, they found 7-year-old Davion Gunter suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. Davion was transported to a local hospital, where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased.

At the scene, officers found seven other children and multiple adults. Wichita Police homicide investigators and the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit responded immediately, conducting interviews and gathered evidence.

As a result, police took Dillard into custody, and the children were placed in protective care. Dillard remains jailed on a&nbsp; bond of $500,000.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742206494454.png" alt="DILLARD photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>DILLARD photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a 7-year-old boy was back in court Thursday.&nbsp;Judge Sean Hatfield set a trial date for September 15, according to the SedgwickCounty District Attorney's Office. She has been charged with 1st degree murder and 7 counts of aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On March 16, police responded to a call of a shooting at an apartment in the 3700 block of E Ross Parkway, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The caller reported that someone had been shot and that a child was bleeding.When officers arrived, they found 7-year-old Davion Gunter suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. Davion was transported to a local hospital, where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased.At the scene, officers found seven other children and multiple adults. Wichita Police homicide investigators and the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit responded immediately, conducting interviews and gathered evidence.As a result, police took Dillard into custody, and the children were placed in protective care. Dillard remains jailed on a&nbsp; bond of $500,000.&nbsp;

Trial date set for Kansas woman in death of 7-year-old

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Maryland parents who have religious objections can pull their children from public school lessons using LGBTQ storybooks.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-297_4f14.pdf">Click here to read the full Supreme Court ruling</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a>&nbsp;to the complete oral argument from April

The justices reversed lower-court rulings in favor of the Montgomery County school system in suburban Washington. The high court ruled that the schools likely could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.

The decision was not a final ruling in the case, but the justices strongly suggested that the parents will win in the end.

The court ruled that policies like the one at issue in the case are subjected to the strictest level of review, nearly always dooming them.

The school district introduced the storybooks, including "Prince &amp; Knight" and "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," in 2022 as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity. In "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," a niece worries that her uncle won't have as much time for her after he gets married to another man.

The justices have repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years and the case is among several religious-rights cases at the court this term. The decision also comes amid increases in recent years in books being banned from public school and public libraries.

Many of the removals were organized by Moms for Liberty and other conservative organizations that advocate for more parental input over what books are available to students. Soon after President Donald Trump, a Republican, took office in January, the Education Department called the book bans a "hoax" and dismissed 11 complaints that had been filed under Trump's predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing in the Maryland case that the objecting parents wanted "a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name." Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.

Parents initially had been allowed to opt their children out of the lessons for religious and other reasons, but the school board reversed course a year later, prompting protests and eventually a lawsuit.

At arguments in April, a lawyer for the school district told the justices that the "opt outs" had become disruptive. Sex education is the only area of instruction in Montgomery schools that students can be excused from, lawyer Alan Schoenfeld said.

The case hit unusually close to home, as three justices live in the county, though they didn't send their children to public schools.

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745333128428.png" alt="File photo A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)" />
 <figcaption>File photo A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Maryland parents who have religious objections can pull their children from public school lessons using LGBTQ storybooks.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-297_4f14.pdf">Click here to read the full Supreme Court ruling</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a>&nbsp;to the complete oral argument from AprilThe justices reversed lower-court rulings in favor of the Montgomery County school system in suburban Washington. The high court ruled that the schools likely could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I think the ruling was a great ruling, and I think it&#39;s a great ruling for parents... they lost control of the schools. They lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Pla2qrLE36">https://t.co/Pla2qrLE36</a> <a href="https://t.co/jqySSHA8QM">pic.twitter.com/jqySSHA8QM</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1938631684284432695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751037175947.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The decision was not a final ruling in the case, but the justices strongly suggested that the parents will win in the end.The court ruled that policies like the one at issue in the case are subjected to the strictest level of review, nearly always dooming them.The school district introduced the storybooks, including "Prince &amp; Knight" and "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," in 2022 as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity. In "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," a niece worries that her uncle won't have as much time for her after he gets married to another man.The justices have repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years and the case is among several religious-rights cases at the court this term. The decision also comes amid increases in recent years in books being banned from public school and public libraries.Many of the removals were organized by Moms for Liberty and other conservative organizations that advocate for more parental input over what books are available to students. Soon after President Donald Trump, a Republican, took office in January, the Education Department called the book bans a "hoax" and dismissed 11 complaints that had been filed under Trump's predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat.The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing in the Maryland case that the objecting parents wanted "a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name." Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.Parents initially had been allowed to opt their children out of the lessons for religious and other reasons, but the school board reversed course a year later, prompting protests and eventually a lawsuit.At arguments in April, a lawyer for the school district told the justices that the "opt outs" had become disruptive. Sex education is the only area of instruction in Montgomery schools that students can be excused from, lawyer Alan Schoenfeld said.The case hit unusually close to home, as three justices live in the county, though they didn't send their children to public schools.___Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

🎧Supreme Court: Parents allowed to opt children out of LGBTQ books

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, but the decision left unclear the fate of President Donald Trump’s restrictions on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">birthright citizenship</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a884_8n59.pdf">Click here to read the full order from the court&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24A884">Click here to listen to</a>&nbsp;a replay of the oral argument

The outcome was a victory for the Republican president, who has complained about individual judges throwing up obstacles to his agenda.

But a conservative majority left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship changes could remain blocked nationwide. Trump's order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally.

Birthright citizenship automatically makes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-f01b6c942c4969628ef2e774029c6a0e">anyone born in the United States</a>&nbsp;an American citizen, including children born to mothers in the country illegally. The right was enshrined soon after the Civil War in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/800b0a2005254ec58369b9564f53be8f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">the Constitution’s 14th Amendment</a>.

In a notable Supreme Court decision from 1898, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the court held that the only children who did not automatically receive U.S. citizenship upon being born on U.S. soil were the children of diplomats, who have allegiance to another government; enemies present in the U.S. during hostile occupation; those born on foreign ships; and those born to members of sovereign Native American tribes.

The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship — the principle of jus soli or “right of the soil” — is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them.

Trump and his supporters have argued that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen, which he called “a priceless and profound gift” in the executive order he signed on his first day in office.

The Trump administration has asserted that children of noncitizens are not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-trump-immigration-735d28a2572f623f199f97b3bc97644a">“subject to the jurisdiction”</a>&nbsp;of the United States, a phrase used in the amendment, and therefore are not entitled to citizenship.

But states, immigrants and rights groups that have sued to block the executive order have accused the administration of trying to unsettle the broader understanding of birthright citizenship that has been accepted since the amendment’s adoption.

Judges have uniformly ruled against the administration.

The Justice Department had argued that individual judges lack the power to give nationwide effect to their rulings.

The Trump administration instead wanted the justices to allow Trump’s plan to go into effect for everyone except the handful of people and groups that sued. Failing that, the administration argued that the plan could remain blocked for now in the 22 states that sued. New Hampshire is covered by a separate order that is not at issue in this case.

As a further fallback, the administration asked “at a minimum” to be allowed to make public announcements about how it plans to carry out the policy if it eventually is allowed to take effect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747336226952.png" alt="Protesters outside the Supreme Court during the arguments on the case in May-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protesters outside the Supreme Court during the arguments on the case in May-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, but the decision left unclear the fate of President Donald Trump’s restrictions on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">birthright citizenship</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a884_8n59.pdf">Click here to read the full order from the court&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24A884">Click here to listen to</a>&nbsp;a replay of the oral argument<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/T4SIRwsXOX">pic.twitter.com/T4SIRwsXOX</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1938611988697080142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The outcome was a victory for the Republican president, who has complained about individual judges throwing up obstacles to his agenda.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, the Supreme Court instructed district courts to STOP the endless barrage of nationwide injunctions against President Trump. This would not have been possible without tireless work from our excellent lawyers <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> and our Solicitor General John Sauer. This…&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1938602739157570000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But a conservative majority left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship changes could remain blocked nationwide. Trump's order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751034373464.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Birthright citizenship automatically makes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-f01b6c942c4969628ef2e774029c6a0e">anyone born in the United States</a>&nbsp;an American citizen, including children born to mothers in the country illegally. The right was enshrined soon after the Civil War in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/800b0a2005254ec58369b9564f53be8f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">the Constitution’s 14th Amendment</a>.In a notable Supreme Court decision from 1898, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the court held that the only children who did not automatically receive U.S. citizenship upon being born on U.S. soil were the children of diplomats, who have allegiance to another government; enemies present in the U.S. during hostile occupation; those born on foreign ships; and those born to members of sovereign Native American tribes.The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship — the principle of jus soli or “right of the soil” — is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them.Trump and his supporters have argued that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen, which he called “a priceless and profound gift” in the executive order he signed on his first day in office.The Trump administration has asserted that children of noncitizens are not&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-trump-immigration-735d28a2572f623f199f97b3bc97644a">“subject to the jurisdiction”</a>&nbsp;of the United States, a phrase used in the amendment, and therefore are not entitled to citizenship.But states, immigrants and rights groups that have sued to block the executive order have accused the administration of trying to unsettle the broader understanding of birthright citizenship that has been accepted since the amendment’s adoption.Judges have uniformly ruled against the administration.The Justice Department had argued that individual judges lack the power to give nationwide effect to their rulings.The Trump administration instead wanted the justices to allow Trump’s plan to go into effect for everyone except the handful of people and groups that sued. Failing that, the administration argued that the plan could remain blocked for now in the 22 states that sued. New Hampshire is covered by a separate order that is not at issue in this case.As a further fallback, the administration asked “at a minimum” to be allowed to make public announcements about how it plans to carry out the policy if it eventually is allowed to take effect.___

🎧Supreme Court sides with Trump admin. to enforce  birthright citizenship order

WASHINGTON–&nbsp;On Thursday, U.S. Senators Roger Marshall,&nbsp; Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), introduced a resolution to implement term limits on the Senate Parliamentarian, a key figure in the United States Senate who advises on rules, procedures, and precedents as it relates to the reconciliation process, according to a statement from Marshall's office.

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/BIN25098-1.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full text of the resolution

The Senators call for the parliamentarian to serve one six-year term, which would prevent power entrenchment, promote accountability, and encourage fresh perspectives.

“Based upon early reports, the Senate Parliamentarian may eliminate some $500 billion in savings for the American people, all of which are arbitrary decisions, with minimal guidance,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“The current parliamentarian has been in office since 2012, appointed by former Democrat Senator Harry Reid. This is NOT an elected position. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Term limits on a person with this absolute power need to be implemented. Therefore, we are dropping a resolution calling for just that, limiting a parliamentarian of the Senate to a maximum of 6 years.”

“The woke, Radical Left Senate Parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid and was an advisor to Al Gore, is actively trying to&nbsp;undermine&nbsp;President Trump’s agenda,”&nbsp;said Senator Tuberville.&nbsp;“Unelected bureaucrats should not be able to overturn the will of the 77 million Americans who voted for President Trump and his agenda. This is exactly why Americans hate the swamp. Proud to join my friend Senator Roger Marshall in introducing&nbsp;this resolution imposing 6-year term limits for the Senate Parliamentarian.”

“The Senate parliamentarian holds unchecked power over major legislation, despite never being elected by the American people,”&nbsp;said Senator Blackburn.&nbsp;“This individual has served for a decade, having been appointed by Harry Reid, we must act now to impose term limits on the Senate parliamentarian&nbsp;to ensure this position&nbsp;is accountable to the will of the people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751029214593.png" alt="Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough&nbsp; -photo U.S. Senate" />
 <figcaption>Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough&nbsp; -photo U.S. Senate</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON–&nbsp;On Thursday, U.S. Senators Roger Marshall,&nbsp; Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), introduced a resolution to implement term limits on the Senate Parliamentarian, a key figure in the United States Senate who advises on rules, procedures, and precedents as it relates to the reconciliation process, according to a statement from Marshall's office.Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/BIN25098-1.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full text of the resolution<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751027942171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In 2001 Leader Trent Lott fired the Senate Parliamentarian during reconciliation. It’s 2025 during reconciliation &amp; we need to again fire the Senate Parliamentarian. My resolution to term limit the parliamentarian will settle this now &amp; in the future.<a href="https://t.co/7XcVaNgcGH">https://t.co/7XcVaNgcGH</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1938258594178211995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senators call for the parliamentarian to serve one six-year term, which would prevent power entrenchment, promote accountability, and encourage fresh perspectives.“Based upon early reports, the Senate Parliamentarian may eliminate some $500 billion in savings for the American people, all of which are arbitrary decisions, with minimal guidance,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“The current parliamentarian has been in office since 2012, appointed by former Democrat Senator Harry Reid. This is NOT an elected position. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Term limits on a person with this absolute power need to be implemented. Therefore, we are dropping a resolution calling for just that, limiting a parliamentarian of the Senate to a maximum of 6 years.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Did Harry Reid’s Senate Parliamentarian not get the memo? President Trump’s landslide victory was a MANDATE from 77 million Americans. The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers on that mandate. The Parliamentarian is trying to UNDERMINE the President’s mandate and should be fired.&mdash; Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTuberville/status/1938259471467438355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The woke, Radical Left Senate Parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid and was an advisor to Al Gore, is actively trying to&nbsp;undermine&nbsp;President Trump’s agenda,”&nbsp;said Senator Tuberville.&nbsp;“Unelected bureaucrats should not be able to overturn the will of the 77 million Americans who voted for President Trump and his agenda. This is exactly why Americans hate the swamp. Proud to join my friend Senator Roger Marshall in introducing&nbsp;this resolution imposing 6-year term limits for the Senate Parliamentarian.”“The Senate parliamentarian holds unchecked power over major legislation, despite never being elected by the American people,”&nbsp;said Senator Blackburn.&nbsp;“This individual has served for a decade, having been appointed by Harry Reid, we must act now to impose term limits on the Senate parliamentarian&nbsp;to ensure this position&nbsp;is accountable to the will of the people.”Background:<ul>
 <li>The parliamentarian of the Senate serves at the will of the Secretary of the Senate, who is chosen by the Senate Majority Leader.</li><li>Since 1981 only three different individuals have served as parliamentarian of the Senate. Each served on average 15 years.</li>
 </ul>

Kan. U.S. Senator calls for action to replace Senate Parliamentarian

Hutch Post has learned of an ongoing investigation by the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) into suspected drone smuggling activity at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility.

Sources confirm that drones are being used to drop illegal drugs into the prison yard, where inmates retrieve the contraband. This smuggling method is believed to have contributed to a deadly drug-related incident inside the facility.

Officials have confirmed at least one inmate overdose death tied to the drug issue. The fatality occurred on March 15 of this year.

State Senator Michael Murphy responded to Hutch Post via email, stating, “I have heard there has been a serious issue with drugs getting in to the inmates.” His comments echo growing concerns about prison security and contraband prevention in Kansas correctional institutions.

Hutch Post has reached out to State Representative Bob Lewis of Garden City, who chairs the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, as well as the Kansas Department of Corrections, for further comment. At this time, no official responses have been provided.

The investigation is ongoing. Hutch Post will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as new information becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751026772909.png" alt="Hutchinson Correctional Facility" />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson Correctional Facility</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch Post&nbsp;Hutch Post has learned of an ongoing investigation by the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) into suspected drone smuggling activity at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility.Sources confirm that drones are being used to drop illegal drugs into the prison yard, where inmates retrieve the contraband. This smuggling method is believed to have contributed to a deadly drug-related incident inside the facility.Officials have confirmed at least one inmate overdose death tied to the drug issue. The fatality occurred on March 15 of this year.State Senator Michael Murphy responded to Hutch Post via email, stating, “I have heard there has been a serious issue with drugs getting in to the inmates.” His comments echo growing concerns about prison security and contraband prevention in Kansas correctional institutions.Hutch Post has reached out to State Representative Bob Lewis of Garden City, who chairs the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, as well as the Kansas Department of Corrections, for further comment. At this time, no official responses have been provided.The investigation is ongoing. Hutch Post will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as new information becomes available.

Drones being used to smuggle drugs into Kansas prison

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man who admitted killing his wife and her boyfriend in 2023 is scheduled for sentencing Friday.

In February, 63-year-old Charles Crawford of Wichita,&nbsp; told Judge Jeffrey Goering he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea in the case, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In December, Crawford pled no contest to two counts of 1st&nbsp;degree murder for&nbsp;the deaths of his 50-year-old wife Vanessa Crawford and her 58-year-old boyfriend Donald Eckert.

Judge Goering will announce his decision on the request for a change of plea Friday.

In July of 2023, a woman dropping off her child at an in-home daycare saw the two homicide victims through a window of a home in the 1100 Block of North Woodrow in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. The victims were identified as Vanessa Crawford and Donald Eckert both of Wichita.

While the investigation was taking place on the scene, Charles Crawford arrived with a gun pointed at his own head. Officers took cover for safety and immediately requested the assistance of SWAT and Crisis Negotiators. A standoff ensued with Crawford but it ended peacefully when he surrendered and was taken into custody

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690372152213.png" alt="Crawford photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Crawford photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man who admitted killing his wife and her boyfriend in 2023 is scheduled for sentencing Friday.In February, 63-year-old Charles Crawford of Wichita,&nbsp; told Judge Jeffrey Goering he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea in the case, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In December, Crawford pled no contest to two counts of 1st&nbsp;degree murder for&nbsp;the deaths of his 50-year-old wife Vanessa Crawford and her 58-year-old boyfriend Donald Eckert.Judge Goering will announce his decision on the request for a change of plea Friday.In July of 2023, a woman dropping off her child at an in-home daycare saw the two homicide victims through a window of a home in the 1100 Block of North Woodrow in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. The victims were identified as Vanessa Crawford and Donald Eckert both of Wichita.While the investigation was taking place on the scene, Charles Crawford arrived with a gun pointed at his own head. Officers took cover for safety and immediately requested the assistance of SWAT and Crisis Negotiators. A standoff ensued with Crawford but it ended peacefully when he surrendered and was taken into custody

Sentencing Day: Kansas man killed wife, her boyfriend

ATLANTA (AP) — The Trump administration’s new vaccine advisers on Thursday endorsed this fall’s flu vaccinations for just about every American — but only if they use certain shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism.

What is normally a routine step in preparing for the upcoming flu season drew intense scrutiny after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;the influential 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">handpicked replacements</a>&nbsp;that include several vaccine skeptics.

(Click below to watch Redwood's presentation on thimerosal)

The seven-member panel bucked another norm Thursday as it discussed the safety of a preservative used in less than 5% of U.S. flu vaccinations: It deliberated based only on a presentation from an antivaccine group’s former leader — without allowing the usual public airing of scientific data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The preservative,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thimerosal-mercury-vaccine-preservative-7626ec1455ad98228cf8b041f6388bab">thimerosal</a>, has long been used in certain vaccines that come in multi-dose vials, to prevent contamination as each dose is withdrawn. But it has been controversial because it contains a small amount of a particular form of mercury.

Study after study has found no evidence that thimerosal causes autism or other harm. Yet since 2001, all vaccines routinely used for U.S. children age 6 years or younger have come in thimerosal-free formulas — including single-dose flu shots that account for the vast majority of influenza vaccinations.

The advisory panel first voted, with one abstention, to back the usual U.S. recommendation that nearly everyone age 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination. Then the advisers decided people should only be given thimerosal-free single-dose formulations, voting 5-1 with one abstention.

That would include single-dose shots that already are the most common type of flu vaccination, as well as the nasal spray FluMist. It would rule out the subset of flu vaccine dispensed in multi-dose vials.

“There is still no demonstrable evidence of harm,” one panelist, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist formerly with the National Institutes of Health, said in acknowledging the committee wasn’t following its usual practice of acting on evidence.

But he added that “whether the actual molecule is a risk or not, we have to respect the fear of mercury” that might dissuade some people from getting vaccinated.

The ACIP helps the CDC determine who should be vaccinated against a long list of diseases, and when. Those recommendations have a big impact on whether insurance covers vaccinations and where they’re available.

Normally the CDC’s director would decide whether to accept ACIP’s recommendation, but the Senate has not yet confirmed nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/susan-monarez-cdc-director-senate-hearing-rfk-c7c883f604711238643a9ffd1681bcc0">Susan Monarez</a>. Administration officials said Kennedy would make that decision.

Medical groups decried the panel’s lack of transparency in blocking a CDC analysis of thimerosal that concluded there was no link between the preservative and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250624164828/https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-06-25-26/Thimerosal-Containing-Vaccines-Summary-of-Evidence-508.pdf" target="_blank">The data</a>&nbsp;had been posted on the committee’s website Tuesday, but was later removed — because, according to ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone, the report hadn’t been authorized by Kennedy’s office. Panel members said they had read it.

While Thursday’s debate involved only a small fraction of flu vaccines, some public health experts contend the discussion unnecessarily raised doubt about vaccine safety. Already, fewer than half of Americans get their yearly flu vaccinations, and mistrust in vaccines overall is growing.

“Selective use of data and omission of established science undermines public trust and fuels misinformation,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He said of the new panelists, “Nothing about their recent actions have been science-based or transparent.”

The flu votes marked the final step of a two-day meeting that alarmed pediatricians and other doctors’ groups, who pointed to new panelists’ lack of expertise in how to properly track vaccine safety — and a shift in focus to some longtime messages of antivaccine groups.

“What should have been a rigorous, evidence-based discussion on the national vaccine schedule instead appeared to be a predetermined exercise orchestrated to undermine the well-established safety and efficacy of vaccines and fundamental basics of science,” said Dr. Jason Goldman of the American College of Physicians.

Of special concern was the announcement by panel chairman Martin Kulldorff to reevaluate the “cumulative effect” of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">children’s vaccine schedule</a>&nbsp;— the list of immunizations given at different times throughout childhood. That reflects the scientifically debunked notion that children today get too many vaccinations, somehow overwhelming their immune system.

Doctors say improved vaccine technology means kids today are exposed to fewer antigens — substances that the immune system reacts to — than their grandparents despite getting more doses.

U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, a pediatrician and Democrat from Washington state, told reporters Thursday that children are exposed to more antigens “in one day of day care” than in all their vaccinations.

— The panel backed a new option to protect infants against RSV, a virus especially dangerous to babies. It voted 5-2 that a newly approved antibody shot from Merck could be used alongside two existing options.

— Kulldorff said the panel may look into whether hepatitis B vaccination of newborns is appropriate if the mother doesn’t carry the liver-destroying virus. Pediatricians counter that babies can catch the virus in other ways, such as from other caregivers who don’t know they’re infected.

— Kennedy already sidestepped the advisory group and announced the COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children or pregnant women. But CDC scientists told the panel that vaccination is “the best protection” during pregnancy and that most children hospitalized for COVID-19 over the past year were unvaccinated. Some advisers questioned if the CDC’s extensive tracking of vaccine safety is trustworthy.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750974087831.png" alt="Image from the committee hearing" />
 <figcaption>Image from the committee hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — The Trump administration’s new vaccine advisers on Thursday endorsed this fall’s flu vaccinations for just about every American — but only if they use certain shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism.(click below to watch the full meeting)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z-16fImZoEc?si=RfPDCTz9gEs1Oz2Z&amp;start=1250" 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>What is normally a routine step in preparing for the upcoming flu season drew intense scrutiny after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;the influential 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">handpicked replacements</a>&nbsp;that include several vaccine skeptics.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750973658608.png" alt="Lyn Redwood, a nurse practitioner who once ran the anti-vaccine group that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. founded, spoke at the meeting on Thursday -image from the CDC video" />
 <figcaption>Lyn Redwood, a nurse practitioner who once ran the anti-vaccine group that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. founded, spoke at the meeting on Thursday -image from the CDC video</figcaption>
 </figure>(Click below to watch Redwood's presentation on thimerosal)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z-16fImZoEc?si=z33-dj87jdPiqZRU&amp;start=10151" 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>The seven-member panel bucked another norm Thursday as it discussed the safety of a preservative used in less than 5% of U.S. flu vaccinations: It deliberated based only on a presentation from an antivaccine group’s former leader — without allowing the usual public airing of scientific data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The preservative,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thimerosal-mercury-vaccine-preservative-7626ec1455ad98228cf8b041f6388bab">thimerosal</a>, has long been used in certain vaccines that come in multi-dose vials, to prevent contamination as each dose is withdrawn. But it has been controversial because it contains a small amount of a particular form of mercury.Study after study has found no evidence that thimerosal causes autism or other harm. Yet since 2001, all vaccines routinely used for U.S. children age 6 years or younger have come in thimerosal-free formulas — including single-dose flu shots that account for the vast majority of influenza vaccinations.The advisory panel first voted, with one abstention, to back the usual U.S. recommendation that nearly everyone age 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination. Then the advisers decided people should only be given thimerosal-free single-dose formulations, voting 5-1 with one abstention.That would include single-dose shots that already are the most common type of flu vaccination, as well as the nasal spray FluMist. It would rule out the subset of flu vaccine dispensed in multi-dose vials.“There is still no demonstrable evidence of harm,” one panelist, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist formerly with the National Institutes of Health, said in acknowledging the committee wasn’t following its usual practice of acting on evidence.But he added that “whether the actual molecule is a risk or not, we have to respect the fear of mercury” that might dissuade some people from getting vaccinated.The ACIP helps the CDC determine who should be vaccinated against a long list of diseases, and when. Those recommendations have a big impact on whether insurance covers vaccinations and where they’re available.Normally the CDC’s director would decide whether to accept ACIP’s recommendation, but the Senate has not yet confirmed nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/susan-monarez-cdc-director-senate-hearing-rfk-c7c883f604711238643a9ffd1681bcc0">Susan Monarez</a>. Administration officials said Kennedy would make that decision.Medical groups decried the panel’s lack of transparency in blocking a CDC analysis of thimerosal that concluded there was no link between the preservative and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250624164828/https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/slides-2025-06-25-26/Thimerosal-Containing-Vaccines-Summary-of-Evidence-508.pdf" target="_blank">The data</a>&nbsp;had been posted on the committee’s website Tuesday, but was later removed — because, according to ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone, the report hadn’t been authorized by Kennedy’s office. Panel members said they had read it.While Thursday’s debate involved only a small fraction of flu vaccines, some public health experts contend the discussion unnecessarily raised doubt about vaccine safety. Already, fewer than half of Americans get their yearly flu vaccinations, and mistrust in vaccines overall is growing.“Selective use of data and omission of established science undermines public trust and fuels misinformation,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He said of the new panelists, “Nothing about their recent actions have been science-based or transparent.”The flu votes marked the final step of a two-day meeting that alarmed pediatricians and other doctors’ groups, who pointed to new panelists’ lack of expertise in how to properly track vaccine safety — and a shift in focus to some longtime messages of antivaccine groups.“What should have been a rigorous, evidence-based discussion on the national vaccine schedule instead appeared to be a predetermined exercise orchestrated to undermine the well-established safety and efficacy of vaccines and fundamental basics of science,” said Dr. Jason Goldman of the American College of Physicians.Of special concern was the announcement by panel chairman Martin Kulldorff to reevaluate the “cumulative effect” of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">children’s vaccine schedule</a>&nbsp;— the list of immunizations given at different times throughout childhood. That reflects the scientifically debunked notion that children today get too many vaccinations, somehow overwhelming their immune system.Doctors say improved vaccine technology means kids today are exposed to fewer antigens — substances that the immune system reacts to — than their grandparents despite getting more doses.U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, a pediatrician and Democrat from Washington state, told reporters Thursday that children are exposed to more antigens “in one day of day care” than in all their vaccinations.Also at the ACIP meeting:— The panel backed a new option to protect infants against RSV, a virus especially dangerous to babies. It voted 5-2 that a newly approved antibody shot from Merck could be used alongside two existing options.— Kulldorff said the panel may look into whether hepatitis B vaccination of newborns is appropriate if the mother doesn’t carry the liver-destroying virus. Pediatricians counter that babies can catch the virus in other ways, such as from other caregivers who don’t know they’re infected.— Kennedy already sidestepped the advisory group and announced the COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children or pregnant women. But CDC scientists told the panel that vaccination is “the best protection” during pregnancy and that most children hospitalized for COVID-19 over the past year were unvaccinated. Some advisers questioned if the CDC’s extensive tracking of vaccine safety is trustworthy.___Neergaard reported from Washington.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

🎥RFK Jr’s vaccine panel votes against preservative in flu shots 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal. hit-and-run have identified as 61-year-old Joseph R. Caldwell, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.

Just after 10:30a.m. Wednesday, a midsize SUV was westbound on Barry Road from N Boardwalk, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

The SUV struck a construction worker later identified as Caldwell and left the scene. A few minutes later, KC Fire Department paramedics pronounced the Caldwell deceased. The driver of the vehicle was apprehended shortly after, according to Gonzalez.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As for the involved driver, KCPD investigators are putting together the entire crash summary into an investigative case file, according to Becchina. That case file is comprised of crash reconstruction, witness/involved driver interviews, and any surveillance or evidence analysis. That case file is then presented to prosecutors for their determination of applicable charges. The process of compiling the case file usually takes several weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750897462101.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal. hit-and-run have identified as 61-year-old Joseph R. Caldwell, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.Just after 10:30a.m. Wednesday, a midsize SUV was westbound on Barry Road from N Boardwalk, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.The SUV struck a construction worker later identified as Caldwell and left the scene. A few minutes later, KC Fire Department paramedics pronounced the Caldwell deceased. The driver of the vehicle was apprehended shortly after, according to Gonzalez.&nbsp;&nbsp;As for the involved driver, KCPD investigators are putting together the entire crash summary into an investigative case file, according to Becchina. That case file is comprised of crash reconstruction, witness/involved driver interviews, and any surveillance or evidence analysis. That case file is then presented to prosecutors for their determination of applicable charges. The process of compiling the case file usually takes several weeks.

Police ID construction worker killed in hit-and-run crash

Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a statement Thursday on the retention of the Chiefs and Royals in Kansas City, Missouri

Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a statement Thursday on the retention of the Chiefs and Royals in Kansas City, Missouri<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750991539385.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KCMO Mayor issues a statement on retention of the Chief and Royals

By MARK SHERMAN and LINDSAY WHITEHURST&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is meeting Friday to decide the final six cases of its term, including President Donald Trump's bid to enforce his executive order denying birthright citizenship to U.S.-born children of parents who are in the country illegally.

The justices take the bench at 10 a.m. for their last public session until the start of their new term on Oct. 6.

The birthright citizenship order has been blocked nationwide by three lower courts. The Trump administration made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to narrow the court orders that have prevented the citizenship changes from taking effect anywhere in the U.S.

The issue before the justices is whether to limit the authority of judges to issue nationwide injunctions, which have plagued both Republican and Democratic administrations in the past 10 years.

These nationwide court orders have emerged as an important check on Trump's efforts and a source of mounting frustration to the Republican president and his allies.

Decisions also are expected in several other important cases.

The court seemed likely during arguments in April to side with Maryland parents in a religious rights case over LGBTQ storybooks in public schools.

Parents in the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, want to be able to pull their children out of lessons that use the storybooks, which the county added to the curriculum to better reflect the district's diversity.

The school system at one point allowed parents to remove their children from those lessons, but then reversed course because it found the opt-out policy to be disruptive. Sex education is the only area of instruction with an opt-out provision in the county's schools.

The justices also are weighing a three-year battle over congressional districts in Louisiana that is making its second trip to the Supreme Court.

Before the court now is a map that created a second Black majority congressional district among Louisiana's six seats in the House of Representatives. The district elected a Black Democrat in 2024.

Lower courts have struck down two Louisiana congressional maps since 2022 and the justices are considering whether to send state lawmakers back to the map-drawing board for a third time.

The case involves the interplay between race and politics in drawing political boundaries in front of a conservative-led court that has been skeptical of considerations of race in public life.

At arguments in March, several of the court's conservative justices suggested they could vote to throw out the map and make it harder, if not impossible, to bring redistricting lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act.

Free speech rights are at the center of a case over a Texas law aimed at blocking kids from seeing online pornography.

Texas is among more than a dozen states with age verification laws. The states argue the laws are necessary as smartphones have made access to online porn, including hardcore obscene material, almost instantaneous.

The question for the court is whether the measure infringes on the constitutional rights of adults as well. The Free Speech Coalition, an adult-entertainment industry trade group, agrees that children shouldn't be seeing pornography. But it says the Texas law is written too broadly and wrongly affects adults by requiring them to submit personal identifying information online that is vulnerable to hacking or tracking.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK SHERMAN and LINDSAY WHITEHURST&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is meeting Friday to decide the final six cases of its term, including President Donald Trump's bid to enforce his executive order denying birthright citizenship to U.S.-born children of parents who are in the country illegally.The justices take the bench at 10 a.m. for their last public session until the start of their new term on Oct. 6.The birthright citizenship order has been blocked nationwide by three lower courts. The Trump administration made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to narrow the court orders that have prevented the citizenship changes from taking effect anywhere in the U.S.The issue before the justices is whether to limit the authority of judges to issue nationwide injunctions, which have plagued both Republican and Democratic administrations in the past 10 years.These nationwide court orders have emerged as an important check on Trump's efforts and a source of mounting frustration to the Republican president and his allies.Decisions also are expected in several other important cases.The court seemed likely during arguments in April to side with Maryland parents in a religious rights case over LGBTQ storybooks in public schools.Parents in the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, want to be able to pull their children out of lessons that use the storybooks, which the county added to the curriculum to better reflect the district's diversity.The school system at one point allowed parents to remove their children from those lessons, but then reversed course because it found the opt-out policy to be disruptive. Sex education is the only area of instruction with an opt-out provision in the county's schools.The justices also are weighing a three-year battle over congressional districts in Louisiana that is making its second trip to the Supreme Court.Before the court now is a map that created a second Black majority congressional district among Louisiana's six seats in the House of Representatives. The district elected a Black Democrat in 2024.Lower courts have struck down two Louisiana congressional maps since 2022 and the justices are considering whether to send state lawmakers back to the map-drawing board for a third time.The case involves the interplay between race and politics in drawing political boundaries in front of a conservative-led court that has been skeptical of considerations of race in public life.At arguments in March, several of the court's conservative justices suggested they could vote to throw out the map and make it harder, if not impossible, to bring redistricting lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act.Free speech rights are at the center of a case over a Texas law aimed at blocking kids from seeing online pornography.Texas is among more than a dozen states with age verification laws. The states argue the laws are necessary as smartphones have made access to online porn, including hardcore obscene material, almost instantaneous.The question for the court is whether the measure infringes on the constitutional rights of adults as well. The Free Speech Coalition, an adult-entertainment industry trade group, agrees that children shouldn't be seeing pornography. But it says the Texas law is written too broadly and wrongly affects adults by requiring them to submit personal identifying information online that is vulnerable to hacking or tracking.

Supreme Court tees up blockbuster final day of term

ATCHISON COUNTY —A joint investigation conducted by the Atchison Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation resulted in a number of arrests on Wednesday night, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 The investigation continued throughout the night with police officers, detectives, and KBI agents taking into seven into custody.

Allison R. Blakley, 29, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 600 block College Street on requested charges of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. Taken to County Jail.

Ivan Cushinberry, Jr., 66, Atchison, arrested at 1518 South 7th Street on requested charges of distribution and possession of cocaine, manufacturing a controlled substance, and distribution and possession of methamphetamine. Shortly before 2:00AM on Thursday officers and agents executed a search warrant at 1518 South 7th Street where numerous items of evidence were seized. Cushinberry was taken to the County Jail.

Cecilia Y. Daniels, 57, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 600 block Commercial on requested charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several traffic charges. Taken to County Jail.

Harold D. Bowen, 76, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 600 block Commercial on requested charges of possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

Felicia K. Lynch, 33, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 1200 block South 6th Street on requested charges of possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

Kevin V. Maxey, Jr., 37, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 600 block College Street and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and disorderly conduct. Taken to County Jail.

Kattibrie D. Lynch, 30, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 800 block Raven Hill Road on requested charges with possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

ATCHISON COUNTY —A joint investigation conducted by the Atchison Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation resulted in a number of arrests on Wednesday night, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The investigation continued throughout the night with police officers, detectives, and KBI agents taking into seven into custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750969497358.png" alt="Blakley has previous convictions for aggravated arson, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the KDOC." />
 <figcaption>Blakley has previous convictions for aggravated arson, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the KDOC.</figcaption>
 </figure>Allison R. Blakley, 29, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 600 block College Street on requested charges of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. Taken to County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750969734157.png" alt="Cushinberry photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Cushinberry photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ivan Cushinberry, Jr., 66, Atchison, arrested at 1518 South 7th Street on requested charges of distribution and possession of cocaine, manufacturing a controlled substance, and distribution and possession of methamphetamine. Shortly before 2:00AM on Thursday officers and agents executed a search warrant at 1518 South 7th Street where numerous items of evidence were seized. Cushinberry was taken to the County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750969800559.png" alt="Daniels photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Daniels photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Cecilia Y. Daniels, 57, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 600 block Commercial on requested charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several traffic charges. Taken to County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750969850282.png" alt="Bowen photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Bowen photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Harold D. Bowen, 76, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 600 block Commercial on requested charges of possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750969976133.png" alt="Felicia Lynch-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Felicia Lynch-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Felicia K. Lynch, 33, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 1200 block South 6th Street on requested charges of possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750970116281.png" alt="Maxey photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Maxey photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kevin V. Maxey, Jr., 37, Atchison, arrested on a traffic stop in the 600 block College Street and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and disorderly conduct. Taken to County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750970037950.png" alt="Kattibrie Lynch -photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Kattibrie Lynch -photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kattibrie D. Lynch, 30, Atchison, arrested following a traffic stop in the 800 block Raven Hill Road on requested charges with possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

Seven arrested in KBI drug investigation

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations in connection with a shooting that occurred earlier this month in the parking lot of Pancho's 3029 Riffel in Salina.

Just after 6:30a.m. Wednesday, the Salina Police Department SWAT team with the assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol SWAT team served a search warrant at a residence in the 900 block of Spruce in Salina, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

Officers took 32-year-old Calvin Frenzley Jr. and&nbsp; 30-year-old Sydney Holt both residents of the home.

Frenzley was initially taken into custody on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault in reference to the initial investigation. Both Frenzley and Holt also jailed on requested charges of Felony Interference, Possesion of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Aggravated Endangerment of a Child since there was a child under the age of 18 at the residence. Additional arrests are anticipated, according to Feldman.

On June 8, police responded to the restaurant after a suspect allegedly stepped out of a black,  Jeep SUV and fired one round at a white Chevy Camaro.&nbsp;Investigators found one spent .30 caliber shell casing in the parking lot. The Jeep was in front of the Camaro in the drive-through lane just before the incident. Both vehicles left the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750944358562.jpeg" alt="Frenzley -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Frenzley -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations in connection with a shooting that occurred earlier this month in the parking lot of Pancho's 3029 Riffel in Salina.Just after 6:30a.m. Wednesday, the Salina Police Department SWAT team with the assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol SWAT team served a search warrant at a residence in the 900 block of Spruce in Salina, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.Officers took 32-year-old Calvin Frenzley Jr. and&nbsp; 30-year-old Sydney Holt both residents of the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750944760124.jpeg" alt="Holt photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Holt photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Frenzley was initially taken into custody on a requested charge of Aggravated Assault in reference to the initial investigation. Both Frenzley and Holt also jailed on requested charges of Felony Interference, Possesion of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Aggravated Endangerment of a Child since there was a child under the age of 18 at the residence. Additional arrests are anticipated, according to Feldman.On June 8, police responded to the restaurant after a suspect allegedly stepped out of a black, Jeep SUV and fired one round at a white Chevy Camaro.&nbsp;Investigators found one spent .30 caliber shell casing in the parking lot. The Jeep was in front of the Camaro in the drive-through lane just before the incident. Both vehicles left the scene.

Suspects in Kan. drive-through restaurant shooting arrested

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.

A white and red Mack Dump Truck was southbound on Manchester Avenue making a left turn onto the entrance ramp for westbound Interstate 70, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina. A northbound minibike without lights struck the dump truck when it was mid-way through its turn.

The operator of the minibike was ejected off the vehile and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Mack was uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; Police did not released the name of the victim.

 This is fatality #40 compared with #49 at this time last year, according to Becchina.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.A white and red Mack Dump Truck was southbound on Manchester Avenue making a left turn onto the entrance ramp for westbound Interstate 70, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina. A northbound minibike without lights struck the dump truck when it was mid-way through its turn.The operator of the minibike was ejected off the vehile and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Mack was uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; Police did not released the name of the victim. This is fatality #40 compared with #49 at this time last year, according to Becchina.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KCPD: Mini bike rider dies after crash with dump truck

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pentagon leaders laid out new details Thursday about military tactics and explosives to bolster their argument that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">U.S. attacks</a>&nbsp;had destroyed key Iranian nuclear facilities, but little more emerged on how far back the bombing had set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-06-26-2025-d09bf2282deea3b2edd63f29c867c058">Tehran’s atomic program</a>.

Click below to watch the entire Pentagon press briefing

In a rare Pentagon news briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-iran-nuclear-strikes-intel-863369a112a14021cb59cbf985a1c74b">shift the debate</a>&nbsp;from whether the nuclear targets were “obliterated,” as President Donald Trump has said, to what they portrayed as the heroism of the strikes as well as the extensive research and preparation that went into carrying them out.

"You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack," Hegseth said in an often combative session with the media.

“You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,” Hegseth said in an often combative session with reporters.

It was the latest example of how Trump has marshaled top administration officials to defend his claims about the effectiveness of the U.S. strikes. At stake is the legacy of the Republican president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-israel-ceasefire-agreement-terms-b5fc5cc8a8c32b4899646130b496798a">intervention in the brief war</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Iran, as well as the future of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-ceasefire-nuclear-talks-330d6d6d1a8939c0c8866941992f65c5">American foreign policy toward Iran</a>.

Pentagon gives little detail on status of Iran's highly enriched uranium

Hegseth appeared less confident that the strikes got all of Iran's highly enriched nuclear material.

Asked repeatedly whether any of it was moved to other locations before the U.S. attack, Hegseth acknowledged that the Pentagon was “looking at all aspects of intelligence and making sure we have a sense of what was where."

He added, “I’m not aware of any intelligence that says things were not where they were supposed to be” or that they were moved.

Satellite imagery showed trucks and bulldozers at Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment site, the main target of the bombings, days before the strikes, which occurred between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. EDT Saturday. Experts said enriched uranium stocks can be moved in small canisters and are hard to find.

“It would be extremely challenging to try and detect locations where Iran may be hiding highly enriched uranium,” said Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the nonpartisan Arms Control Association.

Trump expressed confidence that uranium was not pulled out before the attack.

“Nothing was taken out of facility,” he said on social media. “Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!”

New details emerge on how the U.S. carried out the attacks

U.S. stealth bombers dropped 12 deep penetrator bombs, called bunker busters, on Fordo and two on the Natanz site, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

Hegseth and Caine described 15 years of study and planning going into the bombing mission and they showed video of a test explosion of a&nbsp;<a href="https://international%20atomic%20energy%20agency/">“bunker buster” munition</a>, designed to penetrate deep into mountains.

While Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, spent the bulk of his time slamming the media coverage and personally insulting reporters who questioned him, Caine stuck to the military details of the bombing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750954444210.png" alt="Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from Pentagon video" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from Pentagon video</figcaption>
 </figure>By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — Pentagon leaders laid out new details Thursday about military tactics and explosives to bolster their argument that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">U.S. attacks</a>&nbsp;had destroyed key Iranian nuclear facilities, but little more emerged on how far back the bombing had set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-06-26-2025-d09bf2282deea3b2edd63f29c867c058">Tehran’s atomic program</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NO OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS THE WEAPONRY OR THE CAPABILITIES THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS. <a href="https://t.co/7lqcsUFe3a">pic.twitter.com/7lqcsUFe3a</a>&mdash; DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1938231510139867614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Click below to watch the entire Pentagon press briefing<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDeptofDefense%2Fvideos%2F9721452061316507%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pentagon releases test footage showing how bunker-busters work.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Hegseth: “Because of the hatred of this press... your people are trying to leak &amp; spin that it wasn&#39;t successful. It&#39;s irresponsible.” Gen. “Razin” Caine, on the mission: “I have chills..talking about this.” <a href="https://t.co/nS1q6ml7Ae">pic.twitter.com/nS1q6ml7Ae</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1938259832416391576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a rare Pentagon news briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, worked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-iran-nuclear-strikes-intel-863369a112a14021cb59cbf985a1c74b">shift the debate</a>&nbsp;from whether the nuclear targets were “obliterated,” as President Donald Trump has said, to what they portrayed as the heroism of the strikes as well as the extensive research and preparation that went into carrying them out.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750954654873.png" alt="Image from Pentagon video" />
 <figcaption>Image from Pentagon video</figcaption>
 </figure>"You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack," Hegseth said in an often combative session with the media.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750954719039.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750954749972.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>“You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,” Hegseth said in an often combative session with reporters.It was the latest example of how Trump has marshaled top administration officials to defend his claims about the effectiveness of the U.S. strikes. At stake is the legacy of the Republican president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-israel-ceasefire-agreement-terms-b5fc5cc8a8c32b4899646130b496798a">intervention in the brief war</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Iran, as well as the future of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-ceasefire-nuclear-talks-330d6d6d1a8939c0c8866941992f65c5">American foreign policy toward Iran</a>.<h2>Pentagon gives little detail on status of Iran's highly enriched uranium</h2>Hegseth appeared less confident that the strikes got all of Iran's highly enriched nuclear material.Asked repeatedly whether any of it was moved to other locations before the U.S. attack, Hegseth acknowledged that the Pentagon was “looking at all aspects of intelligence and making sure we have a sense of what was where."He added, “I’m not aware of any intelligence that says things were not where they were supposed to be” or that they were moved.Satellite imagery showed trucks and bulldozers at Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment site, the main target of the bombings, days before the strikes, which occurred between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. EDT Saturday. Experts said enriched uranium stocks can be moved in small canisters and are hard to find.“It would be extremely challenging to try and detect locations where Iran may be hiding highly enriched uranium,” said Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the nonpartisan Arms Control Association.Trump expressed confidence that uranium was not pulled out before the attack.“Nothing was taken out of facility,” he said on social media. “Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!”<h2>New details emerge on how the U.S. carried out the attacks</h2>U.S. stealth bombers dropped 12 deep penetrator bombs, called bunker busters, on Fordo and two on the Natanz site, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.Hegseth and Caine described 15 years of study and planning going into the bombing mission and they showed video of a test explosion of a&nbsp;<a href="https://international%20atomic%20energy%20agency/">“bunker buster” munition</a>, designed to penetrate deep into mountains.While Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, spent the bulk of his time slamming the media coverage and personally insulting reporters who questioned him, Caine stuck to the military details of the bombing.Caine said the U.S. targeted the ventilation shafts at the Fordo facility as the entry point for the bombs. In the days before the U.S. attack, the Iranians placed large concrete slabs on top of both ventilation routes from the underground facilities to try to protect them, he said.He said the first bomb dropped was used to eliminate the concrete slab, and then four of the bombs were dropped down the main shaft with slightly different angles to take out various parts of the underground facility.The pilots of the bombers described the flash after the bomb drop as “the brightest explosion they had ever seen,” Caine said.He noted it is not his job to do the assessment of the damage. Asked if he has been pressured to provide a more optimistic view of the results, Caine said no.“I’ve never been pressured by the president or the secretary to do anything other than tell them exactly what I’m thinking. And that’s exactly what I’ve done,” he said.Caine also lauded the troops who remained at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/al-udeid-air-base-military-qatar-iran-501e9e64e80480ef3aa4ee43c1243235">Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar</a>&nbsp;when the Iran launched its counterattack Monday. He said just 44 soldiers stayed to operate the two Patriot missile batteries and protect the entire air base.“You know that you’re going to have approximately two minutes, 120 seconds, to either succeed or fail,” Caine said, adding, “They absolutely crushed it.”<h2>Hegseth dismisses initial assessment from the Pentagon’s own intelligence agency</h2><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">The fake news has turned to LEAKS from a preliminary low-confidence report that will continue to be REFINED as additional intelligence becomes available. HERE ARE THE FACTS: <a href="https://t.co/OFJVeIVvB4">pic.twitter.com/OFJVeIVvB4</a>&mdash; DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1938211836991816063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hegseth repeated assertions that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-military-strikes-trump-f0fc085a2605e7da3e2f47ff9ac0e01d">early assessment</a>&nbsp;from the Defense Intelligence Agency, a part of the Defense Department, was preliminary and that the report acknowledged there was low confidence and gaps in information.Hegseth repeatedly scolded reporters for “breathlessly” focusing on that assessment and said such stories were just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-intelligence-assessment-cia-nuclear-distrust-13d39a9cd96ff4021e9be780bf5f8491">attempts to undermine Trump.</a>That report said that while the U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bunker-buster-bomb-israel-iran-fordo-fordow-b2-nuclear-8a612cbf16aa0f99bd9992334ffc93d7">did significant damage</a>, the sites were not totally destroyed and that Tehran's program was only set back by a few months.Hegseth and others have not disputed the contents of the DIA report but have focused on a CIA statement and other intelligence assessments, including those out of Iran and Israel, that said the strikes severely damaged the nuclear sites and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable.The International Atomic Energy Agency is not now able to assess the exact damage to the Fordo site, but the centrifuges there are “no longer operational,” the U.N. nuclear watchdog's chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi, told Radio France Internationale on Thursday.Trump appeared buoyed by Hegseth’s fierce display of loyalty and his repeated attacks on news organizations during the briefing. The president said on social media that it was "one of the greatest, most professional, and most ‘confirming’ News Conferences I have ever seen!”___Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Chris Megerian and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report.