WASHINGTON (AP) —Regulators on Friday approved two gene therapies for sickle cell disease that doctors hope can cure the painful, inherited blood disorder that afflicts mostly Black people in the U.S.

The Food and Drug Administration said the one-time treatments can be used for patients 12 and older with severe forms of the disease. One, made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sickle-cell-gene-therapy-crispr-8ded5e3a35b30bd257ac756f8a223c51">first approved therapy</a>&nbsp;based on CRISPR, the gene editing tool that won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prizes-united-states-technology-science-europe-14ba023fa7a90b34df2d7a6d0314c796">its inventors</a>&nbsp;the Nobel Prize in 2020. The other is made by Bluebird Bio and works differently.

“Sickle cell disease is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder with significant unmet need," the FDA's Dr. Nicole Verdun said in a statement announcing the approvals. “We are excited to advance the field especially for individuals whose lives have been severely disrupted by the disease."

The two gene therapies are the first approved in the U.S. for sickle cell. The FDA has previously OK'd 15 gene therapies for other conditions. Some have list prices in the millions of dollars, and the sickle cell therapies will too.

In the U.S., an estimated 100,000 people have sickle cell and about a fifth of them have the severe form. Sickle cell is most common among Black people and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html">1 in 365</a>&nbsp;Black babies are born with the disease nationally. Scientists believe being a carrier of the sickle cell trait helps protect against severe malaria, so the disease occurs more often in mosquito-prone regions such as Africa or in people whose ancestors lived in those places.

The disease affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A genetic mutation causes the cells to become sickle or crescent-shaped, which can block blood flow, causing excruciating pain, organ damage, stroke and other problems.

Current treatments include medications and blood transfusions. The only permanent solution is a bone marrow transplant, which must come from a closely matched donor and brings a risk of rejection.

No donor is required for the gene therapies, which permanently change DNA in the patient’s blood cells. The goal of the Vertex therapy, called Casgevy, is to help the body go back to producing a fetal form of hemoglobin that’s present at birth — it’s the adult form that’s defective in people with sickle cell disease. CRISPR is used to knock out a gene in stem cells collected from the patient.

Bluebird’s treatment, called Lyfgenia, aims to add copies of a modified gene, which helps red blood cells produce “anti-sickling” hemoglobin that prevents or reverses misshapen cells.

When patients get the treatments, stem cells are removed from their blood and sent to a lab. Before getting the altered cells back, they must undergo chemotherapy. The process requires at least two hospitalizations, one lasting four to six weeks.

Still, many patients say they’d consider gene therapy given the seriousness of the disease.

Jalen Matthews of Louisville, Kentucky, was diagnosed with sickle cell at birth and had her first pain episode at age 9. Three years later, the disease led to a spinal cord stroke that left her with some paralysis in her left arm and leg.

“I had to learn how to walk again, feed myself, clothe myself, basically learn how to do everything all over again,” said Matthews, now 26.

Today, she keeps her sickle cell at bay with transfusions every two months or so, with five units of her blood replaced with healthy cells. She said gene therapy could be a better option and she plans to ask her doctor about it.

“This one-time kind of cure is very much needed,” said Matthews.

The FDA’s approval is the first for Bluebird’s treatment; Vertex has been previously authorized in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sickle-cell-gene-therapy-treatment-uk-first-9bcf7c7d8b8909fb06e137fee17c767c">Britain</a>&nbsp;and Bahrain.

Studies testing the therapies suggest they work well. Of 31 people treated in the pivotal Vertex study with sufficient follow-up, 29 were free of pain crises for at least a year. In the Bluebird study, 28 of 32 patients had no severe pain or organ damage between six and 18 months after the therapy.

But doctors point out there are possible side effects and the long-term outcomes are unknown. For both, the necessary chemotherapy comes with risks such as infertility, hair loss and vulnerability to serious infection.

With the Bluebird therapy, blood cancer has occurred, so the FDA said the label will include a “black box warning” about that risk. With the Vertex therapy, some scientists worry that CRISPR brings the possibility of “off-target effects,” which are unexpected changes to a person’s genome.

“It’s important to be cautious and to be optimistic about this therapy, but also know that there’s still not a ton of experience with it,” said Dr. Benjamin Watkins, director of the pediatric stem cell and cell therapy program at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Doctors said they don’t expect every medical center to offer the gene therapies because they require so much equipment and coordination between medical specialists. They also don’t expect lots of people to seek them right away. Watkins said some may want to wait until more people get the treatments.

Experts also warned that cost could be a hurdle. The list price for Bluebird Bio is $3.1 million and for Vertex, $2.2 million. What patients might pay will depend on insurance coverage and other factors. To help cover the cost, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/blog/cms-launches-action-plan-sickle-cell-disease-month">announced</a>&nbsp;a plan that aims to establish partnerships with state Medicaid agencies and drug companies.

But eventually, gene therapy “could be transformative and really change the landscape of sickle cell disease,” said Dr. Monica Bhatia, who treats children with the disease at NewYork-Presbyterian.

Matthews, who volunteers with The Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana, said she’s hopeful the treatments will have a big impact.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Regulators on Friday approved two gene therapies for sickle cell disease that doctors hope can cure the painful, inherited blood disorder that afflicts mostly Black people in the U.S.The Food and Drug Administration said the one-time treatments can be used for patients 12 and older with severe forms of the disease. One, made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sickle-cell-gene-therapy-crispr-8ded5e3a35b30bd257ac756f8a223c51">first approved therapy</a>&nbsp;based on CRISPR, the gene editing tool that won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prizes-united-states-technology-science-europe-14ba023fa7a90b34df2d7a6d0314c796">its inventors</a>&nbsp;the Nobel Prize in 2020. The other is made by Bluebird Bio and works differently.“Sickle cell disease is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder with significant unmet need," the FDA's Dr. Nicole Verdun said in a statement announcing the approvals. “We are excited to advance the field especially for individuals whose lives have been severely disrupted by the disease."The two gene therapies are the first approved in the U.S. for sickle cell. The FDA has previously OK'd 15 gene therapies for other conditions. Some have list prices in the millions of dollars, and the sickle cell therapies will too.In the U.S., an estimated 100,000 people have sickle cell and about a fifth of them have the severe form. Sickle cell is most common among Black people and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html">1 in 365</a>&nbsp;Black babies are born with the disease nationally. Scientists believe being a carrier of the sickle cell trait helps protect against severe malaria, so the disease occurs more often in mosquito-prone regions such as Africa or in people whose ancestors lived in those places.The disease affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A genetic mutation causes the cells to become sickle or crescent-shaped, which can block blood flow, causing excruciating pain, organ damage, stroke and other problems.Current treatments include medications and blood transfusions. The only permanent solution is a bone marrow transplant, which must come from a closely matched donor and brings a risk of rejection.No donor is required for the gene therapies, which permanently change DNA in the patient’s blood cells. The goal of the Vertex therapy, called Casgevy, is to help the body go back to producing a fetal form of hemoglobin that’s present at birth — it’s the adult form that’s defective in people with sickle cell disease. CRISPR is used to knock out a gene in stem cells collected from the patient.Bluebird’s treatment, called Lyfgenia, aims to add copies of a modified gene, which helps red blood cells produce “anti-sickling” hemoglobin that prevents or reverses misshapen cells.When patients get the treatments, stem cells are removed from their blood and sent to a lab. Before getting the altered cells back, they must undergo chemotherapy. The process requires at least two hospitalizations, one lasting four to six weeks.Still, many patients say they’d consider gene therapy given the seriousness of the disease.Jalen Matthews of Louisville, Kentucky, was diagnosed with sickle cell at birth and had her first pain episode at age 9. Three years later, the disease led to a spinal cord stroke that left her with some paralysis in her left arm and leg.“I had to learn how to walk again, feed myself, clothe myself, basically learn how to do everything all over again,” said Matthews, now 26.Today, she keeps her sickle cell at bay with transfusions every two months or so, with five units of her blood replaced with healthy cells. She said gene therapy could be a better option and she plans to ask her doctor about it.“This one-time kind of cure is very much needed,” said Matthews.The FDA’s approval is the first for Bluebird’s treatment; Vertex has been previously authorized in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sickle-cell-gene-therapy-treatment-uk-first-9bcf7c7d8b8909fb06e137fee17c767c">Britain</a>&nbsp;and Bahrain.Studies testing the therapies suggest they work well. Of 31 people treated in the pivotal Vertex study with sufficient follow-up, 29 were free of pain crises for at least a year. In the Bluebird study, 28 of 32 patients had no severe pain or organ damage between six and 18 months after the therapy.But doctors point out there are possible side effects and the long-term outcomes are unknown. For both, the necessary chemotherapy comes with risks such as infertility, hair loss and vulnerability to serious infection.With the Bluebird therapy, blood cancer has occurred, so the FDA said the label will include a “black box warning” about that risk. With the Vertex therapy, some scientists worry that CRISPR brings the possibility of “off-target effects,” which are unexpected changes to a person’s genome.“It’s important to be cautious and to be optimistic about this therapy, but also know that there’s still not a ton of experience with it,” said Dr. Benjamin Watkins, director of the pediatric stem cell and cell therapy program at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.Doctors said they don’t expect every medical center to offer the gene therapies because they require so much equipment and coordination between medical specialists. They also don’t expect lots of people to seek them right away. Watkins said some may want to wait until more people get the treatments.Experts also warned that cost could be a hurdle. The list price for Bluebird Bio is $3.1 million and for Vertex, $2.2 million. What patients might pay will depend on insurance coverage and other factors. To help cover the cost, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/blog/cms-launches-action-plan-sickle-cell-disease-month">announced</a>&nbsp;a plan that aims to establish partnerships with state Medicaid agencies and drug companies.But eventually, gene therapy “could be transformative and really change the landscape of sickle cell disease,” said Dr. Monica Bhatia, who treats children with the disease at NewYork-Presbyterian.Matthews, who volunteers with The Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana, said she’s hopeful the treatments will have a big impact.

FDA approves first gene-editing treatment for illness

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man for an alleged robbery.

Just after 11p.m. December 3, police responded to a report of a robbery at the Sonic drive-in 5922 SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Lt Jerry Monasmith.

 A victim reported a male suspect, later identified as 37-year-old William Kellogg entered the establishment and demanded money. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, Kellogg fled the scene. 

Shortly afterwards, officers located and apprehended a person matching the Kellogg's description without incident.

As a result of the investigation, police transported Kellogg to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Robbery and possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701874121466.png" alt="Kellogg-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kellogg-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man for an alleged robbery.Just after 11p.m. December 3, police responded to a report of a robbery at the Sonic drive-in 5922 SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Lt Jerry Monasmith. A victim reported a male suspect, later identified as 37-year-old William Kellogg entered the establishment and demanded money. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, Kellogg fled the scene. Shortly afterwards, officers located and apprehended a person matching the Kellogg's description without incident.As a result of the investigation, police transported Kellogg to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Robbery and possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Man accused of robbery at Kansas fast-food restaurant

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday night put on hold a judge's ruling that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-roe-568c09dc8794c341095189362ece9004">approved an abortion for a pregnant woman</a>&nbsp;whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis, throwing into limbo an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S.

The order by the all-Republican court came more than 30 hours after Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area, received a temporary restraining order from a lower court judge that prevents Texas from enforcing the state's ban in her case.

In a one-page order, the court said it was temporarily staying Thursday's ruling “without regard to the merits." The case is still pending.

“While we still hope that the Court ultimately rejects the state’s request and does so quickly, in this case we fear that justice delayed will be justice denied,” said Molly Duane, an attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox.

Cox's attorneys have said they will not share her abortion plans, citing concerns for her safety. In a filing with the Texas Supreme Court on Friday, her attorneys indicated she was still pregnant.

Cox was 20 weeks pregnant this week when she filed what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">that overturned Roe v. Wade</a>. The order issued Thursday only applied to Cox and no other pregnant Texas women.

Cox learned she was pregnant for a third time in August and was told weeks later that her baby was at a high risk for a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth and low survival rates, according to her lawsuit.

Furthermore, doctors have told Cox that if the baby’s heartbeat were to stop, inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her two prior cesareans sections, and that another C-section at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Cox does not meet the criteria for a medical exception to the state's abortion ban, and he urged the state's highest court to act swiftly.

“Future criminal and civil proceedings cannot restore the life that is lost if Plaintiffs or their agents proceed to perform and procure an abortion in violation of Texas law,” Paxton's office told the court.

He also warned three hospitals in Houston that they could face legal consequences if they allowed Cox's physician to provide the abortion, despite the ruling from state District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, who Paxton called an “activist” judge.

On Friday, a pregnant Kentucky woman&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/ndmark%20U.S.%20Supreme%20Court%20decision%20last%20year%20that%20a%20woman%20has%20asked%20a%20court%20to%20approve%20an%20abortion.">also filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;demanding the right to an abortion. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, is about eight weeks pregnant and she wants to have an abortion in Kentucky but cannot legally do so because of the state’s ban, the suit said.

Unlike Cox's lawsuit, the Kentucky challenge seeks class-action status to include other Kentuckians who are or will become pregnant and want to have an abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702131734401.png" alt="Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights" />
 <figcaption>Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday night put on hold a judge's ruling that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-roe-568c09dc8794c341095189362ece9004">approved an abortion for a pregnant woman</a>&nbsp;whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis, throwing into limbo an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S.The order by the all-Republican court came more than 30 hours after Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area, received a temporary restraining order from a lower court judge that prevents Texas from enforcing the state's ban in her case.In a one-page order, the court said it was temporarily staying Thursday's ruling “without regard to the merits." The case is still pending.“While we still hope that the Court ultimately rejects the state’s request and does so quickly, in this case we fear that justice delayed will be justice denied,” said Molly Duane, an attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox.Cox's attorneys have said they will not share her abortion plans, citing concerns for her safety. In a filing with the Texas Supreme Court on Friday, her attorneys indicated she was still pregnant.Cox was 20 weeks pregnant this week when she filed what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">that overturned Roe v. Wade</a>. The order issued Thursday only applied to Cox and no other pregnant Texas women.Cox learned she was pregnant for a third time in August and was told weeks later that her baby was at a high risk for a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth and low survival rates, according to her lawsuit.Furthermore, doctors have told Cox that if the baby’s heartbeat were to stop, inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her two prior cesareans sections, and that another C-section at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child.Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Cox does not meet the criteria for a medical exception to the state's abortion ban, and he urged the state's highest court to act swiftly.“Future criminal and civil proceedings cannot restore the life that is lost if Plaintiffs or their agents proceed to perform and procure an abortion in violation of Texas law,” Paxton's office told the court.He also warned three hospitals in Houston that they could face legal consequences if they allowed Cox's physician to provide the abortion, despite the ruling from state District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, who Paxton called an “activist” judge.On Friday, a pregnant Kentucky woman&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/ndmark%20U.S.%20Supreme%20Court%20decision%20last%20year%20that%20a%20woman%20has%20asked%20a%20court%20to%20approve%20an%20abortion.">also filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;demanding the right to an abortion. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, is about eight weeks pregnant and she wants to have an abortion in Kentucky but cannot legally do so because of the state’s ban, the suit said.Unlike Cox's lawsuit, the Kentucky challenge seeks class-action status to include other Kentuckians who are or will become pregnant and want to have an abortion.

Court puts hold on Judge's ruling in unprecedented abortion case

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City.

The shooting happened in the area of Independence Avenue and Cleveland Avenue around 9:20 p.m.

Just before 9:30p.m. Friday, police responded to Independence Avenue and Cleveland Avenue where they found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds, according to a media release.

First responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene. EMS transported the man to a local hospital

While detectives were investigating, a third&nbsp; victim arrived at a fire station a short distance away reporting that he had been shot at the original Independence Avenue location. EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are working to determine what prompted the interaction between the man found at the scene of the shooting and an unknown suspect to escalate into gunfire.

Police have not released any information on a suspect or reported an arrest.

&nbsp;Detectives are searching for witnesses to the incident or any surveillance footage that may have captured it.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City.The shooting happened in the area of Independence Avenue and Cleveland Avenue around 9:20 p.m.Just before 9:30p.m. Friday, police responded to Independence Avenue and Cleveland Avenue where they found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds, according to a media release.First responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene. EMS transported the man to a local hospitalWhile detectives were investigating, a third&nbsp; victim arrived at a fire station a short distance away reporting that he had been shot at the original Independence Avenue location. EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.Police are working to determine what prompted the interaction between the man found at the scene of the shooting and an unknown suspect to escalate into gunfire.Police have not released any information on a suspect or reported an arrest.&nbsp;Detectives are searching for witnesses to the incident or any surveillance footage that may have captured it.

Police: Woman dead, 2 men injured in Kansas City gunfight

JERUSALEM (AP)— The Israeli military says two soldiers have been seriously wounded in a failed attempt to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

The military said Friday that it killed numerous militants in the overnight operation, but was unable to rescue any hostages.

Earlier Friday, Hamas said its fighters had stopped a rescue attempt and clashed with Israeli special forces. It claimed an Israeli soldier who was being held hostage was killed by Israeli air fire meant to protect the withdrawing forces. Israel’s military had no comment on the claim.

Hamas is believed to be holding some 137 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 cross-border attack that triggered the war.

Meanwhile, the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-resolution-ceasefire-humanitarian-6d3bfd31d6c25168e828274d96b85cf8">vetoed a United Nations resolution</a>&nbsp;demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

Friday's vote came after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the first time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-secretarygeneral-humanitarian-ceasefire-69be52737db67c061280823ec3019f0d">invoked Article 99</a>&nbsp;of the U.N. Charter, which enables a U.N. chief to raise threats he sees to international peace and security. He warned of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-06-2023-156afcb1626f1cb4e9e26e5430c7185c">“humanitarian catastrophe”</a>&nbsp;in Gaza.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said halting military action would allow Hamas to continue to rule Gaza and “only plant the seeds for the next war.”

Around 1,200 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza</a>&nbsp;said the death toll in the territory has surpassed 17,400, with more than 46,000 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but said 70% of the dead were women and children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696679013332.png" alt="File -Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. . (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)" />
 <figcaption>File -Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. . (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP)— The Israeli military says two soldiers have been seriously wounded in a failed attempt to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza.The military said Friday that it killed numerous militants in the overnight operation, but was unable to rescue any hostages.Earlier Friday, Hamas said its fighters had stopped a rescue attempt and clashed with Israeli special forces. It claimed an Israeli soldier who was being held hostage was killed by Israeli air fire meant to protect the withdrawing forces. Israel’s military had no comment on the claim.Hamas is believed to be holding some 137 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 cross-border attack that triggered the war.Meanwhile, the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-resolution-ceasefire-humanitarian-6d3bfd31d6c25168e828274d96b85cf8">vetoed a United Nations resolution</a>&nbsp;demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.Friday's vote came after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the first time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-secretarygeneral-humanitarian-ceasefire-69be52737db67c061280823ec3019f0d">invoked Article 99</a>&nbsp;of the U.N. Charter, which enables a U.N. chief to raise threats he sees to international peace and security. He warned of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-06-2023-156afcb1626f1cb4e9e26e5430c7185c">“humanitarian catastrophe”</a>&nbsp;in Gaza.U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said halting military action would allow Hamas to continue to rule Gaza and “only plant the seeds for the next war.”Around 1,200 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza</a>&nbsp;said the death toll in the territory has surpassed 17,400, with more than 46,000 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but said 70% of the dead were women and children.

Israel: Attempt to rescue hostages in Gaza turns deadly     

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Two teachers from&nbsp; Salina USD 305 Public Schools, Caleb and Lacie Stewart, skipped this year's traditional Thanksgiving celebration.&nbsp;

While friends and family cooked turkey and stuffing, the Stewarts hung Christmas lights and decorations in the Oval Office and other important White House rooms.

Dozens of volunteers visited the White House to decorate, with Stewarts' group including 15 members to decorate the Oval Office, the Vice President's Office, the Cabinet Room and the Roosevelt Room.

As fellow volunteers milled about the White House, Caleb Stewart said he noticed the camaraderie while decorating.

"We were just there to all work together to decorate the people's house for Christmas," Caleb Stewart said. "The big thing I'm taking away is that it is still possible for everyone to get along and work together toward a common goal."

The Stewarts tune in to the "HGTV White House Christmas Special" each year to watch the process of decorating the White House. This year, they decided to get involved and turned in a volunteer application in September.

The pair nervously waited for a response, and in October, HGTV and White House staff told the couple to show up on Thanksgiving week.

On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the Stewarts arrived, celebrated Thanksgiving Day in Washington, D.C., and began decorating with dozens of other volunteers.

"We started our decorating shift on Friday," Caleb Stewart said. "We decorated all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and that was 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all those days."

The Stewarts strung twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees throughout their assigned rooms.&nbsp;

While working, Lacie Stewart said she thought of the history of the iconic building and how she had taught her third-grade class at Schilling Elementary about it just a few weeks before.

She teaches about government and American History through a reading unit that took the students on a virtual White House and Washington, D.C. tour.

"My kids were really excited to research that and know those places, and then a month later, I was like, 'Hey guys, remember that White House picture we showed you? We're actually going in there, and I'm going to tell you all about it,'" Lacie Stewart said. "It was really cool to make that connection."

Lacie and Caleb Stewart began teaching eight years ago in Salina, with Caleb starting his career at South Middle School and then moving on to teach high school English at Salina South for the past three years.&nbsp;

Lacie Stewart began teaching at Schilling Elementary eight years ago and continues to teach third grade there.

After returning from Washington, the couple told their students of the experience, from decorating in the Roosevelt Room to shaking hands with first lady and fellow educator Jill Biden.

"The day we got back, we actually put together a little slideshow presentation of some pictures," Caleb Stewart said.&nbsp;

The White House also provided volunteers with a children's book-style booklet that explained the decorations of each room, so the Stewarts shared that with students.

Lacie Stewart said her students excitedly absorbed the information, letting friends and family know about their teacher's accomplishment.

"They had lots of questions," Lacie Stewart said. "After the initial kind of enjoyment, they really kind of thought about it like 'Wow, my teacher did do this!'"

"They were telling other students or parents, and I had a lot of parents after school ask me, 'Is it true that you really went to the White House?' and I was like, 'Your students aren't lying to you, it's true — I really did.'"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702071243946.jpeg" alt="White House Christmas decorating volunteers stand in front of the festive Presidential Mansion for the 2023 season. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart" />
 <figcaption>White House Christmas decorating volunteers stand in front of the festive Presidential Mansion for the 2023 season. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostTwo teachers from&nbsp; Salina USD 305 Public Schools, Caleb and Lacie Stewart, skipped this year's traditional Thanksgiving celebration.&nbsp;While friends and family cooked turkey and stuffing, the Stewarts hung Christmas lights and decorations in the Oval Office and other important White House rooms.Dozens of volunteers visited the White House to decorate, with Stewarts' group including 15 members to decorate the Oval Office, the Vice President's Office, the Cabinet Room and the Roosevelt Room.As fellow volunteers milled about the White House, Caleb Stewart said he noticed the camaraderie while decorating."We were just there to all work together to decorate the people's house for Christmas," Caleb Stewart said. "The big thing I'm taking away is that it is still possible for everyone to get along and work together toward a common goal."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702071395262.jpeg" alt="Lacie and Caleb Stewart stand in front of one of the decorations in the White House. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart" />
 <figcaption>Lacie and Caleb Stewart stand in front of one of the decorations in the White House. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Decorating the White House</h2>The Stewarts tune in to the "HGTV White House Christmas Special" each year to watch the process of decorating the White House. This year, they decided to get involved and turned in a volunteer application in September.The pair nervously waited for a response, and in October, HGTV and White House staff told the couple to show up on Thanksgiving week.On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the Stewarts arrived, celebrated Thanksgiving Day in Washington, D.C., and began decorating with dozens of other volunteers."We started our decorating shift on Friday," Caleb Stewart said. "We decorated all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and that was 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all those days."<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H-m_TUT7zoY?si=WS106DCne13NvhgC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Stewarts strung twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees throughout their assigned rooms.&nbsp;While working, Lacie Stewart said she thought of the history of the iconic building and how she had taught her third-grade class at Schilling Elementary about it just a few weeks before.She teaches about government and American History through a reading unit that took the students on a virtual White House and Washington, D.C. tour."My kids were really excited to research that and know those places, and then a month later, I was like, 'Hey guys, remember that White House picture we showed you? We're actually going in there, and I'm going to tell you all about it,'" Lacie Stewart said. "It was really cool to make that connection."<h2>Teachers for the community</h2>Lacie and Caleb Stewart began teaching eight years ago in Salina, with Caleb starting his career at South Middle School and then moving on to teach high school English at Salina South for the past three years.&nbsp;Lacie Stewart began teaching at Schilling Elementary eight years ago and continues to teach third grade there.After returning from Washington, the couple told their students of the experience, from decorating in the Roosevelt Room to shaking hands with first lady and fellow educator Jill Biden."The day we got back, we actually put together a little slideshow presentation of some pictures," Caleb Stewart said.&nbsp;The White House also provided volunteers with a children's book-style booklet that explained the decorations of each room, so the Stewarts shared that with students.Lacie Stewart said her students excitedly absorbed the information, letting friends and family know about their teacher's accomplishment."They had lots of questions," Lacie Stewart said. "After the initial kind of enjoyment, they really kind of thought about it like 'Wow, my teacher did do this!'""They were telling other students or parents, and I had a lot of parents after school ask me, 'Is it true that you really went to the White House?' and I was like, 'Your students aren't lying to you, it's true — I really did.'"

2 teachers from Kan. helped decorate the White House for Christmas

WASHINGTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Friday in Washington County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1986 GMC S pickup driven by Hunter L.&nbsp;Wohlbrandt, 23, Wakefield, was southbound on Kansas 119 at Kansas 9 one mile South of Greenleaf.

The driver failed to stop at a stop sign prior to entering the intersection. A 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by Lindsay I. Gray, 15, Waterville, struck the pickup.

EMS transported Wohlbrandt to&nbsp;Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln where he died. EMS transported Gray and a passenger Brian T. Gray, 47, Waterville, to the Washington County Hospital. Wohlbrandt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

WASHINGTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Friday in Washington County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1986 GMC S pickup driven by Hunter L.&nbsp;Wohlbrandt, 23, Wakefield, was southbound on Kansas 119 at Kansas 9 one mile South of Greenleaf.The driver failed to stop at a stop sign prior to entering the intersection. A 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by Lindsay I. Gray, 15, Waterville, struck the pickup.EMS transported Wohlbrandt to&nbsp;Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln where he died. EMS transported Gray and a passenger Brian T. Gray, 47, Waterville, to the Washington County Hospital. Wohlbrandt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies, 15-year-old driver and passenger injured in crash

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced a Michigan teenager to life in prison Friday for killing four students and terrorizing others at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">Oxford High School</a>, after listening to hours of gripping anguish from parents and wounded survivors.

Judge Kwame Rowe rejected pleas from defense lawyers for a shorter sentence and ensured that Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not get an opportunity for parole.

“My actions were what I chose to do. I could not stop myself. ... I am a really bad person. I’ve done terrible things,” Crumbley, who was 15 when he attacked his school in 2021, said before the sentence was announced.

He said he was sorry and pledged to change while behind bars.

Life sentences for teenagers are rare in Michigan since the U.S. Supreme Court and the state’s highest court said the violent acts of minors must be viewed differently than the crimes of adults. But the Oakland County prosecutor said a no-parole term fits Crumbley's case.

Rowe’s decision followed deeply emotional remarks by families of the deceased and survivors who spoke about how the tragedy has affected them.

“Your statements,” Rowe said, “do not fall on deaf ears.”

Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.

“We are miserable. We miss Tate,” said Buck Myre, the father of Tate Myre. “Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed — ever.”

Nicole Beausoleil recalled seeing the body of her daughter, Madisyn Baldwin, at the medical examiner's office, her hand with blue-painted fingernails sticking out from a covering.

“I looked though the glass. My scream should have shattered it,” Beausoleil said.

Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, told the shooter that he executed a boy who could have helped him navigate awkward teenage years.

“If you were that lonely, that miserable and lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would have been your friend — if only you had asked,” Soave said.

Crumbley looked down as Soave and others spoke. He also will have an opportunity to address the judge and possibly explain why he believes he should be spared a life sentence.

Kylie Ossege explained how she had urged Hana St. Juliana a “thousand times” to keep breathing while they waited for help on a blood-soaked carpet. Her classmate died.

Ossege, now a college student, was shot and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-ossege-crumbley-450cc3cdd74058649740aa4cc3a7de8c">continues to struggle with daily pain</a>&nbsp;from spinal injuries.

“Being able to swing a leg over my horse is my therapy. It is pure joy,” she said of Blaze. “I have not been able to do it for two years.”

Defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin has argued Crumbley deserves an opportunity for parole after his “sick brain” is fixed through counseling and rehabilitation.

But St. Juliana's father scoffed at that possibility.

"There can be no rehabilitation,” Steve St. Juliana told the judge. “There is absolutely nothing the defendant can do to earn my forgiveness. His age plays no part.”

In a journal, the shooter wrote about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison. He made a video on the eve of the shooting, declaring what he would do the next day.

More than 20 people gave victim-impact statements by early Friday afternoon. Some wore shirts honoring the fallen students. The judge briefly allowed a framed photo of Myre to be placed near him.

Speakers recalled the day and its aftermath in details large and small. One woman said she's still anxious simply pulling into Meijer, a big-box store where families reunited immediately after the shooting.

Linda Watson said her son, Aiden, who was shot in the leg, still doesn't go to school for a full day. She recalled the family staying in a hotel because a nail gun being used in her neighborhood sounded like a real gun to him.

“Aiden will be dealing with this for the rest of his life. ... This shooter — this monster — should have to feel everything hard and painful for the rest of his life," Watson said.

Like their son, Jennifer and James Crumbley are locked up in the county jail. They are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-michigan-ethan-crumbley-654c839914eb3a36ae43a7bc8dd9bacd">awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges</a>, accused of making a gun accessible at home and neglecting the shooter's mental health.

Crumbley and his parents met with school staff on the day of the shooting after a teacher noticed violent drawings. But no one checked his backpack for a gun and he was allowed to stay.

The shooting happened in Oxford Township, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit. Besides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">the four students</a>&nbsp;who were killed, six more students and a teacher also were wounded.

The Oxford school district hired an outside group to conduct an independent investigation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investigation-crumbley-oxford-high-shooting-school-899e59fdce25d92d7307dd0b1ddcea18">A report released</a>&nbsp;in October said “missteps at each level” — school board, administrators, staff — contributed to the tragedy.

Crumbley's behavior in class, including looking at a shooting video and gun ammunition on his phone, should have identified him as a “potential threat of violence,” the report said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley as shown in the original booking photo in 2021-photo Oakland County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley as shown in the original booking photo in 2021-photo Oakland County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced a Michigan teenager to life in prison Friday for killing four students and terrorizing others at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">Oxford High School</a>, after listening to hours of gripping anguish from parents and wounded survivors.Judge Kwame Rowe rejected pleas from defense lawyers for a shorter sentence and ensured that Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not get an opportunity for parole.“My actions were what I chose to do. I could not stop myself. ... I am a really bad person. I’ve done terrible things,” Crumbley, who was 15 when he attacked his school in 2021, said before the sentence was announced.He said he was sorry and pledged to change while behind bars.Life sentences for teenagers are rare in Michigan since the U.S. Supreme Court and the state’s highest court said the violent acts of minors must be viewed differently than the crimes of adults. But the Oakland County prosecutor said a no-parole term fits Crumbley's case.Rowe’s decision followed deeply emotional remarks by families of the deceased and survivors who spoke about how the tragedy has affected them.“Your statements,” Rowe said, “do not fall on deaf ears.”Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.“We are miserable. We miss Tate,” said Buck Myre, the father of Tate Myre. “Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed — ever.”Nicole Beausoleil recalled seeing the body of her daughter, Madisyn Baldwin, at the medical examiner's office, her hand with blue-painted fingernails sticking out from a covering.“I looked though the glass. My scream should have shattered it,” Beausoleil said.Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, told the shooter that he executed a boy who could have helped him navigate awkward teenage years.“If you were that lonely, that miserable and lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would have been your friend — if only you had asked,” Soave said.Crumbley looked down as Soave and others spoke. He also will have an opportunity to address the judge and possibly explain why he believes he should be spared a life sentence.Kylie Ossege explained how she had urged Hana St. Juliana a “thousand times” to keep breathing while they waited for help on a blood-soaked carpet. Her classmate died.Ossege, now a college student, was shot and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-ossege-crumbley-450cc3cdd74058649740aa4cc3a7de8c">continues to struggle with daily pain</a>&nbsp;from spinal injuries.“Being able to swing a leg over my horse is my therapy. It is pure joy,” she said of Blaze. “I have not been able to do it for two years.”Defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin has argued Crumbley deserves an opportunity for parole after his “sick brain” is fixed through counseling and rehabilitation.But St. Juliana's father scoffed at that possibility."There can be no rehabilitation,” Steve St. Juliana told the judge. “There is absolutely nothing the defendant can do to earn my forgiveness. His age plays no part.”In a journal, the shooter wrote about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison. He made a video on the eve of the shooting, declaring what he would do the next day.More than 20 people gave victim-impact statements by early Friday afternoon. Some wore shirts honoring the fallen students. The judge briefly allowed a framed photo of Myre to be placed near him.Speakers recalled the day and its aftermath in details large and small. One woman said she's still anxious simply pulling into Meijer, a big-box store where families reunited immediately after the shooting.Linda Watson said her son, Aiden, who was shot in the leg, still doesn't go to school for a full day. She recalled the family staying in a hotel because a nail gun being used in her neighborhood sounded like a real gun to him.“Aiden will be dealing with this for the rest of his life. ... This shooter — this monster — should have to feel everything hard and painful for the rest of his life," Watson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Jennifeer Crumbley Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Jennifeer Crumbley Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Like their son, Jennifer and James Crumbley are locked up in the county jail. They are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-michigan-ethan-crumbley-654c839914eb3a36ae43a7bc8dd9bacd">awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges</a>, accused of making a gun accessible at home and neglecting the shooter's mental health.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Crumbley and his parents met with school staff on the day of the shooting after a teacher noticed violent drawings. But no one checked his backpack for a gun and he was allowed to stay.The shooting happened in Oxford Township, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit. Besides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">the four students</a>&nbsp;who were killed, six more students and a teacher also were wounded.The Oxford school district hired an outside group to conduct an independent investigation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investigation-crumbley-oxford-high-shooting-school-899e59fdce25d92d7307dd0b1ddcea18">A report released</a>&nbsp;in October said “missteps at each level” — school board, administrators, staff — contributed to the tragedy.Crumbley's behavior in class, including looking at a shooting video and gun ammunition on his phone, should have identified him as a “potential threat of violence,” the report said.

Teen sentenced for Michigan high school attack that left 4 dead

KANSAS CITY —Kansas Police need help identifying a porch pirate. He took a Target bag from someone’s porch&nbsp;near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28.

The suspect sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. 

.have information, call Metro Property Crimes at 816-413-3406 or visit <a href="https://t.co/hdgjMWueud" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701994670901.png" alt="Image from the security video -KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Image from the security video -KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Kansas Police need help identifying a porch pirate. He took a Target bag from someone’s porch&nbsp;near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨Porch Pirate Alert🚨 Do you recognize this suspect? He took a Target bag from someone’s porch and sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. This happened on near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28th. If you... 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/6FvMEMQPVa">pic.twitter.com/6FvMEMQPVa</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1732822116607660092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The suspect sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. .have information, call Metro Property Crimes at 816-413-3406 or visit <a href="https://t.co/hdgjMWueud" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

🎥 KCPD asks for help to ID another porch pirate

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O'Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in "Love Story" and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in "Paper Moon," died Friday, his son said.

“My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us,” Patrick O'Neal, a Los Angeles sportscaster, posted on Instagram.

Attempts to reach O'Neal representatives were not immediately successful.

He did not give a cause. Ryan O'Neal was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012, a decade after he was first diagnosed with chronic leukemia. He was 82.

O'Neal was among the biggest movie stars in the world in the 1970s, who worked with many of the era's most celebrated directors including Peter Bogdanovich on “Paper Moon” and Stanley Kubrick on "Barry Lyndon. He often used his boyish, blond good looks to play men who hid shadowy or sinister backgrounds behind their clean-cut images.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0ae46f1c-5331-49eb-8366-7538e9ce5854">Portions of "Paper Moon" in and around Hays, Wilson and St. Jospeh Mo.</a>&nbsp;The movie recently celebrated 50 years since its release.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">RELATED STORY: 'Paper Moon' extras recall filming during 50th anniversary festival in Wilson</a>

O’Neal maintained a steady television acting career into his 70s in the 2010s, appearing for stints on “Bones” and “Desperate Housewives,” but his longtime relationship with Farrah Fawcett and his tumultuous family life kept him in news.

Twice divorced, O'Neal was romantically involved with Fawcett for nearly 30 years, and they had a son, Redmond, born in 1985. The couple split in 1997, but reunited a few years later. He remained by Fawcett’s side as she battled cancer, which killed her in 2009 at age 62.

With his first wife, Joanna Moore, O'Neal fathered actors Griffin O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal, his co-star in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon," for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. He had son Patrick with his second wife, Leigh Taylor-Young.

Ryan O'Neal had his own best-actor Oscar nomination for the 1970 tear-jerker drama "Love Story," co-starring Ali MacGraw, about a young couple who fall in love, marry and discover she is dying of cancer. The movie includes the memorable, but often satirized line: "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

The actor had at times strained relationships with three of his children, including estrangement from his daughter, squabbles with son Griffin and a drug-related arrest sparked by a probation check of his son Redmond. The personal drama often over-shadowed his later career, although his attempts to reconcile with Tatum O’Neal were turned into a short-lived reality series.

O’Neal played bit parts and performed some stunt work before claiming a lead role on the prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place" (1964-69), which also made a star of Mia Farrow.

From there O'Neal jumped to the big screen with 1969's "The Big Bounce," which co-stared his then-wife, Leigh Taylor-Young. But it was "Love Story" that made him a movie star.

The romantic melodrama became one of Paramount Pictures' biggest hits and collected seven Oscar nominations, including one for best picture. It won for best music.

O'Neal then starred for Bogdanovich as a bumbling professor opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1972 screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?" The filmmaker cast him the next year in the Depression-era con artist comedy "Paper Moon."

O'Neal played an unscrupulous Bible salesman preying on widows he located through obituary notices. His real-life daughter, Tatum, played a trash-talking, cigarette-smoking orphan who needs his help — and eventually helps redeem him.

Although critics praised both actors, the little girl's brash performance overshadowed her father's and made her the youngest person in history to win a regular Academy Award. She was 10 when the award was presented in 1974. (Younger performers such as Shirley Temple have won special Oscars.)

The elder O'Neal's next major film was Kubrick's 18th century epic "Barry Lyndon," in which he played a poor Irish rogue who traveled Europe trying to pass himself off as an aristocrat.

Filming the three-hour movie was tedious work, however, and Kubrick's notorious perfectionism created a rift between him and the actor that never healed.

O'Neal then reteamed with Tatum in Bogdanovich's early Hollywood comedy "Nickelodeon" (1976). But the film was a flop and they never worked together again. An attempt to capitalize on his "Love Story" character, Oliver Barrett, with the sequel "Oliver's Story" (1978) resulted in another flop.

Father and daughter drifted apart as Tatum O’Neal grew older, with the elder actor learning about his daughter’s marriage to tennis great John McEnroe by a belated telegram, Ryan O’Neal wrote in a 2012 book about his relationship with Fawcett.

“A door inside me locked the morning the telegram came, and I am still blindly searching for the key to open it,” O’Neal wrote in “Both of Us.”

O'Neal's career cooled further in the 1980s with the emerald heist drama "Green Ice" (1981) and the 1984 comedy "Irreconcilable Differences," in which he played a busy father in an unhappy marriage whose daughter, played by 9-year-old Drew Barrymore, tries to divorce her parents.

The decade was also a low-point in O'Neal's personal life. His son Griffin faced numerous brushes with the law, including a 1986 boating accident that killed Gian-Carlo Coppola, 23, son of movie director Francis Ford Coppola in Maryland. Griffin O’Neal was convicted of negligently and recklessly operating a boat, received a community service sentence and later served a brief stint in jail as a result.

With his Hollywood status diminishing, Ryan O'Neal began appearing in TV movies and eventually returned to series television opposite then-lover Fawcett with the 1991 sitcom "Good Sports," but the show ran only one season.

Both acknowledged the work put a strain on their relationship.

"We get into fights," O'Neal said in 1991. "She's tough. She expects to be treated well. On a set that can get lost when you're trying to create a moment and you're fighting the clock."

O'Neal began accepting more supporting roles with the 1989 film "Chances Are." He began a second career as a character actor, playing a husband who hires a hitman to kill his wife in "Faithful" (1996) and a mysterious tycoon in the blackmail comedy "Zero Effect" (1998).

By then his relationship with Fawcett had ended, although they remained close and eventually rekindled their romance in the 2000s. The volatile O’Neal family dynamics that had taxed their relationship before, however, remained.

In 2007 the elder O'Neal was arrested in 2007 for alleged assault and firing a weapon in an altercation with Griffin, but charges were never pursued. Their son Redmond was repeatedly arrested, jailed and spent several years in court-mandated rehab.

A probation check on Redmond O’Neal in September 2008 at his father’s Malibu home led to the actor’s arrest for methamphetamine possession. Ryan O’Neal pleaded guilty to the charge and entered a drug diversion program, but he publicly denied the drugs were his. He said he confiscated them from his son and was trying to protect him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702073318758.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O'Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in "Love Story" and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in "Paper Moon," died Friday, his son said.“My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us,” Patrick O'Neal, a Los Angeles sportscaster, posted on Instagram.Attempts to reach O'Neal representatives were not immediately successful.He did not give a cause. Ryan O'Neal was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012, a decade after he was first diagnosed with chronic leukemia. He was 82.O'Neal was among the biggest movie stars in the world in the 1970s, who worked with many of the era's most celebrated directors including Peter Bogdanovich on “Paper Moon” and Stanley Kubrick on "Barry Lyndon. He often used his boyish, blond good looks to play men who hid shadowy or sinister backgrounds behind their clean-cut images.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0ae46f1c-5331-49eb-8366-7538e9ce5854">Portions of "Paper Moon" in and around Hays, Wilson and St. Jospeh Mo.</a>&nbsp;The movie recently celebrated 50 years since its release.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">RELATED STORY: 'Paper Moon' extras recall filming during 50th anniversary festival in Wilson</a>O’Neal maintained a steady television acting career into his 70s in the 2010s, appearing for stints on “Bones” and “Desperate Housewives,” but his longtime relationship with Farrah Fawcett and his tumultuous family life kept him in news.Twice divorced, O'Neal was romantically involved with Fawcett for nearly 30 years, and they had a son, Redmond, born in 1985. The couple split in 1997, but reunited a few years later. He remained by Fawcett’s side as she battled cancer, which killed her in 2009 at age 62.With his first wife, Joanna Moore, O'Neal fathered actors Griffin O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal, his co-star in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon," for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. He had son Patrick with his second wife, Leigh Taylor-Young.Ryan O'Neal had his own best-actor Oscar nomination for the 1970 tear-jerker drama "Love Story," co-starring Ali MacGraw, about a young couple who fall in love, marry and discover she is dying of cancer. The movie includes the memorable, but often satirized line: "Love means never having to say you're sorry."The actor had at times strained relationships with three of his children, including estrangement from his daughter, squabbles with son Griffin and a drug-related arrest sparked by a probation check of his son Redmond. The personal drama often over-shadowed his later career, although his attempts to reconcile with Tatum O’Neal were turned into a short-lived reality series.O’Neal played bit parts and performed some stunt work before claiming a lead role on the prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place" (1964-69), which also made a star of Mia Farrow.From there O'Neal jumped to the big screen with 1969's "The Big Bounce," which co-stared his then-wife, Leigh Taylor-Young. But it was "Love Story" that made him a movie star.The romantic melodrama became one of Paramount Pictures' biggest hits and collected seven Oscar nominations, including one for best picture. It won for best music.O'Neal then starred for Bogdanovich as a bumbling professor opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1972 screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?" The filmmaker cast him the next year in the Depression-era con artist comedy "Paper Moon."O'Neal played an unscrupulous Bible salesman preying on widows he located through obituary notices. His real-life daughter, Tatum, played a trash-talking, cigarette-smoking orphan who needs his help — and eventually helps redeem him.Although critics praised both actors, the little girl's brash performance overshadowed her father's and made her the youngest person in history to win a regular Academy Award. She was 10 when the award was presented in 1974. (Younger performers such as Shirley Temple have won special Oscars.)The elder O'Neal's next major film was Kubrick's 18th century epic "Barry Lyndon," in which he played a poor Irish rogue who traveled Europe trying to pass himself off as an aristocrat.Filming the three-hour movie was tedious work, however, and Kubrick's notorious perfectionism created a rift between him and the actor that never healed.O'Neal then reteamed with Tatum in Bogdanovich's early Hollywood comedy "Nickelodeon" (1976). But the film was a flop and they never worked together again. An attempt to capitalize on his "Love Story" character, Oliver Barrett, with the sequel "Oliver's Story" (1978) resulted in another flop.Father and daughter drifted apart as Tatum O’Neal grew older, with the elder actor learning about his daughter’s marriage to tennis great John McEnroe by a belated telegram, Ryan O’Neal wrote in a 2012 book about his relationship with Fawcett.“A door inside me locked the morning the telegram came, and I am still blindly searching for the key to open it,” O’Neal wrote in “Both of Us.”O'Neal's career cooled further in the 1980s with the emerald heist drama "Green Ice" (1981) and the 1984 comedy "Irreconcilable Differences," in which he played a busy father in an unhappy marriage whose daughter, played by 9-year-old Drew Barrymore, tries to divorce her parents.The decade was also a low-point in O'Neal's personal life. His son Griffin faced numerous brushes with the law, including a 1986 boating accident that killed Gian-Carlo Coppola, 23, son of movie director Francis Ford Coppola in Maryland. Griffin O’Neal was convicted of negligently and recklessly operating a boat, received a community service sentence and later served a brief stint in jail as a result.With his Hollywood status diminishing, Ryan O'Neal began appearing in TV movies and eventually returned to series television opposite then-lover Fawcett with the 1991 sitcom "Good Sports," but the show ran only one season.Both acknowledged the work put a strain on their relationship."We get into fights," O'Neal said in 1991. "She's tough. She expects to be treated well. On a set that can get lost when you're trying to create a moment and you're fighting the clock."O'Neal began accepting more supporting roles with the 1989 film "Chances Are." He began a second career as a character actor, playing a husband who hires a hitman to kill his wife in "Faithful" (1996) and a mysterious tycoon in the blackmail comedy "Zero Effect" (1998).By then his relationship with Fawcett had ended, although they remained close and eventually rekindled their romance in the 2000s. The volatile O’Neal family dynamics that had taxed their relationship before, however, remained.In 2007 the elder O'Neal was arrested in 2007 for alleged assault and firing a weapon in an altercation with Griffin, but charges were never pursued. Their son Redmond was repeatedly arrested, jailed and spent several years in court-mandated rehab.A probation check on Redmond O’Neal in September 2008 at his father’s Malibu home led to the actor’s arrest for methamphetamine possession. Ryan O’Neal pleaded guilty to the charge and entered a drug diversion program, but he publicly denied the drugs were his. He said he confiscated them from his son and was trying to protect him.

Ryan O’Neal, star of ‘Paper Moon' and ‘Love Story’ has died

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend was found dead in his jail cell.&nbsp;

Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Sedgwick County detention facility staff located an unresponsive inmate identified as 22-year-old Alexander Lewis in Pod 18 of the facility, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

On-site medical staff and Emergency Medical Services were notified and attempted life saving measures. On scene medical. personnel pronounced Lewis deceased on scene.

Lewis had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since August 26, 2023, for a capital murder charge in connection with the death of&nbsp;Zaiylah Bronson, a Wichita State University student who was studying to become a math teacher. She was about 16 weeks pregnant.

Court record showed Lewis searched online for information about “snapping necks" and abortion before Bronson's body was found in the trunk of his car.

The affidavit showed Lewis’ cellphone web browsing history also included searches about stun guns, lethal weapons and murder.

Lewis was jailed on a $500,000 bond and charged with capital murder.

The killing happened at Bronson's apartment near the WSU campus, according to the affidavit. Surveillance cameras last recorded Bronson alive at 8:13 a.m. on Aug. 26, when the couple took a dog out into the courtyard. Soon after, he searched for “snapping necks" then left to move his car closer to her door and retrieve a backpack containing items that included duct tape and towels, the affidavit said. Other troublesome searches, including for “weapons that can kill,” had occurred the day before.

At 10:24 a.m., surveillance video showed Bronson's feet dangling from a blanket-wrapped bundle as Lewis lugged her out of the apartment. He then drove off, searching online for murder before he called 911 about an hour later, the affidavit said.

When officers arrived at Lewis' apartment, he told them Bronson was in his car trunk, saying, “I got scared," according to the affidavit. An ax and shovel were also found in the trunk.

He explained to the officers Bronson had broken up with him the day before and that they argued throughout the night. He said eventually “he wanted her to stop talking, so he ‘grabbed her’” around the neck with his arm and squeezed “until she stopped moving,” the affidavit said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693155237617.png" alt="Lewis-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend was found dead in his jail cell.&nbsp;Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Sedgwick County detention facility staff located an unresponsive inmate identified as 22-year-old Alexander Lewis in Pod 18 of the facility, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.On-site medical staff and Emergency Medical Services were notified and attempted life saving measures. On scene medical. personnel pronounced Lewis deceased on scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693339382320.png" alt="19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson photo GoFundMe -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson photo GoFundMe -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Lewis had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since August 26, 2023, for a capital murder charge in connection with the death of&nbsp;Zaiylah Bronson, a Wichita State University student who was studying to become a math teacher. She was about 16 weeks pregnant.Court record showed Lewis searched online for information about “snapping necks" and abortion before Bronson's body was found in the trunk of his car.The affidavit showed Lewis’ cellphone web browsing history also included searches about stun guns, lethal weapons and murder.Lewis was jailed on a $500,000 bond and charged with capital murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693080884540.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation August 27-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation August 27-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The killing happened at Bronson's apartment near the WSU campus, according to the affidavit. Surveillance cameras last recorded Bronson alive at 8:13 a.m. on Aug. 26, when the couple took a dog out into the courtyard. Soon after, he searched for “snapping necks" then left to move his car closer to her door and retrieve a backpack containing items that included duct tape and towels, the affidavit said. Other troublesome searches, including for “weapons that can kill,” had occurred the day before.At 10:24 a.m., surveillance video showed Bronson's feet dangling from a blanket-wrapped bundle as Lewis lugged her out of the apartment. He then drove off, searching online for murder before he called 911 about an hour later, the affidavit said.When officers arrived at Lewis' apartment, he told them Bronson was in his car trunk, saying, “I got scared," according to the affidavit. An ax and shovel were also found in the trunk.He explained to the officers Bronson had broken up with him the day before and that they argued throughout the night. He said eventually “he wanted her to stop talking, so he ‘grabbed her’” around the neck with his arm and squeezed “until she stopped moving,” the affidavit said.

Man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend dies in Kansas jail

FORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Ford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy Tahoe driven by 20-year-old Aaron&nbsp;Contreras of Dodge City was northbound on U.S. 56 near Lariat Way.

The SUV traveled left of center. A southbound&nbsp; 2021 Kenworth semi driven by 59-year-old Martin A.&nbsp;Bejarano of Douglas, Arizona, struck the SUV.

EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Contreras was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were propearly restrained, according to the KHP.

FORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Friday in Ford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy Tahoe driven by 20-year-old Aaron&nbsp;Contreras of Dodge City was northbound on U.S. 56 near Lariat Way.The SUV traveled left of center. A southbound&nbsp; 2021 Kenworth semi driven by 59-year-old Martin A.&nbsp;Bejarano of Douglas, Arizona, struck the SUV.EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Contreras was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were propearly restrained, according to the KHP.

SW Kansas man dies after SUV, semi crash

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University president Richard Linton on Friday finally addressed&nbsp; rumors and the dismissal of Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin from the basketball team.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to address our university community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and friends — regarding the questions and sentiments permeating social media and other events in recent days. Your passion demonstrates your interest in this university’s future, and we must all be committed to doing what is best for K-State. I want you to know that I am also committed to sharing our processes with transparency in regard to how we approach developing every student to meet the standards of this university. "

"We share a common aspiration to develop young men and women to make our world a better place. Our faculty, staff, coaches and administrators work every day to teach, guide, mentor and, at times, hold accountable members of our community. I recognize that leaders are often called upon to make difficult decisions. Some difficult decisions are very visible; others are not. Some of the policies that govern our decision-making are widely understood, yet again, others are not. As difficult decisions are made, it is also important that we have a sense of community and accountability. "

"The principal question at the heart of Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s release from the men’s basketball team seems to be around understanding the role a university president plays in student-athlete conduct decisions. I want to take the opportunity to outline the policy governing this process in full transparency."

"The NCAA Board of Governors has required each member institution to adopt a “serious misconduct policy” covering a number of potential allegations, including Title IX. Under the university’s serious misconduct policy, the university president is involved in collaboration with the athletic director and head coach when making a final decision concerning a student-athlete’s conduct and team membership."&nbsp;

"The decision to release Nae’Qwan from the men’s basketball team was made in full compliance with all applicable policies. When decisions like this are made, a range of factors are considered, including the entire history of a student athlete’s behavior."

"The reporting that this decision was made solely due to an incident at a bar in Aggieville is not accurate."

 Just before 2a.m. October 29,&nbsp;police arrested&nbsp; Tomlin at Tubby's Sports Bar, 1127 Moro Street in Manhattan on a requested charge of Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, according to the&nbsp;Riley County Police Department arrest report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Linton's letter continues, "There remains much we cannot share with the university community under federal laws, namely FERPA, which protects a student’s right to privacy while attending a university. I know this is difficult, as you want to understand all that has transpired. But in the absence of being able to share any more specifics, I hope that the details I am sharing today help bring resolution to any lingering questions."

"I want you to know that our university and our athletics department are unified. There is no “us” versus “them." Together, we are One K-State. The relationship between the university, athletics and the K-State community at large is special, and I will never take it for granted."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687440596492.jpeg" alt="Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN —Kansas State University president Richard Linton on Friday finally addressed&nbsp; rumors and the dismissal of Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin from the basketball team."I am grateful to have the opportunity to address our university community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and friends — regarding the questions and sentiments permeating social media and other events in recent days. Your passion demonstrates your interest in this university’s future, and we must all be committed to doing what is best for K-State. I want you to know that I am also committed to sharing our processes with transparency in regard to how we approach developing every student to meet the standards of this university. ""We share a common aspiration to develop young men and women to make our world a better place. Our faculty, staff, coaches and administrators work every day to teach, guide, mentor and, at times, hold accountable members of our community. I recognize that leaders are often called upon to make difficult decisions. Some difficult decisions are very visible; others are not. Some of the policies that govern our decision-making are widely understood, yet again, others are not. As difficult decisions are made, it is also important that we have a sense of community and accountability. ""The principal question at the heart of Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s release from the men’s basketball team seems to be around understanding the role a university president plays in student-athlete conduct decisions. I want to take the opportunity to outline the policy governing this process in full transparency.""The NCAA Board of Governors has required each member institution to adopt a “serious misconduct policy” covering a number of potential allegations, including Title IX. Under the university’s serious misconduct policy, the university president is involved in collaboration with the athletic director and head coach when making a final decision concerning a student-athlete’s conduct and team membership."&nbsp;"The decision to release Nae’Qwan from the men’s basketball team was made in full compliance with all applicable policies. When decisions like this are made, a range of factors are considered, including the entire history of a student athlete’s behavior.""The reporting that this decision was made solely due to an incident at a bar in Aggieville is not accurate." Just before 2a.m. October 29,&nbsp;police arrested&nbsp; Tomlin at Tubby's Sports Bar, 1127 Moro Street in Manhattan on a requested charge of Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, according to the&nbsp;Riley County Police Department arrest report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Linton's letter continues, "There remains much we cannot share with the university community under federal laws, namely FERPA, which protects a student’s right to privacy while attending a university. I know this is difficult, as you want to understand all that has transpired. But in the absence of being able to share any more specifics, I hope that the details I am sharing today help bring resolution to any lingering questions.""I want you to know that our university and our athletics department are unified. There is no “us” versus “them." Together, we are One K-State. The relationship between the university, athletics and the K-State community at large is special, and I will never take it for granted."

K-State president addresses rumors on Nae'Qwan Tomlin's dismissal

RAWLINS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.

RAWLINS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Pontiac Vibe driven by Kenneth D. Most, 63, Ludell, was northbound on Goodin Street just past County Road 26 three miles north of U.S. 36.The car left the roadway to the left, slid sideways into a ditch and rolled.&nbsp;Most was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Baalmann's Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.