WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;– The Wichita Police Department has arrested a 27-year-old Tyne Blunt in connection with the death of her 4-year-old son, according to a media release from police.

&nbsp;The arrest follows a Dec. 8 incident in the 2600 block of South Topeka, where officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child at approximately 3:21 p.m. EMS transported the child to a local hospital in critical condition. The child was pronounced dead at 4:07 p.m.

&nbsp;A 34-year-old Daniel Martin was initially arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail where he was charged with Felony Murder and Child Abuse and remains in custody.

&nbsp;Following further investigation, detectives presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued for the 27-year-old mother, who was taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765596159268.png" alt="4-year-old Tiuri Blunt died Dec. 8-&nbsp; photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>4-year-old Tiuri Blunt died Dec. 8-&nbsp; photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;– The Wichita Police Department has arrested a 27-year-old Tyne Blunt in connection with the death of her 4-year-old son, according to a media release from police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765919661059.png" alt="Tyne Blunt photo Sedgwick Co. Jail." />
 <figcaption>Tyne Blunt photo Sedgwick Co. Jail.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The arrest follows a Dec. 8 incident in the 2600 block of South Topeka, where officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child at approximately 3:21 p.m. EMS transported the child to a local hospital in critical condition. The child was pronounced dead at 4:07 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765296481475.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;A 34-year-old Daniel Martin was initially arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail where he was charged with Felony Murder and Child Abuse and remains in custody.&nbsp;Following further investigation, detectives presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued for the 27-year-old mother, who was taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Mother arrested for death of 4-year-old son in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $10 billion in damages from the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices.

The 33-page lawsuit accuses the BBC of broadcasting a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.703382/gov.uscourts.flsd.703382.1.0_5.pdf">Click here to read the complaint filed in Florida</a>

It accused the BBC of “splicing together two entirely separate parts of President Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021” in order to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning of what President Trump said.”

The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court, seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and $5 billion for unfair trade practices.

“We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings,” it said in a statement.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-bbc-misleading-edit-trump-lawsuit-73a613283de952f5af08fa8ec4d0ca67">broadcaster apologized last month</a>&nbsp;to Trump over the edit of the Jan. 6 speech. But the publicly funded BBC rejected claims it had defamed him, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-bbc-crisis-trump-panorama-a392fb275af25216ea23537c6f4347e4">Trump threatened legal action</a>.

BBC chairman Samir Shah had called it an “error of judgment,” which triggered the resignations of the BBC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bbc-director-resigns-trump-speech-editing-3aab83138d58c92db1bb00e77e568876">top executive and its head of news.</a>

The speech took place before some of Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was poised to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election that Trump falsely alleged was stolen from him.

The BBC had broadcast the hourlong documentary — titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” — days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.” Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.

Trump said earlier Monday that he was suing the BBC “for putting words in my mouth.”

“They actually put terrible words in my mouth having to do with Jan. 6 that I didn’t say, and they’re beautiful words, that I said, right?” the president said unprompted during an appearance in the Oval Office. “They’re beautiful words, talking about patriotism and all of the good things that I said. They didn’t say that, but they put terrible words.”

The president’s lawsuit was filed in Florida. Deadlines to bring the case in British courts expired more than a year ago.

Legal experts have brought up potential challenges to a case in the U.S. given that the documentary was not shown in the country.

The lawsuit alleges that people in the U.S. can watch the BBC’s original content, including the “Panorama” series, which included the documentary, by using the subscription streaming platform BritBox or a virtual private network service.

The 103-year-old BBC is a national institution funded through an annual license fee of 174.50 pounds ($230) paid by every household that watches live TV or BBC content. Bound by the terms of its charter to be impartial, it typically faces especially intense scrutiny and criticism from both conservatives and liberals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765895440189.png" alt="Trump" />
 <figcaption>Trump</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $10 billion in damages from the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1690926987746.png" alt="FIle photo of President Trump speaking to the crowd on January 6-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>FIle photo of President Trump speaking to the crowd on January 6-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The 33-page lawsuit accuses the BBC of broadcasting a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 U.S. presidential election.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.703382/gov.uscourts.flsd.703382.1.0_5.pdf">Click here to read the complaint filed in Florida</a>It accused the BBC of “splicing together two entirely separate parts of President Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021” in order to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning of what President Trump said.”The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court, seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and $5 billion for unfair trade practices.The BBC said it would defend the case.“We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings,” it said in a statement.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-bbc-misleading-edit-trump-lawsuit-73a613283de952f5af08fa8ec4d0ca67">broadcaster apologized last month</a>&nbsp;to Trump over the edit of the Jan. 6 speech. But the publicly funded BBC rejected claims it had defamed him, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-bbc-crisis-trump-panorama-a392fb275af25216ea23537c6f4347e4">Trump threatened legal action</a>.BBC chairman Samir Shah had called it an “error of judgment,” which triggered the resignations of the BBC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bbc-director-resigns-trump-speech-editing-3aab83138d58c92db1bb00e77e568876">top executive and its head of news.</a>The speech took place before some of Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was poised to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election that Trump falsely alleged was stolen from him.The BBC had broadcast the hourlong documentary — titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” — days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.” Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.Trump said earlier Monday that he was suing the BBC “for putting words in my mouth.”“They actually put terrible words in my mouth having to do with Jan. 6 that I didn’t say, and they’re beautiful words, that I said, right?” the president said unprompted during an appearance in the Oval Office. “They’re beautiful words, talking about patriotism and all of the good things that I said. They didn’t say that, but they put terrible words.”The president’s lawsuit was filed in Florida. Deadlines to bring the case in British courts expired more than a year ago.Legal experts have brought up potential challenges to a case in the U.S. given that the documentary was not shown in the country.The lawsuit alleges that people in the U.S. can watch the BBC’s original content, including the “Panorama” series, which included the documentary, by using the subscription streaming platform BritBox or a virtual private network service.The 103-year-old BBC is a national institution funded through an annual license fee of 174.50 pounds ($230) paid by every household that watches live TV or BBC content. Bound by the terms of its charter to be impartial, it typically faces especially intense scrutiny and criticism from both conservatives and liberals.

Read the complaint: President Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment in Kansas City.

Just before 1p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 2800 block of Bellview on the west side of Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 On arrival crews reported smoke from a two-story apartment. Crews quickly made an interior attack of the first floor apartment and discovered a kitchen fire in the rear of the structure. 

The fire was quickly put out limiting the damage. A search of the entire structure was conducted and came back all clear.&nbsp; One dog was found and removed and safely placed in the care of a neighbor. 

No injuries were reported at this incident. The occupants were not home at the time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765896836187.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department." />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment in Kansas City.Just before 1p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 2800 block of Bellview on the west side of Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews reported smoke from a two-story apartment. Crews quickly made an interior attack of the first floor apartment and discovered a kitchen fire in the rear of the structure. The fire was quickly put out limiting the damage. A search of the entire structure was conducted and came back all clear.&nbsp; One dog was found and removed and safely placed in the care of a neighbor. No injuries were reported at this incident. The occupants were not home at the time.&nbsp;

Family pet rescued from Kansas City apartment fire

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he will not allow a floor vote this week on a bipartisan amendment supported by moderate Republicans that would extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits.&nbsp;

Johnson was confident that blocking the amendment would not lead centrist GOP lawmakers to oppose the Republican health care bill scheduled to get a vote Wednesday.&nbsp;

“There’s about a dozen members in the conference that are in these swing districts who are fighting hard to make sure they reduce costs for all of their constituents. And many of them did want to vote on this Obamacare, COVID-era subsidy the Democrats created,” Johnson said. “We looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve and it just was not to be.”

The enhanced ACA tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, sharply increasing the cost of health insurance for the roughly 22 million Americans who purchase plans through the exchange and benefit from the subsidies.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-preps-health-care-bill-vote-new-year" target="_blank">House Republican health care bill</a>&nbsp;wouldn’t extend those tax credits, frustrating GOP lawmakers in that chamber who are most at risk of losing their reelection bids during the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

Johnson said he expects that GOP bill will pass, though he didn’t address its prospects in the Senate, where bipartisanship is needed for nearly all bills to advance under that chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.&nbsp;

New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler said in a speech on the House floor that GOP leaders’ decision to let the enhanced ACA tax credits expire was “idiotic and shameful,” especially after changes were added to address fraud and reduce costs.&nbsp;

“So we have been forced to sign onto two discharge petitions,” he said. “And yet my Democratic colleagues will not join us, but for those that were at the negotiation table.”

Lawler then criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, for not encouraging Democrats to sign onto the bipartisan discharge petitions, noting that would likely get the 218 signatures needed to force a floor vote. He argued that’s because Jeffries “doesn’t actually want to solve the problem, he wants the issue.”

“This place is disgraceful,” Lawler said. “Everybody wants the upper hand.&nbsp; Everybody wants the political advantage. They don’t actually want to do the damn work. This problem could be solved today if everybody who says they care about extending this signs the discharge.”

When the House returns from its two-week holiday break next year, Johnson said, leaders may try to use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/youre-hearing-lot-about-budget-reconciliation-congress-what-does-mean" target="_blank">complex reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;they used to enact the “one big, beautiful bill” to address health care.&nbsp;

“What we anticipate going into the first quarter of next year is, possibly in a reconciliation package or in regular order a stand-alone, ideas just like this,” Johnson said after being asked a question about Health Savings Accounts. “We have a long list of things that we know will reduce premiums, increase access and quality of care.”&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said Monday he wants Republicans to use the reconciliation process or to eliminate the Senate’s legislative filibuster to address health care and other policy priorities.&nbsp;

“Republicans should knock out the filibuster and we should approve a lot of things,” Trump said.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said repeatedly he doesn’t intend to change or scrap the filibuster.

Trump also reiterated during the Oval Office event he would like to see Congress send direct payments to Americans to help them buy health insurance or afford health care.&nbsp;

“I want all money going to the people and let the people buy their own health care. It’ll be unbelievable,” Trump said. “They’ll do a great job. They’ll get much better health care at a much lower cost.”

The Senate voted last week on two health care bills, one from Republicans and one from Democrats, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-hits-stalemate-solution-spiraling-health-insurance-costs" target="_blank">neither received the support needed</a>&nbsp;to move toward a final passage vote.&nbsp;

Republicans’ bill would have provided direct payments to some people enrolled in either bronze or catastrophic ACA marketplace plans with up to $1,500 in payments annually for 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;

Democrats’ legislation would have extended the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits for three years.&nbsp;

A bipartisan group of senators is trying to find solutions that bridge the political divide, though they are unlikely to achieve consensus on the details before the end of this week.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/699770/cost-leads-americans-top-mind-healthcare-concerns.aspx?utm_source=twitterbutton&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=sharing" target="_blank">poll</a>&nbsp;released Monday by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America shows that cost is the “most urgent” health issue facing the country, followed by access and then obesity.&nbsp;

Just 57% of those polled said they were satisfied with how much they pay for their own health care and only 16% were satisfied with the total cost of healthcare.

Nearly two-thirds of those in the survey said they believe it’s the federal government’s responsibility “to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage,” while 33% said it’s not.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765911736967.png" alt="U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters inside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters inside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he will not allow a floor vote this week on a bipartisan amendment supported by moderate Republicans that would extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> confirms there will not be a vote on extending ACA subsidies, saying many Republicans &quot;did want to vote on this Obamacare COVID-era subsidy the Democrats created. We looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve, and it just was not to be. We… <a href="https://t.co/jaI1C0NFJu">pic.twitter.com/jaI1C0NFJu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2000963416228352279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Johnson was confident that blocking the amendment would not lead centrist GOP lawmakers to oppose the Republican health care bill scheduled to get a vote Wednesday.&nbsp;“There’s about a dozen members in the conference that are in these swing districts who are fighting hard to make sure they reduce costs for all of their constituents. And many of them did want to vote on this Obamacare, COVID-era subsidy the Democrats created,” Johnson said. “We looked for a way to try to allow for that pressure release valve and it just was not to be.”The enhanced ACA tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, sharply increasing the cost of health insurance for the roughly 22 million Americans who purchase plans through the exchange and benefit from the subsidies.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-preps-health-care-bill-vote-new-year" target="_blank">House Republican health care bill</a>&nbsp;wouldn’t extend those tax credits, frustrating GOP lawmakers in that chamber who are most at risk of losing their reelection bids during the November midterm elections.&nbsp;Johnson said he expects that GOP bill will pass, though he didn’t address its prospects in the Senate, where bipartisanship is needed for nearly all bills to advance under that chamber’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.&nbsp;<h2>‘Idiotic and shameful’</h2>New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler said in a speech on the House floor that GOP leaders’ decision to let the enhanced ACA tax credits expire was “idiotic and shameful,” especially after changes were added to address fraud and reduce costs.&nbsp;“So we have been forced to sign onto two discharge petitions,” he said. “And yet my Democratic colleagues will not join us, but for those that were at the negotiation table.”Lawler then criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, for not encouraging Democrats to sign onto the bipartisan discharge petitions, noting that would likely get the 218 signatures needed to force a floor vote. He argued that’s because Jeffries “doesn’t actually want to solve the problem, he wants the issue.”“This place is disgraceful,” Lawler said. “Everybody wants the upper hand.&nbsp; Everybody wants the political advantage. They don’t actually want to do the damn work. This problem could be solved today if everybody who says they care about extending this signs the discharge.”<h2>GOP-only bill in 2026?</h2>When the House returns from its two-week holiday break next year, Johnson said, leaders may try to use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/youre-hearing-lot-about-budget-reconciliation-congress-what-does-mean" target="_blank">complex reconciliation process</a>&nbsp;they used to enact the “one big, beautiful bill” to address health care.&nbsp;“What we anticipate going into the first quarter of next year is, possibly in a reconciliation package or in regular order a stand-alone, ideas just like this,” Johnson said after being asked a question about Health Savings Accounts. “We have a long list of things that we know will reduce premiums, increase access and quality of care.”&nbsp;President Donald Trump said Monday he wants Republicans to use the reconciliation process or to eliminate the Senate’s legislative filibuster to address health care and other policy priorities.&nbsp;“Republicans should knock out the filibuster and we should approve a lot of things,” Trump said.&nbsp;Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said repeatedly he doesn’t intend to change or scrap the filibuster.<h2>Direct payments or tax breaks</h2>Trump also reiterated during the Oval Office event he would like to see Congress send direct payments to Americans to help them buy health insurance or afford health care.&nbsp;“I want all money going to the people and let the people buy their own health care. It’ll be unbelievable,” Trump said. “They’ll do a great job. They’ll get much better health care at a much lower cost.”The Senate voted last week on two health care bills, one from Republicans and one from Democrats, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-hits-stalemate-solution-spiraling-health-insurance-costs" target="_blank">neither received the support needed</a>&nbsp;to move toward a final passage vote.&nbsp;Republicans’ bill would have provided direct payments to some people enrolled in either bronze or catastrophic ACA marketplace plans with up to $1,500 in payments annually for 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;Democrats’ legislation would have extended the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits for three years.&nbsp;<h2>Cost most urgent issue, poll finds</h2>A bipartisan group of senators is trying to find solutions that bridge the political divide, though they are unlikely to achieve consensus on the details before the end of this week.A&nbsp;<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/699770/cost-leads-americans-top-mind-healthcare-concerns.aspx?utm_source=twitterbutton&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=sharing" target="_blank">poll</a>&nbsp;released Monday by the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America shows that cost is the “most urgent” health issue facing the country, followed by access and then obesity.&nbsp;Just 57% of those polled said they were satisfied with how much they pay for their own health care and only 16% were satisfied with the total cost of healthcare.Nearly two-thirds of those in the survey said they believe it’s the federal government’s responsibility “to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage,” while 33% said it’s not.&nbsp;

No US House vote to extend health care subsidies, Speaker Johnson says

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1a.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

According to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez, a BMW 230I was traveling on the exit ramp from eastbound Interstate 670 to southbound 71 Highway at a high rate of speed. 

The BMW failed to negotiate the curve of the ramp and traveled off the roadway to the left, down the grassy embankment and struck a concrete bridge support pillar. The driver and sole occupant of the BMW was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

This is Fatality #63 compared to #89 at this time last year, according to the Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1a.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.According to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez, a BMW 230I was traveling on the exit ramp from eastbound Interstate 670 to southbound 71 Highway at a high rate of speed. The BMW failed to negotiate the curve of the ramp and traveled off the roadway to the left, down the grassy embankment and struck a concrete bridge support pillar. The driver and sole occupant of the BMW was pronounced deceased at the scene. This is Fatality #63 compared to #89 at this time last year, according to the Gonzalez.

KCPD: Driver dies after losing control on exit ramp

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Additional police were sent to Providence schools on Tuesday to reassure worried parents that their kids will be safe with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">Brown University shooter</a>&nbsp;on the loose and no indication yet that investigators have zeroed in on a suspect.

Authorities on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">released several new videos</a>&nbsp;of the man suspected in Saturday's mass shooting inside of a Brown classroom, which killed two students and wounded nine others. On Tuesday, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told MS Now that an “enhanced photograph” would soon be released.

“We have a good picture of the gunman's route, but it's not complete yet,” he said.

After releasing a person of interest in the case because the evidence pointed elsewhere, they once again pleaded with the public for any tips that might help them catch the attacker.

Tensions remain high in Providence. Ten state troopers were assigned to support the local police sent to beef up security at schools, district Superintendent Javier Montañez said.

“We recognize that the tragic incident at Brown University, occurring so close to where many of our students and families live and learn, is deeply unsettling and frightening,” he wrote in an email to parents.

With the investigation in its third day Monday, officers were still knocking on doors and poring through dumpsters and backyards near the Ivy League campus in search of additional video evidence or other clues.

“Of course it feels scary. But at the same time, I think that if the person really wanted to scare us, we shouldn’t allow him or her to win," said Tatjana Stojanovic, a Providence parent who lives next door to the Brown campus. "Despite all of that, we should just go about our lives. I mean, obviously, you cannot forget this. But I think we shouldn’t cower and just sort of stop living despite what has happened.

In the five videos authorities have released of the suspect, he was wearing a mask or his face was turned.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/brown-university-shooting/@@download.pdf">The FBI described him</a>&nbsp;as about 5 feet, 8 inches (173 centimeters) tall, with a stocky build.

The attack and the shooter's escape have raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-security-64e1e19e7a4ce2039912107071035247">questions about campus security</a>, including a lack of security cameras, and led to calls for better locks on campus doors. Others pushed back, though, saying such efforts do little to address the real issue.

“The issue isn’t the doors, it’s the guns,” said Zoe Kass, a senior who fled the engineering building as police stormed in Saturday. “And all of this, like, ‘Oh, the doors need to be locked.’ I get it, parents are scared. But any of us could have opened the door for the guy if the doors had been locked.”

After spending of her life in schools where every door was locked and school shootings continued to persist, Kass said such security measures only created “the illusion of safety.”

Meanwhile, details have emerged about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">the victims</a>, who were in the first-floor classroom in the school's engineering building studying for a final.

Only one of the wounded students had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition.

One of the wounded students, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/us/brown-shooting-witness-spencer-yang.html">the New York Times</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/12/live-updates-active-shooter-at-brown-university">Brown Daily Herald</a>&nbsp;that there was a mad scramble after the gunman entered the room. Many students ran toward the front, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg. He expected to be discharged within days.

Jacob Spears, 18, a freshman from Evans, Georgia, was shot in the stomach, “but through sheer adrenaline and courage, he managed to run outside, where he was aided by others," according to a GoFundMe site organized for him.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was one of the two students killed, was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and was beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama. In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described her as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”

The other student killed was, MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Brandermill, Virginia, who was majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. His family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when he was a kid.

As a child, Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, his sister Samira Umurzokova told The Associated Press by phone. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a neurosurgeon to help others like him.

“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old,” she said.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Authorities knocked on doors in search of video and sifted through snow and dumpsters for other evidence that might lead them to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-mass-shooting-cc3e5d5505cf0e3d9e49fdc56c2a1459">Brown University</a>&nbsp;gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.

Officials on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">released three new videos</a>&nbsp;of the man they believe carried out Saturday's attack that show him wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket. Although his face wasn't visible, the footage from about two hours before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-active-shooter-c7c9d1c7da19a76c2a27685c7e63d6da">the shooting</a>&nbsp;provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.

<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/brown-university-shooting/@@download.pdf">The FBI said the man</a>&nbsp;is about 5 feet, 8 inches (173 centimeters) tall, with a stocky build. The agency offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

“We’re asking for the public’s assistance,” Providence's police chief, Col. Oscar Perez, said at a news conference, urging people who might recognize the suspect to call a tip line.

Police renewed their search after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-suspect-search-1da03b12b2eac2b530172667d3df30c4">releasing a person of interest</a>&nbsp;Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere. Meanwhile, details began to emerge about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">the students who were shot</a>.

The lockdown order for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/Qz3Ac/?v=5">the Ivy League school</a>&nbsp;was lifted Sunday after authorities said they had detained the person of interest. But hopes for a quick resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released him.

The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-security-64e1e19e7a4ce2039912107071035247">questions swirl about campus security</a>, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.

Gov. Dan McKee requested additional local police at schools to provide reassurance for students, families and educators.

A church on the university campus planned to host a “Community Service of Lament, Healing and Hope” on Tuesday night.

Before Monday's news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video — like one released the day of the shooting — didn't show the suspect's face.

In a neighborhood near the university, a line of officers scraped their feet through a snow-covered yard looking for evidence. Meanwhile, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals asked locals if they had security cameras.

The shooting occurred as final exams were underway at Brown, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom and the attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/brown-university-shooting-photos-9b517a673845e52fd9a91eea40ece6e4">set off hours of chaos</a>.

Attorney General Peter Neronha, who said Sunday that there weren't many cameras where the attack happened, said Monday that investigators were “making steady progress.”

One of the dead was active in church. The other overcame health concerns

The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor at home.

In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”

“Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates,” Martin Bertao, the president of the club, said in a message posted on X.

The other student who was killed was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics final when he was shot, his sister said.

As a child, Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, said Samira Umurzokova, noting that the family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when she, her brother and sister were young. He knew from an early age he wanted to be a neurosurgeon to help others like himself.

“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old,” she told the AP by phone Monday.

Only one of the nine people wounded had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition. Mayor Brett Smiley said Monday evening that none of their conditions had worsened, but that he didn't have further information.

Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that a recent graduate, Kendall Turner, was critically wounded and that her parents were with her. “Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones,” the school said in a statement.

Another wounded student, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/us/brown-shooting-witness-spencer-yang.html">the New York Times</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/12/live-updates-active-shooter-at-brown-university">Brown Daily Herald</a>&nbsp;from a hospital bed that there was a mad scramble after the gunman entered the room where he and the other students were studying for finals. Many students ran toward the front of the room, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg.

Yang, who expects to be discharged in the coming days, said he tried to keep some of the more seriously wounded students conscious until police arrived.

Contributing were Associated Press journalists Jennifer McDermott and Matt O'Brien in Providence; Brian Slodysko in Washington; Michael Casey in Boston; Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Additional police were sent to Providence schools on Tuesday to reassure worried parents that their kids will be safe with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">Brown University shooter</a>&nbsp;on the loose and no indication yet that investigators have zeroed in on a suspect.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: We are releasing a new image of the person of interest in the Brown University incident and plan to release additional media shortly. Please share widely and contact the official tip line if you have information or an ID: 401-272-3121 <a href="https://t.co/8a1yEMZhnI">https://t.co/8a1yEMZhnI</a> <a href="https://t.co/YvN2ash224">pic.twitter.com/YvN2ash224</a>&mdash; Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD/status/2001003360829497665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Authorities on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">released several new videos</a>&nbsp;of the man suspected in Saturday's mass shooting inside of a Brown classroom, which killed two students and wounded nine others. On Tuesday, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told MS Now that an “enhanced photograph” would soon be released.“We have a good picture of the gunman's route, but it's not complete yet,” he said.After releasing a person of interest in the case because the evidence pointed elsewhere, they once again pleaded with the public for any tips that might help them catch the attacker.<h2>A city on edge</h2>Tensions remain high in Providence. Ten state troopers were assigned to support the local police sent to beef up security at schools, district Superintendent Javier Montañez said.“We recognize that the tragic incident at Brown University, occurring so close to where many of our students and families live and learn, is deeply unsettling and frightening,” he wrote in an email to parents.With the investigation in its third day Monday, officers were still knocking on doors and poring through dumpsters and backyards near the Ivy League campus in search of additional video evidence or other clues.But some locals expressed defiance.“Of course it feels scary. But at the same time, I think that if the person really wanted to scare us, we shouldn’t allow him or her to win," said Tatjana Stojanovic, a Providence parent who lives next door to the Brown campus. "Despite all of that, we should just go about our lives. I mean, obviously, you cannot forget this. But I think we shouldn’t cower and just sort of stop living despite what has happened.In the five videos authorities have released of the suspect, he was wearing a mask or his face was turned.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/brown-university-shooting/@@download.pdf">The FBI described him</a>&nbsp;as about 5 feet, 8 inches (173 centimeters) tall, with a stocky build.The attack and the shooter's escape have raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-security-64e1e19e7a4ce2039912107071035247">questions about campus security</a>, including a lack of security cameras, and led to calls for better locks on campus doors. Others pushed back, though, saying such efforts do little to address the real issue.“The issue isn’t the doors, it’s the guns,” said Zoe Kass, a senior who fled the engineering building as police stormed in Saturday. “And all of this, like, ‘Oh, the doors need to be locked.’ I get it, parents are scared. But any of us could have opened the door for the guy if the doors had been locked.”After spending of her life in schools where every door was locked and school shootings continued to persist, Kass said such security measures only created “the illusion of safety.”<h2>A fuller picture of the victims emerges</h2>Meanwhile, details have emerged about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">the victims</a>, who were in the first-floor classroom in the school's engineering building studying for a final.Only one of the wounded students had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition.One of the wounded students, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/us/brown-shooting-witness-spencer-yang.html">the New York Times</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/12/live-updates-active-shooter-at-brown-university">Brown Daily Herald</a>&nbsp;that there was a mad scramble after the gunman entered the room. Many students ran toward the front, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg. He expected to be discharged within days.Jacob Spears, 18, a freshman from Evans, Georgia, was shot in the stomach, “but through sheer adrenaline and courage, he managed to run outside, where he was aided by others," according to a GoFundMe site organized for him.Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was one of the two students killed, was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and was beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama. In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described her as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”The other student killed was, MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Brandermill, Virginia, who was majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. His family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when he was a kid.As a child, Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, his sister Samira Umurzokova told The Associated Press by phone. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a neurosurgeon to help others like him.“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old,” she said.------------------PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Authorities knocked on doors in search of video and sifted through snow and dumpsters for other evidence that might lead them to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-mass-shooting-cc3e5d5505cf0e3d9e49fdc56c2a1459">Brown University</a>&nbsp;gunman, whose face was covered or not visible in footage captured before and after the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Video 3: We are requesting the public&#39;s assistance in identifying a person of interest in Saturday&#39;s incident at Brown University. Please share these video clips and direct all tips to 401-272-3121 or <a href="https://t.co/8a1yEMYJya">https://t.co/8a1yEMYJya</a> <a href="https://t.co/65EhywRyh1">pic.twitter.com/65EhywRyh1</a>&mdash; Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD/status/2000705687408542037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: The FBI and <a href="https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProvidenceRIPD</a> are releasing new images of a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University on 12/13/25. The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual.… <a href="https://t.co/OhpnsN9fds">pic.twitter.com/OhpnsN9fds</a>&mdash; FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIBoston/status/2000690371072794682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officials on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-investigation-b08f1fdf5e71542f6e93bbba05fa043c">released three new videos</a>&nbsp;of the man they believe carried out Saturday's attack that show him wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket. Although his face wasn't visible, the footage from about two hours before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-active-shooter-c7c9d1c7da19a76c2a27685c7e63d6da">the shooting</a>&nbsp;provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/brown-university-shooting/@@download.pdf">The FBI said the man</a>&nbsp;is about 5 feet, 8 inches (173 centimeters) tall, with a stocky build. The agency offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible.“We’re asking for the public’s assistance,” Providence's police chief, Col. Oscar Perez, said at a news conference, urging people who might recognize the suspect to call a tip line.Police renewed their search after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-suspect-search-1da03b12b2eac2b530172667d3df30c4">releasing a person of interest</a>&nbsp;Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere. Meanwhile, details began to emerge about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">the students who were shot</a>.The lockdown order for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/Qz3Ac/?v=5">the Ivy League school</a>&nbsp;was lifted Sunday after authorities said they had detained the person of interest. But hopes for a quick resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released him.The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-security-64e1e19e7a4ce2039912107071035247">questions swirl about campus security</a>, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.Gov. Dan McKee requested additional local police at schools to provide reassurance for students, families and educators.A church on the university campus planned to host a “Community Service of Lament, Healing and Hope” on Tuesday night.<h2>New video emerges</h2>Before Monday's news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video — like one released the day of the shooting — didn't show the suspect's face.In a neighborhood near the university, a line of officers scraped their feet through a snow-covered yard looking for evidence. Meanwhile, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals asked locals if they had security cameras.The shooting occurred as final exams were underway at Brown, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious schools. Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom and the attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/brown-university-shooting-photos-9b517a673845e52fd9a91eea40ece6e4">set off hours of chaos</a>.Attorney General Peter Neronha, who said Sunday that there weren't many cameras where the attack happened, said Monday that investigators were “making steady progress.”<h2>One of the dead was active in church. The other overcame health concerns</h2>The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor at home.In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley described Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”“Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates,” Martin Bertao, the president of the club, said in a message posted on X.The other student who was killed was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics final when he was shot, his sister said.As a child, Umurzokov suffered a neurological condition that required surgery, and he later wore a back brace because of scoliosis, said Samira Umurzokova, noting that the family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when she, her brother and sister were young. He knew from an early age he wanted to be a neurosurgeon to help others like himself.“He had so many hardships in his life, and he got into this amazing school and tried so hard to follow through with the promise he made when was 7 years old,” she told the AP by phone Monday.Only one of the nine people wounded had been released as of Sunday, Brown President Christina Paxson said. One was in critical condition and the other seven were in critical but stable condition. Mayor Brett Smiley said Monday evening that none of their conditions had worsened, but that he didn't have further information.Durham Academy, a private K-12 school in Durham, North Carolina, confirmed that a recent graduate, Kendall Turner, was critically wounded and that her parents were with her. “Our school community is rallying around Kendall, her classmates, and her loved ones,” the school said in a statement.Another wounded student, 18-year-old freshman Spencer Yang of New York City, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/us/brown-shooting-witness-spencer-yang.html">the New York Times</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/12/live-updates-active-shooter-at-brown-university">Brown Daily Herald</a>&nbsp;from a hospital bed that there was a mad scramble after the gunman entered the room where he and the other students were studying for finals. Many students ran toward the front of the room, but Yang said he wound up on the ground between some seats and was shot in the leg.Yang, who expects to be discharged in the coming days, said he tried to keep some of the more seriously wounded students conscious until police arrived.___Contributing were Associated Press journalists Jennifer McDermott and Matt O'Brien in Providence; Brian Slodysko in Washington; Michael Casey in Boston; Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas.

Police release new photo in manhunt for Brown University shooter

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

President Donald Trump’s administration is looking “very strongly” at reclassifying cannabis from the strictest category of controlled substances, Trump said Monday.

In a brief affirmative response to a reporter’s question in the Oval Office, the president confirmed he is considering a reclassification of marijuana to unlock research funding.

“A lot of people want to see it — the reclassification — because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify,” Trump said. “So we are looking at that very strongly.”

Marijuana is considered a Schedule I drug under the Food and Drug Administration’s classification of controlled substances. The FDA defines drugs on the list, such as heroin and cocaine, as lacking any medicinal value and carrying a high likelihood of abuse.

The designation carries a host of consequences, including a virtual ban on funding research for medicinal or other uses of the drug.

While marijuana use, both medicinal and recreational, is legal in many states, it remains illegal to possess or use in any amount for any reason under federal law.

Advocates have sought for decades to legalize or decriminalize the drug, which many see as less harmful than other Schedule I substances.

The growing split in recent years among many states and federal law has ramped up pressure on federal policymakers to alter the drug’s legal status.

Marijuana businesses in states where it is legal lack access to financial institutions, which cannot lend to businesses considered illegal by federal authorities.

States, meanwhile, have had&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2019/09/16/as-states-legalize-marijuana-pesticides-may-be-a-blind-spot/" target="_blank">difficulty regulating</a>&nbsp;the environmental and health aspects of their industries.

And lawmakers, especially Democrats, have increasingly highlighted the frequent injustice of marijuana prosecutions that disproportionately affect communities of color and poor communities, though the drug is widely used across race and economic status.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698531124512.png" alt="Photo Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent" />
 <figcaption>Photo Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>President Donald Trump’s administration is looking “very strongly” at reclassifying cannabis from the strictest category of controlled substances, Trump said Monday.In a brief affirmative response to a reporter’s question in the Oval Office, the president confirmed he is considering a reclassification of marijuana to unlock research funding.“A lot of people want to see it — the reclassification — because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify,” Trump said. “So we are looking at that very strongly.”Marijuana is considered a Schedule I drug under the Food and Drug Administration’s classification of controlled substances. The FDA defines drugs on the list, such as heroin and cocaine, as lacking any medicinal value and carrying a high likelihood of abuse.The designation carries a host of consequences, including a virtual ban on funding research for medicinal or other uses of the drug.While marijuana use, both medicinal and recreational, is legal in many states, it remains illegal to possess or use in any amount for any reason under federal law.Advocates have sought for decades to legalize or decriminalize the drug, which many see as less harmful than other Schedule I substances.The growing split in recent years among many states and federal law has ramped up pressure on federal policymakers to alter the drug’s legal status.Marijuana businesses in states where it is legal lack access to financial institutions, which cannot lend to businesses considered illegal by federal authorities.States, meanwhile, have had&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2019/09/16/as-states-legalize-marijuana-pesticides-may-be-a-blind-spot/" target="_blank">difficulty regulating</a>&nbsp;the environmental and health aspects of their industries.And lawmakers, especially Democrats, have increasingly highlighted the frequent injustice of marijuana prosecutions that disproportionately affect communities of color and poor communities, though the drug is widely used across race and economic status.

Trump admin. ‘strongly’ considering loosening federal marijuana regulations

In addition to visiting other aerospace facilities in Wichita, Duffy was in Kansas to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and cut the ribbon on the NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research building, according to Wichita State University. While not yet formally open, Duffy, Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Ron Estes were able to get a sneak peak at this unique new facility.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765882622476.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Great to be in Kansas touring <a href="https://twitter.com/Textron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Textron</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Boeing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Boeing</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/NIARWSU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIARWSU</a> with my friend, Senator <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerryMoran</a>. I’m proud to see the state of Kansas leading the charge in the future of aviation✈️🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/CbmF6ZMMRY">pic.twitter.com/CbmF6ZMMRY</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/2000748158645665820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In addition to visiting other aerospace facilities in Wichita, Duffy was in Kansas to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and cut the ribbon on the NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research building, according to Wichita State University. While not yet formally open, Duffy, Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Ron Estes were able to get a sneak peak at this unique new facility.&nbsp;

U.S. Transportation Secretary makes stop in Kansas 

CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent to women to the hospital.

Just after 2a.m. December 14, 2025, at 2:14 a.m., the Pittsburg, Kansas, Police Department dispatch center received a call about two victims who were shot and were being driven to the hospital by personal vehicle, according to a media release.

 While this call was received, another call came into dispatch about gunshots being heard in the area of west 20th Street in Pittsburg. Officers responded to the area of west 20th Street as well as Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg.   

Officers at the hospital located a 22-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds. Both victims began receiving treatment and were later flown to KU Medical Center in Kansas City for additional treatment.  Both victims are currently listed as being in stable condition. 

Officers were informed that the shooting incident occurred in the alley of the 300 block of west 20th Street.  Officers located evidence related to the shooting in the alley and secured the crime scene.  Three individuals who drove the victims to the hospital were transported to the police department to be interviewed.  Detectives from the police department responded to assist with the investigation.   

After interviewing the witnesses, officers were able to determine that an altercation took place between the two victims and one of the subjects from the vehicle.  During the altercation, another occupant of the vehicle who was not involved in the altercation, shot the two women.

As a result, 23-year-old Walter Herrera Alvarez, of Pittsburg, was placed under arrest.  The other individuals were released after being interviewed.   

&nbsp;Alvarez was transported to the jail located at the Crawford County Sheriff’s office for booking and he is being held without bond on requested charges that include two counts of Aggravated Battery.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765811168250.png" alt="Alvarez photo Crawford Co." />
 <figcaption>Alvarez photo Crawford Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent to women to the hospital.Just after 2a.m. December 14, 2025, at 2:14 a.m., the Pittsburg, Kansas, Police Department dispatch center received a call about two victims who were shot and were being driven to the hospital by personal vehicle, according to a media release. While this call was received, another call came into dispatch about gunshots being heard in the area of west 20th Street in Pittsburg. Officers responded to the area of west 20th Street as well as Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. Officers at the hospital located a 22-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds. Both victims began receiving treatment and were later flown to KU Medical Center in Kansas City for additional treatment. Both victims are currently listed as being in stable condition. Officers were informed that the shooting incident occurred in the alley of the 300 block of west 20th Street. Officers located evidence related to the shooting in the alley and secured the crime scene. Three individuals who drove the victims to the hospital were transported to the police department to be interviewed. Detectives from the police department responded to assist with the investigation. After interviewing the witnesses, officers were able to determine that an altercation took place between the two victims and one of the subjects from the vehicle. During the altercation, another occupant of the vehicle who was not involved in the altercation, shot the two women.As a result, 23-year-old Walter Herrera Alvarez, of Pittsburg, was placed under arrest. The other individuals were released after being interviewed. &nbsp;Alvarez was transported to the jail located at the Crawford County Sheriff’s office for booking and he is being held without bond on requested charges that include two counts of Aggravated Battery.&nbsp;

Police: 2 Kansas women injured in shooting during an alley fight 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Monday that it attacked three boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of eight people as scrutiny over the boat strikes is intensifying in Congress.

The military said in a statement on social media that the strikes targeted “designated terrorist organizations,” killing three people in the first vessel, two in the second boat and three in the third boat. It didn’t provide evidence of their alleged drug trafficking but posted a video of a boat moving through water before exploding.

President Donald Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>. But the Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 95 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">25 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

The latest boat strikes come on the eve of briefings on Capitol Hill for all members of Congress as questions mount over the Trump administration’s military campaign.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials are expected to provide closed-door briefings for lawmakers in the House and Senate.

The campaign has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. In a sharp escalation last week, U.S. forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tanker-seized-venezuela-maduro-0a148ba01684fc6ce1a228dd276732c0">seized a sanctioned oil tanker</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-oil-trump-sanctions-maduro-a2ef5b45b48365861e0a724d8c27dce3">accused of smuggling illicit crude</a>. Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

The U.S. military has built up its largest presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Trump says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered any details on location.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Monday that it attacked three boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of eight people as scrutiny over the boat strikes is intensifying in Congress.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Dec. 15, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/IQfCVvUpau">pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2000756230252314901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The military said in a statement on social media that the strikes targeted “designated terrorist organizations,” killing three people in the first vessel, two in the second boat and three in the third boat. It didn’t provide evidence of their alleged drug trafficking but posted a video of a boat moving through water before exploding.President Donald Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>. But the Trump administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 95 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">25 known strikes</a>&nbsp;since early September, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.The latest boat strikes come on the eve of briefings on Capitol Hill for all members of Congress as questions mount over the Trump administration’s military campaign.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials are expected to provide closed-door briefings for lawmakers in the House and Senate.The campaign has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. In a sharp escalation last week, U.S. forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tanker-seized-venezuela-maduro-0a148ba01684fc6ce1a228dd276732c0">seized a sanctioned oil tanker</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-oil-trump-sanctions-maduro-a2ef5b45b48365861e0a724d8c27dce3">accused of smuggling illicit crude</a>. Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.The U.S. military has built up its largest presence in the region in decades and launched a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-drug-boats-pacific-35a60ce3bc018e5f66c18b2d18b49c35">deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Trump says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-maduro-colombia-petro-boats-559a73dbfcbdc9245494f441be1aad39">land attacks are coming soon</a>&nbsp;but has not offered any details on location.

🎥US military conducts more drug boat strikes killing 8

COWLEY COUNTY —One Kansas school district is starting holiday break early due to sickness across the district.

On their social media page USD 471 Dexter wrote, "we are going through a tremendous amount of sickness right now and it seems to be spreading at a very high rate."

"Due to a high number of students and staff illnesses and the rate at which it continues to climb the school dismissing for the semester Monday afternoon." "All scheduled end of the semester activities, extra curricular activity competitions, and classes starting Tuesday will be postponed, canceled, and/or rescheduled for a later date in the 2nd Semester."

  Not only are we concerned with student and staff sickness now we don't want to continue to spread the sickness and end up with students taking it to their extended families over the holiday break. 

"We appreciate your understanding as we work to keep our students, staff, and school community healthy.' The community is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Wichita.

COWLEY COUNTY —One Kansas school district is starting holiday break early due to sickness across the district.On their social media page USD 471 Dexter wrote, "we are going through a tremendous amount of sickness right now and it seems to be spreading at a very high rate.""Due to a high number of students and staff illnesses and the rate at which it continues to climb the school dismissing for the semester Monday afternoon." "All scheduled end of the semester activities, extra curricular activity competitions, and classes starting Tuesday will be postponed, canceled, and/or rescheduled for a later date in the 2nd Semester." Not only are we concerned with student and staff sickness now we don't want to continue to spread the sickness and end up with students taking it to their extended families over the holiday break. "We appreciate your understanding as we work to keep our students, staff, and school community healthy.' The community is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Wichita.

Kan. school district starts winter break early due to spread of illness

The Powerball® jackpot has surged to an estimated $1.25 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing, giving players nationwide another chance to dream big this holiday season. The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $572.1 million, according to a statement from the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Wednesday’s jackpot is the second-largest Powerball prize this year, behind the $1.787 billion prize won on Sept. 6 in Missouri and Texas. This marks only the second time in Powerball history that the game has generated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots.

“Powerball has only seen back-to-back to billion-dollar jackpots twice, and this one has arrived just in time for the holidays,” said Matt Strawn, Iowa Lottery CEO and Powerball Product Group Chair. “While it’s exciting to see the jackpot climb to this level, please remember to play responsibly. A single $2 ticket gives you a chance to win, while also supporting good causes in your community.”

The jackpot rolled last night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 23, 35, 59, 63, 68 and red Powerball 2. The Power Play® multiplier was 4.

Although there was no jackpot winner, U.S. lotteries are reminding players to check their tickets carefully to see if they have won any cash prizes.

Two tickets, sold in Arizona and California, matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. The drawing also produced 43 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 14 tickets that won $200,000 prizes.

Note: In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel and determined by sales and the number of winners.

Wednesday’s drawing will be the 44th in the current jackpot run – a game record for the most drawings in a jackpot cycle. The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.

The only other time the Powerball game generated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots was in 2023, when a $1.08 billion jackpot was won on July 19, followed by a $1.765 billion jackpot won on Oct. 11. Both jackpots were won by players in California.

If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $1.25 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $572.1 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

<a href="https://www.powerball.com/">Powerball</a>

The Powerball® jackpot has surged to an estimated $1.25 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing, giving players nationwide another chance to dream big this holiday season. The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $572.1 million, according to a statement from the Multi-State Lottery Association.Wednesday’s jackpot is the second-largest Powerball prize this year, behind the $1.787 billion prize won on Sept. 6 in Missouri and Texas. This marks only the second time in Powerball history that the game has generated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots.“Powerball has only seen back-to-back to billion-dollar jackpots twice, and this one has arrived just in time for the holidays,” said Matt Strawn, Iowa Lottery CEO and Powerball Product Group Chair. “While it’s exciting to see the jackpot climb to this level, please remember to play responsibly. A single $2 ticket gives you a chance to win, while also supporting good causes in your community.”The jackpot rolled last night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 23, 35, 59, 63, 68 and red Powerball 2. The Power Play® multiplier was 4.Although there was no jackpot winner, U.S. lotteries are reminding players to check their tickets carefully to see if they have won any cash prizes.Two tickets, sold in Arizona and California, matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. The drawing also produced 43 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 14 tickets that won $200,000 prizes.Note: In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel and determined by sales and the number of winners.Wednesday’s drawing will be the 44th in the current jackpot run – a game record for the most drawings in a jackpot cycle. The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.The only other time the Powerball game generated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots was in 2023, when a $1.08 billion jackpot was won on July 19, followed by a $1.765 billion jackpot won on Oct. 11. Both jackpots were won by players in California.If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $1.25 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $572.1 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>.The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.Top Ten Powerball® Jackpots<ol>
 <li>$2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA</li><li>$1.787 Billion – Sept. 6, 2025 – MO, TX</li><li>$1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 - CA</li><li>$1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN</li><li>$1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 – OR</li><li>$1.25 Billion est. – Dec. 17, 2025</li><li>$1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA</li><li>$842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI</li><li>$768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI</li><li>$758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA</li>
 </ol><a href="https://www.powerball.com/">Powerball</a>

Merry Christmas: Powerball jackpot surges to $1.25 billion

JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman who was reported missing early Sunday morning near a golf course in Lenexa has been found dead, according an online state from Lenexa police.

Just before 6a.m. Sunday, Amber J. Foster was last seen in the area of W. 87th Street Parkway and Winchester in Lenexa (17300 block of W. 87th Street Parkway)

She was described as wearing an orange t-shirt, over a long-sleeve white shirt, and blue jeans. Amber’s vehicle was located in a nearby parking garage, and she was last seen on foot walking towards the Canyon Farms Golf Course.&nbsp;

Just after 11:30a.m. Monday her body was found near W. 86th and Haven Street.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765846082934.png" alt="Amber Foster photo Lenexa Police" />
 <figcaption>Amber Foster photo Lenexa Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman who was reported missing early Sunday morning near a golf course in Lenexa has been found dead, according an online state from Lenexa police.Just before 6a.m. Sunday, Amber J. Foster was last seen in the area of W. 87th Street Parkway and Winchester in Lenexa (17300 block of W. 87th Street Parkway)She was described as wearing an orange t-shirt, over a long-sleeve white shirt, and blue jeans. Amber’s vehicle was located in a nearby parking garage, and she was last seen on foot walking towards the Canyon Farms Golf Course.&nbsp;Just after 11:30a.m. Monday her body was found near W. 86th and Haven Street.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police: Missing Kansas woman found dead near a golf course

WICHITA, KAN. – An Arizona man was sentenced to 272 months in prison for his part in a drug trafficking ring that transported large amounts of fentanyl into Kansas, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Rafael Turner, 35, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Beginning on a date unknown and continuing through March 2023, Turner conspired with other people to distribute fentanyl.&nbsp;

“Turner was part of a criminal organization that injected both fentanyl and illegal drug proceeds into our communities,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge William Steenson, St. Louis Field Office. “We’re more committed than ever to using our financial expertise to help disrupt these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”

Forty-five other individuals were prosecuted as part of this overall investigation, which included individuals in Kansas. &nbsp;Across the country, individuals have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Included among them are Clifton Ray Weatherspoon, 33, and Antonio Dawayne Knight, 27, both of Wichita, who were each convicted of one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Weatherspoon was sentenced to 300 months in prison. Knight was sentenced to 150 months in prison.&nbsp;

In February 2023, Weatherspoon and Knight traveled by plane from Wichita to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase 300,000 fentanyl pills. They packed the pills into two suitcases, checked the luggage under their names, and flew back to Wichita. Pursuant to a federal search warrant, law enforcement officers seized one of the bags before it reached the baggage claim area. They x-rayed and searched the luggage and discovered 15 bags stuffed inside containing 150,000 fentanyl pills. Agents arrested Weatherspoon and Knight, who had by then retrieved the second suitcase from baggage claim. A search of that bag showed it also contained approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills.

“Over the past few years, the federal government has partnered with state and local governments as well as community groups to curtail the fentanyl crisis. The prosecution of this large drug conspiracy was part of that work. However, we are not done in these efforts. While we try to save lives by raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, criminals seek to undermine that hard work” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Fentanyl dealers have little to no regard for human life and are willing to let children get ahold of this poison in efforts to turn a profit. We are grateful to law enforcement agents whose investigations keep this toxic substance off our streets.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765462730894.png" alt="Turner-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Turner-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – An Arizona man was sentenced to 272 months in prison for his part in a drug trafficking ring that transported large amounts of fentanyl into Kansas, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Rafael Turner, 35, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.Beginning on a date unknown and continuing through March 2023, Turner conspired with other people to distribute fentanyl.&nbsp;“Turner was part of a criminal organization that injected both fentanyl and illegal drug proceeds into our communities,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge William Steenson, St. Louis Field Office. “We’re more committed than ever to using our financial expertise to help disrupt these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”Forty-five other individuals were prosecuted as part of this overall investigation, which included individuals in Kansas. &nbsp;Across the country, individuals have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Included among them are Clifton Ray Weatherspoon, 33, and Antonio Dawayne Knight, 27, both of Wichita, who were each convicted of one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Weatherspoon was sentenced to 300 months in prison. Knight was sentenced to 150 months in prison.&nbsp;In February 2023, Weatherspoon and Knight traveled by plane from Wichita to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase 300,000 fentanyl pills. They packed the pills into two suitcases, checked the luggage under their names, and flew back to Wichita. Pursuant to a federal search warrant, law enforcement officers seized one of the bags before it reached the baggage claim area. They x-rayed and searched the luggage and discovered 15 bags stuffed inside containing 150,000 fentanyl pills. Agents arrested Weatherspoon and Knight, who had by then retrieved the second suitcase from baggage claim. A search of that bag showed it also contained approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills.“Over the past few years, the federal government has partnered with state and local governments as well as community groups to curtail the fentanyl crisis. The prosecution of this large drug conspiracy was part of that work. However, we are not done in these efforts. While we try to save lives by raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, criminals seek to undermine that hard work” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Fentanyl dealers have little to no regard for human life and are willing to let children get ahold of this poison in efforts to turn a profit. We are grateful to law enforcement agents whose investigations keep this toxic substance off our streets.”

Man transported large amounts of fentanyl into Kansas.

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the death of a 4-year-old&nbsp; made his hit first appearance in court on Friday.

A Sedgwick County Judge charged 34-year-old Daniel Martin with&nbsp; first degree murder and child abuse in the death of Tiuri Blunt-Porrata, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp; responded to a medical call regarding an unresponsive 4-year-old child in the 2600 block of South Topeka in Wichita, according to police department spokesman Andrew Ford. The child identified as Tirui Blunt-Porrata, according to an online fundraiser, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was pronounced deceased at 4:07 p.m.

Police booked Martin,&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

In the online fundraise, Nathaniel Porrata, " I’m Tiuri’s father. I recently moved to a new city to help restart my family’s life, hoping it would bring us a brighter future." 

"I had just landed a new job, and our finances were finally starting to recover. My soon to be ex-wife and our children were planning to join me at the beginning of 2026, and we were looking forward to being together again as a family."

"Tragically, on Monday, November 8th, 2025, my 4 year old son, Tiuri Blunt-Porrata, became the victim of a horrible crime and passed away. The investigation is still ongoing, so I am unable to share more details at this time."

"My world has been turned upside down. I am struggling to process the pain and shock of losing Tiuri so suddenly."<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-tiuri-bluntporratas-memory"> Click here to view</a> the fundraiser.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765296481475.png" alt="Martin photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in the death of a 4-year-old&nbsp; made his hit first appearance in court on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765596159268.png" alt="Photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>A Sedgwick County Judge charged 34-year-old Daniel Martin with&nbsp; first degree murder and child abuse in the death of Tiuri Blunt-Porrata, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp; responded to a medical call regarding an unresponsive 4-year-old child in the 2600 block of South Topeka in Wichita, according to police department spokesman Andrew Ford. The child identified as Tirui Blunt-Porrata, according to an online fundraiser, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was pronounced deceased at 4:07 p.m.Police booked Martin,&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.In the online fundraise, Nathaniel Porrata, " I’m Tiuri’s father. I recently moved to a new city to help restart my family’s life, hoping it would bring us a brighter future." "I had just landed a new job, and our finances were finally starting to recover. My soon to be ex-wife and our children were planning to join me at the beginning of 2026, and we were looking forward to being together again as a family.""Tragically, on Monday, November 8th, 2025, my 4 year old son, Tiuri Blunt-Porrata, became the victim of a horrible crime and passed away. The investigation is still ongoing, so I am unable to share more details at this time.""My world has been turned upside down. I am struggling to process the pain and shock of losing Tiuri so suddenly."<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-tiuri-bluntporratas-memory"> Click here to view</a> the fundraiser.

Kan. suspect in abuse death of 4-year-old faces a judge

NEW YORK (AP) —Anthony Geary, who rose to fame in the 1970s and ‘80s as half the daytime TV super couple Luke and Laura on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">“General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;has died. He was 78.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary, whose portrayal of Luke Spencer helped define General Hospital and daytime television,” ABC said in a statement confirming his death.

Geary died Sunday in Amsterdam of complications from a surgical procedure three days prior.

“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing,” Frank Valentini, executive producer of the ABC show, said in a statement Monday. “Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for.”

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Geary earned eight Daytime Emmy awards as Luke Spencer after joining the soap in 1978. Luke’s pairing with Genie Francis’ Laura Webber Baldwin (as she was known at the time) propelled the two onto magazine covers and into the cultural mainstream.

NEW YORK (AP) —Anthony Geary, who rose to fame in the 1970s and ‘80s as half the daytime TV super couple Luke and Laura on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">“General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;has died. He was 78.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgeneralhospital%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0q2YKpCjJ7Jdese8Tk2YuFNFVmkyC7LHq6ukc9wWkwXi9kCLx7TWWH8hKToL7Bkovl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="711" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary, whose portrayal of Luke Spencer helped define General Hospital and daytime television,” ABC said in a statement confirming his death.Geary died Sunday in Amsterdam of complications from a surgical procedure three days prior.“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing,” Frank Valentini, executive producer of the ABC show, said in a statement Monday. “Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for.”In a career spanning more than 40 years, Geary earned eight Daytime Emmy awards as Luke Spencer after joining the soap in 1978. Luke’s pairing with Genie Francis’ Laura Webber Baldwin (as she was known at the time) propelled the two onto magazine covers and into the cultural mainstream.The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura was a pop culture phenom done in two parts, drawing guest appearances that included Elizabeth Taylor. A record 30 million viewers watched.“He was a powerhouse as an actor. Shoulder to shoulder with the greats. No star burned brighter than Tony Geary. He was one of a kind. As an artist, he was filled with a passion for the truth, no matter how blunt, or even a little rude it might be, but always hilariously funny,” Francis said in a statement.In addition to his role as Luke, Geary had numerous TV and stage credits, including stints on other soaps: “The Young and the Restless” and “Bright Promise.” Geary played Luke on and off until 2015, though he returned for a cameo in 2017.He lived a quiet life with husband Claudio Gama in Amsterdam.<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=interviews+with+Tony+Geary&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1053US1054&amp;oq=interviews+with+Tony+Geary&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRiPAtIBCDM3OThqMGo3qAIIsAIB8QUmeU6L-Rg5lfEFJnlOi_kYOZU&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:79c41a52,vid:3YNGiHX9_sc,st:0" target="_blank">In a 1993 interview</a>, Geary spoke of the many highs and lows of playing Luke.“I felt like I had to be Luke 24 hours a day or people would be disappointed,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, they are mythic creatures. They come from two sides of the universe together and have a mutual connection, which is basically lust and appreciation for individuality. They love the eccentricity in each other.”Geary’s Luke began as a small-time hitman recruited to dismantle the relationship of Laura and her first husband, Scotty Baldwin. Their story arc turned darker when Luke sexually assaulted Laura. The assault led to a redemption trail for Luke, who evolved into a hero and even served as mayor of the show’s small town, Port Charles.“He was not created to be a heroic character,” Geary&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/anthony-geary-reflects-37-years-playing-dark-dangerous/story?id=32619755" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;ABC’s “Nightline” in 2015. “He was created to be an anti-hero, and I have treasured the anti-side of the hero and pushed it for a long time. ... He’s not a white hat or a black hat, he’s all shades of grey. And that has been the saving grace of playing him all these years.”Geary was born to Mormon parents in Coalville, Utah. He was discovered while attending the University of Utah and performing on stage. He joined a touring company of “The Subject was Roses,” which brought him to Los Angeles.Over the years, he appeared frequently in stage productions alongside his screen work.Geary’s first appearance on TV was as Tom Whalom on an episode of “Room 222.” He went on to appear in “All in the Family,” “The Partridge Family,” “The Mod Squad,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Streets of San Francisco” and “Barnaby Jones.”