DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal hit-and-run and asking the public for help to identify a vehicle.

The incident involving a pedestrian occurred Thursday evening just north of Lawrence in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, according to Sheriff's Department Spokesman Officer George Diepenbrock.

 A passerby notified dispatchers at 3:35 a.m. Friday upon finding a person near the road. When deputies responded, they determined the person had died.&nbsp;Deputies have determined the person was struck around 6 p.m. Thursday. 

Upon processing the scene, deputies were able to identify the person who died as a 20-year-old Lawrence woman.&nbsp;Deputies believe she had been running in the area before she was struck by a vehicle.&nbsp; 

&nbsp;Detectives are following leads regarding a suspected driver of the vehicle involved.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the victim.

At this time, the Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who might have been in the area between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday and has potential information to call DGSO Det. Lance Flachsbarth, 785-393-5845, or Douglas County Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477), and leave your contact information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762551097955.png" alt="Security camera image of the suspect vehicle -Douglas County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the suspect vehicle -Douglas County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal hit-and-run and asking the public for help to identify a vehicle.The incident involving a pedestrian occurred Thursday evening just north of Lawrence in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, according to Sheriff's Department Spokesman Officer George Diepenbrock. A passerby notified dispatchers at 3:35 a.m. Friday upon finding a person near the road. When deputies responded, they determined the person had died.&nbsp;Deputies have determined the person was struck around 6 p.m. Thursday. Upon processing the scene, deputies were able to identify the person who died as a 20-year-old Lawrence woman.&nbsp;Deputies believe she had been running in the area before she was struck by a vehicle.&nbsp; &nbsp;Detectives are following leads regarding a suspected driver of the vehicle involved.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the victim.At this time, the Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who might have been in the area between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday and has potential information to call DGSO Det. Lance Flachsbarth, 785-393-5845, or Douglas County Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477), and leave your contact information.

Sheriff: 20-year-old Kansas woman killed in hit-and-run

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two people died in a house fire Thursday in Sedgwick County.

Just after 10:30p.m., crews&nbsp;were dispatched a fire at a home in the 6000 block North West ParkView in Park City, according to county spokesperson Brandon Zenner.

Firefighters on scene were met with heavy smoke and flames from the front of the home. One victim was pulled out of the residence where life saving efforts were made but later succumbed of their injuries at the hospital. 

The second victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of fire is under investigation.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762543311906.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two people died in a house fire Thursday in Sedgwick County.Just after 10:30p.m., crews&nbsp;were dispatched a fire at a home in the 6000 block North West ParkView in Park City, according to county spokesperson Brandon Zenner.Firefighters on scene were met with heavy smoke and flames from the front of the home. One victim was pulled out of the residence where life saving efforts were made but later succumbed of their injuries at the hospital. The second victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of fire is under investigation.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the names of the victims.

Two dead after fire at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune pleaded with colleagues on Friday to “end these weeks of misery” as many Democrats pledged to vote against reopening the government until President Donald Trump and Republican leaders negotiate with them on an extension of health care benefits.

A small group of Democrats has been negotiating with Republicans on a deal that would end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>. But the contours of that agreement would only come with the promise of a future health care vote, rather than a guarantee that Affordable Care Act subsidies are extended by the end of the year. Many Democrats say that’s unacceptable.

It’s a frustrating dynamic for Republican leaders, who only need five additional votes to fund the government.

“The time to act is now,” Thune said in his opening remarks on the Senate floor Friday, speaking directly to Democrats who might change their position.

As the shutdown reached its 38th day, Republicans were still refusing to negotiate with Democrats on health care, insisting that they vote to reopen the government first. They were planning instead to introduce a new, bipartisan package of bills that they hope will break the impasse.

It was unclear whether that new plan would work, even as lawmakers in both parties were feeling increased urgency to alleviate the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-airlines-faa-e39c423facec2b0dcc2544af48de0fa1">growing crisis at airports</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/furlough-federal-workers-unemployment-government-shutdown-e0c73357aab61c7a6162cfb26c659c03">pay government workers</a>&nbsp;and restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-government-shutdown-court-order-b354aa0b596dcb8bfc6dc59a3382e811">delayed food aid</a>&nbsp;to millions of people.

Thune said he’s likely to keep the Senate in session over the weekend for the first time since the shutdown began, an effort to apply pressure and resolve the standoff.

A test vote on the new package, which has not been made public, could come as soon as Friday.

Democrats will then have a crucial choice to make: Do they keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-shutdown-e94d96a8a837a5f7f681dc6893872d3b">the subsidies</a>&nbsp;that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or do they vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome?

After a caucus meeting on Thursday, many Democrats said they would continue to hold out for negotiations.

“That’s what leaders do,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. “You have the gavel, you have the majority, you have to bring people together.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has not yet weighed in. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Democrats are “obviously not unanimous” but “without something on health care, the vote is very unlikely to succeed.”

Thune’s decision to keep the Senate in session came after Trump urged Republicans at a White House breakfast Wednesday to end the shutdown quickly. He’s urging Republicans to end the legislative filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so that they bypass Democrats altogether and fund the government.

“I am totally in favor of terminating the filibuster, and we would be back to work within 10 minutes after that vote took place,” Trump said Friday.

Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-resistance-senate-thune-shutdown-e2facc2a1a32811d294b1bd16853f307">emphatically rejected</a>&nbsp;Trump’s call, instead eyeing a bipartisan package that would pay for parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things — and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The three annual spending bills that would likely be included are the product of bipartisan negotiations that have continued through the shutdown.

The package would replace the House-passed bill that the Democrats have rejected repeatedly. That would only extend government funding until Nov. 21, a date that is rapidly approaching after six weeks of inaction.

The new package would mirror a tentative proposal that moderate Democrats have been sketching out. The framework led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., would also take up Republicans on their offer to hold a vote on extending the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies at a later date.

It was unclear what Thune, who has refused to negotiate, would promise on health care.

Johnson delivers setback to bipartisan talks

Democrats are facing pressure from unions eager for the shutdown to end and from allied groups that want them to hold firm. Many Democrats have argued that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-new-jersey-trump-election-democrat-republican-fad109893cfd4be5b49a5bb1b0138d8d">wins for Democrats</a>&nbsp;on Election Day show voters want them to continue the fight until Republicans yield and agree to extend the health tax credits.

A vote on the health care subsidies “has got to mean something,” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. “That means a commitment by the speaker of the House, that he will support the legislation, that the president will sign.”

But Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear he will not make any commitments. “I’m not promising anybody anything,” Johnson said on Thursday when asked if he could promise a vote on a health care bill.

Johnson’s clear refusal was a setback for negotiators. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, one of the moderate Democrats involved in negotiations, said the speaker’s comments were “a significant problem.”

“We have to make sure we have a deal that we can get broad support for,” Peters said.

As Democrats try to figure out what to do, Schumer has not said when he thinks the shutdown should end. He and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York have called for Trump to sit down with them and negotiate — a meeting that seems unlikely to happen.

“Donald Trump clearly is feeling pressure,” Schumer said.

The Democrats and Republicans who have been talking insisted they were making steady progress on a deal.

Republicans suggested on Thursday they might be open to including language in a final agreement that would reverse some mass firings of government workers by the White House, according to two people familiar with the private talks granted anonymity to discuss them. It was unclear whether that proposal would be included in the new package.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican who has been talking to Democrats, says she wants furloughed workers to be given back pay and workers who have been fired during the shutdown to be “recalled.”

“We’re still negotiating that language,” she said.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti, and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune pleaded with colleagues on Friday to “end these weeks of misery” as many Democrats pledged to vote against reopening the government until President Donald Trump and Republican leaders negotiate with them on an extension of health care benefits.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &quot;As for the claim that Democrats got some kind of mandate from the American people on Tuesday to continue jeopardizing food stamps for 40 million Americans in need, give me a break! Democrats performed well in three states where Democrats often perform well.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0LL5KFHiEn">pic.twitter.com/0LL5KFHiEn</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986859352217567255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">If I were a Democrat, I would be embarrassed to walk into this building every day. To walk past the men and women of the Capitol Police not getting paid. The junior staffers wondering how they are going to pay their rent. How can Democrats look any of these people in the eyes? <a href="https://t.co/kSjRcw77k6">pic.twitter.com/kSjRcw77k6</a>&mdash; Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1986855250687344911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A small group of Democrats has been negotiating with Republicans on a deal that would end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">shutdown</a>. But the contours of that agreement would only come with the promise of a future health care vote, rather than a guarantee that Affordable Care Act subsidies are extended by the end of the year. Many Democrats say that’s unacceptable.It’s a frustrating dynamic for Republican leaders, who only need five additional votes to fund the government.“The time to act is now,” Thune said in his opening remarks on the Senate floor Friday, speaking directly to Democrats who might change their position.As the shutdown reached its 38th day, Republicans were still refusing to negotiate with Democrats on health care, insisting that they vote to reopen the government first. They were planning instead to introduce a new, bipartisan package of bills that they hope will break the impasse.It was unclear whether that new plan would work, even as lawmakers in both parties were feeling increased urgency to alleviate the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-airlines-faa-e39c423facec2b0dcc2544af48de0fa1">growing crisis at airports</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/furlough-federal-workers-unemployment-government-shutdown-e0c73357aab61c7a6162cfb26c659c03">pay government workers</a>&nbsp;and restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-government-shutdown-court-order-b354aa0b596dcb8bfc6dc59a3382e811">delayed food aid</a>&nbsp;to millions of people.Thune said he’s likely to keep the Senate in session over the weekend for the first time since the shutdown began, an effort to apply pressure and resolve the standoff.<h2>A choice for Democrats</h2>A test vote on the new package, which has not been made public, could come as soon as Friday.Democrats will then have a crucial choice to make: Do they keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-shutdown-e94d96a8a837a5f7f681dc6893872d3b">the subsidies</a>&nbsp;that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or do they vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome?After a caucus meeting on Thursday, many Democrats said they would continue to hold out for negotiations.“That’s what leaders do,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. “You have the gavel, you have the majority, you have to bring people together.”Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has not yet weighed in. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Democrats are “obviously not unanimous” but “without something on health care, the vote is very unlikely to succeed.”<h2>New effort to reopen the government</h2>Thune’s decision to keep the Senate in session came after Trump urged Republicans at a White House breakfast Wednesday to end the shutdown quickly. He’s urging Republicans to end the legislative filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so that they bypass Democrats altogether and fund the government.“I am totally in favor of terminating the filibuster, and we would be back to work within 10 minutes after that vote took place,” Trump said Friday.Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-resistance-senate-thune-shutdown-e2facc2a1a32811d294b1bd16853f307">emphatically rejected</a>&nbsp;Trump’s call, instead eyeing a bipartisan package that would pay for parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things — and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The three annual spending bills that would likely be included are the product of bipartisan negotiations that have continued through the shutdown.The package would replace the House-passed bill that the Democrats have rejected repeatedly. That would only extend government funding until Nov. 21, a date that is rapidly approaching after six weeks of inaction.The new package would mirror a tentative proposal that moderate Democrats have been sketching out. The framework led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., would also take up Republicans on their offer to hold a vote on extending the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies at a later date.It was unclear what Thune, who has refused to negotiate, would promise on health care.<h2>Johnson delivers setback to bipartisan talks</h2>Democrats are facing pressure from unions eager for the shutdown to end and from allied groups that want them to hold firm. Many Democrats have argued that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-new-jersey-trump-election-democrat-republican-fad109893cfd4be5b49a5bb1b0138d8d">wins for Democrats</a>&nbsp;on Election Day show voters want them to continue the fight until Republicans yield and agree to extend the health tax credits.A vote on the health care subsidies “has got to mean something,” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. “That means a commitment by the speaker of the House, that he will support the legislation, that the president will sign.”But Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear he will not make any commitments. “I’m not promising anybody anything,” Johnson said on Thursday when asked if he could promise a vote on a health care bill.Johnson’s clear refusal was a setback for negotiators. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, one of the moderate Democrats involved in negotiations, said the speaker’s comments were “a significant problem.”“We have to make sure we have a deal that we can get broad support for,” Peters said.As Democrats try to figure out what to do, Schumer has not said when he thinks the shutdown should end. He and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York have called for Trump to sit down with them and negotiate — a meeting that seems unlikely to happen.“Donald Trump clearly is feeling pressure,” Schumer said.<h2>Closed-door negotiations become public</h2>The Democrats and Republicans who have been talking insisted they were making steady progress on a deal.Republicans suggested on Thursday they might be open to including language in a final agreement that would reverse some mass firings of government workers by the White House, according to two people familiar with the private talks granted anonymity to discuss them. It was unclear whether that proposal would be included in the new package.Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican who has been talking to Democrats, says she wants furloughed workers to be given back pay and workers who have been fired during the shutdown to be “recalled.”“We’re still negotiating that language,” she said.___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti, and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

🎥Government shutdown: Senate GOP leader pleads for end to misery

TOKPEA —On Friday, the Kansas Department for Children and Families issued full November benefits to Kansans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Food Assistance, according to a statement on the a agency website.

Beneficiaries should have access to their full benefit​s by the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 7. 

All current Kansas beneficiaries will receive benefits on Nov. 7 instead of the typical monthly issuances that are staggered over a 10-day period according to last name.&nbsp;

“Kansans can rest assured that we are moving quickly to disburse full November SNAP benefits,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly. “I’m pleased that these benefits will be issued in full and I hope that it is a sign that the shutdown will end soon so Kansas families do not go through this uncertainty again in December.”

This includes a total distribution of more than $31.6 million to approximately 86,000 Kansas households. All current Kansas beneficiaries will receive benefits on Nov. 7 instead of the typical monthly issuances that are staggered over a 10-day period according to last name.

Kansas should call 1-800-997-6666, the number on the back of their EBT card, to check on those benefits, and the pending benefits information should be provided. EBT card users should download and use ebtEDGE app to track and protect their benefits. Find the ebtEDGE app in your app store and at the web portal:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do​</a>. The FIS ebtEDGE app is completely free to use and provides protective features like blocking out-of-state purchases and card freezing.The total November benefit distribution was more than $31.6 million to approximately 86,000 Kansas households.&nbsp;​

TOKPEA —On Friday, the Kansas Department for Children and Families issued full November benefits to Kansans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Food Assistance, according to a statement on the a agency website.Beneficiaries should have access to their full benefit​s by the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 7. All current Kansas beneficiaries will receive benefits on Nov. 7 instead of the typical monthly issuances that are staggered over a 10-day period according to last name.&nbsp;“Kansans can rest assured that we are moving quickly to disburse full November SNAP benefits,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly. “I’m pleased that these benefits will be issued in full and I hope that it is a sign that the shutdown will end soon so Kansas families do not go through this uncertainty again in December.”This includes a total distribution of more than $31.6 million to approximately 86,000 Kansas households. All current Kansas beneficiaries will receive benefits on Nov. 7 instead of the typical monthly issuances that are staggered over a 10-day period according to last name.Kansas should call 1-800-997-6666, the number on the back of their EBT card, to check on those benefits, and the pending benefits information should be provided. EBT card users should download and use ebtEDGE app to track and protect their benefits. Find the ebtEDGE app in your app store and at the web portal:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do" target="_blank">https://www.ebtedge.com/gov/portal/PortalHome.do​</a>. The FIS ebtEDGE app is completely free to use and provides protective features like blocking out-of-state purchases and card freezing.The total November benefit distribution was more than $31.6 million to approximately 86,000 Kansas households.&nbsp;​

DCF: Kansans to receive full November SNAP benefits

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue carrying out, for now, its policy requiring that passports only list a person’s sex assigned at birth.

The nation’s highest court paused a lower court order that temporarily barred the administration from enforcing the policy, codified in an executive order Trump signed in January.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;made it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female” and called on the State Department to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”&nbsp;

Under then-President Joe Biden, the State Department&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/31/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-equality-and-visibility-for-transgender-americans/" target="_blank">allowed</a>&nbsp;people to “select an ‘X’ as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application.”

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26219531-scotus-passports-11625/" target="_blank">the unsigned court order</a>, the majority noted that “displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.

Jackson, who authored the dissent, wrote that the court “fails to spill any ink considering the plaintiffs, opting instead to intervene in the Government’s favor without equitable justification, and in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party.”&nbsp;

“This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification,” she wrote. “Because I cannot acquiesce to this pointless but painful perversion of our equitable discretion, I respectfully dissent.”&nbsp;

In February, the American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.280559/gov.uscourts.mad.280559.1.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the administration on behalf of seven transgender and nonbinary people over the suspension of the Biden-era policy.

A federal judge in Massachusetts in June temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing the policy. The judge had issued an earlier preliminary injunction in April that applied to six of the case’s plaintiffs.&nbsp;

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit kept in place the district court’s order in September, prompting the administration to ask the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627262146028.jpeg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue carrying out, for now, its policy requiring that passports only list a person’s sex assigned at birth.The nation’s highest court paused a lower court order that temporarily barred the administration from enforcing the policy, codified in an executive order Trump signed in January.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;made it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female” and called on the State Department to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”&nbsp;Under then-President Joe Biden, the State Department&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/31/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-equality-and-visibility-for-transgender-americans/" target="_blank">allowed</a>&nbsp;people to “select an ‘X’ as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application.”In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26219531-scotus-passports-11625/" target="_blank">the unsigned court order</a>, the majority noted that “displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.Jackson, who authored the dissent, wrote that the court “fails to spill any ink considering the plaintiffs, opting instead to intervene in the Government’s favor without equitable justification, and in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party.”&nbsp;“This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification,” she wrote. “Because I cannot acquiesce to this pointless but painful perversion of our equitable discretion, I respectfully dissent.”&nbsp;In February, the American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.280559/gov.uscourts.mad.280559.1.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the administration on behalf of seven transgender and nonbinary people over the suspension of the Biden-era policy.A federal judge in Massachusetts in June temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing the policy. The judge had issued an earlier preliminary injunction in April that applied to six of the case’s plaintiffs.&nbsp;The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit kept in place the district court’s order in September, prompting the administration to ask the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Supreme Court OKs for now Trump passport policy that targets trans people

WASHINGTON (AP)—Vice President JD Vance said Americans are “about to start suffering some very real consequences” at airports and with SNAP benefits because of the government shutdown, now in its 38th day.

(click below to listen to VP Vance's comments)

“After 30 days of this thing, 40 days of this thing, you’re going to start seeing very real travel delays. That’s because the Democrat government shut down,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “They should stop this charade and open up the government.”

Meanwhile, a federal judge Thursday ordered Trump’s administration to fully fund SNAP for November, three days after the government said it would only partially pay for the food aid program used by 1 in 8 Americans.

Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, ruled that it must provide the money by Friday in response to a coalition of cities and nonprofit groups. The judge was one of two who said last week that the government couldn’t pause the program entirely this month because of the government shutdown.

“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

WASHINGTON (AP)—Vice President JD Vance said Americans are “about to start suffering some very real consequences” at airports and with SNAP benefits because of the government shutdown, now in its 38th day.(click below to listen to VP Vance's comments)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;It’s an absurd ruling because you have a federal judge effectively telling us what we have to do in the midst of a Democrat government shutdown... What we’d like to do is for the Democrats to open up the government — then we can fund SNAP, and we can also do a lot of other… <a href="https://t.co/TWSpzllzKt">pic.twitter.com/TWSpzllzKt</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1986601094550602090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“After 30 days of this thing, 40 days of this thing, you’re going to start seeing very real travel delays. That’s because the Democrat government shut down,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “They should stop this charade and open up the government.”Meanwhile, a federal judge Thursday ordered Trump’s administration to fully fund SNAP for November, three days after the government said it would only partially pay for the food aid program used by 1 in 8 Americans.Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, ruled that it must provide the money by Friday in response to a coalition of cities and nonprofit groups. The judge was one of two who said last week that the government couldn’t pause the program entirely this month because of the government shutdown.“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

🎥Vice President critical of judge's ruling to fully fund SNAP

By JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT Associated Press

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;'s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning, with some passengers trying to figure out backup travel plans.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-government-shutdown-flight-cuts-airports-list-a11237fe6d6e14bed0935930dffed72e">40 airports</a>&nbsp;selected by the FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-reduced-flights-what-to-know-a7feaf54f65567d180ae5a232cb0bcb4">span more than two dozen states</a>&nbsp;and include hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the order.

In some metropolitan areas, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington, multiple airports will be impacted, while the ripple effects could reach smaller airports as well.

Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday in anticipation of the FAA's official order, while travelers with plans for the weekend and beyond&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-airlines-passengers-cancellation-thanksgiving-523690be1f72b90b2a9e0676794f829d">waited nervously</a>&nbsp;to learn if their flights would take off as scheduled.

Airlines also planned cancellations into the weekend, directing passengers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-passengers-flights-canceled-information-e8ae9a6a132a081d28f71cab8c54cec1">check apps to learn their flight status</a>.

Full list of airports affected by FAA service cuts

More than 815 flights have been called off nationwide, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines said it would scratch roughly 170 flights Friday, and American Airlines planned to cut 220 a day through Monday.

The FAA said the reductions would start at 4% and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and impact all commercial airlines.

The agency said the cutbacks are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for more than a month. Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.

“You can’t expect people to go in to work when they’re not getting a paycheck,” said Kelly Matthews of Flat Rock, Michigan, a frequent business traveler who has canceled most of her upcoming trips. “I mean it’s not a matter of them not wanting to do the job — but you can’t afford to pay for gas, your day care and everything else.”

The order comes as the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-democrats-trump-election-senate-2079f4008c87aeb71d2f3998c3c42901">ramping up pressure</a>&nbsp;on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown.

Airlines said they would try to minimize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">impact on customers</a>. Some planned to focus on slashing routes to and from small and medium-size cities.

Carriers are required to refund customers whose flights are canceled but not to cover secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless a delay or cancellation results from a contributing factor that is within the control of the airlines, according to the Department of Transportation.

Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt warned that the reductions will “have a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-reduced-flights-what-to-know-a7feaf54f65567d180ae5a232cb0bcb4">noticeable impact across the U.S.</a>&nbsp;air transportation system.”

The cuts could also slow package service as two airports on the list are major distribution centers for delivery companies: FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee, and UPS in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-plane-crash-explosion-kentucky-victims-12188ae7c9eae6411aa72fec223e742c">deadly cargo plane crash</a>.

Associated Press journalists Hallie Golden in Seattle, Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, and Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762445699793.png" alt="Photo Frontier Airlines" />
 <figcaption>Photo Frontier Airlines</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT Associated PressThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;'s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect Friday morning, with some passengers trying to figure out backup travel plans.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-government-shutdown-flight-cuts-airports-list-a11237fe6d6e14bed0935930dffed72e">40 airports</a>&nbsp;selected by the FAA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-reduced-flights-what-to-know-a7feaf54f65567d180ae5a232cb0bcb4">span more than two dozen states</a>&nbsp;and include hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the order.In some metropolitan areas, including New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington, multiple airports will be impacted, while the ripple effects could reach smaller airports as well.Airlines scrambled to adjust their schedules and began canceling flights Thursday in anticipation of the FAA's official order, while travelers with plans for the weekend and beyond&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-airlines-passengers-cancellation-thanksgiving-523690be1f72b90b2a9e0676794f829d">waited nervously</a>&nbsp;to learn if their flights would take off as scheduled.Airlines also planned cancellations into the weekend, directing passengers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-passengers-flights-canceled-information-e8ae9a6a132a081d28f71cab8c54cec1">check apps to learn their flight status</a>.<h2>Full list of airports affected by FAA service cuts</h2><ol>
 <li>Anchorage International (ANC)</li><li>Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)</li><li>Boston Logan International (BOS)</li><li>Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)</li><li>Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)</li><li>Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)</li><li>Dallas Love Field (DAL)</li><li>Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)</li><li>Denver International (DEN)</li><li>Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)</li><li>Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)</li><li>Newark Liberty International (EWR)</li><li>Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)</li><li>Honolulu International (HNL)</li><li>Houston Hobby Airport (HOU)</li><li>Washington Dulles International (IAD)</li><li>George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)</li><li>Indianapolis International (IND)</li><li>New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)</li><li>Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS)</li><li>Los Angeles International (LAX)</li><li>New York LaGuardia (LGA)</li><li>Orlando International (MCO)</li><li>Chicago Midway (MDW)</li><li>Memphis International (MEM)</li><li>Miami International (MIA)</li><li>Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP)</li><li>Oakland International (OAK)</li><li>Ontario International (ONT)</li><li>Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)</li><li>Portland International (PDX)</li><li>Philadelphia International (PHL)</li><li>Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)</li><li>San Diego International (SAN)</li><li>Louisville International (SDF)</li><li>Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)</li><li>San Francisco International (SFO)</li><li>Salt Lake City International (SLC)</li><li>Teterboro Airport (TEB)</li><li>Tampa International (TPA)</li>
 </ol>More than 815 flights have been called off nationwide, according to FlightAware. Delta Air Lines said it would scratch roughly 170 flights Friday, and American Airlines planned to cut 220 a day through Monday.The FAA said the reductions would start at 4% and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and impact all commercial airlines.The agency said the cutbacks are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for more than a month. Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.“You can’t expect people to go in to work when they’re not getting a paycheck,” said Kelly Matthews of Flat Rock, Michigan, a frequent business traveler who has canceled most of her upcoming trips. “I mean it’s not a matter of them not wanting to do the job — but you can’t afford to pay for gas, your day care and everything else.”The order comes as the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-democrats-trump-election-senate-2079f4008c87aeb71d2f3998c3c42901">ramping up pressure</a>&nbsp;on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown.Airlines said they would try to minimize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">impact on customers</a>. Some planned to focus on slashing routes to and from small and medium-size cities.Carriers are required to refund customers whose flights are canceled but not to cover secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless a delay or cancellation results from a contributing factor that is within the control of the airlines, according to the Department of Transportation.Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt warned that the reductions will “have a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-reduced-flights-what-to-know-a7feaf54f65567d180ae5a232cb0bcb4">noticeable impact across the U.S.</a>&nbsp;air transportation system.”The cuts could also slow package service as two airports on the list are major distribution centers for delivery companies: FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee, and UPS in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-plane-crash-explosion-kentucky-victims-12188ae7c9eae6411aa72fec223e742c">deadly cargo plane crash</a>.___Associated Press journalists Hallie Golden in Seattle, Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, and Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York contributed.

FAA's order to cut flights nationwide due to gov't shutdown is in effect

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.

(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)

At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.

The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.

Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761331970728.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=280&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2252850385227575%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="395" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

Suspect in killing at Kan. youth football game still at large

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans voted to reject legislation Thursday that would have put a check on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to launch an attack against Venezuela, as Democrats pressed Congress to take a stronger role in Trump’s high-stakes campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Lawmakers, including top Republicans, have demanded that the Trump administration provide them with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">more information on the U.S. military strikes</a>&nbsp;against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. But Thursday’s vote, on legislation that would essentially forestall an attack on Venezuelan soil without congressional authorization, suggested Republicans are willing to give Trump leeway to continue his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">buildup of naval forces</a>&nbsp;in the region.

“President Trump has taken decisive action to protect thousands of Americans from lethal narcotics,” said Sen. Jim Risch, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Still, the vote allowed Democrats to press their GOP colleagues on Trump’s threats against Venezuela. The legislation failed to advance 49-51, with Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska the only Republicans voting in favor. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marhsll voted against the legislation.

The U.S. is assembling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">an unusually large force</a>, including its most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">advanced aircraft carrier</a>, in the Caribbean Sea, leading many to conclude that Trump intends to go beyond just intercepting cocaine-running boats. The campaign so far has killed at least 66 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">16 known strikes</a>.

“It’s really an open secret that this is much more about potential regime change,” said Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who pushed the resolution. “If that’s where the administration is headed, if that’s what we’re risking — involvement in a war — then Congress needs to be heard on this.”

Some Republicans are uneasy with Caribbean campaign

Republican leadership pressed Thursday to make sure the legislation failed, but several senators still carefully considered their vote.

Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, another Republican who voted against the resolution, said that he still has doubts about the campaign. He pointed out that it was expensive to change the deployment location for an aircraft carrier and questioned whether those funds could be better used at the U.S.-Mexico border to stop fentanyl trafficking.

Tillis said that if the campaign continues for several months more, “then we have to have a real discussion about whether or not we’re engaging in some sort of hybrid war.”

Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, said in a statement that he voted against the legislation because he didn’t believe it was “necessary or appropriate at this time.”

But he added that he was “troubled by many aspects and assumptions of this operation and believe it is at odds with the majority of Americans who want the U.S. military less entangled in international conflicts.”

As the Trump administration has reconfigured U.S. priorities overseas, there has been a growing sense of frustration among lawmakers, including some Republicans, who are concerned about recent moves made by the Pentagon.

At a hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier Thursday, Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chair, said that many senators have “serious concerns about the Pentagon’s policy office” and that Congress was not being consulted on recent actions like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-a15a459c9a3a393d040478ebbe250a9e">putting a pause on Ukraine security assistance</a>, reducing the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">U.S. troops in Romania</a>&nbsp;and the formulation of the National Defense Strategy.

GOP senators have directed their ire at the Department of Defense’s policy office, which is led by Elbridge Colby, an official who has advocated for the U.S. to step down its involvement in international alliances.

“It just seems like there’s this pigpen-like mess coming out of the policy shop,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, during another Armed Services hearing earlier this week.

As pushback has mounted on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration has stepped up its outreach to lawmakers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-congress-6163b24e940dd74005fc3cb78751f92a">classified briefing for congressional leaders Wednesday</a>. The officials gave details on the intelligence that is used to target the boats and allowed senators to review the legal rationale for the attacks, but did not discuss whether they would launch an attack directly against Venezuela, according to lawmakers in the meeting.

Still, Democrats have tested the unease among Republicans by forcing the vote on the potential for an attack on Venezuela under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was intended to reassert congressional power over the declaration of war. A previous war powers vote pertaining to the strikes against boats in international waters also failed last month on a 48-51 vote, but Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who pushed the legislation, said he still plans to force more votes.

“We should not be going to war without a vote of Congress. The lives of our troops are at stake,” Kaine said in a floor speech.

Democrats also argued that the Trump administration was using a flimsy legal defense for an expansive military campaign that is putting U.S. troops and the nation’s reputation at risk. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services panel, charged that Trump is engaging in “violence without a strategic objective” while failing to take actions that would actually address fentanyl smuggling.

“You cannot bomb your way out of a drug crisis,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans voted to reject legislation Thursday that would have put a check on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to launch an attack against Venezuela, as Democrats pressed Congress to take a stronger role in Trump’s high-stakes campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops. Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist… <a href="https://t.co/gQF9LpSjqD">pic.twitter.com/gQF9LpSjqD</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1986631797547921741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lawmakers, including top Republicans, have demanded that the Trump administration provide them with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">more information on the U.S. military strikes</a>&nbsp;against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. But Thursday’s vote, on legislation that would essentially forestall an attack on Venezuelan soil without congressional authorization, suggested Republicans are willing to give Trump leeway to continue his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">buildup of naval forces</a>&nbsp;in the region.“President Trump has taken decisive action to protect thousands of Americans from lethal narcotics,” said Sen. Jim Risch, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Still, the vote allowed Democrats to press their GOP colleagues on Trump’s threats against Venezuela. The legislation failed to advance 49-51, with Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska the only Republicans voting in favor. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marhsll voted against the legislation.The U.S. is assembling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">an unusually large force</a>, including its most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">advanced aircraft carrier</a>, in the Caribbean Sea, leading many to conclude that Trump intends to go beyond just intercepting cocaine-running boats. The campaign so far has killed at least 66 people in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-petro-colombia-drugs-us-aid-c3955b2ce351737119920741178e0567">16 known strikes</a>.“It’s really an open secret that this is much more about potential regime change,” said Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who pushed the resolution. “If that’s where the administration is headed, if that’s what we’re risking — involvement in a war — then Congress needs to be heard on this.”<h2>Some Republicans are uneasy with Caribbean campaign</h2>Republican leadership pressed Thursday to make sure the legislation failed, but several senators still carefully considered their vote.Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, another Republican who voted against the resolution, said that he still has doubts about the campaign. He pointed out that it was expensive to change the deployment location for an aircraft carrier and questioned whether those funds could be better used at the U.S.-Mexico border to stop fentanyl trafficking.Tillis said that if the campaign continues for several months more, “then we have to have a real discussion about whether or not we’re engaging in some sort of hybrid war.”Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, said in a statement that he voted against the legislation because he didn’t believe it was “necessary or appropriate at this time.”But he added that he was “troubled by many aspects and assumptions of this operation and believe it is at odds with the majority of Americans who want the U.S. military less entangled in international conflicts.”<h2>The push for congressional oversight</h2>As the Trump administration has reconfigured U.S. priorities overseas, there has been a growing sense of frustration among lawmakers, including some Republicans, who are concerned about recent moves made by the Pentagon.At a hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier Thursday, Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chair, said that many senators have “serious concerns about the Pentagon’s policy office” and that Congress was not being consulted on recent actions like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-a15a459c9a3a393d040478ebbe250a9e">putting a pause on Ukraine security assistance</a>, reducing the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">U.S. troops in Romania</a>&nbsp;and the formulation of the National Defense Strategy.GOP senators have directed their ire at the Department of Defense’s policy office, which is led by Elbridge Colby, an official who has advocated for the U.S. to step down its involvement in international alliances.“It just seems like there’s this pigpen-like mess coming out of the policy shop,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, during another Armed Services hearing earlier this week.As pushback has mounted on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration has stepped up its outreach to lawmakers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-congress-6163b24e940dd74005fc3cb78751f92a">classified briefing for congressional leaders Wednesday</a>. The officials gave details on the intelligence that is used to target the boats and allowed senators to review the legal rationale for the attacks, but did not discuss whether they would launch an attack directly against Venezuela, according to lawmakers in the meeting.Still, Democrats have tested the unease among Republicans by forcing the vote on the potential for an attack on Venezuela under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was intended to reassert congressional power over the declaration of war. A previous war powers vote pertaining to the strikes against boats in international waters also failed last month on a 48-51 vote, but Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who pushed the legislation, said he still plans to force more votes.“We should not be going to war without a vote of Congress. The lives of our troops are at stake,” Kaine said in a floor speech.Democrats also argued that the Trump administration was using a flimsy legal defense for an expansive military campaign that is putting U.S. troops and the nation’s reputation at risk. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services panel, charged that Trump is engaging in “violence without a strategic objective” while failing to take actions that would actually address fentanyl smuggling.“You cannot bomb your way out of a drug crisis,” he said.

Moran, Marshall help Senate vote down legislation to limit attacks on Venezuela

HARVEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Toyota 4Runner driven by&nbsp; Yamilena&nbsp;Zambrano Galue, 24, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 135 one mile south of Lincoln Boulevard.&nbsp;The SUV struck a KDOT 2023 Freightliner 108SD driven by Charlene&nbsp;Harvey, 40,&nbsp; Newton, who was doing maintenance on the Interstate and was partially in the left lane.

EMS transported Zambrano to Wesley Medial Center.&nbsp; The truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762524111162.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Harvey County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Toyota 4Runner driven by&nbsp; Yamilena&nbsp;Zambrano Galue, 24, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 135 one mile south of Lincoln Boulevard.&nbsp;The SUV struck a KDOT 2023 Freightliner 108SD driven by Charlene&nbsp;Harvey, 40,&nbsp; Newton, who was doing maintenance on the Interstate and was partially in the left lane.EMS transported Zambrano to Wesley Medial Center.&nbsp; The truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman injured after SUV strikes a KDOT truck

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reported another deadly strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.

Hegseth wrote on social media, "As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops."

":On Thursday. at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization."

"The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed."

"To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs—we will kill you."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reported another deadly strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.Hegseth wrote on social media, "As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops. Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist… <a href="https://t.co/gQF9LpSjqD">pic.twitter.com/gQF9LpSjqD</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1986631797547921741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>":On Thursday. at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization.""The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed.""To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs—we will kill you."

🎥US military kills 3 in new strike on drug-running boat

PHELPS COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announces criminal charges against Melvin J. Fincher, 39, of Rolla, MO. Fincher has pending charges in other counties which include Phelps, Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties.

On October 24, Fincher was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control Rural Crimes Investigation Unit with the assistance of area law enforcement.

In July of 2024, the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control was made aware of suspicious activity involving the sale of livestock and farm equipment in Phelps County, Missouri.

Texas authorities informed investigators in Missouri of a cattle theft investigation, involving 42 head of cattle from a livestock market in Texas. 

The theft occurred between August 10 and 11, 2024, and the total value of the cattle was $71,078.00.&nbsp; After further investigation, it was determined the cattle were received by Melvin Fincher, a resident of Phelps County, Missouri.

During the investigation, and while searching property associated with Fincher, USDA livestock tags were located in the livestock pens on the premises. Identification numbers indicated the tags were issued to the livestock market in Texas where the cattle were originally stolen. 

Additional evidence was collected connecting Fincher to the theft of cattle in Texas.

On December 2, 2024, Fincher was formally charged by the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney with one count of Stealing Livestock/Wildlife - Prior Offense. Fincher later pled guilty to this charge.

On October 27, 2025, Fincher was sentenced to 10 years incarceration with the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence was suspended in execution of sentence, and Fincher is currently serving five years of supervised probation.

Fincher is also facing numerous charges in Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties for other related criminal offenses including identify theft, livestock theft, and farm equipment theft

&nbsp;The total value of damages involving these cases exceeds $219,000.00.

If you have any further information regarding these cases, please contact DDCC at 573-526-6122.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762393817899.png" alt="Fincher photo Polk County" />
 <figcaption>Fincher photo Polk County</figcaption>
 </figure>PHELPS COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announces criminal charges against Melvin J. Fincher, 39, of Rolla, MO. Fincher has pending charges in other counties which include Phelps, Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties.On October 24, Fincher was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control Rural Crimes Investigation Unit with the assistance of area law enforcement.In July of 2024, the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control was made aware of suspicious activity involving the sale of livestock and farm equipment in Phelps County, Missouri.Texas authorities informed investigators in Missouri of a cattle theft investigation, involving 42 head of cattle from a livestock market in Texas. The theft occurred between August 10 and 11, 2024, and the total value of the cattle was $71,078.00.&nbsp; After further investigation, it was determined the cattle were received by Melvin Fincher, a resident of Phelps County, Missouri.During the investigation, and while searching property associated with Fincher, USDA livestock tags were located in the livestock pens on the premises. Identification numbers indicated the tags were issued to the livestock market in Texas where the cattle were originally stolen. Additional evidence was collected connecting Fincher to the theft of cattle in Texas.On December 2, 2024, Fincher was formally charged by the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney with one count of Stealing Livestock/Wildlife - Prior Offense. Fincher later pled guilty to this charge.On October 27, 2025, Fincher was sentenced to 10 years incarceration with the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence was suspended in execution of sentence, and Fincher is currently serving five years of supervised probation.Fincher is also facing numerous charges in Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties for other related criminal offenses including identify theft, livestock theft, and farm equipment theft&nbsp;The total value of damages involving these cases exceeds $219,000.00.If you have any further information regarding these cases, please contact DDCC at 573-526-6122.

Man admits to livestock theft, other rural crimes

NEW YORK (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richest-billionaires-musk-ellison-oracle-tesla-bloomberg-forbes-e90a3cab2a0b256923ca55814893f9fe">world’s richest man</a>&nbsp;was just handed a chance to become history’s first trillionaire.

Elon Musk won a shareholder vote on Thursday that would give the Tesla CEO stock worth $1 trillion if he hits certain performance targets over the next decade. The vote followed weeks of debate over his management record at the electric car maker and whether anyone deserved such unprecedented pay, drawing heated commentary from small investors to giant pension funds and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-birthday-be5daf80146bcff66b564c91dfaf87e8">the pope</a>.

In the end, more than 75% of voters approved the plan as shareholders gathered in Austin, Texas, for their annual meeting.

“Fantastic group of shareholders,” Musk said after the final vote was tallied, adding “Hang on to your Tesla stock.”

The vote is a resounding victory for Musk showing investors still have faith in him as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-spacex-doge-boycott-robots-robotaxi-60d1d3c903414ba0fedc8b0fc856bfef">Tesla struggles</a>&nbsp;with plunging sales, market share and profits in no small part due to Musk himself. Car buyers fled the company this year as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-donald-trump-962778979dd35ea79d6092df9cb2cb56">ventured into politics</a>&nbsp;both in the U.S. and Europe, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">trafficked in conspiracy theories</a>.

The vote came just three days after a report from Europe showing Tesla car sales plunged again last month, including a 50% collapse in Germany.

Still, many Tesla investors consider Musk as a sort of miracle man capable of stunning business feats, such as when he pulled Tesla from the brink of bankruptcy a half-dozen years ago to turn it into one of the world’s most valuable companies.

The vote clears a path for Musk to become a trillionaire by granting him new shares, but it won’t be easy. The board of directors that designed the pay package require him to hit several ambitious financial and operational targets, including increasing the value of the company on the stock market nearly six times its current level.

Musk also has to deliver 20 million Tesla electric vehicles to the market over 10 years amid new, stiff competition, more than double the number since the founding of the company. He also has to deploy 1 million of his human-like robots that he has promised will transform work and home — he calls it a “robot army” — from zero today.

Musk could add billions to his wealth in a few years by partly delivering these goals, according to various intermediate steps that will hand him newly created stock in the company as he nears the ultimate targets.

That could help him eventually top what is now considered America’s all-time richest man, John D. Rockefeller. The railroad titan is estimated by Guinness World Records to have been worth $630 billion, in current dollars, at his peak wealth more than 110 years ago. Musk is worth $493 billion, as estimated by Forbes magazine.

Musk’s win came despite opposition from several large funds, including CalPERS, the biggest U.S. public pension, and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund. Two corporate watchdogs, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, also blasted the package, which so angered Musk he took to calling them “corporate terrorists” at a recent investor meeting.

Critics argued that the board of directors was too beholden to Musk, his behavior too reckless lately and the riches offered too much.

“He has hundreds of billions of dollars already in the company and to say that he won’t stay without a trillion is ridiculous,” said Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at research firm Telemetry who has been covering Tesla for nearly two decades. “It’s absurd that shareholders think he is worth this much.”

Supporters said that Musk needed to be incentivized to focus on the company as he works to transform it into an AI powerhouse using software to operate hundreds of thousands of self-driving Tesla cars — many without steering wheels — and Tesla robots deployed in offices, factories and homes doing many tasks now handled by humans.

“This AI chapter needs one person to lead it and that’s Musk,” said financial analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. “It’s a huge win for shareholders.”

Investors voting for the pay had to consider not only this Musk promise of a bold, new tomorrow, but whether he could ruin things today: He had threatened to walk away from the company, which investors feared would tank the stock.

Tesla shares, already up 80% in the past year, rose on news of the vote in after-hours trading but then flattened basically unchanged to $445.44.

For his part, Musk says the vote wasn’t really about the money but getting a higher Tesla stake — it will double to nearly 30% — so he could have more power over the company. He said that was a pressing concern given Tesla’s future “robot army” that he suggested he didn’t trust anyone else to control given the possible danger to humanity.

Other issues up for a vote at the annual meeting turned out wins for Musk, too.

Shareholders approved allowing Tesla to invest in one of Musk’s other ventures, xAI. They also shot down a proposal to make it easier for shareholders to sue the company by lowering the size of ownership needed to file. The current rule requires at least a 3% stake.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739917649688.png" alt="Elon Musk image from CSPAN video" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richest-billionaires-musk-ellison-oracle-tesla-bloomberg-forbes-e90a3cab2a0b256923ca55814893f9fe">world’s richest man</a>&nbsp;was just handed a chance to become history’s first trillionaire.Elon Musk won a shareholder vote on Thursday that would give the Tesla CEO stock worth $1 trillion if he hits certain performance targets over the next decade. The vote followed weeks of debate over his management record at the electric car maker and whether anyone deserved such unprecedented pay, drawing heated commentary from small investors to giant pension funds and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-birthday-be5daf80146bcff66b564c91dfaf87e8">the pope</a>.In the end, more than 75% of voters approved the plan as shareholders gathered in Austin, Texas, for their annual meeting.“Fantastic group of shareholders,” Musk said after the final vote was tallied, adding “Hang on to your Tesla stock.”The vote is a resounding victory for Musk showing investors still have faith in him as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-spacex-doge-boycott-robots-robotaxi-60d1d3c903414ba0fedc8b0fc856bfef">Tesla struggles</a>&nbsp;with plunging sales, market share and profits in no small part due to Musk himself. Car buyers fled the company this year as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-donald-trump-962778979dd35ea79d6092df9cb2cb56">ventured into politics</a>&nbsp;both in the U.S. and Europe, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">trafficked in conspiracy theories</a>.The vote came just three days after a report from Europe showing Tesla car sales plunged again last month, including a 50% collapse in Germany.Still, many Tesla investors consider Musk as a sort of miracle man capable of stunning business feats, such as when he pulled Tesla from the brink of bankruptcy a half-dozen years ago to turn it into one of the world’s most valuable companies.The vote clears a path for Musk to become a trillionaire by granting him new shares, but it won’t be easy. The board of directors that designed the pay package require him to hit several ambitious financial and operational targets, including increasing the value of the company on the stock market nearly six times its current level.Musk also has to deliver 20 million Tesla electric vehicles to the market over 10 years amid new, stiff competition, more than double the number since the founding of the company. He also has to deploy 1 million of his human-like robots that he has promised will transform work and home — he calls it a “robot army” — from zero today.Musk could add billions to his wealth in a few years by partly delivering these goals, according to various intermediate steps that will hand him newly created stock in the company as he nears the ultimate targets.That could help him eventually top what is now considered America’s all-time richest man, John D. Rockefeller. The railroad titan is estimated by Guinness World Records to have been worth $630 billion, in current dollars, at his peak wealth more than 110 years ago. Musk is worth $493 billion, as estimated by Forbes magazine.Musk’s win came despite opposition from several large funds, including CalPERS, the biggest U.S. public pension, and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund. Two corporate watchdogs, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, also blasted the package, which so angered Musk he took to calling them “corporate terrorists” at a recent investor meeting.Critics argued that the board of directors was too beholden to Musk, his behavior too reckless lately and the riches offered too much.“He has hundreds of billions of dollars already in the company and to say that he won’t stay without a trillion is ridiculous,” said Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at research firm Telemetry who has been covering Tesla for nearly two decades. “It’s absurd that shareholders think he is worth this much.”Supporters said that Musk needed to be incentivized to focus on the company as he works to transform it into an AI powerhouse using software to operate hundreds of thousands of self-driving Tesla cars — many without steering wheels — and Tesla robots deployed in offices, factories and homes doing many tasks now handled by humans.“This AI chapter needs one person to lead it and that’s Musk,” said financial analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. “It’s a huge win for shareholders.”Investors voting for the pay had to consider not only this Musk promise of a bold, new tomorrow, but whether he could ruin things today: He had threatened to walk away from the company, which investors feared would tank the stock.Tesla shares, already up 80% in the past year, rose on news of the vote in after-hours trading but then flattened basically unchanged to $445.44.For his part, Musk says the vote wasn’t really about the money but getting a higher Tesla stake — it will double to nearly 30% — so he could have more power over the company. He said that was a pressing concern given Tesla’s future “robot army” that he suggested he didn’t trust anyone else to control given the possible danger to humanity.Other issues up for a vote at the annual meeting turned out wins for Musk, too.Shareholders approved allowing Tesla to invest in one of Musk’s other ventures, xAI. They also shot down a proposal to make it easier for shareholders to sue the company by lowering the size of ownership needed to file. The current rule requires at least a 3% stake.

Tesla shareholders approve Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package

WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave President Donald Trump's administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, though it's unlikely the 42 million Americans — about 1 in 8 — will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries that quickly.

The order was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit, a decision that would leave some recipients getting nothing for this month.

“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial SNAP payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

McConnell was one of two judges who ruled last week that the administration could not skip November's benefits entirely because of the federal shutdown.

It has been a week of twists and turns for SNAP beneficiaries

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">Last week's rulings</a>&nbsp;ordered the government to use one emergency reserve fund containing $4.6 billion to pay for SNAP for November but gave it leeway to tap other money to make the full payments, which cost between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month.

On Monday, the administration said it would not use additional money, saying it was up to Congress to appropriate the funds for the program.

The next day, Trump appeared to threaten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-11-4-2025">not to pay the benefit</a>&nbsp;s at all unless Democrats in Congress agreed to reopen the government. His press secretary later said that the partial benefits were being paid for November — and that it is future payments that are at risk if the shutdown continues.

Late Wednesday, the USDA, which runs the program, said in a filing in federal court in Rhode Island that it had done further analysis and found that the maximum benefit will be 65% of the usual amount.

Speaking at the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts Thursday morning, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the Trump administration is sending mixed messages: “Come on. You know, you’re going to partially fund food for Americans? You’re going let people starve?"

Associated Press writers Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; and Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave President Donald Trump's administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, though it's unlikely the 42 million Americans — about 1 in 8 — will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries that quickly.The order was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit, a decision that would leave some recipients getting nothing for this month.“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial SNAP payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”McConnell was one of two judges who ruled last week that the administration could not skip November's benefits entirely because of the federal shutdown.<h2>It has been a week of twists and turns for SNAP beneficiaries</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">Last week's rulings</a>&nbsp;ordered the government to use one emergency reserve fund containing $4.6 billion to pay for SNAP for November but gave it leeway to tap other money to make the full payments, which cost between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month.On Monday, the administration said it would not use additional money, saying it was up to Congress to appropriate the funds for the program.The next day, Trump appeared to threaten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-11-4-2025">not to pay the benefit</a>&nbsp;s at all unless Democrats in Congress agreed to reopen the government. His press secretary later said that the partial benefits were being paid for November — and that it is future payments that are at risk if the shutdown continues.Late Wednesday, the USDA, which runs the program, said in a filing in federal court in Rhode Island that it had done further analysis and found that the maximum benefit will be 65% of the usual amount.Speaking at the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts Thursday morning, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the Trump administration is sending mixed messages: “Come on. You know, you’re going to partially fund food for Americans? You’re going let people starve?"___Associated Press writers Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; and Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

Federal judge orders Trump admin. to fully fund SNAP benefits in November

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump unveiled a deal Thursday with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for their popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy.

The drugs are part of a new generation of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that have soared in popularity in recent years.

But access to the drugs has been a consistent problem for patients because of their cost — around $500 a month for higher doses — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wegovy-zepbound-obesity-drugs-coverage-access-142e234c16df4443e8f66c27d01f44e2">insurance coverage</a>&nbsp;has been spotty.

Coverage of the drugs for obesity will expand to Medicare patients starting next year, according to the administration, which said some lower prices also will be phased in for patients without coverage. Starting doses of new, pill versions of the treatments also will cost $149 a month if they are approved.

“(It) will save lives, improve the health of millions and millions of Americans,” said Trump, in an Oval Office announcement in which he referred to GLP-1s as a “fat drug."

Thursday's announcement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rein in soaring drug prices in its efforts to address cost-of-living concerns among voters. Drugmakers Pfizer and AstraZeneca recently agreed to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Medicaid after an executive order in May set a deadline for drugmakers to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.

As with the other deals, it’s not clear how much the price drop will be felt by consumers. Drug prices can vary based on the competition for treatments and insurance coverage.

Obesity drugs have become increasingly popular, but are costly

The obesity drugs work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that affect appetite and feelings of fullness. In clinical trials, they helped people shed between 15% and 22% of their body weight -- up to 50 pounds or more in many cases.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump unveiled a deal Thursday with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for their popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy.The drugs are part of a new generation of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that have soared in popularity in recent years.But access to the drugs has been a consistent problem for patients because of their cost — around $500 a month for higher doses — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wegovy-zepbound-obesity-drugs-coverage-access-142e234c16df4443e8f66c27d01f44e2">insurance coverage</a>&nbsp;has been spotty.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Medicare and Medicaid will finally cover the cost of these [GLP-1] weight loss drugs for millions of patients... co-pays for Medicare patients will be as low as $50... you&#39;re talking about from $1,350 to $50!&quot; &quot;This is tremendous news for the American seniors.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4EOdpWOm4m">pic.twitter.com/4EOdpWOm4m</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1986486365345722729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 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/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a>: &quot;The American public, because of this agreement, will lose 125 million pounds by this time next year — so it is going to have dramatic effects on human health in this country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Wq2nrKUdUG">https://t.co/Wq2nrKUdUG</a> <a href="https://t.co/GTKc0vjfdi">pic.twitter.com/GTKc0vjfdi</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1986485104135295203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Coverage of the drugs for obesity will expand to Medicare patients starting next year, according to the administration, which said some lower prices also will be phased in for patients without coverage. Starting doses of new, pill versions of the treatments also will cost $149 a month if they are approved.“(It) will save lives, improve the health of millions and millions of Americans,” said Trump, in an Oval Office announcement in which he referred to GLP-1s as a “fat drug."Thursday's announcement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rein in soaring drug prices in its efforts to address cost-of-living concerns among voters. Drugmakers Pfizer and AstraZeneca recently agreed to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Medicaid after an executive order in May set a deadline for drugmakers to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.As with the other deals, it’s not clear how much the price drop will be felt by consumers. Drug prices can vary based on the competition for treatments and insurance coverage.<h2>Obesity drugs have become increasingly popular, but are costly</h2>The obesity drugs work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that affect appetite and feelings of fullness. In clinical trials, they helped people shed between 15% and 22% of their body weight -- up to 50 pounds or more in many cases.Patients taking these drugs usually start on smaller doses and then work up to larger amounts, depending on their needs. Because of obesity being considered a chronic disease, they need to take the treatment indefinitely or risk regaining weight, experts say.The fast-growing treatments have proven especially lucrative for drugmakers Eli Lilly and Co. and Novo Nordisk. Lilly said recently that sales of Zepbound have tripled so far this year to more than $9 billion.But for many Americans, their cost has made them out of reach.Medicare, the federally funded coverage program mainly for people ages 65 and over, hasn't covered the treatments for obesity. President Donald Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozempic-biden-rfk-jr-trump-antiobesity-drugs-caaa2f888435af1d32bedb83e9ddbc0a">proposed a rule</a>&nbsp;last November that would have changed that. But the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-medicare-coverage-wegovy-zepbound-54bf291135fa9efec7d0ad9672c850a1">nixed it</a>&nbsp;last spring.Few state and federally funded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozempic-wegovy-medicaid-weight-loss-glp1-dd34e5d76b660550dad73dc3069083ce">Medicaid programs</a>, for people with low incomes, offer coverage. And employers and insurers that provide commercial coverage are wary of paying for these drugs in part because of the large number of patients that might use them.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obesity-drugs-wegovy-zepbound-price-cuts-65477df55667078867d7b65a8ad3e245">$500 monthly price</a>&nbsp;for higher doses of the treatments also makes them unaffordable for those without insurance, doctors say.Medicare now covers the cost of the drugs for conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but not for weight loss alone.<h2>Trump showing he is in touch with cost-of-living concerns</h2>The effort to lower costs barriers to popular GLP-1 drugs comes as the White House is looking to demonstrate that Trump is in touch with Americans' frustrations with rising costs for food, housing, health care and other necessities.“Trump is the friend of the forgotten American," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at Thursday's announcement. "Obesity is a disease of poverty. And overwhelmingly these drugs have only been available for people who have wealth.”Kennedy had previously expressed skepticism to GLP-1s in fighting obesity and diseases related to the condition. But he was full of praise for Trump for pushing to help a broader segment of Americans have access to the drug.The announcement came after Republican gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia faced a drubbing in Tuesday’s election in which dour voter outlook about the economy appeared to an animating factor in the races.Roughly half of Virginia voters said “the economy” was the top issue, and about 6 in 10 of these voters picked Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1">Abigail Spanberger</a>&nbsp;for governor, powering her to a decisive win, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-ccd2cab49e6f7d6b310173d70ce570f8">an AP voter poll.</a>In New Jersey, Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikie-sherrill-jack-ciattarelli-new-jersey-governor-44af948914dd2c6fbe7bb0687c54f99d">Mikie Sherrill</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of voters who called “the economy” the top issue facing the state, the poll found. She defeated a Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli. More than half of New York City voters said the cost of living was the top issue facing the city. The Democratic mayor-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mamdani-cuomo-sliwa-nyc-mayor-af8b9790e7cb4e023d0984a0207cbcca">Zohran Mamdani</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of this group.The White House sought to diminish the effort by the previous Democratic administration as a gift to the pharmaceutical industry because the proposal did not include adequate price concessions from the drug makers.Trump, instead, consummated a “belt and suspenders” deal that ensures that Americans aren’t unfairly financing the pharmaceutical industry’s innovation, claimed a senior administration official, who briefed reporters ahead of Thursday’s Oval Office announcement by Trump.Another senior administration official said coverage of the drugs will expand to Medicare patients starting next year. Those who qualify will pay $50 copays for the medicine.Lower prices also will be phased in for people without coverage through the administration’s TrumpRx program, which will allow people to buy drugs directly from manufacturers. starting in January.The officials said lower prices also will be provided for state and federally funded Medicaid programs. And starting doses of new, pill versions of the obesity treatments will cost $149 a month if they are approved.The officials briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.<h2>Doctors applaud the price drop</h2>Dr. Leslie Golden says she has roughly 600 patients taking one of these treatments, and 75% or more struggle to afford them. Even with coverage, some face $150 copayments for refills.“Every visit it’s, ‘How long can we continue to do this? What’s the plan if I can’t continue?,’” said Golden, an obesity medicine specialist in Watertown, Wisconsin. “Some of them are working additional jobs or delaying retirement so they can continue to pay for it.”Both Lilly and Novo have already cut prices on their drugs. Lilly said earlier this year it would reduce the cost of initial doses of Zepbound to $349.Dr. Angela Fitch, who also treats patients with obesity, said she hoped a deal between the White House and drugmakers could be the first step in making the treatments more affordable.“We need a hero in obesity care today,” said Fitch, founder and chief medical officer of knownwell, a weight-loss and medical care company. “The community has faced relentless barriers to accessing GLP-1 medications, which has ultimately come down to the price, despite the data we have supporting their effectiveness.”