SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect arrested in connection with a violent abduction shown on a doorbell video this week in Wichita is being held on multiple allegations including a hold for Immigration and Custom Enforcement, according to online jail records.

Just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, officers with the Wichita Police Domestic Intervention and Violence Reduction team (DIVRT) located and arrested&nbsp;22-year-old Daniel T. Espitia Guevara in relation to the doorbell surveillance case, according to a media release.

At 10:38p.m. police booked him into Sedgwick County jail where he is being held without bond on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, criminal restraint and hold for ICE, according to online jail records.

Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday Wichita Police Investigators received a phone call, from a woman claiming to be the individual investigators were attempting to identify in the case. Investigators immediately responded to her location, made contact, and transported her to City Hall so detectives could conduct a victim interview.

Investigators identified the woman as a 35-year-old who lives in the area where the video was captured. At this stage of the investigation, police believe this incident is a case of domestic violence where the woman was victimized by her boyfriend. The woman did not have any significant injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760555163921.png" alt="ESPITIA GUEVARA-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>ESPITIA GUEVARA-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect arrested in connection with a violent abduction shown on a doorbell video this week in Wichita is being held on multiple allegations including a hold for Immigration and Custom Enforcement, according to online jail records.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760408562025.png" alt="Image from doorbell camera of the alleged crime- Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from doorbell camera of the alleged crime- Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, officers with the Wichita Police Domestic Intervention and Violence Reduction team (DIVRT) located and arrested&nbsp;22-year-old Daniel T. Espitia Guevara in relation to the doorbell surveillance case, according to a media release.At 10:38p.m. police booked him into Sedgwick County jail where he is being held without bond on requested charges of&nbsp;Aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, criminal restraint and hold for ICE, according to online jail records.Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday Wichita Police Investigators received a phone call, from a woman claiming to be the individual investigators were attempting to identify in the case. Investigators immediately responded to her location, made contact, and transported her to City Hall so detectives could conduct a victim interview.Investigators identified the woman as a 35-year-old who lives in the area where the video was captured. At this stage of the investigation, police believe this incident is a case of domestic violence where the woman was victimized by her boyfriend. The woman did not have any significant injuries.

Suspect in Kan. door camera abduction video wanted by ICE

BARBER COUNTY—On Tuesday, the&nbsp;Barber County Sheriff Office was dispatched to found skeletal human remains, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

 Upon arrival the sheriffs office contacted KBI, County Coroner and the Kansas Unmarked Burial Site Preservation Board. 

&nbsp;Barber County Sheriff Office worked with the Kansas Unmarked Burial Site Preservation Board. They voted to rebury the remains and leave them in place and to avoid further work in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The sheriff's office did not release details on where the remains were found or additional information.

BARBER COUNTY—On Tuesday, the&nbsp;Barber County Sheriff Office was dispatched to found skeletal human remains, according to a statement from the sheriff's office. Upon arrival the sheriffs office contacted KBI, County Coroner and the Kansas Unmarked Burial Site Preservation Board. &nbsp;Barber County Sheriff Office worked with the Kansas Unmarked Burial Site Preservation Board. They voted to rebury the remains and leave them in place and to avoid further work in the area.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sheriff's office did not release details on where the remains were found or additional information.

Sheriff: Human remains found in rural Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said he was weighing carrying out land operations on the country.

The acknowledgement of covert action in Venezuela by the U.S. spy agency comes after the U.S. military in recent weeks has carried out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-drug-cartels-4f7f66714cf303fcaf2c4bb2fc30a9a0">series of deadly strikes</a>&nbsp;against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. U.S. forces have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drugs-venezuela-boat-strike-af1a784864268707a76755a98615563e">destroyed at least five boats</a>&nbsp;since early September, killing 27 people, and four of those vessels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">originated from Venezuela</a>.

Asked during an event in the Oval Office on Wednesday why he had authorized the CIA to take action in Venezuela, Trump affirmed he had made the move.

“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump replied. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," he said. "And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">Venezuelan drugs</a>&nbsp;come in through the sea.”

Trump added the administration “is looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region. He declined to say whether the CIA has authority to take action against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">President Nicolás Maduro</a>.

Trump made the unusual acknowledgement of a CIA operation shortly after The New York Times published that the CIA had been authorized to carry out covert action in Venezuela.

On Wednesday, Maduro lashed out at the record of the U.S. spy agency in various conflicts around the world without directly addressing Trump’s comments about authorizing the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.

“No to regime change that reminds us so much of the (overthrows) in the failed eternal wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on,” Maduro said at a televised event of the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, which is made up of representatives from various political, economic, academic and cultural sectors in Venezuela.

“No to the coups carried out by the CIA, which remind us so much of the 30,000 disappeared,” a figure estimated by human rights organizations such as the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo during the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983). He also referred to the 1973 coup in Chile.

“How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups? Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them and repudiates them,” Maduro added.

The objective is “to say no to war in the Caribbean, no to war in South America, yes to peace,” he said.

Speaking in English, Maduro said: “Not war, yes peace, not war. Is that how you would say it? Who speaks English? Not war, yes peace, the people of the United States, please. Please, please, please.”

In a statement, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected “the bellicose and extravagant statements by the President of the United States, in which he publicly admits to having authorized operations to act against the peace and stability of Venezuela.”

“This unprecedented statement constitutes a very serious violation of international law and the United Nations’ Charter and obliges the community of countries to denounce these clearly immoderate and inconceivable statements,” said the statement, which Foreign Minister Yván Gil posted on his Telegram channel.

Early this month, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;and pronounced the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with them, justifying the military action as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

The move has spurred anger in Congress from members of both major political parties that Trump was effectively committing an act of war without seeking congressional authorization.

On Wednesday, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said while she supports cracking down on trafficking, the administration has gone too far.

“The Trump administration’s authorization of covert C.I.A. action, conducting lethal strikes on boats and hinting at land operations in Venezuela slides the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails,” Shaheen said. "The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, putting servicemembers at risk or pursuing a regime-change operation.”

The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that the boats targeted by the U.S. military were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has only pointed to unclassified video clips of the strikes posted on social media by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and has yet to produce “hard evidence” that the vessels were carrying drugs.

Lawmakers have expressed frustration that the administration is offering little detail about how it came to decide the U.S. is in armed conflict with cartels or which criminal organizations it claims are “unlawful combatants.”

Even as the U.S. military has carried out strikes on some vessels, the U.S. Coast Guard has continued with its typical practice of stopping boats and seizing drugs.

Trump on Wednesday explained away the action, saying the traditional approach hasn't worked.

“Because we’ve been doing that for 30 years, and it has been totally ineffective. They have faster boats,” he said. ”They’re world-class speedboats, but they’re not faster than missiles."

Human rights groups have raised concerns that the strikes flout international law and are extrajudicial killings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755651756653.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said he was weighing carrying out land operations on the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/8DMrDfoSjF">pic.twitter.com/8DMrDfoSjF</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978155685150945357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 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/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on striking Venezuelan drug boats: &quot;Every boat that we knock out, we save 25,000 American lives.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/B3DqY9HF6L">pic.twitter.com/B3DqY9HF6L</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978555792170029225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The acknowledgement of covert action in Venezuela by the U.S. spy agency comes after the U.S. military in recent weeks has carried out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-drug-cartels-4f7f66714cf303fcaf2c4bb2fc30a9a0">series of deadly strikes</a>&nbsp;against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. U.S. forces have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-drugs-venezuela-boat-strike-af1a784864268707a76755a98615563e">destroyed at least five boats</a>&nbsp;since early September, killing 27 people, and four of those vessels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">originated from Venezuela</a>.Asked during an event in the Oval Office on Wednesday why he had authorized the CIA to take action in Venezuela, Trump affirmed he had made the move.“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump replied. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," he said. "And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">Venezuelan drugs</a>&nbsp;come in through the sea.”Trump added the administration “is looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region. He declined to say whether the CIA has authority to take action against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nicolas-maduro">President Nicolás Maduro</a>.Trump made the unusual acknowledgement of a CIA operation shortly after The New York Times published that the CIA had been authorized to carry out covert action in Venezuela.<h2>Maduro pushes back</h2>On Wednesday, Maduro lashed out at the record of the U.S. spy agency in various conflicts around the world without directly addressing Trump’s comments about authorizing the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.“No to regime change that reminds us so much of the (overthrows) in the failed eternal wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on,” Maduro said at a televised event of the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, which is made up of representatives from various political, economic, academic and cultural sectors in Venezuela.“No to the coups carried out by the CIA, which remind us so much of the 30,000 disappeared,” a figure estimated by human rights organizations such as the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo during the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983). He also referred to the 1973 coup in Chile.“How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups? Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them and repudiates them,” Maduro added.The objective is “to say no to war in the Caribbean, no to war in South America, yes to peace,” he said.Speaking in English, Maduro said: “Not war, yes peace, not war. Is that how you would say it? Who speaks English? Not war, yes peace, the people of the United States, please. Please, please, please.”In a statement, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected “the bellicose and extravagant statements by the President of the United States, in which he publicly admits to having authorized operations to act against the peace and stability of Venezuela.”“This unprecedented statement constitutes a very serious violation of international law and the United Nations’ Charter and obliges the community of countries to denounce these clearly immoderate and inconceivable statements,” said the statement, which Foreign Minister Yván Gil posted on his Telegram channel.<h2>Resistance from Congress</h2>Early this month, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;and pronounced the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with them, justifying the military action as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.The move has spurred anger in Congress from members of both major political parties that Trump was effectively committing an act of war without seeking congressional authorization.On Wednesday, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said while she supports cracking down on trafficking, the administration has gone too far.“The Trump administration’s authorization of covert C.I.A. action, conducting lethal strikes on boats and hinting at land operations in Venezuela slides the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails,” Shaheen said. "The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, putting servicemembers at risk or pursuing a regime-change operation.”The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that the boats targeted by the U.S. military were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has only pointed to unclassified video clips of the strikes posted on social media by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and has yet to produce “hard evidence” that the vessels were carrying drugs.Lawmakers have expressed frustration that the administration is offering little detail about how it came to decide the U.S. is in armed conflict with cartels or which criminal organizations it claims are “unlawful combatants.”Even as the U.S. military has carried out strikes on some vessels, the U.S. Coast Guard has continued with its typical practice of stopping boats and seizing drugs.Trump on Wednesday explained away the action, saying the traditional approach hasn't worked.“Because we’ve been doing that for 30 years, and it has been totally ineffective. They have faster boats,” he said. ”They’re world-class speedboats, but they’re not faster than missiles."Human rights groups have raised concerns that the strikes flout international law and are extrajudicial killings.___

Trump: The CIA is conducting covert operations inside Venezuela

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 1300 &nbsp;block of Ewing, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

Crews reported smoke and fire from the vacant 1-story residence. An offensive fire attack was initiated with two hose lines being advanced into the structure. Searches of the residence came back all clear. The fire was placed under controlat 7:35 a.m. No injuries were reported.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760537579464.png" alt="Photos KC Fire Deparatment" />
 <figcaption>Photos KC Fire Deparatment</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760537547681.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 1300 &nbsp;block of Ewing, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.Crews reported smoke and fire from the vacant 1-story residence. An offensive fire attack was initiated with two hose lines being advanced into the structure. Searches of the residence came back all clear. The fire was placed under controlat 7:35 a.m. No injuries were reported.&nbsp;

Cause of Kansas City house fire under investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting have made a second arrest.

Just after 11:30pm.&nbsp; July 6, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, the victim identified as Destiny Voss, 28, of Topeka, succumbed to his injuries.

Through the investigation, police identified a suspect and on August 6, arrested Avant Chambers, 18 of Topeka. He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree and distribute certain depressants.

On Tuesday, police arrested Aaron K. Hurla, 18, Topeka, and took him to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections where he was booked on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree.

Police determined that the incident occurred in the 3200 block of SW Randolph in Topeka. This is the city’s 9th homicide investigation of 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760557283570.png" alt="Chambers photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Chambers photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting have made a second arrest.Just after 11:30pm.&nbsp; July 6, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, the victim identified as Destiny Voss, 28, of Topeka, succumbed to his injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760557455144.png" alt="Hurla photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hurla photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Through the investigation, police identified a suspect and on August 6, arrested Avant Chambers, 18 of Topeka. He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree and distribute certain depressants.On Tuesday, police arrested Aaron K. Hurla, 18, Topeka, and took him to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections where he was booked on requested charges of Murder in the First Degree.Police determined that the incident occurred in the 3200 block of SW Randolph in Topeka. This is the city’s 9th homicide investigation of 2025.

Police: Second Kansas teen jailed for man's murder

The Gardner police department reported 95-year-old Robert Stoehr has been found and is safe.&nbsp; They released no additional details.

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Gardner Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Gardner man.

The whereabouts of 95-year-old Robert Stoehr are unknown, and the public's assistance is requested to help locate him.

Stoehr was last seen Wednesday, at approximately 12:37 p.m., in Olathe traveling northbound on Kansas Avenue. He is likely driving a silver 2010 Honda Accord bearing Kansas tag 3248AGL.

Stoehr is a white male who is around 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs around 155 pounds. He has blue eyes and white hair, and was last seen wearing a yellow hat, blue shirt, blue jeans and black boots.

Stoehr's family reports he experiences undiagnosed memory loss, and are concerned about his safety.

If you see Robert Stoehr, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Gardner Police Department at (913) 856-7312.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760575860447.png" alt="Robert Stoehr courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Robert Stoehr courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Gardner police department reported 95-year-old Robert Stoehr has been found and is safe.&nbsp; They released no additional details.-----------------------JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Gardner Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Gardner man.The whereabouts of 95-year-old Robert Stoehr are unknown, and the public's assistance is requested to help locate him.Stoehr was last seen Wednesday, at approximately 12:37 p.m., in Olathe traveling northbound on Kansas Avenue. He is likely driving a silver 2010 Honda Accord bearing Kansas tag 3248AGL.Stoehr is a white male who is around 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs around 155 pounds. He has blue eyes and white hair, and was last seen wearing a yellow hat, blue shirt, blue jeans and black boots.Stoehr's family reports he experiences undiagnosed memory loss, and are concerned about his safety.If you see Robert Stoehr, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Gardner Police Department at (913) 856-7312.

Silver Alert canceled: Missing 95-year-old Kansas man found

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 10p.m. October 13, a Brown County deputy on routine patrol initiated a traffic stop on U.S. 75 highway near 160th in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy made contact with the driver identified as 39-year-old Diego Juarez of Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; The deputy discovered that he did not possess a&nbsp; valid drivers license.&nbsp; Juarez was arrested on a charge of Driving While Cancelled, Restricted or Revoked. While in the Brown County jail it was learned that Department of HomelandSecurity had a detainer on Juarez and he was&nbsp; released to DHS the next morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760559426211.png" alt="Juarez photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Juarez photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 10p.m. October 13, a Brown County deputy on routine patrol initiated a traffic stop on U.S. 75 highway near 160th in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.The deputy made contact with the driver identified as 39-year-old Diego Juarez of Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; The deputy discovered that he did not possess a&nbsp; valid drivers license.&nbsp; Juarez was arrested on a charge of Driving While Cancelled, Restricted or Revoked. While in the Brown County jail it was learned that Department of HomelandSecurity had a detainer on Juarez and he was&nbsp; released to DHS the next morning.

Sheriff: Man deported after Kansas traffic stop arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday appeared ready to gut a key tool of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-act-60th-anniversary-supreme-court-d2bf2ff47a6c1b574e6e351d1fb46528">the Voting Rights Act</a>&nbsp;that has helped root out racial discrimination in voting for more than a half century, a change that would boost Republican electoral prospects, particularly across the South.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-109_2">Click here to listen to a replay</a> the oral arguments

During 2 1/2 hours of arguments, the court's six conservative justices seemed inclined to effectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race.

Such an outcome would mark a fundamental change in the 1965 voting rights law, the centerpiece legislation of the Civil Rights Movement, that succeeded in opening the ballot box to Black Americans and reducing persistent discrimination in voting.

A ruling for Louisiana could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional maps in southern states, helping Republican electoral prospects by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats. Legislatures already are free to draw extremely partisan districts, subject only to review by state courts, because of a 2019 Supreme Court decision.

Just two years ago, the court, by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-race-voting-rights-alabama-af0d789ec7498625d344c0a4327367fe">a 5-4 vote</a>, affirmed a ruling that found a likely violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a similar case over Alabama’s political boundaries. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined their three more liberal colleagues in the outcome.

Roberts and Kavanaugh struck a different tone Wednesday, especially in their questions to civil rights lawyer Janai Nelson.

The chief justice suggested the Alabama decision was tightly focused on its facts and should not be read to require a similar outcome in Louisiana.

Kavanaugh pressed Nelson on whether the time has come to end the use of race-based districts under the Voting Rights Act, rather than “allowing it to extend forever.”

The court's liberal justices focused on the history of the Voting Rights Act in combating discrimination. Getting to the remedy of redrawing districts only happens if, as Justice Elena Kagan said, a court finds "a specific identified, proved violation of law.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-congress-trump-0af8561b1670032fae3e1d2aec7905f0">A mid-decade battle</a>&nbsp;over congressional redistricting already is playing out across the nation after Republican President Donald Trump began urging Texas and other GOP-controlled states to redraw their lines to make it easier for the GOP to hold its narrow majority in the House.

The court's conservative majority has been skeptical of considerations of race, most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-race-f83d6318017ec9b9029b12ee2256e744">ending affirmative action in college admissions</a>. Twelve years ago, the court bludgeoned another pillar of the landmark voting law that required states with a history of racial discrimination to get advance approval from the Justice Department or federal judges before making election-related changes.

The court has separately given state legislatures wide berth to gerrymander for political purposes. If the Supreme Court now weakens or strikes down the Voting Rights Act's Section 2, states would not be bound by any limits in how they draw electoral districts. Such a result would be expected to lead to extreme gerrymandering by whichever party is in power at the state level.

The court's Alabama decision in 2023 led to new districts there and in Louisiana that sent two more Black Democrats to Congress.

Now, though, the court has asked the parties to answer a fundamental question: “Whether the state’s intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.”

Louisiana and the Trump administration joined with a group of white voters in arguing to invalidate the challenged district and make it much harder to claim discrimination in redistricting.

The arguments led Justice Sonia Sotomayor to assert that the administration's “bottom line is just get rid of Section 2.”

Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan disagreed and said state lawmakers would have no incentive to get rid of every majority Black district because doing so would create swing districts and imperil some Republican incumbents.

In addition, Mooppan said, only 15 of the 60 Black members of the House represent majority Black districts. “But even if you eliminated Section 2 entirely, fully 75% of the Black congressmen in this country are in districts that are not protected by Section 2.”

In the first arguments in the Louisiana case in March, Roberts sounded skeptical of the second majority Black district, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrat-cleo-fields-louisiana-congressional-district-01cbab22601bef1cd8f4463a1ad395ef">elected Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields</a>. Roberts described the district as a “snake” that stretches more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) to link parts of the Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas.

The court fight over Louisiana’s congressional districts has lasted three years.

The state’s Republican-dominated legislature drew a new congressional map in 2022 to account for population shifts reflected in the 2020 census. But the changes effectively maintained the status quo of five Republican-leaning majority white districts and one Democratic-leaning majority Black district.

Civil rights advocates won a lower-court ruling that the districts likely discriminated against Black voters.

The state eventually drew a new map to comply with the court ruling and protect its influential Republican lawmakers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-johnson-speaker-vote-donald-trump-ccbe593940ef488019563e8e4b98061e">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>. But white Louisiana voters claimed in their separate lawsuit that race was the predominant factor driving it. A three-judge court agreed, leading to the current high court case.

The court is expected to rule by early summer in 2026.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday appeared ready to gut a key tool of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-act-60th-anniversary-supreme-court-d2bf2ff47a6c1b574e6e351d1fb46528">the Voting Rights Act</a>&nbsp;that has helped root out racial discrimination in voting for more than a half century, a change that would boost Republican electoral prospects, particularly across the South.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-109_2">Click here to listen to a replay</a> the oral argumentsDuring 2 1/2 hours of arguments, the court's six conservative justices seemed inclined to effectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race.Such an outcome would mark a fundamental change in the 1965 voting rights law, the centerpiece legislation of the Civil Rights Movement, that succeeded in opening the ballot box to Black Americans and reducing persistent discrimination in voting.A ruling for Louisiana could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional maps in southern states, helping Republican electoral prospects by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats. Legislatures already are free to draw extremely partisan districts, subject only to review by state courts, because of a 2019 Supreme Court decision.Just two years ago, the court, by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-race-voting-rights-alabama-af0d789ec7498625d344c0a4327367fe">a 5-4 vote</a>, affirmed a ruling that found a likely violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a similar case over Alabama’s political boundaries. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined their three more liberal colleagues in the outcome.Roberts and Kavanaugh struck a different tone Wednesday, especially in their questions to civil rights lawyer Janai Nelson.The chief justice suggested the Alabama decision was tightly focused on its facts and should not be read to require a similar outcome in Louisiana.Kavanaugh pressed Nelson on whether the time has come to end the use of race-based districts under the Voting Rights Act, rather than “allowing it to extend forever.”The court's liberal justices focused on the history of the Voting Rights Act in combating discrimination. Getting to the remedy of redrawing districts only happens if, as Justice Elena Kagan said, a court finds "a specific identified, proved violation of law.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-congress-trump-0af8561b1670032fae3e1d2aec7905f0">A mid-decade battle</a>&nbsp;over congressional redistricting already is playing out across the nation after Republican President Donald Trump began urging Texas and other GOP-controlled states to redraw their lines to make it easier for the GOP to hold its narrow majority in the House.The court's conservative majority has been skeptical of considerations of race, most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-race-f83d6318017ec9b9029b12ee2256e744">ending affirmative action in college admissions</a>. Twelve years ago, the court bludgeoned another pillar of the landmark voting law that required states with a history of racial discrimination to get advance approval from the Justice Department or federal judges before making election-related changes.The court has separately given state legislatures wide berth to gerrymander for political purposes. If the Supreme Court now weakens or strikes down the Voting Rights Act's Section 2, states would not be bound by any limits in how they draw electoral districts. Such a result would be expected to lead to extreme gerrymandering by whichever party is in power at the state level.The court's Alabama decision in 2023 led to new districts there and in Louisiana that sent two more Black Democrats to Congress.Now, though, the court has asked the parties to answer a fundamental question: “Whether the state’s intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.”Louisiana and the Trump administration joined with a group of white voters in arguing to invalidate the challenged district and make it much harder to claim discrimination in redistricting.The arguments led Justice Sonia Sotomayor to assert that the administration's “bottom line is just get rid of Section 2.”Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan disagreed and said state lawmakers would have no incentive to get rid of every majority Black district because doing so would create swing districts and imperil some Republican incumbents.In addition, Mooppan said, only 15 of the 60 Black members of the House represent majority Black districts. “But even if you eliminated Section 2 entirely, fully 75% of the Black congressmen in this country are in districts that are not protected by Section 2.”In the first arguments in the Louisiana case in March, Roberts sounded skeptical of the second majority Black district, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrat-cleo-fields-louisiana-congressional-district-01cbab22601bef1cd8f4463a1ad395ef">elected Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields</a>. Roberts described the district as a “snake” that stretches more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) to link parts of the Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas.The court fight over Louisiana’s congressional districts has lasted three years.The state’s Republican-dominated legislature drew a new congressional map in 2022 to account for population shifts reflected in the 2020 census. But the changes effectively maintained the status quo of five Republican-leaning majority white districts and one Democratic-leaning majority Black district.Civil rights advocates won a lower-court ruling that the districts likely discriminated against Black voters.The state eventually drew a new map to comply with the court ruling and protect its influential Republican lawmakers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mike-johnson-speaker-vote-donald-trump-ccbe593940ef488019563e8e4b98061e">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>. But white Louisiana voters claimed in their separate lawsuit that race was the predominant factor driving it. A three-judge court agreed, leading to the current high court case.The court is expected to rule by early summer in 2026.

🎧Supreme Court appears ready to limit key part of Voting Rights Act

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Airports big and small around the country are refusing to play a video with a message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she blames Democrats for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;and its impacts on Transportation Security Administration operations.

Airports in Wichita, Kansas City, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Seattle and more say the video’s political content goes against their policies or regulations prohibiting political messaging in their facilities.

The Kansas City Aviation Department (KCAD) declined a request from the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) to air the video at MCI, according to Jackson Overstreet in the City Manager's office.&nbsp; "Leadership determined the video did not meet the department’s advertising standard. The work of the KCAD is non-partisan and focused on making travel from MCI&nbsp;as simple as possible for flyers."

According to Jesse Romo, Director of Airports in Wichita, "TSA has approached the Wichita Airport Authority and requested that we play their video. While we deeply value and support our TSA partners and the vital role they play in ensuring the safety of our passengers, we will not be playing Secretary Noem’s latest video as we have policies that prohibit the display of political messages." 

"The TSA team at ICT does an amazing job with providing a great customer experience for our traveling public and we’ll continue to share their messages related to what you can and can’t take through screening."

Various government agencies, in emails to workers and on websites, have adopted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-1-2025#00000199-a08e-de91-adfb-b8cf52820000">language that blames Democrats</a>&nbsp;for the shutdown. Some experts argue it could be in violation of the 1939 Hatch Act, which restricts certain political activities by federal employees.

The shutdown has disrupted routine operations at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-2025-travel-impacts-22cde31b6c9567b3c46c5aedeb872373">some airports, leading to flight delays</a>. Democrats say any deal to reopen the government has to address their health care demands, and Republicans say they won’t negotiate until they agree to fund the government. Some medical insurance premiums would double if Congress fails to renew the subsidy payments that expire Dec. 31.

In the video, Noem says the TSA’s “top priority” is to help make travel pleasant and efficient while keeping passengers safe.

“However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” she continues.

The TSA falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Roughly 61,000 of the agency’s 64,130 employees are required to continue working during the shutdown.

A spokesperson for DHS responded to a request for comment restating some of the message from Noem’s video.

“It’s unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship. Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.

DHS said Friday that the video is being rolled out to airports across the country.

In Columbus, Ohio, the video was not being aired at John Glenn International Airport as of Tuesday. Spokesperson Breann Almos said it is under legal review but did not provide a timeline.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, said it would not air the videos, citing rules against “politically partisan messages.”

Near the border with Canada, travelers won’t see the video at Buffalo Niagara International Airport or Niagara Falls International Airport. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority said its “long-standing” policy and regulations prohibit “partisan messaging” in its facilities.

The Chicago Department of Aviation said advertising and public service announcements must follow guidelines that “prohibit content that endorses or opposes any named political party.” In Florida, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport said it has a policy that doesn’t allow political messaging to be displayed in its facility. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas said it had to “remain mindful of the Hatch Act’s restrictions.”

“Per airport regulations, the terminals and surrounding areas are not designated public forums, and the airport’s intent is to avoid the use of the facility for political or religious advocacy,” the airport’s statement said.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said the county north of New York City won’t play the video at its local airport. In a statement, he called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials,” and said its tone is “unnecessarily alarmist” as it relates to operations at Westchester County Airport.

“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues, and undermines public trust,” he said.

Even in red states, airports weren’t showing the video for various reasons. Salt Lake City International Airport wasn’t playing it because state law prohibits using city-owned property for political purposes, said airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer.

The airport in Billings, Montana, “politely declined” even though it has screens that could show the video with audio, assistant aviation director Paul Khera said Tuesday.

“We don’t want to get in the middle of partisan politics,” Khera said. “We like to stay middle of the road, we didn’t want to play that video.” ___

Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writers Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; and Claire Rush in Portland contributed to this report.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Airports big and small around the country are refusing to play a video with a message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she blames Democrats for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;and its impacts on Transportation Security Administration operations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Currently playing at every public airport in America:<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>: &quot;We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact you — and it is our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hwVfwLxVJR">pic.twitter.com/hwVfwLxVJR</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976668787467514316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Airports in Wichita, Kansas City, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Seattle and more say the video’s political content goes against their policies or regulations prohibiting political messaging in their facilities.The Kansas City Aviation Department (KCAD) declined a request from the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) to air the video at MCI, according to Jackson Overstreet in the City Manager's office.&nbsp; "Leadership determined the video did not meet the department’s advertising standard. The work of the KCAD is non-partisan and focused on making travel from MCI&nbsp;as simple as possible for flyers."According to Jesse Romo, Director of Airports in Wichita, "TSA has approached the Wichita Airport Authority and requested that we play their video. While we deeply value and support our TSA partners and the vital role they play in ensuring the safety of our passengers, we will not be playing Secretary Noem’s latest video as we have policies that prohibit the display of political messages." "The TSA team at ICT does an amazing job with providing a great customer experience for our traveling public and we’ll continue to share their messages related to what you can and can’t take through screening."Various government agencies, in emails to workers and on websites, have adopted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-1-2025#00000199-a08e-de91-adfb-b8cf52820000">language that blames Democrats</a>&nbsp;for the shutdown. Some experts argue it could be in violation of the 1939 Hatch Act, which restricts certain political activities by federal employees.The shutdown has disrupted routine operations at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-2025-travel-impacts-22cde31b6c9567b3c46c5aedeb872373">some airports, leading to flight delays</a>. Democrats say any deal to reopen the government has to address their health care demands, and Republicans say they won’t negotiate until they agree to fund the government. Some medical insurance premiums would double if Congress fails to renew the subsidy payments that expire Dec. 31.In the video, Noem says the TSA’s “top priority” is to help make travel pleasant and efficient while keeping passengers safe.“However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” she continues.The TSA falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Roughly 61,000 of the agency’s 64,130 employees are required to continue working during the shutdown.A spokesperson for DHS responded to a request for comment restating some of the message from Noem’s video.“It’s unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship. Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.DHS said Friday that the video is being rolled out to airports across the country.In Columbus, Ohio, the video was not being aired at John Glenn International Airport as of Tuesday. Spokesperson Breann Almos said it is under legal review but did not provide a timeline.The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, said it would not air the videos, citing rules against “politically partisan messages.”Near the border with Canada, travelers won’t see the video at Buffalo Niagara International Airport or Niagara Falls International Airport. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority said its “long-standing” policy and regulations prohibit “partisan messaging” in its facilities.The Chicago Department of Aviation said advertising and public service announcements must follow guidelines that “prohibit content that endorses or opposes any named political party.” In Florida, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport said it has a policy that doesn’t allow political messaging to be displayed in its facility. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas said it had to “remain mindful of the Hatch Act’s restrictions.”“Per airport regulations, the terminals and surrounding areas are not designated public forums, and the airport’s intent is to avoid the use of the facility for political or religious advocacy,” the airport’s statement said.Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said the county north of New York City won’t play the video at its local airport. In a statement, he called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials,” and said its tone is “unnecessarily alarmist” as it relates to operations at Westchester County Airport.“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues, and undermines public trust,” he said.Even in red states, airports weren’t showing the video for various reasons. Salt Lake City International Airport wasn’t playing it because state law prohibits using city-owned property for political purposes, said airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer.The airport in Billings, Montana, “politely declined” even though it has screens that could show the video with audio, assistant aviation director Paul Khera said Tuesday.“We don’t want to get in the middle of partisan politics,” Khera said. “We like to stay middle of the road, we didn’t want to play that video.” ___Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writers Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; and Claire Rush in Portland contributed to this report.

🎥 The controversial video some airports in the region refuse to play

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Prosecutors have charged a suspect in connection with a murder in March.

On October 6, U.S. Marshals apprehended the 21-year-old Rene Najera of Kansas City, Kansas for homicide that occurred on March 26 in the 1600 block of Ridge Avenue, according to a statement released Tuesday from Kansas City, Kansas Police.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office has charged him with felony first-degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated battery and aggravated assault in the shooting death of 19-year-old Anderson Murcia-Cartagena

Najera is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760538130225.png" alt="Najera photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Najera photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Prosecutors have charged a suspect in connection with a murder in March.On October 6, U.S. Marshals apprehended the 21-year-old Rene Najera of Kansas City, Kansas for homicide that occurred on March 26 in the 1600 block of Ridge Avenue, according to a statement released Tuesday from Kansas City, Kansas Police.The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office has charged him with felony first-degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated battery and aggravated assault in the shooting death of 19-year-old Anderson Murcia-CartagenaNajera is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

After 7-months, U.S. Marshals catch Kansas man wanted for murder

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump won't rule out a U.S. strike on Venezuelan soil.

The president said of U.S. strikes against boats off of Venezuela, “We are certainly looking at land now.”

A series of recent U.S. strikes have sunk vessels the White House says were carrying drugs from Venezuela. Asked if such attacks may eventually target mainland Venezuela, Trump said, “I don’t want to tell you, exactly.”

But he suggested that land attacks were an option “because we’ve got the sea well under control.”

The president also said he’d authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela.

Asked if the agency could “take out” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump was noncommittal, saying it was “a ridiculous question” for him to answer.

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump won't rule out a U.S. strike on Venezuelan soil.The president said of U.S. strikes against boats off of Venezuela, “We are certainly looking at land now.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on striking Venezuelan drug boats: &quot;Every boat that we knock out, we save 25,000 American lives.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/B3DqY9HF6L">pic.twitter.com/B3DqY9HF6L</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978555792170029225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/8DMrDfoSjF">pic.twitter.com/8DMrDfoSjF</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978155685150945357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A series of recent U.S. strikes have sunk vessels the White House says were carrying drugs from Venezuela. Asked if such attacks may eventually target mainland Venezuela, Trump said, “I don’t want to tell you, exactly.”But he suggested that land attacks were an option “because we’ve got the sea well under control.”The president also said he’d authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela.Asked if the agency could “take out” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump was noncommittal, saying it was “a ridiculous question” for him to answer.

🎥Trump won’t rule out US strikes on Venezuelan soil

WASHINGTON (AP) — The ongoing government shutdown is delaying the announcement of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-social-security-administration">Social Security</a>&nbsp;cost-of-living adjustment for tens of millions of beneficiaries.

Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the 2024 Social Security COLA announcement will now be Oct. 24. It is timed to the September Consumer Price Index, which also has not yet been released.

The agency adjusts its benefits every year based on inflation. The postponement of the announcement is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-effects-economy-c67b521f7d74d597313feaefd8ccf420">most recent example</a>&nbsp;of how the government shutdown, entering its third week and with little progress made toward a resolution, has made it more difficult for people to plan out their finances.

Projections by Senior Citizens League and the AARP&nbsp;<a href="https://seniorsleague.org/tscl-cola-projection-8-25-2/" target="_blank">anticipate a COLA</a>&nbsp;increase of roughly 2.7%. About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/chartbooks/fast_facts/2023/fast_facts23.html" target="_blank">70.6 million</a>&nbsp;people, including retirees, disabled people and children, get Social Security benefits.

Social Security Administration beneficiaries have voiced concerns that next year’s increase will not be enough to counter rising costs.

Sue Conard, a 75-year-old retired nurse from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and SSA recipient, recently traveled to the U.S. Capitol with other retiree members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union to lobby for meaningful progress towards gaining health care protections to end the shutdown, as well as changes to Social Security benefits.

She said she wants lawmakers to change the calculation on how the COLA is determined since the standard CPI gauge, which includes a market basket of consumer goods and services, doesn’t take into account many costs typical for older Americans.

“The issue of how the COLA is determined is flat-out wrong because health care is not factored into the CPI,” said Conard, speaking on the front steps of the Longworth House Office Building.

Some lawmakers have proposed legislation that would make SSA use a different index, called the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), to calculate the cost-of-living increase that measures price changes based on the spending patterns of older people on things such as health care, food and medicine.

A collection of Democratic lawmakers has proposed legislation to change the CPI calculation for COLA benefits to the CPI-E. Last session, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., proposed a law that would change the COLA calculation, but that never got a hearing in the Senate Finance committee.

AARP CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan said the COLA “isn’t just a source of income — it’s a lifeline of independence and dignity, for tens of millions of older Americans.” But even with an adjusted COLA, a majority of Americans still face challenges covering basic expenses, she said.

Vanessa Fields, a 70-year-old former social worker and AFSCME member from Philadelphia, said she pays roughly $1,000 per month for groceries, more than in previous years. The COLA doesn’t keep up with rising costs, she said, “and we’re going to be in bad shape if lawmakers don’t act.”

The agency is expected to begin notifying recipients about their new benefit amount starting in early December. A spokesperson for Social Security who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the COLA said retirement and Supplemental Security Income benefits would be adjusted beginning Jan. 1, 2026, without any delay despite the current government lapse in appropriations.

The delayed COLA announcement comes as the national social insurance plan faces a severe financial shortfall in the coming years and as the agency has seen substantial workforce cuts.

The annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-trust-fund-trump-74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3">released in June</a>&nbsp;said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034, instead of last year’s estimate of 2035. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 81% of scheduled benefits, the report said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The ongoing government shutdown is delaying the announcement of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-social-security-administration">Social Security</a>&nbsp;cost-of-living adjustment for tens of millions of beneficiaries.Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the 2024 Social Security COLA announcement will now be Oct. 24. It is timed to the September Consumer Price Index, which also has not yet been released.The agency adjusts its benefits every year based on inflation. The postponement of the announcement is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-effects-economy-c67b521f7d74d597313feaefd8ccf420">most recent example</a>&nbsp;of how the government shutdown, entering its third week and with little progress made toward a resolution, has made it more difficult for people to plan out their finances.Projections by Senior Citizens League and the AARP&nbsp;<a href="https://seniorsleague.org/tscl-cola-projection-8-25-2/" target="_blank">anticipate a COLA</a>&nbsp;increase of roughly 2.7%. About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/chartbooks/fast_facts/2023/fast_facts23.html" target="_blank">70.6 million</a>&nbsp;people, including retirees, disabled people and children, get Social Security benefits.Social Security Administration beneficiaries have voiced concerns that next year’s increase will not be enough to counter rising costs.Sue Conard, a 75-year-old retired nurse from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and SSA recipient, recently traveled to the U.S. Capitol with other retiree members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union to lobby for meaningful progress towards gaining health care protections to end the shutdown, as well as changes to Social Security benefits.She said she wants lawmakers to change the calculation on how the COLA is determined since the standard CPI gauge, which includes a market basket of consumer goods and services, doesn’t take into account many costs typical for older Americans.“The issue of how the COLA is determined is flat-out wrong because health care is not factored into the CPI,” said Conard, speaking on the front steps of the Longworth House Office Building.Some lawmakers have proposed legislation that would make SSA use a different index, called the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), to calculate the cost-of-living increase that measures price changes based on the spending patterns of older people on things such as health care, food and medicine.A collection of Democratic lawmakers has proposed legislation to change the CPI calculation for COLA benefits to the CPI-E. Last session, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., proposed a law that would change the COLA calculation, but that never got a hearing in the Senate Finance committee.AARP CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan said the COLA “isn’t just a source of income — it’s a lifeline of independence and dignity, for tens of millions of older Americans.” But even with an adjusted COLA, a majority of Americans still face challenges covering basic expenses, she said.Vanessa Fields, a 70-year-old former social worker and AFSCME member from Philadelphia, said she pays roughly $1,000 per month for groceries, more than in previous years. The COLA doesn’t keep up with rising costs, she said, “and we’re going to be in bad shape if lawmakers don’t act.”The agency is expected to begin notifying recipients about their new benefit amount starting in early December. A spokesperson for Social Security who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the COLA said retirement and Supplemental Security Income benefits would be adjusted beginning Jan. 1, 2026, without any delay despite the current government lapse in appropriations.The delayed COLA announcement comes as the national social insurance plan faces a severe financial shortfall in the coming years and as the agency has seen substantial workforce cuts.The annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-medicare-trust-fund-trump-74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3">released in June</a>&nbsp;said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034, instead of last year’s estimate of 2035. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 81% of scheduled benefits, the report said.

Why your Social Security COLA announcement is delayed 

WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has obtained credible intelligence indicating that Mexican criminals, in coordination with domestic extremist groups have placed targeted bounties on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, according to a statement from the agency.

These criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to U.S.-based sympathetics, including street gangs in Chicago, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents. Specific details from ongoing investigations include:&nbsp;

In Portland and Chicago, Antifa groups have provided logistical support such as pre-staged protest supplies, doxxing of agent identities, and on-the-ground interference to shield cartel-linked individuals from deportation.&nbsp;

“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,”&nbsp;said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”

DHS will not be deterred by these threats and calls on sanctuary state and local leaders to cease policies that embolden criminals. The public is urged to report suspicious activities—such as rooftop surveillance or organized protests blocking federal operations—to the DHS Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or via the ICE website.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740147958319.png" alt="File photo Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office" />
 <figcaption>File photo Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has obtained credible intelligence indicating that Mexican criminals, in coordination with domestic extremist groups have placed targeted bounties on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, according to a statement from the agency.These criminal networks have issued explicit instructions to U.S.-based sympathetics, including street gangs in Chicago, to monitor, harass, and assassinate federal agents. Specific details from ongoing investigations include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Spotter Networks: In neighborhoods like Chicago's Pilsen and Little Village, gang members affiliated with groups such as the Latin Kings have deployed "spotters" on rooftops equipped with firearms and radio communications. These individuals track ICE and CBP movements in real-time, relaying coordinates. This surveillance has enabled ambushes and disruptions during routine enforcement actions, including recent raids under Operation Midway Blitz.</li><li>Tiered Bounty System: Cartels have disseminated a structured bounty program to incentivize violence against federal personnel, with payouts escalating based on rank and action taken:$2,000 for gathering intelligence or doxxing agents (including photos and family details).$5,000–$10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on standard ICE/CBP officers.Up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.</li><li>$2,000 for gathering intelligence or doxxing agents (including photos and family details).</li><li>$5,000–$10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults on standard ICE/CBP officers.</li><li>Up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.</li>
 </ul>In Portland and Chicago, Antifa groups have provided logistical support such as pre-staged protest supplies, doxxing of agent identities, and on-the-ground interference to shield cartel-linked individuals from deportation.&nbsp;“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protect our borders and communities,”&nbsp;said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Our agents are facing ambushes, drone surveillance, and death threats, all because they dare to enforce the laws passed by Congress. We will not back down from these threats, and every criminal, terrorist, and illegal alien will face American justice.”DHS will not be deterred by these threats and calls on sanctuary state and local leaders to cease policies that embolden criminals. The public is urged to report suspicious activities—such as rooftop surveillance or organized protests blocking federal operations—to the DHS Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or via the ICE website.&nbsp;

DHS: Mexican gangs offering bounties for ICE agent assassinations

SALINE COUNTY —On Monday, the Salina Police Department was made aware of a parking incident which occurred a week prior, on Monday October 6, with a marked Salina Police Department patrol car parking in a handicapped designated parking space at a south Salina business. This matter was brought to the Department’s attention by a private citizen and was not raised by anyone associated with that business, according to Salina Police&nbsp;Lt. Andrew Zeigler.

"The Salina Police Department takes complaints from citizens very seriously as we see it as an opportunity to examine our day-in-and-day-out operations and provides us the perspective and concerns of the community. This incident has given us the opportunity to look into the concerns of our citizens internally and operationally. The matter has been looked into to understand all the circumstances around it, including speaking with the employees of the private business."

"The on duty Salina Police Officer was conducting follow-up on an ongoing criminal investigation at the time of the incident and parked in the only available parking space at the business." according to&nbsp;Lt. Zeigler

A photograph was taken of the patrol car. The photograph was later forwarded on and was eventually passed on to the Police Department. The Salina Police Officer who was driving the patrol car at the time was contacted and is being addressed as an internal matter. The Salina Police Department is also taking steps internally to ensure all officers are following Kansas traffic codes as it pertains to police operations as well as Salina Police Department and City of Salina policies.

"The Salina Police Department thanked the community members for raising their concerns with us and we strive to review our actions on a daily basis to do better and always provide the highest standard of service to the City."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760545383496.png" alt="Photo Salina Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Salina Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —On Monday, the Salina Police Department was made aware of a parking incident which occurred a week prior, on Monday October 6, with a marked Salina Police Department patrol car parking in a handicapped designated parking space at a south Salina business. This matter was brought to the Department’s attention by a private citizen and was not raised by anyone associated with that business, according to Salina Police&nbsp;Lt. Andrew Zeigler."The Salina Police Department takes complaints from citizens very seriously as we see it as an opportunity to examine our day-in-and-day-out operations and provides us the perspective and concerns of the community. This incident has given us the opportunity to look into the concerns of our citizens internally and operationally. The matter has been looked into to understand all the circumstances around it, including speaking with the employees of the private business.""The on duty Salina Police Officer was conducting follow-up on an ongoing criminal investigation at the time of the incident and parked in the only available parking space at the business." according to&nbsp;Lt. ZeiglerA photograph was taken of the patrol car. The photograph was later forwarded on and was eventually passed on to the Police Department. The Salina Police Officer who was driving the patrol car at the time was contacted and is being addressed as an internal matter. The Salina Police Department is also taking steps internally to ensure all officers are following Kansas traffic codes as it pertains to police operations as well as Salina Police Department and City of Salina policies."The Salina Police Department thanked the community members for raising their concerns with us and we strive to review our actions on a daily basis to do better and always provide the highest standard of service to the City."

Why Kansas officer was parking in handicapped only space 

Senate president disavows both activists, attorney general fires Hendrix

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The chairman and vice chairman of the Kansas Young Republicans took part in encrypted chats with political peers that were laced with violent, racist and antisemitic rhetoric and blended with references to white supremacy and suppression of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

On Tuesday, the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146" target="_blank">the Politico article</a>&nbsp;disclosing the commentary prompted immediate deactivation of the Kansas Young Republicans organization.

Politico, a digital news company specializing in coverage of U.S. politics, reported Kansas Young Republicans chair Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix took part in the Telegram group chat.

In 2,900 pages of chat text, Hendrix praised the Missouri Young Republicans because leaders in that state didn’t like LGBTQ+ people. He repeatedly used racial slurs to refer to Black people, including words such as “n–ga” and “n–guh.” In a July conversation in the thread about African-Americans, he said, “Bro is at a chicken restaurant ordering his food. Would he like some watermelon and Kool-Aid with that?”

He was fired from a communications job in the office of Attorney General Kris Kobach as Politico prepared its report on Hendrix’s role in the chat.

“The comments in the chat are inexcusable,” Kobach said. “As soon as the office learned of those messages, Will Hendrix’s employment was terminated.”

In the chat threads, Dwyer and others delved into discussions of how GOP operatives could tarnish a political candidate by linking the individual to white supremacists. The idea was dismissed, Politico said, because the plan could backfire in a place such as Kansas where “Young Republicans could end up becoming attracted to that opponent.” Subsequently, a person in the chat asked others to guess what room number they had a hotel.

Dwyer responded: “1488.” That figure is a form of shorthand among white supremacists when making reference to their beliefs. It refers to the 14 words of text in the slogan, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” The “88” stands for “Heil Hitler,” with the H marking the eighth letter of the alphabet.

At another juncture, Dwyer touched on controversy involving release of government files on Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have sought public release of files to either exonerate or incriminate President Donald Trump or other prominent individuals.

“Trumps too busy burning the Epstein files,” Dwyer wrote on Telegram.

Dwyer didn’t respond to a request for an interview. Hendrix, who ran unsuccessfully for Topeka City Council in 2021, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Before Politico’s disclosure of the Young Republicans’ commentary, Dwyer and Hendrix were photographed at a campaign event with Senate President Ty Masterson, the Andover Republican who is a 2026 candidate for governor. A social media post of the picture, taken at Masterson’s campaign announcement event, shows both of them holding signs touting Masterson’s campaign for governor.

The Masterson campaign released a statement after the Senate president landed in Washington, D.C., for meetings Wednesday with White House officials. In that statement, Masterson blamed political opponents for “shopping around a photo, with deceitful intentions, in efforts to disparage” him.

“I categorically deny any association with William Hendrix or Alex Dwyer, as neither is current, nor has ever been, on staff or volunteered for my campaign for governor,” Masterson said. “Anyone suggesting otherwise is either lying or misinformed.”

In addition, Masterson said, he was guided by deep Christian faith and possessed a record of condemning hateful and violent rhetoric.

“I am personally disgusted by the comments attributed to individuals in the article, as such behavior is utterly counter to Christ’s message that life is valuable and we are all equal in God’s eyes, and my unwavering commitment to these values has not changed,” the statement said.

A collection of Kansas Republicans and a Democratic candidate for governor denounced contents of this trove of Telegram messages logged under “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM,” or Restore Young Republicans.

The communications chronicled by Politico covered a period between January and August, and involved state Republican leaders in Kansas, Vermont, Arizona and New York. Included in the thousands of comments was this insight: “If we ever had a leak on this chat, we will be cooked.”

“The viewpoints expressed in this chat are not representative of Kansans. Period,” said former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor. “Our state was founded on the belief that all of us are created equal under God — and anyone who mocks those principles dishonors the very spirit of Kansas.”

Vicki Schmidt, the state’s insurance commissioner and a Republican candidate for governor, said Dwyer and Hendrix should formally resign from their Young Republicans positions because “their actions are disgusting and disgraceful and they tarnish the reputation of Kansas nationally.”

Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Johnson County Democrat also running for governor, said she was disgusted by messages shared by Kansas GOP political operatives that promoted overt racism, extremism, antisemitism and sexual violence. She said the extremist language was encouraged from the top down by politicians who seek to divide voters rather than bring them together.

“Let’s be clear: These aren’t kids joking around,” Holscher said. “These are 20- and 30-something adults with leadership roles in the Republican Party. The chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, who participated in these messages, is nearly 30 years old. Unfortunately, this type of rhetoric is not isolated. For too long in Kansas, the Republican Party has been dominated by extremists who see no room for moderation or bipartisanship, let alone unity or mutual respect.”

Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas Republican Party, said the organization’s leadership was disgusted by comments by young Kansas Republicans contained in the Politico story. In March, Herbert was elected state party chair. She is Black.

“Their comments do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large,” she said. “Republicans believe that all people are created in the image of God.”

She said the state party platform stated: “We welcome Kansans of every ethnicity into our party as we work together to preserve our heritage of political equality, religious freedom and strong moral values. We strive to eliminate racism and we condemn all racist acts and groups.”

Michael Austin, chief executive of the Kansas Black Republican Council, said the organization unequivocally rebuked the behavior and language revealed in Politico’s report.

“Such conduct is not merely offensive. It is a betrayal of the very principles upon which our party was founded: the defense of liberty, the abolition of slavery and the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being,” Austin said. “Let there be no confusion. These few individuals do not represent Kansas, nor do they reflect the values of Kansas Republicans.”

He said all Republicans should in this moment “uphold the standard of integrity, moral courage and respect that has long defined our party’s proud history.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760540548577.png" alt=" Politico reports the chairman and vice chairman of Kansas Young Republicans participated in racist, antisemitic encrypted chats with GOP political peers. (Illustration by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Politico reports the chairman and vice chairman of Kansas Young Republicans participated in racist, antisemitic encrypted chats with GOP political peers. (Illustration by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Senate president disavows both activists, attorney general fires Hendrix</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The chairman and vice chairman of the Kansas Young Republicans took part in encrypted chats with political peers that were laced with violent, racist and antisemitic rhetoric and blended with references to white supremacy and suppression of the Jeffrey Epstein files.On Tuesday, the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146" target="_blank">the Politico article</a>&nbsp;disclosing the commentary prompted immediate deactivation of the Kansas Young Republicans organization.Politico, a digital news company specializing in coverage of U.S. politics, reported Kansas Young Republicans chair Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix took part in the Telegram group chat.In 2,900 pages of chat text, Hendrix praised the Missouri Young Republicans because leaders in that state didn’t like LGBTQ+ people. He repeatedly used racial slurs to refer to Black people, including words such as “n–ga” and “n–guh.” In a July conversation in the thread about African-Americans, he said, “Bro is at a chicken restaurant ordering his food. Would he like some watermelon and Kool-Aid with that?”He was fired from a communications job in the office of Attorney General Kris Kobach as Politico prepared its report on Hendrix’s role in the chat.“The comments in the chat are inexcusable,” Kobach said. “As soon as the office learned of those messages, Will Hendrix’s employment was terminated.”In the chat threads, Dwyer and others delved into discussions of how GOP operatives could tarnish a political candidate by linking the individual to white supremacists. The idea was dismissed, Politico said, because the plan could backfire in a place such as Kansas where “Young Republicans could end up becoming attracted to that opponent.” Subsequently, a person in the chat asked others to guess what room number they had a hotel.Dwyer responded: “1488.” That figure is a form of shorthand among white supremacists when making reference to their beliefs. It refers to the 14 words of text in the slogan, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” The “88” stands for “Heil Hitler,” with the H marking the eighth letter of the alphabet.At another juncture, Dwyer touched on controversy involving release of government files on Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have sought public release of files to either exonerate or incriminate President Donald Trump or other prominent individuals.“Trumps too busy burning the Epstein files,” Dwyer wrote on Telegram.Dwyer didn’t respond to a request for an interview. Hendrix, who ran unsuccessfully for Topeka City Council in 2021, couldn’t be reached for comment.Before Politico’s disclosure of the Young Republicans’ commentary, Dwyer and Hendrix were photographed at a campaign event with Senate President Ty Masterson, the Andover Republican who is a 2026 candidate for governor. A social media post of the picture, taken at Masterson’s campaign announcement event, shows both of them holding signs touting Masterson’s campaign for governor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760540483912.png" alt="An image from Senate President Ty Masterson’s announcement of his campaign for Kansas governor includes Kansas Young Republicans chair Alex Dwyer, far left, and vice chair William Hendrix, second from right. Politico reports Dwyer and Hendrix took part in a private Telegram chat with other state GOP leaders touting racist, violent and antisemitic ideas such as “I love Hitler” and “They love the watermelon people.” (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>An image from Senate President Ty Masterson’s announcement of his campaign for Kansas governor includes Kansas Young Republicans chair Alex Dwyer, far left, and vice chair William Hendrix, second from right. Politico reports Dwyer and Hendrix took part in a private Telegram chat with other state GOP leaders touting racist, violent and antisemitic ideas such as “I love Hitler” and “They love the watermelon people.” (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Masterson campaign released a statement after the Senate president landed in Washington, D.C., for meetings Wednesday with White House officials. In that statement, Masterson blamed political opponents for “shopping around a photo, with deceitful intentions, in efforts to disparage” him.“I categorically deny any association with William Hendrix or Alex Dwyer, as neither is current, nor has ever been, on staff or volunteered for my campaign for governor,” Masterson said. “Anyone suggesting otherwise is either lying or misinformed.”In addition, Masterson said, he was guided by deep Christian faith and possessed a record of condemning hateful and violent rhetoric.“I am personally disgusted by the comments attributed to individuals in the article, as such behavior is utterly counter to Christ’s message that life is valuable and we are all equal in God’s eyes, and my unwavering commitment to these values has not changed,” the statement said.A collection of Kansas Republicans and a Democratic candidate for governor denounced contents of this trove of Telegram messages logged under “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM,” or Restore Young Republicans.The communications chronicled by Politico covered a period between January and August, and involved state Republican leaders in Kansas, Vermont, Arizona and New York. Included in the thousands of comments was this insight: “If we ever had a leak on this chat, we will be cooked.”“The viewpoints expressed in this chat are not representative of Kansans. Period,” said former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor. “Our state was founded on the belief that all of us are created equal under God — and anyone who mocks those principles dishonors the very spirit of Kansas.”Vicki Schmidt, the state’s insurance commissioner and a Republican candidate for governor, said Dwyer and Hendrix should formally resign from their Young Republicans positions because “their actions are disgusting and disgraceful and they tarnish the reputation of Kansas nationally.”Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Johnson County Democrat also running for governor, said she was disgusted by messages shared by Kansas GOP political operatives that promoted overt racism, extremism, antisemitism and sexual violence. She said the extremist language was encouraged from the top down by politicians who seek to divide voters rather than bring them together.“Let’s be clear: These aren’t kids joking around,” Holscher said. “These are 20- and 30-something adults with leadership roles in the Republican Party. The chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, who participated in these messages, is nearly 30 years old. Unfortunately, this type of rhetoric is not isolated. For too long in Kansas, the Republican Party has been dominated by extremists who see no room for moderation or bipartisanship, let alone unity or mutual respect.”Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas Republican Party, said the organization’s leadership was disgusted by comments by young Kansas Republicans contained in the Politico story. In March, Herbert was elected state party chair. She is Black.“Their comments do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large,” she said. “Republicans believe that all people are created in the image of God.”She said the state party platform stated: “We welcome Kansans of every ethnicity into our party as we work together to preserve our heritage of political equality, religious freedom and strong moral values. We strive to eliminate racism and we condemn all racist acts and groups.”Michael Austin, chief executive of the Kansas Black Republican Council, said the organization unequivocally rebuked the behavior and language revealed in Politico’s report.“Such conduct is not merely offensive. It is a betrayal of the very principles upon which our party was founded: the defense of liberty, the abolition of slavery and the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being,” Austin said. “Let there be no confusion. These few individuals do not represent Kansas, nor do they reflect the values of Kansas Republicans.”He said all Republicans should in this moment “uphold the standard of integrity, moral courage and respect that has long defined our party’s proud history.”

Kansas Young Republicans shut down after Politico report on racist, violent encrypted chat

JOHNSON COUNTY —The driver who died in a weekend 2-vehicle crash has been identified as&nbsp;Mike Farran, of Olathe, according to Overland Park Police officer John Lacy.

&nbsp;The crash occurred just after 11:50 p.m. at 151st and Switzer in Overland Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Farran was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver involved in the crash remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

No other injuries were reported. Anyone with information is asked to call the Overland Park Police Traffic Unit at (913) 327-6731.

JOHNSON COUNTY —The driver who died in a weekend 2-vehicle crash has been identified as&nbsp;Mike Farran, of Olathe, according to Overland Park Police officer John Lacy.&nbsp;The crash occurred just after 11:50 p.m. at 151st and Switzer in Overland Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;Farran was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver involved in the crash remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation.No other injuries were reported. Anyone with information is asked to call the Overland Park Police Traffic Unit at (913) 327-6731.