The Jackson County judge didn’t draw any conclusions about whether the current parental consent law is unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a>

A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/abortion-advocacy-group-sues-missouri-parental-consent-laws/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking to strike down Missouri laws that restrict access to abortion for minors was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2516-CV13783-%20%20Omnibus%20Order_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=29109222" target="_blank">thrown out Tuesday on technical grounds.&nbsp;</a>

Jackson County Circuit Judge Sarah Castle determined that the nonprofit that filed the litigation, Right By You, did not have the standing to sue. The lawsuit targeted a requirement that minors get parental consent before an abortion and a ban on anyone aiding or assisting minors who are seeking an abortion.&nbsp;

Castle didn’t draw any conclusions in her Tuesday decision about whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">reproductive rights amendment approved by voters last year&nbsp;</a>renders either law unconstitutional.&nbsp;

<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=188.028" target="_blank">Missouri’s parental consent law</a>&nbsp;requires a minor attempting to access abortion receive at least one parent’s consent. The other parent must also be notified. If that’s not possible, they can also ask a judge to bypass the requirement.

“Today’s victory ensures that Missouri’s parental consent laws will continue to safeguard young girls, hold abortion providers accountable and uphold the values of Missouri families for generations to come,”&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a statement Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Right By You is a nonprofit that helps young people navigate pregnancy decisions, including by increasing access to and awareness around contraceptives, prenatal care, abortion, parenting and adoption. In its lawsuit, the nonprofit also asked the court to allow the group to begin funding and arranging logistics for minors seeking abortions, including transportation, hotel and child care costs.&nbsp;

But Castle on Tuesday determined Right By You, which has one employee in Illinois and some volunteers who live in Missouri,&nbsp; didn’t have the ability to sue because it’s “fiscally sponsored” by a nonprofit incorporated in California. She dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, leaving the door open for the suit to be filed again.

“Young Missourians will continue to be coerced, isolated, and stigmatized for simply choosing to end a pregnancy until the abortion restrictions targeting them are lifted,” Stephanie Kraft Sheley, Right By You’s founder and director, said in a statement Wednesday. “Missouri’s youth deserve better than being left on their own just to access basic health care.”

Kraft Sheley said attorneys may re-file the lawsuit. In the meantime, she said, Right By You will continue providing young people with information on abortion and contraception through the nonprofit’s text line.

Castle heard arguments in early September after the attorney general’s office asked the court to dismiss the case.

Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general involved in the lawsuit, told Castle that the judicial bypass measures in place are sufficient.&nbsp;

“It’s kind of wild the plaintiffs think that in cases where judicial bypass is insufficient, that they want basically no circumstance in which parents would be notified of their minor children having an abortion, essentially,” Donohue said.

Allison Zimmer, with the Lawyering Project, argued on behalf of Right By You that the lawsuit was part of a larger effort to broadly protect reproductive rights.&nbsp;

“Just to go back to what is at stake here again, this is about the threat to the right to reproductive freedom,” Zimmer said. “A constitutional right for people in Missouri after the November election … “

Thirty-eight states, including Missouri, require at least some parental involvement for minors seeking abortions, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/minors-access-abortion-care" target="_blank">the Guttmacher Institute,&nbsp;</a>a reproductive rights research group.&nbsp;

“It makes sense that folks that are in healthy relationships with their children have this instinct that they would want their children to come to them, but a law that forces that to happen in every case is not the solution to that problem,” Kraft Sheley previously told The Independent. “Because it’s not possible for a law to legislate a healthy family dynamic.”

Kraft Sheley is also a co-founder of What’s Next, a reproductive justice group made up of organizers and activists who previously called for a constitutional amendment to appear on the Missouri ballot with no restrictions on abortion.&nbsp;

Last year, the coalition called on the state’s major reproductive rights groups<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/25/reproductive-justice-whats-next-abortion-amendment-3-missouri/">&nbsp;to challenge Missouri’s parental consent law</a>.&nbsp;

After getting no response, Kraft Sheley filed her own lawsuit, noting that current policy does not clearly state how or if minors in state custody or in the foster care system can access abortion through the current parental consent law.

An answer to the question of constitutionality may instead come from a separate lawsuit filed in February 2024 in Cole County by the attorney general’s office alleging Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which oversees clinics in Kansas City and Columbia, illegally transported minors out of state for abortions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/29/missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-project-veritas/">The lawsuit relied on a staged video&nbsp;filmed and edited by Project Veritas</a>, a conservative news organization. In the footage, a man working with Project Veritas goes to a Kansas City area Planned Parenthood and pretends to have a 13-year-old niece who he says needs an abortion. The employee tells the man that Planned Parenthood can help the girl get an abortion in Kansas.

Planned Parenthood has said the lawsuit should be dropped because the video was based on a hypothetical situation and because abortion is now legal.&nbsp;

“I find that the right to reproductive freedom initiative does not address the issue of parental consent,”&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/attorney-general-andrew-bailey-demands-records-from-missouri-abortion-nonprofit/">Boone County Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs said in April.</a>&nbsp;“And because of that, I’m going to deny the motion to dismiss.”

The next hearing date has not yet been set.

Missourians in November narrowly voted to enshrine the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;This amendment&nbsp;</a>includes a provision that prohibits the government from discriminating “against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care or assisting another person in doing so.”&nbsp;

The amendment does allow the government to legislate abortion access if compelling governmental interest exists.&nbsp;

A new amendment proposed by the Republican legislature is set to appear on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, it will<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/07/missouri-abortion-ban-amendment-ballot-language-2026/">&nbsp;repeal the reproductive rights amendment and ban nearly all abortions,&nbsp;</a>with limited exceptions for survivors and for medical emergencies.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759971319122.png" alt=" An exam room inside the Planned Parenthood in Meridian, Idaho (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun)." />
                        <figcaption> An exam room inside the Planned Parenthood in Meridian, Idaho (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun).</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>The Jackson County judge didn’t draw any conclusions about whether the current parental consent law is unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment</h2><p>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a></p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/abortion-advocacy-group-sues-missouri-parental-consent-laws/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking to strike down Missouri laws that restrict access to abortion for minors was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2516-CV13783-%20%20Omnibus%20Order_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=29109222" target="_blank">thrown out Tuesday on technical grounds.&nbsp;</a></p><p>Jackson County Circuit Judge Sarah Castle determined that the nonprofit that filed the litigation, Right By You, did not have the standing to sue. The lawsuit targeted a requirement that minors get parental consent before an abortion and a ban on anyone aiding or assisting minors who are seeking an abortion.&nbsp;</p><p>Castle didn’t draw any conclusions in her Tuesday decision about whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">reproductive rights amendment approved by voters last year&nbsp;</a>renders either law unconstitutional.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=188.028" target="_blank">Missouri’s parental consent law</a>&nbsp;requires a minor attempting to access abortion receive at least one parent’s consent. The other parent must also be notified. If that’s not possible, they can also ask a judge to bypass the requirement.</p><p>“Today’s victory ensures that Missouri’s parental consent laws will continue to safeguard young girls, hold abortion providers accountable and uphold the values of Missouri families for generations to come,”&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a statement Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Right By You is a nonprofit that helps young people navigate pregnancy decisions, including by increasing access to and awareness around contraceptives, prenatal care, abortion, parenting and adoption. In its lawsuit, the nonprofit also asked the court to allow the group to begin funding and arranging logistics for minors seeking abortions, including transportation, hotel and child care costs.&nbsp;</p><p>But Castle on Tuesday determined Right By You, which has one employee in Illinois and some volunteers who live in Missouri,&nbsp; didn’t have the ability to sue because it’s “fiscally sponsored” by a nonprofit incorporated in California. She dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, leaving the door open for the suit to be filed again.</p><p>“Young Missourians will continue to be coerced, isolated, and stigmatized for simply choosing to end a pregnancy until the abortion restrictions targeting them are lifted,” Stephanie Kraft Sheley, Right By You’s founder and director, said in a statement Wednesday. “Missouri’s youth deserve better than being left on their own just to access basic health care.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759971271708.png" alt="Stephanie Kraft Sheley, founder and director of Right By You, poses for a portrait in April (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
                        <figcaption>Stephanie Kraft Sheley, founder and director of Right By You, poses for a portrait in April (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Kraft Sheley said attorneys may re-file the lawsuit. In the meantime, she said, Right By You will continue providing young people with information on abortion and contraception through the nonprofit’s text line.</p><p>Castle heard arguments in early September after the attorney general’s office asked the court to dismiss the case.</p><p>Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general involved in the lawsuit, told Castle that the judicial bypass measures in place are sufficient.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s kind of wild the plaintiffs think that in cases where judicial bypass is insufficient, that they want basically no circumstance in which parents would be notified of their minor children having an abortion, essentially,” Donohue said.</p><p>Allison Zimmer, with the Lawyering Project, argued on behalf of Right By You that the lawsuit was part of a larger effort to broadly protect reproductive rights.&nbsp;</p><p>“Just to go back to what is at stake here again, this is about the threat to the right to reproductive freedom,” Zimmer said. “A constitutional right for people in Missouri after the November election … “</p><p>Thirty-eight states, including Missouri, require at least some parental involvement for minors seeking abortions, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/minors-access-abortion-care" target="_blank">the Guttmacher Institute,&nbsp;</a>a reproductive rights research group.&nbsp;</p><p>“It makes sense that folks that are in healthy relationships with their children have this instinct that they would want their children to come to them, but a law that forces that to happen in every case is not the solution to that problem,” Kraft Sheley previously told The Independent. “Because it’s not possible for a law to legislate a healthy family dynamic.”</p><p>Kraft Sheley is also a co-founder of What’s Next, a reproductive justice group made up of organizers and activists who previously called for a constitutional amendment to appear on the Missouri ballot with no restrictions on abortion.&nbsp;</p><p>Last year, the coalition called on the state’s major reproductive rights groups<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/25/reproductive-justice-whats-next-abortion-amendment-3-missouri/">&nbsp;to challenge Missouri’s parental consent law</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>After getting no response, Kraft Sheley filed her own lawsuit, noting that current policy does not clearly state how or if minors in state custody or in the foster care system can access abortion through the current parental consent law.</p><p>An answer to the question of constitutionality may instead come from a separate lawsuit filed in February 2024 in Cole County by the attorney general’s office alleging Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which oversees clinics in Kansas City and Columbia, illegally transported minors out of state for abortions.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/29/missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-project-veritas/">The lawsuit relied on a staged video&nbsp;filmed and edited by Project Veritas</a>, a conservative news organization. In the footage, a man working with Project Veritas goes to a Kansas City area Planned Parenthood and pretends to have a 13-year-old niece who he says needs an abortion. The employee tells the man that Planned Parenthood can help the girl get an abortion in Kansas.</p><p>Planned Parenthood has said the lawsuit should be dropped because the video was based on a hypothetical situation and because abortion is now legal.&nbsp;</p><p>“I find that the right to reproductive freedom initiative does not address the issue of parental consent,”&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/attorney-general-andrew-bailey-demands-records-from-missouri-abortion-nonprofit/">Boone County Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs said in April.</a>&nbsp;“And because of that, I’m going to deny the motion to dismiss.”</p><p>The next hearing date has not yet been set.</p><p>Missourians in November narrowly voted to enshrine the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;This amendment&nbsp;</a>includes a provision that prohibits the government from discriminating “against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care or assisting another person in doing so.”&nbsp;</p><p>The amendment does allow the government to legislate abortion access if compelling governmental interest exists.&nbsp;</p><p>A new amendment proposed by the Republican legislature is set to appear on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, it will<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/07/missouri-abortion-ban-amendment-ballot-language-2026/">&nbsp;repeal the reproductive rights amendment and ban nearly all abortions,&nbsp;</a>with limited exceptions for survivors and for medical emergencies.</p>

Judge throws out lawsuit challenging Missouri’s parental consent abortion law for minors

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old war.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said separately that the deal would ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops as well as allow for the entry of aid and exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarize, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory. But the agreement nonetheless marked the most momentous development since a deal in January and February that involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.

Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.

Yet another hint of a deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rubio-note-middle-east-peace-f570658c65daefab6d0af9b29e851dd7">passed Trump a note</a>&nbsp;on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.

The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;was holding a roundtable event with conservative influencers about antifa Wednesday when Secretary of State Marco Rubio, standing in the back corner of the White House’s Blue Room, caught his eye.

He had news for Trump, he said, but it would have to wait until after the media left. Then Rubio passed the president a note.

News photographers covering the event zoomed in on the handwriting on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.”

“I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal on the Middle East, and they’re gonna need me pretty quickly,” Trump said. “So we’ll take a couple of more questions.”

The influencer event had already been going on for more than an hour when Rubio first approached. The president invited him to come in, and Rubio whispered something to Trump before handing him the note.

The note’s urgent tone came as Trump’s top Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other senior officials joined a third day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">peace talks</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hamas at an Egyptian resort Wednesday — a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">an American plan</a>&nbsp;to end the war in Gaza.

Trump had kicked off the influencer event by telling assembled journalists that he planned to travel to the Middle East “toward the end of the week” and could even “make the rounds” in the region to Egypt and possibly the Gaza Strip as U.S. negotiators closed in on a deal.

Still, even after Rubio passed Trump the note, Trump continued to talk to the influencers and take questions from the media as the secretary of state became visibly anxious.

Nearly 10 minutes after his initial comments about leaving, Trump said: “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East — although I’m very well represented by our secretary of state. He could probably do an even better job than me, but who knows.”

“We don’t want to take any chances. So we’re going to go and do that,” Trump added.

He then suggested Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stay and take questions in his absence. However, Trump continued to take questions before the event finally broke up without Cabinet members remaining behind.

“We’re gonna get peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrapped by saying. “That’s what we want to do.”

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old war.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🚨🚨🚨 <a href="https://t.co/14iLLYKxVY">pic.twitter.com/14iLLYKxVY</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976058170251399241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”</p><p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said separately that the deal would ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops as well as allow for the entry of aid and exchange of hostages and prisoners.</p><p>Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.</p><p>It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarize, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory. But the agreement nonetheless marked the most momentous development since a deal in January and February that involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.</p><p>The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.</p><p>The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we&#39;re very close to a deal in the Middle East.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EGn45SgLfm">pic.twitter.com/EGn45SgLfm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976031749022142872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Iconic <a href="https://t.co/4VutKfZJWT">https://t.co/4VutKfZJWT</a> <a href="https://t.co/m6AFDXKyT0">pic.twitter.com/m6AFDXKyT0</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976032423633953106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.</p><p>Yet another hint of a deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rubio-note-middle-east-peace-f570658c65daefab6d0af9b29e851dd7">passed Trump a note</a>&nbsp;on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.</p><p>The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”</p><p>--------------</p><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;was holding a roundtable event with conservative influencers about antifa Wednesday when Secretary of State Marco Rubio, standing in the back corner of the White House’s Blue Room, caught his eye.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I was just dealing with people from the Middle East... on the potential peace deal... it&#39;s something I think that will happen — got a good chance of happening. I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday, actually.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/szAzxxBZNC">pic.twitter.com/szAzxxBZNC</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976009390642823648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>He had news for Trump, he said, but it would have to wait until after the media left. Then Rubio passed the president a note.</p><p>News photographers covering the event zoomed in on the handwriting on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.”</p><p>“I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal on the Middle East, and they’re gonna need me pretty quickly,” Trump said. “So we’ll take a couple of more questions.”</p><p>The influencer event had already been going on for more than an hour when Rubio first approached. The president invited him to come in, and Rubio whispered something to Trump before handing him the note.</p><p>The note’s urgent tone came as Trump’s top Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other senior officials joined a third day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">peace talks</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hamas at an Egyptian resort Wednesday — a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">an American plan</a>&nbsp;to end the war in Gaza.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we&#39;re very close to a deal in the Middle East.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EGn45SgLfm">pic.twitter.com/EGn45SgLfm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976031749022142872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Iconic <a href="https://t.co/4VutKfZJWT">https://t.co/4VutKfZJWT</a> <a href="https://t.co/m6AFDXKyT0">pic.twitter.com/m6AFDXKyT0</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976032423633953106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump had kicked off the influencer event by telling assembled journalists that he planned to travel to the Middle East “toward the end of the week” and could even “make the rounds” in the region to Egypt and possibly the Gaza Strip as U.S. negotiators closed in on a deal.</p><p>Still, even after Rubio passed Trump the note, Trump continued to talk to the influencers and take questions from the media as the secretary of state became visibly anxious.</p><p>Nearly 10 minutes after his initial comments about leaving, Trump said: “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East — although I’m very well represented by our secretary of state. He could probably do an even better job than me, but who knows.”</p><p>“We don’t want to take any chances. So we’re going to go and do that,” Trump added.</p><p>He then suggested Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stay and take questions in his absence. However, Trump continued to take questions before the event finally broke up without Cabinet members remaining behind.</p><p>“We’re gonna get peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrapped by saying. “That’s what we want to do.”</p>

🎥Trump has good news on Middle East peace, hostage release

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;“ain't dead yet,” the country superstar said on social media Wednesday following public speculation about her health.

“There are just a lot of rumors flying around. But I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay,” the 79-year-old singer said in a new two-minute video&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/dollyparton/reel/DPjkor7kfeb/">posted on Instagram.</a>&nbsp;“I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”

Her post, which appeared on numerous of Parton's social media accounts and her website, was captioned, “I ain't dead yet.”

Late last month Parton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-las-vegas-residency-health-scare-210a75da9b16a3ec7cca3a5b12c52ef5">postponed her first Las Vegas residency</a>&nbsp;in 32 years, citing “health challenges.”

She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, overlapping with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-finals-rodeo-nfr-las-vegas-4df317c307fb23e2e02f602c74083bb3">the National Finals Rodeo.</a>&nbsp;Her dates have been moved to next year — Sept. 2026.

She did not provide specific details at the time, writing, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

In the new video clip shared Wednesday, Parton is seen sitting on a set speaking directly to camera, telling her audience that she's about to record a few commercials for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elmo-sesame-street-grand-ole-opry-1e6475ca83df447c0f541596d8ef1bdc">the Grand Ole Opry,</a>&nbsp;which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

“Everyone thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I'm working hard here! Anyway, I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you who seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate," she continued. “And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything.”

On Tuesday, a Facebook posted shared by her sister Freida Parton escalated concerns around Parton's health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Hours later, Freida Parton followed up with another post.

“I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she wrote. “She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer."

Parton offered her own clarification in the video, referencing her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-husband-carl-dean-dies-2b17ba0e44bcb864a3800bc17afdedeb">late husband of nearly 60 years Carl Dean,</a>&nbsp;who died earlier this year at age 82.

“I want you to know that I'm OK. I've got some problems as I've mentioned. Back when my husband Carl was very sick, that was for a long time, and then when he passed, I didn't take care of myself. So I let a lot of things go that I should've been taking care of,” she said. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt, where I'm kind of having a few treatments here and there.”

And in true Parton fashion, she ended with a joke. "But I wanted you to know that I'm not dying. Did you see that AI picture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/reba-mcentire">Reba (McEntire)</a>&nbsp;and me, oh Lordy! I mean, they had Reba at my death bed, and we both look like we need to be buried," she laughed.

“If I was really dying, I don't think Reba would be the one at my death bed. She might come visit me earlier.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;“ain't dead yet,” the country superstar said on social media Wednesday following public speculation about her health.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I ain’t dead yet! <a href="https://t.co/Mp553laadI">pic.twitter.com/Mp553laadI</a></p>&mdash; Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) <a href="https://twitter.com/DollyParton/status/1975970769407705160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“There are just a lot of rumors flying around. But I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay,” the 79-year-old singer said in a new two-minute video&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/dollyparton/reel/DPjkor7kfeb/">posted on Instagram.</a>&nbsp;“I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”</p><p>Her post, which appeared on numerous of Parton's social media accounts and her website, was captioned, “I ain't dead yet.”</p><p>Late last month Parton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-las-vegas-residency-health-scare-210a75da9b16a3ec7cca3a5b12c52ef5">postponed her first Las Vegas residency</a>&nbsp;in 32 years, citing “health challenges.”</p><p>She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, overlapping with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-finals-rodeo-nfr-las-vegas-4df317c307fb23e2e02f602c74083bb3">the National Finals Rodeo.</a>&nbsp;Her dates have been moved to next year — Sept. 2026.</p><p>She did not provide specific details at the time, writing, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”</p><p>In the new video clip shared Wednesday, Parton is seen sitting on a set speaking directly to camera, telling her audience that she's about to record a few commercials for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elmo-sesame-street-grand-ole-opry-1e6475ca83df447c0f541596d8ef1bdc">the Grand Ole Opry,</a>&nbsp;which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.</p><p>“Everyone thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I'm working hard here! Anyway, I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you who seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate," she continued. “And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything.”</p><p>On Tuesday, a Facebook posted shared by her sister Freida Parton escalated concerns around Parton's health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Hours later, Freida Parton followed up with another post.</p><p>“I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she wrote. “She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer."</p><p>Parton offered her own clarification in the video, referencing her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-husband-carl-dean-dies-2b17ba0e44bcb864a3800bc17afdedeb">late husband of nearly 60 years Carl Dean,</a>&nbsp;who died earlier this year at age 82.</p><p>“I want you to know that I'm OK. I've got some problems as I've mentioned. Back when my husband Carl was very sick, that was for a long time, and then when he passed, I didn't take care of myself. So I let a lot of things go that I should've been taking care of,” she said. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt, where I'm kind of having a few treatments here and there.”</p><p>And in true Parton fashion, she ended with a joke. "But I wanted you to know that I'm not dying. Did you see that AI picture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/reba-mcentire">Reba (McEntire)</a>&nbsp;and me, oh Lordy! I mean, they had Reba at my death bed, and we both look like we need to be buried," she laughed.</p><p>“If I was really dying, I don't think Reba would be the one at my death bed. She might come visit me earlier.</p>

🎥Dolly Parton responds to concerns about her health

KANSAS CITY —A tree trimmer was critically injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to the reported high-angle rescue and possible electrocution in the 2400 block of Brighton, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews encountered a tree trimmer who had come in to contact with an overhead power line. 

The patient was unconscious and suspended by his safety rope. The patient was lowered to the ground and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Kansas City police responded to the scene as part of protocol and is now investigating the incident. 

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759954466260.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A tree trimmer was critically injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.</p><p>The Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to the reported high-angle rescue and possible electrocution in the 2400 block of Brighton, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews encountered a tree trimmer who had come in to contact with an overhead power line. </p><p>The patient was unconscious and suspended by his safety rope. The patient was lowered to the ground and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Kansas City police responded to the scene as part of protocol and is now investigating the incident. </p>

Tree trimmer in KC hospital after making contact with power line

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Staff at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center are mourning the loss of a beloved elephant.

Cora, the Zoo’s 67-year-old Asian elephant was humanely euthanized following a recent and more rapid decline in her health, according to a statement from the zoo.

Her caregivers made this difficult but compassionate decision out of love and respect for her well-being. Cora passed peacefully, surrounded by her devoted zoo family. Cora was one of the oldest Asian elephants in human care in the United States, living far beyond the average life expectancy for her species. 

 Cora’s story is one of both extraordinary longevity and cultural legacy. Before calling Topeka home, Cora enjoyed a brush with Hollywood fame, starring as “Charlotte” in the 1980 hit film Smokey and the Bandit II, which became the eighth highest-grossing movie of that year. 

Her gentle personality and intelligence made her a natural performer, and she remained a fan favorite for decades. After her film career and traveling lifestyle, Cora joined the Topeka Zoo family in 2016, where she retired from the entertainment business and became an ambassador for her species and a cherished part of the community. 

“Cora will be deeply missed,” said Fawn Moser, Chief Operating Officer of the Topeka Zoo. “She lived a long and beautiful life, and her impact on everyone who knew her—keepers, guests, and fans around the world—will never be forgotten. Her story reminds us of the deep bonds we share with the animals in our care.”

Throughout the process, African elephant Tembo has remained at the forefront of the Zoo’s focus. Elephants form bonds &amp; can sometimes show signs of grieving. To allow her to process, Tembo was given time to view Cora after she had passed. While she has not shown any major change in behavior, we will closely monitor Tembo to ensure she has the support she needs now and in the future. 

At 55 years old, Tembo is geriatric and has been at the Topeka Zoo since the 70s, arriving when she was a 6-year-old juvenile. "Every day we have with her is a gift."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759932378597.png" alt="Cora -photo courtesy Topeka Zoo" />
                        <figcaption>Cora -photo courtesy Topeka Zoo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Staff at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center are mourning the loss of a beloved elephant.</p><p>Cora, the Zoo’s 67-year-old Asian elephant was humanely euthanized following a recent and more rapid decline in her health, according to a statement from the zoo.</p><p>Her caregivers made this difficult but compassionate decision out of love and respect for her well-being. Cora passed peacefully, surrounded by her devoted zoo family. Cora was one of the oldest Asian elephants in human care in the United States, living far beyond the average life expectancy for her species. </p><p> Cora’s story is one of both extraordinary longevity and cultural legacy. Before calling Topeka home, Cora enjoyed a brush with Hollywood fame, starring as “Charlotte” in the 1980 hit film Smokey and the Bandit II, which became the eighth highest-grossing movie of that year. </p><p>Her gentle personality and intelligence made her a natural performer, and she remained a fan favorite for decades. After her film career and traveling lifestyle, Cora joined the Topeka Zoo family in 2016, where she retired from the entertainment business and became an ambassador for her species and a cherished part of the community. </p><p>“Cora will be deeply missed,” said Fawn Moser, Chief Operating Officer of the Topeka Zoo. “She lived a long and beautiful life, and her impact on everyone who knew her—keepers, guests, and fans around the world—will never be forgotten. Her story reminds us of the deep bonds we share with the animals in our care.”</p><p>Throughout the process, African elephant Tembo has remained at the forefront of the Zoo’s focus. Elephants form bonds &amp; can sometimes show signs of grieving. To allow her to process, Tembo was given time to view Cora after she had passed. While she has not shown any major change in behavior, we will closely monitor Tembo to ensure she has the support she needs now and in the future. </p><p>At 55 years old, Tembo is geriatric and has been at the Topeka Zoo since the 70s, arriving when she was a 6-year-old juvenile. "Every day we have with her is a gift."</p>

Kansas zoo elephant, with Hollywood career, has died at 67

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-comey">James Comey</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in a criminal case that has highlighted the Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-weaponizing-government-second-term-54ab244ccb2328d116a498bbaeb680ef">efforts to target adversaries</a>&nbsp;of President Donald Trump, with lawyers for the former FBI director saying that they plan to argue the prosecution is politically motivated and should be dismissed.

The arraignment lasted less than half an hour. But it was nonetheless loaded with historical significance given that the case has amplified concerns&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-congress-8674e9110d0d99b884ae9df530aa18bc">the Justice Department is being weaponized</a>&nbsp;in pursuit of Trump's political enemies and is operating at the behest of a White House determined to seek retribution for perceived wrongs against the Republican president.

Comey's not guilty plea to allegations that he lied to Congress five years ago kick-starts a process of legal wrangling at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington. Defense lawyers said they intend to ask that the case be thrown out before trial on the grounds that it amounts to a vindictive prosecution and to challenge the appointment of the prosecutor who brought it after being hastily named to the post days earlier by Trump.

“It’s the honor of my life to represent Mr. Comey in this matter,” one of Comey's lawyers, Patrick Fitzgerald, a longtime friend who served with him in President George W. Bush's Justice Department, said in court on Wednesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">The indictment</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago followed an extraordinary chain of events that saw Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-bondi-investigations-97207519e02dea460d6c68cc8b585c33">publicly implore</a>&nbsp;Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and other perceived adversaries. The president also replaced the veteran attorney who had been overseeing the investigation with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-eastern-district-of-virginia-trump-8c84bd8603a4b932f9cb2e451ef057a3">Lindsey Halligan</a>, a White House aide who had never previously served as a federal prosecutor but had been one of Trump's personal lawyers. Halligan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-james-comey-indictment-bondi-doj-cf18d2b6d411cd323d9a501c49f5b8a4">rushed to file charges</a>&nbsp;before a legal deadline lapsed despite warnings from other lawyers in the office that the evidence was insufficient for an indictment.

Halligan sat at the prosecution table but did not address&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-michael-nachmanoff-james-comey-trump-b59d47e4fe18252c6afaf27af81b85bb">the judge</a>. The two prosecutors who have signed on to handle the case are both based in North Carolina.

The two-count indictment alleges that Comey made a false statement to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-elections-judiciary-5fe42a7cbcc135c7e8f01bff3809e472">the Senate Judiciary Committee</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 30, 2020, by denying he had authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source to the news media and that he obstructed a congressional proceeding. Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has said he's looking forward to a trial, which the judge set for Jan. 5, though that date will be subject to change. The indictment does not identify the associate or say what information may have been discussed with the media, making it challenging to assess the strength of the evidence or to even fully parse the allegations.

Though an indictment is typically just the start of a protracted court process, the Justice Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-comey-justice-department-james-schiff-309c573c2d9d16839afabb3af56ef2f8">trumpeted the development</a>&nbsp;itself as something of a win, regardless of the outcome. Trump administration officials are likely to point to any conviction as proof the case was well-justified, but an acquittal or even dismissal may also be held up as further support for their long-running contention the criminal justice system is stacked against them.

The judge randomly assigned to the case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-michael-nachmanoff-james-comey-trump-b59d47e4fe18252c6afaf27af81b85bb">Michael Nachmanoff</a>, was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration and is a former chief federal defender. Known for methodical preparation and a cool temperament, the judge and his background have already drawn Trump's attention, with the president deriding him as a “Crooked Joe Biden appointed Judge."

Besides Comey, the Justice Department is also investigating other foes of the president, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff of California. Lawyers for James and Schiff, both Democrats, call the investigations meritless.

Several Comey family members arrived in court Wednesday morning ahead of his arraignment, including his daughter Maurene, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-maurene-comey-trump-23fb32ac0e4402873862d3ca6d31d18e">fired by the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;earlier this year from her position as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, as well as Troy Edwards Jr., a son-in-law of Comey's who minutes after Comey was indicted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comey-son-law-resign-doj-4051b95b5f532c914cfff14aacdc49e8">resigned his job</a>&nbsp;as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia — the office that filed the charges.

The indictment was the latest chapter in a long-broken relationship between Trump and Comey.

Trump arrived in office in January 2017 as Comey, appointed to the FBI director job by President Barack Obama four years earlier, was overseeing an investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

The dynamic was fraught from the start, with Comey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-united-states-congress-general-news-3517e85629dd4a05891badc536713aa3">briefing Trump weeks before he took office</a>&nbsp;on the existence of uncorroborated and sexually salacious gossip in a dossier of opposition research compiled by a former British spy.

In their first several private interactions, Comey would later reveal, Trump asked his FBI director to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-congress-6ad1d266ad894766af68f6ff9e883d2c">pledge his loyalty</a>&nbsp;to him and to drop an FBI investigation into his administration’s first national security adviser,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Michael Flynn</a>. Comey said Trump also asked him to announce that Trump himself was not under investigation as part of the broader inquiry into Russian election interference, something Comey did not do.

Comey was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-4ff1ecb621884a728b25e62661257ef0">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;in May 2017 while at an event in Los Angeles, with Trump later saying he was thinking about “this Russia thing” when he decided to terminate him. The firing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">investigated by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;as an act of potential obstruction of justice.

Comey in 2018 published a memoir, “A Higher Loyalty,” that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e123c8153d6497c9e07ec77bdd24171">painted Trump in deeply unflattering ways</a>, likening him to a mafia don and characterizing him as unethical and “untethered to truth.”

Trump, for his part, continued to angrily vent at Comey as the Russia investigation led by Mueller dominated headlines for the next two years and shadowed his first administration. On social media, he repeatedly claimed Comey should face charges for “treason” — an accusation Comey dismissed as “dumb lies” — and called him an “untruthful slime ball.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759946542778.png" alt="Protesters demonstrated outside the Eastern District of Virginia federal courthouse in Alexandria ahead of the arraignment of former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
                        <figcaption>Protesters demonstrated outside the Eastern District of Virginia federal courthouse in Alexandria ahead of the arraignment of former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-comey">James Comey</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in a criminal case that has highlighted the Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-weaponizing-government-second-term-54ab244ccb2328d116a498bbaeb680ef">efforts to target adversaries</a>&nbsp;of President Donald Trump, with lawyers for the former FBI director saying that they plan to argue the prosecution is politically motivated and should be dismissed.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPC1sFFD2iF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPC1sFFD2iF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPC1sFFD2iF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by James Comey (@comey)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>The arraignment lasted less than half an hour. But it was nonetheless loaded with historical significance given that the case has amplified concerns&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pam-bondi-justice-department-congress-8674e9110d0d99b884ae9df530aa18bc">the Justice Department is being weaponized</a>&nbsp;in pursuit of Trump's political enemies and is operating at the behest of a White House determined to seek retribution for perceived wrongs against the Republican president.</p><p>Comey's not guilty plea to allegations that he lied to Congress five years ago kick-starts a process of legal wrangling at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington. Defense lawyers said they intend to ask that the case be thrown out before trial on the grounds that it amounts to a vindictive prosecution and to challenge the appointment of the prosecutor who brought it after being hastily named to the post days earlier by Trump.</p><p>“It’s the honor of my life to represent Mr. Comey in this matter,” one of Comey's lawyers, Patrick Fitzgerald, a longtime friend who served with him in President George W. Bush's Justice Department, said in court on Wednesday.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">The indictment</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago followed an extraordinary chain of events that saw Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-bondi-investigations-97207519e02dea460d6c68cc8b585c33">publicly implore</a>&nbsp;Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and other perceived adversaries. The president also replaced the veteran attorney who had been overseeing the investigation with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-eastern-district-of-virginia-trump-8c84bd8603a4b932f9cb2e451ef057a3">Lindsey Halligan</a>, a White House aide who had never previously served as a federal prosecutor but had been one of Trump's personal lawyers. Halligan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-james-comey-indictment-bondi-doj-cf18d2b6d411cd323d9a501c49f5b8a4">rushed to file charges</a>&nbsp;before a legal deadline lapsed despite warnings from other lawyers in the office that the evidence was insufficient for an indictment.</p><p>Halligan sat at the prosecution table but did not address&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-michael-nachmanoff-james-comey-trump-b59d47e4fe18252c6afaf27af81b85bb">the judge</a>. The two prosecutors who have signed on to handle the case are both based in North Carolina.</p><h2>What the indictment says</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758884974711.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758885000026.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.</p>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1971345371583611099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The two-count indictment alleges that Comey made a false statement to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-donald-trump-confirmation-hearings-elections-judiciary-5fe42a7cbcc135c7e8f01bff3809e472">the Senate Judiciary Committee</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 30, 2020, by denying he had authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source to the news media and that he obstructed a congressional proceeding. Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has said he's looking forward to a trial, which the judge set for Jan. 5, though that date will be subject to change. The indictment does not identify the associate or say what information may have been discussed with the media, making it challenging to assess the strength of the evidence or to even fully parse the allegations.</p><p>Though an indictment is typically just the start of a protracted court process, the Justice Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-comey-justice-department-james-schiff-309c573c2d9d16839afabb3af56ef2f8">trumpeted the development</a>&nbsp;itself as something of a win, regardless of the outcome. Trump administration officials are likely to point to any conviction as proof the case was well-justified, but an acquittal or even dismissal may also be held up as further support for their long-running contention the criminal justice system is stacked against them.</p><h2>The judge was nominated by Biden</h2><p>The judge randomly assigned to the case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-michael-nachmanoff-james-comey-trump-b59d47e4fe18252c6afaf27af81b85bb">Michael Nachmanoff</a>, was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration and is a former chief federal defender. Known for methodical preparation and a cool temperament, the judge and his background have already drawn Trump's attention, with the president deriding him as a “Crooked Joe Biden appointed Judge."</p><p>Besides Comey, the Justice Department is also investigating other foes of the president, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff of California. Lawyers for James and Schiff, both Democrats, call the investigations meritless.</p><p>Several Comey family members arrived in court Wednesday morning ahead of his arraignment, including his daughter Maurene, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-maurene-comey-trump-23fb32ac0e4402873862d3ca6d31d18e">fired by the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;earlier this year from her position as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, as well as Troy Edwards Jr., a son-in-law of Comey's who minutes after Comey was indicted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/comey-son-law-resign-doj-4051b95b5f532c914cfff14aacdc49e8">resigned his job</a>&nbsp;as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia — the office that filed the charges.</p><h2>Trump and Comey's fraught relationship</h2><p>The indictment was the latest chapter in a long-broken relationship between Trump and Comey.</p><p>Trump arrived in office in January 2017 as Comey, appointed to the FBI director job by President Barack Obama four years earlier, was overseeing an investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.</p><p>The dynamic was fraught from the start, with Comey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-united-states-congress-general-news-3517e85629dd4a05891badc536713aa3">briefing Trump weeks before he took office</a>&nbsp;on the existence of uncorroborated and sexually salacious gossip in a dossier of opposition research compiled by a former British spy.</p><p>In their first several private interactions, Comey would later reveal, Trump asked his FBI director to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-congress-6ad1d266ad894766af68f6ff9e883d2c">pledge his loyalty</a>&nbsp;to him and to drop an FBI investigation into his administration’s first national security adviser,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Michael Flynn</a>. Comey said Trump also asked him to announce that Trump himself was not under investigation as part of the broader inquiry into Russian election interference, something Comey did not do.</p><p>Comey was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-4ff1ecb621884a728b25e62661257ef0">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;in May 2017 while at an event in Los Angeles, with Trump later saying he was thinking about “this Russia thing” when he decided to terminate him. The firing was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">investigated by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller</a>&nbsp;as an act of potential obstruction of justice.</p><p>Comey in 2018 published a memoir, “A Higher Loyalty,” that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e123c8153d6497c9e07ec77bdd24171">painted Trump in deeply unflattering ways</a>, likening him to a mafia don and characterizing him as unethical and “untethered to truth.”</p><p>Trump, for his part, continued to angrily vent at Comey as the Russia investigation led by Mueller dominated headlines for the next two years and shadowed his first administration. On social media, he repeatedly claimed Comey should face charges for “treason” — an accusation Comey dismissed as “dumb lies” — and called him an “untruthful slime ball.”</p><p>___</p>

Former FBI director faces a judge on federal charges of lying to Congress

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 29-year-old man charged with sparking one of the most destructive blazes in California history likely used a lighter to start a fire on New Year’s Day that smoldered underground and reignited almost a week later, killing 12 people in wealthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-los-angeles-wildfires-eaton-palisides-urban-area-a162c86589b9102a85c510246539ab72">Los Angeles-area neighborhoods</a>, authorities said Wednesday.

Federal law enforcement officials charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with lighting the Jan. 1 fire that was extinguished by fire crews only to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-evacuation-alerts-69f10d320df14c6394fc2c646d1ff0ce">flare up days later</a>&nbsp;during high winds, acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida and made his first court appearance Wednesday in Orlando on charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison. Wearing shorts and a T-shirt while shackled at the ankles, he told a federal magistrate in a soft-spoken voice that he was not under the influence and did not have mental issues.

The judge set a hearing for Thursday to consider bond and extradition proceedings. Aisha Nash, the federal public defender assigned to represent Rinderknecht, did not respond to Associated Press requests for comment.

The Palisades Fire — one of two that broke out on Jan. 7, killing more than 30 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/california-los-angeles-area-wildfires-wildfires-general-news-domestic-news-0dfd72012e85c8c682a7a5dfa678274c">destroying more than 17,000 homes and buildings</a>&nbsp;while burning for days in Los Angeles County — ripped through hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, destroying mansions with spectacular views of the ocean and downtown LA.

Suspect talked to authorities three weeks after the fire

Investigators said Wednesday that Rinderknecht had been working as an Uber driver, and after dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, he parked and walked up a trail. He then used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song with a music video that shows objects being lit on fire, prosecutors said.

He fled the scene after starting the fire, but returned to the same trail to watch it burn, Essayli said.

“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” Essayli said.

Uber said in a statement that it worked with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the driver’s whereabouts around the time of the fire.

Rinderknecht also made several 911 calls to report the fire, according to a criminal complaint.

During an interview Jan. 24, Rinderknecht told investigators where the fire began, information not yet public and that he would not have known if he hadn’t witnessed it, the complaint said.

He lied about his location, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail, Essayli said.

The suspect was visibly anxious during that interview, according to the complaint. His efforts to call 911 and his question to ChatGPT about a cigarette lighting a fire indicated he “wanted to preserve evidence of himself trying to assist in the suppression of the fire and he wanted to create evidence regarding a more innocent explanation for the cause of the fire,” the complaint said.

Investigators determined the Jan. 1 fire was intentionally lit, likely by a lighter taken to vegetation or paper, according to the criminal complaint. They excluded other possibilities, including fireworks, lightning and power lines. Authorities also looked into whether a cigarette may have caused the fire, but concluded that was not the cause, the complaint says.

Investigators found a “barbecue-style” lighter inside the glove compartment of Rinderknecht's car on Jan. 24. It appeared to be the same lighter as one that was in his apartment on Dec. 31, based on a photo on his phone. He admitted to bringing a lighter with him when he walked up the hill.

Second LA fire remains under investigation

Investigators still haven’t determined the cause of a second blaze called the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/drone-footage-reveals-devastated-altadena-neighborhood-following-eaton-wildfire-f823a1f0beee4315b98c811c5f21eda5">community of Altadena</a>&nbsp;and killed 19 people.

Both fires reduced block after block of entire neighborhoods to gray and black debris, destroying homes, schools, businesses and churches. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-los-angeles-rebuild-home-construction-00b7bb360581616c2e6415f32db13e45">rebuilding is underway</a>&nbsp;in some neighborhoods, it will take years. Many homeowners will not be able to afford it, even those with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-insurance-fair-plan-lawsuit-950c41726b47f58403a907d32ec5e742">insurance</a>.

An outside review released in September found that a lack of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eaton-fire-california-report-f053786a9670af06a0a90cd2ea7150f0">resources and outdated policies</a>&nbsp;for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings.

The report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors said a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the county’s response.

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporters Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; and Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C., contributed.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759939153486.png" alt="Palisades fire -photo FAA" />
                        <figcaption>Palisades fire -photo FAA</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 29-year-old man charged with sparking one of the most destructive blazes in California history likely used a lighter to start a fire on New Year’s Day that smoldered underground and reignited almost a week later, killing 12 people in wealthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-los-angeles-wildfires-eaton-palisides-urban-area-a162c86589b9102a85c510246539ab72">Los Angeles-area neighborhoods</a>, authorities said Wednesday.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759941697774.png" alt="Rinderknecht photo Department of Justice" />
                        <figcaption>Rinderknecht photo Department of Justice</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Federal law enforcement officials charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with lighting the Jan. 1 fire that was extinguished by fire crews only to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-evacuation-alerts-69f10d320df14c6394fc2c646d1ff0ce">flare up days later</a>&nbsp;during high winds, acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.</p><p>Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida and made his first court appearance Wednesday in Orlando on charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison. Wearing shorts and a T-shirt while shackled at the ankles, he told a federal magistrate in a soft-spoken voice that he was not under the influence and did not have mental issues.</p><p>The judge set a hearing for Thursday to consider bond and extradition proceedings. Aisha Nash, the federal public defender assigned to represent Rinderknecht, did not respond to Associated Press requests for comment.</p><p>The Palisades Fire — one of two that broke out on Jan. 7, killing more than 30 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/california-los-angeles-area-wildfires-wildfires-general-news-domestic-news-0dfd72012e85c8c682a7a5dfa678274c">destroying more than 17,000 homes and buildings</a>&nbsp;while burning for days in Los Angeles County — ripped through hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, destroying mansions with spectacular views of the ocean and downtown LA.</p><h2>Suspect talked to authorities three weeks after the fire</h2><p>Investigators said Wednesday that Rinderknecht had been working as an Uber driver, and after dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, he parked and walked up a trail. He then used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song with a music video that shows objects being lit on fire, prosecutors said.</p><p>He fled the scene after starting the fire, but returned to the same trail to watch it burn, Essayli said.</p><p>“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” Essayli said.</p><p>Uber said in a statement that it worked with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the driver’s whereabouts around the time of the fire.</p><p>Rinderknecht also made several 911 calls to report the fire, according to a criminal complaint.</p><p>During an interview Jan. 24, Rinderknecht told investigators where the fire began, information not yet public and that he would not have known if he hadn’t witnessed it, the complaint said.</p><p>He lied about his location, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail, Essayli said.</p><p>The suspect was visibly anxious during that interview, according to the complaint. His efforts to call 911 and his question to ChatGPT about a cigarette lighting a fire indicated he “wanted to preserve evidence of himself trying to assist in the suppression of the fire and he wanted to create evidence regarding a more innocent explanation for the cause of the fire,” the complaint said.</p><h2>Investigators say they found a lighter</h2><p>Investigators determined the Jan. 1 fire was intentionally lit, likely by a lighter taken to vegetation or paper, according to the criminal complaint. They excluded other possibilities, including fireworks, lightning and power lines. Authorities also looked into whether a cigarette may have caused the fire, but concluded that was not the cause, the complaint says.</p><p>Investigators found a “barbecue-style” lighter inside the glove compartment of Rinderknecht's car on Jan. 24. It appeared to be the same lighter as one that was in his apartment on Dec. 31, based on a photo on his phone. He admitted to bringing a lighter with him when he walked up the hill.</p><h2>Second LA fire remains under investigation</h2><p>Investigators still haven’t determined the cause of a second blaze called the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/drone-footage-reveals-devastated-altadena-neighborhood-following-eaton-wildfire-f823a1f0beee4315b98c811c5f21eda5">community of Altadena</a>&nbsp;and killed 19 people.</p><p>Both fires reduced block after block of entire neighborhoods to gray and black debris, destroying homes, schools, businesses and churches. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-los-angeles-rebuild-home-construction-00b7bb360581616c2e6415f32db13e45">rebuilding is underway</a>&nbsp;in some neighborhoods, it will take years. Many homeowners will not be able to afford it, even those with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-insurance-fair-plan-lawsuit-950c41726b47f58403a907d32ec5e742">insurance</a>.</p><p>An outside review released in September found that a lack of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eaton-fire-california-report-f053786a9670af06a0a90cd2ea7150f0">resources and outdated policies</a>&nbsp;for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings.</p><p>The report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors said a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the county’s response.</p><p>___</p><p>Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporters Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; and Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C., contributed.</p><p>___</p>

Man arrested, accused of starting wildfire that leveled LA neighborhood

SUMNER COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by John Karlin&nbsp;Stoddard, 56, Belle Plaine, was eastbound in the 1100 Block of U.S. 160. The pickup traveled left of center and struck a westbound 2016 Peterbilt box-truck driven by Michael Anthony&nbsp;Windahl, 29, Harper.&nbsp;

After impact, both&nbsp;vehicles came to rest in the south ditch and caught on fire.

Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Cornejo Funeral Home. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details.

SUMNER COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash and fire that occurred just before 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.

The Patrol reported an eastbound vehicle in the 1100 Block U.S. 160 traveled left of center and struck a westbound vehicle.&nbsp; After impact the vehicles traveled into a ditch and caught on fire.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759920113656.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SUMNER COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just after 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by John Karlin&nbsp;Stoddard, 56, Belle Plaine, was eastbound in the 1100 Block of U.S. 160. The pickup traveled left of center and struck a westbound 2016 Peterbilt box-truck driven by Michael Anthony&nbsp;Windahl, 29, Harper.&nbsp;</p><p>After impact, both&nbsp;vehicles came to rest in the south ditch and caught on fire.</p><p>Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to Cornejo Funeral Home. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details.</p><p>------------</p><p>SUMNER COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash and fire that occurred just before 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.</p><p>The Patrol reported an eastbound vehicle in the 1100 Block U.S. 160 traveled left of center and struck a westbound vehicle.&nbsp; After impact the vehicles traveled into a ditch and caught on fire.</p><p>Check the Post for additional details as they become available.</p>

KHP IDs victims in fatal 2-vehicle crash and fire

Federal health officials this week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-spinach-may-be">warned</a>&nbsp;people not to eat certain Hello Fresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria.

The U.S. Agriculture Department issued a public health alert for the meals, which were produced by FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California-based company linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-meatball-chicken-alfredo-listeria-70ffb419f0ac7dfc13d2a1b655c1578f">expanding listeria outbreak</a>&nbsp;tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals.

The products include 10.1-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both were shipped directly to consumers.

The pork pepper pasta is identified with establishment number Est. 47718 and lot code 49107 or Est. 2937 and lot code 48840. The unstuffed peppers with ground turkey is identified with Est. P-47718 and lot codes 50069, 50073 or 50698.

The problem was discovered when FreshRealm notified the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service that the quick-frozen spinach used in the products tested positive for listeria. The spinach was provided by Sno Pac Foods of Caledonia, Minnesota, through their supplier, Del Mar Foods of Watsonville, California. The strain of listeria detected did not match any known outbreak and no illnesses have been reported, FreshRealm officials said in a statement.

Last month, FreshRealm said that tests confirmed that pasta used in linguine dishes sold at Walmart contained the same strain of listeria linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-chicken-fettucine-alfredo-kroger-walmart-1c3544d1802d7594ca47a7219ffbb111">an outbreak in June.</a>&nbsp;That outbreak, originally tied to chicken fettucine Alfredo, has killed at least four people and sickened 20, with the most recent illness reported Sept. 11.

FreshRealm officials said genetic testing found the outbreak strain of listeria in samples of pasta made and supplied by Nate's Fine Foods of Roseville, California.

Several additional companies including Kroger, Giant Eagle and Albertson's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts">have recalled</a>&nbsp;pasta salads and other dishes made with products from Nate's Fine Foods for potential listeria contamination.

Listeria infections can cause serious illness, particularly in older adults, people with weakened immune systems and those who are pregnant or their newborns. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

About 1,600 people get sick each year from listeria infections and about 260 die, the CDC says. Federal officials in December said they were revamping protocols to prevent listeria infections after several high-profile outbreaks, including one linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-boars-head-deli-meat-65c4016aea0fc9e8505350ebc7b41e39">Boar’s Head deli meats</a>&nbsp;that led to 10 deaths and more than 60 illnesses last year.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721435735887.png" alt="FILE - This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, responsible for the food borne illness listeriosis. (Elizabeth White/CDC via AP, File)" />
                        <figcaption>FILE - This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, responsible for the food borne illness listeriosis. (Elizabeth White/CDC via AP, File)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Federal health officials this week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-spinach-may-be">warned</a>&nbsp;people not to eat certain Hello Fresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria.</p><p>The U.S. Agriculture Department issued a public health alert for the meals, which were produced by FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California-based company linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-meatball-chicken-alfredo-listeria-70ffb419f0ac7dfc13d2a1b655c1578f">expanding listeria outbreak</a>&nbsp;tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals.</p><p>The products include 10.1-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both were shipped directly to consumers.</p><p>The pork pepper pasta is identified with establishment number Est. 47718 and lot code 49107 or Est. 2937 and lot code 48840. The unstuffed peppers with ground turkey is identified with Est. P-47718 and lot codes 50069, 50073 or 50698.</p><p>The problem was discovered when FreshRealm notified the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service that the quick-frozen spinach used in the products tested positive for listeria. The spinach was provided by Sno Pac Foods of Caledonia, Minnesota, through their supplier, Del Mar Foods of Watsonville, California. The strain of listeria detected did not match any known outbreak and no illnesses have been reported, FreshRealm officials said in a statement.</p><p>Last month, FreshRealm said that tests confirmed that pasta used in linguine dishes sold at Walmart contained the same strain of listeria linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-chicken-fettucine-alfredo-kroger-walmart-1c3544d1802d7594ca47a7219ffbb111">an outbreak in June.</a>&nbsp;That outbreak, originally tied to chicken fettucine Alfredo, has killed at least four people and sickened 20, with the most recent illness reported Sept. 11.</p><p>FreshRealm officials said genetic testing found the outbreak strain of listeria in samples of pasta made and supplied by Nate's Fine Foods of Roseville, California.</p><p>Several additional companies including Kroger, Giant Eagle and Albertson's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts">have recalled</a>&nbsp;pasta salads and other dishes made with products from Nate's Fine Foods for potential listeria contamination.</p><p>Listeria infections can cause serious illness, particularly in older adults, people with weakened immune systems and those who are pregnant or their newborns. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.</p><p>About 1,600 people get sick each year from listeria infections and about 260 die, the CDC says. Federal officials in December said they were revamping protocols to prevent listeria infections after several high-profile outbreaks, including one linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-boars-head-deli-meat-65c4016aea0fc9e8505350ebc7b41e39">Boar’s Head deli meats</a>&nbsp;that led to 10 deaths and more than 60 illnesses last year.</p><p>___</p>

USDA warning: Hello Fresh meals may contain listeria-tainted spinach

BOSTON (AP) — Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy who endured a troubled marriage marked by family tragedies, her husband’s infidelities and her own decades-long struggles with alcoholism and mental health, died on Wednesday. She was 89.

The former Joan Bennett, one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7a9e69a087baf9e69eff0ad345bf47e7">last remaining members of a family generation</a>&nbsp;that included President John F. Kennedy, was a model and classically-trained pianist when she married Ted Kennedy in 1958.

Their lives would change unimaginably&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e418fe3d9b9044feb395cb3cbbced7a6">over the next decade</a>&nbsp;and a half. Brother-in-law John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 and assassinated three years later. Brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy served as attorney general under JFK, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1964 and assassinated while seeking the presidency.

Her husband was elected to the U.S. Senate and became among the country’s most respected legislators despite initial misgivings that he was capitalizing on his family connections. But Ted Kennedy also lived through scandals of his own making. In 1969, the car he was driving plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his young female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

Kennedy, who swam to safety and waited hours before alerting police, later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. Chappaquiddick shadowed him for the rest of his life, weighing against his own chances for the presidency.

Joan Kennedy had three children with her husband, but also had miscarriages, including one shortly after the Chappaquiddick accident. She stood by her husband through the scandal, but their estrangement was nearly impossible to hide by the time of his unsuccessful effort to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries. They had been separated by then, and would later divorce. One bumper sticker from the campaign read “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”

Her death comes about a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethel-kennedy-dies-00eb88951db24e0cada9bd48b66ad8ea">Ethel Kennedy,</a>&nbsp;the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, died at the age of 96, having raised their 11 children after he was assassinated, and remaining dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter.

Virginia Joan Bennett was born into a prominent Bronxville, N.Y., family and as a teen she worked as a model in TV ads. She was a classmate of Jean Kennedy, the future senator’s sister, at Manhattanville College, where her exceptional beauty caught Ted Kennedy’s eye when he visited the campus for a building dedication in 1957.

They married a year later, but Joan Kennedy struggled from the start to fit in to the high-powered family.

“Joan was shy and a really reserved person, and the Kennedys aren’t,” Adam Clymer, author of “Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography” said in an 2005 interview with the AP.

Her love of piano would be a trademark for much of her life. She was known for opening her husband's campaign rallies with a piano serenade and, after they divorced, touring with orchestras around the world. Her family said she would combine her masterful playing with a message about the transformational potential of the arts and the need for equitable arts education.

In a 1992 Associated Press interview, she recalled playing piano for brother-in-law Bobby when he ran for president in 1968. “He took me with him and encouraged me,” she said. “He had a theme, ‘This Land Is Your Land,’ the Woody Guthrie song. I’d play that on the piano and everybody would come in, feeling really great about everything.”

“It seems like a long time ago, but it’s part of my memories,” she said, while promoting a book she wrote, which was a guide to appreciating classical music.

She also talked in the interview about how music helped her get through some difficult times, including the deaths of Jack and Bobby Kennedy, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-ddcdb608829b468685eaa722a4a24361">her son Ted Jr.</a>&nbsp;lost his leg to cancer and her separation and divorce from Ted Kennedy.

“I do advise listening to music when you're in grief,” she said. “Music has give me a lot of courage to carry on.”

In a statement, former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-mental-health-spokane-patrick-kennedy-c3192a14ea12469c9e106f20c53b5be4">Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;praised his mother for her courage and talent.

“Besides being a loving mother, talented musician, and instrumental partner to my father as he launched his successful political career, Mom was a power of example to millions of people with mental health conditions,” his statement said. “She will be missed not just by the entire Kennedy Family, but by the arts community in the City of Boston and the many people whose lives that she touched.”

She also became one of the first women to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression.

“I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty,” Ted Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.”

After Chappaquiddick, her drinking worsened. A series of drunken driving arrests led to stays in alcohol treatment programs. Then in 2005, a passerby found her passed out on a Boston sidewalk in the rain, and she was hospitalized with a concussion and broken shoulder. Her children intervened, with Ted Jr. obtaining a court-ordered guardianship for his mother’s care.

Maria Shriver praised her cousins for doing “a great job caring for her, respecting her privacy, and loving her.”

“She courageously shared what it was like to lose a child, get divorced from a famous man, and carry on. Her life was challenging, but she persevered,” the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver posted in a eulogy for her aunt. “As a young girl, I marveled at her grace, her beauty, her elegance. As a woman, I respected her grit, her resilience, her perseverance.”

Joan Kennedy is survived by her two sons, nine grandchildren, a great-grandchild and nearly 30 nieces and nephews. Her daughter, Kara, died in 2011.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759933811580.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BOSTON (AP) — Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy who endured a troubled marriage marked by family tragedies, her husband’s infidelities and her own decades-long struggles with alcoholism and mental health, died on Wednesday. She was 89.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My beloved aunt Joan Bennett Kennedy, former wife of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), classical pianist, music teacher, and advocate for mental health and addiction services, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Boston, Massachusetts yesterday at the age… <a href="https://t.co/a7B145a3Ay">pic.twitter.com/a7B145a3Ay</a></p>&mdash; Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1975982333166555553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The former Joan Bennett, one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7a9e69a087baf9e69eff0ad345bf47e7">last remaining members of a family generation</a>&nbsp;that included President John F. Kennedy, was a model and classically-trained pianist when she married Ted Kennedy in 1958.</p><p>Their lives would change unimaginably&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e418fe3d9b9044feb395cb3cbbced7a6">over the next decade</a>&nbsp;and a half. Brother-in-law John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 and assassinated three years later. Brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy served as attorney general under JFK, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1964 and assassinated while seeking the presidency.</p><p>Her husband was elected to the U.S. Senate and became among the country’s most respected legislators despite initial misgivings that he was capitalizing on his family connections. But Ted Kennedy also lived through scandals of his own making. In 1969, the car he was driving plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his young female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.</p><p>Kennedy, who swam to safety and waited hours before alerting police, later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. Chappaquiddick shadowed him for the rest of his life, weighing against his own chances for the presidency.</p><p>Joan Kennedy had three children with her husband, but also had miscarriages, including one shortly after the Chappaquiddick accident. She stood by her husband through the scandal, but their estrangement was nearly impossible to hide by the time of his unsuccessful effort to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries. They had been separated by then, and would later divorce. One bumper sticker from the campaign read “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”</p><p>Her death comes about a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethel-kennedy-dies-00eb88951db24e0cada9bd48b66ad8ea">Ethel Kennedy,</a>&nbsp;the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, died at the age of 96, having raised their 11 children after he was assassinated, and remaining dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter.</p><p>Virginia Joan Bennett was born into a prominent Bronxville, N.Y., family and as a teen she worked as a model in TV ads. She was a classmate of Jean Kennedy, the future senator’s sister, at Manhattanville College, where her exceptional beauty caught Ted Kennedy’s eye when he visited the campus for a building dedication in 1957.</p><p>They married a year later, but Joan Kennedy struggled from the start to fit in to the high-powered family.</p><p>“Joan was shy and a really reserved person, and the Kennedys aren’t,” Adam Clymer, author of “Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography” said in an 2005 interview with the AP.</p><p>Her love of piano would be a trademark for much of her life. She was known for opening her husband's campaign rallies with a piano serenade and, after they divorced, touring with orchestras around the world. Her family said she would combine her masterful playing with a message about the transformational potential of the arts and the need for equitable arts education.</p><p>In a 1992 Associated Press interview, she recalled playing piano for brother-in-law Bobby when he ran for president in 1968. “He took me with him and encouraged me,” she said. “He had a theme, ‘This Land Is Your Land,’ the Woody Guthrie song. I’d play that on the piano and everybody would come in, feeling really great about everything.”</p><p>“It seems like a long time ago, but it’s part of my memories,” she said, while promoting a book she wrote, which was a guide to appreciating classical music.</p><p>She also talked in the interview about how music helped her get through some difficult times, including the deaths of Jack and Bobby Kennedy, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-ddcdb608829b468685eaa722a4a24361">her son Ted Jr.</a>&nbsp;lost his leg to cancer and her separation and divorce from Ted Kennedy.</p><p>“I do advise listening to music when you're in grief,” she said. “Music has give me a lot of courage to carry on.”</p><p>In a statement, former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-mental-health-spokane-patrick-kennedy-c3192a14ea12469c9e106f20c53b5be4">Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;praised his mother for her courage and talent.</p><p>“Besides being a loving mother, talented musician, and instrumental partner to my father as he launched his successful political career, Mom was a power of example to millions of people with mental health conditions,” his statement said. “She will be missed not just by the entire Kennedy Family, but by the arts community in the City of Boston and the many people whose lives that she touched.”</p><p>She also became one of the first women to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression.</p><p>“I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty,” Ted Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.”</p><p>After Chappaquiddick, her drinking worsened. A series of drunken driving arrests led to stays in alcohol treatment programs. Then in 2005, a passerby found her passed out on a Boston sidewalk in the rain, and she was hospitalized with a concussion and broken shoulder. Her children intervened, with Ted Jr. obtaining a court-ordered guardianship for his mother’s care.</p><p>Maria Shriver praised her cousins for doing “a great job caring for her, respecting her privacy, and loving her.”</p><p>“She courageously shared what it was like to lose a child, get divorced from a famous man, and carry on. Her life was challenging, but she persevered,” the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver posted in a eulogy for her aunt. “As a young girl, I marveled at her grace, her beauty, her elegance. As a woman, I respected her grit, her resilience, her perseverance.”</p><p>Joan Kennedy is survived by her two sons, nine grandchildren, a great-grandchild and nearly 30 nieces and nephews. Her daughter, Kara, died in 2011.</p>

Joan Kennedy, first wife of Sen. Edward Kennedy, has died

Rep. Sharice Davids seeks extension of health tax credit used by 160K Kansans

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

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall diagnosed the ongoing shutdown of the federal government as a malignancy infecting Democratic lawmakers.

The Kansas Republican, who was a physician in an obstetrics practice before elected to Congress, said Democrats at the Capitol were infected with “Trump derangement syndrome.”

“They have a hatred for President Trump that I’ve never seen,” Marshall said on a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Marshall, who was among lawmakers skeptical of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020, said an underlying issue was Democrats had yet to accept outcome of 2024 elections that placed Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House.

“If you want to continue your liberal socialist policies, Democrats, win an election,” Marshall said.

He accused Democrats of using the shutdown that began Oct. 1 to play hypocritical games with U.S. health care policy. The most “failed system” and “biggest waste of money” is the Medicaid system that has enrolled about 400,000 Kansans, he said. The senator said Democrats were complicit in creating financial challenges that threaten rural hospitals in Kansas and other states.

The six-person Kansas congressional delegation — five Republicans, one Democrat — have shared views on the weeklong shutdown tied to failure to pass a short-term funding bill to finance government operations. Democrats conditioned support for a bill on extension of health subsidies that lowered the consumer cost of Affordable Care Act plans. Republicans say the shutdown must end before working on the tax credits for health insurance.

The House adopted a temporary funding bill, but the Senate hasn’t voted for a comparable bill allowing the government to function until Nov. 21.

“This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “The American people — Kansans — deserve something different from the U.S. Senate. Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year. Every local unit of government can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time.”

Moran, who has voted with Marshall to break the Senate’s deadlock, said the federal government shutdown “means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the delegation, said Democrats in Congress were fighting to extend availability of ACA tax credits to keep health care affordable. More than 160,000 Kansans relied last year on tax credits the 3rd District representative said should be made permanent.

“Because congressional Republicans have refused to extend them, premiums could rise by $700 next year, putting thousands of Kansans at risk of paying more or losing coverage,” Davids said.

She said the shutdown would harm hardworking Kansans and the moment called for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a solution.

U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, a Republican serving the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, said the Senate ought to get behind the House-passed bipartisan bill. The approach would get the wheels of government moving and create time for the House and Senate to work on full-year appropriations bills, he said.

“Regrettably,” Schmidt said, “Senate Democrats are insisting on the inclusion of a $1.5 trillion wish list of additional reckless spending instead of passing the House’s continuing resolution. This shutdown is entirely the result of those unreasonable demands.”

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican in the mostly rural 1st District, said the shutdown was triggered by Democrats who wanted taxpayers to “pay for health care for illegal immigrants and authorize trillions of new dollars in federal spending.”

He complained Democrats would rather see Trump fail than work in a bipartisan manner to operate government.

“I understand that some in Washington prefer to grandstand and try to score political points rather than do what’s best for the country, but it is time to stop the political theater and work together to get our fiscal house in order,” Mann said.

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, the 4th District congressman serving the Wichita area, said he had his congressional pay withheld due to the shutdown. He blamed U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and his allies for the impasse.

“Republicans have done our job,” Estes said. “I hope my Democrat colleagues will put Americans first and end this shutdown soon.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759235271107.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, says Democrats interrupted federal government operations due to a "derangement syndrome" tied to opposition of President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Marshall referred to the weeklong shutdown as a "cynical political" effort to comply with "radical left-wing extremists." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector" />
                        <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, says Democrats interrupted federal government operations due to a "derangement syndrome" tied to opposition of President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Marshall referred to the weeklong shutdown as a "cynical political" effort to comply with "radical left-wing extremists." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Rep. Sharice Davids seeks extension of health tax credit used by 160K Kansans</h2><p><b>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall diagnosed the ongoing shutdown of the federal government as a malignancy infecting Democratic lawmakers.</p><p>The Kansas Republican, who was a physician in an obstetrics practice before elected to Congress, said Democrats at the Capitol were infected with “Trump derangement syndrome.”</p><p>“They have a hatred for President Trump that I’ve never seen,” Marshall said on a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.</p><p>Marshall, who was among lawmakers skeptical of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020, said an underlying issue was Democrats had yet to accept outcome of 2024 elections that placed Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House.</p><p>“If you want to continue your liberal socialist policies, Democrats, win an election,” Marshall said.</p><p>He accused Democrats of using the shutdown that began Oct. 1 to play hypocritical games with U.S. health care policy. The most “failed system” and “biggest waste of money” is the Medicaid system that has enrolled about 400,000 Kansans, he said. The senator said Democrats were complicit in creating financial challenges that threaten rural hospitals in Kansas and other states.</p><p>The six-person Kansas congressional delegation — five Republicans, one Democrat — have shared views on the weeklong shutdown tied to failure to pass a short-term funding bill to finance government operations. Democrats conditioned support for a bill on extension of health subsidies that lowered the consumer cost of Affordable Care Act plans. Republicans say the shutdown must end before working on the tax credits for health insurance.</p><p>The House adopted a temporary funding bill, but the Senate hasn’t voted for a comparable bill allowing the government to function until Nov. 21.</p><p>“This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “The American people — Kansans — deserve something different from the U.S. Senate. Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year. Every local unit of government can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time.”</p><p>Moran, who has voted with Marshall to break the Senate’s deadlock, said the federal government shutdown “means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”</p><p>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the delegation, said Democrats in Congress were fighting to extend availability of ACA tax credits to keep health care affordable. More than 160,000 Kansans relied last year on tax credits the 3rd District representative said should be made permanent.</p><p>“Because congressional Republicans have refused to extend them, premiums could rise by $700 next year, putting thousands of Kansans at risk of paying more or losing coverage,” Davids said.</p><p>She said the shutdown would harm hardworking Kansans and the moment called for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a solution.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, a Republican serving the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, said the Senate ought to get behind the House-passed bipartisan bill. The approach would get the wheels of government moving and create time for the House and Senate to work on full-year appropriations bills, he said.</p><p>“Regrettably,” Schmidt said, “Senate Democrats are insisting on the inclusion of a $1.5 trillion wish list of additional reckless spending instead of passing the House’s continuing resolution. This shutdown is entirely the result of those unreasonable demands.”</p><p>U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican in the mostly rural 1st District, said the shutdown was triggered by Democrats who wanted taxpayers to “pay for health care for illegal immigrants and authorize trillions of new dollars in federal spending.”</p><p>He complained Democrats would rather see Trump fail than work in a bipartisan manner to operate government.</p><p>“I understand that some in Washington prefer to grandstand and try to score political points rather than do what’s best for the country, but it is time to stop the political theater and work together to get our fiscal house in order,” Mann said.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, the 4th District congressman serving the Wichita area, said he had his congressional pay withheld due to the shutdown. He blamed U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and his allies for the impasse.</p><p>“Republicans have done our job,” Estes said. “I hope my Democrat colleagues will put Americans first and end this shutdown soon.”</p>

U.S. Senator Marshall points to ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ as culprit in shutdown

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement on Tuesday released the name of the suspect in the homicide investigation involving a missing Kansas woman.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759140655197.png" alt="Rachel Johnson photo Wichita Police" />
                        <figcaption>Rachel Johnson photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement on Tuesday released the name of the suspect in the homicide investigation involving a missing Kansas woman.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Wichita Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 43-year-old Rachel Johnson, who was reported missing on Saturday, September 27. <a href="https://t.co/VmhQ5G6zKP">pic.twitter.com/VmhQ5G6zKP</a></p>&mdash; Wichita Police (@WichitaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaPolice/status/1972316873602781605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;– This is an update to the September 28th media release regarding the homicide investigation of 43-year-old Rachel Johnson of Wichita.</p><p>The suspect in this case has been identified as 39-year-old Brentton Walker of Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.</p><p>&nbsp;Walker was located with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed that Walker and Rachel Johnson had a prior dating relationship.&nbsp;</p><p>On Sept. 28, investigators were directed to a residence in the 1800 block of South Longford Circle. There, officers located a reported missing Ford Fusion and found Johnson deceased inside the vehicle. Officers then entered the home and located Walker in the basement. He was pronounced deceased.</p><p>Statement from Chief Joe Sullivan:</p><p>“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. A mother has lost her life to a senseless and cowardly act, leaving a family devastated and a community grieving.&nbsp; October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We are reminded that domestic violence continues to impact countless lives, often in silence and behind closed doors. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 911 immediately. If it’s not safe to call right away, reach out when you can to trusted local resources such as Harbor House or the Wichita Family Crisis Center.</p><p>--------------</p>