 In an interview this week, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall connected the recent shooting of two West Virginia National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., to what he described as years of inadequate federal immigration enforcement, while also addressing school nutrition legislation, federal SNAP data disputes, and ongoing negotiations to reduce fraud in the Affordable Care Act.

Marshall said the nation is still “digging out” from immigration policies under the Biden administration, claiming millions of migrants entered the country without proper vetting.

“Over four years of Joe Biden, there’s probably been 10 million illegal aliens come into the country,” Marshall said. “Hundreds of thousands of violent illegal aliens were let in. It’s going to take 10 years to recover… 10 years to make the streets safe again.”

One National Guard member died and another remains hospitalized after the shooting. Marshall said the incident underscores the need for expanded removal operations and renewed screening of migrants from certain countries.

“We funded ICE and added billions to remove these violent illegal aliens,” he said. “They were never vetted properly. Now ICE is going back through about 300 known violent criminal illegal aliens and reviewing thousands more. It’s a cumbersome, long process.”

Push to Restore Whole Milk in Schools

Marshall also discussed his bipartisan bill to allow whole milk back in public school cafeterias, a product banned under Obama-era school nutrition rules.

Calling whole milk “the most nutritious drink known to humankind,” Marshall said restoring the option would benefit both students and dairy producers.

“This is near and dear to me. I grew up on a dairy,” he said. “Whole milk has 13 nutrients, high protein, and it decreases appetite later. We just want to bring that option back to schools.”

The Senate passed the bill, and Marshall said he hopes the U.S. House will advance it soon.

“If it gets to the floor, it will pass,” he said. “I bet there’ll be a little glass of milk on the president’s desk when he signs it.”

Marshall also weighed in on a dispute between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and several Democratic governors who have refused to provide certain reporting data tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has asked states to provide details to strengthen oversight of the $180 billion-a-year program.

“Most states comply,” Marshall said. “But when you’re spending $180 billion a year, there’s going to be fraud, waste, and abuse. Taxpayers deserve better oversight.”

He urged Gov. Laura Kelly and others not to withhold required information.

“She needs to comply with the rules, regardless of who the president is,” Marshall said. “Otherwise, Kansas kids are the ones who could be harmed.”

Marshall also said he is continuing negotiations to address what he estimated as $35 billion in annual fraud tied to the Affordable Care Act, including duplicate or fraudulent enrollments.

“One person’s Social Security number was being used 125 times,” Marshall said. “There are 58,000 dead people enrolled in Obamacare who the federal government is still sending payments for.”

He said he has presented a bill aimed at tightening verification systems but has yet to attract Democratic support.

“I cannot get one Democrat to sign onto it,” Marshall said. “But there are eight to ten Democratic senators who want to work with us. With technology, this should take days or weeks.”

Marshall said his long-term goal is to redirect a portion of federal premium subsidies into consumer-controlled health savings accounts, paired with mandatory price transparency from health-care providers.

“Americans are great shoppers,” he said. “If they can see price tags, economists think we could save a trillion dollars a year.”

Sen. Marshall links DC guard shooting to immigration issues

Here’s this week’s edition of proven, no nonsense, personal finance advice, with Dave Ramsey and the Dave Says column. In this article, Dave talks about teachable moments with teenagers and money.

Dear Dave, Our son is a freshman in high school, and he has the opportunity to take a school-sponsored, week-long trip next year with the rest of his class. The student fee is $500. Over the past couple of years, he has started making money mowing lawns and doing odd jobs around the neighborhood. We’ve always taught him that money comes from work, and he has always been very focused on being smart with the money he earns. Do you think we should cover the entire $500, or should he have to contribute something?

Dear Patrice,&nbsp; When it came to making these kinds of decisions at our house, my wife and I would always take a look at a few things. Is the kid behaving? Are they getting good grades? You know, just basic things that can reasonably be expected from most teenagers. Most of the time, if they were living like well-behaved, responsible young people, we’d pay for things like this as a reward. &nbsp;

But, there’s a good argument to be made for a kid having some skin in the game at that age, too. If you and your husband can pay for it without causing yourselves any financial stress—and your son is fulfilling his responsibilities at school and at home—there’s nothing wrong with you paying the fee. Then, here’s an idea. If you want to make this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/teach-teenagers-about-money">a teachable moment</a>, another learning experience, you could require him to work, and save up his own spending money for the trip.

I’m glad you and your husband are thinking of your teenage son as an adult in training. I know you&nbsp;love&nbsp;him, but it’s also a parent’s job to&nbsp;teach&nbsp;their children what they need to know for that moment when you send them off to college, trade school or even their own apartment and their first real, full-time job. Trust me, you don’t have to be a finance professor to teach your child how to save money and wisely manage their finances.

Patrice, I’m so impressed with the young man you’re raising. To have that kind of drive and maturity at his age is a testimony to him, and to how well you and your husband have taught and guided him throughout the years. I have no doubt your son will be well-prepared to take on the world one day.In the meantime, I hope he has lots of fun on his upcoming trip!

You can hear Dave Ramsey, Monday through Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m. on KWBW, unless it is preempted by sports coverage.&nbsp;

Dave says: Rewards, Responsibility and teachable moments

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Recent obituaries and service times

&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is inviting residents, business owners, and motorists to learn more about the ongoing U.S. 56 expansion study during two public open houses scheduled next week.

KDOT will host the first open house on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the McPherson Community Building, located at 122 E. Marlin St. The second session will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Marion Community Center, 203 N. Third St.

Both events will present the same information, giving attendees flexibility to choose the location most convenient for them.

The open houses will provide an opportunity for the public to review preliminary study details, potential roadway concepts, and early findings related to the proposed expansion between McPherson and Marion. KDOT project staff will be available to answer questions and gather feedback from residents, stakeholders, and travelers who rely on the corridor.

For those unable to attend in person, all materials shared at the meetings will be available online for review and public comment through Dec. 24 at:
<a href="https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/u-s-56-reconstruction/-fbclid-IwY2xjawOhzzZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLaDVWeXZZTmdUQU55YWhuc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqStJTTUK5k_iK_Pld9lsvJrQAzZ7UzShb1mjFXWYPCn6--r7iH2vN-1Igtd_aem_yM4TH8q70nvCqjW0i9n5JA">ksdot.gov/US56-McPherson-Marion</a>

KDOT encourages community members to participate, noting that public input plays a vital role in shaping future transportation improvements along U.S. 56.

KDot to hold open houses for U.S. expansion study 

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Duyen	Thi	Le	12/6/2025 12:02&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Matthew	James	Castleberry	12/6/2025 7:17&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation,&nbsp;Possession of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,				Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Gralynn	Jean	Durbin	12/7/2025 12:43&nbsp;AM	Pedestrian; Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs upon Roadway

Russell	Lee	Voyles	12/7/2025 4:07&nbsp;AM	DUI; 1st conv; blood or breath .08 or higher,				Alcohol; Illegal Transportation of Alcoholic Beverage,				Ignition Interlock Device; Operate MV without device during restriction

Daily Bookings

At Strataca, we like to say we’re more than a museum, we’re a place where imagination lives 650 feet underground. Every day, our team brings history to life in ways that spark curiosity, joy, and wonder. And for more than a decade, one of the brightest sparks in our creative world has been longtime staff member Rebecca Harris.

Rebecca is not just part of the Strataca family; she’s the beating heart behind some of our most beloved treasures. She is a true creative force, and has handcrafted countless one of a kind items for our gift store making everything from salt crystal jewelry and whimsical snow globes to intricate, hand painted ornaments, many visitors come down just to see what new piece of magic she’s made.

During the Christmas season, her workspace takes on a whole new glow. Around here, we lovingly call it “Santa’s Workshop” just without the elves. Rebecca spends the holiday months crafting items so charming and imaginative that you’d swear they came straight from the North Pole.

When people ask where she finds her inspiration, she lights up. “I find inspiration all around me, and I love creating something from nothing,” she says. What might seem like an ordinary object to most, becomes a masterpiece in her hands.

Her love for repurposing unexpected materials began in childhood. She fondly remembers the day her grandmother gifted her a baby doll cradle that was made entirely from an oatmeal canister. “I was in awe,” Rebecca recalls. “She made something beautiful out of what most people would consider trash. It inspired me and made me realize you can create art out of anything.”

It’s a lesson she carries with her into the mine every day. “That’s exactly what I’m able to do here. Strataca gives me a purpose, a place where I can use my creativity and even turn something as overlooked as salt into art.”

Rebecca approaches every new idea with the same fearless excitement. “Whenever I see something I like, I just think, ‘I think I can do that.” And she means it. After the director showed her a set of giant, glowing Christmas balls, she made it her mission to bring them to life. With determination, a bit of sweat, and a whole lot of chicken wire, her 4- to 5-foot illuminated creations are now a stunning new addition to the Season of Lights holiday display.

Rebecca reminds us that Strataca isn’t just a place to explore,it's a place where creativity thrives, where ordinary materials become extraordinary memories, and where people like her can turn imagination into magic.

This season, when you visit Season of Lights, take a moment to admire the glowing brilliance she helped bring to life. It’s a testament not only to Rebecca’s talent, but to the spirit of creativity that runs deep in Strataca and in our community.

At Strataca, creativity runs as deep as our mine,thanks to Rebecca Harris

<a href="https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/u-s-56-reconstruction/-fbclid-IwY2xjawOhzzZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLaDVWeXZZTmdUQU55YWhuc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqStJTTUK5k_iK_Pld9lsvJrQAzZ7UzShb1mjFXWYPCn6--r7iH2vN-1Igtd_aem_yM4TH8q70nvCqjW0i9n5JA">Click here for the KSStorm.Info forecast.</a>

Three-Day Outlook

Still looking to make an impact in 2025 but thinking about tax season too? As you plan your year-end giving, we’ll work with you—and your advisors—to find the most tax-smart way to help you support the causes you care about most. 

Donate appreciated stock — Give stock you’ve held for over a year to eliminate capital gains tax and maximize the impact of your contribution.

Bundle your donations in a donor advised fund at Hutchinson Community Foundation — If you typically give $10,000 annually, then contributing double to a Donor Advised Fund before the end of 2025 could help you exceed the standard tax deduction, and the flexibility of the DAF will allow you to give to your favorite charities over the next two to three years.

If you're 70½ or older, consider donating tax free from your IRA — Direct up to $108,000 annually from your IRA tax-free through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to Hutchinson Community Foundation. Contact your IRA administrator to initiate the donation. (Donor Advised Funds are not eligible to receive QCDs.)

Start your DAF now! ➡ If you’re among the first three people to open a new donor advised fund with a minimum contribution of $5,000 by Dec. 31, we will add $250 to your fund!

Contact Aubrey Abbott Patterson to discuss the giving option that's right for you: aubrey@hutchcf.org or 620-5293.

Year-End Giving: Hutch Community Foundation highlights strategies to maximize 2025 Impact

Get ready, pizza lovers! Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom is set to fire up its ovens in Hutchinson, celebrating the grand opening of its newest Kansas location on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 1715 N. Waldron St. inside the brand-new Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center.

The festivities begin at 10:45 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted in partnership with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. And for those eager to be among the first through the doors, there’s a big incentive: the first 10 guests in line will receive free Old Chicago for an entire year.

Beyond the ribbon cutting, families can expect fun activities and surprise giveaways throughout the celebration.

“We’ve already seen how strong and connected the Hutchinson community is, and it’s been inspiring to feel that energy as we prepared to open,” said Windi Cooper, Senior Director of Marketing for Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom. “Partnering with Sumit Patel and the CORE Hospitality team played a key role in bringing this restaurant to life, and we’re looking forward to creating a place where visitors of all ages can gather, enjoy great food, and make Old Chicago part of their routine.”

The new Hutchinson taproom will offer a full bar, an expansive kids menu, and a variety of seating options tailored for families, large groups, hotel guests, and community gatherings. Catering will also be available for special events.

Guests can look forward to Old Chicago favorites, including tavern-thin and classic thick-crust pizzas, calzones, and the crowd-pleasing Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls. The restaurant also features a rotating lineup of local craft beers and its well-known scratch-made dishes.

Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom will be open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Hutchinson opening marks the brand’s ninth Kansas location and its 52nd restaurant nationwide.

The company invites the community to come out, celebrate, and enjoy the newest dining addition to Hutchinson’s rapidly growing north-end corridor.

Old Chicago to open Dec. 11

Brandon	Michael	Frazier	12/5/2025 11:43&nbsp;AM	Violation of conditions of release, on parole, conditional release or postrelease supervision,				Theft; Property or Services; $1,500 to $24,999,				Poss of stimulant; 1 prior conviction,				Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Amari	Savee O'Shea	Bentley	12/5/2025 2:00&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Jacob	Taylor	Mattox	12/5/2025 7:13&nbsp;PM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misdemeanor; unknown conviction

Jonathan	Wayne	Beer	12/5/2025 8:24&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,				Possession of marijuana,				Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Zachary	Ryan	Denoya	12/6/2025 3:44&nbsp;AM	Domestic Battery; Knowingly Cause Physical Contact (1st conviction),				Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misdemeanor case, Execution of Misdemeanor Warrant

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.

Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Kansas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun, according to the United State's Attorney.

By pleading guilty, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire.&nbsp;Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.&nbsp; A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

Kansas man admits illegally possessing a machine gun

Sioux City, Iowa —Two men with lengthy criminal histories were convicted by a jury last month after a 11-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. according to the United State's Attorney.

Floyd Clifford Coates, Jr., aka Cliff Coates, age 44, from St. Francis, Kansas, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Drug User, Conspiracy to Conceal Objects with the Intent to Impair Their Availability for an Official Proceeding, and Concealing Objects with the Intent to Impair their Availability for an Official Proceeding. Coates was acquitted of other charges related to threats, and obstruction of justice.&nbsp;

Dennis Lawson, age 65, from Whiting, Iowa, was convicted of Using Threat of Physical Force Against Another with the Intent to Hinder, Delay, or Prevent the Communication to a Law Enforcement Officer and Judge of the United States of Information Relating to the Commission and Possible Commission of a Federal Offense. Lawson was acquitted of other charges relating to drugs, threats and obstruction.&nbsp;

The verdict was returned following about 2 hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that in Spring 2019, Coates was a member of a drug trafficking organization that funneled pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to Strubel, Iowa, among other places, for redistribution, and that Coates possessed firearms to protect his illegal drug operation. Evidence also showed that on Easter weekend 2019, Coates had arranged a drug run to Kansas City, Missouri.

To execute the Easter weekend drug run, Coates had convinced an Iowa woman to drive from Sioux City, Iowa; meet him in Blair, Nebraska; and drive him to Kansas City, Missouri, and back. Coates decided to travel to Blair from Trenton, Nebraska, with another woman, 18-year-old Sunny Sramek. Coates and Sramek left Trenton in his wife’s white Ford Explorer to go on the trip. There is no evidence Ms. Sramek knew Coates was going to Kansas City; in fact, she told friends and family that she was going to be on a day trip to Omaha.&nbsp;

The pair made it to Blair, where Coates went into a home, but Ms. Sramek did not. Coates’s driver arrived from Sioux City and Coates said nothing of Ms. Sramek to the driver. As the driver and Coates left the home, the driver saw Ms. Sramek’s motionless body. The driver testified it looked as if Ms. Sramek had overdosed, and Coates said he had provided her methamphetamine. Coates cancelled his drug run to Kansas City and told his driver to go to the home of his brother-in-law Dennis Lawson near Whiting, Iowa, on the banks of the Missouri River. The driver testified that after they arrived at Lawson’s residence Lawson and Coates disappeared for a time, when they returned, Ms. Sramek’s body was gone. The driver also testified that she and Coates cleaned out the car, and that Lawson threatened her saying if she told anyone, “it would be her funeral.”

Later, Coates told confidants that Ms. Sramek had overdosed. He told other friends a more violent story. In both versions, however, he told people he had thrown Ms. Sramek’s body into the Missouri River to conceal evidence of his crimes. Coates was confident his efforts at concealing Ms. Sramek’s body would insulate him from accountability. He told one person “no body, no case” and asked another “you can’t get charged with murder if there is no body, can you?”

Coates’s confidence was misplaced. Law enforcement gathered a significant amount of physical evidence tying Coates to Ms. Sramek’s disappearance. Forensic analysis indicated Ms. Sramek’s DNA and a significant amount of blood were found in the white Ford Explorer. The forensic findings combined with other evidence provided the proof the jury used to convict Coates and Lawson.&nbsp;

“Sunny Sramek went missing more than six years ago,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “But the investigators’ dedication kept her case from going cold. Thanks to them, these two criminals now face judgment for Sunny’s disappearance. Those who believe they can escape justice through threats, cover-ups, or the passage of time will discover they are mistaken.”

“The convictions of Coates and Lawson represent years of tireless, unwavering efforts by a dedicated team of FBI personnel who never stopped looking for Sunny Sramek,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “Despite the defendants’ best efforts to conceal involvement in her disappearance, the FBI persisted in our mission to hold these subjects accountable for their actions. We hope these convictions bring some measure of solace to Sunny’s family. The FBI will always use every tool and technique in our arsenal to seek justice for the missing and attempts to hinder those efforts will be aggressively investigated.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coates and Lawson remain in custody of the United States Marshal.

Coates faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Lawson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Kan. man linked to disappearance of woman found guilty of drug, gun charges

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in a fatal gunfight at a liquor store in on Labor Day in Wichita was back in court last week for a preliminary hearing.

Judge Rodger Woods&nbsp; determined there is enough evidence for&nbsp;23-year-old Jaime Medina  to go to trial in early March, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On September 5, he was charged with first degree murder and battery, according to online jail records.

Just after 2p.m. September 1, officers were called to a liquor store on North Broadway in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found three men with gunshot wounds including&nbsp;19-year-old Mario Gustavo. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect identified as 23-year-old Jaime Medina and another man were taken to a hospital for treatment of critical injuries.

Investigators learned that&nbsp;a disturbance in the parking lot led to gunfire.

A retired Wichita police lieutenant saw a vehicle flee the scene and followed it. Officers stopped the car, driven by a woman, near the 800 block of North Main Street. A male passenger, identified as an associate of Gustavo, had a gunshot wound to the hand and was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition. Investigators believe he was shot at the exact location as the other three men.&nbsp; Medina remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1,000,000 bond.

Kansas liquor store gunfight suspect will face a trial

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Manhattan. Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check of an injured man, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

First responders located a 36-year-old man, identified as Mark Rickenbaker of Manhattan who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

This is an isolated incident, according to the RCPD. Police released no additional details.

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police investigating 36-year-old man's murder in Manhattan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de">Social Security Administration</a>&nbsp;is hoping to cut visits to its field offices in half next year, a move that advocates for the agency fear signals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">more closures</a>&nbsp;are coming.

Field offices have long been community-based branches that serve as the public face of the SSA, which provide in-person help for people applying for retirement and disability benefits, getting Social Security cards and other important services.

A November internal field office operating plan shared with The Associated Press outlines a proposed target of 50% fewer field office visitors in fiscal year 2026 compared to fiscal year 2025, or no more than 15 million field office visits by members of the public. Agency field offices saw more than 31.6 million field office visits from SSA recipients from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to the agency document.

Barton Mackey, a Social Security spokesperson, said “field offices are, and will always remain, our front-line, providing in-person services to the approximately 75 million Americans who receive monthly payments and more than 330 million Americans with Social Security numbers, which the Commissioner has reiterated countless times since his confirmation.”

“The Social Security Administration under President Trump’s leadership is serving more Americans than ever before at quicker speeds, and meeting customers where they want to be served,” Mackey said. “Through technology improvements and modernization, more Americans are choosing to easily and quickly manage their benefits online or over the phone.”

Nextgov/FCW first reported on the agency’s plan to reduce field office foot traffic.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de">At least 7,000 SSA</a>&nbsp;workers have been laid off from the agency this year as the Trump administration has proposed a number of plans to streamline services at the SSA.

In March, after outcry from lawmakers and the public, SSA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-administration-disability-benefits-dd53fb317dbd0e41cee436fdea9e6095">leadership partially backtracked on a plan</a>&nbsp;that would require all new and existing beneficiaries who are unable to use the agency’s online portal to travel to a Social Security field office to verify their identity.

Jessica LaPointe, a union leader for 30,000 Social Security workers through the American Federation of Government Employees, or AFGE, said field offices are part of the quality of life agenda within communities, especially for “people who don’t have the resources to purchase technology to navigate the online world and they should be able to walk into an office to get help.”

She said the SSA wants “to allow AI and the internet to replace a well-trained, well-vetted workforce.”

Several field offices in rural areas of the U.S. have already closed this year because of a lack of staffing.

The Social Security website lists several office closures as well as offices that are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/agency/emergency/" target="_blank">only able to assist by phone</a>&nbsp;until further notice. The agency says the closures are not permanent, rather, the offices are closed due to maintenance or facilities issues that the agency is working to resolve, the agency says.

Chris Delaney, a Social Security claims specialist and president of AFGE Local 3343 in Hudson, says he cannot imagine how SSA can have a goal of cutting foot traffic when his office is seeing an increase in foot traffic and a growing aging population reliant on SSA income. The Hudson office sees roughly 30 to 60 visitors per day who have questions about their benefits.

“A lot of people can’t get past the ID verification on&nbsp;<a href="http://login.gov/" target="_blank">login.gov</a>, and just because they have a cellphone doesn’t mean they’re capable of creating an online account,” Delaney said. “Having people in the office when they need it is important.”

The 2026 operating plan also calls for all requested appointments to be scheduled within 30 days, instead of the current rate of 78.3% of all appointments scheduled within 30 days.

Social Security is one of the nation’s largest and most popular social programs. A January poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that two-thirds of U.S. adults think the country is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-poll-government-spending-social-security-medicare-8a8ddb0e721355a4e9585da4147efe1a">spending too little on Social Security</a>.

The agency has faced several lawsuits over the Trump administration’s plans to overhaul the agency.

In October, Democracy Forward, a legal group challenging the Trump administration’s policies, filed a lawsuit to compel SSA to release public records about service disruptions and policy changes.

“After executing the largest staffing cuts in the 90-year history of Social Security, they’re trying to deal with a problem they created without any meaningful discussion,” LaPointe said. “What they’re doing is void of public input.”

What Social Security Admin. plan to cut field office visits means for you

By JOSH FUNK AP Transportation Writer

The nation's freight railroads are going to be able to try relying more on technology and inspect their tracks in person less often after the federal government approved their waiver request on Friday.

The Association of American Railroads trade group asked for the relief from inspection requirements that were written back in 1971 because railroads believe the automated track inspection technology they use today is so good at spotting problems early that human inspections aren't needed as frequently. They say that extended tests that BNSF and Norfolk Southern ran show that safety actually improved even when human inspections were reduced from twice a week to twice a month.

The Federal Railroad Administration didn't go quite that far in its decision, but the agency said railroads will be able to cut inspections down to only once a week under the approved waiver.

The railroads had also asked for permission to have up to three days to repair defects identified by the automated inspections. But the Federal Railroad Administration said any serious defects in the tracks must be repaired immediately and all defects should be addressed within 24 hours.

These automated inspection systems use an array of cameras and lasers installed either on a locomotive or on a railcar that can be pulled as part of a train to assess whether the tracks are moving out of alignment or shifting. But the union that represents track inspectors says the technology can’t detect things like the rock underneath the track shifting, vegetation growing into the path of the trains, a crack in the rail or railroad ties rotting out. Plus, inspectors can spot a combination of small defects that might together derail a train where the machine might not register a problem, the union says.

“This is everyday defects across the entire country that we find through visual inspections that cannot be detected by this machinery,” Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union President Tony Cardwell said. “And that technology is not there. It has been here for 30 years. It hasn’t really advanced much at all. It’s a glorified tape measure.”

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track inspectors acknowledges that this technology does help spot problems. But the union says that this automated inspection equipment should supplement — not replace — human inspections because reducing track inspections would increase the risk of derailments.

The railroads counter that even if these systems can't see the ballast shifting under the tracks or the ties starting to rot, the system will notice the symptoms of those problems because the track geometry — basically the alignment of the tracks — will be affected when those things happen.

“What it is looking at is the ultimate performance. If those components are doing their job, then the track geometry is being maintained. If they’re not doing their job, the track geometry is not being maintained,” said Mike Rush, the Association of American Railroads' senior vice president of safety and operations.

Companies say technology is more effective

BNSF railroad said when it was arguing with the Federal Railroad Administration about whether their test should be extended that the “technology has proven to be far more sensitive and effective at detecting geometry defects on BNSF’s network than the regime of manual visual inspections mandated by the historic regulations.”

Over two years of testing, manual inspections detected only 0.01 defects per 100 miles, compared with the section of the railroad where the test was being run where the combination of the technology and reduced inspections found 4.54 defects per 100 miles.

The Federal Railroad Administration agreed that tracks don't need to be inspected visually as frequently when these automated track inspection systems are used regularly.

Cardwell and the union's safety director, Roy Morrison, think that's a bad idea. They said that one of the benefits of frequent inspections is that the inspectors become intimately familiar with their territories, which helps them spot subtle changes. If they aren't out on the tracks as often, it may be harder to spot problems, they said.

“A track inspector who’s out on his mainline track twice a week, he knows that track inside out, and a lot of times he’ll spot a defect without even knowing what he’s looking at yet,” Morrison said. “He’ll get out of the truck and say, hey, there’s something wrong here. Take some measurements and go, OK, this is what’s going on.”

But the railroads say that freeing up inspectors from some of these mandated track inspections will allow them to focus more on switches and other equipment that must be inspected manually. Plus, Norfolk Southern noted in its comments on the request that even if regular inspections aren't being done as often, special inspections will still be done regularly anytime there is a major storm or flooding in a certain area to make sure the tracks weren't affected.

Norfolk Southern said that during its 18-month test of reducing inspections while using the technology, the railroad saw improvements in areas that the automated system can't find because inspectors were free to spend more time focused on those areas.

Railroads will be allowed to reduce inspections and rely more on technology to spot track problems

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas men made their initial appearances before a federal judge following indictments in connection with a $4 million retail sales investment scheme.

According to court documents, Baha Ibrahim, 21, and Jawad Albadawi, 21, both of Overland Park, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, nine counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, six counts of money laundering, and seven counts of transacting in criminal proceeds.&nbsp;

According to court documents, Ibrahim and Albadawi allegedly solicited money from investors by falsely claiming that their business would purchase merchandise wholesale and then sell the items online as individual retail sales, thereby yielding high returns. From March 2024 to August 2024, Ibrahim and Albadawi are accused of failing to purchase bulk items or sell them consistent with representations they made to investors. &nbsp;They are accused of misappropriating investors’ funds for their own personal benefit, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and lavish trips to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Greece, and Las Vegas.&nbsp;

Ibrahim and Albadawi made their initial court appearances on November 24, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

2 Kan. men accused of using investors' money to take luxury trips

WASHINGTON (AP) — The publisher of the beloved children’s character Franklin the Turtle and Pop singer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sabrina-carpenter">Sabrina Carpenter</a>&nbsp;are disavowing the Trump administration’s use of their imagery and music to support its agenda.

Responding to the use of her song “Juno” in a video montage depicting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, Carpenter tweeted Tuesday: “this video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”

In the caption for the clip, the White House quoted Carpenter’s lyrics “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye.”

On Monday, Franklin the Turtle publisher Kids Can Press condemned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s post on X featuring a manipulated image showing Franklin aiming a bazooka at boats. Hegseth posted the image with the caption “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.”

“We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values,” the publisher said in a tweet.

The Trump administration has conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-drugs-25000-lives-c6e4c750b0dc6f15d397d598c9bd169f">multiple strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on small boats accused of ferrying drugs in the region. More than 80 people have been killed in such strikes since early September.

There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ronald-reagan-hip-hop-and-rap-phil-collins-bruce-springsteen-394ddb622b30a718f1b4621a316a78c3">a long list of performers</a>&nbsp;and artists who have objected to the Trump administration using their songs and copyright material, including ABBA, Bruce Springsteen, Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/semisonic-trump-cling-time-b9984c537f8aca5c68e80454aaa1cf22">Semisonic</a>, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-campaign-songs-celine-dion-objections-a6add3c61426768fa30fddb596db9797">Celine Dion</a>, Beyoncé and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/state-elections-music-general-news-gubernatorial-elections-fa03d5927b4b4f039ba97ced85c0b8ad">Adele</a>.

Pop singer, publisher condemn Trump admin.'s use of their work

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — An international body tasked with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">governing the Gaza Strip</a>&nbsp;under the next phase of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-un-us-plan-israel-45c3a49cf3c135821a7c1722354b5b94">U.S.-brokered ceasefire</a>&nbsp;is expected to be announced by the end of the year, an Arab official and a Western diplomat said Friday.

According to the ceasefire agreement, the authority — known as the Board of Peace and chaired by U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;— is to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-gaza-ceasefire-us-resolution-russia-107e44e276fe04a5365ff6d914545718">under a two-year, renewable U.N. mandate</a>.

It will include about a dozen other Middle Eastern and Western leaders, the Arab official and the Western diplomat told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/10/global-support-for-president-trumps-bold-vision-for-peace-in-gaza/">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;global support of the President's plan for peace in Gaza

Also to be announced is a committee of Palestinian technocrats who will run the day-to-day administration of post-war Gaza, they two said. The Western diplomat, who spoke to the AP over the phone from Cairo, said the announcement about this will likely happen when Trump and Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;meet later this month.

The ceasefire deal also calls for an armed International Stabilization Force to keep security and ensure the disarming of the militant Hamas group, a key demand of Israel.

The announcement would be a significant step forward in implementing Trump’s 20-point plan for the territory devastated by Israel’s two-year campaign against Hamas.

The shaky ceasefire, which came into effect on Oct. 10, has been tested by outbursts of violence and accusations by both sides of violations of the truce. The first phase of the ceasefire has neared completion, though Hamas is still to hand over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">remains of a last Israel hostage called for under the deal</a>.

The Arab official said that talks are still ongoing over which countries will take part in the international force for Gaza but that he expects deployment will begin in the first quarter of 2026.

A U.S. official gave a similar timeline, saying that “boots on the ground” could be a reality in early 2026. The official spoke to the AP on the same condition of anonymity. Axios first reported the anticipated announcement on Thursday.

The Arab official said that “extensive talks” will start immediately with Hamas and Israel on the details of the second phase, which he expects to be tough.

Those talks are expected the tackle the issue of disarming Hamas, a step the militant group has not yet agreed to. The plan also calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from the roughly half of the Gaza Strip that they still control as the international force deploys.

Funding for a rebuilding plan for the Gaza Strip still has not been determined. Some Palestinians have expressed concern over the apparent lack of a Palestinian voice in the body and the lack of a firm promise in the plan that they will eventually gain statehood.

Netanyahu’s government rejects the creation of a Palestinian state, and the U.S.-brokered deal includes only a vague provision that a pathway toward statehood may be possible if certain conditions are met.

Israel’s plan to open a Gaza border crossing with Egypt

Israel announced on Wednesday that it plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa">reopen the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt</a>&nbsp;in the coming days, allowing Palestinians to leave the devastated strip as laid out by the ceasefire agreement. That could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-war-rafah-crossing-egypt-09acfdacaa4cbc48b19aaade5a0e1d2c">a major development for residents</a>, for whom leaving has been extremely difficult — if not impossible — for most of the war.

However, the governments of Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all expressed “deep concern” on Friday about the plan.

A dispute also emerged between Egypt and Israel — Cairo wants Palestinians to be able to return to Gaza through the crossing and says it would only be opened if movement is allowed both ways. Israel has said that Palestinians will not be able to return to Gaza through the crossing until the last hostages’ remains are returned from Gaza.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight countries said the Rafah crossing must be open in both directions to allow for “freedom of movement” for Palestinians. They also expressed concern that if Palestinians were to leave Gaza, they might not be allowed to return.

The ministers underscored “their absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land,” they wrote.

On Friday, Israel’s military said it killed a man in northern Gaza who was approaching the troops with another man, both of whom were “carrying suspicious objects.”

Israeli forces also killed another man in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said a 38-year-old was shot by Israeli forces in the northern West Bank while the military said the man threw a rock at soldiers.

The killings mark the latest violence in the Palestinian territories, which has fueled concern that it could shake Gaza’s fragile truce.

The latest Israel-Hamas war started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 others hostage. Israel’s subsequent campaign in Gaza has killed more than 70,100 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar, and Megan Janetsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

U.S. to reveal 'Board of Peace' for Gaza before Christmas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a theft at a department store in Topeka.

Just before 10:30a.m. Friday, police responded to the report of a theft at TJ Maxx, 2170 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka, according to a media release from Topeka Police.

A woman reported her purse had been stolen from a shopping cart in the business.

A suspect grabbed the purse and ran from TJ Maxx into the nearby Target store where he was restrained by three citizens, prior to police arrival. The victim’s purse and contents were recovered. There were no reported injuries.

As a result of the on-scene investigation, Rakeem S. Grant, 26, Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary, Battery; simple, Theft; Purse Snatching; Unknown Value, Theft; &lt; $1,500 Shoplifting

The Topeka Police Department reminded shoppers this holiday season to stay aware and stay safe with these shopping safety tips:

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