JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director is going to prison for sex crimes.

On Friday, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 35-year-old Micah Horton to 34-months for unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton who was&nbsp;the Choir Director at Olathe North High School. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710373305440.png" alt="Horton photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director is going to prison for sex crimes.On Friday, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 35-year-old Micah Horton to 34-months for unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton who was&nbsp;the Choir Director at Olathe North High School. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations.

Prison: Former Kan. school choir director admits to unlawful sexual relations 

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.

Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.

It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”

Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”

“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”

Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’

Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.

Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”

Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.

“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”

As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.

“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.

Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.

His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record

As Booker neared Thurmond's record, he remarked, "I don’t have that much gas in the tank.”

Yet anticipation in the Capitol was growing that he could supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech. Democratic senators sat at their desks to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers.

He had already surpassed the longest speech time for a sitting senator — the 21 hours and 19 minutes that Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ted-cruz">Ted Cruz</a>, a Texas Republican, had held the floor to contest the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Responding to his record being broken, Cruz posted a meme of Homer Simpson crying on social media.

Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.

“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."

Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural maneuvers to try to thwart Republicans.

Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?

Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. He was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a4917019ce954f809677941533f38f51">launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark</a>. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-cory-booker-ia-state-wire-deval-patrick-iowa-a737f1e88c667cac19c59bf8acb2c16e">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.

But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.

On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker’s Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams.

Even before taking to the national political stage, Booker was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party in New Jersey, serving as mayor of Newark, the state's largest city, from 2006 to 2013.

During college, he played tight end for Stanford University's football team. He became a Rhodes scholar and graduated from Yale Law before starting his career as an attorney for nonprofits.

He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-united-states-congress-general-news-senate-elections-united-states-government-31beb16e9f704852991d5e6576b2cdaf">a special election</a>&nbsp;held after the death of incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg. He won his first full term in 2014 and reelection in 2020.

As Democratic colleagues made their way to the Senate chamber to help Booker by asking him questions, he also made heartfelt tributes to his fellow senators, recalling their personal backgrounds and shared experiences in the Senate. Booker also called on Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.

Booker said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more."

Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743501571096.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>: &quot;Would the Senator yield for a question?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>: &quot;Chuck Schumer, it&#39;s the only time in my life I can tell you no.&quot; Schumer: &quot;I just wanted to tell you, a question, do you know you have just broken the record?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kRPK5Iq659">pic.twitter.com/kRPK5Iq659</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907213181937668537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">In his prayer, Senate chaplain Black alludes to Cory Booker marathon speech: &quot;Today we are grateful for the efforts of the floor staff, Capitol Police, the stenographers, the pages and all those who have worked through the night. We pray you give them the strength they need...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uBumUrX8k5">pic.twitter.com/uBumUrX8k5</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1907105050201100373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”<h2>Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’</h2>Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.<h2>His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record</h2>As Booker neared Thurmond's record, he remarked, "I don’t have that much gas in the tank.”Yet anticipation in the Capitol was growing that he could supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech. Democratic senators sat at their desks to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers.He had already surpassed the longest speech time for a sitting senator — the 21 hours and 19 minutes that Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ted-cruz">Ted Cruz</a>, a Texas Republican, had held the floor to contest the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Responding to his record being broken, Cruz posted a meme of Homer Simpson crying on social media.Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural maneuvers to try to thwart Republicans.<h2>Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?</h2>Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. He was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a4917019ce954f809677941533f38f51">launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark</a>. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-cory-booker-ia-state-wire-deval-patrick-iowa-a737f1e88c667cac19c59bf8acb2c16e">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker’s Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams.Even before taking to the national political stage, Booker was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party in New Jersey, serving as mayor of Newark, the state's largest city, from 2006 to 2013.During college, he played tight end for Stanford University's football team. He became a Rhodes scholar and graduated from Yale Law before starting his career as an attorney for nonprofits.He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-united-states-congress-general-news-senate-elections-united-states-government-31beb16e9f704852991d5e6576b2cdaf">a special election</a>&nbsp;held after the death of incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg. He won his first full term in 2014 and reelection in 2020.As Democratic colleagues made their way to the Senate chamber to help Booker by asking him questions, he also made heartfelt tributes to his fellow senators, recalling their personal backgrounds and shared experiences in the Senate. Booker also called on Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.Booker said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more."___Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed.

Booker's anti-Trump speech rocks the U.S. Senate for over 24 hours

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court March 28 following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant last week, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.&nbsp; 

As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm&nbsp; Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.&nbsp; Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.&nbsp; The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI.

"FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."

“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.&nbsp; This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582827978726.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court March 28 following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant last week, according to the United State's Attorney.Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.&nbsp; As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm&nbsp; Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.&nbsp; Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.&nbsp; The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI."FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.&nbsp; This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

Mexican national caught in KC with 102 pounds of crystal meth

WOODSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident discovered on Tuesday in Woodson County

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevrolet Impala driven by&nbsp; Hayden T.&nbsp; Green, 21, Fredonia, was southbound on Kansas 105 just north of 30th Road.

The driver lost control of the car as it came over the hill. The vehicle entered the east ditch and struck a tree. Green was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

The crash was discovered just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday. The KHP is unsure what date and time that it occurred.

WOODSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident discovered on Tuesday in Woodson CountyThe Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevrolet Impala driven by&nbsp; Hayden T.&nbsp; Green, 21, Fredonia, was southbound on Kansas 105 just north of 30th Road.The driver lost control of the car as it came over the hill. The vehicle entered the east ditch and struck a tree. Green was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.The crash was discovered just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday. The KHP is unsure what date and time that it occurred.

Kansas man dies after car strikes a tree

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LISA MASCARO&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/leah-askarinam">LEAH ASKARINAM</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for new parents in Congress to able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">vote by proxy</a>, rather than in person, as they care for newborns.

His plan failed, 206-222. Kansas GOP members of the House for the measure.

In an unprecedented move, the House Republican leadership had engineered a way to quietly kill the bipartisan plan from two new mothers — Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado. Their plan has support from a majority of House colleagues. Some 218 lawmakers backed their effort, signing on to a so-called discharge petition to force their proposal on the House floor for consideration.

But Johnson, like GOP leaders before him, rails against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-health-voting-3ee9bf16c6575c973cebc962ede05fa7">proxy voting</a>, as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pushes people back to work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic work-from-home trend.

A procedural vote Tuesday tested who had the tally on their side — the speaker or the plan’s sponsors. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats to sink the GOP leaders’ effort.

“If we don’t do the right thing now, it’ll never be done,” said Luna, who gave birth to her son in 2023.

Pettersen, with a diaper over her shoulder and 4-month-old son Sam in her arms, stood on the House floor and pleaded with colleagues to turn back the GOP leadership’s effort to stop their resolution.

“It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress,” she said. “We’re asking you to continue to stand with us.”

Johnson had drawn the line against proxy voting as unconstitutional.

“Look, I’m a father, I’m pro-family,” the Republican speaker said late last month. But “I believe it violates more than two centuries of tradition and institution. And I think that it opens a Pandora’s box, where ultimately, maybe no one is here.”

It’s the first time in modern House history that the leadership was taking the extraordinary step to try to halt a discharge petition when it’s this far along. Next steps are uncertain.

Luna used the discharge petition process as she and others grew frustrated that House committees and party leaders were not bringing the proxy-voting proposal forward. Instead, she and others gathered the majority signatures needed, 218, to discharge it from limbo, and force it to the floor for action.

At a rules committee hearing early Tuesday, the GOP-led panel tucked a provision into the routine rules process that would have prohibited not just this discharge petition but any others that try to push proxy voting forward.

Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the panel, said a discharge petition has never been halted before at this stage — a remarkable move from Republicans who often campaign as the party aligned with family values.

“Given the chance to actually support families, they turn their backs,” he said. “A majority of the chamber is upending what the majority in this chamber wants.”

Republicans countered that Luna, who led the discharge effort, did not go through the regular process of waiting for their resolution to be brought to the floor through normal procedure. And they criticized the temporary proxy voting policy that Democrats put in place during the pandemic that they said was abused by member absences.

“You have to come to work, you have to be present,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. during a committee debate.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chair of the Rules Committee, decried what she called the “laptop class” in America that doesn’t have the luxury of working by proxy. “Members of Congress simply need to show up for work,” she said.

About a dozen women have given birth while in Congress over the years, and there are many new fathers as well. One, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, had dashed back to Washington for votes in 2023 after his wife had just given birth and their son was in an intensive care unit.

Many new and existing parents were among the eight other Republicans who joined Luna to push ahead past the leadership.

Luna’s petition opens the door for the House to vote on a resolution that would allow new parents serving in Congress to designate a proxy — another member of Congress — to vote on their behalf for 12 weeks.

Republicans had barred proxy voting once they took control of the House from Democrats in 2023. The new resolution, which includes specific procedures on how the new parent would deliver voting instructions, would mean a change in their House rules.

The resolution from the mothers allows proxy voting for lawmakers who have given birth or pregnant lawmakers who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition. It also applies to lawmakers whose spouses are pregnant or giving birth.

Under the resolution, qualifying lawmakers may designate a proxy to cast a vote for them for up to 12 weeks.

Luna, who is among the House’s more conservative lawmakers, made headlines for her steadfast support of Trump. But she resigned this week from the archconservative House Freedom Caucus, saying she could no longer be part of the group if members “broker backroom deals” against its values.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LISA MASCARO&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/leah-askarinam">LEAH ASKARINAM</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for new parents in Congress to able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">vote by proxy</a>, rather than in person, as they care for newborns.His plan failed, 206-222. Kansas GOP members of the House for the measure.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: After less than a day in session, the House is DONE for the week, Speaker Johnson says. This comes after a handful of Republicans joined all the Democrats to allow certain members to vote from their couches instead of coming in to work. Infuriating. “That rule… <a href="https://t.co/1eCtbtJsWk">pic.twitter.com/1eCtbtJsWk</a>&mdash; Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1907142417037336992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In an unprecedented move, the House Republican leadership had engineered a way to quietly kill the bipartisan plan from two new mothers — Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado. Their plan has support from a majority of House colleagues. Some 218 lawmakers backed their effort, signing on to a so-called discharge petition to force their proposal on the House floor for consideration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Parental Proxy Resolution author <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPettersen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepPettersen</a> speaks while holding her nine month old son, Sam: &quot;It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress to address these very unique challenges that members face, these life events.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Hxg5BZIeBn">pic.twitter.com/Hxg5BZIeBn</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907114967800668534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I’m back in DC with Sam to demand that Speaker Johnson hold a vote on our bipartisan resolution to allow new moms and dads to vote remotely while caring for their newborns. Speaker Johnson himself has voted remotely 39 times—but now he’s pulling every trick in the book to stop… <a href="https://t.co/KZnfmk55Mw">pic.twitter.com/KZnfmk55Mw</a>&mdash; U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (@RepPettersen) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPettersen/status/1906848195230998818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But Johnson, like GOP leaders before him, rails against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-health-voting-3ee9bf16c6575c973cebc962ede05fa7">proxy voting</a>, as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pushes people back to work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic work-from-home trend.A procedural vote Tuesday tested who had the tally on their side — the speaker or the plan’s sponsors. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats to sink the GOP leaders’ effort.“If we don’t do the right thing now, it’ll never be done,” said Luna, who gave birth to her son in 2023.Pettersen, with a diaper over her shoulder and 4-month-old son Sam in her arms, stood on the House floor and pleaded with colleagues to turn back the GOP leadership’s effort to stop their resolution.“It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress,” she said. “We’re asking you to continue to stand with us.”Johnson had drawn the line against proxy voting as unconstitutional.“Look, I’m a father, I’m pro-family,” the Republican speaker said late last month. But “I believe it violates more than two centuries of tradition and institution. And I think that it opens a Pandora’s box, where ultimately, maybe no one is here.”It’s the first time in modern House history that the leadership was taking the extraordinary step to try to halt a discharge petition when it’s this far along. Next steps are uncertain.Luna used the discharge petition process as she and others grew frustrated that House committees and party leaders were not bringing the proxy-voting proposal forward. Instead, she and others gathered the majority signatures needed, 218, to discharge it from limbo, and force it to the floor for action.At a rules committee hearing early Tuesday, the GOP-led panel tucked a provision into the routine rules process that would have prohibited not just this discharge petition but any others that try to push proxy voting forward.Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the panel, said a discharge petition has never been halted before at this stage — a remarkable move from Republicans who often campaign as the party aligned with family values.“Given the chance to actually support families, they turn their backs,” he said. “A majority of the chamber is upending what the majority in this chamber wants.”Republicans countered that Luna, who led the discharge effort, did not go through the regular process of waiting for their resolution to be brought to the floor through normal procedure. And they criticized the temporary proxy voting policy that Democrats put in place during the pandemic that they said was abused by member absences.“You have to come to work, you have to be present,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. during a committee debate.Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chair of the Rules Committee, decried what she called the “laptop class” in America that doesn’t have the luxury of working by proxy. “Members of Congress simply need to show up for work,” she said.About a dozen women have given birth while in Congress over the years, and there are many new fathers as well. One, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, had dashed back to Washington for votes in 2023 after his wife had just given birth and their son was in an intensive care unit.Many new and existing parents were among the eight other Republicans who joined Luna to push ahead past the leadership.Luna’s petition opens the door for the House to vote on a resolution that would allow new parents serving in Congress to designate a proxy — another member of Congress — to vote on their behalf for 12 weeks.Republicans had barred proxy voting once they took control of the House from Democrats in 2023. The new resolution, which includes specific procedures on how the new parent would deliver voting instructions, would mean a change in their House rules.The resolution from the mothers allows proxy voting for lawmakers who have given birth or pregnant lawmakers who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition. It also applies to lawmakers whose spouses are pregnant or giving birth.Under the resolution, qualifying lawmakers may designate a proxy to cast a vote for them for up to 12 weeks.Luna, who is among the House’s more conservative lawmakers, made headlines for her steadfast support of Trump. But she resigned this week from the archconservative House Freedom Caucus, saying she could no longer be part of the group if members “broker backroom deals” against its values.

🎥Speaker fails to squash proxy voting effort from new moms in Congress

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sarah-parvini">SARAH PARVINI</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.

Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that “there’s tremendous interest in Tiktok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.

“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump said.

Trump also said that the administration is “dealing with China” who “also want it because they may have something to do with it.” Last week, Trump said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-tariffs-3bc8eef6fa75987c52bd86bab5eb6f05">consider a reduction in tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China if that country’s government approves a sale of TikTok’s operations in the U.S.

Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDance’s divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.

“I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote,” he said Sunday. “I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.”

Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasn’t provided details on what that type of deal would entail.

TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. It’s also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.

If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.

Trump’s order came a few days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-security-speech-166f7c794ee587d3385190f893e52777">Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law</a>&nbsp;that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.

The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.

Although it’s unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.

Aides for Vice President JD&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-deal-vance-sale-trump-d54f3a01f8e2b04c01f80adfa4b884cb">Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal,</a>&nbsp;have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-trump-perplexity-87988733973760927bb5681f7de9b9af">with a merger proposal</a>&nbsp;that would combine Perplexity’s business with TikTok’s U.S. operation.

Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alexis-ohanian-tiktok-ban-trump-220e0dbc78e348af33152b9fab0f907c">Alexis Ohanian as a strategic</a>&nbsp;adviser. Investors in the consortium say they’ve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.

Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.

Trump said in January that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-microsoft-trump-ban-china-0335cb0e4f394db3c0a6f06a064c5e64">Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app</a>. Other interested parties include Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sarah-parvini">SARAH PARVINI</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that “there’s tremendous interest in Tiktok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump said.Trump also said that the administration is “dealing with China” who “also want it because they may have something to do with it.” Last week, Trump said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-tariffs-3bc8eef6fa75987c52bd86bab5eb6f05">consider a reduction in tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China if that country’s government approves a sale of TikTok’s operations in the U.S.Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDance’s divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.“I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote,” he said Sunday. “I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.”Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasn’t provided details on what that type of deal would entail.TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. It’s also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.<h2>What will happen on April 5?</h2>If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.Trump’s order came a few days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-security-speech-166f7c794ee587d3385190f893e52777">Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law</a>&nbsp;that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.<h2>Who wants to buy TikTok?</h2>Although it’s unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.Aides for Vice President JD&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-deal-vance-sale-trump-d54f3a01f8e2b04c01f80adfa4b884cb">Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal,</a>&nbsp;have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-trump-perplexity-87988733973760927bb5681f7de9b9af">with a merger proposal</a>&nbsp;that would combine Perplexity’s business with TikTok’s U.S. operation.Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alexis-ohanian-tiktok-ban-trump-220e0dbc78e348af33152b9fab0f907c">Alexis Ohanian as a strategic</a>&nbsp;adviser. Investors in the consortium say they’ve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.Trump said in January that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-microsoft-trump-ban-china-0335cb0e4f394db3c0a6f06a064c5e64">Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app</a>. Other interested parties include Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.

With a TikTok ban looming, Trump signals a deal will come before the deadline

WASHINGTON —House Republicans advanced a bill out of committee on Tuesday that would limit the power of judges who have taken action against President Trump's executive orders. (click below to view Rep. Schmidt's comments)

During their Tuesday morning news conference, Freshman Congressman from Kansas, Derek Schmidt joined GOP leadership to explain what the 'nationwide injunctions bill' will do&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1526rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr1526rh.pdf">Click here to read the bill</a>

"We're not de-funding courts, said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "We're not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction."

Derek Schmidt served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. He was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate  representing the 15th district from 2001 to 2011. In 2022, Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743532285603.png" alt="Kansas 2nd District Rep. Derek Schmidt during Tuesday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 2nd District Rep. Derek Schmidt during Tuesday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —House Republicans advanced a bill out of committee on Tuesday that would limit the power of judges who have taken action against President Trump's executive orders. (click below to view Rep. Schmidt's comments)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M5xzihuI7UM?si=C21AbMhV4AOW8Oo_&amp;start=1555" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>During their Tuesday morning news conference, Freshman Congressman from Kansas, Derek Schmidt joined GOP leadership to explain what the 'nationwide injunctions bill' will do&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1526rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr1526rh.pdf">Click here to read the bill</a>Schmidt also explained the Save Act<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The SAVE Act is simple. 🎙️<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepDerekSchmidt</a> breaks it down for us ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/SlN27CQd4M">pic.twitter.com/SlN27CQd4M</a>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1907132415513891250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"We're not de-funding courts, said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "We're not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: &quot;We&#39;re not de-funding courts. We&#39;re not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/j9BQDBOv9o">pic.twitter.com/j9BQDBOv9o</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907081734736199765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Derek Schmidt served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. He was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate representing the 15th district from 2001 to 2011. In 2022, Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas.

🎥Kan. congressman joins House leadership news conference

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Traffic Division is currently investigating a hit-and-run that left one person dead. 

Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of an accident in the 4300 block of State Line Road, according to a media release.

 When officers arrived on scene, they located a man deceased in the roadway. The initial investigation revealed a large construction dump truck struck the pedestrian and left the scene. The construction company is cooperating in the investigation and police are working to identify the driver of the truck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743534048942.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Traffic Division is currently investigating a hit-and-run that left one person dead. Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of an accident in the 4300 block of State Line Road, according to a media release. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man deceased in the roadway. The initial investigation revealed a large construction dump truck struck the pedestrian and left the scene. The construction company is cooperating in the investigation and police are working to identify the driver of the truck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Hit-and-run: Dump truck killed man on busy Kansas street

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged violence involving three people at at park.

Just before 7:30pm. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of suspicious activity at Oregon Trail Park at 1100 block of South Robinson Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

It was reported that a man engaged in a physical altercation with two juveniles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers were able to locate and contact the man. All involved parties are being cooperative with the investigation.

It is believed that other members of the community were in the area during the incident and are asked to contact the Police Department if you have any information that can assist with this investigation.

This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged violence involving three people at at park.Just before 7:30pm. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of suspicious activity at Oregon Trail Park at 1100 block of South Robinson Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.It was reported that a man engaged in a physical altercation with two juveniles.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers were able to locate and contact the man. All involved parties are being cooperative with the investigation.It is believed that other members of the community were in the area during the incident and are asked to contact the Police Department if you have any information that can assist with this investigation.This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

Police: Fight between man, juveniles at Kan. park under investigation

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jeffery T.&nbsp;Galbreath,&nbsp; 39, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 135&nbsp;on the exit ramp to North Hydraulic in Wichita. The SUV rear-ended a 2014 Hyundia Elantra driven by Pamela V.&nbsp;Jean Reyes, 29, Wichita, who was&nbsp;exiting to North Hydraulic Avenue. 

After impact, the Pontiac continued northbound crossing the lanes of traffic, struck the inside barrier wall,&nbsp; crossed the lane of traffic again and struck the outside barrier wall in the construction zone.

Galbreath was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743530739051.png" alt="Image KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Image KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jeffery T.&nbsp;Galbreath,&nbsp; 39, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 135&nbsp;on the exit ramp to North Hydraulic in Wichita. The SUV rear-ended a 2014 Hyundia Elantra driven by Pamela V.&nbsp;Jean Reyes, 29, Wichita, who was&nbsp;exiting to North Hydraulic Avenue. After impact, the Pontiac continued northbound crossing the lanes of traffic, struck the inside barrier wall,&nbsp; crossed the lane of traffic again and struck the outside barrier wall in the construction zone.Galbreath was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after rear-end crash

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">UnitedHealthcare CEO</a>&nbsp;Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4.

It is the first time the Justice Department has sought to bring the death penalty since President Donald Trump returned to office in January with a vow to resume federal executions.

Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, faces separate federal and state murder charges for the killing, which rattled the business community while galvanizing health insurance critics.

The federal charges include murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. The state charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to a state indictment and has not entered a plea to the federal charges.

Prosecutors have said the two cases will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-4cc18cfa71b96aaa39b321f60145d2f0">proceed on parallel tracks</a>, with the state case expected to go to trial first. It wasn't immediately clear if Bondi's announcement will change the order.

“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said in a statement that described Thompson’s killing as “an act of political violence.”

“After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," Bondi said.

A message seeking comment was left for a spokesperson for Mangione’s lawyers.

Thompson, 50, was ambushed and shot on a sidewalk outside the New York Hilton Midtown as he arrived for his company’s annual investor conference.

Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition investigators found at the scene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-delay-deny-defend-depose-ee73ceb19f361835c654f04a3b88c50c">mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics</a>&nbsp;to avoid paying claims.

Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a five-day manhunt.

Police said Mangione had with him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-charges-extradition-64ba21747f41c3a81f661900e797b6d7">a 9mm handgun</a>&nbsp;that matched the one used in the shooting and other items including a fake ID and a notebook described by authorities as a “manifesto” in which they say he expressed hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.

Among the entries in the notebook, prosecutors said, was one from August 2024 that said “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box” and one from October that describes an intent to “wack” an insurance company CEO.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurer in the U.S., though the company said Mangione was never a client.

Mangione's lawyer, Karen Friedman-Agnifilo, has said she would seek to suppress some of the evidence seized during his arrest. She has also taken issue with the parallel prosecutions, accusing “warring jurisdictions” of turning Mangione into a “human ping-pong ball.”

After his arrest, Mangione was whisked by plane and helicopter back to New York and walked slowly up a Manhattan pier in a highly choreographed spectacle by a throng of officers with assault rifles and a contingent that included New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Trump, who oversaw an unprecedented run of executions at the end of his first term, signed an executive order on his first day back in office on Jan. 20 that compels the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in federal cases where applicable.

Mangione's case is the first time Bondi has ordered prosecutors to pursue the death penalty since she took office in February and immediately lifted a moratorium that that had been imposed under former President Joe Biden's administration. The Trump administration has signaled it will aggressively push for death sentences for certain crimes, accusing the Biden administration of going easy on violent criminals.

Trump’s administration carried out 13 federal executions during his first term, more than under any president in modern history.

Biden campaigned on a pledge to work toward abolishing federal capital punishment but took no major steps to that end. But in his final days in office, the Democratic president commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on death row, converting their punishments to life in prison.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733829544108.png" alt="Luigi Mangione photo Pennsylvania Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Luigi Mangione photo Pennsylvania Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">UnitedHealthcare CEO</a>&nbsp;Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4.It is the first time the Justice Department has sought to bring the death penalty since President Donald Trump returned to office in January with a vow to resume federal executions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734643890089.png" alt="Luigi Mangione photo NYPD" />
 <figcaption>Luigi Mangione photo NYPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, faces separate federal and state murder charges for the killing, which rattled the business community while galvanizing health insurance critics.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General Pamela Bondi Directs Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione 🔗: <a href="https://t.co/4h453EbjJu">https://t.co/4h453EbjJu</a> <a href="https://t.co/EdQQto8ezD">pic.twitter.com/EdQQto8ezD</a>&mdash; U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept/status/1907089925540823211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The federal charges include murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. The state charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to a state indictment and has not entered a plea to the federal charges.Prosecutors have said the two cases will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-4cc18cfa71b96aaa39b321f60145d2f0">proceed on parallel tracks</a>, with the state case expected to go to trial first. It wasn't immediately clear if Bondi's announcement will change the order.“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said in a statement that described Thompson’s killing as “an act of political violence.”“After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," Bondi said.A message seeking comment was left for a spokesperson for Mangione’s lawyers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733331393274.png" alt="Photo NYPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo NYPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Thompson, 50, was ambushed and shot on a sidewalk outside the New York Hilton Midtown as he arrived for his company’s annual investor conference.Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition investigators found at the scene,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-delay-deny-defend-depose-ee73ceb19f361835c654f04a3b88c50c">mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics</a>&nbsp;to avoid paying claims.Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a five-day manhunt.Police said Mangione had with him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-charges-extradition-64ba21747f41c3a81f661900e797b6d7">a 9mm handgun</a>&nbsp;that matched the one used in the shooting and other items including a fake ID and a notebook described by authorities as a “manifesto” in which they say he expressed hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.Among the entries in the notebook, prosecutors said, was one from August 2024 that said “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box” and one from October that describes an intent to “wack” an insurance company CEO.UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurer in the U.S., though the company said Mangione was never a client.Mangione's lawyer, Karen Friedman-Agnifilo, has said she would seek to suppress some of the evidence seized during his arrest. She has also taken issue with the parallel prosecutions, accusing “warring jurisdictions” of turning Mangione into a “human ping-pong ball.”After his arrest, Mangione was whisked by plane and helicopter back to New York and walked slowly up a Manhattan pier in a highly choreographed spectacle by a throng of officers with assault rifles and a contingent that included New York City Mayor Eric Adams.Trump, who oversaw an unprecedented run of executions at the end of his first term, signed an executive order on his first day back in office on Jan. 20 that compels the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in federal cases where applicable.Mangione's case is the first time Bondi has ordered prosecutors to pursue the death penalty since she took office in February and immediately lifted a moratorium that that had been imposed under former President Joe Biden's administration. The Trump administration has signaled it will aggressively push for death sentences for certain crimes, accusing the Biden administration of going easy on violent criminals.Trump’s administration carried out 13 federal executions during his first term, more than under any president in modern history.Biden campaigned on a pledge to work toward abolishing federal capital punishment but took no major steps to that end. But in his final days in office, the Democratic president commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on death row, converting their punishments to life in prison.

DOJ to seek death penalty in killing of Health insurance CEO

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CARLA%20K.%20JOHNSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer</a>

Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-fa4e89285e668a3939e20b6cf4c26fd4">an overhaul</a>&nbsp;ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-unions-collective-bargaining-end-national-security-deabc796751dc038a8500774fe174a99">collective bargaining rights</a>&nbsp;at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.

At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nih-trump-bhattacharya-health-medicine-research-e0bbe375b498daccfcdcd1a1242d1b94">National Institutes of Health</a>, the world's leading health and medical agency, the layoffs occurred as its new director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, began his first day of work.

Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vaccine-chief-peter-marks-resign-rfk-kennedy-7743be11cec4e4e22c50c2ddbcb6bcd8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;announced a plan last week to remake the department, which, through its agencies, is responsible for tracking health trends and disease outbreaks, conducting and funding medical research, and monitoring the safety of food and medicine, as well as for administering health insurance programs for nearly half of the country.

The plan would consolidate agencies that oversee billions of dollars for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hhs-addiction-mental-health-rfk-samsha-e83db20b4ef801971cd25d07eb41bcf9">addiction services</a>&nbsp;and community health centers under a new office called the Administration for a Healthy America.

The layoffs are expected to shrink HHS to 62,000 positions, lopping off nearly a quarter of its staff — 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 workers who took early retirement and voluntary separation offers.

At the NIH, the cuts included at least four directors of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers who were put on administrative leave, and nearly entire communications staffs were terminated, according to an agency senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid retribution.

An email viewed by The Associated Press shows some senior-level employees of the Bethesda, Maryland, campus who were placed on leave were offered a possible transfer to the Indian Health Service in locations including Alaska and given until end of Wednesday to respond.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington predicted the cuts will have ramifications when natural disasters strike or infectious diseases, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">ongoing measles outbreak</a>, spread.

“They may as well be renaming it the Department of Disease because their plan is putting lives in serious jeopardy,” Murray said Friday.

Beyond layoffs at federal health agencies, cuts are beginning to happen at state and local health departments as a result of an HHS move last week to pull back more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related money. Local and state health officials are still assessing the impact, but some health departments have already identified hundreds of jobs that stand to be eliminated because of lost money, “some of them overnight, some of them are already gone,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Union representatives for HHS employees received a notice Thursday that 8,000 to 10,000 employees will be terminated. The department’s leadership will target positions in human resources, procurement, finance and information technology. Positions in “high cost regions” or that have been deemed “redundant” will be the focus of the layoffs.

Kennedy criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient “sprawling bureaucracy” in a video Thursday announcing the restructuring. He said the department’s $1.7 trillion yearly budget, “has failed to improve the health of Americans.”

“I want to promise you now that we’re going to do more with less,” Kennedy said.

The department on Thursday provided a breakdown of some of the cuts.

__ 3,500 jobs at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-tobacco-rfk-brian-king-cf2d5657e5d55410073aece19592be09">the Food and Drug Administration</a>, which inspects and sets safety standards for medications, medical devices and foods.

__ 2,400 jobs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors for infectious disease outbreaks and works with public health agencies nationwide.

__ 300 jobs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicare and Medicaid.

At the CDC, most employees have not been unionized, but interest rose sharply this year as the Trump administration took steps to reduce the federal workforce. Roughly 2,000 CDC employees in Atlanta belonged to the American Federation of Government Employees local bargaining unit, with hundreds more who had petitioned to join in recent days being added.

But on Thursday night, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/exclusions-from-federal-labor-management-relations-programs/">executive order</a>&nbsp;that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-unions-collective-bargaining-end-national-security-deabc796751dc038a8500774fe174a99">end collective bargaining</a>&nbsp;for a large number of federal agencies, including the CDC and other health agencies.

The erosion of collective bargaining rights was decried by some Democratic lawmakers.

“President Trump’s brazen attempt to strip the majority of federal employees of their union rights robs these workers of their hard-fought protections," Reps. Gerald Connolly and Bobby Scott, both of Virginia, said in a joint statement Friday.

“This will only give Elon Musk more power to dismantle the people’s government with as little resistance from dedicated civil servants as possible — further weakening the federal government’s ability to serve the American people.”

Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard, Amanda Seitz and Matthew Perrone in Washington and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed. ___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CARLA%20K.%20JOHNSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer</a>Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-fa4e89285e668a3939e20b6cf4c26fd4">an overhaul</a>&nbsp;ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-unions-collective-bargaining-end-national-security-deabc796751dc038a8500774fe174a99">collective bargaining rights</a>&nbsp;at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">We are streamlining HHS to make our agency more efficient and more effective. We will eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments, while preserving their core functions by merging them into a new organization called the Administration for a Healthy America or AHA. This… <a href="https://t.co/BlQWUpK3u7">pic.twitter.com/BlQWUpK3u7</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1905243470366670926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nih-trump-bhattacharya-health-medicine-research-e0bbe375b498daccfcdcd1a1242d1b94">National Institutes of Health</a>, the world's leading health and medical agency, the layoffs occurred as its new director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, began his first day of work.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We proudly welcome Dr. Marty Makary as <a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@US_FDA</a> Commissioner and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as <a href="https://twitter.com/NIH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIH</a> Director. Their impeccable credentials and dedication to gold-standard science make them uniquely qualified to lead these agencies and ensure its priorities are aligned with this… <a href="https://t.co/lboJ2d8juA">pic.twitter.com/lboJ2d8juA</a>&mdash; HHS.gov (@HHSGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov/status/1907073091441705351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vaccine-chief-peter-marks-resign-rfk-kennedy-7743be11cec4e4e22c50c2ddbcb6bcd8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;announced a plan last week to remake the department, which, through its agencies, is responsible for tracking health trends and disease outbreaks, conducting and funding medical research, and monitoring the safety of food and medicine, as well as for administering health insurance programs for nearly half of the country.The plan would consolidate agencies that oversee billions of dollars for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hhs-addiction-mental-health-rfk-samsha-e83db20b4ef801971cd25d07eb41bcf9">addiction services</a>&nbsp;and community health centers under a new office called the Administration for a Healthy America.The layoffs are expected to shrink HHS to 62,000 positions, lopping off nearly a quarter of its staff — 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 workers who took early retirement and voluntary separation offers.At the NIH, the cuts included at least four directors of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers who were put on administrative leave, and nearly entire communications staffs were terminated, according to an agency senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid retribution.An email viewed by The Associated Press shows some senior-level employees of the Bethesda, Maryland, campus who were placed on leave were offered a possible transfer to the Indian Health Service in locations including Alaska and given until end of Wednesday to respond.Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington predicted the cuts will have ramifications when natural disasters strike or infectious diseases, like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">ongoing measles outbreak</a>, spread.“They may as well be renaming it the Department of Disease because their plan is putting lives in serious jeopardy,” Murray said Friday.Beyond layoffs at federal health agencies, cuts are beginning to happen at state and local health departments as a result of an HHS move last week to pull back more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related money. Local and state health officials are still assessing the impact, but some health departments have already identified hundreds of jobs that stand to be eliminated because of lost money, “some of them overnight, some of them are already gone,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.Union representatives for HHS employees received a notice Thursday that 8,000 to 10,000 employees will be terminated. The department’s leadership will target positions in human resources, procurement, finance and information technology. Positions in “high cost regions” or that have been deemed “redundant” will be the focus of the layoffs.Kennedy criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient “sprawling bureaucracy” in a video Thursday announcing the restructuring. He said the department’s $1.7 trillion yearly budget, “has failed to improve the health of Americans.”“I want to promise you now that we’re going to do more with less,” Kennedy said.The department on Thursday provided a breakdown of some of the cuts.__ 3,500 jobs at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-tobacco-rfk-brian-king-cf2d5657e5d55410073aece19592be09">the Food and Drug Administration</a>, which inspects and sets safety standards for medications, medical devices and foods.__ 2,400 jobs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors for infectious disease outbreaks and works with public health agencies nationwide.__ 1,200 jobs at the NIH.__ 300 jobs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicare and Medicaid.At the CDC, most employees have not been unionized, but interest rose sharply this year as the Trump administration took steps to reduce the federal workforce. Roughly 2,000 CDC employees in Atlanta belonged to the American Federation of Government Employees local bargaining unit, with hundreds more who had petitioned to join in recent days being added.But on Thursday night, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/exclusions-from-federal-labor-management-relations-programs/">executive order</a>&nbsp;that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-unions-collective-bargaining-end-national-security-deabc796751dc038a8500774fe174a99">end collective bargaining</a>&nbsp;for a large number of federal agencies, including the CDC and other health agencies.The erosion of collective bargaining rights was decried by some Democratic lawmakers.“President Trump’s brazen attempt to strip the majority of federal employees of their union rights robs these workers of their hard-fought protections," Reps. Gerald Connolly and Bobby Scott, both of Virginia, said in a joint statement Friday.“This will only give Elon Musk more power to dismantle the people’s government with as little resistance from dedicated civil servants as possible — further weakening the federal government’s ability to serve the American people.”___Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard, Amanda Seitz and Matthew Perrone in Washington and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Massive layoffs begin: U.S. health agencies to do more with less

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 11pm Monday, police were dispatched to a medical call in the 3000 block of Mersington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

First responders found a man unresponsive in the street with unknown significant injuries. EMS treated the victim but ultimately declared him deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives responded for investigation and canvassed for any additional witnesses and crime scene investigators are processed the scene for evidence to give detectives&nbsp; better idea of what led up to the incident.

Based on preliminary information from people who were at the scene when officers arrived the victim had an interaction with unknown subject(s) nearby that led to him being injured.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743515165456.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 11pm Monday, police were dispatched to a medical call in the 3000 block of Mersington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. First responders found a man unresponsive in the street with unknown significant injuries. EMS treated the victim but ultimately declared him deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives responded for investigation and canvassed for any additional witnesses and crime scene investigators are processed the scene for evidence to give detectives&nbsp; better idea of what led up to the incident.Based on preliminary information from people who were at the scene when officers arrived the victim had an interaction with unknown subject(s) nearby that led to him being injured.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Victim found with significant injuries has died

WASHINGTON–&nbsp;U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;Marshall joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) in introducing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/86DB540C-CD52-4153-8815-3EF1F1A355AC">Locating Every Disbursement in Government Expenditure Records (LEDGER) Act</a>, which would require the U.S. Department of Treasury to track all payments after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found $4.7 trillion in payments&nbsp;that were&nbsp;left unmarked and untraceable, according to a media release from Marshall's office.

“Our national debt has ballooned to&nbsp;over $36 trillion.&nbsp;Just last year, we spent more than $1 trillion on interest payments, and both figures continue to grow because&nbsp;of unbelievable waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,”&nbsp;said Senator&nbsp;Marshall.&nbsp;“The latest revelation that $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were&nbsp;missing important traceability codes is disgraceful. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and this only reinforces why the work of&nbsp;DOGE&nbsp;is so critical to getting America’s financial house back in order.&nbsp;I am proud to stand alongside Senator Scott to make these traceability codes mandatory in order to enhance payment integrity.”

“Washington’s dysfunction was at an all-time high before President Trump took office this January. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a massive expansion of government, spending trillions of tax dollars with reckless abandon and nearly zero accountability or consideration of Americans’ best interests, adding $8 trillion to the now $36 trillion federal debt and running a $2 trillion deficit,”&nbsp;said Senator Scott.&nbsp;“The federal government&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1880282226727817715">hadn’t</a>&nbsp;completed a comprehensive review since before the world wide web existed when the federal budget was under $1 trillion. That’s changing as President Trump, Treasury Secretary Bessent, DOGE, and the entire administration work to streamline government and crack down on wasteful spending. Like many Americans, I was outraged by DOGE’s findings that the U.S. Treasury made $4.7 trillion in payments that were completely unmarked, unlabeled and therefore, untraceable and unaccountable to the American people. My bill, the&nbsp;LEDGER Act, fixes that by requiring Treasury to track every payment made using Americans’ tax dollars. There’s not a single family or business in America that operates this way – we look at our bank accounts and credit card statements to make sure we know where our money is going and stay on budget. I brought the same common sense of every American family and business as Governor of Florida to get spending under control and balance the budget, and we can do the same on the federal level to save the American dream and support the great work of President Trump, Secretary Bessent and DOGE.”

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/SRS-Bill-LEDGER-Act.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full bill text.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741300124075.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk during President Trump address to Congress last month-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk during President Trump address to Congress last month-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON–&nbsp;U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;Marshall joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) in introducing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/86DB540C-CD52-4153-8815-3EF1F1A355AC">Locating Every Disbursement in Government Expenditure Records (LEDGER) Act</a>, which would require the U.S. Department of Treasury to track all payments after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found $4.7 trillion in payments&nbsp;that were&nbsp;left unmarked and untraceable, according to a media release from Marshall's office.“Our national debt has ballooned to&nbsp;over $36 trillion.&nbsp;Just last year, we spent more than $1 trillion on interest payments, and both figures continue to grow because&nbsp;of unbelievable waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,”&nbsp;said Senator&nbsp;Marshall.&nbsp;“The latest revelation that $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were&nbsp;missing important traceability codes is disgraceful. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and this only reinforces why the work of&nbsp;DOGE&nbsp;is so critical to getting America’s financial house back in order.&nbsp;I am proud to stand alongside Senator Scott to make these traceability codes mandatory in order to enhance payment integrity.”“Washington’s dysfunction was at an all-time high before President Trump took office this January. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a massive expansion of government, spending trillions of tax dollars with reckless abandon and nearly zero accountability or consideration of Americans’ best interests, adding $8 trillion to the now $36 trillion federal debt and running a $2 trillion deficit,”&nbsp;said Senator Scott.&nbsp;“The federal government&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1880282226727817715">hadn’t</a>&nbsp;completed a comprehensive review since before the world wide web existed when the federal budget was under $1 trillion. That’s changing as President Trump, Treasury Secretary Bessent, DOGE, and the entire administration work to streamline government and crack down on wasteful spending. Like many Americans, I was outraged by DOGE’s findings that the U.S. Treasury made $4.7 trillion in payments that were completely unmarked, unlabeled and therefore, untraceable and unaccountable to the American people. My bill, the&nbsp;LEDGER Act, fixes that by requiring Treasury to track every payment made using Americans’ tax dollars. There’s not a single family or business in America that operates this way – we look at our bank accounts and credit card statements to make sure we know where our money is going and stay on budget. I brought the same common sense of every American family and business as Governor of Florida to get spending under control and balance the budget, and we can do the same on the federal level to save the American dream and support the great work of President Trump, Secretary Bessent and DOGE.”Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/SRS-Bill-LEDGER-Act.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full bill text.Background:<ul>
 <li>Senator&nbsp;Marshall&nbsp;is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-key-member-on-senate-doge-caucus-to-eliminate-government-waste-and-inefficiency/">founding member of the Senate DOGE Caucus</a>&nbsp;and has long fought against wasteful government spending, fraud, and abuse that have burdened Americans with trillions of dollars in debt.</li><li>To date,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://doge.gov/savings">according to its website</a>, DOGE has cut over $130 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Kan. US. Senator takes action after DOGE found $4.7T in untraceable Treasury payments

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer

BANGKOK (AP) — Hooters, the U.S.-based restaurant chain known for chicken wings and "Hooters Girls" skimpy wait-staff outfits, has filed for bankruptcy protection.

HOA Restaurant Group filed the motion for Chapter 11 protection Monday in the North Texas Bankruptcy Court in Dallas.

The company ran into financial woes as its debts mounted, but it says it intends to stay open and resolve its troubles within months. A group of the company's original founders that own almost a third of Hooters' U.S. locations, including about half of its biggest volume restaurants, plans to buy and operate more of the outlets, Hooters said in a news release.

"Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay and we are taking action to strengthen our business to better serve our valued customers over the long term," the company said in a notice on its website.

Hooters, based in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983. Trouble had been brewing for a while.

Hooters had sponsored the No. 9 NASCAR car driven by Chase Elliott since 2017, but last year, Hendrick Motorsports ended its ties to the longtime sponsor because it was not meeting its financial commitments.

Its business strategy has faced challenges over the years, including lawsuits over its hiring of only "Hooters Girls" to serve customers.

Last year it agreed to pay $250,000 and provide other relief to settle a race and color discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against a Hooters outlet in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In 2022, the restaurant refuted claims it was shutting down and rebranding due to changing customer tastes.

In 2019, the Hooters hotel-casino off the Las Vegas Strip was sold to an Indian hotel company and rebranded as the OYO Hotel and Casino.

In 2017, the company tried opening a restaurant that didn't feature wait-staff in tight tops, as a test of a different approach to its original concept.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743510319795.png" alt="Google image" />
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 </figure>By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business WriterBANGKOK (AP) — Hooters, the U.S.-based restaurant chain known for chicken wings and "Hooters Girls" skimpy wait-staff outfits, has filed for bankruptcy protection.HOA Restaurant Group filed the motion for Chapter 11 protection Monday in the North Texas Bankruptcy Court in Dallas.The company ran into financial woes as its debts mounted, but it says it intends to stay open and resolve its troubles within months. A group of the company's original founders that own almost a third of Hooters' U.S. locations, including about half of its biggest volume restaurants, plans to buy and operate more of the outlets, Hooters said in a news release."Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay and we are taking action to strengthen our business to better serve our valued customers over the long term," the company said in a notice on its website.Hooters, based in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983. Trouble had been brewing for a while.Hooters had sponsored the No. 9 NASCAR car driven by Chase Elliott since 2017, but last year, Hendrick Motorsports ended its ties to the longtime sponsor because it was not meeting its financial commitments.Its business strategy has faced challenges over the years, including lawsuits over its hiring of only "Hooters Girls" to serve customers.Last year it agreed to pay $250,000 and provide other relief to settle a race and color discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against a Hooters outlet in Greensboro, North Carolina.In 2022, the restaurant refuted claims it was shutting down and rebranding due to changing customer tastes.In 2019, the Hooters hotel-casino off the Las Vegas Strip was sold to an Indian hotel company and rebranded as the OYO Hotel and Casino.In 2017, the company tried opening a restaurant that didn't feature wait-staff in tight tops, as a test of a different approach to its original concept.