DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement have submitted a new charging affidavit to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office requesting charges be filed against Mark Gridley to increase the total to 8 victims, according to a statement from Lawrence Police.

 All allegations made against Gridley thus far reportedly occurred at Prairie Park Elementary School over a two-day period from February 6th to February 7th. The victims range in age from six to eleven years old.

Since being notified of the first allegations on February 8th, the Lawrence Police Department has dedicated every available resource to investigate this case, to include the entire investigations division, all of the department's School Resource Officers, and numerous officers from the patrol division. Other local and federal law enforcement agencies and USD 497 have also assisted.

 The experts at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County have been instrumental in this investigation with their expertise in not only interviewing children but also in providing the needed support services for the victims and their families. Police have also worked very closely each step of the way with Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis and his staff.

Every person involved in this investigation is committed to seeking truth and justice for the children and their families, while being cognizant that the work they are doing is on behalf of the most vulnerable members of the community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739224850023.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement have submitted a new charging affidavit to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office requesting charges be filed against Mark Gridley to increase the total to 8 victims, according to a statement from Lawrence Police. All allegations made against Gridley thus far reportedly occurred at Prairie Park Elementary School over a two-day period from February 6th to February 7th. The victims range in age from six to eleven years old.Since being notified of the first allegations on February 8th, the Lawrence Police Department has dedicated every available resource to investigate this case, to include the entire investigations division, all of the department's School Resource Officers, and numerous officers from the patrol division. Other local and federal law enforcement agencies and USD 497 have also assisted. The experts at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County have been instrumental in this investigation with their expertise in not only interviewing children but also in providing the needed support services for the victims and their families. Police have also worked very closely each step of the way with Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis and his staff.Every person involved in this investigation is committed to seeking truth and justice for the children and their families, while being cognizant that the work they are doing is on behalf of the most vulnerable members of the community.

More victims: Speech pathologist at Kan. school accused of child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The leases of roughly 120 Internal Revenue Service offices across the country will be terminated or allowed to expire, including sites that provide taxpayer services, according to a person familiar with the closures who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The latest plan to end leases of IRS offices — which include public-facing taxpayer service centers— comes in the middle of tax season, when the IRS expects more than 140 million tax returns to be filed by the April 15 deadline.

Last week, roughly 7,000 probationary IRS employees — who largely worked in compliance — were laid off in a move that experts and former workers say will likely mean reduced customer service and the end of the agency’s plan to go after high-wealth tax dodgers.

Some of the office closures are detailed on the DOGE website. The site states that leases for IRS sites in Knoxville, Tennessee; Beaumont, Texas; Sioux City, Iowa; Bend, Oregon; Salem, Oregon; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Brattleboro, Vermont; Hilo, Hawaii; and Lowell, Massachusetts have been or will be ended.n

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The leases of roughly 120 Internal Revenue Service offices across the country will be terminated or allowed to expire, including sites that provide taxpayer services, according to a person familiar with the closures who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.The latest plan to end leases of IRS offices — which include public-facing taxpayer service centers— comes in the middle of tax season, when the IRS expects more than 140 million tax returns to be filed by the April 15 deadline.Last week, roughly 7,000 probationary IRS employees — who largely worked in compliance — were laid off in a move that experts and former workers say will likely mean reduced customer service and the end of the agency’s plan to go after high-wealth tax dodgers.Some of the office closures are detailed on the DOGE website. The site states that leases for IRS sites in Knoxville, Tennessee; Beaumont, Texas; Sioux City, Iowa; Bend, Oregon; Salem, Oregon; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Brattleboro, Vermont; Hilo, Hawaii; and Lowell, Massachusetts have been or will be ended.n

The IRS will end leases or close offices at 120 sites, source says

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including at the Department of Defense.

“OPM does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe,” to hire or fire any employees but its own, Alsup said.

The complaint&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-employees-firing-lawsuit-trump-probation-unions-4a9384c21e408df85ca17dfac5b9dc93">filed</a>&nbsp;by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations is among multiple lawsuits pushing back on the administration’s efforts to shrink a workforce that Trump has called bloated and sloppy. Thousands of probationary employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">have already been fired</a>, and his administration is now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">aiming at career officials</a>&nbsp;with civil service protection.

Lawyers for the government agree that the office has no authority to hire or fire employees in other agencies.

But they said the Office of Personnel Management asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment. They also said that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that only the highest performing and mission-critical employees should be hired.

“I think plaintiffs are conflating a request by OPM with an order by OPM,” said Kelsey Helland, an assistant U.S. attorney in court Thursday.

Attorneys for the coalition cheered the order, although it does not mean that fired employees will automatically be rehired or that future firings will not occur.

“What it means in practical effects is the agencies of the federal government should hear the court’s warning that that order was unlawful,” said Danielle Leonard, an attorney for the coalition, after the hearing.

Emails for comment to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Justice were not immediately returned Thursday.

Alsup ordered the personnel office to inform a limited number of federal agencies represented by the five nonprofits that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which include veterans, parks, small businesses and defense. He seemed particularly troubled by firings expected at the Department of Defense.

He also ordered the acting head of the personnel office, Charles Ezell, to testify in court about the nature of a Feb. 13 phone call in which agency heads were told to fire probationary employees.

“The agencies could thumb their noses at OPM if they wanted to if it’s guidance, but if it’s an order, or cast as an order, the agencies may think they have to comply,” he said.

There are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers — generally employees who have less than a year on the job — across federal agencies. About 15,000 are employed in California, providing services ranging from fire prevention to veterans’ care, the complaint says.

Elon Musk has led the purge through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, roiling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">the workforce</a>&nbsp;with demands including a Saturday email sent through the personnel office ordering workers to list five things they did last week or risk getting fired. The Office of Personnel Management later said that the edict was voluntary, although workers could face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-federal-workers-b23b4752d56d5f969102f94afa5eb4b1">similar requests in the future.</a>

The plaintiffs said in their complaint that numerous agencies informed workers that the personnel office had ordered the terminations, with an order to use a template e-mail informing workers their firing was for performance reasons.

Probationary employees of the National Science Foundation, for example, were told by the foundation that it had decided to retain its workers but was overruled by the Office of Personnel Management, according to the complaint.

Unions have recently struck out with two other federal judges.

A judge in Washington, D.C., last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-firings-lawsuit-unions-17d1b0da62c7e0ccb62b7da5bdac210c">denied a motion from unions</a>&nbsp;to temporarily block layoffs because he found their complaint should be heard in federal labor court. Earlier this month, a judge in Massachusetts said unions suing over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-buyouts-e8cd4f40ac16220bd0a399a00c5b9f63">deferred resignation offer</a>&nbsp;weren’t directly affected and so lacked legal standing to challenge it.

Alsup said labor unions likely lack legal standing to sue, but the nonprofit organizations likely have cause because their members will be denied government services resulting from the loss of workers, such as the enjoyment of parks, mental health services for veterans and loans for small businesses.

He was appalled that probationary employees were fired with a mark against them for poor performance.

“Probationary employees are the lifeblood of our government,” he said, adding that they are younger employees who work their way up.

Alsup, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, has presided over many high-profile cases and is known for his blunt talk. He oversaw the criminal probation of Pacific Gas &amp; Electric, which he called a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-fires-crime-california-367cb44acf704920a0c2a72d60890bc5">continuing menace</a>&nbsp;to California.”

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce.U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including at the Department of Defense.“OPM does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe,” to hire or fire any employees but its own, Alsup said.The complaint&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-employees-firing-lawsuit-trump-probation-unions-4a9384c21e408df85ca17dfac5b9dc93">filed</a>&nbsp;by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations is among multiple lawsuits pushing back on the administration’s efforts to shrink a workforce that Trump has called bloated and sloppy. Thousands of probationary employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">have already been fired</a>, and his administration is now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">aiming at career officials</a>&nbsp;with civil service protection.Lawyers for the government agree that the office has no authority to hire or fire employees in other agencies.But they said the Office of Personnel Management asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment. They also said that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that only the highest performing and mission-critical employees should be hired.“I think plaintiffs are conflating a request by OPM with an order by OPM,” said Kelsey Helland, an assistant U.S. attorney in court Thursday.Attorneys for the coalition cheered the order, although it does not mean that fired employees will automatically be rehired or that future firings will not occur.“What it means in practical effects is the agencies of the federal government should hear the court’s warning that that order was unlawful,” said Danielle Leonard, an attorney for the coalition, after the hearing.Emails for comment to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Justice were not immediately returned Thursday.Alsup ordered the personnel office to inform a limited number of federal agencies represented by the five nonprofits that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which include veterans, parks, small businesses and defense. He seemed particularly troubled by firings expected at the Department of Defense.He also ordered the acting head of the personnel office, Charles Ezell, to testify in court about the nature of a Feb. 13 phone call in which agency heads were told to fire probationary employees.“The agencies could thumb their noses at OPM if they wanted to if it’s guidance, but if it’s an order, or cast as an order, the agencies may think they have to comply,” he said.There are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers — generally employees who have less than a year on the job — across federal agencies. About 15,000 are employed in California, providing services ranging from fire prevention to veterans’ care, the complaint says.Elon Musk has led the purge through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, roiling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">the workforce</a>&nbsp;with demands including a Saturday email sent through the personnel office ordering workers to list five things they did last week or risk getting fired. The Office of Personnel Management later said that the edict was voluntary, although workers could face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-federal-workers-b23b4752d56d5f969102f94afa5eb4b1">similar requests in the future.</a>The plaintiffs said in their complaint that numerous agencies informed workers that the personnel office had ordered the terminations, with an order to use a template e-mail informing workers their firing was for performance reasons.Probationary employees of the National Science Foundation, for example, were told by the foundation that it had decided to retain its workers but was overruled by the Office of Personnel Management, according to the complaint.Unions have recently struck out with two other federal judges.A judge in Washington, D.C., last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-firings-lawsuit-unions-17d1b0da62c7e0ccb62b7da5bdac210c">denied a motion from unions</a>&nbsp;to temporarily block layoffs because he found their complaint should be heard in federal labor court. Earlier this month, a judge in Massachusetts said unions suing over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-buyouts-e8cd4f40ac16220bd0a399a00c5b9f63">deferred resignation offer</a>&nbsp;weren’t directly affected and so lacked legal standing to challenge it.Alsup said labor unions likely lack legal standing to sue, but the nonprofit organizations likely have cause because their members will be denied government services resulting from the loss of workers, such as the enjoyment of parks, mental health services for veterans and loans for small businesses.He was appalled that probationary employees were fired with a mark against them for poor performance.“Probationary employees are the lifeblood of our government,” he said, adding that they are younger employees who work their way up.Alsup, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, has presided over many high-profile cases and is known for his blunt talk. He oversaw the criminal probation of Pacific Gas &amp; Electric, which he called a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-fires-crime-california-367cb44acf704920a0c2a72d60890bc5">continuing menace</a>&nbsp;to California.”

Judge: Mass firings of federal probationary workers likely unlawful

On Thursday, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), declassified and publicly released files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his sexual exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The first phase of declassified files largely contains documents that have been previously leaked but never released in a formal capacity by the U.S. Government.

“This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,”&nbsp;said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.&nbsp;“The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.” &nbsp;

“The FBI is entering a new era—one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice,”&nbsp;said FBI Director Kash Patel.&nbsp;“There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.”

Attorney General Bondi requested the full and complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In response, the Department received approximately 200 pages of documents, however, the Attorney General was later informed of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein that were not previously disclosed. The Attorney General has requested the FBI deliver the remaining documents to the Department by 8:00 AM on February 28 and has tasked FBI Director Kash Patel with investigating why the request for all documents was not followed.

The Department remains committed to transparency and intends to release the remaining documents upon review and redaction to protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.&nbsp; Click on the links below.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740682539079.png" alt="Jack Posobiec hold up a binder with a cover titled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" />
 <figcaption>Jack Posobiec hold up a binder with a cover titled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), declassified and publicly released files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his sexual exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>The first phase of declassified files largely contains documents that have been previously leaked but never released in a formal capacity by the U.S. Government.“This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,”&nbsp;said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.&nbsp;“The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.” &nbsp;“The FBI is entering a new era—one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice,”&nbsp;said FBI Director Kash Patel.&nbsp;“There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.”Attorney General Bondi requested the full and complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In response, the Department received approximately 200 pages of documents, however, the Attorney General was later informed of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein that were not previously disclosed. The Attorney General has requested the FBI deliver the remaining documents to the Department by 8:00 AM on February 28 and has tasked FBI Director Kash Patel with investigating why the request for all documents was not followed.The Department remains committed to transparency and intends to release the remaining documents upon review and redaction to protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.&nbsp; Click on the links below.<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391271/dl?inline">A. Evidence List</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391276/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391281/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part1</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391291/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part2</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391296/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part3</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391301/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part4</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391306/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part5</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391311/dl?inline">B. Flight Log_Released in U.S. v. Maxwell_Part6</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391321/dl?inline">C. Contact Book_Redacted</a></li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1391326/dl?inline">D. Masseuse List_Redacted</a></li>
 </ul>

Read phase 1 of the Epstein files released by the Dept. of Justice 

The Bethany College Board of Trustees announced Thursday the appointment of Dr. Laura Crawley as the 16th president of Bethany College.&nbsp;

Dr. Crawley, a distinguished leader in higher education, brings a wealth of experience in academic leadership, student engagement, and institutional growth. Dr. Crawley joins Bethany College with an impressive career spanning more than two decades in higher education. 

Most recently, she served as Vice President of Mission, Engagement, and Innovation at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, where she spearheaded initiatives that strengthened student success, expanded community partnerships, and enhanced institutional mission alignment. Her leadership was instrumental in increasing student retention, securing significant endowment gifts, and developing innovative programs to support both traditional and non-traditional students.

Prior to her role at Lenoir-Rhyne, Dr. Crawley held key leadership positions at the University of Georgia, including Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Gwinnett Campus. She played a pivotal role in expanding graduate education, fostering economic development partnerships, and implementing strategic initiatives that positioned the university for sustained growth.&nbsp;

Additionally, her tenure as Director of the Executive MBA Program at Georgia State University saw a marked rise in national rankings and program expansion.

"I am truly excited and honored to join the Bethany College community," said Dr. Crawley. "The college's strong values of faith, service, and academic excellence deeply resonate with my commitment to supporting students and fostering growth. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and alumni as we build on Bethany’s proud history and look toward a bright future. I am also thrilled to become a part of the Lindsborg community, which has so much to offer in terms of culture and spirit."

Dr. Crawley holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Women’s Studies from Emory University and a B.A. with Honors in American Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. A dedicated advocate for higher education and community engagement, she has served on numerous boards, facilitated leadership development programs, and contributed extensively to academic and professional conferences.

Bethany College, a distinguished liberal arts institution with a proud Lutheran heritage, has been shaping the lives of students since its founding in 1881. With Dr. Crawley at the helm, the college is poised to embark on an exciting new chapter, reinforcing its mission to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning, and service at Bethany.

Dr. Crawley will assume her new role on May 1, 2025. A formal inauguration ceremony will be held later in the year, with details forthcoming.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740748835434.jpeg" alt="Dr. Laura Crawley courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Laura Crawley courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Bethany CollegeThe Bethany College Board of Trustees announced Thursday the appointment of Dr. Laura Crawley as the 16th president of Bethany College.&nbsp;Dr. Crawley, a distinguished leader in higher education, brings a wealth of experience in academic leadership, student engagement, and institutional growth. Dr. Crawley joins Bethany College with an impressive career spanning more than two decades in higher education. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Mission, Engagement, and Innovation at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, where she spearheaded initiatives that strengthened student success, expanded community partnerships, and enhanced institutional mission alignment. Her leadership was instrumental in increasing student retention, securing significant endowment gifts, and developing innovative programs to support both traditional and non-traditional students.Prior to her role at Lenoir-Rhyne, Dr. Crawley held key leadership positions at the University of Georgia, including Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Gwinnett Campus. She played a pivotal role in expanding graduate education, fostering economic development partnerships, and implementing strategic initiatives that positioned the university for sustained growth.&nbsp;Additionally, her tenure as Director of the Executive MBA Program at Georgia State University saw a marked rise in national rankings and program expansion."I am truly excited and honored to join the Bethany College community," said Dr. Crawley. "The college's strong values of faith, service, and academic excellence deeply resonate with my commitment to supporting students and fostering growth. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and alumni as we build on Bethany’s proud history and look toward a bright future. I am also thrilled to become a part of the Lindsborg community, which has so much to offer in terms of culture and spirit."Dr. Crawley holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Women’s Studies from Emory University and a B.A. with Honors in American Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. A dedicated advocate for higher education and community engagement, she has served on numerous boards, facilitated leadership development programs, and contributed extensively to academic and professional conferences.Bethany College, a distinguished liberal arts institution with a proud Lutheran heritage, has been shaping the lives of students since its founding in 1881. With Dr. Crawley at the helm, the college is poised to embark on an exciting new chapter, reinforcing its mission to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning, and service at Bethany.Dr. Crawley will assume her new role on May 1, 2025. A formal inauguration ceremony will be held later in the year, with details forthcoming.

Bethany College names new president

KANSAS CITY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Kansas City.

Just after 5:30p.m. Thursday, KCPD officers were notified of a domestic assault which occurred in the 7000 Block of North Robinhood lane, according to a media release from the patrol.&nbsp;

The female victim of the assault left the home where the assault occurred and met officers at a secondary location. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital. After speaking with the victim, police responded to the original residence to arrest the suspect just after 8:30p.m.&nbsp; Officers made contact with the 57-year-old suspect. 

The suspect exited the home armed with a large knife and advanced toward police. During the confrontation, one officer fired his duty weapon striking the suspect.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene. One officer received minor injuries during the altercation. The officer was treated at the scene and released. The Patrol released no additional details late Thursday including the name of the suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740743663867.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in Kansas City.Just after 5:30p.m. Thursday, KCPD officers were notified of a domestic assault which occurred in the 7000 Block of North Robinhood lane, according to a media release from the patrol.&nbsp;The female victim of the assault left the home where the assault occurred and met officers at a secondary location. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital. After speaking with the victim, police responded to the original residence to arrest the suspect just after 8:30p.m.&nbsp; Officers made contact with the 57-year-old suspect. The suspect exited the home armed with a large knife and advanced toward police. During the confrontation, one officer fired his duty weapon striking the suspect.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene. One officer received minor injuries during the altercation. The officer was treated at the scene and released. The Patrol released no additional details late Thursday including the name of the suspect.

Domestic assault suspect dead after KC officer-shooting

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage incident and have two suspects in custody.

Just before at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to what was believed to be an attempted armed carjacking in the 1900 block of W 75th Street in Prairie Village, according to a media release.

A motorist was stopped at the red light when two suspects pulled next to them on a motorcycle. The suspect passenger opened the victim’s driver’s side door. The victim was able to pull the door shut and drove west on W 75th Street. One suspect pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the victim as they drove away.

 The suspects fled eastbound on W 75th Street into Missouri and were apprehended by Kansas City Missouri Police Officers after an accident. 

Both suspects were taken to the hospital. Police&nbsp;determined the shooting was attributed to a road rage incident not an attempted carjacking. The suspects remain in custody. Police did not release their names or possible charges.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage incident and have two suspects in custody.Just before at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to what was believed to be an attempted armed carjacking in the 1900 block of W 75th Street in Prairie Village, according to a media release.A motorist was stopped at the red light when two suspects pulled next to them on a motorcycle. The suspect passenger opened the victim’s driver’s side door. The victim was able to pull the door shut and drove west on W 75th Street. One suspect pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the victim as they drove away. The suspects fled eastbound on W 75th Street into Missouri and were apprehended by Kansas City Missouri Police Officers after an accident. Both suspects were taken to the hospital. Police&nbsp;determined the shooting was attributed to a road rage incident not an attempted carjacking. The suspects remain in custody. Police did not release their names or possible charges.

Suspects arrested for Kansas road rage shooting

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in a house fire Thursday in Topeka.

Just before 6:00 p.m., firefighters responded to a reported house fire at 1835 SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to a media release. Upon arrival, crews found a two-story house with smoke and flames on both floors. Two people were in the residence when the fire started and self-evacuated. One person was taken to the hospital for treatment&nbsp; of minor injuries. Crews extinguished the fire.

Investigators determined the&nbsp;cause of the fire was accidental, associated with a space heater. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to the fire department. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740708752618.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in a house fire Thursday in Topeka.Just before 6:00 p.m., firefighters responded to a reported house fire at 1835 SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to a media release. Upon arrival, crews found a two-story house with smoke and flames on both floors. Two people were in the residence when the fire started and self-evacuated. One person was taken to the hospital for treatment&nbsp; of minor injuries. Crews extinguished the fire.Investigators determined the&nbsp;cause of the fire was accidental, associated with a space heater. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, according to the fire department. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

One hospitalized after fire at two-story Kansas home

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp;Diego Lopez-Hernandez, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 3700 block of St. John Avenue on a reported shooting.

Upon arrival, no shooting victims were immediately located at the scene. While officers were speaking with bystanders in the area, they were notified a shooting victim. later identified as Lopez-Hernandez, arrived by a private vehicle at an area hospital. The victim was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. 

Further investigation revealed the incident may have occurred at a separate location near Sunrise Drive and Cliff Drive Place.

Just after 6a.m. detectives were notified by hospital staff Lopez-Hernandez had been pronounced deceased. There is currently no preliminary information regarding what lead up to the shooting. A subject of interest has not been identified and no one is in custody at this time.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 19-year-old&nbsp;Diego Lopez-Hernandez, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 3700 block of St. John Avenue on a reported shooting.Upon arrival, no shooting victims were immediately located at the scene. While officers were speaking with bystanders in the area, they were notified a shooting victim. later identified as Lopez-Hernandez, arrived by a private vehicle at an area hospital. The victim was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Further investigation revealed the incident may have occurred at a separate location near Sunrise Drive and Cliff Drive Place.Just after 6a.m. detectives were notified by hospital staff Lopez-Hernandez had been pronounced deceased. There is currently no preliminary information regarding what lead up to the shooting. A subject of interest has not been identified and no one is in custody at this time.

Police ID KC shooting victim who died after dropped off at hospital

NEW YORK (AP) — A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of “economic resistance” to protest what the group's founder sees as the malign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trumps-cabinet-wealth-billionaires-0d5147df74c7f0a851df296aeab2e164">influence of billionaires</a>, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans.

The People's Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an “economic blackout,” a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-dei-inclusion-diversity-34b06922e60e5116fe198696201ce4d9">Walmart</a>&nbsp;and Amazon.

Other activists, faith-based leaders and consumers already are organizing boycotts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-consumers-dei-buying-guide-naacp-34664d8af92e2dc1ba787a498348b7a4">to protest companies</a>&nbsp;that have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to oppose President Donald Trump's moves to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">abolish all federal DEI programs and policies</a>. Some faith leaders are encouraging their congregations to refrain from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-diversity-equity-inclusion-minneapolis-civil-rights-850701b0126bd9417dd488c72f5f8a81">shopping at Target</a>, one of the companies backing off DEI efforts, during the 40 days of Lent that begin Wednesday.

Here are some details about the various events and experts' thoughts on whether having consumers keep their wallets closed is an effective tool for influencing the positions corporations take.

Who's behind the ‘24-hour Economic Blackout?’

The People's Union USA, which takes credit for initiating the no-spend day, was founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher who lives near the Chicago area, according to his social media accounts.

The organization's website said it's not tied to a political party but stands for all people. Requests for comment sent to the group's email address this week did not receive a reply.

The planned blackout is scheduled to run from 12 a.m. EST through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. The activist group advised customers to abstain from making any purchases, whether in store or online, but particularly not from big retailers or chains. It wants participants to avoid fast food and filling their car gas tanks, and says shoppers with emergencies or in need of essentials should support a local small business and try not to use a credit or debit card.

People's Union plans another broad-based economic blackout on March 28, but it's also organizing boycotts targeting specific retailers — Walmart and Amazon — as well as global food giants Nestle and General Mills. For the boycott against Amazon, the organization is encouraging people to refrain from buying anything from Whole Foods, which the e-commerce company owns.

There are a number of boycotts being planned, particularly aimed at Target. The discounter, which has backed diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at uplifting Black and LGBTQ+ people in the past, announced in January&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-dei-supreme-court-diversity-7f068dfee61a68a9a1f82b94e135b323">it was rolling back its DEI initiatives.</a>

A labor advocacy group called We Are Somebody, led by Nina Turner, launched a boycott of Target on February 1 to coincide with Black History Month.

Meanwhile, an Atlanta-area pastor, the Rev. Jamal Bryant, organized a website called targetfast.org to recruit Christians for a a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5, which marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Other faith leaders have endorsed the protest.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, announced in late January it would identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion pledges. The organization formed a commission to identify potential candidates.

"Donald Trump can cut federal DEI programs to the bone, he can claw back federal money to expand diversity, but he cannot tell us what grocery store we shop at,” Sharpton said in a statement posted on the National Action Network's website.

Some retailers may feel a slight pinch from Friday's broad “blackout,” which is taking place in a tough economic environment, experts said. Renewed inflation worries and Trump's threat of tariffs on imported goods already have had an effect on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-conference-board-economy-spending-4ec3430138e6d872a6dae273e212edd1">consumer sentiment</a>.

“The (market share) pie is just so big,” Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. “You can’t afford to have your slices get smaller. Consumers are spending more money on food. And that means there’s more pressure on general merchandise or discretionary products.”

Still, Cohen thinks the overall impact may be limited, with any meaningful sales declines more likely to surface in liberal-leaning coastal regions and big cities.

Anna Tuchman, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, said she thinks the economic blackout will likely make a dent in daily retail sales but won't be sustainable.

“I think this is an opportunity for consumers to show that they have a voice on a single day," she said. ”I think it’s unlikely that we would see long-run sustained decreases in economic activity supported by this boycott.”

Other boycotts have produced different results.

Target saw a drop in sales in the spring and summer quarter of 2023 that the discounter attributed in part to customer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-target-swimsuits-transgender-pride-collection-892500330955">backlash over a collection</a>&nbsp;honoring LGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month. As a result, Target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-lgbtq-pride-667ab2f6545645f5f86ca76394e531d6">didn’t carry Pride</a>&nbsp;merchandise in all of its stores the following year.

Tuchman studied the impact of a&nbsp;<a href="https://he%20ceo%20of%20food%20company%20goya%20is%20facing%20an%20uproar%20over%20his%20praise%20for%20president%20donald%20trump/">boycott against Goya Foods</a>&nbsp;during the summer of 2020 after the company's CEO praised Trump. But her study, based on sales from research firm Numerator, found the brand&nbsp;<a href="https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/company-boycott-buycott-impact">saw a sales increase</a>&nbsp;driven by first-time Goya buyers who were disproportionately from heavily Republican areas.

However, the revenue bump proved temporary; Goya had no detectable sales increase after three weeks, Tuchman said.

It was a different story for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-beer-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-d489fb60d04ebd02486f80169cfc4474">Bud Light</a>, which spent decades as America’s bestselling beer. Sales plummeted in 2023 after the brand sent a commemorative can to a transgender influencer. Bud Light’s sales still haven’t fully recovered, according to alcohol consulting company Bump Williams.

Tuchman thinks a reason is because there were plenty of other beers that the brand’s mostly conservative customer base could buy to replace Bud Light.

Afya Evans, a political and image consultant in Atlanta, said she would make a point of shopping on Friday but will focus on small businesses and Black-owned brands.

Evans is aware of other boycotts but she said she liked this one because she believes it could have some effect on sales.

“It’s a broader thing,” she said. “We want to see what the impact is. Let everybody participate. And plan from there.”

AP Business Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740689484081.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of “economic resistance” to protest what the group's founder sees as the malign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trumps-cabinet-wealth-billionaires-0d5147df74c7f0a851df296aeab2e164">influence of billionaires</a>, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans.The People's Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an “economic blackout,” a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-dei-inclusion-diversity-34b06922e60e5116fe198696201ce4d9">Walmart</a>&nbsp;and Amazon.Other activists, faith-based leaders and consumers already are organizing boycotts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-consumers-dei-buying-guide-naacp-34664d8af92e2dc1ba787a498348b7a4">to protest companies</a>&nbsp;that have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to oppose President Donald Trump's moves to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">abolish all federal DEI programs and policies</a>. Some faith leaders are encouraging their congregations to refrain from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-diversity-equity-inclusion-minneapolis-civil-rights-850701b0126bd9417dd488c72f5f8a81">shopping at Target</a>, one of the companies backing off DEI efforts, during the 40 days of Lent that begin Wednesday.Here are some details about the various events and experts' thoughts on whether having consumers keep their wallets closed is an effective tool for influencing the positions corporations take.<h2>Who's behind the ‘24-hour Economic Blackout?’</h2>The People's Union USA, which takes credit for initiating the no-spend day, was founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher who lives near the Chicago area, according to his social media accounts.The organization's website said it's not tied to a political party but stands for all people. Requests for comment sent to the group's email address this week did not receive a reply.The planned blackout is scheduled to run from 12 a.m. EST through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. The activist group advised customers to abstain from making any purchases, whether in store or online, but particularly not from big retailers or chains. It wants participants to avoid fast food and filling their car gas tanks, and says shoppers with emergencies or in need of essentials should support a local small business and try not to use a credit or debit card.People's Union plans another broad-based economic blackout on March 28, but it's also organizing boycotts targeting specific retailers — Walmart and Amazon — as well as global food giants Nestle and General Mills. For the boycott against Amazon, the organization is encouraging people to refrain from buying anything from Whole Foods, which the e-commerce company owns.<h2>What other boycotts are being planned?</h2>There are a number of boycotts being planned, particularly aimed at Target. The discounter, which has backed diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at uplifting Black and LGBTQ+ people in the past, announced in January&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-dei-supreme-court-diversity-7f068dfee61a68a9a1f82b94e135b323">it was rolling back its DEI initiatives.</a>A labor advocacy group called We Are Somebody, led by Nina Turner, launched a boycott of Target on February 1 to coincide with Black History Month.Meanwhile, an Atlanta-area pastor, the Rev. Jamal Bryant, organized a website called targetfast.org to recruit Christians for a a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5, which marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Other faith leaders have endorsed the protest.The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, announced in late January it would identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion pledges. The organization formed a commission to identify potential candidates."Donald Trump can cut federal DEI programs to the bone, he can claw back federal money to expand diversity, but he cannot tell us what grocery store we shop at,” Sharpton said in a statement posted on the National Action Network's website.<h2>Will the events have any impact?</h2>Some retailers may feel a slight pinch from Friday's broad “blackout,” which is taking place in a tough economic environment, experts said. Renewed inflation worries and Trump's threat of tariffs on imported goods already have had an effect on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-conference-board-economy-spending-4ec3430138e6d872a6dae273e212edd1">consumer sentiment</a>.“The (market share) pie is just so big,” Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. “You can’t afford to have your slices get smaller. Consumers are spending more money on food. And that means there’s more pressure on general merchandise or discretionary products.”Still, Cohen thinks the overall impact may be limited, with any meaningful sales declines more likely to surface in liberal-leaning coastal regions and big cities.Anna Tuchman, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, said she thinks the economic blackout will likely make a dent in daily retail sales but won't be sustainable.“I think this is an opportunity for consumers to show that they have a voice on a single day," she said. ”I think it’s unlikely that we would see long-run sustained decreases in economic activity supported by this boycott.”Other boycotts have produced different results.Target saw a drop in sales in the spring and summer quarter of 2023 that the discounter attributed in part to customer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-target-swimsuits-transgender-pride-collection-892500330955">backlash over a collection</a>&nbsp;honoring LGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month. As a result, Target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/target-lgbtq-pride-667ab2f6545645f5f86ca76394e531d6">didn’t carry Pride</a>&nbsp;merchandise in all of its stores the following year.Tuchman studied the impact of a&nbsp;<a href="https://he%20ceo%20of%20food%20company%20goya%20is%20facing%20an%20uproar%20over%20his%20praise%20for%20president%20donald%20trump/">boycott against Goya Foods</a>&nbsp;during the summer of 2020 after the company's CEO praised Trump. But her study, based on sales from research firm Numerator, found the brand&nbsp;<a href="https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/company-boycott-buycott-impact">saw a sales increase</a>&nbsp;driven by first-time Goya buyers who were disproportionately from heavily Republican areas.However, the revenue bump proved temporary; Goya had no detectable sales increase after three weeks, Tuchman said.It was a different story for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-beer-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-d489fb60d04ebd02486f80169cfc4474">Bud Light</a>, which spent decades as America’s bestselling beer. Sales plummeted in 2023 after the brand sent a commemorative can to a transgender influencer. Bud Light’s sales still haven’t fully recovered, according to alcohol consulting company Bump Williams.Tuchman thinks a reason is because there were plenty of other beers that the brand’s mostly conservative customer base could buy to replace Bud Light.Afya Evans, a political and image consultant in Atlanta, said she would make a point of shopping on Friday but will focus on small businesses and Black-owned brands.Evans is aware of other boycotts but she said she liked this one because she believes it could have some effect on sales.“It’s a broader thing,” she said. “We want to see what the impact is. Let everybody participate. And plan from there.”___AP Business Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report.

Economic Blackout: Will a 24-hour boycott make a difference?

FINNEY COUNTY —A jury has found a Manhattan man guilty of child sex crimes.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, the Finney County Attorney reported 76-year-old Dale Bolton was convicted of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The crimes involving a victim under the age of 7 and occurred in March of 2024, according to the KBI Offender Registry.

Since this was a "Jessica's Law" case, Bolton faces a mandatory life sentence.&nbsp; The Garden City&nbsp; Police Department investigated the crimes. Bolton is being held in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740656378097.png" alt="Bolton photo Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Bolton photo Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A jury has found a Manhattan man guilty of child sex crimes.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the Finney County Attorney reported 76-year-old Dale Bolton was convicted of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The crimes involving a victim under the age of 7 and occurred in March of 2024, according to the KBI Offender Registry.Since this was a "Jessica's Law" case, Bolton faces a mandatory life sentence.&nbsp; The Garden City&nbsp; Police Department investigated the crimes. Bolton is being held in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

Life in Kansas prison for multiple child sex crimes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. face a Friday deadline to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-critical-race-theory-colleges-diversity-db8317ad37931558dd5a396cf5ab3d42">end diversity programs</a>&nbsp;or risk having their federal money pulled by the Trump administration, yet few are openly rushing to make changes. Many believe they’re on solid legal ground, and they know it would be all but unprecedented — and extremely time-consuming — for the government to cut off funding.

State officials in Washington and California urged schools not to make changes, saying it doesn’t change federal law and doesn’t require any action. New York City schools have taken the same approach and said district policies and curriculum have not changed.

Leaders of some colleges shrugged the memo off entirely.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-law-ohio-antioch-oberlin-6a571aeb5a577d13f72ff4999b90ec78">Antioch University</a>&nbsp;’s chief said “most of higher education” won’t comply with the memo unless federal law is changed. Western Michigan University’s president told his campus to “please proceed as usual.”

A memo issued Feb. 14 by President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s administration</a>, formally known as a Dear Colleague Letter, gave schools two weeks to halt any practice that treats people differently because of their race.

On Thursday, the department launched a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-launches-end-dei-portal" target="_blank">“End DEI” portal</a>&nbsp;inviting students, parents and others to report discrimination based on race or sex in public schools. The department said it will use submissions to identify investigation targets.

Opponents say the memo is an overreach meant to have a chilling effect. The guidance appears to forbid everything from classroom lessons on racism to colleges’ efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-college-university-9f26a51617744de5c3f929a293027758">recruit in diverse areas</a>, and even voluntary student groups like Black student unions.

Education organizations have been urging a measured approach, warning institutions not to make any hasty cuts that would be difficult to undo. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, is telling colleges that if they were in compliance with federal law before the memo, they still are.

“There’s nothing to act on until we see the administration or its agencies try to stop something,” Mitchell said. “And then we’ll have the argument.”

Investigations rarely come close to cutting schools’ federal funding

A loss of federal money would be devastating for schools and colleges, but imposing that penalty would not be quick or simple.

The Education Department office that conducts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-civil-rights-antisemitism-aeb29bfe83962eef78091323a1916d52">civil rights investigations</a>&nbsp;had fewer than 600 employees last year — before the Trump administration began cutting staff — while the U.S. has more than 18,000 school districts and 6,000 colleges.

Even when a school or state faces an investigation, it can take years to terminate funding. Under former President Joe Biden, the Education Department tried to pull federal money from Michigan’s education agency after finding it violated the rights of students with disabilities. The investigation began in 2022 and is still tied up in federal court.

“I hope very much that schools charged with providing inclusive, equal education to every student in their school community will stand for that principle,” said Catherine Lhamon, who led the department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-iep-disability-civil-rights-trump-85a6687d9ef1f5236f2637924d66a560">Office for Civil Rights</a>&nbsp;under Biden.

Still, some education leaders say resistance is too risky. At the University of Cincinnati, President Neville G. Pinto said officials are evaluating jobs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and removing DEI references from school websites.

“Given this new landscape, Ohio public and federally supported institutions like ours have little choice but to follow the laws that govern us,” Pinto wrote.

Ohio State’s president, Ted Carter, announced Thursday that it would&nbsp;<a href="https://president.osu.edu/story/communications-messages-2" target="_blank">close its Office of Diversity and Inclusion</a>&nbsp;and cancel some of its services, effective Friday. With an anti-DEI bill also pending in Ohio’s legislature, he said he concluded the best course was to act preemptively.

Tony Frank, chancellor of the Colorado State University system, wrote in a campus letter that he weighed taking a stand against the department. But he advised the system’s campuses to comply, saying there’s too much at stake for students and staff. “If we gamble here and are wrong, someone else will pay the price,” he wrote.

New guidance brings a shift in interpretation of nondiscrimination laws

In many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-dei-woke-trump-fe549f21b223ea9aa2a9f443470c593e">Republican-led states</a>, education chiefs applauded the memo.

“We never felt it was appropriate to use race in making these types of decisions in the first case, so I do not foresee any interruptions in our day-to-day business,” Alabama’s state superintendent, Eric G. Mackey, said in a statement released by the Trump administration.

The memo said schools have promoted DEI efforts often at the expense of white and Asian American students.

It doesn’t carry the weight of law but explains how the new administration will interpret nondiscrimination laws. It dramatically expands a 2023 Supreme Court decision barring the use of race in college admissions to all aspects of education — including, hiring, promotion, scholarships, housing, graduation ceremonies and campus life.

The guidance is being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-dei-dear-colleague-letter-lawsuit-2d3b5b5d7ce2d68a68bcb24c5744ed29">challenged in court</a>&nbsp;by the American Federation of Teachers, which said the memo violates free speech laws.

Some districts already have struck language about equity goals from their websites. While some school leaders are keeping quiet out of fear of being targeted, many also are still struggling to grasp the memo’s implications.

“We are looking to our attorney general for guidance because it’s very confusing,” said Christine Tucci Osorio, superintendent of the North St. Paul School District in Minnesota. When a teacher asked if their school could still mark African American History Month, she assured them they could.

Despite concerns that schools would rush to comply, it appears “cooler heads are largely prevailing,” said Liz King, senior director for the education equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

“Once a school sends the message that they are not going to stand up for a member, a community within their school, that is broken trust, that is a lost relationship,” King said.

Like no president before him, Trump wields funding threat to support his agenda

Trump has vowed to use education funding as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-woke-education-24f864d83e2f5745d12a79ebac0d7cc4">political leverage</a>&nbsp;on several fronts, threatening cuts for schools that do not get in line with his agenda on topics including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-sports-san-jose-state-penn-6c0372371789747b1d2bcd5e207c8833">transgender girls’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ sports and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-critical-race-theory-antisemitism-college-protests-18136b8c8f5adb9c75c47907e020268a">instruction related to race</a>.

Usually, civil rights investigations by the Education Department take at least six months and often much longer. If a school is found in violation of federal law, department policy offers a chance to come into compliance and sign a resolution — typically a 90-day process.

Only if a school refuses to comply can the department move to revoke federal money. That can be done in the Education Department through a court-like process decided by an administrative law judge. If the judge decides the penalty is justified, the school can appeal it to the education secretary and, after that, challenge it in court.

Instead of handling it internally, the department can also refer cases to the Justice Department for prosecution. That route is no faster.

The last time the Education Department was granted approval to cut federal funding was in 1992, against the Capistrano Unified School District in California, which was found to have retaliated against a teacher for filing sex discrimination complaints.

Before the penalty was carried out, the district reinstated the teacher and effectively ended the case. It never lost any money.

Gecker reported from San Francisco, and Mumphrey from Phoenix.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. face a Friday deadline to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-critical-race-theory-colleges-diversity-db8317ad37931558dd5a396cf5ab3d42">end diversity programs</a>&nbsp;or risk having their federal money pulled by the Trump administration, yet few are openly rushing to make changes. Many believe they’re on solid legal ground, and they know it would be all but unprecedented — and extremely time-consuming — for the government to cut off funding.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FED.gov%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02FHspKEQW93HtkdmRKzFDw1WX3nLYmpcskzwek4x5m1XaFryWoyQ5KhnWqD4AXyP2l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="629" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>State officials in Washington and California urged schools not to make changes, saying it doesn’t change federal law and doesn’t require any action. New York City schools have taken the same approach and said district policies and curriculum have not changed.Leaders of some colleges shrugged the memo off entirely.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-law-ohio-antioch-oberlin-6a571aeb5a577d13f72ff4999b90ec78">Antioch University</a>&nbsp;’s chief said “most of higher education” won’t comply with the memo unless federal law is changed. Western Michigan University’s president told his campus to “please proceed as usual.”A memo issued Feb. 14 by President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s administration</a>, formally known as a Dear Colleague Letter, gave schools two weeks to halt any practice that treats people differently because of their race.On Thursday, the department launched a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-launches-end-dei-portal" target="_blank">“End DEI” portal</a>&nbsp;inviting students, parents and others to report discrimination based on race or sex in public schools. The department said it will use submissions to identify investigation targets.Opponents say the memo is an overreach meant to have a chilling effect. The guidance appears to forbid everything from classroom lessons on racism to colleges’ efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-college-university-9f26a51617744de5c3f929a293027758">recruit in diverse areas</a>, and even voluntary student groups like Black student unions.Education organizations have been urging a measured approach, warning institutions not to make any hasty cuts that would be difficult to undo. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, is telling colleges that if they were in compliance with federal law before the memo, they still are.“There’s nothing to act on until we see the administration or its agencies try to stop something,” Mitchell said. “And then we’ll have the argument.”<h2>Investigations rarely come close to cutting schools’ federal funding</h2>A loss of federal money would be devastating for schools and colleges, but imposing that penalty would not be quick or simple.The Education Department office that conducts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-civil-rights-antisemitism-aeb29bfe83962eef78091323a1916d52">civil rights investigations</a>&nbsp;had fewer than 600 employees last year — before the Trump administration began cutting staff — while the U.S. has more than 18,000 school districts and 6,000 colleges.Even when a school or state faces an investigation, it can take years to terminate funding. Under former President Joe Biden, the Education Department tried to pull federal money from Michigan’s education agency after finding it violated the rights of students with disabilities. The investigation began in 2022 and is still tied up in federal court.“I hope very much that schools charged with providing inclusive, equal education to every student in their school community will stand for that principle,” said Catherine Lhamon, who led the department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-iep-disability-civil-rights-trump-85a6687d9ef1f5236f2637924d66a560">Office for Civil Rights</a>&nbsp;under Biden.Still, some education leaders say resistance is too risky. At the University of Cincinnati, President Neville G. Pinto said officials are evaluating jobs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and removing DEI references from school websites.“Given this new landscape, Ohio public and federally supported institutions like ours have little choice but to follow the laws that govern us,” Pinto wrote.Ohio State’s president, Ted Carter, announced Thursday that it would&nbsp;<a href="https://president.osu.edu/story/communications-messages-2" target="_blank">close its Office of Diversity and Inclusion</a>&nbsp;and cancel some of its services, effective Friday. With an anti-DEI bill also pending in Ohio’s legislature, he said he concluded the best course was to act preemptively.Tony Frank, chancellor of the Colorado State University system, wrote in a campus letter that he weighed taking a stand against the department. But he advised the system’s campuses to comply, saying there’s too much at stake for students and staff. “If we gamble here and are wrong, someone else will pay the price,” he wrote.ADVERTISEMENT<h2>New guidance brings a shift in interpretation of nondiscrimination laws</h2>In many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-dei-woke-trump-fe549f21b223ea9aa2a9f443470c593e">Republican-led states</a>, education chiefs applauded the memo.“We never felt it was appropriate to use race in making these types of decisions in the first case, so I do not foresee any interruptions in our day-to-day business,” Alabama’s state superintendent, Eric G. Mackey, said in a statement released by the Trump administration.The memo said schools have promoted DEI efforts often at the expense of white and Asian American students.It doesn’t carry the weight of law but explains how the new administration will interpret nondiscrimination laws. It dramatically expands a 2023 Supreme Court decision barring the use of race in college admissions to all aspects of education — including, hiring, promotion, scholarships, housing, graduation ceremonies and campus life.ADVERTISEMENTThe guidance is being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-dei-dear-colleague-letter-lawsuit-2d3b5b5d7ce2d68a68bcb24c5744ed29">challenged in court</a>&nbsp;by the American Federation of Teachers, which said the memo violates free speech laws.Some districts already have struck language about equity goals from their websites. While some school leaders are keeping quiet out of fear of being targeted, many also are still struggling to grasp the memo’s implications.“We are looking to our attorney general for guidance because it’s very confusing,” said Christine Tucci Osorio, superintendent of the North St. Paul School District in Minnesota. When a teacher asked if their school could still mark African American History Month, she assured them they could.Despite concerns that schools would rush to comply, it appears “cooler heads are largely prevailing,” said Liz King, senior director for the education equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.“Once a school sends the message that they are not going to stand up for a member, a community within their school, that is broken trust, that is a lost relationship,” King said.<h2>Like no president before him, Trump wields funding threat to support his agenda</h2>Trump has vowed to use education funding as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-woke-education-24f864d83e2f5745d12a79ebac0d7cc4">political leverage</a>&nbsp;on several fronts, threatening cuts for schools that do not get in line with his agenda on topics including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-sports-san-jose-state-penn-6c0372371789747b1d2bcd5e207c8833">transgender girls’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ sports and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-critical-race-theory-antisemitism-college-protests-18136b8c8f5adb9c75c47907e020268a">instruction related to race</a>.Usually, civil rights investigations by the Education Department take at least six months and often much longer. If a school is found in violation of federal law, department policy offers a chance to come into compliance and sign a resolution — typically a 90-day process.Only if a school refuses to comply can the department move to revoke federal money. That can be done in the Education Department through a court-like process decided by an administrative law judge. If the judge decides the penalty is justified, the school can appeal it to the education secretary and, after that, challenge it in court.Instead of handling it internally, the department can also refer cases to the Justice Department for prosecution. That route is no faster.The last time the Education Department was granted approval to cut federal funding was in 1992, against the Capistrano Unified School District in California, which was found to have retaliated against a teacher for filing sex discrimination complaints.Before the penalty was carried out, the district reinstated the teacher and effectively ended the case. It never lost any money.<h2>___</h2>Gecker reported from San Francisco, and Mumphrey from Phoenix.<h2>___</h2>The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Trump admin. opens ‘End DEI’ portal, asks public to report schools

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement in the Wichita area are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help with identifying vehicles and the suspects involved.

Just before midnight on Feb. 15, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of gunfire in the 3000 block of E. Fairhaven in the south Wichita neighborhood of Oaklawn, according to a media release.

 Upon arrival, deputies found multiple shell casings in the street and determined that several residences and vehicles had been damaged by gunfire. Fortunately, no one in the area was struck by the gunfire.

Investigators believe a light-colored Ford Explorer, a dark-colored four-door sedan and gray 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer were involved in the incident. The shooters are believed to have been associated with the unidentified Ford Explorer and four-door sedan. The Investigations Division is now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the vehicles.

Residents of the Oaklawn area are encouraged to review any exterior surveillance footage from 11:30 p.m. on Feb.15 to 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 16 for sightings of the involved vehicles.

Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact Detective Timothy Jett at (316) 660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740688942907.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement in the Wichita area are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help with identifying vehicles and the suspects involved.Just before midnight on Feb. 15, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of gunfire in the 3000 block of E. Fairhaven in the south Wichita neighborhood of Oaklawn, according to a media release. Upon arrival, deputies found multiple shell casings in the street and determined that several residences and vehicles had been damaged by gunfire. Fortunately, no one in the area was struck by the gunfire.Investigators believe a light-colored Ford Explorer, a dark-colored four-door sedan and gray 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer were involved in the incident. The shooters are believed to have been associated with the unidentified Ford Explorer and four-door sedan. The Investigations Division is now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the vehicles.Residents of the Oaklawn area are encouraged to review any exterior surveillance footage from 11:30 p.m. on Feb.15 to 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 16 for sightings of the involved vehicles.Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact Detective Timothy Jett at (316) 660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111.

Sheriff asks for help to ID vehicles involved in Kan. drive-by shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The military services have 30 days to figure out how they will seek out and identify transgender service members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-tuskegee-airmen-dei-pentagon-480d932c8bcb4c6056abe78e34010982">remove them from the force</a>&nbsp;— a daunting task that may end up relying on troops self-reporting or tattling on their colleagues.

A memo sent to Defense Department leaders on Thursday — after the Pentagon filed it late Wednesday as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-troops-executive-order-8373e8f3c4d59a7f99962f62a611be0b">response to a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;— orders the services to set up procedures to identify troops diagnosed with or being treated for gender dysphoria by March 26. They will then have 30 days to begin removing those troops from service.

The order expands on the executive order signed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-starmer-ukraine-28ca602f1df21af5797ba949f36160f3">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;during his early days in office setting out steps toward banning transgender individuals from serving in the military. The directive has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-trump-pentagon-order-c92b17a47574d711efa11fb178ff6ae0">challenged in court</a>.

A senior defense official said Thursday they believe there are about 4,200 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria currently serving in the active duty, National Guard and Reserves.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues, said that between 2015 and 2024, the total cost for psychotherapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery and other treatment for service members is about $52 million.

There are about 2.1 million troops serving.

However, the issue has taken up a large part of the Pentagon's attention and time as Trump and Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-firing-chairman-lawyers-6bead3346b1210e45e77648e6cbc3599">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;work to root them out, arguing that their medical condition doesn’t meet military standards.

“The medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service,” Darin Selnick, who is serving as defense undersecretary for personnel, said in the new memo.

It claims that the lethality and integrity of the military “is inconsistent” with what transgender personnel go through as they transition to the gender they identify with, and it issues an edict that gender is “immutable, unchanging during a person’s life.”

Lawyers for six transgender service members who are suing over Trump's executive order have argued in court filings that his directive openly expresses “hostility” toward transgender people and marks them as “unequal and dispensable, demeaning them in the eyes of their fellow service members and the public.”

Sarah Warbelow, vice president for legal affairs for the Human Rights Campaign, said the new policy puts service members in a difficult position and pushes transgender troops to self-identify.

“All of a sudden, you are going to be required to out yourself. Other people are going to be required to out you,” Warbelow said. “If you’ve got a best friend in the military who happens to know that you are transgender, under this new guidance they’re required — if you are a woman who is transgender — they’re required to start referring to you as ‘he’ and ‘sir,’ as of today.”

Troops are put in the position of having to choose “between the safety of their friends and violating direct orders,” Warbelow said, adding that transgender service members may feel pressure to self-identify, knowing that they may be penalized by not coming forward.

On Thursday, U.S. officials said early rough numbers suggest about 600 transgender troops can be quickly identified in the Navy, between 300 and 500 in the Army and fewer than 50 in the Marine Corps. Officials said individuals could, for example, be identified by documented medical treatments, and acknowledged those numbers are likely to increase.

Other numbers were not available, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.

The officials noted, however, that the early numbers likely fall short of actual totals because some service members may have joined the service after any transition and may not have had medical or surgical procedures that could identify them. And officials also have warned that they may be limited by health privacy laws on what they can and can’t discern or report from records.

A 2018 independent study by the Palm Center, which researched LGBTQ issues, assessed there were an estimated 14,000 transgender troops among the more than 2 million troops serving.

The new Pentagon policy provides two exceptions: if transgender personnel who seek to enlist can prove on a case-by-case basis that they directly support warfighting activities, or if an existing service member, who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, can prove they support a specific warfighting need and never transitioned to the gender they identify with and proves over 36 months they are stable in their biological sex “without clinically significant distress.”

Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s biological sex does not match up with their gender identity.

If a waiver is issued, the applicant would still face a situation where only their biological sex was recognized for bathroom facilities, sleeping quarters and even in official recognition, such as being called “Sir” or “Ma’am.”

Warbelow said transgender troops should wait for additional clarity from the service and their commanding officers before doing anything that would affect their military service — also noting that ongoing court cases could affect the policy.

Trump tried to ban transgender troops from serving during his first term, but the issue ended up mired in lawsuits until former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was elected and overturned the ban.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740697523161.png" alt="Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth- File photo U.S. Navy" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth- File photo U.S. Navy</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The military services have 30 days to figure out how they will seek out and identify transgender service members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-tuskegee-airmen-dei-pentagon-480d932c8bcb4c6056abe78e34010982">remove them from the force</a>&nbsp;— a daunting task that may end up relying on troops self-reporting or tattling on their colleagues.A memo sent to Defense Department leaders on Thursday — after the Pentagon filed it late Wednesday as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-troops-executive-order-8373e8f3c4d59a7f99962f62a611be0b">response to a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;— orders the services to set up procedures to identify troops diagnosed with or being treated for gender dysphoria by March 26. They will then have 30 days to begin removing those troops from service.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740697175659.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740697220043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The order expands on the executive order signed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-starmer-ukraine-28ca602f1df21af5797ba949f36160f3">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;during his early days in office setting out steps toward banning transgender individuals from serving in the military. The directive has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-troops-trump-pentagon-order-c92b17a47574d711efa11fb178ff6ae0">challenged in court</a>.A senior defense official said Thursday they believe there are about 4,200 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria currently serving in the active duty, National Guard and Reserves.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues, said that between 2015 and 2024, the total cost for psychotherapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery and other treatment for service members is about $52 million.There are about 2.1 million troops serving.However, the issue has taken up a large part of the Pentagon's attention and time as Trump and Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-firing-chairman-lawyers-6bead3346b1210e45e77648e6cbc3599">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;work to root them out, arguing that their medical condition doesn’t meet military standards.“The medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service,” Darin Selnick, who is serving as defense undersecretary for personnel, said in the new memo.It claims that the lethality and integrity of the military “is inconsistent” with what transgender personnel go through as they transition to the gender they identify with, and it issues an edict that gender is “immutable, unchanging during a person’s life.”Lawyers for six transgender service members who are suing over Trump's executive order have argued in court filings that his directive openly expresses “hostility” toward transgender people and marks them as “unequal and dispensable, demeaning them in the eyes of their fellow service members and the public.”Sarah Warbelow, vice president for legal affairs for the Human Rights Campaign, said the new policy puts service members in a difficult position and pushes transgender troops to self-identify.“All of a sudden, you are going to be required to out yourself. Other people are going to be required to out you,” Warbelow said. “If you’ve got a best friend in the military who happens to know that you are transgender, under this new guidance they’re required — if you are a woman who is transgender — they’re required to start referring to you as ‘he’ and ‘sir,’ as of today.”Troops are put in the position of having to choose “between the safety of their friends and violating direct orders,” Warbelow said, adding that transgender service members may feel pressure to self-identify, knowing that they may be penalized by not coming forward.On Thursday, U.S. officials said early rough numbers suggest about 600 transgender troops can be quickly identified in the Navy, between 300 and 500 in the Army and fewer than 50 in the Marine Corps. Officials said individuals could, for example, be identified by documented medical treatments, and acknowledged those numbers are likely to increase.Other numbers were not available, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.The officials noted, however, that the early numbers likely fall short of actual totals because some service members may have joined the service after any transition and may not have had medical or surgical procedures that could identify them. And officials also have warned that they may be limited by health privacy laws on what they can and can’t discern or report from records.A 2018 independent study by the Palm Center, which researched LGBTQ issues, assessed there were an estimated 14,000 transgender troops among the more than 2 million troops serving.The new Pentagon policy provides two exceptions: if transgender personnel who seek to enlist can prove on a case-by-case basis that they directly support warfighting activities, or if an existing service member, who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, can prove they support a specific warfighting need and never transitioned to the gender they identify with and proves over 36 months they are stable in their biological sex “without clinically significant distress.”Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s biological sex does not match up with their gender identity.If a waiver is issued, the applicant would still face a situation where only their biological sex was recognized for bathroom facilities, sleeping quarters and even in official recognition, such as being called “Sir” or “Ma’am.”Warbelow said transgender troops should wait for additional clarity from the service and their commanding officers before doing anything that would affect their military service — also noting that ongoing court cases could affect the policy.Trump tried to ban transgender troops from serving during his first term, but the issue ended up mired in lawsuits until former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was elected and overturned the ban.

Read the order: Transgender troops now being identified for removal

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Wichita Police Department is seeking information about the whereabouts of Brent Cruz, who is wanted in connection with a homicide investigation from 2022.

If you know his whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Wichita Police Department is seeking information about the whereabouts of Brent Cruz, who is wanted in connection with a homicide investigation from 2022.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740681835763.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you know his whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407.

Police ask for help to locate Kansas homicide suspect

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Oscar-winner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gene-hackman">Gene Hackman</a>, his wife and one of their dogs were apparently dead for some time before a maintenance worker discovered their bodies at the couple's Santa Fe home, investigators said.

Hackman, 95, was found dead Wednesday in an entryway, and his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, was found in a bathroom next to a space heater, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office detectives wrote in a search warrant affidavit. There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on a countertop near Arakawa.

Denise Avila, a sheriff's office spokesperson, said there was no indication they had been shot or had any wounds.

The New Mexico Gas Co. tested the gas lines in and around the home after the bodies were discovered, according to the warrant. At the time, it didn’t find any signs of problems and the Fire Department found no signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning. A detective wrote that there were no obvious signs of a gas leak, but he noted that people exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide might not show signs of poisoning.

The gruff but beloved Hackman was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-obituary-dies-a76fbe0cd6594393acaeea1c2710706d">most accomplished actors</a>&nbsp;of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-notable-film-roles-1890bba6ab8e42029365f98dd5715c3a">dramas, comedies and action films</a>&nbsp;from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.

“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-actor-appreciation-d58ad4491bbe11be4750fe6661947c48">brilliant acting career</a>, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa," his daughters and granddaughter said in a statement Thursday. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”

Worker found bodies of Hackman and his wife

According to the search warrant affidavit, a maintenance worker reported that the home’s front door was open when he arrived to do routine work Wednesday, and he called police after finding the bodies.

But in a 911 call, the maintenance worker said he was unable to get inside when the operator asked whether the people in the house were breathing.