SHERIDAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3p.m. Wednesday in Sheridan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1979 Kenworth flatbed truck-tractor driven by Shawn P. Kinder, 53, Wichita,&nbsp; was hauling an oil derrick, southbound on Kansas 23 Highway at Road 70 six and one half miles south of U.S. 24.

While attempting to make a right turn to enter a ditch, the oil derrick came into contact with the live power lines along the north side of Road 70.

The driver was ejected from the vehicle. A pedestrian&nbsp;Ramsey, Leonard M. Ramsey, 48, Natoma, was able to get into semi and apply the parking brake.

Kinder was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Mickey Leopold Funeral Home. Ramsey was not injured. Kinder was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SHERIDAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 3p.m. Wednesday in Sheridan County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1979 Kenworth flatbed truck-tractor driven by Shawn P. Kinder, 53, Wichita,&nbsp; was hauling an oil derrick, southbound on Kansas 23 Highway at Road 70 six and one half miles south of U.S. 24.While attempting to make a right turn to enter a ditch, the oil derrick came into contact with the live power lines along the north side of Road 70.The driver was ejected from the vehicle. A pedestrian&nbsp;Ramsey, Leonard M. Ramsey, 48, Natoma, was able to get into semi and apply the parking brake.Kinder was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Mickey Leopold Funeral Home. Ramsey was not injured. Kinder was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. semi driver hauling oil derrick dies when ejected in accident

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran,&nbsp; Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “NTSB Preliminary Report: DCA Midair Collision” on Thursday&nbsp;

This hearing will examine preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the deadly crash in January involving American Airlines 5342 and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The crash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">killed 67 people</a>.&nbsp;

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board that is investigating the crash will appear along with the leaders of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Army's aviation division to answer questions in the Senate.

There will almost certainly be questions about the 85 dangerous close calls between planes and helicopters near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport that the NTSB identified in the three years before the crash and why officials didn't do something about them. Lawmakers on the Commerce Committee that oversees aviation have also questioned why the Army routinely operated helicopters through the area with a key safety system that is supposed to notify other aircraft and the tower about their location turned off.

Both of the top ranking members of the committee — Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell — have sent letters demanding answers from the Army about how often and why their Black Hawks have operated in around Washington D.C. without transmitting location data.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-b78bce07efa055aa6f9c04e580ffe24e">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that the close proximity of planes and helicopters in Washington, D.C., represented an “intolerable risk to aviation safety” that the FAA should have spotted sooner.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-data-5a35e719242c2b613fcac4b213714ba3">Homendy said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that the FAA needs to do more to analyze the safety data it posses. “The next accident is in the data right now. And what are we doing to figure out what that is?” she said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promised to use artificial intelligence to review data from other airports to identify any similar risks elsewhere — particularly in eight metro areas with busy helicopter routes: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.

Investigators are still in the early stages of determining why the American Airlines passenger jet and Army helicopter collided as the plane prepared to land Jan. 29. Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-collision-video-footage-b444f2c4015fee7266e8a38716ec4ef6">plunged into the Potomac River</a>, killing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">everyone aboard</a>. It will likely take more than a year to complete the final report.

Investigators previously said the helicopter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-aircraft-helicopter-crash-timeline-5ed5bf5bc66eee4e24df1b79f30a47ff">may have had inaccurate altitude readings</a>&nbsp;in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers.

The collision was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest plane crash in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.

A string of crashes this year along with a near miss have brought attention to air travel, which remains overwhelmingly safe. On Jan. 31 a medical transport jet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-mexico-plane-crash-705025e74a390b94732b02e40994499f">crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood</a>, killing seven. On Feb. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-plane-crash-recovery-investigation-28c8fd9e0fd1f1d450c94aaef81cc0f1">a small commuter aircraft went down</a>&nbsp;off western Alaska, killing 10. On Feb. 17, a Delta plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/delta-toronto-airport-minneapolis-4ab235ef49b2d3757c9bd5fd8c6606ce">crashed and flipped over</a>&nbsp;upon landing in Toronto. Two small planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midair-crash-arizona-air-traffic-control-towers-95eabcb512f6dfd98ede5193e1b428af">collided in midair in Arizona</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 19, killing two people. And there was a scary moment Feb. 25 in Chicago when a Southwest Airlines plane came within 200 feet of crashing into another plane crossing the runway before it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southwest-airlines-plane-collision-chicago-midway-faa-e0abb86c91ea54a751cc917ae97d2d11">aborted its landing to avoid it</a>.

Here's a look at the Jan. 29 crash in Washington:

American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members as it approached to land on a clear night. Nearby, the Army Black Hawk, with three soldiers on board, was practicing emergency evacuation routes that would be used to ferry out key government officials in an attack or catastrophe.

Investigators said they believe the helicopter crew was wearing night-vision goggles that would have limited their peripheral vision.

A few minutes before the twin-engine jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked if it could use a shorter runway. The pilots agreed, and flight-tracking sites show the plane turned to adjust its approach. The NTSB now says that any time that runway is used — the one in question accounts for about 5% of the airport's flights — the helicopter route should be shut down.

Shortly before the collision, a controller got an alert saying the plane and Black Hawk were converging and asked the helicopter if it had the jet in sight. The military pilot said yes and asked for “visual separation” with the jet for a second time, allowing it to fly closer than if the pilots couldn't see the plane. Controllers approved the request.

Roughly 20 seconds later, the aircraft collided.

The NTSB has recovered all flight data recorders and pulled the wreckage of both aircraft from the Potomac.

Homendy told reporters last month that the Black Hawk's cockpit recorder suggested an incomplete radio transmission may have left the crew unable to hear air traffic control tell them, just before the crash, to move behind the jet.

“That transmission was interrupted — it was stepped on,” she said at a Feb. 14 briefing, leaving the helicopter’s crew unable to hear the words “pass behind the” because their microphone key was pressed.

The radio altitude of the helicopter was 278 feet (85 meters) at the time, which would put it above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.

Cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash indicate that the crew may not have had accurate altitude readings, with the helicopter’s pilot calling out that they were at 300 feet (91 meters) but the instructor pilot saying 400 feet (122 meters), Homendy said.

“We are looking at the possibility there may be bad data,” she said.

That generation of Black Hawks typically has two types of altimeters: one relying on barometric pressure and the other on radio frequency signals bounced off the ground. Helicopter pilots typically rely on barometric readings while flying, but the helicopter’s black box captures its radio altitude.

Almost immediately after the crash, President Donald Trump faulted the helicopter for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">flying too high</a>. He also blamed federal diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly regarding air traffic controllers. When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-washington-dc-trump-dei-claims-3ac5486ec594d81e919e8ebbd9733869">pressed by reporters</a>, the president could not back up those claims. A few days later, he blamed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">“obsolete” air traffic control system</a>&nbsp;that he said should have been replaced years ago.

The Black Hawk crew was made up of an instructor pilot with 968 hours of flight experience, a pilot with about 450 hours and a crew chief with nearly 1,150 hours. Army officials have said the crew was familiar with the crowded skies around Washington.

The Army identified the Black Hawk crew as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-helicopter-airliner-army-pilot-50b3e82d8ec3713cc4ae1ac3a327104c">Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach</a>, 28, of Durham, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland. O’Hara was the crew chief, and Eaves and Lobach were pilots.

Among the jet’s passengers were several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">members of the Skating Club of Boston</a>&nbsp;who were returning from a development camp for elite junior skaters that followed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-figure-skating-championships-winter-olympics-18cdb192224d27ec76c3abaca862ab4a">2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships</a>&nbsp;in Wichita. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-58511d50373d7c3910fea82edc676078">figure skating tribute event</a>&nbsp;in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-b5098aa44dc91e0e4d45812b6d6b5879">raised $1.2 million</a>&nbsp;for the crash victims' families.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738703092495.png" alt="-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran,&nbsp; Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, will convene a subcommittee hearing titled “NTSB Preliminary Report: DCA Midair Collision” on Thursday&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkXXRf3sXvw?si=7gcbjKYFByY4BNSI&amp;start=951" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> This hearing will examine preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the deadly crash in January involving American Airlines 5342 and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The crash&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">killed 67 people</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743084233432.png" alt="Senator Moran during his opening statement on Thursday morning-image courtesy Commerce Committee video" />
 <figcaption>Senator Moran during his opening statement on Thursday morning-image courtesy Commerce Committee video</figcaption>
 </figure>The head of the National Transportation Safety Board that is investigating the crash will appear along with the leaders of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Army's aviation division to answer questions in the Senate.There will almost certainly be questions about the 85 dangerous close calls between planes and helicopters near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport that the NTSB identified in the three years before the crash and why officials didn't do something about them. Lawmakers on the Commerce Committee that oversees aviation have also questioned why the Army routinely operated helicopters through the area with a key safety system that is supposed to notify other aircraft and the tower about their location turned off.Both of the top ranking members of the committee — Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell — have sent letters demanding answers from the Army about how often and why their Black Hawks have operated in around Washington D.C. without transmitting location data.NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-b78bce07efa055aa6f9c04e580ffe24e">earlier this month</a>&nbsp;that the close proximity of planes and helicopters in Washington, D.C., represented an “intolerable risk to aviation safety” that the FAA should have spotted sooner.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-investigation-ntsb-faa-data-5a35e719242c2b613fcac4b213714ba3">Homendy said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that the FAA needs to do more to analyze the safety data it posses. “The next accident is in the data right now. And what are we doing to figure out what that is?” she said.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promised to use artificial intelligence to review data from other airports to identify any similar risks elsewhere — particularly in eight metro areas with busy helicopter routes: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.Investigators are still in the early stages of determining why the American Airlines passenger jet and Army helicopter collided as the plane prepared to land Jan. 29. Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-collision-video-footage-b444f2c4015fee7266e8a38716ec4ef6">plunged into the Potomac River</a>, killing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">everyone aboard</a>. It will likely take more than a year to complete the final report.Investigators previously said the helicopter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-aircraft-helicopter-crash-timeline-5ed5bf5bc66eee4e24df1b79f30a47ff">may have had inaccurate altitude readings</a>&nbsp;in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers.The collision was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest plane crash in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.A string of crashes this year along with a near miss have brought attention to air travel, which remains overwhelmingly safe. On Jan. 31 a medical transport jet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-mexico-plane-crash-705025e74a390b94732b02e40994499f">crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood</a>, killing seven. On Feb. 6&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-plane-crash-recovery-investigation-28c8fd9e0fd1f1d450c94aaef81cc0f1">a small commuter aircraft went down</a>&nbsp;off western Alaska, killing 10. On Feb. 17, a Delta plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/delta-toronto-airport-minneapolis-4ab235ef49b2d3757c9bd5fd8c6606ce">crashed and flipped over</a>&nbsp;upon landing in Toronto. Two small planes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midair-crash-arizona-air-traffic-control-towers-95eabcb512f6dfd98ede5193e1b428af">collided in midair in Arizona</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 19, killing two people. And there was a scary moment Feb. 25 in Chicago when a Southwest Airlines plane came within 200 feet of crashing into another plane crossing the runway before it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southwest-airlines-plane-collision-chicago-midway-faa-e0abb86c91ea54a751cc917ae97d2d11">aborted its landing to avoid it</a>.Here's a look at the Jan. 29 crash in Washington:<h2>What happened?</h2>American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members as it approached to land on a clear night. Nearby, the Army Black Hawk, with three soldiers on board, was practicing emergency evacuation routes that would be used to ferry out key government officials in an attack or catastrophe.Investigators said they believe the helicopter crew was wearing night-vision goggles that would have limited their peripheral vision.A few minutes before the twin-engine jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked if it could use a shorter runway. The pilots agreed, and flight-tracking sites show the plane turned to adjust its approach. The NTSB now says that any time that runway is used — the one in question accounts for about 5% of the airport's flights — the helicopter route should be shut down.Shortly before the collision, a controller got an alert saying the plane and Black Hawk were converging and asked the helicopter if it had the jet in sight. The military pilot said yes and asked for “visual separation” with the jet for a second time, allowing it to fly closer than if the pilots couldn't see the plane. Controllers approved the request.Roughly 20 seconds later, the aircraft collided.<h2>The investigation</h2>The NTSB has recovered all flight data recorders and pulled the wreckage of both aircraft from the Potomac.Homendy told reporters last month that the Black Hawk's cockpit recorder suggested an incomplete radio transmission may have left the crew unable to hear air traffic control tell them, just before the crash, to move behind the jet.“That transmission was interrupted — it was stepped on,” she said at a Feb. 14 briefing, leaving the helicopter’s crew unable to hear the words “pass behind the” because their microphone key was pressed.The radio altitude of the helicopter was 278 feet (85 meters) at the time, which would put it above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location.Cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash indicate that the crew may not have had accurate altitude readings, with the helicopter’s pilot calling out that they were at 300 feet (91 meters) but the instructor pilot saying 400 feet (122 meters), Homendy said.“We are looking at the possibility there may be bad data,” she said.That generation of Black Hawks typically has two types of altimeters: one relying on barometric pressure and the other on radio frequency signals bounced off the ground. Helicopter pilots typically rely on barometric readings while flying, but the helicopter’s black box captures its radio altitude.Almost immediately after the crash, President Donald Trump faulted the helicopter for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e">flying too high</a>. He also blamed federal diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly regarding air traffic controllers. When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-washington-dc-trump-dei-claims-3ac5486ec594d81e919e8ebbd9733869">pressed by reporters</a>, the president could not back up those claims. A few days later, he blamed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">“obsolete” air traffic control system</a>&nbsp;that he said should have been replaced years ago.The Black Hawk crew was made up of an instructor pilot with 968 hours of flight experience, a pilot with about 450 hours and a crew chief with nearly 1,150 hours. Army officials have said the crew was familiar with the crowded skies around Washington.<h2>The victims</h2>The Army identified the Black Hawk crew as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-helicopter-airliner-army-pilot-50b3e82d8ec3713cc4ae1ac3a327104c">Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach</a>, 28, of Durham, North Carolina; Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland. O’Hara was the crew chief, and Eaves and Lobach were pilots.Among the jet’s passengers were several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">members of the Skating Club of Boston</a>&nbsp;who were returning from a development camp for elite junior skaters that followed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-figure-skating-championships-winter-olympics-18cdb192224d27ec76c3abaca862ab4a">2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships</a>&nbsp;in Wichita. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-58511d50373d7c3910fea82edc676078">figure skating tribute event</a>&nbsp;in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-b5098aa44dc91e0e4d45812b6d6b5879">raised $1.2 million</a>&nbsp;for the crash victims' families.\

🎥Kan. U.S. Senator leads hearing on DCA midair collision 

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

Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. Wednesday, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.

First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced the victim deceased on scene.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed an interaction between individuals in the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;store just before the victim was shot. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing the area for witnesses. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743105949880.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City. Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. Wednesday, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743107951249.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced the victim deceased on scene.This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed an interaction between individuals in the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;store just before the victim was shot. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing the area for witnesses. Crime scene personnel are processing the scene for any available physical evidence.

KCPD: Man killed in KC convenience store parking lot

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Mexican national with physically attacking a federal law enforcement agent.&nbsp;

According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.

In February 2025, Barron-Esquivel is accused of forcibly assaulting and causing bodily harm to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer while the officer was performing his official duties.&nbsp;

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742909861775.png" alt="Barron-Esquivel is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Barron-Esquivel is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Mexican national with physically attacking a federal law enforcement agent.&nbsp;According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.In February 2025, Barron-Esquivel is accused of forcibly assaulting and causing bodily harm to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer while the officer was performing his official duties.&nbsp;Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

Mexican national accused of attack on ICE deportation officer in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements for buying the kits online.

The 7-2 opinion found that existing gun laws allow regulation of the kits increasingly linked to crime. It comes after President Donald Trump ordered a review of federal gun policy that could undermine or reverse regulations championed by his predecessor.

Sales of the homemade firearms grew exponentially as kits allowing for easy at-home building came into the market, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion. “Some home hobbyists enjoy assembling them. But criminals also find them attractive,” he said.

The number of ghost guns found at crime scenes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-federal-regulations-atf-fb38d09a44ddc8fb7074a4273ae4bcd5">has also soared</a>, according to federal data. Fewer than 1,700 were recovered by law enforcement in 2017, but that number grew to 27,000 in 2023, according to Justice Department data.

Since the federal rule was finalized, though, ghost gun numbers have flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents. Manufacturing of miscellaneous gun parts also dropped 36% overall, the Justice Department has said.

Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without the serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime. The 2022 regulation was focused on kits sold online with everything needed to build a functioning firearm — sometimes in less than 30 minutes, according to court documents.

Ghost guns have been used in high-profile crimes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-shooting-suspect-kimbrady-carriker-efd9f954b18610035383616d58ae515d">a mass shooting</a>&nbsp;carried out with an AR-15-style ghost gun in Philadelphia that left five people dead. Police believe a ghost gun used in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">the slaying of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan was made on a 3D printer rather than assembled from a kit of the kind at the center of the Supreme Court case.

Finalized at the direction of then-President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">the “frame and receiver” rule</a>&nbsp;requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.

Gun groups challenged the rule in court in the case known as Garland v. VanDerStok. Most crimes are committed with traditional firearms, not ghost guns, they argued. It's legal for people to build their own firearms at home, the challengers said, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives overstepped its authority by trying to regulate the kits.

The Supreme Court majority disagreed, pointing out that the law gives the ATF the power to regulate items that can be quickly made into working firearms.

“The ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit can be 'readily converted' into a firearm too, for it requires no more time, effort, expertise, or specialized tools to complete,” Gorsuch wrote, referring to a specific product.

Some kits may take more time to build into guns and therefore fall outside the ATF’s power, he wrote, but many popular kits are subject to regulation.

In response to the ruling, a Justice Department spokesperson said the administration would “continue to support and defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.”

Gun safety groups celebrated the ruling, with Everytown Law executive director Eric Tirschwell saying the rule also had broad support from law enforcement. “Fundamentally, today's decision confirms the ghost gun industry is dead as a viable business model," he said.

A Michigan woman whose son lost an eye when he was accidently shot by a friend who bought a ghost gun before he was old enough to legally buy a typical weapon also applauded. “We are deeply relieved by today’s ruling, which will help ensure that a tragedy like ours never happens again,” she said.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said the ATF policy is a major factor in two years of record-low numbers of shootings in his state. “These are common-sense regulations on ghost guns that all too often end up in the hands of felons,” he said.

The court previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded Second Amendment rights</a>&nbsp;with a finding that modern gun regulations must fit within historical traditions. The justices also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">struck down</a>&nbsp;a firearm regulation from President Donald Trump’s first administration, a ban on gun accessories known as bump stocks that enable rapid fire.

In a dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the ghost gun rule should meet the same fate. The kits, he wrote, are only firearm parts and shouldn't be subject to a regulation that could open the door to rules on other popular weapons. “Congress could have authorized ATF to regulate any part of a firearm or any object readily convertible into one," he wrote. “But, it did not.”

Justice Samuel Alito also filed his own dissent.

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649769587607.png" alt="File photo Biden White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Biden White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-are-ghost-guns-aab2ded78314603e8e87e92dbe4def3f">ghost guns</a>, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements for buying the kits online.The 7-2 opinion found that existing gun laws allow regulation of the kits increasingly linked to crime. It comes after President Donald Trump ordered a review of federal gun policy that could undermine or reverse regulations championed by his predecessor.Sales of the homemade firearms grew exponentially as kits allowing for easy at-home building came into the market, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion. “Some home hobbyists enjoy assembling them. But criminals also find them attractive,” he said.The number of ghost guns found at crime scenes around the country&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ghost-guns-federal-regulations-atf-fb38d09a44ddc8fb7074a4273ae4bcd5">has also soared</a>, according to federal data. Fewer than 1,700 were recovered by law enforcement in 2017, but that number grew to 27,000 in 2023, according to Justice Department data.Since the federal rule was finalized, though, ghost gun numbers have flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents. Manufacturing of miscellaneous gun parts also dropped 36% overall, the Justice Department has said.Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without the serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime. The 2022 regulation was focused on kits sold online with everything needed to build a functioning firearm — sometimes in less than 30 minutes, according to court documents.Ghost guns have been used in high-profile crimes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-shooting-suspect-kimbrady-carriker-efd9f954b18610035383616d58ae515d">a mass shooting</a>&nbsp;carried out with an AR-15-style ghost gun in Philadelphia that left five people dead. Police believe a ghost gun used in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">the slaying of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan was made on a 3D printer rather than assembled from a kit of the kind at the center of the Supreme Court case.Finalized at the direction of then-President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">the “frame and receiver” rule</a>&nbsp;requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.Gun groups challenged the rule in court in the case known as Garland v. VanDerStok. Most crimes are committed with traditional firearms, not ghost guns, they argued. It's legal for people to build their own firearms at home, the challengers said, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives overstepped its authority by trying to regulate the kits.The Supreme Court majority disagreed, pointing out that the law gives the ATF the power to regulate items that can be quickly made into working firearms.“The ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit can be 'readily converted' into a firearm too, for it requires no more time, effort, expertise, or specialized tools to complete,” Gorsuch wrote, referring to a specific product.Some kits may take more time to build into guns and therefore fall outside the ATF’s power, he wrote, but many popular kits are subject to regulation.In response to the ruling, a Justice Department spokesperson said the administration would “continue to support and defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.”Gun safety groups celebrated the ruling, with Everytown Law executive director Eric Tirschwell saying the rule also had broad support from law enforcement. “Fundamentally, today's decision confirms the ghost gun industry is dead as a viable business model," he said.A Michigan woman whose son lost an eye when he was accidently shot by a friend who bought a ghost gun before he was old enough to legally buy a typical weapon also applauded. “We are deeply relieved by today’s ruling, which will help ensure that a tragedy like ours never happens again,” she said.New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said the ATF policy is a major factor in two years of record-low numbers of shootings in his state. “These are common-sense regulations on ghost guns that all too often end up in the hands of felons,” he said.The court previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded Second Amendment rights</a>&nbsp;with a finding that modern gun regulations must fit within historical traditions. The justices also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">struck down</a>&nbsp;a firearm regulation from President Donald Trump’s first administration, a ban on gun accessories known as bump stocks that enable rapid fire.In a dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the ghost gun rule should meet the same fate. The kits, he wrote, are only firearm parts and shouldn't be subject to a regulation that could open the door to rules on other popular weapons. “Congress could have authorized ATF to regulate any part of a firearm or any object readily convertible into one," he wrote. “But, it did not.”Justice Samuel Alito also filed his own dissent.___Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

Supreme Court upholds Biden rule making ghost guns easier to trace

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas couple on multiple allegations after a traffic stop arrest.

Just before 12:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;initiated a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle for excessive speed and equipment violations in the vicinity of Kansas 4 highway and Wakarusa Road just north of Eskridge in Wabaunsee County, according to the sheriff's department.&nbsp;

Two sheriff's department officials made contact with the vehicle occupants and their subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of the driver, identified as 33-year-old Colter Weeks of Louisville, Kansas.&nbsp;

He was taken into custody on scene without incident on requested charges of driving while suspended, possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (two counts); Methamphetamine and HCL base crack cocaine.

The passenger, identified as 34-year-old Jerah Weeks of Louisville, Kansas&nbsp; was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (two counts); Methamphetamine &amp; HCL base crack cocaine and for unlawfully obtaining prescription drugs.

Colter Weeks has a previous felony conviction for battery on a city or county corrections officer, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743019719268.png" alt="-Weeks photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>-Weeks photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas couple on multiple allegations after a traffic stop arrest.Just before 12:30a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;initiated a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle for excessive speed and equipment violations in the vicinity of Kansas 4 highway and Wakarusa Road just north of Eskridge in Wabaunsee County, according to the sheriff's department.&nbsp;Two sheriff's department officials made contact with the vehicle occupants and their subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of the driver, identified as 33-year-old Colter Weeks of Louisville, Kansas.&nbsp;He was taken into custody on scene without incident on requested charges of driving while suspended, possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (two counts); Methamphetamine and HCL base crack cocaine.The passenger, identified as 34-year-old Jerah Weeks of Louisville, Kansas&nbsp; was arrested on requested charges of possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (two counts); Methamphetamine &amp; HCL base crack cocaine and for unlawfully obtaining prescription drugs.Colter Weeks has a previous felony conviction for battery on a city or county corrections officer, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon caught transporting crack cocaine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen’s Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne.

<a href="https://mimoo.github.io/houthi_signal/">Click here to read the</a> controversial text chat&nbsp;

The disclosure follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-signal-yemen-atlantic-group-chat-4b09973f4df3711d5d5ff88e8f9f96e0">two intense days</a>&nbsp;during which leaders of President Donald Trump's intelligence and defense agencies have struggled to explain how details — that current and former U.S. officials have said would have been classified — wound up on an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg,

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the Signal chat.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, plan to send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an inspector general investigation into the use of Signal. They seek a classified briefing with a top administration official “who can speak to the facts” of the episode.

Top military official was not included in the chat

The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">principals committee</a>, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Adm. Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.

National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">Jan. 20 memo</a>.

The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes.

Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal.

Speaking to reporters in Hawaii on Wednesday after the full release of the texts by the magazine, he said they showed he was just providing the national security team a “general update in real time.”

“That’s what I did. That’s my job,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth shared the information on the manned warplane launches a half-hour before those crews were airborne, not in real time. Democratic lawmakers said that could have put American troops at risk.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cia-senate-national-security-threats-fe773ac76f8f01eba1d3a26409816396">told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not. On Wednesday, Gabbard called the chats a “mistake” and said the discussion included “candid and sensitive” information but asserted that the chat information was not classified.

What was revealed was jaw-dropping in its specificity and includes the type of information that is kept to a very close hold to protect the operational security of a military strike. But Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday that “there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway.”

The Pentagon and White House have tried to deflect criticism by attacking Goldberg and The Atlantic. The magazine and Goldberg, however, repeatedly reached out to the White House before and after publication to gain additional context on the Signal chat and ensure that publishing the full texts would not cause harm. In a response, Goldberg reported Wednesday, Leavitt described some of the information as sensitive and said the White House would prefer it not be published.

In the group chat, Hegseth posted multiple details about the impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist" was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike. He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security.

“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.

“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”

“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”

“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”

“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”

“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”

“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.

A strike package includes the personnel and weapons used in an attack, including Navy F-18 fighter aircraft. MQ-9s are armed drones. Tomahawks are ship-launched cruise missiles.

Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.

Signal is encrypted but can be vulnerable

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">Signal is a publicly available app</a>&nbsp;that provides encrypted communications, but it can be hacked. It is not approved for carrying classified information. On March 14, one day before the strikes, the Defense Department cautioned personnel about the vulnerability of Signal, specifically that Russia was attempting to hack the app, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

One known vulnerability is that a malicious actor, with access to a person’s phone, can link his or her device to the user’s Signal and essentially monitor messages remotely in real time.

Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-lawsuit-trump-gulf-mexico-america-6b6fba488e7e420e5fcd28c44a755922">face a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743002725863.png" alt="Poster used by House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi showing portions of the group chat during a hearing on Wednesday-image House Intel Committee" />
 <figcaption>Poster used by House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi showing portions of the group chat during a hearing on Wednesday-image House Intel Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen’s Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne.<a href="https://mimoo.github.io/houthi_signal/">Click here to read the</a> controversial text chat&nbsp;The disclosure follows&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-signal-yemen-atlantic-group-chat-4b09973f4df3711d5d5ff88e8f9f96e0">two intense days</a>&nbsp;during which leaders of President Donald Trump's intelligence and defense agencies have struggled to explain how details — that current and former U.S. officials have said would have been classified — wound up on an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg,White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the Signal chat.Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, plan to send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an inspector general investigation into the use of Signal. They seek a classified briefing with a top administration official “who can speak to the facts” of the episode.<h2>Top military official was not included in the chat</h2>The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">principals committee</a>, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Adm. Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/organization-of-the-national-security-council-and-subcommittees/">Jan. 20 memo</a>.The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes.Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Q&#39;s for Pete Hegseth as boards plane: &quot;Mr Secretary how do you square what you said with what your messages show?&quot; &quot;Mr Secretary did you share classified information?&quot; &quot;Mr Secretary did you declassify that information?&quot; &quot;Are you using Signal for sensitive operations?&quot; &quot;Why sir?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SX33vQactv">pic.twitter.com/SX33vQactv</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1904971294166372812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking to reporters in Hawaii on Wednesday after the full release of the texts by the magazine, he said they showed he was just providing the national security team a “general update in real time.”“That’s what I did. That’s my job,” Hegseth said.Hegseth shared the information on the manned warplane launches a half-hour before those crews were airborne, not in real time. Democratic lawmakers said that could have put American troops at risk.Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cia-senate-national-security-threats-fe773ac76f8f01eba1d3a26409816396">told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not. On Wednesday, Gabbard called the chats a “mistake” and said the discussion included “candid and sensitive” information but asserted that the chat information was not classified.<h2>Very specific texts were revealed</h2>What was revealed was jaw-dropping in its specificity and includes the type of information that is kept to a very close hold to protect the operational security of a military strike. But Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday that “there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway.”The Pentagon and White House have tried to deflect criticism by attacking Goldberg and The Atlantic. The magazine and Goldberg, however, repeatedly reached out to the White House before and after publication to gain additional context on the Signal chat and ensure that publishing the full texts would not cause harm. In a response, Goldberg reported Wednesday, Leavitt described some of the information as sensitive and said the White House would prefer it not be published.In the group chat, Hegseth posted multiple details about the impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist" was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike. He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security.“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743004442275.png" alt="Image CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.A strike package includes the personnel and weapons used in an attack, including Navy F-18 fighter aircraft. MQ-9s are armed drones. Tomahawks are ship-launched cruise missiles.Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.<h2>Signal is encrypted but can be vulnerable</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">Signal is a publicly available app</a>&nbsp;that provides encrypted communications, but it can be hacked. It is not approved for carrying classified information. On March 14, one day before the strikes, the Defense Department cautioned personnel about the vulnerability of Signal, specifically that Russia was attempting to hack the app, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.One known vulnerability is that a malicious actor, with access to a person’s phone, can link his or her device to the user’s Signal and essentially monitor messages remotely in real time.Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-lawsuit-trump-gulf-mexico-america-6b6fba488e7e420e5fcd28c44a755922">face a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.“Godspeed to our Warriors,” he wrote.“1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”“1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts – also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”“MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)”“We are currently clean on OPSEC” — that is, operational security.“Godspeed to our Warriors.”Goldberg has said he asked the White House if it opposed publication and that the White House responded that it would prefer he did not publish.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT “war plans.” This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin. <a href="https://t.co/atGrDd2ymr">pic.twitter.com/atGrDd2ymr</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1904875629612331123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Signal is encrypted but can be vulnerable</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">Signal is a publicly available app</a>&nbsp;that provides encrypted communications, but it can be hacked. It is not approved for carrying classified information. On March 14, one day before the strikes, the Defense Department cautioned personnel about the vulnerability of Signal, specifically that Russia was attempting to hack the app, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.One known vulnerability is that a malicious actor, with access to a person’s phone, can link his or her device to the user’s Signal and essentially monitor messages remotely in real time.Leavitt is one of three Trump administration officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-lawsuit-trump-gulf-mexico-america-6b6fba488e7e420e5fcd28c44a755922">face a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Read the attack plan sent by Defense Secretary in Signal Chat

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was placing 25%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">tariffs on auto imports</a>, a move that the White House claims would foster&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-justifications-50f0b4416234e63c7136eaa5c5f96759">domestic manufacturing</a>&nbsp;but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains.

“This will continue to spur growth,” Trump told reporters. “We'll effectively be charging a 25% tariff.”

The tariffs could be complicated as even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-industry">U.S. automakers</a>&nbsp;source their components from around the world, meaning that they could face higher costs and lower sales. Shares in General Motors have fallen roughly 3% in Wednesday afternoon trading. Ford's stock was up slightly. Shares in Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, have dropped nearly 4%.

Trump has long said that tariffs against auto imports would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-97819f94e424c0e7bba2812e09a721a7">a defining policy</a>&nbsp;of his presidency, betting that the costs created by the taxes would cause more production to relocate to the United States. But U.S. and foreign automakers with domestic plants still depend on Canada, Mexico and other nations for parts and finished vehicles, meaning that auto prices could increase and sales could decline as new factories take time to build.

“We are going to be doing automobiles, which you’ve known about for a long time,” Trump said Monday. “We’ll be announcing that fairly soon, over the next few days probably."

The auto tariffs are part of a broader reshaping of global relations by Trump, who plans to impose what he calls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-reciprocal-tariff-trade-deficit-4329a37b5a41ac944dcc74093410a126">“reciprocal” taxes</a>&nbsp;on April 2 that would match the tariffs, sales taxes charged by other nations.

Trump has already placed a 20% import tax on all imports from China for its role in the production of fentanyl. He similarly placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tax on Canadian energy products. Parts of the Mexico and Canada tariffs have been suspended, including the taxes on autos, after automakers objected and Trump responded by giving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-automakers-tariffs-us-mexico-canada-exemption-c68f8e80fbbf156f5e50e4aac8dc086b">a 30-day reprieve</a>&nbsp;that is set to expire in April.

The president has also imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, removing the exemptions from his earlier 2018 taxes on the metals. He also plans tariffs on computer chips, pharmaceutical drugs, lumber and copper.

His taxes risk igniting a broader global trade war with escalating retaliations that could crush global trade, potentially hurting economic growth while raising prices for families and businesses as some of the costs of the taxes get passed along by importers. When the European Union retaliated with plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-wine-spirits-200-alcohol-dabead2d0e0fad64dc5e6250293ef016">a 50% tariff on U.S. spirits</a>, Trump responded by planning a 200% tax on alcoholic beverages from the EU.

Trump also intends to place a 25% tariff on countries that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-venezuela-oil-gas-tax-9197d606dea29caed6a7a79dd358d26a">import oil from Venezuela</a>, even though the United States also imports oil from that nation.

Trump's aides maintain that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-97819f94e424c0e7bba2812e09a721a7">tariffs on Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;are about stopping illegal immigration and drug smuggling. But the administration also wants to use the tariff revenues to lower the budget deficit and assert America's preeminence as the world's largest economy.

The president on Monday cited plans by South Korean automaker Hyundai to build a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana as evidence that tariffs would bring back manufacturing jobs.

Slightly more than one million people are employed domestically in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and parts, about 320,000 fewer than in 2000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Another 2.1 million people work at auto and parts dealerships.

The United States last year imported nearly 8 million cars and light trucks worth $244 billion. Mexico, Japan and South Korea were the top sources of foreign vehicles. Imports of auto parts came to more than $197 billion, led by Mexico, Canada and China, according to the Commerce Department.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was placing 25%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">tariffs on auto imports</a>, a move that the White House claims would foster&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-justifications-50f0b4416234e63c7136eaa5c5f96759">domestic manufacturing</a>&nbsp;but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;What we&#39;re going to be doing is a 25% tariff on all cars that are not made in the United States... business is coming back to the United States so that they don&#39;t have to pay tariffs... This will continue to spur growth like you haven&#39;t seen before.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GaMESdhpmE">pic.twitter.com/GaMESdhpmE</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905008349961486825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This will continue to spur growth,” Trump told reporters. “We'll effectively be charging a 25% tariff.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">White House Staff Secretary <a href="https://twitter.com/willscharf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@willscharf</a>: &quot;In addition to spurring increased domestic manufacturing of cars and trucks, we expect that these tariffs will result in over $100 billion of new annual revenue to the United States of America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ygnT65fR9Q">pic.twitter.com/ygnT65fR9Q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905009374407606448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tariffs could be complicated as even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-industry">U.S. automakers</a>&nbsp;source their components from around the world, meaning that they could face higher costs and lower sales. Shares in General Motors have fallen roughly 3% in Wednesday afternoon trading. Ford's stock was up slightly. Shares in Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, have dropped nearly 4%.Trump has long said that tariffs against auto imports would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-97819f94e424c0e7bba2812e09a721a7">a defining policy</a>&nbsp;of his presidency, betting that the costs created by the taxes would cause more production to relocate to the United States. But U.S. and foreign automakers with domestic plants still depend on Canada, Mexico and other nations for parts and finished vehicles, meaning that auto prices could increase and sales could decline as new factories take time to build.“We are going to be doing automobiles, which you’ve known about for a long time,” Trump said Monday. “We’ll be announcing that fairly soon, over the next few days probably."The auto tariffs are part of a broader reshaping of global relations by Trump, who plans to impose what he calls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-reciprocal-tariff-trade-deficit-4329a37b5a41ac944dcc74093410a126">“reciprocal” taxes</a>&nbsp;on April 2 that would match the tariffs, sales taxes charged by other nations.Trump has already placed a 20% import tax on all imports from China for its role in the production of fentanyl. He similarly placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tax on Canadian energy products. Parts of the Mexico and Canada tariffs have been suspended, including the taxes on autos, after automakers objected and Trump responded by giving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-automakers-tariffs-us-mexico-canada-exemption-c68f8e80fbbf156f5e50e4aac8dc086b">a 30-day reprieve</a>&nbsp;that is set to expire in April.The president has also imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, removing the exemptions from his earlier 2018 taxes on the metals. He also plans tariffs on computer chips, pharmaceutical drugs, lumber and copper.His taxes risk igniting a broader global trade war with escalating retaliations that could crush global trade, potentially hurting economic growth while raising prices for families and businesses as some of the costs of the taxes get passed along by importers. When the European Union retaliated with plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-wine-spirits-200-alcohol-dabead2d0e0fad64dc5e6250293ef016">a 50% tariff on U.S. spirits</a>, Trump responded by planning a 200% tax on alcoholic beverages from the EU.Trump also intends to place a 25% tariff on countries that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-venezuela-oil-gas-tax-9197d606dea29caed6a7a79dd358d26a">import oil from Venezuela</a>, even though the United States also imports oil from that nation.Trump's aides maintain that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-97819f94e424c0e7bba2812e09a721a7">tariffs on Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;are about stopping illegal immigration and drug smuggling. But the administration also wants to use the tariff revenues to lower the budget deficit and assert America's preeminence as the world's largest economy.The president on Monday cited plans by South Korean automaker Hyundai to build a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana as evidence that tariffs would bring back manufacturing jobs.Slightly more than one million people are employed domestically in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and parts, about 320,000 fewer than in 2000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Another 2.1 million people work at auto and parts dealerships.The United States last year imported nearly 8 million cars and light trucks worth $244 billion. Mexico, Japan and South Korea were the top sources of foreign vehicles. Imports of auto parts came to more than $197 billion, led by Mexico, Canada and China, according to the Commerce Department.___

🎥Trump explains new tariff on imported autos to raise $100 billion in tax revenues

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

Just after 10p.m. Tuesday, patrol officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 4000 block of North Bennington, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

First responders were directed to an apartment building where they located a man later identified as 19-year-old Dewayne&nbsp;Toombs suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began performing life saving measures and emergency medical personnel were summoned to the scene.&nbsp; The victim was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. 

Just after 11:30p.m. Toombs was pronounced deceased at the hospital, according to DiMartino. This is being investigated as a homicide. There is no one in custody at this point.&nbsp; Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743001410266.png" alt="Apartment complex where the shooting occurred-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Apartment complex where the shooting occurred-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 10p.m. Tuesday, patrol officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 4000 block of North Bennington, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.First responders were directed to an apartment building where they located a man later identified as 19-year-old Dewayne&nbsp;Toombs suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began performing life saving measures and emergency medical personnel were summoned to the scene.&nbsp; The victim was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. Just after 11:30p.m. Toombs was pronounced deceased at the hospital, according to DiMartino. This is being investigated as a homicide. There is no one in custody at this point.&nbsp; Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting.

Man wounded in KC apartment complex shooting has died

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO on Wednesday clarified comments that Secretary-General Mark Rutte made earlier in the day, when he suggested that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania had died, even though the U.S. Army said their fate was not yet confirmed.

“The search is ongoing,” NATO said in a statement posted on X. "We regret any confusion about remarks @SecGenNATO delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports &amp; was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.”

The U.S. Army said the Hercules armored vehicle the four U.S. soldiers were in during a training exercise had been found submerged in a body of water. It said recovery efforts were underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies.

The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting tactical training when they went missing.

During a trip to Warsaw, Rutte told reporters that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-nato-rutte-russia-ukraine-49fa0ce0763926f3c57f6783457ec0e6">delivering a lecture,</a>&nbsp;and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.

“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones," Rutte said in Warsaw.

Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that the four U.S. soldiers and their vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Belarus.

The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-estonia-race-and-ethnicity-soviet-union-187f098422b7a3170143de238865b526">are all NATO members</a>&nbsp;and have often had chilly ties with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

Relations soured further over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-president-nato-defense-russian-threat-aa2a46782a44bbf0c27424d2c8c97d5c">Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda</a>&nbsp;has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania have died, but that he did not yet know the details.

A U.S. official would say only that the four soldiers were involved in a training accident. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on the status of the soldiers.

Lithuania's military said later on X that the deaths were not yet confirmed and that a rescue operation was “intensively ongoing.”

“Four United States soldiers and one tracked vehicle have gone missing during an exercise at a training ground in Lithuania. At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops,” the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in the statement.

Rutte said during a trip to Warsaw that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-nato-rutte-russia-ukraine-49fa0ce0763926f3c57f6783457ec0e6">delivering a lecture,</a>&nbsp;and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.

“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones," Rutte told reporters in Warsaw.

A statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany said the soldiers were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time.

Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that four U.S. soldiers and vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Belarus.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO on Wednesday clarified comments that Secretary-General Mark Rutte made earlier in the day, when he suggested that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania had died, even though the U.S. Army said their fate was not yet confirmed.“The search is ongoing,” NATO said in a statement posted on X. "We regret any confusion about remarks @SecGenNATO delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports &amp; was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.”The U.S. Army said the Hercules armored vehicle the four U.S. soldiers were in during a training exercise had been found submerged in a body of water. It said recovery efforts were underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies.The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting tactical training when they went missing.During a trip to Warsaw, Rutte told reporters that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-nato-rutte-russia-ukraine-49fa0ce0763926f3c57f6783457ec0e6">delivering a lecture,</a>&nbsp;and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones," Rutte said in Warsaw.Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that the four U.S. soldiers and their vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Belarus.The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-estonia-race-and-ethnicity-soviet-union-187f098422b7a3170143de238865b526">are all NATO members</a>&nbsp;and have often had chilly ties with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.Relations soured further over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-president-nato-defense-russian-threat-aa2a46782a44bbf0c27424d2c8c97d5c">Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda</a>&nbsp;has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania have died, but that he did not yet know the details.A U.S. official would say only that the four soldiers were involved in a training accident. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on the status of the soldiers.Lithuania's military said later on X that the deaths were not yet confirmed and that a rescue operation was “intensively ongoing.”“Four United States soldiers and one tracked vehicle have gone missing during an exercise at a training ground in Lithuania. At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops,” the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in the statement.Rutte said during a trip to Warsaw that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-nato-rutte-russia-ukraine-49fa0ce0763926f3c57f6783457ec0e6">delivering a lecture,</a>&nbsp;and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones," Rutte told reporters in Warsaw.A statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany said the soldiers were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time.Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that four U.S. soldiers and vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Belarus.The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-estonia-race-and-ethnicity-soviet-union-187f098422b7a3170143de238865b526">are all NATO members</a>&nbsp;and have often had chilly ties with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

NATO: 4 missing U.S. soldiers died training in Lithuania

BY&nbsp;MICHELLE CHAPMAN Associated Press

Dollar Tree is selling Family Dollar to a pair of private equity firms for $1 billion after a decade of trying to make its acquisition of the bargain chain fit.

Dollar Tree Inc.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;in 2015 after a bidding war with rival Dollar General.

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said that after acquiring the rival chain, Dollar Tree struggled with supply chain issues, poor store locations and other operational difficulties.

“Basically, Dollar Tree bit off far more than it could chew,” he said.

Last year Dollar Tree announced that it planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dollar-tree-discount-inflation-16f0d9b7e2d41d95ee6e6402d96169d0">close</a>&nbsp;hundreds of Family Dollar stores.

Dollar Tree had been scouting options for Family Dollar for a while and said Wednesday that the sale to Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management will allow it to focus on its core business.

“This is a major milestone in our multi-year transformation journey to help us fully achieve our potential,” said Mike Creedon, who was made permanent chief executive officer of Dollar Tree late last year.

Bargain chains like Dollar Tree, which have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-prices-eac5970fa70344d65866a1923654143b">raised some of their prices</a>&nbsp;in recent years, are finding that they have little room to maneuver. Americans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dollar-tree-bargain-stores-inflation-spending-4b429d07d3a4b171f77319156e18c1f2">tightened their spending</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-inflation-bd6ece8784efff205e2ab922bcb86958">consumer confidence in the economy slides</a>.

Family Dollar, which moved its headquarters from North Carolina to Chesapeake, Virginia, after the sale to Dollar Tree, will maintain its headquarters in Virginia.

“This transaction presented a unique opportunity to play a key role in reinvigorating an iconic business,” Jonathan Duskin, CEO and Partner of Macellum, said.

Saunders said Brigade and Macellum with have several issues to fix at Family Dollar, including pricing that isn’t as sharp as many of its rivals and a customer base that isn’t as loyal.

The deal is expected to close later in the second quarter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658512118386.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;MICHELLE CHAPMAN Associated PressDollar Tree is selling Family Dollar to a pair of private equity firms for $1 billion after a decade of trying to make its acquisition of the bargain chain fit.Dollar Tree Inc.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;in 2015 after a bidding war with rival Dollar General.Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said that after acquiring the rival chain, Dollar Tree struggled with supply chain issues, poor store locations and other operational difficulties.“Basically, Dollar Tree bit off far more than it could chew,” he said.Last year Dollar Tree announced that it planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dollar-tree-discount-inflation-16f0d9b7e2d41d95ee6e6402d96169d0">close</a>&nbsp;hundreds of Family Dollar stores.Dollar Tree had been scouting options for Family Dollar for a while and said Wednesday that the sale to Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management will allow it to focus on its core business.“This is a major milestone in our multi-year transformation journey to help us fully achieve our potential,” said Mike Creedon, who was made permanent chief executive officer of Dollar Tree late last year.Bargain chains like Dollar Tree, which have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-prices-eac5970fa70344d65866a1923654143b">raised some of their prices</a>&nbsp;in recent years, are finding that they have little room to maneuver. Americans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dollar-tree-bargain-stores-inflation-spending-4b429d07d3a4b171f77319156e18c1f2">tightened their spending</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-inflation-bd6ece8784efff205e2ab922bcb86958">consumer confidence in the economy slides</a>.Family Dollar, which moved its headquarters from North Carolina to Chesapeake, Virginia, after the sale to Dollar Tree, will maintain its headquarters in Virginia.“This transaction presented a unique opportunity to play a key role in reinvigorating an iconic business,” Jonathan Duskin, CEO and Partner of Macellum, said.Saunders said Brigade and Macellum with have several issues to fix at Family Dollar, including pricing that isn’t as sharp as many of its rivals and a customer base that isn’t as loyal.The deal is expected to close later in the second quarter.

Massive loss: Dollar Tree selling Family Dollar for $1 billion

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health is reporting additional measles cases in the state. According to the department's online reportable infections disease web site,&nbsp; there are now 23 cases of measles in six Kansas counties including Stevens, Morton, Grant, Gray, Haskell and Kiowa.

 Last week, the state reported just 10 cases.

On March 13, the state reported the first Measles case in Kansas since 2018.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.

Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.

The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.

If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:

Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;

Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.

For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743011018377.png" alt="Image KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Image KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health is reporting additional measles cases in the state. According to the department's online reportable infections disease web site,&nbsp; there are now 23 cases of measles in six Kansas counties including Stevens, Morton, Grant, Gray, Haskell and Kiowa. Last week, the state reported just 10 cases.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743011119644.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 13, the state reported the first Measles case in Kansas since 2018.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:<ol>
 <li>Consult with a health care provider to determine if post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended.</li><li>Exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the last time they were exposed unless symptoms develop.</li><li>If&nbsp;symptoms&nbsp;develop, individuals should notify their local health department and stay away from public areas until four days after the rash appeared.</li><li>Individuals seeking health care are advised to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know their symptoms and exposure concerns. This will help limit exposure within the healthcare setting.</li>
 </ol>Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

More measles: Now in six counties in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY — A child told the baby sitter there was a monster under their bed. They baby sitter found a man prohibited from being in the home.&nbsp;

Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 2000 block of Patton Road, just outside the City of Great Bend. The deputies were responding to a reported disturbance call.

Upon arrival, the deputies contacted the victim who stated she was babysitting children at the residence. When putting the children to bed, one child complained there was a “monster” under their bed. When the victim attempted to show the child there was nothing under the bed, she came face-to-face with a male suspect who was hiding there. An altercation ensued with the babysitter and one child was knocked over in the struggle. The suspect then fled the scene before deputies arrived.

The victim identified the suspect as Martin Villalobos, Jr., who once lived at the residence but there was currently a protection from abuse order issued against him to stay away from the property. Deputies searched the area that evening for the suspect but were unable to locate him.

On March 25, deputies were in the area still looking for Villalobos. He&nbsp; was seen in the 2000 block of Patton Road at which point he attempted to flee from law enforcement. After a short foot pursuit, officers captured him.

&nbsp;Villalobos, Jr., is being held in the Barton County Jail on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, child endangerment, felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and violation of a protection from abuse order.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743003352309.png" alt="Villalobos photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Villalobos photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY — A child told the baby sitter there was a monster under their bed. They baby sitter found a man prohibited from being in the home.&nbsp;Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 2000 block of Patton Road, just outside the City of Great Bend. The deputies were responding to a reported disturbance call.Upon arrival, the deputies contacted the victim who stated she was babysitting children at the residence. When putting the children to bed, one child complained there was a “monster” under their bed. When the victim attempted to show the child there was nothing under the bed, she came face-to-face with a male suspect who was hiding there. An altercation ensued with the babysitter and one child was knocked over in the struggle. The suspect then fled the scene before deputies arrived.The victim identified the suspect as Martin Villalobos, Jr., who once lived at the residence but there was currently a protection from abuse order issued against him to stay away from the property. Deputies searched the area that evening for the suspect but were unable to locate him.On March 25, deputies were in the area still looking for Villalobos. He&nbsp; was seen in the 2000 block of Patton Road at which point he attempted to flee from law enforcement. After a short foot pursuit, officers captured him.&nbsp;Villalobos, Jr., is being held in the Barton County Jail on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, child endangerment, felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and violation of a protection from abuse order.

Kan. baby sitter found "monster' hiding under child's bed

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson will retire, effective July 4, following a recent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Wilson’s letter of resignation submitted Monday to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly began: “Life changes, so plans change.”&nbsp;

She wrote in the letter that the diagnosis has progressed to such a point that her ability to perform the job is “no longer at the level of excellence sufficient to suit me.” Wilson, 65, added she intends to stay in her position until July 4 to see unfinished projects through.

Wilson has served on the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/03/newest-kansas-supreme-court-justice-promises-tenure-free-of-external-influences/">since 2020</a>. Kelly appointed Wilson in 2019. She served as a Shawnee County district judge beginning in 2004, and the final five of those years before her appointment to the Supreme Court were spent as the district’s chief judge. Before the bench, Wilson practiced law in Topeka and northwest Kansas, and she graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg and Washburn University School of Law. She is from Smith Center.

The vacancy will mean a fourth state Supreme Court appointment for Kelly, a Democrat, which will occur through a vetting process by a nominating commission made up of five lawyers and four people appointed by the governor. The nominating commission selects three names from a group of applicants to forward to the governor, who selects one appointee. Justices undergo retention votes after their first year on the Supreme Court and every six years after.

“I know from experience the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, and the KBI, will investigate any applicant for my position as thoroughly and vigorously as they investigated me,” Wilson wrote in her letter to Kelly. “And so will you.”

Kansans are set to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/19/kansas-house-endorses-plan-to-elect-supreme-court-justices-placing-question-on-august-2026-ballot/">vote in August 2026</a>&nbsp;on whether the process ought to change. Republican legislators pushed a resolution through the Legislature earlier this month that will create a ballot question asking voters if justices should be elected by popular vote instead of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">the merit-based current process</a>.&nbsp;

Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who also served as a district judge in Shawnee County, called Wilson a valued colleague and a “dear friend.”

“My high esteem for her has risen to new heights as I’ve observed her courage facing her health challenges,” Luckert said in a Monday news release. “We will miss her presence on our court, but we understand and support her decision to focus on her health.”

Wilson described the job “as extremely and unrelentingly difficult as it is rewarding.” She said her time on the Supreme Court has been “a rare gift.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743002890644.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson, pictured here in May 2022, will retire from the bench in July following a Lou Gehrig's disease diagnosis. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson, pictured here in May 2022, will retire from the bench in July following a Lou Gehrig's disease diagnosis. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson will retire, effective July 4, following a recent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.Wilson’s letter of resignation submitted Monday to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly began: “Life changes, so plans change.”&nbsp;She wrote in the letter that the diagnosis has progressed to such a point that her ability to perform the job is “no longer at the level of excellence sufficient to suit me.” Wilson, 65, added she intends to stay in her position until July 4 to see unfinished projects through.Wilson has served on the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/03/newest-kansas-supreme-court-justice-promises-tenure-free-of-external-influences/">since 2020</a>. Kelly appointed Wilson in 2019. She served as a Shawnee County district judge beginning in 2004, and the final five of those years before her appointment to the Supreme Court were spent as the district’s chief judge. Before the bench, Wilson practiced law in Topeka and northwest Kansas, and she graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg and Washburn University School of Law. She is from Smith Center.The vacancy will mean a fourth state Supreme Court appointment for Kelly, a Democrat, which will occur through a vetting process by a nominating commission made up of five lawyers and four people appointed by the governor. The nominating commission selects three names from a group of applicants to forward to the governor, who selects one appointee. Justices undergo retention votes after their first year on the Supreme Court and every six years after.“I know from experience the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, and the KBI, will investigate any applicant for my position as thoroughly and vigorously as they investigated me,” Wilson wrote in her letter to Kelly. “And so will you.”Kansans are set to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/19/kansas-house-endorses-plan-to-elect-supreme-court-justices-placing-question-on-august-2026-ballot/">vote in August 2026</a>&nbsp;on whether the process ought to change. Republican legislators pushed a resolution through the Legislature earlier this month that will create a ballot question asking voters if justices should be elected by popular vote instead of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">the merit-based current process</a>.&nbsp;Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who also served as a district judge in Shawnee County, called Wilson a valued colleague and a “dear friend.”“My high esteem for her has risen to new heights as I’ve observed her courage facing her health challenges,” Luckert said in a Monday news release. “We will miss her presence on our court, but we understand and support her decision to focus on her health.”Wilson described the job “as extremely and unrelentingly difficult as it is rewarding.” She said her time on the Supreme Court has been “a rare gift.”