The Democrat National Committee opened their summer meetings on Monday in Minneapolis. Those in attendance are discussing the future of the party and criticizing President Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Former Vice Presidential candidate and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said, " If Kamala Harris had won in 2024: "We wouldn't wake up everyday to a bunch of s%X$# on TV and a bunch of nonsense. We would wake up to an adult with compassion and dignity and vision and leadership doing the work. May his fat ankles find something today."

More than 400 elected party officials from all 50 states and several territories are attending the meetings at a downtown hotel in Minneapolis.

The Democrat National Committee opened their summer meetings on Monday in Minneapolis. Those in attendance are discussing the future of the party and criticizing President Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovTimWalz</a> on if Kamala Harris had won in 2024: &quot;We wouldn&#39;t wake up everyday to a bunch of shit on TV and a bunch of nonsense. We would wake up to an adult with compassion and dignity and vision and leadership doing the work...May his fat ankles find something today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ojPkh3DOPl">pic.twitter.com/ojPkh3DOPl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1960023391429095753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Former Vice Presidential candidate and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said, " If Kamala Harris had won in 2024: "We wouldn't wake up everyday to a bunch of s%X$# on TV and a bunch of nonsense. We would wake up to an adult with compassion and dignity and vision and leadership doing the work. May his fat ankles find something today."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Tim Walz is a deeply disturbed individual. Here he is coming unglued over a &quot;stupid frickin&#39; red hat&quot; and suggesting people burn flags with President Trump&#39;s photo on them. <a href="https://t.co/QwMryOCc1c">pic.twitter.com/QwMryOCc1c</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1960043219879916008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>More than 400 elected party officials from all 50 states and several territories are attending the meetings at a downtown hotel in Minneapolis.

🎥Former VP candidate insults President Trump during DNC speech

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire. 



Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.


 
If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756165563203.png" alt="Govea photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Govea photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a shooting&nbsp; in Wichita are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;16-year-old Cesar Govea, according to a statement from Wichita Police.Govea is wanted in connection with a shooting that injured his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend and a 17-year-old boy. The victims were inside a vehicle near Wichita and Waterwalk when Govea opened fire. 

Govea is considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach him.
 
If you know his whereabouts, do not approach him and call 911 immediately. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Still at large: Kan. teen wanted for shooting ex-girlfriend

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump fired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-rates-354ddf9b0b2a78eabbe7ebd361bf2e05">Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook</a>&nbsp;late Monday, a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-federal-reserve-powell-trump-63c3e35e8606b7b73455b08aa21456dd">independent from day-to-day politics</a>.

Trump said in a letter posted on his Truth Social platform that he is firing Cook because of allegations that she committed mortgage fraud. Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the agency that regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, made the accusations last week.

Pulte alleged that Cook had claimed two primary residences -- in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Atlanta -- in 2021 to get better mortgage terms. Mortgage rates are often higher on second homes or those purchased to rent.

The announcement came days after Cook said she wouldn’t leave her post despite Trump previously calling for her to resign. The Fed’s board has seven members, meaning Trump’s move could have deep economic and political ramifications.

Trump said in announcing the move that he had the constitutional authority to remove Cook, but doing so will raise questions about control of the Fed as an independent entity.

The firing is likely to touch off a legal battle and Cook could be allowed to remain in her seat while the case plays out. Cook would have to fight the legal battle herself, as the injured party, rather than the Fed.

It is the latest effort by the administration to take control over one of the few remaining independent agencies in Washington. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-federal-reserve-building-renovation-2393d9ac9fdb9508f285d0faa5f4de41">repeatedly attacked</a>&nbsp;the Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, for not cutting its short-term interest rate, and even threatened to fire him.

Forcing Cook off the Fed’s governing board would provide Trump an opportunity to appoint a loyalist. Trump has said he would only appoint officials who would support cutting rates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756169974467.png" alt="Lisa Cook, Federal Reserve Governor during an interview in 2022-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Lisa Cook, Federal Reserve Governor during an interview in 2022-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump fired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-rates-354ddf9b0b2a78eabbe7ebd361bf2e05">Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook</a>&nbsp;late Monday, a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-federal-reserve-powell-trump-63c3e35e8606b7b73455b08aa21456dd">independent from day-to-day politics</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 President Donald J. Trump relieves Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of her position <a href="https://t.co/tJV8m4mlHW">pic.twitter.com/tJV8m4mlHW</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1960131068280852721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump said in a letter posted on his Truth Social platform that he is firing Cook because of allegations that she committed mortgage fraud. Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the agency that regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, made the accusations last week.Pulte alleged that Cook had claimed two primary residences -- in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Atlanta -- in 2021 to get better mortgage terms. Mortgage rates are often higher on second homes or those purchased to rent.The announcement came days after Cook said she wouldn’t leave her post despite Trump previously calling for her to resign. The Fed’s board has seven members, meaning Trump’s move could have deep economic and political ramifications.Trump said in announcing the move that he had the constitutional authority to remove Cook, but doing so will raise questions about control of the Fed as an independent entity.The firing is likely to touch off a legal battle and Cook could be allowed to remain in her seat while the case plays out. Cook would have to fight the legal battle herself, as the injured party, rather than the Fed.It is the latest effort by the administration to take control over one of the few remaining independent agencies in Washington. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-federal-reserve-building-renovation-2393d9ac9fdb9508f285d0faa5f4de41">repeatedly attacked</a>&nbsp;the Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, for not cutting its short-term interest rate, and even threatened to fire him.Forcing Cook off the Fed’s governing board would provide Trump an opportunity to appoint a loyalist. Trump has said he would only appoint officials who would support cutting rates.

Trump fires Fed Governor Lisa Cook in fight for control over central bank

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man who admitted to a deadly knife attack learned his fate last Friday.

Judge William Woolley sentence William Ball, 24 of Wichita, to&nbsp;55 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections with 15 percent Good Time Credit and 36 months post-release surpervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In June Ball pleaded guilty to charges of 2nd degree murder.

On March 10, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a report of a stabbing in the 4100 block of East Whitney Lane, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses. The caller reported someone had been stabbed in the street.

Officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to the scene and located 51- year-old Brian Edwards from Wichita suffering from stab wound to the torso.&nbsp; EMS transported Edwards to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Officers at the scene quickly identified a suspect in this case and took William Ball into custody without incident. There were multiple individuals at the scene who were later interviewed by Wichita Police Department Homicide investigators.

&nbsp;Police booked Ball into the Sedgwick County Jail. This was the third criminal homicide in Wichita in 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741706450913.png" alt="Ball photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Ball photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man who admitted to a deadly knife attack learned his fate last Friday.Judge William Woolley sentence William Ball, 24 of Wichita, to&nbsp;55 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections with 15 percent Good Time Credit and 36 months post-release surpervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;In June Ball pleaded guilty to charges of 2nd degree murder.On March 10, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a report of a stabbing in the 4100 block of East Whitney Lane, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses. The caller reported someone had been stabbed in the street.Officers from the Wichita Police Department responded to the scene and located 51- year-old Brian Edwards from Wichita suffering from stab wound to the torso.&nbsp; EMS transported Edwards to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Officers at the scene quickly identified a suspect in this case and took William Ball into custody without incident. There were multiple individuals at the scene who were later interviewed by Wichita Police Department Homicide investigators.&nbsp;Police booked Ball into the Sedgwick County Jail. This was the third criminal homicide in Wichita in 2025.

Prison for deadly Kansas knife attack

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop in Shawnee County.

Just before 3p.m. August 18, a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 white Ford Econoline E150 with a license plate that did not belong on that vehicle and a defective windshield in the 700 block of NE Poplar Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was determined that multiple occupants had numerous warrants for their arrest. Illegal narcotics and two firearms, one reported stolen out of Missouri, were also located.

Breanna M. Meade, 30, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that included&nbsp;Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Drivers windshield materially obstructed/obscured, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Driving while license suspended, Vehicles; display plate not assigned

Meade also had four warrants for her arrest, including a felony warrant of Pratt County and a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Goddard. She is now in custody in Pratt County, accordin gto online jail records.

Patrick J. Arrow, 31, of Topeka, was also arrested and booked into jail on requested charges&nbsp;Distribution of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Distribute/possess with intent drug paraphernalia

Arrow also had a warrant for his arrest out of Geary County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756154030902.png" alt="Arrow photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Arrow photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop in Shawnee County.Just before 3p.m. August 18, a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2003 white Ford Econoline E150 with a license plate that did not belong on that vehicle and a defective windshield in the 700 block of NE Poplar Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756153951552.png" alt="Meade photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Meade photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, it was determined that multiple occupants had numerous warrants for their arrest. Illegal narcotics and two firearms, one reported stolen out of Missouri, were also located.Breanna M. Meade, 30, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that included&nbsp;Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Drivers windshield materially obstructed/obscured, Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, Driving while license suspended, Vehicles; display plate not assignedMeade also had four warrants for her arrest, including a felony warrant of Pratt County and a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Goddard. She is now in custody in Pratt County, accordin gto online jail records.Patrick J. Arrow, 31, of Topeka, was also arrested and booked into jail on requested charges&nbsp;Distribution of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Distribute/possess with intent drug paraphernaliaArrow also had a warrant for his arrest out of Geary County.

Kan. woman caught with stolen property, illegal drugs

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University is the latest target in a series of swatting incidents nationwide.

Late Monday afternoon Kansas State University was a target of a swatting attack intended to be disruptive to our Manhattan campus, according to a&nbsp; social media report from the university.

Riley County Dispatch received a call on their administrative line of a message stating active violence at Hale Library.

Officers immediately responded and determined the call was a hoax and there was no threat or danger. The building is safe, and the Manhattan campus is under normal operations.

This appears to be similar to other swatting reports happening at universities across the country.

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University is the latest target in a series of swatting incidents nationwide.Late Monday afternoon Kansas State University was a target of a swatting attack intended to be disruptive to our Manhattan campus, according to a&nbsp; social media report from the university.Riley County Dispatch received a call on their administrative line of a message stating active violence at Hale Library.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE: All clear&mdash; K-State (@KState) <a href="https://twitter.com/KState/status/1960108087991537790?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Officers immediately responded and determined the call was a hoax and there was no threat or danger. The building is safe, and the Manhattan campus is under normal operations.This appears to be similar to other swatting reports happening at universities across the country.

K-State a target of swatting incident

GEARY COUNTY— Law enforcement across the state continue to ticket drivers for traveling far above the posted speed limit.

According to a social media report from Junction City Police, an officer recently issued a ticket to a driver on Grant Avenue who was caught traveling 93 mph in a 35 mph zone - that’s nearly three times the posted limit, resulting in a  $650 ticket. 

"Excessive speeding isn’t just reckless - it’s deadly."

According to the National Safety Council, speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2023, resulting in 11,775 lives lost - that’s over 32 deaths every single day. 

"Here’s why speeding - especially at extreme levels - magnifies danger:• Less reaction time. At higher speeds, drivers have significantly less time to respond to changing road conditions or unexpected hazards.• More severe crashes."

"Crash energy increases exponentially with speed, meaning even a small increase in velocity can result in much more devastating outcomes.The risk doesn’t just rise, it escalates dramatically. Take this as a reminder to slow down and drive safely. Every mile per hour matters."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756157625373.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY— Law enforcement across the state continue to ticket drivers for traveling far above the posted speed limit.According to a social media report from Junction City Police, an officer recently issued a ticket to a driver on Grant Avenue who was caught traveling 93 mph in a 35 mph zone - that’s nearly three times the posted limit, resulting in a $650 ticket. "Excessive speeding isn’t just reckless - it’s deadly."According to the National Safety Council, speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2023, resulting in 11,775 lives lost - that’s over 32 deaths every single day. "Here’s why speeding - especially at extreme levels - magnifies danger:• Less reaction time. At higher speeds, drivers have significantly less time to respond to changing road conditions or unexpected hazards.• More severe crashes." "Crash energy increases exponentially with speed, meaning even a small increase in velocity can result in much more devastating outcomes.The risk doesn’t just rise, it escalates dramatically. Take this as a reminder to slow down and drive safely. Every mile per hour matters."

Police: Expensive ticket for 93mph in a 35 mhp zone in Kansas

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

Democrats question Speaker Dan Hawkins’ plan to lower Medicaid spending

TOPEKA — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the 2026 Legislature would strive to slash $200 million from the state government’s budget and seek to reduce expenditures on the Medicaid program delivering health care to low-income adults and children.

Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who has served 13 years in the Legislature, said during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5otZHmokQ8" target="_blank">interview at an American Legislative Exchange Council conference</a>&nbsp;in Indianapolis that he was proud the 2025 Legislature took the lead in crafting the current state budget. Ahead of the 2025 session, a Republican-controlled committee of the House and Senate developed its own budget bill rather than wait for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s recommendation, as traditionally presented to lawmakers in January.

Despite Republicans in the House and Senate operating with partisan supermajorities since Kelly’s election in 2018, Hawkins was critical in the interview of what he calculated to be a 60% rise in spending during Kelly’s seven years as governor.

In the past legislative session, Hawkins said, the House and Senate whittled down the state budget for 2025-2026 to more than $200 million below the amount it approved for 2024-2025.

“That first $200 million is probably the easy one to cut,” Hawkins said during the ALEC interview. “It starts getting harder every year after that. I think we’ll come in next year and we’ll probably cut about $200 million out of the budget.”

He said the Legislature’s decision to consolidate its grip on the budget process at the Capitol resulted in a bill that spent less than the amount sought by Kelly.

“The governor still says that we spend too much, but we cut $43 million,” Hawkins told his ALEC audience.

In response to an inquiry, Hawkins’ staff clarified the actual year-to-year cut by the Legislature was $38 million below spending proposed by Kelly. The Legislature did vote for $43 million in deletions, but some were vetoed by the governor. The Legislature chose not to override all of Kelly’s line-item vetoes. That left the overall cut at $38 million — not $43 million.

“Governor Kelly has always prioritized responsible fiscal management, and the results speak for themselves: fully funded schools, record-breaking economic development and historic investments in the state water plan,” said Will Lawrence, the governor’s chief of staff. “Speaker Hawkins can play with the numbers all he wants, but the reality is the financial path he advocates for is eating through the state’s ending balance and threatening to undo all the progress Kansas has made in the last seven years.”

Lawrence said cutting Medicaid would strain the state’s rural health system and endanger 443,000 Kansans who participate in the health program. Kelly has spent years advocating for expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas.

“Unserious, misinformed proposals like these are not what Kansans deserve, and I suggest Speaker Hawkins talk to Kansans about their priorities, not conservative think tank staffers,” Lawrence said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, who lead Democrats in the Legislature, offered perspectives on Hawkins’ interview with Lars Dalseide, ALEC’s director of policy advancement and media relations.

Sykes said GOP legislative leadership’s overhaul of the budget process for the 2025 session served “to advance their priorities without regard for bipartisanship or public input.”

Democrats, for example, objected to the GOP-led Legislature’s deletion from the governor’s budget of $62 million for special education in public schools. Also cut was $10 million for the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy, a program to develop reading instructional skills among licensed teachers and college students preparing to become educators.

A core objective of Republican legislators has been to advance tax cuts most beneficial to wealthy Kansans, Sykes said.

“Fiscal responsibility is just a talking point to Republicans,” Sykes said. “Time and time again, they say they want to dig deeper into the budget, but the reality is they want to give away big tax breaks to their donors on the backs of working Kansans. Senate Democrats will continue to stand for true fiscal stability and not just partisan talking points.”

The Legislature is controlled by Republican supermajorities in the 125-member House and 40-member Senate. The two-thirds partisan advantage has meant the GOP could override any veto by Kelly. In the House, Republicans hold an 88-37 edge. The margin stands at 31-9 in the Senate.

Hawkins, who is seeking the Republican Party’s 2026 nomination for state insurance commissioner, said the Legislature should strive during the upcoming session in Topeka to reduce spending on Medicaid.

He said there were opportunities for the Legislature to restrict expenditures by getting rid of inefficiencies.

“Just like we’ve seen on the federal level, Medicaid has lots of opportunity,” Hawkins said. “I think that when we really start looking, we’ll find some duplicative efforts.”

Woodard, who has urged the Legislature to broaden eligibility for Medicaid to more lower-income adults, said the House speaker’s plan to reduce health services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and the elderly was misguided.

“At a time when Kansans are struggling to make ends meet, Republicans are threatening to further cut Medicaid at the expense of our most vulnerable Kansans,” he said.

Sen. Patrick Schmidt, a Topeka Democrat who served on the Senate’s government efficiency committee, said attempts to undermine Medicaid in the quest for efficiencies jeopardized the well-being of thousands of adults and children in Kansas. Claims of widespread inefficiency within Medicaid have been exaggerated, he said.

“When they say those words, they’re just lying,” he said. “Medicaid helps people get back to work.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756145143284.png" alt=" Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, says in an interview with ALEC that one of his objectives will be to reduce overall state spending by $200 million and target Medicaid for spending cuts during the 2026 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, says in an interview with ALEC that one of his objectives will be to reduce overall state spending by $200 million and target Medicaid for spending cuts during the 2026 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Democrats question Speaker Dan Hawkins’ plan to lower Medicaid spending</h2>TOPEKA — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the 2026 Legislature would strive to slash $200 million from the state government’s budget and seek to reduce expenditures on the Medicaid program delivering health care to low-income adults and children.Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who has served 13 years in the Legislature, said during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5otZHmokQ8" target="_blank">interview at an American Legislative Exchange Council conference</a>&nbsp;in Indianapolis that he was proud the 2025 Legislature took the lead in crafting the current state budget. Ahead of the 2025 session, a Republican-controlled committee of the House and Senate developed its own budget bill rather than wait for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s recommendation, as traditionally presented to lawmakers in January.Despite Republicans in the House and Senate operating with partisan supermajorities since Kelly’s election in 2018, Hawkins was critical in the interview of what he calculated to be a 60% rise in spending during Kelly’s seven years as governor.In the past legislative session, Hawkins said, the House and Senate whittled down the state budget for 2025-2026 to more than $200 million below the amount it approved for 2024-2025.“That first $200 million is probably the easy one to cut,” Hawkins said during the ALEC interview. “It starts getting harder every year after that. I think we’ll come in next year and we’ll probably cut about $200 million out of the budget.”He said the Legislature’s decision to consolidate its grip on the budget process at the Capitol resulted in a bill that spent less than the amount sought by Kelly.“The governor still says that we spend too much, but we cut $43 million,” Hawkins told his ALEC audience.In response to an inquiry, Hawkins’ staff clarified the actual year-to-year cut by the Legislature was $38 million below spending proposed by Kelly. The Legislature did vote for $43 million in deletions, but some were vetoed by the governor. The Legislature chose not to override all of Kelly’s line-item vetoes. That left the overall cut at $38 million — not $43 million.“Governor Kelly has always prioritized responsible fiscal management, and the results speak for themselves: fully funded schools, record-breaking economic development and historic investments in the state water plan,” said Will Lawrence, the governor’s chief of staff. “Speaker Hawkins can play with the numbers all he wants, but the reality is the financial path he advocates for is eating through the state’s ending balance and threatening to undo all the progress Kansas has made in the last seven years.”Lawrence said cutting Medicaid would strain the state’s rural health system and endanger 443,000 Kansans who participate in the health program. Kelly has spent years advocating for expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas.“Unserious, misinformed proposals like these are not what Kansans deserve, and I suggest Speaker Hawkins talk to Kansans about their priorities, not conservative think tank staffers,” Lawrence said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756145094119.png" alt=" Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, says Republicans are more interested in giving tax breaks to their donors than they are in fiscal responsibility. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, says Republicans are more interested in giving tax breaks to their donors than they are in fiscal responsibility. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Other perspectives</h2>Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, who lead Democrats in the Legislature, offered perspectives on Hawkins’ interview with Lars Dalseide, ALEC’s director of policy advancement and media relations.Sykes said GOP legislative leadership’s overhaul of the budget process for the 2025 session served “to advance their priorities without regard for bipartisanship or public input.”Democrats, for example, objected to the GOP-led Legislature’s deletion from the governor’s budget of $62 million for special education in public schools. Also cut was $10 million for the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy, a program to develop reading instructional skills among licensed teachers and college students preparing to become educators.A core objective of Republican legislators has been to advance tax cuts most beneficial to wealthy Kansans, Sykes said.“Fiscal responsibility is just a talking point to Republicans,” Sykes said. “Time and time again, they say they want to dig deeper into the budget, but the reality is they want to give away big tax breaks to their donors on the backs of working Kansans. Senate Democrats will continue to stand for true fiscal stability and not just partisan talking points.”The Legislature is controlled by Republican supermajorities in the 125-member House and 40-member Senate. The two-thirds partisan advantage has meant the GOP could override any veto by Kelly. In the House, Republicans hold an 88-37 edge. The margin stands at 31-9 in the Senate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756145045519.png" alt=" Sen. Patrick Schmidt, D-Topeka, says Republicans are lying when they make claims of widespread inefficiency in the state Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Patrick Schmidt, D-Topeka, says Republicans are lying when they make claims of widespread inefficiency in the state Medicaid program. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Medicaid issue</h2>Hawkins, who is seeking the Republican Party’s 2026 nomination for state insurance commissioner, said the Legislature should strive during the upcoming session in Topeka to reduce spending on Medicaid.He said there were opportunities for the Legislature to restrict expenditures by getting rid of inefficiencies.“Just like we’ve seen on the federal level, Medicaid has lots of opportunity,” Hawkins said. “I think that when we really start looking, we’ll find some duplicative efforts.”Woodard, who has urged the Legislature to broaden eligibility for Medicaid to more lower-income adults, said the House speaker’s plan to reduce health services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and the elderly was misguided.“At a time when Kansans are struggling to make ends meet, Republicans are threatening to further cut Medicaid at the expense of our most vulnerable Kansans,” he said.Sen. Patrick Schmidt, a Topeka Democrat who served on the Senate’s government efficiency committee, said attempts to undermine Medicaid in the quest for efficiencies jeopardized the well-being of thousands of adults and children in Kansas. Claims of widespread inefficiency within Medicaid have been exaggerated, he said.“When they say those words, they’re just lying,” he said. “Medicaid helps people get back to work.”

Kansas House speaker wants to slash $200 million from state budget, target Medicaid for cuts

The number of people in the United States illegally surged to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, a research group said Thursday, a major increase that still falls well short of estimates from President Donald Trump and some critics of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>.

The Pew Research Center's closely watched gauge rose from 11.8 million a year earlier and surpassed the previous high of 12.2 million in 2007. The increase was driven by some 6 million who were in the country with some form of legal protection. Trump has stripped many of those protections since taking office in January.

Pew, whose estimates date back to 1990, said that, while 2023 is its latest full analysis, preliminary findings show the number rose in 2024, though at a slower rate after then-President Joe Biden severely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-border-asylum-mexico-immigration-deportations-43468ec3b154f478f726a62d07204a53">restricted asylum</a>&nbsp;at the border in June of that year. The number dropped this year under Trump, but is still likely above 14 million.

The overall U.S. immigrant population, regardless of legal status, reached an all-time high of more than 53 million in January 2025, accounting for a record 15.8% of the U.S. population. The number has since dropped, which Pew said would be the first time it has shrunk since the 1960s.

While the findings are unlikely to settle debate, Pew's report is one of the most complete attempts to measure illegal immigration. Nearly all the increase came from countries other than Mexico. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and India accounted for the largest numbers after Mexico. Totals from Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Ukraine and Peru each more than doubled in two years.

Trump said in an address to Congress in March that 21 million people “poured into the United States” during the previous four years, far exceeding estimates from Pew and what figures on border arrests suggest. The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group largely aligned with his policies, estimated 18.6 million in March.

The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors immigration restrictions, reported that there were 14.2 million people in the U.S. illegally last month, down from a peak of 15.8 million in January. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem touted the reported drop of 1.6 million in six months. “This is massive,” she said in a press release last week.

Noem's own department, through its Office of Homeland Security Statistics, estimates there were 11 million people in the U.S. illegally in 2022, its most recent count. The Center for Migration Studies, author of another closely watched survey, most recently pegged the number at 12.2 million in 2022, topping its previous high of 12 million in 2008.

Pew's findings, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau survey and Department of Homeland Security, reflect an increase in people crossing the border illegally to exercise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">rights to seek asylum</a>&nbsp;and Biden-era policies to grant temporary legal status. Those policies included a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-cbp-one-border-app-652854b5f2a4e6ccd6ee2ccc729cbb55">border appointment system</a>&nbsp;called CBP One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immigration-deportation-8bc46820c6444fbb3540c09764e32905">and permits</a>&nbsp;for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.

Trump has ended those policies and also sought to reverse Biden's expansion of Temporary Protected Status for people already in the United States whose countries are deemed unsafe to return to.

Mexicans were the largest nationality among people in the country illegally, a number that grew slightly to 4.3 million in 2023. The increase came almost entirely from other countries, totaling 9.7 million, up from 6.4 million two years earlier.

States with the largest numbers of people in the country illegally were, in order, California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, though Texas sharply narrowed its gap with California. Even with the increases in recent years, six states had smaller numbers in 2023 than in the previous peak in 2007: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Oregon.

Pew estimated that a record 9.7 million people without legal status were in the workforce, or about 5.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023, with Nevada, Florida, New Jersey and Texas having the largest shares.

Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat contributed. Follow Schneider on the social platform Bluesky:&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikeysid.bsky.social">@mikeysid.bsky.social</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671577993523.png" alt="photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated PressThe number of people in the United States illegally surged to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023, a research group said Thursday, a major increase that still falls well short of estimates from President Donald Trump and some critics of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>.The Pew Research Center's closely watched gauge rose from 11.8 million a year earlier and surpassed the previous high of 12.2 million in 2007. The increase was driven by some 6 million who were in the country with some form of legal protection. Trump has stripped many of those protections since taking office in January.Pew, whose estimates date back to 1990, said that, while 2023 is its latest full analysis, preliminary findings show the number rose in 2024, though at a slower rate after then-President Joe Biden severely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-border-asylum-mexico-immigration-deportations-43468ec3b154f478f726a62d07204a53">restricted asylum</a>&nbsp;at the border in June of that year. The number dropped this year under Trump, but is still likely above 14 million.The overall U.S. immigrant population, regardless of legal status, reached an all-time high of more than 53 million in January 2025, accounting for a record 15.8% of the U.S. population. The number has since dropped, which Pew said would be the first time it has shrunk since the 1960s.While the findings are unlikely to settle debate, Pew's report is one of the most complete attempts to measure illegal immigration. Nearly all the increase came from countries other than Mexico. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and India accounted for the largest numbers after Mexico. Totals from Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Ukraine and Peru each more than doubled in two years.Trump said in an address to Congress in March that 21 million people “poured into the United States” during the previous four years, far exceeding estimates from Pew and what figures on border arrests suggest. The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group largely aligned with his policies, estimated 18.6 million in March.The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors immigration restrictions, reported that there were 14.2 million people in the U.S. illegally last month, down from a peak of 15.8 million in January. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem touted the reported drop of 1.6 million in six months. “This is massive,” she said in a press release last week.Noem's own department, through its Office of Homeland Security Statistics, estimates there were 11 million people in the U.S. illegally in 2022, its most recent count. The Center for Migration Studies, author of another closely watched survey, most recently pegged the number at 12.2 million in 2022, topping its previous high of 12 million in 2008.Pew's findings, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau survey and Department of Homeland Security, reflect an increase in people crossing the border illegally to exercise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">rights to seek asylum</a>&nbsp;and Biden-era policies to grant temporary legal status. Those policies included a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-cbp-one-border-app-652854b5f2a4e6ccd6ee2ccc729cbb55">border appointment system</a>&nbsp;called CBP One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-immigration-deportation-8bc46820c6444fbb3540c09764e32905">and permits</a>&nbsp;for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.Trump has ended those policies and also sought to reverse Biden's expansion of Temporary Protected Status for people already in the United States whose countries are deemed unsafe to return to.Mexicans were the largest nationality among people in the country illegally, a number that grew slightly to 4.3 million in 2023. The increase came almost entirely from other countries, totaling 9.7 million, up from 6.4 million two years earlier.States with the largest numbers of people in the country illegally were, in order, California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, though Texas sharply narrowed its gap with California. Even with the increases in recent years, six states had smaller numbers in 2023 than in the previous peak in 2007: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Oregon.Pew estimated that a record 9.7 million people without legal status were in the workforce, or about 5.6% of the U.S. labor force in 2023, with Nevada, Florida, New Jersey and Texas having the largest shares.___Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat contributed. Follow Schneider on the social platform Bluesky:&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikeysid.bsky.social">@mikeysid.bsky.social</a>

Illegal immigration hit a record-high of 14 million in the US in 2023, Pew report finds

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City man wounded in a Sunday shooting has died.&nbsp; He is the fourth victim in a deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 7p.m. Sunday patrol officers were dispatched to 6th and Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Officers located a man suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Kansas City Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital in critical condition.

Assault Squad detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin the investigation. Preliminary information indicated there was an interaction between the victim and another individual in the street just prior to the shots being fired.

Just before 10p.m., detectives were notified by hospital staff that the victim died of his injuries. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case.&nbsp;

In addition to the Sunday evening death,&nbsp; One man died in a shooting in 1700 block of East 12th Terrace. Two others died from a shooting that injured three others in the area of 13th and Grand, near the KC Power and Light District.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756140241312.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City man wounded in a Sunday shooting has died.&nbsp; He is the fourth victim in a deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 7p.m. Sunday patrol officers were dispatched to 6th and Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Officers located a man suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Kansas City Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital in critical condition.Assault Squad detectives and crime scene personnel responded to begin the investigation. Preliminary information indicated there was an interaction between the victim and another individual in the street just prior to the shots being fired.Just before 10p.m., detectives were notified by hospital staff that the victim died of his injuries. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case.&nbsp;In addition to the Sunday evening death,&nbsp; One man died in a shooting in 1700 block of East 12th Terrace. Two others died from a shooting that injured three others in the area of 13th and Grand, near the KC Power and Light District.

Deadly weekend: Fourth victim dies hours after another KC shooting

DICKINSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a pharmacy in Abilene.

According to a social media report from Paterson Health Care Pharmacy, 105 NW 3rd Street in Abilene, the fire occurred Sunday night. There were no injuries but significant damage due to the fire and smoke. The pharmacy is working with officials to determine the next steps to be taken. 

&nbsp;Pharmacy operations are currently suspended and the business has no way to access patient info that is backed up on the software server. This means the pharmacy cannot perform any transfers as well.

The pharmacy we will provide updates on social media and on our phone system as soon as possible.

&nbsp;The pharmacy encouraged customers to call their doctor and have a prescription sent to another pharmacy. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756135817747.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a pharmacy in Abilene.According to a social media report from Paterson Health Care Pharmacy, 105 NW 3rd Street in Abilene, the fire occurred Sunday night. There were no injuries but significant damage due to the fire and smoke. The pharmacy is working with officials to determine the next steps to be taken. &nbsp;Pharmacy operations are currently suspended and the business has no way to access patient info that is backed up on the software server. This means the pharmacy cannot perform any transfers as well.The pharmacy we will provide updates on social media and on our phone system as soon as possible.&nbsp;The pharmacy encouraged customers to call their doctor and have a prescription sent to another pharmacy.

Fire temporarily closes Kansas pharmacy

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Two more suspects accused in connection with the death of a 1-year-old Kansas boy were to go to trial Monday. Both trials were continued until 2026, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Two more suspects accused in connection with the death of a 1-year-old Kansas boy will go to trial Monday.

Roames Bonner, who was 17 at the time of the crime, will face a bench trial Monday afternoon in Judge Jeffery Goering's courtroom. The Judge earlier this year  ruled Bonner can be tried as an adult, according to the District Attorney's office.

Jonathan Tillery-Matthais, 21, will face a jury trial in Judge Jeffery Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. That trial is to begin Monday morning.

Bonner, 21-year-old Jonathan Tillery-Matthias and&nbsp;26-year-old K’Veion Richard all of Wichita, were charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm for the death of 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.

Police identified three suspects in the case and the following day arrested&nbsp; Bonner, Richard and&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias&nbsp;</a>.

At the time of the crime,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias</a>&nbsp;was on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">&nbsp;Richard&nbsp;</a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.

Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of the boy. In April, Richard was sentenced to life in prison for the boy's death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708650238448.png" alt="Tillery-Matthias photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Tillery-Matthias photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Two more suspects accused in connection with the death of a 1-year-old Kansas boy were to go to trial Monday. Both trials were continued until 2026, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Two more suspects accused in connection with the death of a 1-year-old Kansas boy will go to trial Monday.Roames Bonner, who was 17 at the time of the crime, will face a bench trial Monday afternoon in Judge Jeffery Goering's courtroom. The Judge earlier this year ruled Bonner can be tried as an adult, according to the District Attorney's office.Jonathan Tillery-Matthais, 21, will face a jury trial in Judge Jeffery Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. That trial is to begin Monday morning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756117123414.png" alt="Bonner-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bonner-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonner, 21-year-old Jonathan Tillery-Matthias and&nbsp;26-year-old K’Veion Richard all of Wichita, were charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm for the death of 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708454643255.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Police identified three suspects in the case and the following day arrested&nbsp; Bonner, Richard and&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias&nbsp;</a>.At the time of the crime,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias</a>&nbsp;was on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">&nbsp;Richard&nbsp;</a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of the boy. In April, Richard was sentenced to life in prison for the boy's death.

Kansas teen faces trial in death of one-year-old boy

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/demetris-nellas">DEMETRIS NELLAS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson">MAE ANDERSON</a>

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The end of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-india-9e388a55583e7007149819c52f0fd71b">exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages</a>&nbsp;coming into the United States is causing multiple international postal services to pause shipping as they await more clarity on the rule.

The exemption, known as the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">de minimis” exemption</a>, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. A total of 1.36 billion packages were sent in 2024 under this exemption, for goods worth $64.6 billion, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency.

It is set to expire on Friday. On Saturday, postal services around Europe announced that they are suspending the shipment of many packages to the United States amid confusion over new import duties.

Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday.

The U.K.'s Royal Mail said it would halt shipments to the U.S. on Tuesday to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties kick in. Items originating in the United Kingdom worth over $100 — including gifts to friends and family — will incur a 10% duty, it said.

“Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out,” DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, said in a statement.

The company said starting Saturday it “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the US.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">trade framework agreed on by the U.S. and the European Union</a>&nbsp;last month set a 15% tariff on the vast majority of products shipped from the EU. Packages under $800 will now also be subject to the tariff.

The U.S. duty-free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">exemption for goods originating from China</a>&nbsp;ended in May as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to curb American shoppers from ordering low-value Chinese goods. The exemption is being extended to shipments from around the world.

Many European postal services say they are pausing deliveries now because they cannot guarantee the goods will enter the U.S. before Aug. 29. They cite ambiguity about what kind of goods are covered by the new rules, and the lack of time to process their implications.

Postnord, the Nordic logistics company, and Italy’s postal service announced similar suspensions effective Saturday.

“In the absence of different instructions from US authorities ... Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting August 23. Mail shipments not containing merchandise will continue to be accepted,” Poste Italiane said Friday.

Shipping by services such as DHL Express remains possible, it added.

Björn Bergman, head of PostNord’s Group Brand and Communication, said the pause was “unfortunate but necessary to ensure full compliance of the newly implemented rules.”

In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said the Trump administration is pressing ahead with the new duties despite U.S. authorities lacking a system to collect them. He said that PostNL is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to find a solution.

“If you have something to send to America, you should do it today,” Witteveen told The Associated Press.

Austrian Post, Austria’s leading logistics and postal service provider, stated that the last acceptance of commercial shipments to the U.S., including Puerto Rico, will take place Tuesday.

France’s national postal service, La Poste, said the U.S. did not provide full details or allow enough time for the French postal service to prepare for new customs procedures.

″Despite discussions with U.S. customs services, no time was provided to postal operators to re-organize and assure the necessary computer updates to conform to the new rules,″ it said in a statement.

PostEurop, an association of 51 European public postal operators, said that if no solution can be found by Aug. 29 all its members will likely follow suit.

Anderson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris; Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece; Stephanie Lichtenstein in Vienna; Brian Melley in London and Molly Quell in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756074212592.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/demetris-nellas">DEMETRIS NELLAS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson">MAE ANDERSON</a>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The end of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-india-9e388a55583e7007149819c52f0fd71b">exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages</a>&nbsp;coming into the United States is causing multiple international postal services to pause shipping as they await more clarity on the rule.The exemption, known as the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">de minimis” exemption</a>, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. A total of 1.36 billion packages were sent in 2024 under this exemption, for goods worth $64.6 billion, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency.It is set to expire on Friday. On Saturday, postal services around Europe announced that they are suspending the shipment of many packages to the United States amid confusion over new import duties.Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday.The U.K.'s Royal Mail said it would halt shipments to the U.S. on Tuesday to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties kick in. Items originating in the United Kingdom worth over $100 — including gifts to friends and family — will incur a 10% duty, it said.“Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out,” DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, said in a statement.The company said starting Saturday it “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the US.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">trade framework agreed on by the U.S. and the European Union</a>&nbsp;last month set a 15% tariff on the vast majority of products shipped from the EU. Packages under $800 will now also be subject to the tariff.The U.S. duty-free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">exemption for goods originating from China</a>&nbsp;ended in May as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to curb American shoppers from ordering low-value Chinese goods. The exemption is being extended to shipments from around the world.Many European postal services say they are pausing deliveries now because they cannot guarantee the goods will enter the U.S. before Aug. 29. They cite ambiguity about what kind of goods are covered by the new rules, and the lack of time to process their implications.Postnord, the Nordic logistics company, and Italy’s postal service announced similar suspensions effective Saturday.“In the absence of different instructions from US authorities ... Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting August 23. Mail shipments not containing merchandise will continue to be accepted,” Poste Italiane said Friday.Shipping by services such as DHL Express remains possible, it added.Björn Bergman, head of PostNord’s Group Brand and Communication, said the pause was “unfortunate but necessary to ensure full compliance of the newly implemented rules.”In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said the Trump administration is pressing ahead with the new duties despite U.S. authorities lacking a system to collect them. He said that PostNL is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to find a solution.“If you have something to send to America, you should do it today,” Witteveen told The Associated Press.Austrian Post, Austria’s leading logistics and postal service provider, stated that the last acceptance of commercial shipments to the U.S., including Puerto Rico, will take place Tuesday.France’s national postal service, La Poste, said the U.S. did not provide full details or allow enough time for the French postal service to prepare for new customs procedures.″Despite discussions with U.S. customs services, no time was provided to postal operators to re-organize and assure the necessary computer updates to conform to the new rules,″ it said in a statement.PostEurop, an association of 51 European public postal operators, said that if no solution can be found by Aug. 29 all its members will likely follow suit.___Anderson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris; Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece; Stephanie Lichtenstein in Vienna; Brian Melley in London and Molly Quell in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

Tariff confusion: Postal services suspend package shipments to US 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Topeka Zoo announced the passing of giraffe, Liz on Sunday. The Giraffe &amp; Friends building was temporarily closed to the public n Sunday. The giraffes still had access to their outdoor yards.

Liz (full name Elizabeth) was born August 21, 2018 at the Topeka Zoo &amp; Conservation Center to parents Hope and Sgt. Peppers. Her namesake was a very generous late supporter, Elizabeth Stratton. 

More than 1300 viewers tuned in to the live YouTube video of the birth, welcoming her into the world.&nbsp; The Zoo is currently gathering more information the cause of her death.

 Liz died Sunday night at approximately 10 pm. The zoo share more information once pending results are in from Liz’s recent exam. We are very appreciative of any mindful comments or letters of support and would love to read any special memories of Liz that supporters want to highlight. Cards for staff can be dropped off in the Zoo's gift shop. Giraffe feedings will resume Sunday, August 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756125173918.png" alt="Photo courtesy Topeka Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Topeka Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Topeka Zoo announced the passing of giraffe, Liz on Sunday. The Giraffe &amp; Friends building was temporarily closed to the public n Sunday. The giraffes still had access to their outdoor yards.Liz (full name Elizabeth) was born August 21, 2018 at the Topeka Zoo &amp; Conservation Center to parents Hope and Sgt. Peppers. Her namesake was a very generous late supporter, Elizabeth Stratton. More than 1300 viewers tuned in to the live YouTube video of the birth, welcoming her into the world.&nbsp; The Zoo is currently gathering more information the cause of her death. Liz died Sunday night at approximately 10 pm. The zoo share more information once pending results are in from Liz’s recent exam. We are very appreciative of any mindful comments or letters of support and would love to read any special memories of Liz that supporters want to highlight. Cards for staff can be dropped off in the Zoo's gift shop. Giraffe feedings will resume Sunday, August 31.

7-year-old giraffe dies at Kansas zoo

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday afaternoon homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 39-year-old Victor Austin, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service.

 While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located Austin suffering from unknown bodily trauma.

KCFD EMS responded and pronounced Austin deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; 

Both transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. While on scene officers learned a fourth victim was at a local hospital. A private vehicle transported a woman to the hospital for treatment of a stab wound. She was listed in serious condition, according to DiMartino.

This is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755994669825.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday afaternoon homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 39-year-old Victor Austin, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service. While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located Austin suffering from unknown bodily trauma.KCFD EMS responded and pronounced Austin deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; Both transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. While on scene officers learned a fourth victim was at a local hospital. A private vehicle transported a woman to the hospital for treatment of a stab wound. She was listed in serious condition, according to DiMartino.This is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

Homicide: Police ID victim in fight at KC apartment

STONE COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas girl was injured in an accident just before 4p.m Saturday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an 11-year-old from Olathe jumped off a 2022 Crest Pontoon boat driven by a 28-year-old Overland&nbsp; Park woman near PT 5, South of Branson West. The girl was attempting&nbsp; to help another swimmer. The boat propeller struck the girl.&nbsp;

Air Care transported the girl to Mercy Springfield for treatment of serious injuries. She was wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional information.

STONE COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas girl was injured in an accident just before 4p.m Saturday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an 11-year-old from Olathe jumped off a 2022 Crest Pontoon boat driven by a 28-year-old Overland&nbsp; Park woman near PT 5, South of Branson West. The girl was attempting&nbsp; to help another swimmer. The boat propeller struck the girl.&nbsp;Air Care transported the girl to Mercy Springfield for treatment of serious injuries. She was wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional information.

11-year-old Kan. girl struck by boat propeller at lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.

A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.

An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.

A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.

The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.

Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.

The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.

Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

"Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”

Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.

“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”

Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.

In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.

Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.

Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.

“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”

“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.

“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.

“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755882333777.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom."Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”___

Some guard units in DC now carrying firearms; more cities targeted for possible deployment 

CLOUD COUNTY—One person died in a small plane crash just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Cloud County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp;Rans S-21 Airaile Fixed Wing Single-Engine Aircraft piloted by David A.&nbsp;Kadel, 76, Concordia,&nbsp;took off from Concordia, Kansas airport when a possible mechanical issue occurred. The plane lost altitude and nose dived into the ground.

Kadel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756116361952.png" alt="Google Map" />
 <figcaption>Google Map</figcaption>
 </figure>CLOUD COUNTY—One person died in a small plane crash just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Cloud County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp;Rans S-21 Airaile Fixed Wing Single-Engine Aircraft piloted by David A.&nbsp;Kadel, 76, Concordia,&nbsp;took off from Concordia, Kansas airport when a possible mechanical issue occurred. The plane lost altitude and nose dived into the ground.Kadel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.

Kansas man dies after small plane crash

GEARY COUNTY—Rural fire crews from Geary County and crews from Grandview Plaza Fire worked a motor home and enclosed trailer fire on the Interstate Saturday, according to a social media report from the fire department.

There were no injuries. The trailer was a complete loss, while the motor home sustained damage to the rear of the unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756084182202.jpeg" alt="Photo Geary County Rural Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo Geary County Rural Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—Rural fire crews from Geary County and crews from Grandview Plaza Fire worked a motor home and enclosed trailer fire on the Interstate Saturday, according to a social media report from the fire department.There were no injuries. The trailer was a complete loss, while the motor home sustained damage to the rear of the unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.