&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just after 10a.m. Feb. 28, sheriff's deputies executed a a narcotics search warrant on the residence located at 215 Dakota Avenue in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the search, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and firearms were recovered.&nbsp; The two occupants of the residence, Scott Allen Strube, 55, of Holton and Sindee Lynn Holcomb, 59, of Holton were arrested.

Scott Allen Strube was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine,&nbsp;possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a firearm.

Sindee Lynn Holcomb was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Holton Police Department assisted with the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740692339815.png" alt="Strube photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Strube photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just after 10a.m. Feb. 28, sheriff's deputies executed a a narcotics search warrant on the residence located at 215 Dakota Avenue in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the search, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and firearms were recovered.&nbsp; The two occupants of the residence, Scott Allen Strube, 55, of Holton and Sindee Lynn Holcomb, 59, of Holton were arrested.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740692396381.png" alt="Holcomb photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Holcomb photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Scott Allen Strube was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine,&nbsp;possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a firearm.Sindee Lynn Holcomb was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.The Holton Police Department assisted with the incident.

Deputies recover firearms and illegal drugs from Kansas home

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a>&nbsp;AND KEVIN S. VINEYSU

WASHINGTON (AP) — Civilian federal jobs are being cut by the thousands, as Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;continues to shrink the government workforce at the behest of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

That’s brought a lot of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">churn and uncertainty</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s capital, where 20% of the country’s more than 2 million civilian — or nonmilitary — federal workers are located.

It’s also affecting workers and communities outside the Washington, D.C. area, where about 80% of that workforce is based. Those cuts mean that members of Congress are now facing potential angst among the out-of-work federal employees in their districts across the country.

The precise locations of all of the thousands of federal employees now out of work isn’t yet known, but a look at the areas with the highest concentrations of civilian U.S. government jobs gives a glimpse at some places that could be most affected.

Here’s a breakdown of federal government jobs across the country by the numbers, surveying data from a Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates, as of 2023:

D.C. area, represented by Democrats, has highest federal worker concentration

It’s no surprise that the District of Columbia has the highest percentage of federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce.

And the areas immediately outside the city, in what’s known as the DMV — which includes Washington and parts of Maryland and Virginia — are next up with the highest concentrations of federal workers, with the top nine districts where percentages of federal workers range from 18.2% down to 8.4%. Most of those districts are represented by Democrats, meaning that some of the areas — albeit those in the D.C. area — likely to have the most significant impacts from DOGE cuts are represented by that party in the U.S. House.

The one with the highest percentage of federal workforce is Maryland’s 5th District, represented by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer. There, about 18.2% of all workers are employed by the federal government.

After the districts closest to Washington, D.C., there are GOP-represented areas with high federal worker percentages.

Virginia’s 2nd District, represented by Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans — along the state’s southeastern border with North Carolina — is the GOP area with the highest concentration of federal workers, at 8.1%. Home to Virginia Beach, and a large U.S. Navy presence, it’s considered among the nation’s most politically competitive districts.

Central Oklahoma’s 4th District, represented by GOP Rep. Tom Cole, has a workforce where 7.7% is employed by the federal government. The district is home to Fort Sill Army Post and Tinker Air Force Base, the latter of which includes the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. Oklahoma’s largest single-site employer, according to Tinker’s website, the complex provides support for dozens of other Air Force Bases.

Federal employees make up 7.6% of the workforce in Alabama’s 5th District, which includes Huntsville and is represented by Republican Rep. Dale Strong. The area encompasses NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which has had a role in rocket engineering and U.S. space exploration efforts from the Saturn rockets integral to moon missions, the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station’s laboratory modules.

The data examined here doesn’t pertain directly to military jobs. Thousands of civilian government employees across the country work in areas near or attached to military installations.

Alaska, represented by an at-large Republican, has a high concentration

Alaska’s sole U.S. House member, Rep. Nick Begich, represents a state with a total federal worker percentage of 6.3%.

Scott Goldsmith, an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has described the state’s economy as a “three-legged stool” kept balanced by three components: the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and then all other industries combined.

The federal government manages a significant amount of land in Alaska. Workers are employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, among others.

New Mexico has highest percentage of federal workers across all districts

All three of New Mexico’s House districts are represented by Democrats, and all of them have significant federal workforces.

Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, two major federal research institutions, are located in the state, where the federal government is the No. 2 largest employer, according to the New Mexico Partnership.

Percentages of federal workers across the districts range from 6.3% in Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez’s 3rd District to 6.2% in Rep. Gabriel Vasquez’s 2nd District. In the 1st District, represented by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury, the workforce is 6.8% federal employees.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a>&nbsp;AND KEVIN S. VINEYSUWASHINGTON (AP) — Civilian federal jobs are being cut by the thousands, as Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;continues to shrink the government workforce at the behest of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.That’s brought a lot of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">churn and uncertainty</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s capital, where 20% of the country’s more than 2 million civilian — or nonmilitary — federal workers are located.It’s also affecting workers and communities outside the Washington, D.C. area, where about 80% of that workforce is based. Those cuts mean that members of Congress are now facing potential angst among the out-of-work federal employees in their districts across the country.The precise locations of all of the thousands of federal employees now out of work isn’t yet known, but a look at the areas with the highest concentrations of civilian U.S. government jobs gives a glimpse at some places that could be most affected.Here’s a breakdown of federal government jobs across the country by the numbers, surveying data from a Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates, as of 2023:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740740886621.png" alt="The District of Columbia is estimated to have 71,226 federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce. Puerto Rico is estimated to have 22,961 federal employees, 1.94% of the island's workforce.Source: Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates" />
 <figcaption>The District of Columbia is estimated to have 71,226 federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce. Puerto Rico is estimated to have 22,961 federal employees, 1.94% of the island's workforce.Source: Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates</figcaption>
 </figure>\<h2>D.C. area, represented by Democrats, has highest federal worker concentration</h2>It’s no surprise that the District of Columbia has the highest percentage of federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce.And the areas immediately outside the city, in what’s known as the DMV — which includes Washington and parts of Maryland and Virginia — are next up with the highest concentrations of federal workers, with the top nine districts where percentages of federal workers range from 18.2% down to 8.4%. Most of those districts are represented by Democrats, meaning that some of the areas — albeit those in the D.C. area — likely to have the most significant impacts from DOGE cuts are represented by that party in the U.S. House.The one with the highest percentage of federal workforce is Maryland’s 5th District, represented by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer. There, about 18.2% of all workers are employed by the federal government.ADVERTISEMENT<h2>Republican districts are affected, too</h2>After the districts closest to Washington, D.C., there are GOP-represented areas with high federal worker percentages.Virginia’s 2nd District, represented by Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans — along the state’s southeastern border with North Carolina — is the GOP area with the highest concentration of federal workers, at 8.1%. Home to Virginia Beach, and a large U.S. Navy presence, it’s considered among the nation’s most politically competitive districts.Central Oklahoma’s 4th District, represented by GOP Rep. Tom Cole, has a workforce where 7.7% is employed by the federal government. The district is home to Fort Sill Army Post and Tinker Air Force Base, the latter of which includes the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. Oklahoma’s largest single-site employer, according to Tinker’s website, the complex provides support for dozens of other Air Force Bases.Federal employees make up 7.6% of the workforce in Alabama’s 5th District, which includes Huntsville and is represented by Republican Rep. Dale Strong. The area encompasses NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which has had a role in rocket engineering and U.S. space exploration efforts from the Saturn rockets integral to moon missions, the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station’s laboratory modules.The data examined here doesn’t pertain directly to military jobs. Thousands of civilian government employees across the country work in areas near or attached to military installations.<h2>Alaska, represented by an at-large Republican, has a high concentration</h2>Alaska’s sole U.S. House member, Rep. Nick Begich, represents a state with a total federal worker percentage of 6.3%.Scott Goldsmith, an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has described the state’s economy as a “three-legged stool” kept balanced by three components: the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and then all other industries combined.The federal government manages a significant amount of land in Alaska. Workers are employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, among others.<h2>New Mexico has highest percentage of federal workers across all districts</h2>All three of New Mexico’s House districts are represented by Democrats, and all of them have significant federal workforces.Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, two major federal research institutions, are located in the state, where the federal government is the No. 2 largest employer, according to the New Mexico Partnership.Percentages of federal workers across the districts range from 6.3% in Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez’s 3rd District to 6.2% in Rep. Gabriel Vasquez’s 2nd District. In the 1st District, represented by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury, the workforce is 6.8% federal employees.

Where are federal jobs affected by DOGE cuts? A look at congressional districts across the US

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas guard Zeke Mayo showed screenshots of racist, hateful messages he received following his performance in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-tech-kansas-score-98de04f43c3aaa8a4ce2317526cd2f09">a loss to No. 10 Texas Tech</a>.

Mayo shared the screenshots Saturday. His account on X appeared to be deactivated Sunday morning.

“I 100% deserve all the criticism in the world,” he wrote. “My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now. ... I can’t be perfect all the time. I’m sorry to our fans and my teammates, I will continue to get better.”

Mayo airballed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds and scored five points on 1-of-7 shooting in a rare Kansas loss at Allen Fieldhouse.

Coach Bill Self and athletic director&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/tgoff11/status/1895990519949631666">Travis Goff</a>&nbsp;condemned the posts and wrote their own messages in support of Mayo.

“These aren’t Jayhawks. They’re not ours,” Goff wrote. “Driven by gambling and hate. They’ve never competed a day in their life. To Zeke and all our guys — the Jayhawk family loves you and will always ride with you through thick and thin.”

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kuhoops/p/DGrzEeyNgVT/?hl=en">Self wrote</a>, “any criticism about the team should be directed at me. I'm the head coach.”

Mayo, a first-year Jayhawk after three years at South Dakota State, is second on the team this season in points per game at 14.0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740944218461.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas guard Zeke Mayo showed screenshots of racist, hateful messages he received following his performance in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-tech-kansas-score-98de04f43c3aaa8a4ce2317526cd2f09">a loss to No. 10 Texas Tech</a>.Mayo shared the screenshots Saturday. His account on X appeared to be deactivated Sunday morning.“I 100% deserve all the criticism in the world,” he wrote. “My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now. ... I can’t be perfect all the time. I’m sorry to our fans and my teammates, I will continue to get better.”Mayo airballed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds and scored five points on 1-of-7 shooting in a rare Kansas loss at Allen Fieldhouse.Coach Bill Self and athletic director&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/tgoff11/status/1895990519949631666">Travis Goff</a>&nbsp;condemned the posts and wrote their own messages in support of Mayo.“These aren’t Jayhawks. They’re not ours,” Goff wrote. “Driven by gambling and hate. They’ve never competed a day in their life. To Zeke and all our guys — the Jayhawk family loves you and will always ride with you through thick and thin.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A statement from Coach Self following today’s game vs. Texas Tech: <a href="https://t.co/hdGu0bI6Gz">pic.twitter.com/hdGu0bI6Gz</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/1896062082291744889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kuhoops/p/DGrzEeyNgVT/?hl=en">Self wrote</a>, “any criticism about the team should be directed at me. I'm the head coach.”Mayo, a first-year Jayhawk after three years at South Dakota State, is second on the team this season in points per game at 14.0.___

KU's Zeke Mayo shows screenshots of racist, hateful messages he received after loss

LOGAN COUNTY—Many voters across the country are confused, some are angry and are showing up at town hall events to ask what President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing.&nbsp;

Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall hosted a town hall to visit with voters on Saturday morning at the Logan County Hospital,&nbsp;211 Cherry Avenue in Oakley.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Senator answered questions on budget cuts, layoffs and funding freezes from a somewhat hostile crowd and according to a video taken by Colin McRoberts, Marshall left the event before it was finished.

Marshall, who posts more on social media than most members of the United States Senate, has been quiet on the app since Friday.&nbsp; He didn't use social media to promote the town hall in Oakley and asked a staffer to offer a response to those who suggested he left early.

The Senator's web site does not show where Marshall will hold future town hall events.&nbsp; The Senate is adjourned until 3:00pm on Monday when they will hold a confirmation vote on Linda&nbsp; McMahon for Education Secretary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740919102880.png" alt="Image from the video by Colin McRoberts went viral" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video by Colin McRoberts went viral</figcaption>
 </figure>LOGAN COUNTY—Many voters across the country are confused, some are angry and are showing up at town hall events to ask what President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing.&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall hosted a town hall to visit with voters on Saturday morning at the Logan County Hospital,&nbsp;211 Cherry Avenue in Oakley.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Senator answered questions on budget cuts, layoffs and funding freezes from a somewhat hostile crowd and according to a video taken by Colin McRoberts, Marshall left the event before it was finished.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Must watch video: <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a> stands up and leaves his own town hall meeting today after being asked why Republicans think it’s acceptable for DOGE to be firing Veterans. <a href="https://t.co/ErNJbYPy1Z">pic.twitter.com/ErNJbYPy1Z</a>&mdash; Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattmfm/status/1895904839437316595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Marshall, who posts more on social media than most members of the United States Senate, has been quiet on the app since Friday.&nbsp; He didn't use social media to promote the town hall in Oakley and asked a staffer to offer a response to those who suggested he left early.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Brent Robertson, Chief of Staff to Senator Roger Marshall, released the following statement in response to the town hall hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a> in Oakley, KS today: <a href="https://t.co/JPQfDLh54N">pic.twitter.com/JPQfDLh54N</a>&mdash; Emily Flower (@_emily_flower) <a href="https://twitter.com/_emily_flower/status/1896043930598412594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senator's web site does not show where Marshall will hold future town hall events.&nbsp; The Senate is adjourned until 3:00pm on Monday when they will hold a confirmation vote on Linda&nbsp; McMahon for Education Secretary.

🎥Kan. U.S. Senator's staff responds after town hall video goes viral

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a new survey Wednesday from the Pew Research Center.

The Religious Landscape Study finds 62% of U.S. adults call themselves Christians. While a significant dip from 2007, when 78% of Americans identified as Christian, Pew found the Christian share of the population has remained relatively stable since 2019.

The rapid rise of the religiously unaffiliated — the so-called " nones " — has also reached at least a temporary plateau, according to Pew. Approximately 29% of U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, including those who are atheist (5%), agnostic (6%) or "nothing in particular" (19%).

"It's striking to have observed this recent period of stability in American religion after that long period of decline," said Pew's Gregory Smith, one of the study's co-authors. "One thing we can't know for sure is whether these short-term signs of stabilization will prove to be a lasting change in the country's religious trajectory."

By some measures, the U.S. remains overwhelmingly spiritual. Many Americans have a supernatural outlook, with 83% believing in God or a universal spirit and 86% believing that people have a soul or spirit. About seven in 10 Americans believe in heaven, hell or both.

Young adults are less religious than their elders

Despite this widespread spirituality, there are harbingers of future religious decline. Most notably, Pew found a huge age gap, with 46% of the youngest American adults identifying as Christian, compared to 80% of the oldest adults. The youngest adults are also three times more likely than the oldest group to be religiously unaffiliated.

"These kinds of generational differences are a big part of what's driven the long-term declines in American religion," Smith said. "As older cohorts of highly religious, older people have passed away, they have been replaced by new cohorts of young adults who are less religious than their parents and grandparents."

Michele Margolis, a University of Pennsylvania political scientist not affiliated with the Pew survey, has studied how religious involvement changes over a lifetime.

Young adults frequently move away from religion. "Then when you get married and have kids, this is a time where scholars have noted that religion is more likely to become important," Margolis said.

Margolis said one question going forward is whether the youngest American adults firmly reject organized religion, or if some of them will return to the religious fold as they age.

Between 2007 and 2024, Pew religious landscape studies haven't indicated that Americans are growing more religious as they get older.

Smith at Pew said "something would need to change" to stop the long-term decline of American religion, whether that's adults becoming more religious with age or new generations becoming more religious than their parents.

How partisan politics intertwines with religious identity

The long-term decline of U.S. Christianity and rise of the "nones" has occurred across traditions, gender, race, ethnicity, education and region. But it is much more evident among political liberals, according to Pew. The survey shows 51% of liberals claim no religion, up 24 points from 2007. Only 37% of U.S. liberals identify as Christian, down from 62% in 2007.

Penny Edgell, a University of Minnesota sociologist and expert adviser for the Pew study, said this religious and political sorting aligns with whether people "support traditional, patriarchal gender and family arrangements."

Edgell also notes that Black Americans defy the assumption that all Democrats are less religious than Republicans.

"More Black Americans percentagewise are Democrats, but their rates of religious involvement are still really high," Edgell said. "That has something to do with the way that religious institutions and politics have been intertwined in historically unique ways for different groups."

Roughly seven in 10 Black Protestants told Pew that religion is very important to them — about the same rate as evangelicals and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But Black Protestants are likely to identify as Democrats (72%), whereas evangelicals and Latter-day Saints are likely to identify as Republican (70% and 73%, respectively).

The Pew survey tracks many religious traditions

It's been nearly 10 years since the last Religious Landscape Study, which tracks religious data that the U.S. census does not.

The new survey found that a majority of immigrants to the U.S. are Christian (58%), but they also follow the upward trend of the religiously unaffiliated, with a quarter of foreign-born U.S. adults claiming no religion.

The number of Americans who belong to religions besides Christianity has been increasing, though it's still a small portion of the population (7%). That includes the 2% who are Jewish, and the 1% each who are Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu.

Of U.S. Christian adults, 40% are Protestant and 19% are Catholic. The remaining 3% in Pew's survey include Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses and smaller Christian groups.

The two largest Protestant denominations in the Pew survey remain the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church – though both have lost many members since the first Religious Landscape Study in 2007.

The Pew Religious Landscape Study was conducted in English and Spanish between July 2023 and March 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 36,908 respondents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey's margin of error for results based on the full sample is plus or minus 0.8 percentage points.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By TIFFANY STANLEYWASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a new survey Wednesday from the Pew Research Center.The Religious Landscape Study finds 62% of U.S. adults call themselves Christians. While a significant dip from 2007, when 78% of Americans identified as Christian, Pew found the Christian share of the population has remained relatively stable since 2019.The rapid rise of the religiously unaffiliated — the so-called " nones " — has also reached at least a temporary plateau, according to Pew. Approximately 29% of U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, including those who are atheist (5%), agnostic (6%) or "nothing in particular" (19%)."It's striking to have observed this recent period of stability in American religion after that long period of decline," said Pew's Gregory Smith, one of the study's co-authors. "One thing we can't know for sure is whether these short-term signs of stabilization will prove to be a lasting change in the country's religious trajectory."By some measures, the U.S. remains overwhelmingly spiritual. Many Americans have a supernatural outlook, with 83% believing in God or a universal spirit and 86% believing that people have a soul or spirit. About seven in 10 Americans believe in heaven, hell or both.Young adults are less religious than their eldersDespite this widespread spirituality, there are harbingers of future religious decline. Most notably, Pew found a huge age gap, with 46% of the youngest American adults identifying as Christian, compared to 80% of the oldest adults. The youngest adults are also three times more likely than the oldest group to be religiously unaffiliated."These kinds of generational differences are a big part of what's driven the long-term declines in American religion," Smith said. "As older cohorts of highly religious, older people have passed away, they have been replaced by new cohorts of young adults who are less religious than their parents and grandparents."Michele Margolis, a University of Pennsylvania political scientist not affiliated with the Pew survey, has studied how religious involvement changes over a lifetime.Young adults frequently move away from religion. "Then when you get married and have kids, this is a time where scholars have noted that religion is more likely to become important," Margolis said.Margolis said one question going forward is whether the youngest American adults firmly reject organized religion, or if some of them will return to the religious fold as they age.Between 2007 and 2024, Pew religious landscape studies haven't indicated that Americans are growing more religious as they get older.Smith at Pew said "something would need to change" to stop the long-term decline of American religion, whether that's adults becoming more religious with age or new generations becoming more religious than their parents.How partisan politics intertwines with religious identityThe long-term decline of U.S. Christianity and rise of the "nones" has occurred across traditions, gender, race, ethnicity, education and region. But it is much more evident among political liberals, according to Pew. The survey shows 51% of liberals claim no religion, up 24 points from 2007. Only 37% of U.S. liberals identify as Christian, down from 62% in 2007.Penny Edgell, a University of Minnesota sociologist and expert adviser for the Pew study, said this religious and political sorting aligns with whether people "support traditional, patriarchal gender and family arrangements."Edgell also notes that Black Americans defy the assumption that all Democrats are less religious than Republicans."More Black Americans percentagewise are Democrats, but their rates of religious involvement are still really high," Edgell said. "That has something to do with the way that religious institutions and politics have been intertwined in historically unique ways for different groups."Roughly seven in 10 Black Protestants told Pew that religion is very important to them — about the same rate as evangelicals and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But Black Protestants are likely to identify as Democrats (72%), whereas evangelicals and Latter-day Saints are likely to identify as Republican (70% and 73%, respectively).The Pew survey tracks many religious traditionsIt's been nearly 10 years since the last Religious Landscape Study, which tracks religious data that the U.S. census does not.The new survey found that a majority of immigrants to the U.S. are Christian (58%), but they also follow the upward trend of the religiously unaffiliated, with a quarter of foreign-born U.S. adults claiming no religion.The number of Americans who belong to religions besides Christianity has been increasing, though it's still a small portion of the population (7%). That includes the 2% who are Jewish, and the 1% each who are Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu.Of U.S. Christian adults, 40% are Protestant and 19% are Catholic. The remaining 3% in Pew's survey include Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses and smaller Christian groups.The two largest Protestant denominations in the Pew survey remain the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church – though both have lost many members since the first Religious Landscape Study in 2007.The Pew Religious Landscape Study was conducted in English and Spanish between July 2023 and March 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 36,908 respondents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey's margin of error for results based on the full sample is plus or minus 0.8 percentage points.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

US Christian population has declined for years. New survey shows drop leveling off

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;on Friday berated Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;over the war in Ukraine, accusing him of not showing gratitude after he challenged Vance on the question of diplomacy with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>.

The argument in the Oval Office was broadcast globally. It led to the rest of Zelenskyy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">White House visit</a>&nbsp;being canceled and called into question how much the U.S. will still support Ukraine in its defense against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s 2022 invasion</a>.

Here is a transcript of the key moments of the exchange.

Zelenskyy challenges Vance on Russia and diplomacy

Vance: “For four years, the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is, maybe, engaging in diplomacy. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden, of thumping our chest and pretending that the president of the United States’ words mattered more than the president of the United States’ actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”

Zelenskyy: “OK. So he (Putin) occupied it, our parts, big parts of Ukraine, parts of east and Crimea. So he occupied it in 2014. So during a lot of years — I’m not speaking about just Biden, but those times was (Barack) Obama, then President Obama, then President Trump, then President Biden, now President Trump. And God bless, now, President Trump will stop him. But during 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people. You know what the --"

Zelenskyy: “Yes, but during 2014 ‘til 2022, the situation is the same, that people have been dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him. You know that we had conversations with him, a lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation. And we signed with him, me, like, you, president, in 2019, I signed with him the deal. I signed with him, (French President Emmanuel) Macron and (former German Chancellor Angela) Merkel. We signed ceasefire. Ceasefire. All of them told me that he will never go … But after that, he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners. But he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?”

Vance: “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

Zelenskyy: “Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?”

Vance: “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems, bringing people into your military?”

Vance: “And do you think that is respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”

Zelenskyy: “A lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.”

Trump erupts when Zelenskyy suggests the U.S. might ‘feel it in the future’

Zelenskyy: “First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future. God bless –”

Trump: “You don’t know that. You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”

Zelenskyy: “I’m not telling you. I am answering on these questions.”

Trump: “Because you’re in no position to dictate that.”

Vance: “That’s exactly what you’re doing.”

Trump: “You are in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good.”

Zelenskyy: “You will feel influenced.”

Trump: “We are going to feel very good and very strong.”

Zelenskyy: “I am telling you. You will feel influenced.”

Trump: “You’re, right now, not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position –”

Zelenskyy: “From the very beginning of the war —”

Trump: “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”

Zelenskyy: “I’m not playing cards. I’m very serious, Mr. President. I’m very serious.”

Trump: “You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”

Zelenskyy: “What are you speaking about?”

Trump: “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”

Vance: “Have you said thank you once?”

Zelenskyy: “A lot of times. Even today.”

Vance: “No, in this entire meeting. You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.”

Vance: “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”

Zelenskyy: “Please. You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, you can –”

Trump: “He’s not speaking loudly. He’s not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble.”

Trump: “No, no. You’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.”

Trump: “You’re not winning. You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us.”

Zelenskyy: “Mr. President, we are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, we’ve been alone. And we are thankful. I said thanks.”

Trump demands Zelenskyy accept a ceasefire

Trump: “If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.”

Zelenskyy: “In three days. I heard it from Putin. In three days.”

Trump: “Maybe less. It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this, I tell you.

Zelenskyy: “I said a lot of times, thank you, to American people.”

Vance: “Accept that there are disagreements, and let’s go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when you’re wrong. We know that you’re wrong.”

Trump: “But you see, I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on. I think it’s very important. That’s why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful.”

Trump: “You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. People are dying. You’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing, and then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire, I want to go, and I want this.’ Look, if you can get a ceasefire right now, I tell you, you take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.”

Zelenskyy: “Of course we want to stop the war. But I said to you, with guarantees.”

Trump: “Are you saying you don’t want a ceasefire? I want a ceasefire. Because you’ll get a ceasefire faster than an agreement.”

Zelenskyy: “Ask our people about a ceasefire, what they think.”

Trump: “That wasn’t with me. That was with a guy named Biden, who is not a smart person.”

Zelenskyy: “This is your president. It was your president.”

Trump: “Excuse me. That was with Obama, who gave you sheets, and I gave you Javelins. I gave you the Javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. In fact, the statement is Obama gave sheets, and Trump gave Javelins. You’ve got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards.”

Trump says Putin respects him due to the investigations of his first term

Vance, restating a reporter’s question: “She is asking what if Russia breaks the ceasefire.”

Trump: “What, if anything? What if the bomb drops on your head right now? OK, what if they broke it? I don’t know, they broke it with Biden because Biden, they didn’t respect him. They didn’t respect Obama. They respect me. Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt ... All I can say is this. He might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and he might have broken them with Biden. He did, maybe. Maybe he did. I don’t know what happened, but he didn’t break them with me. He wants to make a deal. I don’t know if you can make a deal.”

“The problem is I’ve empowered you (turning toward Zelenskyy) to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States. And your people are very brave. But you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position, but you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.

“All right, I think we’ve seen enough. What do you think? This is going to be great television. I will say that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740765077568.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;on Friday berated Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;over the war in Ukraine, accusing him of not showing gratitude after he challenged Vance on the question of diplomacy with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">WATCH: Full Meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Oval Office. <a href="https://t.co/Xf6cyErem7">pic.twitter.com/Xf6cyErem7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1895602226472550410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The argument in the Oval Office was broadcast globally. It led to the rest of Zelenskyy’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">White House visit</a>&nbsp;being canceled and called into question how much the U.S. will still support Ukraine in its defense against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s 2022 invasion</a>.Here is a transcript of the key moments of the exchange.<h2>Zelenskyy challenges Vance on Russia and diplomacy</h2>Vance: “For four years, the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is, maybe, engaging in diplomacy. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden, of thumping our chest and pretending that the president of the United States’ words mattered more than the president of the United States’ actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”Zelenskyy: “Can I ask you?”Vance: “Sure. Yeah.”Zelenskyy: “OK. So he (Putin) occupied it, our parts, big parts of Ukraine, parts of east and Crimea. So he occupied it in 2014. So during a lot of years — I’m not speaking about just Biden, but those times was (Barack) Obama, then President Obama, then President Trump, then President Biden, now President Trump. And God bless, now, President Trump will stop him. But during 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people. You know what the --"Trump: “2015?”Zelenskyy: “2014.”Trump: “Oh, 2014? I was not here.”Vance: “That’s exactly right.”Zelenskyy: “Yes, but during 2014 ‘til 2022, the situation is the same, that people have been dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him. You know that we had conversations with him, a lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation. And we signed with him, me, like, you, president, in 2019, I signed with him the deal. I signed with him, (French President Emmanuel) Macron and (former German Chancellor Angela) Merkel. We signed ceasefire. Ceasefire. All of them told me that he will never go … But after that, he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners. But he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?”ADVERTISEMENTVance: “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”Zelenskyy: “Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?”ADVERTISEMENTVance: “I have been to –”Zelenskyy: “Come once.”Vance: “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems, bringing people into your military?”Zelenskyy: “We have problems –”Vance: “And do you think that is respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”Zelenskyy: “A lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.”Vance: “Sure.”ADVERTISEMENT<h2>Trump erupts when Zelenskyy suggests the U.S. might ‘feel it in the future’</h2>Zelenskyy: “First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future. God bless –”Trump: “You don’t know that. You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”Zelenskyy: “I’m not telling you. I am answering on these questions.”Trump: “Because you’re in no position to dictate that.”Vance: “That’s exactly what you’re doing.”Trump: “You are in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good.”Zelenskyy: “You will feel influenced.”Trump: “We are going to feel very good and very strong.”Zelenskyy: “I am telling you. You will feel influenced.”Trump: “You’re, right now, not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position –”Zelenskyy: “From the very beginning of the war —”Trump: “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”Zelenskyy: “I’m not playing cards. I’m very serious, Mr. President. I’m very serious.”Trump: “You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”Zelenskyy: “What are you speaking about?”Trump: “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”Vance: “Have you said thank you once?”Zelenskyy: “A lot of times. Even today.”Vance: “No, in this entire meeting. You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.”Zelenskyy: “No.”Vance: “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”Zelenskyy: “Please. You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, you can –”Trump: “He’s not speaking loudly. He’s not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble.”Zelenskyy: “Can I answer —”Trump: “No, no. You’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.”Zelenskyy: “I know. I know.”Trump: “You’re not winning. You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us.”Zelenskyy: “Mr. President, we are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, we’ve been alone. And we are thankful. I said thanks.”<h2>Trump demands Zelenskyy accept a ceasefire</h2>Trump: “If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.”Zelenskyy: “In three days. I heard it from Putin. In three days.”Trump: “Maybe less. It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this, I tell you.Vance: “Just say thank you.”Zelenskyy: “I said a lot of times, thank you, to American people.”Vance: “Accept that there are disagreements, and let’s go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when you’re wrong. We know that you’re wrong.”Trump: “But you see, I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on. I think it’s very important. That’s why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful.”Zelenskyy: “I’m thankful.”Trump: “You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. People are dying. You’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing, and then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire, I want to go, and I want this.’ Look, if you can get a ceasefire right now, I tell you, you take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.”Zelenskyy: “Of course we want to stop the war. But I said to you, with guarantees.”Trump: “Are you saying you don’t want a ceasefire? I want a ceasefire. Because you’ll get a ceasefire faster than an agreement.”Zelenskyy: “Ask our people about a ceasefire, what they think.”Trump: “That wasn’t with me. That was with a guy named Biden, who is not a smart person.”Zelenskyy: “This is your president. It was your president.”Trump: “Excuse me. That was with Obama, who gave you sheets, and I gave you Javelins. I gave you the Javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. In fact, the statement is Obama gave sheets, and Trump gave Javelins. You’ve got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards.”<h2>Trump says Putin respects him due to the investigations of his first term</h2>Vance, restating a reporter’s question: “She is asking what if Russia breaks the ceasefire.”Trump: “What, if anything? What if the bomb drops on your head right now? OK, what if they broke it? I don’t know, they broke it with Biden because Biden, they didn’t respect him. They didn’t respect Obama. They respect me. Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt ... All I can say is this. He might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and he might have broken them with Biden. He did, maybe. Maybe he did. I don’t know what happened, but he didn’t break them with me. He wants to make a deal. I don’t know if you can make a deal.”“The problem is I’ve empowered you (turning toward Zelenskyy) to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States. And your people are very brave. But you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position, but you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.“All right, I think we’ve seen enough. What do you think? This is going to be great television. I will say that.”___

Read the transcript: Trump, Zelenskyy and Vance Oval Office clash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 more active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;seeks to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-policy-changes-3a38abf95aad30bdb046b1690e06d123">illegal immigration and fulfill a central promise</a>&nbsp;of his campaign, U.S. officials said Saturday.

His defense secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, has ordered elements of a Stryker brigade combat team and a general support aviation battalion for the mission, the Pentagon announced. The forces will arrive along the nearly 2,000-mile border in the coming weeks.

The Defense Department’s statement did not specify the size of the deployment, but it was put at about 3,000 by the officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Strykers are medium-armored wheeled personnel carriers.

Already, about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-trump-military-wall-chairman-55609b42958702951c3b4285c1c9755d">9,200 U.S. troops in total</a>&nbsp;are at the southern border, including 4,200 deployed under federal orders and about 5,000 National Guard troops under the control of governors.

The new troops will “reinforce and expand current border security operations to seal the border and protect the territorial integrity of the United States,” the Pentagon said.

Trump is determined to expand the military’s role in his effort to shut down the border and send detained migrants back to their home countries.

Military personnel have been sent to the border almost continuously since the 1990s to help address migration, drug trafficking and transnational crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740877823633.png" alt="-File Photo: A UH-60 Black Hawk lands outside of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Tactical Operations Center, at the National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, Calif., Jan. 18, 2017.&nbsp;Credit:Army Sgt. Michael Spandau" />
 <figcaption>-File Photo: A UH-60 Black Hawk lands outside of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Tactical Operations Center, at the National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, Calif., Jan. 18, 2017.&nbsp;Credit:Army Sgt. Michael Spandau</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 more active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;seeks to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-policy-changes-3a38abf95aad30bdb046b1690e06d123">illegal immigration and fulfill a central promise</a>&nbsp;of his campaign, U.S. officials said Saturday.His defense secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, has ordered elements of a Stryker brigade combat team and a general support aviation battalion for the mission, the Pentagon announced. The forces will arrive along the nearly 2,000-mile border in the coming weeks.The Defense Department’s statement did not specify the size of the deployment, but it was put at about 3,000 by the officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The Strykers are medium-armored wheeled personnel carriers.Already, about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-trump-military-wall-chairman-55609b42958702951c3b4285c1c9755d">9,200 U.S. troops in total</a>&nbsp;are at the southern border, including 4,200 deployed under federal orders and about 5,000 National Guard troops under the control of governors.The new troops will “reinforce and expand current border security operations to seal the border and protect the territorial integrity of the United States,” the Pentagon said.Trump is determined to expand the military’s role in his effort to shut down the border and send detained migrants back to their home countries.Military personnel have been sent to the border almost continuously since the 1990s to help address migration, drug trafficking and transnational crime.

Pentagon sending more active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Saturday in Kansas City.

According to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina, an orange Harley Davidson motorcycle was northbound on Chouteau Trafficway.

 Just north of NE Russell Road, the Harley ran off the roadway to the right, traveling up and over the curb and striking a metal light pole.

 The Harley operator was ejected off the motorcycle and was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Police did not release his name as the accident is still under investigation.

This is fatality #9 compared to #20 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Saturday in Kansas City.According to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina, an orange Harley Davidson motorcycle was northbound on Chouteau Trafficway. Just north of NE Russell Road, the Harley ran off the roadway to the right, traveling up and over the curb and striking a metal light pole. The Harley operator was ejected off the motorcycle and was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Police did not release his name as the accident is still under investigation.This is fatality #9 compared to #20 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

KCPD: Motorcyclist dies after crash into light pole

KANSAS CITY— A former police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.

August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.

By pleading guilty, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.

Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681393419659.png" alt=" Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police" />
 <figcaption> Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A former police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.By pleading guilty, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.Under federal statutes, Gildehaus is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Former KC-area police officer admits to child sex crimes

WASHINGTON (AP)—President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signed on Saturday an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.

The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.

It rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.

“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order.

“In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream,” the order also states. “Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society.”

More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.

For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the U.S., but those efforts have not succeeded.

Within hours of Trump's inauguration last month, the new administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266">took down the Spanish language version</a>&nbsp;of the official White House website.

Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Saturday, it was still not restored.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen.

Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.

WASHINGTON (AP)—President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;signed on Saturday an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.It rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Our Nation’s historic governing documents...have all been written in English. It is therefore long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States.&quot; ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8">https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1896005544911270371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.&quot; ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8">https://t.co/ZxRd8fSDw8</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1896004794604834975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream,” the order also states. “Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society.”More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the U.S., but those efforts have not succeeded.Within hours of Trump's inauguration last month, the new administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266">took down the Spanish language version</a>&nbsp;of the official White House website.Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Saturday, it was still not restored.The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen.Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021.

Trump signs order designating English as the official language of the US

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa has been&nbsp;identified as 22-year-old Sadie “Cayden” Riedel of Lenexa, according to a media release.

She was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported another person to an area hospital He remains hospitalized in serious condition as a result of a gunshot wound. 

The couple were known to one another and resided together at the involved apartment. Police are not looking for any other involved persons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740618887096.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa has been&nbsp;identified as 22-year-old Sadie “Cayden” Riedel of Lenexa, according to a media release.She was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported another person to an area hospital He remains hospitalized in serious condition as a result of a gunshot wound. The couple were known to one another and resided together at the involved apartment. Police are not looking for any other involved persons.

Police ID Kansas woman who died in apartment shooting

THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Saturday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F-250 driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Leonardo&nbsp; Gonzalez, 51, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and a 2011 Ford Ranger driven by Jane&nbsp;Nutting, 69, WaKeeney, were westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oakley exit.&nbsp;

Both vehicles were in the driving lane. The F250 was approaching the Ford Ranger and moved into the passing lane. The driver of the Ford Ranger attempted to make an illegal U turn, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The F250 struck the Ford Ranger. Both vehicles came to a rest in the median.

Nutting was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary.&nbsp; EMS transported Gonzalez to the hospital in Oakley. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 9a.m. Saturday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F-250 driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Leonardo&nbsp; Gonzalez, 51, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and a 2011 Ford Ranger driven by Jane&nbsp;Nutting, 69, WaKeeney, were westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Oakley exit.&nbsp;Both vehicles were in the driving lane. The F250 was approaching the Ford Ranger and moved into the passing lane. The driver of the Ford Ranger attempted to make an illegal U turn, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The F250 struck the Ford Ranger. Both vehicles came to a rest in the median.Nutting was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary.&nbsp; EMS transported Gonzalez to the hospital in Oakley. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after crash during u-turn on I-70

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Grammy-nominated R&amp;B singer Angie Stone, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song “Wish I Didn't Miss You,” was killed early Saturday in a car crash. She was 63.

About 4 a.m., the vehicle she was riding in back to Atlanta from Alabama “flipped over and was subsequently hit by a big rig,” music producer Walter Millsap III told&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/music">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an email.

Everyone else in the cargo van survived except Stone, he said.

Millsap said he learned the news from Angie Stone's daughter, Diamond, and longtime The Sequence member Blondy.

Stone was scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's Championship basketball game on Saturday. CIAA Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence at the game.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker said they were heartbroken by the loss. “She used her incredible talent, passion, and presence to inspire and touch us with strength and hope,” Parker said.

The singer-songwriter created hits like&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/UgG0Hu_FeiA?si=BQsobjr1SwNQz4uZ">“No More Rain (In This Cloud)”</a>&nbsp;which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard’s Adult R&amp;B airplay chart, “Baby” with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit, and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Brotha.”

Stone found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&amp;B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D’Angelo.

Her 2001 album “Mahagony Soul” reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007’s “The Art Of Love &amp; War” peaked at No. 11.

The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song.

The group recorded “Funk You Up,” which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre.

After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career.

A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in “The Hot Chick” starring Rob Schneider, “The Fighting Temptations” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and “Ride Along” led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart.

She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in “Chicago,” and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows “Celebrity Fit Club” and “R&amp;B Divas: Atlanta.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740863798715.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Grammy-nominated R&amp;B singer Angie Stone, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song “Wish I Didn't Miss You,” was killed early Saturday in a car crash. She was 63.About 4 a.m., the vehicle she was riding in back to Atlanta from Alabama “flipped over and was subsequently hit by a big rig,” music producer Walter Millsap III told&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/music">The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an email.Everyone else in the cargo van survived except Stone, he said.Millsap said he learned the news from Angie Stone's daughter, Diamond, and longtime The Sequence member Blondy.Stone was scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's Championship basketball game on Saturday. CIAA Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence at the game.CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker said they were heartbroken by the loss. “She used her incredible talent, passion, and presence to inspire and touch us with strength and hope,” Parker said.The singer-songwriter created hits like&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/UgG0Hu_FeiA?si=BQsobjr1SwNQz4uZ">“No More Rain (In This Cloud)”</a>&nbsp;which reached No. 1 for 10 weeks on Billboard’s Adult R&amp;B airplay chart, “Baby” with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another No. 1 hit, and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Brotha.”Stone found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul begin to dominate the R&amp;B landscape with the emergence of singers like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D’Angelo.Her 2001 album “Mahagony Soul” reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007’s “The Art Of Love &amp; War” peaked at No. 11.The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song.The group recorded “Funk You Up,” which has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre.After finding success in the early 1980s, Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career.A Soul Train Lady of Soul winner, Stone went on to showcase her acting chops with film roles in “The Hot Chick” starring Rob Schneider, “The Fighting Temptations” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé, and “Ride Along” led by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart.She also hit the Broadway stage as Big Mama Morton in “Chicago,” and she showcased her vulnerability on the reality TV shows “Celebrity Fit Club” and “R&amp;B Divas: Atlanta.”——Associated Press reporter Gary Gerard Hamilton contributed to this report from New York.