NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oprah-winfrey-us-news-ap-top-news-entertainment-steven-spielberg-165d8109c0c0444192c49f9880ceca5d">Apple TV+</a>&nbsp;is hoping people will make a dent in the Strategic Popcorn Reserve by bingeing its streaming TV and movies for free this weekend in what experts are calling a canny promotion.

The two-day offer this Saturday and Sunday is intended to give viewers a taste of what’s behind the Apple paywall and get them hooked, ready to fork over $9.99 a month in the U.S.

Michael D. Smith, a professor of information technology and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said the two-day window is not too short to ignore and not too long to satisfy all demand.

“This is not ‘I’m going to let you binge-watch this over the course of three or four days or a week or a couple weeks and then maybe you won’t subscribe next month,’” he said. “This is, ‘I’m giving you two days to explore my catalog. And I’m hoping that you’re going to find something in there that maybe you’ll binge. Maybe you’ll have time to binge the first six episodes, but it’s so cool you’ve got to come back and you’re going to be willing to subscribe to come back.’”

While entertainment companies often use promotions and discounts to lure new customers, Apple TV+’s pitch has no catches, like entering personal info or credit card numbers. All you need is an Apple ID, which is free and which many people already have from the days of 99-cent song downloads.

What can you see behind the paywall? The Emmy-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-lasso-finale-tv-jason-sudeikis-ae1d331d9dfcae84c6d9e441e5f58d6f">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;and “The Morning Show” and other buzzy series like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silo-apple-tv-rebecca-ferguson-hugh-howey-2b184bd68f23a8724f1ae4d010ca2602">“Silo,”</a>&nbsp;“Shrinking,” “Severance,” “Bad Sisters,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gary-oldman-slow-horses-interview-d26e32fc44d58c5241a94749d016efc1">“Slow Horses,”</a>&nbsp;“Disclaimer” and “Presumed Innocent.”

Movies include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Instigators,” “Spirited,” “Ghosted,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argylle-movie-review-henry-cavill-matthew-vaughn-bd2560df6ce2a655022f9dd8d9eed2c8">“Argylle,”</a>&nbsp;Palmer,” “Napoleon” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-killers-flower-moon-scorsese-d5e7e7eaee09973fcd62023ee3812c1f">“Killers of the Flower Moon.”</a>

Smith suspects that by the end of the weekend, Apple will have lots of data to sharpen its approach to new customers and returning ones, like himself. Apple will learn, for example, what genres are hot, which shows attract viewers and how long people spend watching.

Smith will be logging in to watch “Ted Lasso” with his son but also wants to check out “Severance” with his daughter. Two days likely won't be enough to watch both to the end.

“It’s kind of like a mall, right? I’ve got an anchor tenant. For me, it’s ‘Ted Lasso.’ That gets me to the mall. And once I’m at the mall, I’m going to wander around and discover some other stuff there. And they’re hoping that the two days isn’t long enough for me to shop,” he said. “My guess it's going to pay off.”

There is some evidence that long bingeing widows don’t help streamers build customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2020.0948">A 2020 study</a>&nbsp;by Miguel Godinho de Matos and Pedro Ferreira for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmu.edu/entertainment-analytics/">Initiative for Digital Entertainment Analytics</a>&nbsp;at Carnegie Mellon found that binge-watching over several weeks reduces the post-trial likelihood of paid subscriptions.

Apple's weekend deal is clearly an attempt to shake up its numbers. As of October 2024, it had an estimated 25 million subscribers, making it the eighth most popular streaming service by subscribers. Netflix, in No. 1, has 282.7 million.

“Apple TV+ never really truly took off, even though they do have a series of really high-quality TV shows,” says Bo “Bobby” Zhou, a business professor at the University of Maryland. “They are trying to offer a promotional period to let a wider viewer base sample their content in the hope that some of them will be converted.”

Other streamers are also offering deals, like Hulu's free 30-day trial, Starz's $2-a-month plan or Peacock's three-month trial for Samsung Galaxy owners. If viewers miss the Apple TV+ weekend offer, the streamer already has a free 7-day trial promotion going. It has lots of other offers though Target, Best Buy, Samsung and for buyers of Apple devices, too.

<a href="https://jarednewman.com/blog">Jared Newman</a>, a technology journalist who publishes the newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://cordcutterweekly.com/">Cord Cutter Weekly,</a>&nbsp;said the promotion seems to be part of a big push by Apple to up its subscribers. The streamer recently agreed to be distributed through Amazon and there are signals it may want to experiment with an ad-supported tier.

“They really need to get their numbers up and need to get more people on board whatever way possible,” he said. “It may be just another way to test the waters of who would access their service if they didn’t have to pay for it.”

Zhou has seen the industry change from single paid downloads to unlimited access to subscribers and anticipates a future with different tiers of subscribers — say, one free episode for non-subscribers and a full season for diehard fans. Anything to get some buzz.

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oprah-winfrey-us-news-ap-top-news-entertainment-steven-spielberg-165d8109c0c0444192c49f9880ceca5d">Apple TV+</a>&nbsp;is hoping people will make a dent in the Strategic Popcorn Reserve by bingeing its streaming TV and movies for free this weekend in what experts are calling a canny promotion.The two-day offer this Saturday and Sunday is intended to give viewers a taste of what’s behind the Apple paywall and get them hooked, ready to fork over $9.99 a month in the U.S.Michael D. Smith, a professor of information technology and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said the two-day window is not too short to ignore and not too long to satisfy all demand.“This is not ‘I’m going to let you binge-watch this over the course of three or four days or a week or a couple weeks and then maybe you won’t subscribe next month,’” he said. “This is, ‘I’m giving you two days to explore my catalog. And I’m hoping that you’re going to find something in there that maybe you’ll binge. Maybe you’ll have time to binge the first six episodes, but it’s so cool you’ve got to come back and you’re going to be willing to subscribe to come back.’”While entertainment companies often use promotions and discounts to lure new customers, Apple TV+’s pitch has no catches, like entering personal info or credit card numbers. All you need is an Apple ID, which is free and which many people already have from the days of 99-cent song downloads.What can you see behind the paywall? The Emmy-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-lasso-finale-tv-jason-sudeikis-ae1d331d9dfcae84c6d9e441e5f58d6f">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;and “The Morning Show” and other buzzy series like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silo-apple-tv-rebecca-ferguson-hugh-howey-2b184bd68f23a8724f1ae4d010ca2602">“Silo,”</a>&nbsp;“Shrinking,” “Severance,” “Bad Sisters,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gary-oldman-slow-horses-interview-d26e32fc44d58c5241a94749d016efc1">“Slow Horses,”</a>&nbsp;“Disclaimer” and “Presumed Innocent.”Movies include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Instigators,” “Spirited,” “Ghosted,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argylle-movie-review-henry-cavill-matthew-vaughn-bd2560df6ce2a655022f9dd8d9eed2c8">“Argylle,”</a>&nbsp;Palmer,” “Napoleon” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-killers-flower-moon-scorsese-d5e7e7eaee09973fcd62023ee3812c1f">“Killers of the Flower Moon.”</a>Smith suspects that by the end of the weekend, Apple will have lots of data to sharpen its approach to new customers and returning ones, like himself. Apple will learn, for example, what genres are hot, which shows attract viewers and how long people spend watching.Smith will be logging in to watch “Ted Lasso” with his son but also wants to check out “Severance” with his daughter. Two days likely won't be enough to watch both to the end.“It’s kind of like a mall, right? I’ve got an anchor tenant. For me, it’s ‘Ted Lasso.’ That gets me to the mall. And once I’m at the mall, I’m going to wander around and discover some other stuff there. And they’re hoping that the two days isn’t long enough for me to shop,” he said. “My guess it's going to pay off.”There is some evidence that long bingeing widows don’t help streamers build customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2020.0948">A 2020 study</a>&nbsp;by Miguel Godinho de Matos and Pedro Ferreira for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmu.edu/entertainment-analytics/">Initiative for Digital Entertainment Analytics</a>&nbsp;at Carnegie Mellon found that binge-watching over several weeks reduces the post-trial likelihood of paid subscriptions.Apple's weekend deal is clearly an attempt to shake up its numbers. As of October 2024, it had an estimated 25 million subscribers, making it the eighth most popular streaming service by subscribers. Netflix, in No. 1, has 282.7 million.“Apple TV+ never really truly took off, even though they do have a series of really high-quality TV shows,” says Bo “Bobby” Zhou, a business professor at the University of Maryland. “They are trying to offer a promotional period to let a wider viewer base sample their content in the hope that some of them will be converted.”Other streamers are also offering deals, like Hulu's free 30-day trial, Starz's $2-a-month plan or Peacock's three-month trial for Samsung Galaxy owners. If viewers miss the Apple TV+ weekend offer, the streamer already has a free 7-day trial promotion going. It has lots of other offers though Target, Best Buy, Samsung and for buyers of Apple devices, too.<a href="https://jarednewman.com/blog">Jared Newman</a>, a technology journalist who publishes the newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://cordcutterweekly.com/">Cord Cutter Weekly,</a>&nbsp;said the promotion seems to be part of a big push by Apple to up its subscribers. The streamer recently agreed to be distributed through Amazon and there are signals it may want to experiment with an ad-supported tier.“They really need to get their numbers up and need to get more people on board whatever way possible,” he said. “It may be just another way to test the waters of who would access their service if they didn’t have to pay for it.”Zhou has seen the industry change from single paid downloads to unlimited access to subscribers and anticipates a future with different tiers of subscribers — say, one free episode for non-subscribers and a full season for diehard fans. Anything to get some buzz.

Why Apple TV+ is offering a free weekend of binge-watching

SALINE COUNTY —A suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting at sheriff's deputies in Salina.

Just after 11:45p.m. Thursday, sheriff&nbsp;deputies responded to 2407 S Woodward Road in rural Saline County for a report of an open 911 line with some type of disturbance in the background, according to a media release.

First responders found a woman resident with injuries who fled the residence and gunshots were heard. A short time later more rounds were fired from the residence towards deputies on scene outside of the residence.

The Salina Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to the residence with armored vehicles and response teams.

During the overnight hours there were several instances of rounds being fired towards officers at the scene and the armored vehicles were struck several times. No firearms were discharged by law enforcement during this incident.

A search warrant for the residence and arrest warrant for the 57-year-old owner of the residence, Collin Wade Campbell were issued.

Response teams introduced irritants into the residence and breached the residence taking Campbell into custody for a number of requested felony charges including Attempted Murder and Kidnapping of the female resident and six counts Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officers and a misdemeanor charge of Domestic Battery. Additional charges are expected in this incident.

Collin Campbell was taken to the hospital and after being cleared by the medical staff he will be booked into the Saline County Jail.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been requested to assist in processing the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736000816361.png" alt="Campbell photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Campbell photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting at sheriff's deputies in Salina.Just after 11:45p.m. Thursday, sheriff&nbsp;deputies responded to 2407 S Woodward Road in rural Saline County for a report of an open 911 line with some type of disturbance in the background, according to a media release.First responders found a woman resident with injuries who fled the residence and gunshots were heard. A short time later more rounds were fired from the residence towards deputies on scene outside of the residence.The Salina Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to the residence with armored vehicles and response teams.During the overnight hours there were several instances of rounds being fired towards officers at the scene and the armored vehicles were struck several times. No firearms were discharged by law enforcement during this incident.A search warrant for the residence and arrest warrant for the 57-year-old owner of the residence, Collin Wade Campbell were issued.Response teams introduced irritants into the residence and breached the residence taking Campbell into custody for a number of requested felony charges including Attempted Murder and Kidnapping of the female resident and six counts Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officers and a misdemeanor charge of Domestic Battery. Additional charges are expected in this incident.Collin Campbell was taken to the hospital and after being cleared by the medical staff he will be booked into the Saline County Jail.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been requested to assist in processing the scene.

Suspect in custody after shots fired at deputies in Saline Co.

THOMAS COUNTY —Weather is already becoming a factor in portions of northwest Kansas.

According to a social media report, KHP Trooper Emerson sent Trooper Todd a photo just before 10a.m. Friday showing freezing fog out west in Colby. Visibility is low and some roads are a little slick.

"Be careful out there everyone and traveling over the weekend looks like it would be dangerous, so make plans now."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735920048227.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY —Weather is already becoming a factor in portions of northwest Kansas.According to a social media report, KHP Trooper Emerson sent Trooper Todd a photo just before 10a.m. Friday showing freezing fog out west in Colby. Visibility is low and some roads are a little slick."Be careful out there everyone and traveling over the weekend looks like it would be dangerous, so make plans now."

KHP: Slick roads already reported in northwest Kansas

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a burglary and arson fire in Riley County.

Just before 5p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report of burglary and aggravated arson in the 700 block of Humboldt Street, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Officers report an unknown subject entered the apartment and lit the carpet on fire. Total estimated loss is unknown at this time.

Police listed a 70-year-old woman, 44-year-old woman, 26-year-old man, 47-year old woman, 28-year-old woman, 37-year-old man, 38-year-old man, 25-year-old man and a 17-year old girl as victims.

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a burglary and arson fire in Riley County.Just before 5p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report of burglary and aggravated arson in the 700 block of Humboldt Street, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Officers report an unknown subject entered the apartment and lit the carpet on fire. Total estimated loss is unknown at this time.Police listed a 70-year-old woman, 44-year-old woman, 26-year-old man, 47-year old woman, 28-year-old woman, 37-year-old man, 38-year-old man, 25-year-old man and a 17-year old girl as victims.Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police: Kansas burglary suspect set carpet on fire

KANSAS CITY —Police are investigating a homicide in Kansas City that left three dead.

Just before 10p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace in Kansas City on a reported check the welfare call for service, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

When officers arrived they began checking the exterior of the residence. They smelled smoke and could see smoke inside the home. Officers made entry into the home but had to quickly back out due to a fire inside. 

The Kansas City Fire Department simultaneously responded and were able to extinguish the fire. Upon reentering the home, police found a girl, a boy and a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel declared the girl and the man deceased at the scene. 

EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he died a short time later, according DiMartino.

&nbsp; This is being investigated as a homicide and detectives are not looking for any suspects. Investigators and crime scene personnel are working to determine what led up to the incident.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735905558733.png" alt="Police at the scene of the homicide-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the homicide-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police are investigating a homicide in Kansas City that left three dead.Just before 10p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace in Kansas City on a reported check the welfare call for service, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.When officers arrived they began checking the exterior of the residence. They smelled smoke and could see smoke inside the home. Officers made entry into the home but had to quickly back out due to a fire inside. The Kansas City Fire Department simultaneously responded and were able to extinguish the fire. Upon reentering the home, police found a girl, a boy and a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel declared the girl and the man deceased at the scene. EMS transported the boy to a local hospital where he died a short time later, according DiMartino.&nbsp; This is being investigated as a homicide and detectives are not looking for any suspects. Investigators and crime scene personnel are working to determine what led up to the incident.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police released no additional details.

Homicide: Man, 2 children found dead in Kansas City home

PALM BEACH — U.S. Senator for Missouri Eric Schmitt enjoyed a round of golf Thursday with President-elect Trump and Vice President Vance. Trump wore his new&nbsp;"Trump was right about everything" hat.

On social media Schmitt wrote, "Fun day with Donald Trump and JD Vance.&nbsp;Played well. You gotta love it"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735910182550.png" alt="The President-elect wore his new&nbsp;"Trump was right about everything" hat.&nbsp; -Photo Senator Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>The President-elect wore his new&nbsp;"Trump was right about everything" hat.&nbsp; -Photo Senator Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH — U.S. Senator for Missouri Eric Schmitt enjoyed a round of golf Thursday with President-elect Trump and Vice President Vance. Trump wore his new&nbsp;"Trump was right about everything" hat.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Fun day with <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>. Played well. You gotta love it. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/pKpaaQ2izd">pic.twitter.com/pKpaaQ2izd</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1874982796739178959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I tell people all the time <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> can play. He’s good. For real. <a href="https://t.co/P2M8QlOFNn">pic.twitter.com/P2M8QlOFNn</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1874966595485012012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On social media Schmitt wrote, "Fun day with Donald Trump and JD Vance.&nbsp;Played well. You gotta love it"

Trump shows off new hat during golf with U.S. Senator from Missouri

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating the fatal street racing crash on Monday in Kansas City have identified the victims as 91-year-old Verne Zugenbuhler and 72-year-old Diane Zugenbuhler, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, a black Chrysler 300 and a silver Dodge Charger were street racing southbound on Wornall from 99th Street at a high rate of speed, according to Sgt. DiMartino.

At the same time, a silver Honda HRV was making a left turn onto Carondolet from Wornall.

The Chrysler struck the Honda. The driver and passenger, Diane Zugenbuhler and Vern Zugenbuhler, in the Honda were both pronounced dead at the scene. 

The driver of the Chrysler was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. This was fatality # 96 and #97 for 2024 compared to #101 in 2023 according to DiMartino.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735607895651.png" alt="Photos courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating the fatal street racing crash on Monday in Kansas City have identified the victims as 91-year-old Verne Zugenbuhler and 72-year-old Diane Zugenbuhler, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735607871090.png" alt="Photos courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, a black Chrysler 300 and a silver Dodge Charger were street racing southbound on Wornall from 99th Street at a high rate of speed, according to Sgt. DiMartino.At the same time, a silver Honda HRV was making a left turn onto Carondolet from Wornall.The Chrysler struck the Honda. The driver and passenger, Diane Zugenbuhler and Vern Zugenbuhler, in the Honda were both pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chrysler was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. This was fatality # 96 and #97 for 2024 compared to #101 in 2023 according to DiMartino.&nbsp;&nbsp;

91-year-old among victims in deadly KC street racing crash 

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Thursday awarded the second highest civilian medal to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">leaders of the congressional investigation</a>&nbsp;into the Capitol riot who Donald Trump has said should be jailed for their roles in the inquiry.

Biden awarded the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47020/5">Presidential Citizens Medal</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/02/president-biden-announces-recipients-of-the-presidential-citizens-medal/">20 people</a>&nbsp;in a ceremony in the East Room, including Americans who fought for marriage equality, a pioneer in treating wounded soldiers, and two of the president's longtime friends, former Sens. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

“Together, you embody the central truth: We’re a great nation because we’re a good people," he said. "Our democracy begins and ends with the duties of citizenship. That’s our work for the ages and it’s what all of you embody.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-pennsylvania-b625b7a02bf3d84e75bba520e0accc56">Biden last year honored people who were involved</a>&nbsp;in defending the Capitol from a mob of angry Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, or who helped safeguard the will of American voters during the 2020 presidential election, when Trump tried and failed to overturn the results.

Cheney, a Republican former Wyoming congresswoman, and Rep. Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, led the House committee that investigated the insurrection. The committee's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf">final report</a>&nbsp;asserted that Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the election he lost to Biden and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol. Thompson wrote that Trump “lit that fire.”

The audience erupted in loud cheers and stood when Cheney took the stage. Biden clasped her hand and gave her the medal. The announcer said she was being given it “for putting the American people over party.”

Cheney, who lost her seat in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cheney-defeat-marks-end-of-era-for-gop-65c8b400b533dffc422322031a0dbf5c">GOP primary</a>&nbsp;in August 2022, later said she would vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">Democrat Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 presidential race and campaigned with the Democratic nominee, raising Trump's ire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-pardons-retribution-trump-hunter-cheney-fauci-9f6fd6f05f7f6c8cead3a37ebadc8cba">Biden has been considering whether to offer</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons to Cheney and others Trump has targeted.

Thompson, who also received a standing ovation, was recognized “for his lifelong dedication to safeguarding our Constitution.”

Trump, who won the 2024 election and will take office Jan. 20, still refuses to back away from his lies about the 2020 presidential race and has said he would pardon the rioters once he is back in the White House.

During an interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-tariffs-pardons-abortion-prosecutions-riot-72c08269f0a870d20e29033319201e22">with NBC's “Meet the Press,”</a>&nbsp;the president-elect said that “Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps," claiming without evidence they “deleted and destroyed” testimony they collected.

“Honestly, they should go to jail,” he said.

Cheney and Thompson were “an embarrassment to this country" for their conduct on the committee, Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung asserted.

Biden also awarded the medal to attorney Mary Bonauto, who fought to legalize same-sex marriage, and Evan Wolfson, a leader of the marriage equality movement.

Other honorees included Frank Butler, who set new standards for using tourniquets on war injuries; Diane Carlson Evans, an Army nurse during the Vietnam War who founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation; and Eleanor Smeal, an activist who led women's rights protests in the 1970s and fought for equal pay.

He bestowed the honor to photographer Bobby Sager, academics Thomas Vallely and Paula Wallace, and Frances Visco, the president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Other former lawmakers honored included former Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J.; former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, the first woman to represent Kansas; and former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., who championed gun safety measures after her son and husband were shot to death.

After he presented the awards, he went back to the lectern to ask lawmakers in the room to stand, as well as John Kerry, a former U.S. senator and Biden's first climate envoy.

“Let's remember, our work continues," he said to the room after he thanked the families in attendance for the support they gave to the nominees. "We've got a lot more work to do to keep this going.”

Biden honored four people posthumously: Joseph Galloway, a former war correspondent who wrote about the first major battle in Vietnam in the book “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young"; civil rights advocate and attorney Louis Lorenzo Redding; former Delaware judge Collins Seitz; and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who was held with other Japanese Americans during World War II and challenged the detention.

The Presidential Citizens Medal was created by President Richard Nixon in 1969 and is the country’s second highest civilian honor after the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It recognizes people who “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654827329216.jpeg" alt="The January 6 committee members at work-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The January 6 committee members at work-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Thursday awarded the second highest civilian medal to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">leaders of the congressional investigation</a>&nbsp;into the Capitol riot who Donald Trump has said should be jailed for their roles in the inquiry.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former Rep. <a href="https://twitter.com/Liz_Cheney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Liz_Cheney</a> (R-WY) receives the Presidential Citizens Medal for &quot;putting the American people over party.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/6eMw6hnX08">pic.twitter.com/6eMw6hnX08</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1874965677087379778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden awarded the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47020/5">Presidential Citizens Medal</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/02/president-biden-announces-recipients-of-the-presidential-citizens-medal/">20 people</a>&nbsp;in a ceremony in the East Room, including Americans who fought for marriage equality, a pioneer in treating wounded soldiers, and two of the president's longtime friends, former Sens. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.“Together, you embody the central truth: We’re a great nation because we’re a good people," he said. "Our democracy begins and ends with the duties of citizenship. That’s our work for the ages and it’s what all of you embody.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-pennsylvania-b625b7a02bf3d84e75bba520e0accc56">Biden last year honored people who were involved</a>&nbsp;in defending the Capitol from a mob of angry Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, or who helped safeguard the will of American voters during the 2020 presidential election, when Trump tried and failed to overturn the results.Cheney, a Republican former Wyoming congresswoman, and Rep. Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, led the House committee that investigated the insurrection. The committee's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf">final report</a>&nbsp;asserted that Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the election he lost to Biden and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol. Thompson wrote that Trump “lit that fire.”The audience erupted in loud cheers and stood when Cheney took the stage. Biden clasped her hand and gave her the medal. The announcer said she was being given it “for putting the American people over party.”Cheney, who lost her seat in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cheney-defeat-marks-end-of-era-for-gop-65c8b400b533dffc422322031a0dbf5c">GOP primary</a>&nbsp;in August 2022, later said she would vote for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">Democrat Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 presidential race and campaigned with the Democratic nominee, raising Trump's ire.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-pardons-retribution-trump-hunter-cheney-fauci-9f6fd6f05f7f6c8cead3a37ebadc8cba">Biden has been considering whether to offer</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons to Cheney and others Trump has targeted.Thompson, who also received a standing ovation, was recognized “for his lifelong dedication to safeguarding our Constitution.”Trump, who won the 2024 election and will take office Jan. 20, still refuses to back away from his lies about the 2020 presidential race and has said he would pardon the rioters once he is back in the White House.During an interview&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-tariffs-pardons-abortion-prosecutions-riot-72c08269f0a870d20e29033319201e22">with NBC's “Meet the Press,”</a>&nbsp;the president-elect said that “Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps," claiming without evidence they “deleted and destroyed” testimony they collected.“Honestly, they should go to jail,” he said.Cheney and Thompson were “an embarrassment to this country" for their conduct on the committee, Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung asserted.Biden also awarded the medal to attorney Mary Bonauto, who fought to legalize same-sex marriage, and Evan Wolfson, a leader of the marriage equality movement.Other honorees included Frank Butler, who set new standards for using tourniquets on war injuries; Diane Carlson Evans, an Army nurse during the Vietnam War who founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation; and Eleanor Smeal, an activist who led women's rights protests in the 1970s and fought for equal pay.He bestowed the honor to photographer Bobby Sager, academics Thomas Vallely and Paula Wallace, and Frances Visco, the president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.Other former lawmakers honored included former Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J.; former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, the first woman to represent Kansas; and former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., who championed gun safety measures after her son and husband were shot to death.After he presented the awards, he went back to the lectern to ask lawmakers in the room to stand, as well as John Kerry, a former U.S. senator and Biden's first climate envoy.“Let's remember, our work continues," he said to the room after he thanked the families in attendance for the support they gave to the nominees. "We've got a lot more work to do to keep this going.”Biden honored four people posthumously: Joseph Galloway, a former war correspondent who wrote about the first major battle in Vietnam in the book “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young"; civil rights advocate and attorney Louis Lorenzo Redding; former Delaware judge Collins Seitz; and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who was held with other Japanese Americans during World War II and challenged the detention.The Presidential Citizens Medal was created by President Richard Nixon in 1969 and is the country’s second highest civilian honor after the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It recognizes people who “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.”

🎥Leaders of the Jan. 6 committee given 2nd highest civilian award

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged accident shooting in the Kansas City area.

On Thursday, sheriff's deputies responded to report of a shooting at a residence in 1900 block of Spring Ave in Blue Springs, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Deputies found a man suffereing from gunshot wound to his forearm and hand. According to Forte', the man's roommate mistakenly shot him as he entered home. The man was treated at a hospital.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged accident shooting in the Kansas City area.On Thursday, sheriff's deputies responded to report of a shooting at a residence in 1900 block of Spring Ave in Blue Springs, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.Deputies found a man suffereing from gunshot wound to his forearm and hand. According to Forte', the man's roommate mistakenly shot him as he entered home. The man was treated at a hospital.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Sheriff: Roommate mistakenly shot man at KC area home

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect after a&nbsp; high-speed chase.

Just before 10p.m. December 27, a Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling northbound on U.S. Hwy 75 near 302nd Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. 

The deputy  observed a car allegedly traveling southbound weaving in and out of traffic with a speed of 122 mph in a 65 mph zone. 

The deputy turned around and attempted to conduct a traffic stop when the vehicle sped away and turned east on 286th Road and then turned south on Q.4 Road and turned it lights off where the vehicle disappeared in the fog. 

Area law enforcement agencies attempted to locate the vehicle. The Deputy’s patrol vehicle is equipped with License Plate Reader technology (LPR) that was able to capture the vehicle and the vehicle’s license plate as it passed in the darkness. 

The Deputy was able to review the License Plate Reader (LPR) and was able to identify the vehicle and license plate. Further investigation led to the identification of the driver identified as Matthew William Adams, 39, of Horton. Deputies arrested Adams shortly before 12:30a.m. in Holton. Deputies impounded Adams’ 2003 Lincoln LS. and booked Adams into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of fleeing and eluding law enforcement, reckless driving and additional traffic charges, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735752008793.png" alt="Adams-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Adams-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect after a&nbsp; high-speed chase.Just before 10p.m. December 27, a Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling northbound on U.S. Hwy 75 near 302nd Road in northern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The deputy observed a car allegedly traveling southbound weaving in and out of traffic with a speed of 122 mph in a 65 mph zone. The deputy turned around and attempted to conduct a traffic stop when the vehicle sped away and turned east on 286th Road and then turned south on Q.4 Road and turned it lights off where the vehicle disappeared in the fog. Area law enforcement agencies attempted to locate the vehicle. The Deputy’s patrol vehicle is equipped with License Plate Reader technology (LPR) that was able to capture the vehicle and the vehicle’s license plate as it passed in the darkness. The Deputy was able to review the License Plate Reader (LPR) and was able to identify the vehicle and license plate. Further investigation led to the identification of the driver identified as Matthew William Adams, 39, of Horton. Deputies arrested Adams shortly before 12:30a.m. in Holton. Deputies impounded Adams’ 2003 Lincoln LS. and booked Adams into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of fleeing and eluding law enforcement, reckless driving and additional traffic charges, according to Morse.

Kan. driver caught traveling 122mph in a 65mph zone

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas City hospital

On Dec. 27, a Saint Luke’s Hospital employee reported seeing who he believed to be an elderly woman stealing from the cafeteria, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff.

Deputies responded and detained a woman later identified as 46-year-old Emily Cooper in the cafeteria and she gave them a fake name. When they told her she could not leave because they suspected she had stolen, she said she was going to throw some trash away and instead ran out the emergency department doors.

The deputies caught Cooper and searched her before taking her to the Platte County Detention Center where she remains in custody.

According to court documents, the search uncovered what later tested as methamphetamine stored in a napkin and a plastic baggie. They found more drugs wrapped in a bit of tin foil, which later tested as either methamphetamine or fentanyl.

In total, there were approximately 1.2 grams of drugs in Cooper’s possession, along with a glass smoking pipe. Deputies also recovered a slice of peanut butter cheesecake that she is accused of stealing from the hospital cafeteria.

According to online jail records, Cooper is being held on a $20,000 bond on requested charges of forgery, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, stealing with a value under $150 and&nbsp;Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735856213562.png" alt="Cooper-photo Platte County" />
 <figcaption>Cooper-photo Platte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas City hospitalOn Dec. 27, a Saint Luke’s Hospital employee reported seeing who he believed to be an elderly woman stealing from the cafeteria, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff.Deputies responded and detained a woman later identified as 46-year-old Emily Cooper in the cafeteria and she gave them a fake name. When they told her she could not leave because they suspected she had stolen, she said she was going to throw some trash away and instead ran out the emergency department doors.The deputies caught Cooper and searched her before taking her to the Platte County Detention Center where she remains in custody.According to court documents, the search uncovered what later tested as methamphetamine stored in a napkin and a plastic baggie. They found more drugs wrapped in a bit of tin foil, which later tested as either methamphetamine or fentanyl.In total, there were approximately 1.2 grams of drugs in Cooper’s possession, along with a glass smoking pipe. Deputies also recovered a slice of peanut butter cheesecake that she is accused of stealing from the hospital cafeteria.According to online jail records, Cooper is being held on a $20,000 bond on requested charges of forgery, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, stealing with a value under $150 and&nbsp;Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia

Woman with stolen cheesecake arrested in Kansas City hospital

NEW YORK (AP) — Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and “Down By the Lazy River,” has died. He was 73.

Sibling Merrill Osmond posted on his Facebook page that Wayne died this week at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a “massive stroke.”

“I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolutely no guile,” Merrill wrote. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”

Wayne Osmond was the second oldest of nine children raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah. The siblings' musical career began in the 1950s when Wayne, Alan, Merrill and Jay sang as a barbershop quartet.

Their popularity grew in the 1960s after being supported by singer Andy Williams, and they peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, with younger brother Donny Osmond the breakout star. “One Bad Apple” and other songs were often compared to the music of The Osmonds' contemporaries, the Jackson 5, and Donny was positioned as the white counterpart to the Jacksons' lead singer, Michael Jackson.

The Osmonds' popularity faded by the mid-1970s, although Donny and Marie Osmond both enjoyed successful careers as solo performers and as a brother-sister duo.

In the 1980s, Wayne Osmond regrouped with Alan, Merrill and Jay as a country act and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.'”

But in the mid-1990s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost much of his hearing from the surgery and treatment. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar.

“I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t,” he told the Deseret News in 2018. “My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”

Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974. They had five children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735857213455.png" alt="Wayne Osmond lower right on this June 1976 album" />
 <figcaption>Wayne Osmond lower right on this June 1976 album</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and “Down By the Lazy River,” has died. He was 73.Sibling Merrill Osmond posted on his Facebook page that Wayne died this week at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a “massive stroke.”“I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolutely no guile,” Merrill wrote. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”Wayne Osmond was the second oldest of nine children raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah. The siblings' musical career began in the 1950s when Wayne, Alan, Merrill and Jay sang as a barbershop quartet.Their popularity grew in the 1960s after being supported by singer Andy Williams, and they peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, with younger brother Donny Osmond the breakout star. “One Bad Apple” and other songs were often compared to the music of The Osmonds' contemporaries, the Jackson 5, and Donny was positioned as the white counterpart to the Jacksons' lead singer, Michael Jackson.The Osmonds' popularity faded by the mid-1970s, although Donny and Marie Osmond both enjoyed successful careers as solo performers and as a brother-sister duo.In the 1980s, Wayne Osmond regrouped with Alan, Merrill and Jay as a country act and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.'”But in the mid-1990s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost much of his hearing from the surgery and treatment. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar.“I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t,” he told the Deseret News in 2018. “My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974. They had five children.

Wayne Osmond, singer and guitarist for The Osmonds, dead at 73

REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has secured the arrest of a man connected to the death of a Belleville infant.

On Thursday, Jan. 2 at approximately 11 a.m., William McLaughlin, 23, of Belleville, was arrested on a KBI warrant for first-degree murder and felony abuse of a child. The charges are connected to the death of McLaughlin’s three-month-old daughter.

The infant was initially brought to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25. She had suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead in an Omaha hospital on Dec. 29.

Following&nbsp;the arrest, McLaughlin was booked into the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Jail in Nebraska. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.&nbsp;

REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a suspected&nbsp;child abuse case in Belleville. &nbsp;

On Thursday morning, the&nbsp;Belleville Police Department&nbsp;contacted the&nbsp;KBI to investigate after an unresponsive&nbsp;three-month-old&nbsp;infant was transported from the Republic County hospital to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

The child’s parents brought her to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25, and hospital staff later contacted the Belleville Police Department.

A pediatrician at the Omaha hospital indicated the child has no brain activity due to severe injuries she had sustained. Late Thursday afternoon, KBI reported the infant remains on life support.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735921300083.png" alt="McLaughlin photo Republic County" />
 <figcaption>McLaughlin photo Republic County</figcaption>
 </figure>REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has secured the arrest of a man connected to the death of a Belleville infant.On Thursday, Jan. 2 at approximately 11 a.m., William McLaughlin, 23, of Belleville, was arrested on a KBI warrant for first-degree murder and felony abuse of a child. The charges are connected to the death of McLaughlin’s three-month-old daughter.The infant was initially brought to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25. She had suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead in an Omaha hospital on Dec. 29.Following&nbsp;the arrest, McLaughlin was booked into the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Jail in Nebraska. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.&nbsp;-----------REPUBLIC COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a suspected&nbsp;child abuse case in Belleville. &nbsp;On Thursday morning, the&nbsp;Belleville Police Department&nbsp;contacted the&nbsp;KBI to investigate after an unresponsive&nbsp;three-month-old&nbsp;infant was transported from the Republic County hospital to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.The child’s parents brought her to the Republic County hospital on Dec. 25, and hospital staff later contacted the Belleville Police Department.A pediatrician at the Omaha hospital indicated the child has no brain activity due to severe injuries she had sustained. Late Thursday afternoon, KBI reported the infant remains on life support.

KBI: Father jailed after 3-month-old dies from alleged child abuse

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday announced that in 2025, Kansans are projected to save $156 million due to the reduction in the state sales tax rate from 2% to zero and the “Axe the Food Tax” legislation she signed in 2022. According to projections from the Kansas Department of Revenue, reducing the state sales tax on groceries from 2% to zero will save shoppers $13 million per month this year.

“The complete elimination of the state sales tax on food is a win for Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“By axing the food tax once and for all, the average family of four will save $500 per year on groceries. I’m proud that we’ve put more money back into Kansans’ pockets thanks to this commonsense legislation.”

After working tirelessly to put the state on solid financial footing, in 2021 Governor Kelly called on the Kansas Legislature to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries as soon as possible. The Legislature ultimately passed legislation that gradually reduced the state sales tax on groceries over three years.&nbsp;

In 2023, the state sales tax rate on groceries went down from 6.5% to 4%, saving consumers $187.7 million per year. At the end of 2024, it was projected that shoppers saved nearly $570 million due to the reductions in the state sales tax rate on food and food ingredients during the two years the reduction has been in effect.&nbsp;

The state sales tax reduction applies to food, food ingredients, and certain prepared foods. When looking at a receipt, shoppers will see two tax rates, one for qualifying purchases and one for all other items.&nbsp;

The total elimination of the state sales tax on qualifying items went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday announced that in 2025, Kansans are projected to save $156 million due to the reduction in the state sales tax rate from 2% to zero and the “Axe the Food Tax” legislation she signed in 2022. According to projections from the Kansas Department of Revenue, reducing the state sales tax on groceries from 2% to zero will save shoppers $13 million per month this year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BIG NEWS: The food tax has been axed once and for all! 🪓 Kansans, say goodbye to the state sales tax on food at the grocery store — it&#39;s gone for good. <a href="https://t.co/YYvxRYIFSz">pic.twitter.com/YYvxRYIFSz</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1874840574437495178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The complete elimination of the state sales tax on food is a win for Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“By axing the food tax once and for all, the average family of four will save $500 per year on groceries. I’m proud that we’ve put more money back into Kansans’ pockets thanks to this commonsense legislation.”After working tirelessly to put the state on solid financial footing, in 2021 Governor Kelly called on the Kansas Legislature to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries as soon as possible. The Legislature ultimately passed legislation that gradually reduced the state sales tax on groceries over three years.&nbsp;In 2023, the state sales tax rate on groceries went down from 6.5% to 4%, saving consumers $187.7 million per year. At the end of 2024, it was projected that shoppers saved nearly $570 million due to the reductions in the state sales tax rate on food and food ingredients during the two years the reduction has been in effect.&nbsp;The state sales tax reduction applies to food, food ingredients, and certain prepared foods. When looking at a receipt, shoppers will see two tax rates, one for qualifying purchases and one for all other items.&nbsp;The total elimination of the state sales tax on qualifying items went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Governor:  Food tax axed once and for all in Kansas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The highly decorated U.S. Army soldier inside the Tesla Cybertruck that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hotel-vehicle-fire-las-vegas-ad4c171c7a6af64f08db93d9fdc2d749">burst into flames</a>&nbsp;outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel shot himself in the head before the explosion and likely planned to cause more damage but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the rudimentary explosive, officials said Thursday.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man in the driver's seat, who officials believe is Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado. The shot appeared to be self-inflicted, officials said.

Damage from the blast was mostly limited to the interior of the truck. The explosion “vented out and up” and didn’t hit the Trump hotel doors just a few feet away, the sheriff said.

“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-extremism-pentagon-veterans-terrorism-capitol-riot-jan-6-0c1fdd7b6b761e9c9e8556a9b9e45dc9">type of military experience</a>,” said Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge for the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Among other charred items found inside the truck were a second firearm, a number of fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch, McMahill said. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.

Investigators have not definitively identified the remains as Livelsberger, but the IDs and tattoos on the body “give a strong indication that it’s him,” the sheriff said.

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.

He was awarded a total of five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.

McMahill said Livelsberger rented the Tesla electric vehicle in Denver on Saturday and the sheriff displayed a map showing that it was charged in the Colorado town of Monument near Colorado Springs on Monday. On New Year’s Eve, it was charged in Trinidad, Colorado, and the towns of Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Gallup in New Mexico, along the Interstate 40 corridor.

(Click below to watch police video of the explosion)

Then on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, it was charged in the Arizona towns of Holbrook, Flagstaff and Kingman before video showed it on the Las Vegas Strip about 7:30 a.m.

The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.

The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-1685016388d65039ce62e720aab2ba14">rammed a truck into a crowd</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack. The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.

Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.

Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.

Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself."

"All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.

Musk has recently become a member of Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday. Both had attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at his South Florida estate.

Copp, Richer and Long contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849426172.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — The highly decorated U.S. Army soldier inside the Tesla Cybertruck that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hotel-vehicle-fire-las-vegas-ad4c171c7a6af64f08db93d9fdc2d749">burst into flames</a>&nbsp;outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel shot himself in the head before the explosion and likely planned to cause more damage but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the rudimentary explosive, officials said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Las Vegas Police on Cybertruck Incident: &quot;The subject inside wasn&#39;t able to be removed for a very long period of time because he was burnt beyond recognition...the individual had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the detonation of the vehicle.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XrPi0v1Jge">pic.twitter.com/XrPi0v1Jge</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1874903063397294311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man in the driver's seat, who officials believe is Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado. The shot appeared to be self-inflicted, officials said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849318503.png" alt="Among items found in the truck -image Las Vegas police" />
 <figcaption>Among items found in the truck -image Las Vegas police</figcaption>
 </figure>Damage from the blast was mostly limited to the interior of the truck. The explosion “vented out and up” and didn’t hit the Trump hotel doors just a few feet away, the sheriff said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849348874.jpeg" alt="Among the weapons recovered -image Las Vegas Police" />
 <figcaption>Among the weapons recovered -image Las Vegas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-extremism-pentagon-veterans-terrorism-capitol-riot-jan-6-0c1fdd7b6b761e9c9e8556a9b9e45dc9">type of military experience</a>,” said Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge for the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735778174814.png" alt="Police found remains of fireworks, gas canisters, lighter fluid and other explosives in the bed of the cybertruck-image Las Vegas Police" />
 <figcaption>Police found remains of fireworks, gas canisters, lighter fluid and other explosives in the bed of the cybertruck-image Las Vegas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Among other charred items found inside the truck were a second firearm, a number of fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch, McMahill said. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.Investigators have not definitively identified the remains as Livelsberger, but the IDs and tattoos on the body “give a strong indication that it’s him,” the sheriff said.Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.He was awarded a total of five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.McMahill said Livelsberger rented the Tesla electric vehicle in Denver on Saturday and the sheriff displayed a map showing that it was charged in the Colorado town of Monument near Colorado Springs on Monday. On New Year’s Eve, it was charged in Trinidad, Colorado, and the towns of Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Gallup in New Mexico, along the Interstate 40 corridor.(Click below to watch police video of the explosion)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLasVegasMetro%2Fvideos%2F1763169784264920%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=570" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Then on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, it was charged in the Arizona towns of Holbrook, Flagstaff and Kingman before video showed it on the Las Vegas Strip about 7:30 a.m.The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-1685016388d65039ce62e720aab2ba14">rammed a truck into a crowd</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack. The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.""All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.Musk has recently become a member of Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday. Both had attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at his South Florida estate.___Copp, Richer and Long contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

🎥New details in case of explosion in cybertruck outside Trump hotel

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law.&nbsp;

Voters in the Greeley County school district, headquartered in Tribune near the state’s westernmost edge, approved in May a $4.6 million school bond for renovations and new construction, but the Attorney General’s Office refused to approve the funds.&nbsp;

“I feel like we have ignored a core tenet of our society and our government as a whole,” said John Niehues, the district superintendent. “You know, it’s the will of the people.”

The Attorney General’s Office determines whether any bond issue across the state meets legal standards. The Greeley County schools decision relied on a 2023 elections reform&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406185329_890627/" target="_blank">bill</a>. It created a state law requiring county election officials to publish notice of an election three weeks in advance on a county election website, in addition to a traditional newspaper notice.&nbsp;

However, Greeley County, with a population of about 1,200, doesn’t have a website.

The office found the county clerk’s “non-compliance with the website notification” was equal to a failure to follow the law, said Danedri Herbert, a spokeswoman for the attorney general.&nbsp;

“This determination is purely one of compliance verification and not a judgment on the merits of or need for the bond in question,” she said.&nbsp;

In years past, when school districts or election officials were in similar situations, they relied on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch25/025_007_0016.html" target="_blank">another state law</a>&nbsp;for resolution. It says “the real will of the people may not be defeated by any technical irregularity of any officer, whenever the greater number of votes were in favor of a question submitted.”

Niehues, who has been at the district for about nine years and superintendent for four, said he was going to be OK no matter the result of the bond election. But with that acceptance also came mixed emotions.

“I don’t like that I’m the tip of the spear on this — that we chose the smallest county in Kansas to make a point,” he said.

Leading up to the May 21 primary, Niehues engaged the community to inform them about the bond, which would replace an old one and avoid tax increases for local property owners. Answers to frequently asked questions and in-depth information about the bond were — and still are — visibly posted on the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://tribuneschools.org/35934_1" target="_blank">website</a>.

“There was no way anyone in Greeley County could not have known about this school bond,” said Jerri Young, the county clerk, who has acted as the county’s elections official for about 15 years.&nbsp;

The elections law was poorly written, Young said. State law doesn’t require Kansas counties to operate a website, and no funding was attached to the 2023 bill to ensure they did.

“I still don’t have one,” she said.&nbsp;

Young said she met with Attorney General Kris Kobach and office staff. She said she felt the decision had been made before the meeting began.

Outgoing state Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican whose district encompasses Greeley County, supported the 2023 elections bill at the time of its passage. Before leaving office, he said, he has attempted to help the district and the county remedy the situation without success. He said he didn’t consider how stringently the Attorney General’s Office would interpret it, even when small communities like Greeley County use their schools as sources of information.

The 25-year bond issue would have funded a new gymnasium, renovations in the existing gym and a new accessible playground. A private, anonymous donor also promised to cover about 10% of the project, which totals more than $4.7 million.&nbsp;

All now hangs in the balance as local officials wait to see if the 2025 legislative session might bring change.&nbsp;

The district had limited options in how to proceed once the Attorney General’s Office refused to release the bond funds. The district could still take legal action, which Niehues isn’t fully in favor of. The Legislature could remedy the requirement through new or amended legislation. Or the district could hold another election, but there would be no guarantee that a majority of voters would approve a bond question a second time.&nbsp;

“We did everything,” Young, the county clerk, said, “and the people voted. It was the will of the people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849758103.png" alt="The Greeley County Schools campus in Tribune. (Greeley County Schools)" />
 <figcaption>The Greeley County Schools campus in Tribune. (Greeley County Schools)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law.&nbsp;Voters in the Greeley County school district, headquartered in Tribune near the state’s westernmost edge, approved in May a $4.6 million school bond for renovations and new construction, but the Attorney General’s Office refused to approve the funds.&nbsp;“I feel like we have ignored a core tenet of our society and our government as a whole,” said John Niehues, the district superintendent. “You know, it’s the will of the people.”The Attorney General’s Office determines whether any bond issue across the state meets legal standards. The Greeley County schools decision relied on a 2023 elections reform&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406185329_890627/" target="_blank">bill</a>. It created a state law requiring county election officials to publish notice of an election three weeks in advance on a county election website, in addition to a traditional newspaper notice.&nbsp;However, Greeley County, with a population of about 1,200, doesn’t have a website.The office found the county clerk’s “non-compliance with the website notification” was equal to a failure to follow the law, said Danedri Herbert, a spokeswoman for the attorney general.&nbsp;“This determination is purely one of compliance verification and not a judgment on the merits of or need for the bond in question,” she said.&nbsp;In years past, when school districts or election officials were in similar situations, they relied on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch25/025_007_0016.html" target="_blank">another state law</a>&nbsp;for resolution. It says “the real will of the people may not be defeated by any technical irregularity of any officer, whenever the greater number of votes were in favor of a question submitted.”Niehues, who has been at the district for about nine years and superintendent for four, said he was going to be OK no matter the result of the bond election. But with that acceptance also came mixed emotions.“I don’t like that I’m the tip of the spear on this — that we chose the smallest county in Kansas to make a point,” he said.Leading up to the May 21 primary, Niehues engaged the community to inform them about the bond, which would replace an old one and avoid tax increases for local property owners. Answers to frequently asked questions and in-depth information about the bond were — and still are — visibly posted on the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://tribuneschools.org/35934_1" target="_blank">website</a>.“There was no way anyone in Greeley County could not have known about this school bond,” said Jerri Young, the county clerk, who has acted as the county’s elections official for about 15 years.&nbsp;The elections law was poorly written, Young said. State law doesn’t require Kansas counties to operate a website, and no funding was attached to the 2023 bill to ensure they did.“I still don’t have one,” she said.&nbsp;Young said she met with Attorney General Kris Kobach and office staff. She said she felt the decision had been made before the meeting began.Outgoing state Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican whose district encompasses Greeley County, supported the 2023 elections bill at the time of its passage. Before leaving office, he said, he has attempted to help the district and the county remedy the situation without success. He said he didn’t consider how stringently the Attorney General’s Office would interpret it, even when small communities like Greeley County use their schools as sources of information.The 25-year bond issue would have funded a new gymnasium, renovations in the existing gym and a new accessible playground. A private, anonymous donor also promised to cover about 10% of the project, which totals more than $4.7 million.&nbsp;All now hangs in the balance as local officials wait to see if the 2025 legislative session might bring change.&nbsp;The district had limited options in how to proceed once the Attorney General’s Office refused to release the bond funds. The district could still take legal action, which Niehues isn’t fully in favor of. The Legislature could remedy the requirement through new or amended legislation. Or the district could hold another election, but there would be no guarantee that a majority of voters would approve a bond question a second time.&nbsp;“We did everything,” Young, the county clerk, said, “and the people voted. It was the will of the people.”

Kansas AG blocks school bond funds in state’s smallest county

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22ERIC%20TUCKER,%20JIM%20MUSTIAN,%20KEVIN%20McGILL%20and%20JACK%20BROOK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By ERIC TUCKER, JIM MUSTIAN, KEVIN McGILL and JACK BROOK Associated Press</a>

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-crash-islamic-state-lone-wolves-4bb6446c484737fbe9dd1b9c26a899a9">U.S. Army veteran</a>&nbsp;who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers acted alone, the FBI said Thursday, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others in carrying out the deadly attack, which officials say was an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group.

The FBI also revealed that the driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, posted five videos on his Facebook account in the hours before the attack in which he aligned himself with IS and told viewers that he had joined the militant group before last summer.

“This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” said Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division.

The attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-killed-crash-terrorist-attack-9f2fbcc3e48d8b391590f60969e80e61">killed 14 people</a>, including an 18-year-old woman who had ambitions of becoming a nurse. Authorities initially put the death toll at 15, which included Jabbar, who was fatally shot in a firefight with police.

Officials had said Wednesday that they were seeking additional potential suspects in the attack, which occurred when Jabbar steered around a police blockade and plowed into a crowd.

But Raia said the current assessment is that he acted alone, without any conspirators.

Authorities recovered a black flag of the Islamic State in the truck, and President Joe Biden said he was told by the FBI that Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, had posted videos to social media hours before the carnage that showed he was motivated by the militant group and expressed a desire to kill.

He was shot to death by police, and the FBI said Wednesday that it believed he did not act alone. Investigators found guns and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the vehicle, along with other explosive devices elsewhere in the French Quarter.

Officials fanned out to serve search warrants and spent hours at a Houston-area home thought to be connected to the investigation. But as of Thursday morning, no additional arrests were known to have been made, and it was unclear if the FBI was still actively looking for more suspects.

The rampage turned festive Bourbon Street into a macabre scene of maimed victims, bloodied bodies and pedestrians fleeing for safety inside nightclubs and restaurants. In addition to the dead, dozens of people were hurt.

Zion Parsons, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi, said he saw the truck “barreling through, throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air.”

“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering,” said Parsons, whose friend Nikyra Dedeaux was among the dead.

But by Thursday, a still-reeling city was inching back toward normal operations. Authorities finished processing the scene early in the morning, removing the last of the bodies, and Bourbon Street was set to reopen at some point later in the day, according to an official familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

The Sugar Bowl college football game between Notre Dame and Georgia, initially set for Wednesday night and postponed by a day in the interest of national security, was still on for Thursday. And the city planned to host the Super Bowl next month.

Federal officials were investigating Jabbar's potential associations with any terror organizations as they hunted for additional clues in what's believed to be the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years.

Local officials, meanwhile, faced more questions about security protocols in the city leading up to the attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-vehicle-ramming-attacks-8af368ea95bea1eec9bc15ebaf43f7ec">latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon</a>&nbsp;to carry out mass violence.

Jabbar drove a rented pickup truck onto a sidewalk, going around a police car that was positioned to block vehicular traffic, authorities said. A barrier system meant to prevent vehicle attacks was being repaired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-new-orleans-7001f6f459065b18646fe0d253bd0d34">in preparation for the Super Bowl</a>.

Jabbar was killed by police after he exited the truck and opened fire on responding officers, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. Three officers returned fire. Two were shot and are in stable condition.

The driver “defeated” safety measures in place to protect pedestrians and was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said.

“This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil,” she added.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22ERIC%20TUCKER,%20JIM%20MUSTIAN,%20KEVIN%20McGILL%20and%20JACK%20BROOK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By ERIC TUCKER, JIM MUSTIAN, KEVIN McGILL and JACK BROOK Associated Press</a>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-crash-islamic-state-lone-wolves-4bb6446c484737fbe9dd1b9c26a899a9">U.S. Army veteran</a>&nbsp;who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers acted alone, the FBI said Thursday, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others in carrying out the deadly attack, which officials say was an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia on New Orleans Attack: &quot;This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act...We do not assess at this point that anyone else is involved in this attack except for Shamsud-Din Jabbar.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/DF2H2YKDO2">pic.twitter.com/DF2H2YKDO2</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1874859484360687948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The FBI also revealed that the driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, posted five videos on his Facebook account in the hours before the attack in which he aligned himself with IS and told viewers that he had joined the militant group before last summer.“This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” said Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735738471176.png" alt="Photo courtesy WDSU TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WDSU TV</figcaption>
 </figure>The attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-killed-crash-terrorist-attack-9f2fbcc3e48d8b391590f60969e80e61">killed 14 people</a>, including an 18-year-old woman who had ambitions of becoming a nurse. Authorities initially put the death toll at 15, which included Jabbar, who was fatally shot in a firefight with police.Officials had said Wednesday that they were seeking additional potential suspects in the attack, which occurred when Jabbar steered around a police blockade and plowed into a crowd.But Raia said the current assessment is that he acted alone, without any conspirators.Authorities recovered a black flag of the Islamic State in the truck, and President Joe Biden said he was told by the FBI that Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, had posted videos to social media hours before the carnage that showed he was motivated by the militant group and expressed a desire to kill.He was shot to death by police, and the FBI said Wednesday that it believed he did not act alone. Investigators found guns and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the vehicle, along with other explosive devices elsewhere in the French Quarter.Officials fanned out to serve search warrants and spent hours at a Houston-area home thought to be connected to the investigation. But as of Thursday morning, no additional arrests were known to have been made, and it was unclear if the FBI was still actively looking for more suspects.The rampage turned festive Bourbon Street into a macabre scene of maimed victims, bloodied bodies and pedestrians fleeing for safety inside nightclubs and restaurants. In addition to the dead, dozens of people were hurt.Zion Parsons, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi, said he saw the truck “barreling through, throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air.”“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering,” said Parsons, whose friend Nikyra Dedeaux was among the dead.But by Thursday, a still-reeling city was inching back toward normal operations. Authorities finished processing the scene early in the morning, removing the last of the bodies, and Bourbon Street was set to reopen at some point later in the day, according to an official familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.The Sugar Bowl college football game between Notre Dame and Georgia, initially set for Wednesday night and postponed by a day in the interest of national security, was still on for Thursday. And the city planned to host the Super Bowl next month.Federal officials were investigating Jabbar's potential associations with any terror organizations as they hunted for additional clues in what's believed to be the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years.Local officials, meanwhile, faced more questions about security protocols in the city leading up to the attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-vehicle-ramming-attacks-8af368ea95bea1eec9bc15ebaf43f7ec">latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon</a>&nbsp;to carry out mass violence.Jabbar drove a rented pickup truck onto a sidewalk, going around a police car that was positioned to block vehicular traffic, authorities said. A barrier system meant to prevent vehicle attacks was being repaired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-new-orleans-7001f6f459065b18646fe0d253bd0d34">in preparation for the Super Bowl</a>.Jabbar was killed by police after he exited the truck and opened fire on responding officers, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. Three officers returned fire. Two were shot and are in stable condition.The driver “defeated” safety measures in place to protect pedestrians and was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said.“This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil,” she added.Also on Wednesday, there were deadly explosions in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fireworks-accident-two-dead-honolulu-1075a875d2f881516dde4e412d21fd7d">Honolulu</a>&nbsp;and outside a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hotel-vehicle-fire-las-vegas-ad4c171c7a6af64f08db93d9fdc2d749">Las Vegas</a>&nbsp;hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump. Biden said the FBI was looking into whether the Las Vegas explosion was connected to the New Orleans attack but had “nothing to report” as of Wednesday evening.A photo circulated among law enforcement officials showed a bearded Jabbar wearing camouflage next to the truck after he was killed. The intelligence bulletin obtained by the AP said he was wearing a ballistic vest and helmet. The flag of the Islamic State group was on the truck's trailer hitch, the FBI said.“For those people who don’t believe in objective evil, all you have to do is look at what happened in our city early this morning," U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said. "If this doesn’t trigger the gag reflex of every American, every fair-minded American, I’ll be very surprised.”Jabbar joined the Army in 2007, serving on active duty in human resources and information technology and deploying to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010, the service said. He transferred to the Army Reserve in 2015 and left in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.Hours after the attack, several coroner’s office vans were parked on the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets, cordoned off by police tape with crowds of dazed tourists standing around, some trying to navigate their luggage through the labyrinth of blockades.Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry urged people to avoid the area, which remained an active crime scene.“We looked out our front door and saw caution tape and dead silence, and it’s eerie,” said Tessa Cundiff, an Indiana native who moved to the French Quarter a few years ago. "This is not what we fell in love with, it’s sad.”Biden, speaking from the presidential retreat at Camp David, addressed the victims and the people of New Orleans: “I want you to know I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you as you mourn and as you heal.”FBI officials have repeatedly warned about an elevated international terrorism threat due to the Israel-Hamas war. In the last year, the agency has disrupted other potential attacks, including in October when it arrested an Afghan man in Oklahoma for an alleged Election Day plot targeting large crowds.___Tucker reported from Washington, and Mustian reported from Black Mountain, North Carolina. Associated Press reporters Stephen Smith, Chevel Johnson and Brett Martel in New Orleans; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; Alanna Durkin Richer, Tara Copp and Zeke Miller in Washington; Darlene Superville in New Castle, Delaware; Colleen Long in West Palm Beach, Florida; and Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.