By Anthony Gorges JC/Little Apple Post

Kansas State Athletics announced on Wednesday that head football coach Chris Klieman was retiring. Klieman, who has spent seven years with the school and is 58 years old, stated that for the first time, he’s putting his family first and looks forward to spending more time with them moving forward. K-State held a press conference at the Vanier Family Football Complex on Wednesday afternoon where Klieman and Athletics Director Gene Taylor spoke about Klieman’s decision.

A full room of media and K-State staff gave Coach Klieman a round of applause as he made his way to the podium. Klieman began his press conference by thanking everyone for being there. “It just goes to show me that the good guys win,” Kansas State head football coach Chris Klieman said. “Doing things the right way, doing it with class and doing it with integrity is the right way. Guys, that’s the K-State way.”

Klieman said despite it being an emotional day, “I am at peace.” He noted that colleagues, former players, and parents of current players reached out to him and congratulated him and his wife, Rhonda. Klieman stated one of the reasons he was in the business of coaching was to have that kind of impact.

Chris Klieman previously served as head coach at North Dakota State before coming to Kansas State to lead the Wildcats. He held many other coaching positions after spending more than thirty years as a coach. “I am one of the lucky ones,” Klieman said. He pointed out that he spent fifteen years at his last two stops and noted that is very rare in the coaching profession. Current Kansas State Athletic Director (AD) Gene Taylor previously served as AD at North Dakota State and was the one who hired Klieman to be a head coach at both schools. Klieman expressed his thanks and gratitude to Taylor at the press conference.

Speaking about his twelve years as a head coach (five at NDSU and seven at K-State), Klieman said, “I am damn proud of the body of work that all of us put together.” He stated that he was up for the challenge of following in the footsteps of legendary K-State coach Bill Snyder, and said, “I think we did a pretty damn good job here.” Klieman closed out the press conference by thanking everyone “for allowing the Kliemans to come into Manhattan and build something here.” As Klieman left the press conference, he and Director of Athletics Gene Taylor shared a hug.

*Highlights for Klieman at K-State include winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship, winning eight or more games for four straight years, and qualifying for a bowl game in six out of seven years. (The only year KSU did not make a bowl game was during the 2020 COVID season.)

K-State Athletic Director Gene Taylor spoke after Klieman officially announced his retirement. Taylor was passionate that changes need to be made in the current era of college athletics. Taylor, a very close friend of Klieman, was very emotional when speaking to the media. “You just saw one of the greatest guys in this industry walk out of this room and retire from coaching, from the business that he loves,” Taylor said. He continued, “What really pisses me off is he is doing it because of where we are in this industry.” Taylor is referring to the new era of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal, among other issues as well. “If we don’t get this thing fixed, and I am a part of that, as is every other AD in the country and conference commissioners, more really, really good guys like Chris Klieman are going to walk away from this business.”

When asked about the timeline of events and when he knew Klieman would retire, Gene Taylor said they met on Monday, where Klieman expressed he needed a few days to think about what he wanted to do. Taylor admitted he was somewhat caught off guard by the retirement talks because he thought they were meeting to discuss the bowl game and potential coaching/staffing changes.

Klieman told Taylor Wednesday morning he was going to retire, and Taylor admitted he had been emotional all day since their discussion. When asked about if Klieman would coach the bowl game, he said it is still being determined. He said he plans to meet with the players on Thursday and discuss it.

As for the rumors and speculation about a new head coach being named, Gene Taylor said at the press conference that he had not had any conversations prior to that moment. He said with the current landscape, the process will certainly move fast, but he wanted to wait and be respectful to Coach Klieman and let him announce his retirement before anything was officially done.

Lastly, Gene Taylor was very complimentary of Klieman’s seven-year run leading the Wildcats and thanked him for what he gave to the Kansas State program.

K-State’s Chris Klieman and AD Gene Taylor discuss Klieman's decision to retire

Guests are invited to join Fort Riley, the 1st Infantry Division and the Fourth District, State of Kansas, Veterans of Foreign Wars and VFW Auxiliary as they "Remember the fallen and honor those who serve at the Post Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Dec. 13.

There will be a wreath placement immediately following the ceremony.&nbsp;

Wreaths Across America Wreath Laying Ceremony at Fort Riley Post Cemetery

The Junction City High School FFA Chapter Ag Issues team was honored for placing in the top-16 at the 98th National FFA Convention &amp; Expo.

 The team, which consisted of Brittney Dibben, Hannah Huddleston, Kayleigh Goggins, Kennedy Moreland and Jacob Roeser, as well as 2025 JCHS graduates, Shevy Olson and Makayla Smith, advanced to the semifinals in Indianapolis, Ind., marking the highest finish for the Blue Jays at nationals since 2022.&nbsp;

Junction City High School FFA Honored On Tuesday night,

The Junction City Public Works Department has announced that the following areas may experience little to no water, Friday December 5, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

-- 2nd St., Washington St. to Franklin St.- Franklin St.

-- 3rd St. and 4th St. east of Franklin St.&nbsp;

Please call Junction City Public Works with any questions at (785) 238-7142.

Junction City Water Maintenance Alert

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Leadership Manhattan Board has announced the 2026 Class of Leadership Manhattan.

Heather Allen, MHK 360 Real Estate Photography

Andrew Brookens, Stormont Vail Health

Katie Dyke, Cornerstone Family Counseling

Cole Grieves, Candlewood Veterinary Clinic

Lindley Lund, Kansas State University

Chaz Mailey, Manhattan Mental Health Services

Candice McIntosh, Girls on the Run

Clinton Trickey, McCownGordon Construction

Terin Walters, KSU Alumni Association

Madison Williams, KS StateBank&nbsp;&nbsp;

Leadership Manhattan Class of 2026

The Fort Riley annual holiday tree lighting will be at 5:30 PM Thursday at the Ware Parade Field.

The Army announced that the lighting of the 20-foot-tall tree marks the start of the holiday season for the Fort Riley community. Col. Jerry Nunziato, Fort Riley Garrison Commander, will join Santa Claus to&nbsp;light the tree.

The event includes a children’s choir from Fort Riley Child and Youth Services. Fort Riley’s Holiday Tree lighting is open to the public. Visitor passes are available at the Visitor Control Center near Marshall Army Airfield, Exit 301 off I-70. Visitors can also apply for a pass online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pass.aie.army.mil/Riley/">https://pass.aie.army.mil/Riley/</a>.&nbsp;

Holiday Tree Lighting is scheduled on Post

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;After guiding the Wildcats to a 2022 Big 12 Championship and six bowl games in seven seasons, Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced his retirement from coaching on Wednesday afternoon.

“After many deep and thoughtful conversations with my family, we have decided that the time is right for me to retire from coaching,” said Klieman, the second-winningest coach in school history with 54 victories. “This decision was not taken lightly and was the culmination of many factors, including my own personal health. I absolutely love coaching the game of football and developing players into young men, but now is the time for me to step away and spend more time with Rhonda and our three kids. I truly am thankful to Gene Taylor for trusting me with this program in 2018, and we have accomplished many great things including winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship. K-State will always be a special part of our family’s story, and we will forever be Wildcats.”

The Wildcats’ 54 wins during Klieman’s seven-year tenure are the most among active Big 12 programs. K-State’s six total bowl appearances are tied for the most in the conference, while the Wildcats are one of two Big 12 programs to advance to the postseason each of the last five seasons. Additionally, Klieman kept the Governor’s Cup in Manhattan for seven-straight years and extended K-State’s winning streak over its in-state rival to 17-consecutive seasons.

“This has been an emotional day for myself, my family and Coach Klieman. Our friendship and family go back to when we first started working together at North Dakota State,” athletics director&nbsp;Gene Taylor&nbsp;said. “Chris Klieman has built a program and culture that embodies what it means to be a K-Stater. Following a legend was no easy task, and he quickly established himself as one of the best coaches in the Big 12 Conference and one of the most successful in our program’s history. He is a special person, and we have been fortunate to have him leading the young men in our program and being a first-class representative of Kansas State University. I will miss being able to work with Coach Klieman on a daily basis, and it has been an honor to do so the last several years. We wish him, Rhonda and the kids all the success and happiness they desire as they enter this next phase of their lives.”

“Coach Klieman is a person of tremendous character, and I appreciate his passion for his players and their success,” University President&nbsp;Dr. Richard Linton&nbsp;said. “Chris is a K-State Wildcat to his core. I am grateful for his dedication and leadership of our football program, and I wish Chris and his family well.”

Instilling a culture of selflessness, discipline, toughness and commitment during his time guiding the Wildcats, Klieman guided K-State to eight or more wins in five of his seven seasons, including five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25 – the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019 – while they have eight wins over top-20 teams since 2019 – tied for the second most among current Big 12 teams. He led the Wildcats to 10 wins in 2022 and nine wins in both 2023 and 2024, the longest streak of nine or more wins since the 1990s.

Klieman presided over 26 First Team All-American designations and eight total All-Americans in Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2021, 2022), Phillip Brooks (2020), Cooper Beebe (2022, 2023), Malik Knowles (2021, 2022), Randen Plattner (2022, 2023), Ben Sinnott (2023), Deuce Vaughn (2020, 2021, 2022) and Joshua Youngblood (2019).

Under Klieman’s guidance, Vaughn became the second player in school history to earn consecutive Consensus All-America honors when he picked up the accolades in 2021 and 2022, while Beebe was the first offensive lineman to be named a Consensus All-American when he earned the honor in 2023.

Klieman also overall 104 total All-Big 12 accolades with 2025 honors pending. Among those were the 2019 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year (Youngblood), 2020 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (Vaughn), 2021 Defensive Lineman of the Year (Anudike-Uzomah), 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year (Anudike-Uzomah), 2022 and 2023 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year (Beebe) and 2024 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year (Bredan Mott).

Not only has Klieman’s tenure produced success on the field, but with his mantra of “how you do one thing is how you do everything” has come success in the classroom. Over Klieman’s first six seasons, K-State produced a combined 212 Academic All-Big 12 honors – the second most in the conference during that timeframe – which included a school record 45 in 2023. Additionally, the Wildcats boasted three National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athletes under Klieman in Adam Holtorf (2019), Adrian Martinez (2022) and Beebe (2023).

A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Klieman began his career as a graduate assistant as his alma mater, Northern Iowa, and made stops at Western Illinois, Kansas, Missouri State, Loras College and North Dakota State. He was a three-time All-Gateway Conference defensive back at Northern Iowa and four-year letterwinner from 1986 to 1990. He graduated from UNI in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in health education and a master’s degree in physical education in 1992.

Klieman and his wife, Rhonda, are parents of two sons, Devin and Colby, and one daughter, Haley.

K-State’s Chris Klieman Announces Retirement

The Big Red One Family mourns the passing of Charles Norman Shay, an American Soldier and combat medic of the 1st Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company F. A proud member of the Penobscot Nation, Shay lived 101 years, embodying courage, compassion, and devotion to freedom.

On June 6, 1944, at Omaha Beach, Shay was nineteen years old. Under relentless fire, he plunged into the surf repeatedly to rescue wounded comrades. On that day, he left nothing at rest—giving every ounce of strength and resolve to the cause of liberty. His actions saved countless lives and earned him enduring respect across generations.

Shay’s heritage and service were inseparable. As a true warrior, he carried forward traditions of honor and resilience. In later years, he returned to Normandy to perform ceremonies for the fallen, ensuring their sacrifice would never be forgotten. His life reminds us that the contributions of American Soldiers are woven into the story of our nation’s freedom and remain a lasting testament to courage and sacrifice.&nbsp; His legacy reflects the attributes of the Big Red One Soldier’s commitment to warfighting and taking care of Soldiers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Charles Norman Shay’s passing is not the end of his story—it is a call to carry forward his example of service, resilience, and unity. The 1st Infantry Division honors his memory and invites all Americans to cherish freedom and honor sacrifice.

Big Red One Honors D-Day Medic Charles Norman Shay at His Passing

Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman is retiring after seven seasons with the Wildcats, a person familiar with his decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included a Big 12 championship and a bowl trip every year but one.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced. Kansas State pushed back an 11 a.m. local time news conference for national signing day to 4 p.m., and Klieman and athletic director Gene Taylor were to speak at that time.

The school is targeting Texas A&amp;M offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who played quarterback for Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder at Kansas State and later served a prominent role on Kleiman's first staff in Manhattan, to be his replacement.

It is unclear whether Klein would be allowed to coach the Aggies if they are selected for the College Football Playoff.

The Wildcats were a popular pick to challenge for the Big 12 title this season, and potentially make the College Football Playoff for the first time. Instead, they lost their opener to Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, got embarrassed by Army at home a few weeks later, and needed to beat Colorado this past weekend to finish 6-6 and qualify for a bowl game.

They are still awaiting their destination, and it is expected that Klieman will coach them there one last time.

The past couple of years have clearly worn on the 58-year-old Klieman, who replaced Snyder in 2019 following a successful tenure at North Dakota State, where he captured four Football Championship Subdivision titles in a five-year span.

The native of Waterloo, Iowa, was almost immediately embraced by the blue-collar Kansas State fanbase, which saw in Klieman a hardworking Midwesterner much like themselves. His teams played much the same way that Snyder’s did the previous generation, avoiding penalties and mental mistakes while earning a reputation for physicality and toughness.

Yet in the years since Klieman was hired, the college football landscape has fundamentally changed. The transfer portal coupled with name, image and likeness payments have dramatically altered the way that teams are built, and the recruit-and-develop style of both Snyder and Klieman has become nearly impossible to successfully sustain.

Tension seemed to boil over for Klieman following a 51-47 loss to No. 15 Utah on Nov. 22, a game that the Wildcats had dominated.

He opened with a lengthy statement in which he praised the effort shown by his team, which has been ransacked by injuries, and then Klieman addressed a segment of the Kansas State fan base that had begun calling for his job amid a disappointing year.

“I’ve heard it enough that the kids have cashed in and that we need to get new leadership over here and new players, new coaches. I’m tired of it,” Klieman said. “I've got to be honest with you, I’m tired of it. I’ve given my friggin'-ass life to this place for seven years — I’ve given everything for seven years. And I think I deserve something, a little respect.”

Klieman choked up several times during the news conference. At one point, Taylor approached Klieman and gave him a hug.

“You ain't going anywhere, bud,” Taylor told him. "Understand that. We’ve got your back. We’ve got your back.”

AP: Kansas State coach Chris Klieman stepping down after 7 seasons

Tuesday night was the first basketball games of the 2025–26 high school basketball season. The Blue Jays and Lady Jays traveled to Lawrence Free State High School for the season openers. The teams split, with Free State winning the girls game and the Blue Jays winning the boys game.

Girls Recap – Lawrence Free State 53, Junction City 28

The Lady Jays started the game playing well, and sophomore Aniyah Henry-Rivers scored the first basket of the season. The girls played great defense in the first quarter and led 7–0 after one. In the second quarter, the Firebirds of Lawrence Free State woke up. Right out of the timeout, Free State came out firing and hitting shots. They outscored JC 20–8 in the second quarter and led 20–15 at the half.

In the second half, the Lady Jays kept up the good defense, but shots were not falling, and the Firebirds scored several second-chance points off their offensive rebounds. After three quarters, Free State led 35–23. In the fourth, the Firebirds pulled away and won the game by a final score of 53–28.

Six players scored for Junction City. Sophomore Isabel Pruitt led the way with eight points; sophomore Laniyah Warmack and freshman Alexis Douglas both added five points; sophomore Aniyah Henry-Rivers and senior Morgan Nabus both scored four points; and junior Kayla Covington added two for the Lady Jays.

The JC girls fall to 0–1 on the season and will host Atchison on Friday night at Blue Jay Event Center.

Our Blu Restaurant Player of the Game was freshman Alexis Douglas. (For being our player of the game, Alexis receives a free meal coupon from Blu Restaurant in Junction City.)

Boys Recap – Junction City 64, Lawrence Free State 51

Similar to the girls game, the Blue Jays started out fast. Senior Lovell Autry stole the ball on the first possession and broke away for a layup for the first basket of the boys’ season. The defense continued to play well, which then led to a three-pointer by junior Khaliel Walker. The Blue Jays began the game on a 9–0 run, which led to a Free State timeout. The hot start continued; after the first quarter, JC led 23–9.

Second-quarter action picked up with the Firebirds beginning to hit some shots. Free State went on a run to cut the lead down to six, but the Blue Jays expanded it back to a nine-point halftime lead and led 38–29 at the break.

Both teams settled in defensively in the third quarter, and again, Free State threatened, trailing 43–37. The Firebirds had multiple chances to cut into the lead more, but at the end of three, the Blue Jays were on top 49–41.

In the fourth quarter, the three bigs for Junction City helped seal the deal. Senior 6'6" Jackson Hollie, junior 6'7" Brody Boeckman, and junior 6'3" Trevon Briley came up big down the stretch and helped the Blue Jays hold on to win 64–51. *This was the first official win for new Junction City boys head coach Easton Burgardt.

Senior Lovell Autry led the team with 20 points, senior Jet Thompson added 13 points, and junior Brody Boeckman added 10. Several other boys scored for the Blue Jays as well.

Our Blu Restaurant Player of the Game was senior Jet Thompson. (For being our player of the game, Jet receives a free meal coupon from Blu Restaurant in Junction City.)

JC is now 1-0, and up next for the Blue Jays is their home opener on Friday night, hosting Atchison.&nbsp;

🏀Boys win, girls fall in first JCHS basketball games of the season

The USD 475 Board of Education met Tuesday Night.

--Board of Education member Jason Butler was honored for his service. His term ends in January. Butler did not seek reelection.

--The construction of the new early childhood center is moving forward. Substantial completion is expected in January. The keys to the facility will be turned over to the District in April and the ribbon cutting will be on May 8. The facility will be put into service for the 2026 - 2027 school year.

--The current ECC buildings could serve as proposed locations to serve technology, safety and health needs, with the Hauge building in that complex potentially serving as a location for homeless students. That latter option would have to go through a process with the state.

--There are 7,330 students in USD 475 including early childhood students. Of that total using September count numbers 3, 663 are military connected students.Five buildings are Title 1 where more than 60% of the student population is at poverty level. A total of 24% of the students in the District overall were at poverty level. There were 61 gifted students.

--The Board approved an idea to develop a request for proposal for a grant writer ( or writers ).

--The BOE authorized five new early childhood teaching positions and an assistant principal position for the new early childhood center.

USD 475 news notes

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a domestic incident in rural Shawnee County.

Just after 11a.m. December 2, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a domestic disturbance that occurred in northwest Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A 44-year-old female victim walked into the Silver Lake Police Department with a gunshot wound to her hand. 

She was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response with non-life-threatening injuries.

Multiple law enforcement officers arrived in the 10000 block of NW 54th Street and began searching for the male suspect. At 12:38pm, the suspect was taken into custody.

James I. Morehead, 65, of Silver Lake, Kan., was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 1st degree; intentional and premeditated,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated battery; knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death, Criminal threat, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, and Intimidation of witness or victim; prevent reporting of victimization

Sheriff: Kansas man allegedly shot woman in the hand

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-signal-messaging-app-attack-plans-f8581bcb447b91d2e7f9cb7809ae0f06">The Pentagon’s watchdog</a>&nbsp;found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. personnel and their mission at risk when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">used the Signal messaging app</a>&nbsp;to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen's Houthi militants, two people familiar with the findings said Wednesday.

Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the findings who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the information. That person also said the report concluded that Hegseth violated Pentagon policy by using his personal device for official business and it recommended better training for all Pentagon officials.

Hegseth declined to sit for an interview with the Pentagon's inspector general but provided a written statement, that person said. The defense secretary asserted that he was permitted to declassify information as he saw fit and only communicated details he thought would not endanger the mission.

The initial findings, which were first reported by CNN,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-hegseth-boat-strikes-e68621ec48c7886215359c0110d6d9ca">ramp up the pressure</a>&nbsp;on the former Fox News Channel host after lawmakers called for the independent inquiry into his use of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">commercially available app</a>.

Lawmakers also just opened investigations into a news report that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-hegseth-maduro-512c66b99b2a13e9d1a3ed2699e78228">a follow-up strike</a>&nbsp;on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea in September killed survivors after Hegseth issued a verbal order to “kill everybody."

Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-trump-venezuela-540ae279827e02105e089f1bd5af37a6">defended the strike as emerging in the “fog of war</a>,” saying he didn’t see any survivors but also “didn’t stick around” for the rest of the mission and that the admiral in charge “made the right call” in ordering the second strike. He also did not admit fault following the Signal revelations, asserting that the information was unclassified.

“The Inspector General review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along — no classified information was shared,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman said in a statement. “This matter is resolved, and the case is closed.”

President Donald Trump “stands by” Hegseth, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, adding that the probe affirms that “no classified information was leaked, and operational security was not compromised.”

Journalist was added to a chat where sensitive plans were shared

In at least two separate Signal chats, Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women carrying out those attacks on behalf of the United States were airborne.

Hegseth’s use of the app came to light when a journalist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic</a>, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-waltz-rubio-national-security-hegseth-d787db43d45922668ad0c1c62e608f85">then-national security adviser Mike Waltz</a>. It included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and others, brought together to discuss March 15 military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.

Hegseth had created&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-signal-chat-houthis-attack-8dbf9dd6c711796438a5c1c84831c40b">another Signal chat</a>&nbsp;with 13 people that included his wife and brother where he shared similar details of the same strike, The Associated Press reported.

Signal is encrypted but is not authorized for carrying classified information and is not part of the Pentagon’s secure communications network.

Hegseth previously has said none of the information shared in the chats was classified. Multiple current and former military officials have told the AP there was no way details with that specificity, especially before a strike took place, would have been OK to share on an unsecured device.

The review was delivered to lawmakers, who were able to review the report in a classified facility at the Capitol. A partially redacted version of the report was expected to be released publicly later this week.

Hegseth said he viewed the investigation as a partisan exercise and did not trust the inspector general, according to one of the people familiar with the report’s findings. The review had to rely on screenshots of the Signal chat published by the Atlantic because Hegseth could not provide more than a small handful of his Signal messages, the person said.

When asked about the investigation in August, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters that "we believe that this is a witch hunt and a total sham and being conducted in bad faith.”

Lawmakers had called for inspector general to investigate

The revelations sparked intense scrutiny, with Democratic lawmakers and a small number of Republicans saying Hegseth posting the information to the Signal chats before the military jets had reached their targets&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-signal-chat-pentagon-trump-30dc4c3d0e75a89f3fd883f38b26afff">potentially put those pilots’ lives at risk</a>. They said lower-ranking members of the military would have been fired for such a lapse.

Some Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees suggested Wednesday that Hegseth’s actions would be a fireable offense for anyone else.

“This was not an isolated lapse. It reflects a broader pattern of recklessness and poor judgment from a secretary who has repeatedly shown he is in over his head,” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said in a statement.

The inspector general had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-signal-messaging-app-attack-plans-f8581bcb447b91d2e7f9cb7809ae0f06">opened its investigation</a>&nbsp;into Hegseth at the request of the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

It all ties back to the campaign against Yemen’s Houthis

The Houthi rebels had started launching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-israel-hamas-red-sea-shipping-ab6fee82e73170b7e2edbab90ed6c14c">missile and drone attacks</a>&nbsp;against commercial and military ships in late 2023 in what their leadership had described as an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-yemen-red-sea-rebellions-and-uprisings-yemen-government-35148e6fbef64ec8b6fa074d4da2551c">effort to end</a>&nbsp;Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Their campaign greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.

The U.S.-led campaign against the Houthis in 2024 turned into the most intense running sea battle the Navy had faced since World War II.

A ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war had begun in January before falling apart in March. The U.S. then launched a broad assault against the Houthis that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-houthis-end-of-bombing-yemen-israel-e2f08ac04024ef3d6409b4ce97092489">ended weeks later</a>&nbsp;when Trump said they pledged to stop attacking ships. The latest Gaza ceasefire began in October.

Following the disclosure of Hegseth’s Signal chat that included the Atlantic’s editor, the magazine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">released the entire thread</a>&nbsp;in late March. Hegseth had posted multiple details about an impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist” was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike. He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security.

Hegseth told Fox News Channel in April that what he shared over Signal was “informal, unclassified coordinations, for media coordinations and other things.”

Associated Press writer Stephen Groves, Konstantin Toropin, Michelle L. Price and David Klepper contributed to this report.

Sec. of War responds to Pentagon watchdog report on his use of Signal app

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

TOPEKA — As a representative of 60 mostly rural Kansas counties, U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann said road safety is not an abstract policy concept.

“For me, it’s personal,” the Republican said in recorded remarks at a Wednesday news conference by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Kansas families rely on safe road travel for essentials, including health care, employment, education and “everything in between,” Mann said.

The safety advocates organization Tuesday released&nbsp;<a href="https://saferoads.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-Advocates-Report-ONLINE-fnl1.pdf" target="_blank">a report</a>, outlining why most states, including Kansas, received mediocre grades for road safety and how to address lapses in traffic laws.

This year’s report “makes it clear we still have major challenges on our roadways,” Mann said.

Politicians, advocates, law enforcement and mothers who lost their children in car crashes urged lawmakers during the news conference to shape their 2026 agendas to prioritize improving road safety.

The report rates all states and Washington, D.C., based on the organization’s key safety measures, including laws for seatbelt use, motorcycle helmets, child safety, young driver inexperience, impaired and distracted driving, speeding and red light running.

Red, the lowest ranking, means danger, indicating a state with inadequate road safety laws. Yellow means caution and includes states that have some of the organization’s optimal safety measures. Green signifies a good ranking for states that have enacted and enforced most of the measures.

Cathy Chase, president of the safety advocates organization, said 534 laws across the country need to be advanced to meet the organization’s safety criteria.

Kansas is one of 36 states in the yellow because of its lack of child passenger safety, adult occupant protection and young driver programs, according to the report.

Kansas records almost $3 billion in annual costs because of motor vehicle crashes, the report said. In the past 10 years, more than 4,000 people have died in Kansas traffic incidents.&nbsp;That includes 340 deaths in 2024.

In 2023, more than 40,000 people were killed in the U.S. in motor vehicle incidents. Texas had the most traffic deaths that year at 4,291, followed closely by California with 4,061 people. Both states’ numbers decreased in 2024, according to early estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. D.C. had the fewest number of traffic deaths in both years at 44 people in 2023 and 47 people in 2024.

Annual traffic deaths have decreased across the board in recent years, but 2023’s number is still above 2011’s all-time low of 35,303 deaths.

Nearly one third of 2023’s traffic deaths were caused by drunk driving.&nbsp;

Mann and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-New Hampshire, sponsored this year the End DWI Act, which encourages states to enact laws requiring ignition interlock devices for first-time drunk driving offenses. DWI stands for driving while intoxicated.

The proposed law aims to reduce drunk driving recidivism and keep drunk drivers off the road.Pappas said it’s critical for state and federal lawmakers to have data, and the organization’s report informs efforts to reduce traffic deaths.

“I’m glad that we’re able to pursue a commonsense agenda here in Washington, at a moment where it appears that things are really divided. There’s a lot that unites us, especially when it comes to transportation and infrastructure and safe roadways,” Pappas said.

Kansas congressman highlights bipartisan drunk driving bill as state receives mediocre safety rating

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A driver accused in a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred in February is set to make her first court appearance on Thursday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Madelyn Walter, 24, Derby, will learn what charges she faces for the incident that killed&nbsp;75-year-old Manolopoulos Panagiotis of Wichita.

Just after 5 p.m. February 6, deputies, Sedgwick County EMS and Sedgwick County Fire District #1 responded to a hit-and-run crash at 47th Street South and Clifton, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

Witnesses reported that a red Dodge Nitro was traveling south on Clifton when it failed to yield to an eastbound Ford Fiesta and struck the vehicle in the intersection.&nbsp;

The impact caused the driver of the Fiesta, identified as&nbsp; Manolopoulos &nbsp;Panagiotis of Wichita, to be ejected and then struck by his own car.

Sedgwick County EMS transported Panagiotis to a Wichita hospital in extremely critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries at 10:46 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;The driver of the Nitro, later identified as Walter, fled the scene following the collision.

Thanks to witness reports and information provided to 911 dispatchers, deputies utilized the Flock license plate reader system to locate the suspect vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart in Derby. With assistance from the Derby Police Department Walter was found at a nearby Derby residence.

She was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of failing to stop at an injury crash resulting in great bodily injury. As part of the investigation, it was determined that Walter’s 5-year-old child was in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Neither Walter nor the child was injured.

Law enforcement presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging.

Kan. hit-and-run driver that killed 75-year-old will face a judge

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 27-year-old Jerome A. Hawkins, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 1:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the 2500 block of Hardesty on an ambulance in route call for service. Call notes indicated there was an individual lying on the ground, unresponsive. 

As officers arrived they located Hawkins on the sidewalk. He appeared to be suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD EMS arrived simultaneously and pronounced Hawkins deceased on scene. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide and there is no one in custody, according to DiMartino.

KCPD: Man found on the ground died of gunshot wounds 

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal vaccine advisory committee this week is expected to discuss whether newborns should still get the hepatitis B vaccine — the first shot found to prevent cancer.

Federal health recommendations now suggest that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection in their first day of life, but U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s committee on Thursday is expected to change that — contradicting previous public health advice.

It’s not clear exactly what the committee is considering, but the American Academy of Pediatrics will still urge a birth dose, said the organization’s Dr. Sean O’Leary.

“We are going to continue to recommend it because it saves lives,” he said.

Here’s a look at the disease, the vaccine and the debate over changing the recommendations.

Liver disease can cause lifelong health issues

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that for most people lasts less than six months. But for some — especially infants and children — it can become a long-lasting problem that can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and scarring called cirrhosis.

In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during injection-drug use.

But it can also be passed from an infected mother to a baby. As many as 90% of infants who contract hepatitis B go on to have chronic infections, meaning their immune systems don’t completely clear the virus.

As many as 2.4 million people in the U.S. are estimated to have hepatitis B, and as many as half are unaware they are infected, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Baruch Blumberg, a federal scientist, identified the virus behind the infection in 1965. He won the Nobel Prize for the discovery, which led to tests and vaccines. The first hepatitis B vaccine was licensed in the U.S. in 1981.

Shots for newborns have been recommended for years

For decades, the nation’s vaccine guidance has been influenced by a government-appointed panel of experts, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Its recommendations have usually been adopted as national guidance that is widely heeded by doctors.

In 1991, the committee recommended an initial dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The guidance was modified a little over the years and currently suggests a dose within 24 hours of birth for all medically stable infants who weigh at least 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms), plus follow-up shots to be given at about 1 month and 6 months.

Why a dose right at birth? Health officials used to rely on screening expectant mothers to find babies that might have been exposed to the virus. But many cases were missed, experts say, because some women weren’t tested or test results were incorrect. Also, the virus can live on surfaces for more than seven days at room temperature, so unvaccinated children living with a person with a chronic infection can catch it.

Newborn hepatitis B vaccinations are widely considered to be a public health success story. Over about 30 years, cases among children fell from about 18,000 per year to about 2,200.

A collaboration of public health researchers, the Vaccine Integrity Project, this week released its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integrity-project/hepatitis-b" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;of more than 400 studies and reports spanning 40 years. The group concluded the birth dose is safe, and is an important reason U.S. pediatric hepatitis B infections have fallen.

Committee revisits the newborn recommendation

Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">fired all 17 members</a>&nbsp;of ACIP earlier this year and replaced them with a group that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">several anti-vaccine voices</a>.

The panel has raised concerns about giving a vaccine to a baby so early in life.

“Are we asking our babies to solve an adult problem?” committee member Dr. Evelyn Griffin asked at a September meeting.

Peppered with questions about why a change was necessary, committee member Dr. Robert Malone said: “The signal that is prompting this is not one of safety. It’s one of trust. ... It’s one of parents uncomfortable with this medical procedure being performed at birth in a rather unilateral fashion without significant informed consent.”

The committee tabled a vote at the September meeting, but it’s slated to be acted on during Thursday’s meeting, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/downloads/agendas/draft-posted-2025-12-01-508.pdf" target="_blank">the agenda</a>. Federal officials have not answered questions about exactly how much of a delay is being proposed, or disclosed what research is being used as a basis for such a decision.

What would happen if the shots are delayed?

Not knowing what the committee is contemplating makes it difficult to guess the potential impact. But some have tried.

This week, public health researchers collaborating with hepatitis-focused advocacy organizations released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.24.25340907v1" target="_blank">a report</a>&nbsp;estimating that delaying the birth dose to 2 months could result in at least 1,400 hepatitis B infections in children and 480 deaths. The report — which has yet to be peer reviewed or published in a medical journal — estimated the toll would be higher if the first dose was given even later.

But an ACIP change to the recommendation may have limited impact, O’Leary said.

The committee’s most direct power comes over what’s covered by the government Vaccines for Children program, which pays for shots for uninsured children from low-income families. Hepatitis B shots often have been bundled into the final hospital bill for childbirth. So a new ACIP recommendation likely would not be an economic obstacle for the current practice continuing at many hospitals, he said.

But any change stands to confuse and frighten parents, he added.

“If it scares, it shares” on social media, O’Leary said.

Several medical and public health organizations — and even some state government officials — have said, in advance of the meeting, that changing the recommendation is a terrible idea. Among them is a recently formed coalition of government leaders from several Northeastern states, which this week issued a statement saying they would continue to urge families to get a birth dose within 24 hours of delivery.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, this week called on Congress to compel Kennedy to appear at a hearing and explain ACIP’s actions.

“Ending the decades-long recommendation that babies born in the U.S. get vaccinated against hepatitis B is a heartless choice to allow babies to die,” Murray said in a statement.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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