This year, 33 members of law enforcement from 7 different agencies partnered with 60 local kids for a Saturday morning filled with holiday shopping, excitement, and meaningful connections with officers from across the community.

Each year, this program allows law enforcement to brighten the holiday season for local families who may be facing challenges. Working closely with USD 475, they identify children who would benefit from a little extra support and encouragement this time of year. Through this partnership, we ensure the event reaches families who will truly feel its impact, helping create a holiday experience that is joyful and memorable.

A huge thank you goes to the volunteers from Second Missionary Baptist Church for preparing breakfast for all of the kids and officers. They also thanked the team from RE/MAX Signature Properties for volunteering their time to help wrap gifts throughout the morning.&nbsp;

This event would not be possible without the generosity of our local businesses and community partners. Their donations throughout the year ensure that Shop With a Cop continues to grow and make a positive difference in the lives of children and families in Junction City.

Thank you to the following sponsors for your support:

Junction City Walmart, SVS, ADS, Geary Grain, Cook Family McDonalds, Highwind Brewing Co., Twin Valley Communications, Footlocker, American Legion Post #45, Lynn Devine with Fairway Home Mortgage, B and R Cleaning, Bayer Construction Co.,Voiture 1229 40 and 8, Lee Motors, Junction City Bowl, Jack and Dick's Pawn Shop, Geary County Attorney, Ronna Larson, Kaw Valley Engineering, Homestead Tow Service, Hess and Sons Salvage, Kiwanis South, Crimestoppers, Central National Bank, Street Rods, Walsh Customs and Collision, Bramlage Family Foundation, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Jim Clark Auto Center, Bird Dog LLC, Homefront Group LLC, Frontier Spirits, Performance Audio and Tint, Re/Max Signature Properties, Mathis Lueker Real Estate, Frames and Engraving Etc., Stagg Hill Golf Club, Golf USA, Indian Hills Golf Course, Rolling Meadows Golf Course, The Gun Junction, La Fiesta of Junction City, JCPOA, Honor Screen Printing and Embroidery.

To every volunteer, officer, partner agency, and local business who contributed, thank you. Your continued support is what makes Shop With a Cop such an impactful tradition for our community.

Shop With a Cop supports children during the holidays

Executive Director of United Way Junction City/Geary County

Geary County/Junction City United Way is accepting funding application requests for 2026 funding from viable 501(c) 3 nonprofit organizations whose programming provides for health, education, or income needs in the county region of Geary County and Chapman.

Applications will be accepted through January 31st&nbsp;at 4:00 pm. Applications can be found on our website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.unitedwayjcgc.org/">www.unitedwayjcgc.org</a>&nbsp;under the Agencies tab.&nbsp; Look for the “Agency Application” tab.&nbsp; If you are a new agency, you will need to create a new account.&nbsp; Applications can only be filled out online.

All applications must be accompanied by the nonprofit organization’s most recent audit or review; compilations will not be accepted. New agencies must provide their 501c3 verification form.&nbsp;

For more information, please contact Geary County/Junction City United Way at (785) 238-2117.&nbsp;&nbsp;

United Way of JC/GC accepting Letters of Intent for 2026 Funding

Junction City hosted Atchison on Friday night for the home openers for JCHS. The Lady Jays won big, but the Blue Jays lost in a down-to-the-wire game.

Girls recap – Junction City 63, Atchison 43

Similar to their season-opening game on Tuesday night, the Lady Jays came ready to play in the opening quarter. The game was all about sophomore #10, Aniyah Henry-Rivers. She started the game off with 11 points in the first quarter and finished with a game high, 22 points. The highlight of the quarter, though, came at the end of it. Freshman Alexis Douglas banked in a half-court shot to give the Lady Jays a 16-9 lead after one.

Both teams tightened up with defense in the second quarter; not much scoring occurred, and JC led 22-13 at the half.

Third-quarter action featured an offensive explosion by the JCHS girls. The Lady Jays began the quarter on an 8-3 run, which forced a quick timeout by the Atchison Phoenix. The timeout only fueled the Lady Jays even more. They expanded their lead to 46-23 at the end of the third quarter, and at that time, it was the biggest lead of the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Lady Jays continued to score, and a three-pointer by sophomore Laniyah Warmack gave the girls their largest lead of the game at 61-36. Junction City won by 20, beating the Phoenix 63-43. It is the first win for the Lady Jays this season and the first win for Coach Tim Testa in his second stint as head coach.

The JCHS girls go to 1-1 on the season and are in action next Friday night hosting Hays at Blue Jay Event Center.

On our KJCK radio broadcast, we named Aniyah Henry-Rivers the Blu Restaurant Player of the Game. (For being our Blu Restaurant Player of the Game, Aniyah Henry-Rivers receives a free meal coupon of up to $20 to Blu Restaurant in Junction City.)

Boys recap – Atchison 67, Junction City 59

The Atchison Phoenix jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, which forced a quick JC timeout. The Blue Jays quickly responded with an 11-2 run to take a 13-9 lead with a minute to go in the first quarter. Both teams then traded buckets, and the Phoenix hit a corner three to tie the game at 15 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, shots began to fall for both sides. It was a back-and-forth battle throughout. Similar to the first quarter, Junction City’s Khaliel Walker hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 31 at the half.

In the third quarter, the defenses buckled in for most of the period. Similar to the first two quarters, the third quarter also ended with a three-point make, this one by Atchison’s Javontae Kelley. The Phoenix led 48-44 after three.

To begin the fourth, JC cut the deficit to three at 52-49, but then freshman Trey’Von Gillum hit back-to-back threes, and Atchison led by nine with three minutes to go. The Phoenix held on to win 67-59. Atchison was led by head coach Pat Battle, who previously coached at Junction City from 2011-2016.

Throughout the game, it was the battle of the big guys on the inside. Junction City’s Brody Boeckman (6’7”), Jackson Hollie (6’6”), and Trevon Briley (6’3”) held their own against Atchison’s 6’7” Javontae Kelley and 6’4” Yogi Purdy.

Ultimately, though, it was the guards who pulled through for Atchison in the second half. Freshman Trey’Von Gillum had a game-high 22 points in his first high school game.

On our KJCK radio broadcast, we named Khaliel Walker the Blu Restaurant Player of the Game. (For being our Blu Restaurant Player of the Game, Walker receives a free meal coupon of up to $20 to Blu Restaurant in Junction City.)

Walker finished with 14 points and four made three-pointers. Lovell Autry led the team with 18 points, and Boeckman added 15 points.

The Blue Jays fall to 1-1 on the season and will now host Hays next Friday at Blue Jay Event Center.

Lady Jays pick up first win of the season, boys fall to Atchison

Collin Klein called it a "Dream Come True" as he was introduced to a cheering crowd as the new head football coach at Kansas State University on Friday.

Klein spoke in front of an audience at the Morgan Family Arena on the K-State campus. He praised the Kansas State football competitive spirit, touched on the physicality of the game., the need for resilience to adversity and steps necessary to excel. He was presented with a&nbsp; jersey bearing the number 7.

Klein pledged that K-State will be aggressive in moving the program forward, will play hard and with a schematic advantage.&nbsp; "I love challenges" and noted that&nbsp; he wants to take the program where it hasn't been before."

Collin Klein recruited many of the Wildcat players during an earlier stint as the offensive coordinator at Kansas State. He succeeds Chris Kleiman, who is retiring after seven years as the head coach.&nbsp;

Klein is the 36th head football coach in KSU history. He returns to Kansas State after two years as the offensive coordinator for Texas A&amp;M, and will continue to also serve in that capacity for the Aggies during the upcoming college football playoffs.

Collin Klein introduced as the new K-State head football coach

&nbsp; Junction City police have abbounced that the Tip-A-Cop event was a tremendous success. Thanks to the generosity of the Junction City community, more than one thousand dollars was raised for Special Olympics Kansas. The Geary County Sheriff's Deparment partnered with the JCPD during the event. 

The support directly benefits the athletes who inspiree with their dedication and determination.&nbsp; The event was hosted at High Wind Brewery.

Tip-A-Cop event is a success 

Home openers tonight for Junction City High School Boys and Girls basketball. Both teams are hosting the Atchison Phoenix.

Both games can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio. You can also <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">listen live by clicking here.&nbsp;</a>

Girls Livestream -&nbsp; Clic<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXKKNovGSz8&amp;list=PLAq6WhKxcDUX6Q4BsF-Eiw4l1lcxH_jQT">k here to watch and listen live&nbsp;</a>

Boys Livestream - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRUMXeWWyCQ&amp;list=PLAq6WhKxcDUX6Q4BsF-Eiw4l1lcxH_jQT&amp;index=2">Click here to watch and listen live.&nbsp;</a>

The girls are 0-1, while the boys are 1-0.&nbsp;

🏀WATCH/LISTEN LIVE: Junction City hosts Atchison in boys and girls basketball

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– One of the greatest players in school history will return to lead the Wildcats on the sidelines, as Collin Klein has been named the next head football coach at Kansas State, athletics director&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/gene-taylor/1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;announced Thursday.

A 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and member of K-State Football's Ring of Honor, Klein is now in his 12th year in coaching, nine of which have come at K-State.

Klein will be introduced to the public Friday in a welcome event at Morgan Family Arena. Doors open at 3 p.m., with the ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+."We are excited to welcome one of our all-time greats back home to Manhattan," Taylor said.

"Collin is a tremendous leader who cares deeply about his players. The grit, toughness and aggression he displayed as a player still fuels him today as a coach, and he is determined to carry on the tremendous success this program has achieved.

As we know, college football has changed, and I am confident that Collin is ready to embrace this new model while maintaining the culture that we know as K-State Football.

Welcome home, Collin, Shalin, Beric, Rhett, Trek and Briar."

Klein, the 36th head football coach in school history, has agreed to a five-year contract with an average base salary of $4.3 million to lead his alma mater.

He served as K-State's offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023 and currently serves as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M, a role that he will continue in during the Aggies' postseason run."My family and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to come home," Klein said.

"Thank you to President Linton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/gene-taylor/1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;for believing in us to lead the Cats into a new era. The position of Head Coach at Kansas State has a long legacy of service, hard work, determination, and competitive greatness that I am honored to carry forward.

This is Family business, and we cannot wait to get to work!

"The first K-State alum to serve as head football coach since Ellis Rainsberger from 1975-77,&nbsp; Klein helped the Wildcats to 51 wins and five bowl appearances during his tenure as a full-time assistant coach.

He helped guide Kansas State to a 19-8 mark and a Big 12 Championship during his two-year run as offensive coordinator.His first full season as K-State offensive coordinator in 2022 was a success as he led an offense that ranked in the top 10 in school history in 11 categories, including ranking second in offensive yards (5,863) and plays (958), fourth in rushing yards (2,916) and fifth in yards per game (418.8).

The Wildcats finished the 2022 season with 421.6 total yards per game – their most since 2014 – while their 32.3 points per game were the most by the squad since 2017. K-State improved its production in Klein's second season at the offensive controls, as its 37.1 points per game ranked 10th nationally and sixth in school history, while it was the highest average by a K-State team since Klein's senior season of 2012 (38.9 points per game).

Kansas State produced 445.2 total yards per game in 2023 to rank second in school history.In Klein's offense, running back Deuce Vaughn became the second player in school history to twice earn Consensus All-America honors, while Cooper Beebe became the first offensive lineman in school history to earn Consensus All-America honors.

Prior to serving as K-State's offensive coordinator, Klein was the Wildcats' quarterbacks coach in 2017, 2019 and 2021, while he was a co-offensive coordinator in 2018.

He earned his first full-time coaching position tutoring the quarterbacks at Northern Iowa in 2016, which was just a year hiatus from Manhattan as he worked as an assistant director of recruiting and defensive quality control coach for the Wildcats in 2014 and an offensive graduate assistant in 2015.

The 2012 Johnny Unitas Award winner, Klein finished his K-State career ranking in the school's top 10 in 34 different game, season and career record categories. He was the first quarterback from a Power 5 school since 1998 to rush for at least 20 touchdowns and pass for 10 scores in consecutive seasons by doing so in 2011 and 2012.

Klein led the Wildcats to a combined 21-5 record as the starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012, which culminated with a No. 1 national ranking, Big 12 Championship and Fiesta Bowl berth in 2012.

Serving as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M the last two seasons, Klein has helped the Aggies to an 11-1 record this season and a possible berth into the College Football Playoff, which will be announced on Sunday.

This season, Texas A&amp;M holds an 11-1 record as the Aggies rank in the top 30 nationally in scoring offense (16th; 36.3 points per game), total offense (20th; 454.4 yards per game), rushing offense (26th; 192.7 yards per game), passing offense (32nd; 261.8 yards per game), tackles for loss allowed (1st; 2.83 per game), fourth down percentage (2nd; 75.0%), sacks allowed (11th; 1.00 per game), passing yards per completion (11th; 14.09), time of possession (15th; 32:24) and first downs (29th; 272).

Texas A&amp;M has hit the 400-yard mark in total offense 10 times in 12 games thus far in 2025.A 2025 Broyles Award Semifinalist, Klein has guided Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed to top-15 individual marks this season in passing yards per completion (7th; 14.03), points responsible for (13th; 186) and passing touchdowns (14th; 25).

In his first season at Texas A&amp;M in 2024, Klein helped guide the Aggies to a 5-0 start in SEC play, marking the program's best start in SEC action and its best conference start since 1998. Texas A&amp;M boasted the No. 2 rushing offense in the SEC, ranking 26th nationally (195.5 yards per game), and the offensive line ranked 10th in the country by allowing just 51.0 tackles for loss on the year.

Klein obtained his undergraduate degree from K-State in December 2011 in business financial services and controllership, while he received his master's degree in academic advising in December 2019. He is married to the former Shalin Spani, a former Wildcat women's basketball player. The couple has three sons, Beric, Rhett and Trek, and one daughter, Briar.

Back like he never left: Colin Klein and family arrive in Manhattan 

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. – Amber Cole’s journey to becoming a first-grade teacher at Westwood Elementary has been anything but traditional. Her impact though once she got into teaching has been nothing short of extraordinary.“Teaching at Westwood has opened my eyes to how deeply this staff is committed to students and their families. As a military family, we are familiar with constant change and the feeling of communities shifting around us. Yet at Westwood, there is a strong and steady sense of belonging that endures. The relationships, support and shared commitment here have created the consistent and caring community my family has longed for, and I am grateful to be part of it,” said Cole.

Although Cole wasn’t raised in a family of educators, her passion for working with children began early. Growing up in Omaha, Neb., Cole, whose family also farmed in Verdigre, Neb., watched as her mother opened their home to children as a foster parent, a powerful example that ultimately shaped her own desire to support and advocate for young people.

Fast forward to when Cole would become an adult herself and she and her husband, whom she met in high school, would go on to not only become a military family, moving all over the United States, but also licensed foster parents, which helped to deepen her belief that working with children is more than a career that it is a calling.“Watching my mom’s love, support and ability to advocate for children in need showed me what it truly means to care for the whole child. That experience shaped me in a profound way. Through every child who has come into our lives, I have learned that working with children is not simply something I can do; it is something I feel called to do. That same belief guides me as an educator today as I strive to create a classroom where every child feels valued, supported and seen,” said Cole, who has three boys of her own who all attend schools in USD 475.

Growing up, Cole was a competitive club gymnast who started training at the age of nine. She spent years traveling, competing, coaching and even judging gymnastics, while attending Westside High School in Omaha where she excelled in DECA and business marketing. Following her time as a Warrior, she would go on to graduate as a licensed cosmetologist in 2006, while also earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Southern New Hampshire University. Cole began her tenure in Geary County Schools USD 475 in 2017 in a moment she describes as almost accidental. As a stay-at-home mother, she found herself helping in her youngest son’s Pre-K class at Jefferson Elementary on Fort Riley when a teacher nonchalantly asked if she would like to be a lunchroom aide at the school. Her panicked response of, oh uh yeah, that sounds great, helped launch what would become nearly a decade of service to USD 475 in numerous roles, including being a lunchroom aide, early childhood instructional assistant and early childhood teaching assistant.

Despite having all those roles, she is currently in her first year of teaching at Westwood Elementary thanks to a teaching program at Kansas State University called Master of Arts in Teaching Program, which is designed for individuals who change careers and want to teach. Thanks to the program, Cole can now teach in a USD 475 classroom since she has a limited elementary residency license.“Teaching is truly the only career I have had that no matter what kind of day I had the day before that I get up in the morning and look forward to the day I get to spend in my classroom with my students,” said Cole.As you can see, Cole’s journey reminds us that educators don’t all start the same way, but once they discover where they’re meant to be, their impact is immeasurable.

Cole's Amazing Journey

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University will see more than 1,500 candidates for graduation this fall at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">commencement ceremonies</a>&nbsp;set for Friday, Dec. 12, in Manhattan and Salina and Saturday, Dec. 13, in Manhattan.

Candidates from both the summer 2025 and fall 2025 semesters will be recognized.Ceremony information, including parking, accommodations and a livestream of the Manhattan campus ceremonies, will be available on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">K-State graduation website.</a>The university will award approximately 1,050 bachelor's degrees, 350 master's degrees and 100 doctorates this fall. Seventy students will be earning multiple degrees and majors.

The graduates-to-be also include more than 300 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State Online program.As part of an effort to deliver and maximize a unified, student-centered graduation experience, undergraduate ceremonies on the Manhattan campus have been strategically combined this fall in a pilot structure.By hosting graduates from multiple academic colleges in three combined ceremonies on Saturday, in addition to an Army ROTC commissioning ceremony, the university aims to amplify the best of its commencement traditions.

Schedule and speakers for Friday, Dec. 12 ceremonies

K-State's fall 2025 commencement ceremonies celebrate Wildcat excellence

Geary County Public Works would like to share two new maps now found on the Geary County website. Navigate to the Public Works page, click on the Snow &amp; Ice Tab, and from here, you will find the following maps: 

The first map, Snow Removal Map, indicates which entities within Geary County are responsible for snow removal services. The map is searchable, so residents can search for a property, click on the highlighted road, and learn who is&nbsp; accountable. Associated phone numbers for each entity are included in the legend. 

The second map, Geary County Snow Plow Activity, provides a general&nbsp; representation of where the plow trucks are located. The intent for this map is for residents to see the areas in which the snow plow trucks are operating to inform the public of the areas traveled. 

If there are any questions regarding these maps, please feel free to contact the&nbsp; Geary County Public Works Office at publicworks@gearycounty.org or 785-238-3612.

Geary County Public Works announces new maps for Snow Plows and Removal

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a violent robbery in Manhattan have identified the teen suspects.

Just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of aggravated robbery in the 700 block of Allen Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 23-year-old man reported three unknown men battered him and stole a handgun.&nbsp;After additional investigation into the incident, officers identified the three male suspects.

Terrion Toliver, 18, of Manhattan was arrested on December 4, 2025, at approximately 11:56 p.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He is being held on a bond of $150,000.

Isaiah Ellis, 16, of Manhattan was arrested on December 4, 2025, at approximately 10:18 p.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He remains confined in the North Central Kansas Juvenile Detention Facility.

Noah McFadden, 17, of Manhattan was arrested on December 5, 2025, at approximately 12:48 a.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He is being held in the North Central Kansas Juvenile Detention Facility.

The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $150.

RCPD: 3 teens arrested for violent robbery, gun theft

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A driver accused in a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred in February finally made her first court appearance on Thursday.

Madelyn Walter, 24, Derby,&nbsp; was charged with with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and leaving the scene of an accident, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

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. 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.

Walter met the requirement for bond and was released from custody Feb. 7, according to online jail records.&nbsp; &nbsp;She is scheduled to return to court Dec. 15, according to the district attorney's office.

5-year-old was in SUV during hit-and-run that killed Kan. man

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.

Just after 3a.m. Nov. 29,&nbsp; a sheriff's deputy with conducted a traffic stop on a blue 2008 Ford Taurus near SW Huntoon Street and SW Lincoln Street, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine, were located. Roger K. Kelley, 63, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Dept. of Corrections on requested charges, Criminal possession of a weapon by felon and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.

Kansas felon is back in jail on drug allegations

Company owner says the seized products were a small portion of the total inventory, and employees were allowed to continue production while feds were there

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Federal agents this week seized 73,000 products containing 7-hydroxymitragine, commonly known as 7-OH, from three Kansas City-area warehouses.

The seized products included things like power bars, pills and liquids shots that are made with a concentrate of 7-OH, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/16/fda-warns-kansas-city-manufacturer-of-illegal-marketing-pain-relieving-pills/">the main opioid-inducing element in kratom</a>.&nbsp;

The action came out of a partnership between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Justice Department, according to the DOJ’s<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/justice-department-seizes-unlawful-7-oh-products-three-warehouses" target="_blank">&nbsp;press release issued Tuesday</a>.

“While 7-OH occurs naturally in trace amounts in the plant kratom, products containing 7-OH as an added ingredient can be dangerous,” states a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26338216-shaman-complaint/" target="_blank">civil forfeiture complaint filed on Nov. 21</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. “In the human body, 7-OH is able to bind to opioid receptors, raising concerns about its potential for abuse.”

7-OH products are advertised as improving chronic pain and “mental clarity,” and they are sold in Missouri smoke shops, gas stations, convenience stores and online shops.&nbsp;

The FDA sent&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/16/fda-warns-kansas-city-manufacturer-of-illegal-marketing-pain-relieving-pills/">warning letters</a>&nbsp;in June to the facility owners, Shaman Botanicals LLC and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC, stating the 7-OH products were considered “adulterated” and their labels were illegal under federal food laws.

On Nov. 12 and 13, FDA officials did an unannounced inspection of the three facilities, where they tagged and detained 76,000 units. Vince Sanders, who owns Shaman Botanicals LLC, said the company had the opportunity to appeal the FDA’s action, which they did. Shaman was the first company to make 7-OH products, Sanders said.

The DOJ filed a complaint to seize the detained products on Nov. 21, and officials from the FDA and U.S. Marshal Service seized the tagged boxes on Tuesday.

“The 7-OH products seized are illegal under federal law and pose risks to consumers, including children,” said R. Matthew Price, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri. “We are committed to helping American consumers protect themselves from dangerous chemicals posing as health products.”

Price said the department will continue to work with the FDA “to ensure illegal products never enter the stream of commerce and pursue all possible civil and criminal remedies against those who violate federal laws.”

However, Sanders told The Independent Thursday the seized units were only a small portion of the 7-OH products that were at the warehouse during the FDA’s November inspection. And his employees were allowed to continue making products while the federal agents were tagging and later seizing products in the warehouse.&nbsp;

“This is the craziest part,” Sanders said. “We literally sat there continuing to make the same products that they were taking.”

Sanders said the agents explained that they were targeting the finished packages, but there were many more finished products in the warehouse than the ones that were detained and ultimately seized.&nbsp;

In the FDA’s June warning letter, the agency deemed that 7-OH is a “new dietary ingredient.” The letter states that a dietary supplement is adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act if it contains a new dietary ingredient that doesn’t have enough evidence to show it isn’t dangerous.

“Because there is inadequate information available to provide a reasonable assurance that 7-OH does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury, it is illegal to sell dietary supplement products containing it as an ingredient,” the release states.&nbsp;

Sanders told The Independent in July that his company conducted three research studies on the products, including using rodents and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25999061-dfr-mgn-25-001-27jun25-crrdoc/" target="_blank">beagles</a>, which he believes shows the products are safe.

“This is just destroying something that has the potential to save hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives long term,” Sanders said.

He said there will likely be a hearing on the recent action in the next few weeks.

On the same day the DOJ’s complaint was filed on Nov. 21,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/21/missouri-ag-launches-investigation-into-manufacturers-of-kratom-7-oh/">Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway</a>&nbsp;sent “civil investigative demand” letters to Sanders’ company and six other producers and distributors of 7-OH products.

The letters mandate the company hand over multiple types of documents, including lab test results, research on health risks and safety label information.

Consumers, Hanaway said in a press release, “may be exposed to unapproved, unsafe and deceptively marketed opioid-like drugs.”

According to the letters sent to each company, the attorney general’s investigation targets the distribution of products containing 7-OH or “any part of the plant Mitragyna speciosa,” which is the kratom plant.

“We are deeply concerned,” Hanaway said, “that Missourians are being sold drug-like substances under the guise of harmless supplements, with no FDA approval, no safety testing, and in some cases no meaningful disclosure of what these products actually contain.”

Feds seize thousands of 7-OH products from Kansas City warehouses

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Annett, a former racecar driver who made 436 combined starts in NASCAR’s three national touring series, has died. He was 39.

JR Motorsports, one of Annett's former teams, posted the news on social media on Friday. No cause of death was announced.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” the team wrote. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”

According to NASCAR, Annett made 321 starts in the Xfinity Series, 158 of which came with JRM.

In 2019, Annett won the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet for his only win at the national level.

Annett, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series. He won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and then took the series opener at Daytona in 2008.

“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett," the racing body said in a statement. "Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”

Former NASCAR star Michael Annett dead at 39

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the children of wealthy households leave the nest, they often benefit from their parents’ largesse in the form of a trust fund. Less affluent peers may receive nothing at all — or even be expected to support their families when they become adults.

But what if all children, regardless of their family’s circumstances, could get a financial boost when they turn 18?

That’s the idea behind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-bonds-trump-child-poverty-8503180dc5c57a2f20dd59d7ece01d6a">“Trump Accounts,”</a>&nbsp;a lesser-known provision of President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-beautiful-gop-taxes-ced365c347de9320eef2ccb8df16dda2">tax legislation</a>. The bill, signed into law earlier this year, gives $1,000 to every newborn, so long as their parents open an account. That money is invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18. The parents of older children can also open accounts, but they won’t get the $1,000 bonus.

Backers say it’s a way to bolster capitalism and help children from low-income households build wealth at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/socialism-socialist-capitalism-big-business-free-enterprise-poll-c052ca687269a2cc075423877b7904e6">openly socialist candidates</a>&nbsp;are growing more popular.

The new program gives the $1,000 bonus only to babies born during the calendar years of the Trump administration. Thanks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-dell-susan-trump-accounts-stock-market-poverty-inequality-7e2615d50a3fc0563109ed0eeb4c41e1">a historic donation</a>&nbsp;announced Tuesday by billionaires Michael and Susan Dell, some children 10 and under could receive $250 in seed money if their parents open an account. That money is reserved for kids who live in ZIP codes with a median family income of $150,000 or less and who won’t get the $1,000 seed money from the Treasury.

Here’s what you need to know about Trump Accounts and how to claim them.

It’s new savings tool where money is invested in the stock market on behalf of a child. The child can’t access the money until they turn 18 and can only use it for specific purposes, such as paying tuition, starting a business or making a down payment on a home.

After a parent opens an account, the U.S. Treasury will contribute $1,000 for newborns. Private banks and brokerages will manage the money, which must be invested in U.S. equity index funds that track the stock market and charge the accounts no more than 0.10% in annual fees.

Parents can contribute up to $2,500 annually in pretax income, much like they do for retirement accounts. Parents’ employers, relatives, friends, local governments and philanthropic groups can also pitch in. Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, but contributions from governments and charities don’t count toward that total.

To qualify for the $1,000 seed money, a baby must be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number and be born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Any parent can open an account for a qualifying child, regardless of the parent’s immigration status.

It’s important to note that the child won’t be able to access the money until they turn 18, except in rare circumstances, so it can’t help with immediate expenses. And disbursements from the accounts will be subject to taxes.

Children born before 2025 won’t qualify for the $1,000 incentive, but parents can still open accounts for them as long as they’re under 18. Parents can still invest up to $2,500 pretax for those kids, and they may benefit from the Dells’ donation, giving $250 to children 10 and under in certain ZIP codes.

How do I open a Trump Account for my kids?

The accounts won’t be open for contributions until July 2026. But parents of eligible kids can sign up now by filling out Form 4547 from the Internal Revenue Service. As of Tuesday afternoon, that form was not yet available on&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpaccounts.gov/" target="_blank">the Trump Accounts website</a>.

In May, parents who sign up will get information about how to finish opening the accounts. Beginning in July, the White House says it will have a website where parents can register for the accounts.

Backers of the accounts say they want to introduce more people to the stock market and give even children born into poverty a chance to benefit from it. They believe that giving every newborn $1,000 will help combat the rising popularity of socialism and offer more people the opportunity to build wealth. About&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/data-research/statistics-data-visualizations/us-households-participation-capital-markets" target="_blank">58% of U.S. households</a>&nbsp;held stocks or bonds in 2022, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though the&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WFRBST01122" target="_blank">wealthiest 1%</a>&nbsp;owned almost half the value of stocks in that same year.

Before Trump created the accounts, California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia were piloting “baby bonds” programs that are similar to Trump Accounts in some ways. Several other states, including Maryland, are weighing programs.

But those programs are targeted for youth growing up in poverty or foster care, plus children who lost a parent to COVID-19. Wealthier children don’t benefit.

They’re also managed by the state, not private investment firms.

Critics point out the accounts do little to help children in their early years, when they’re most vulnerable and most likely to be in poverty. They also say the accounts do little to offset the cuts the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have made to other programs that benefit young people and their families, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-snap-wic-head-start-ddc8a5f6bb6b49150ff478eae9d454d5">food assistance</a>&nbsp;and Medicaid. Republicans created the accounts in the same Trump tax bill that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-snap-baby-bond-25c03837e9b2a0a4d6f60384ec5d0677">reduced spending</a>&nbsp;for some of those programs.

And even with the contribution from the government, critics say the Trump Accounts will widen the wealth gap. Affluent families that can afford to make the maximum pretax contribution to the accounts will realize the greatest benefits. Poor families who can’t afford to set aside money for the accounts will benefit the least. Assuming a 7% return, the $1,000 in seed money would grow to roughly $3,570 over 18 years.

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With new 'Trump Accounts,' your baby could qualify for $1,000. Here's what to know

SHAWNEE COUNTY—A wanted fugitive is in custody after an arrest in Shawnee County.

On December 2, sheriff deputies were investigating the occupants of a vehicle at the KWIK Shop near Morse and Topeka, according to Deputy Abigal Christian. Deputies identified a possible wanted subject. The driver was immediately detained, and the passenger ran.

With assistance from patrol deputies, a K-9 Unit, a drone and the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), deputies conducted a search of the neighborhood west of the KWIK Shop and successfully apprehended the fleeing suspect.

Danny J. Belisle Jr., 50, of Topeka, was arrested and booked him into the Shawnee County Department&nbsp; of Corrections on requested charges of Felony interference with law enforcement. Belisle also had two felony warrants for his arrest

Drone and sheriff's K9 helped catch wanted Kansas suspect

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.

<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2025/Dec/04/2003834916/-1/-1/1/DODIG_2026_021.PDF">Click here to read the full 84-page report</a>

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.”

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