JUNCTION CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– Geary USD 475 and the Junction City Education Association have announced that Fort Riley Elementary fifth grade&nbsp;teacher&nbsp;Emily Chandler and Junction City Middle School ELA and Special Education&nbsp;teacher&nbsp;Elizabeth Spaulding have been named the district’s nominees for the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Award.

Chandler was named the USD 475 Elementary&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Award nominee, while Spaulding claimed the Secondary&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Award nomination. By being named USD 475’s&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Award winners, Chandler and Spaulding both received a $500 check on Monday from Exchange Bank of Junction City. The duo will also be recognized at an upcoming Board of Education meeting

To be selected,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;must be a member of Junction City Education Association and chosen by a committee comprised of previous district&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teachers who still teach or taught in USD 475.Overall, USD 475 has had 11 individuals selected as a Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;by Emporia State University in its history. Since 2022, the district has had three USD 475&nbsp;teachers’&nbsp;claim the prestigious honor as Bryan Scruggs (2022), Melissa Hall (2023) and Jennifer Fallin (2024) were all named a member of the Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teachers.

Emporia State University established the Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;awards in 1954.&nbsp;The awards are presented annually to selected&nbsp;teachers who demonstrate the attributes of exemplary professional educators.&nbsp;Chandler, who is in her third year of teaching in USD 475 and is a Texas native, brings a wealth of passion, fun and expertise to the classroom as she not only teaches fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies at Fort Riley Elementary, but also recently created a journalism club at the school. Prior to her time in USD 475, Chandler, who is also the fourth and fifth grade team lead at FRE, taught at multiple schools in Arizona and Texas.

“I am so excited for what this means for our students, school and for myself. This is a wonderful recognition of the hard work we put in every day, and it truly is something to celebrate,” said Sowell. “I hope this shows my students that hard work, perseverance and consistent effort, the things we talk about every day, really do pay off.”

Spaulding, a Junction City native and 2011 Blue Jay graduate, has been a part of USD 475 for nine years. She spends her days in the classroom not only making a difference but also challenging her seventh grade English Language Art students by helping them grow daily. During her tenure, Spaulding, who has spent time at both JCMS and Junction City High School, has served in multiple roles, including being a National Honor Society and student council sponsor, as well as Special Education Case Manager, Gifted Teacher and ELA teacher at JCHS.

“I am truly in shock that I was named the secondary winner. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, so this recognition feels like a validation of the hopes and dreams that brought me to where I am today. I care deeply about my students and am constantly looking for new ways to engage them in our lessons, so this is an incredible honor,” said Spaulding.

The Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Award nomination portal opened Oct. 1,&nbsp;2025. Nominations will close at 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2026. Through the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, each&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;chosen will be presented with a check for $1,000 and will be highlighted at Emporia State's&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Day on Wednesday, April 1.

The seven state-wide recipients will be selected by a nine-member committee including representatives from the Kansas Association of Principals, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas State Board of Education, Kansas Parent&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Organization, Kansas National Education Association, United School Administrators, ESU’s Kappa Delta Pi student organization and representatives of past Kansas&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;classes.

Previous USD 475&nbsp;Master&nbsp;Teacher&nbsp;Honorees&nbsp;

--1961 - Jane E. Roether (Junction City)

--1989 - Ada Ligia R. Paquette (Junction City)

--2016 -&nbsp;Carol Settgast (Geary County)

--2024&nbsp;-&nbsp;Jennifer Fallin (Geary County)

USD 475 Names Kansas Master Teacher Award Recipients

GEARY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Monday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Subaru Outback driven by&nbsp; Kyle Steven&nbsp;Olson, 42, Yorktown, Virginia, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of the U.S. 77 exit. The SUV rear-ended a 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Neal Andrew&nbsp; Wheatley, 53, Chapman, who had&nbsp;&nbsp;slammed on the brakes due to a ladder in road.

EMS transported Wheatley to Stormont Vail in Junction City. Olson was not injured. Wheatley was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after I-70 rear-end crash

Geary County Commisioners hosted a discussion Monday with area state legislators at the County Office Building. The conversation occurred just weeks ahead of the 2026&nbsp; Kansas legislative session.&nbsp;

Property tax levy, the budget revenue netral rate, population and quality of of life were some of the topics of discussion. State Senator Mike Argabright noted that most of their constituents "get hung up on the mill levy." But paying attention to the dollars rather than the levy helps to understand a little bit.&nbsp;

When evaluation go up taxes are raised twice, leading to frustration. State Representative Shawn Chauncey noted that the population is not growing and the quality of life is not getting better statewide.

Retaining more military service members in Kansas was a topic along with helping their spuses find employment without being discriminatory also received attention from the legislators.

State Representative Nate Butler noted that he would be surprised if no tax bill is passed in the 2026 session.

There is an effort to form a local government caucus in the House and Senate, which would include members who have served in local government. That was viewed as a good idea during Monday's discussion and as a good filter.

The legislators received updates on the recent Geary County delinquent property&nbsp; tax sale and a possible shortage of lawyers in Junction City. They also met with county department heads.

Area state legislators visit with Geary County Commissioners 

USD 475 Communications Coordinator

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The Kansas State Department of Education recently announced that Geary County School USD 475’s Parents as Teachers program is one of only 11 outstanding Kansas PAT programs state-wide to achieve the prestigious&nbsp;Blue-Ribbon&nbsp;Endorsement from the Parents as Teachers National Center.

By receiving this honor, USD 475 is considered among the highest-performing home visiting programs in the entire Parents as Teachers international network, a remarkable achievement that reflects exceptional dedication to&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;children and families.

Earning Blue Ribbon status for the 2025-26 school year were Basehor-Linwood PAT USD 458, Bonner Springs/Edwardsville PAT USD 458, Coffeyville PAT USD 445, Gardner-Edgerton PAT USD 231, Geary County Schools USD 475 PAT, Harvey County PAT Consortium (Newton USD 373, Sedgwick USD 439, Halstead-Bentley&nbsp;USD 440&nbsp;and Hesston USD 460), Holcomb PAT USD 363, Lawrence PAT USD 497, Rice County PAT USD 405, Salina/Heartland Programs PAT USD 305 and Southeast of Saline PAT USD 306.

Achieving&nbsp;Blue Ribbon&nbsp;status demonstrates USD 475’s&nbsp;commitment to&nbsp;operating&nbsp;its PAT program at the highest level of fidelity to the model and research. Every five years, each PAT program engages in the Quality Endorsement and Improvement Process (QEIP), a rigorous, 15-month review.

To earn the&nbsp;Blue-Ribbon&nbsp;honor, a program must meet the following two requirements:&nbsp;the&nbsp;21 Essential Requirements, which are the minimum&nbsp;standards for implementation, and 81 quality standards, which are the pinnacle of excellence in home visiting. Only programs&nbsp;demonstrating&nbsp;outstanding quality, fidelity and positive outcomes achieve Blue Ribbon status.&nbsp;&nbsp;

USD 475 PAT Program Honored

RILEY COUNTY —On Monday, the Riley County Police Department issued an attempt to located for 29-year-old Erick Sanchez-Chavez of Manhattan. 

We’d like to speak to him regarding the death of Mark Rickenbaker in the 800 block of Colorado St on December 6.

&nbsp;Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check and located Rickenbaker who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

Sanchez-Chavez is described as 5-foot 8,&nbsp; 180 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Do NOT approach or attempt to apprehend Sanchez-Chavez. 

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RCPD asks for help to locate suspect in man's murder

RILEY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Saturday in Manhattan.

According to the Riley County Police Department activity report, a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Stevie Allen, 36 Bennington, struck a 2016 Jeep Renegade driven by Alani Lanning, 32, of La Cygne, near the intersection f of Tuttle Creek Boulevard and Griffith Driver in Manhattan.

EMS transported Lanning to Via Christi Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Allen was issued a citation for failure to yield the right of way.

Kan. man hospitalized after 2-vehicle crash in Manhattan

DICKINSON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Sunday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Honda Pilot driven by Sung H. Lee, 67, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, was eastbound on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Kansas 15 Highway.&nbsp; The SUV traveled into the north ditch just west of the Chapman exit. The vehicle continued down an embankment, through a KDOT fence and came to rest 100 yards off the highway in a field.

EMS transported the driver to the hospital in Abilene. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after SUV travels down embankment on I-70

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Manhattan. Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check of an injured man, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

First responders located a 36-year-old man, identified as Mark Rickenbaker of Manhattan who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

This is an isolated incident, according to the RCPD. Police released no additional details.

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RCPD investigating homicide of 36-year-old

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

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A jury last week convicted a Kansas man of shooting a woman, later identified as the mother of his children, outside a Wichita elementary school in 2024.

Vincent Solomon, 46, was found guilty of&nbsp;of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal use of weapons and interference with law enforcement in Judge William Wooley's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 9a.m. September 23, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. Solomon made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

Solomon then ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for Solomon to drop his gun and observed Solomon place the gun to the woman's head.

In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. Solomon would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm Solomon physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.

Investigators later learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to Solomon shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the suspect chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw Solomon with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.

EMS transported Somomon and the woman to an area hospital.&nbsp;The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct an investigation. Solomon met the requirement of a $750,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

Jury: Man guilty of shooting wife outside Kan. elementary school

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced a $12 billion farm aid package on Monday — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China as part of a broader trade war.

He unveiled the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who raise cattle and grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, wheat, and potatoes.

“$12 billion is a lot of money,” Trump said, adding that the additional aid will help provide certainty for farmers. The money is coming from tariff revenue, he said.

Rollins said that $11 billion is being announced on Monday, while another $1 billion is being held back for specialty crops as the administration works to better understand the circumstances for those farmers. The aid will move by the end of next February, Rollins said.

“We looked at how they were hurt, to what extent they were hurt,” Trump said in explaining how the administration came up with the size of the package. “We figured out a very exact number, and it was about $12 billion.”

Farmers have backed Trump politically, but his aggressive trade policies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">frequently changing tariff rates</a>&nbsp;have come under increasing scrutiny because of the impact on the agricultural sector and because of broader consumer worries.

Upwards of $11 billion is set aside for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which the White House says will offer one-time payments to farmers for row crops.

Soybeans and sorghum were hit the hardest by the trade dispute with China because more than half of those crops are exported each year with most of the harvest going to China.

The aid is meant to help farmers who have suffered from trade wars with other nations, inflation, and other market disruptions. The rest of the money will be for farmers who grow crops not covered under the bridge assistance program, according to a White House official who was granted anonymity ahead of the formal announcement to detail the new plan. The money is intended to offer certainty to farmers as they sell their current harvest, as well as plan for next year’s crop.

In October, after Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, the White House said Beijing had promised to buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of the calendar year, plus 25 million metric tons a year in each of the next three years. Soybean farmers have been hit especially hard by Trump’s trade war with China, which is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">world’s largest buyer</a>&nbsp;of soybeans.

China has purchased more than 2.8 million metric tons of soybeans since Trump announced the agreement at the end of October. That’s only about one quarter of what administration officials said China had promised, but Bessent has said China is on track to meet its goal by the end of February.

“These prices haven’t come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations,” Bessent said on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” explaining why a “bridge payment” to farmers was needed.

The size of the $12 billion aid package is roughly the value of total U.S. soybean exports to China in 2024 and half of the total exports of U.S. farm goods to China in 2024.

Farmers appreciate the aid package, but they say it’s likely only a down payment on what’s needed and government aid doesn’t solve the fundamental problems farmers are facing of soaring costs and uncertain markets for their crops. During Trump’s first term, he gave farmers more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 at the start of his trade war with China and nearly $46 billion in 2020, although that year also included aid related to the COVID pandemic.

But farmers want to make a profit off of selling their crops -- not rely on government aid to survive.

“That’s a start, but I think we need to be looking for some avenues to find other funding opportunities and we need to get our markets going. That’s where we want to be able to make a living from,” said Caleb Ragland, the Kentucky farmer who serves as president of the American Soybean Association.

If farmers can’t make ends meet this year, there will likely be additional consolidation in the industry with giant industrial farms only getting bigger while the number of smaller family farmers continues to shrink. The farmers most at risk are younger farmers and those who rent -- instead of own -- most of the ground they farm because they don’t have much ability to borrow against the equity in their land.

Most established farmers will be able to borrow more to survive the trade war. But older farmers who spent their whole lives building up equity may decide to retire instead of risk everything they built up unless they are trying to help the next generation of farmers get established on their land.

Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt is in a difficult position because he only owns 160 of the 2,000 acres he farms. So he’s selling some of his equipment that’s not essential and looking into whether he can pick up some overnight trucking jobs to help raise some cash.

“It is to the point where I don’t want to saddle my kid with the kind of stress that my wife and I are under right now,” Ewoldt said.

Trump has also been under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-beef-justice-department-c6c57effee6ef1a8c1088d4e5edcc60a">address soaring beef prices</a>, which have hit records for a number of reasons. Demand for beef has been strong at a time when drought has cut U.S. herds and imports from Mexico are down due to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screwworm-mexico-cattle-tariffs-parasite-nuevo-leon-649a82dedfa81dc215aebba16bb8cc67">resurgence in a parasite</a>. Trump has said he would allow for more imports of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">Argentine beef</a>.

He also had asked the Department of Justice to investigate foreign-owned meat packers he accused of driving up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/beef-prices-rising-us">the price of beef</a>, although he has not provided evidence to back his claims.

On Saturday, Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to look at “anti-competitive behavior” in food supply chains — including seed, fertilizer and equipment — and consider taking enforcement actions or developing new regulations.

Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Washington, Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota contributed to this report.

🎥President Trump details the $12B aid package for farmers

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 1a.m.&nbsp;Monday, an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block South 6th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver 34-year-old Megan McClain, was taken into custody on traffic charges and found to be in possession of controlled substances.

McClain was later booking into the county jail on requested charges of driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of a prescription drugs, according to Wilson.

Police: Kansas driver with an expired tag was transporting drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday seemed likely to expand presidential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-executive-power-firing-0b2e5e38911f17059187a92eb533b273">control over independent federal agencies</a>, signaling support for President Donald Trump’s firing of board members.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument

The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/humphreys-executor-supreme-court-trump-independent-agencies-8facfe6107fa94b28f391734d1620fe4">90-year-old decision</a>&nbsp;that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members — in part to try to ensure decision making free of political influence — or leave it with only its shell intact.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the crux of the issue is that the officials who direct the agencies “are exercising massive power over individual liberty and billion-dollar industries” without being accountable to anyone.

Liberal justices warned that a ruling sought by the administration to overturn the decision known as Humphrey's Executor would give the president, as Justice Elena Kagan said, “massive unchecked, uncontrolled power.”

Agencies that have been in place for a century or more also would be robbed of their expertise, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said.

“So having a President come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don’t know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States,” Jackson said.

No president before Trump has sought to wrest control of the agencies that regulate wide swaths of American life, including nuclear energy, product safety and labor relations. But the six conservatives, including three appointed by Trump, seemed more concerned about issuing a ruling that would endure than handing too much power to Trump.

Their rhetoric was reminiscent of the presidential immunity case in 2024 that allowed Trump to avoid prosecution for his efforts to undo the 2020 election results. The court is writing a decision “for the ages,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said then.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who argued the immunity case for Trump, defended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">the president's</a>&nbsp;decision to fire Federal Trade Commission member&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-supreme-court-dbe174d342817e1ae84bce3e9c40bd48">Rebecca Slaughter</a>&nbsp;without cause and called on the court to jettison Humphrey's Executor.

Sauer said the decision “hasn't withstood the test of time” and had enabled a “headless fourth branch” of government, the administrative state that conservatives and business interests have been taking aim at for decades.

Chief Justice John Roberts referred to Humphrey’s Executor as “a dried husk.”

The conservative side of the court already has signaled support for the administration's position, over the liberals' objection, by allowing Slaughter and the board members of other agencies to be removed from their jobs even as their legal challenges continue.

Members of the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission also have been fired by Trump.

The only officials who have so far survived efforts to remove them are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-federal-reserve-lisa-cook-5a48941a9e30017b0ed3e5837492d288">Lisa Cook</a>, a Federal Reserve governor, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-copyright-official-firing-c5ccca29ff5413815347340ffa300f69">Shira Perlmutter</a>, a copyright official with the Library of Congress. The court has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a966_1b8e.pdf">suggested</a>&nbsp;that it will view the Fed differently from other independent agencies, and Trump has said he wants her out because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">allegations of mortgage fraud</a>. Cook says she did nothing wrong.

A second question in the Slaughter case could affect Cook. Even if a firing turns out to be illegal, the court wants to decide whether judges have the power to reinstate someone.

Gorsuch wrote earlier this year that fired employees who win in court can likely get back pay, but not reinstatement.

That might affect Cook’s ability to remain in her job. The justices have seemed wary about the economic uncertainty that might result if Trump can fire the leaders of the central bank. The court will hear separate arguments in January about whether Cook can remain in her job as her court challenge proceeds.

Kavanaugh signaled that he is inclined to side with Cook, describing as an “end run” the idea that an illegally fired official would only be entitled to her salary.

Under Roberts' leadership, the court has issued a series of decisions dating back to 2010 that have steadily whittled away at laws restricting the president’s ability to fire people.

In 2020, Roberts wrote for the court that “the President’s removal power is the rule, not the exception” in a decision upholding Trump’s firing of the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau despite job protections similar to those upheld in Humphrey’s case.

In the 2024 immunity decision, Roberts included the power to fire among the president’s “conclusive and preclusive” powers that Congress lacks the authority to restrict.

The court also was dealing with an FTC member who was fired, by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935, who preferred his own choice at an agency that would have a lot to say about the New Deal.

William Humphrey refused Roosevelt's request for his resignation. After Humphrey died the next year, the person charged with administering his estate, Humphrey’s executor, sued for back pay.

The justices unanimously upheld the law establishing the FTC and limiting the president to removing a commissioner only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”

🎧 Highlights: Supreme Court on expanding presidential powers

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/zohran-mamdani">Zohran Mamdani</a>&nbsp;posted a video to social media on Sunday explaining immigrants’ right to refuse to speak to or comply with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, days after federal agents carried out a raid in Manhattan.

In the video, Mamdani vowed to protect the city’s 3 million immigrants, saying, “We can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights.”

He explained that people in the U.S. can chose not to speak to federal immigration agents, film them without interfering and refuse their requests to enter private spaces. ICE agents cannot enter spaces like a home, school or private area of a workplace without a judicial warrant signed by a judge, Mamdani said.

“ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent. If you’re being detained, you may always ask, ‘Am I free to go?’ repeatedly until they answer you,” said Mamdani, who will be sworn in as mayor on Jan 1.

His comments came a week after demonstrators gathered as ICE attempted to detain people on Canal Street near New York’s Chinatown. A similar immigration sweep in the same neighborhood last October&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nyc-immigration-sweep-chinatown-canal-street-a7f8cc60c128c67a5a7cd6003a0a856d">was also met with protests</a>.

“New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters,” Mamdani said in Sunday’s video.

Weeks earlier, Mamdani had a surprisingly cordial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mamdani-meeting-new-york-f7d52b3b2deec058424680e922ef1d46">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;with President Donald Trump, whose administration is carrying out federal immigration enforcement operations in several U.S. cities, most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-new-orleans-online-monitoring-b2c300245ea4ffbef335502245760a1d">New Orleans</a>.

🎥New York mayor-elect tells immigrants how to evade ICE

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas boy is in custody after accidentally shooting himself in Salina.

Just after 3:30a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to Salina Regional Health Center for the report of a 16-year-old who reportedly suffered a gunshot wound, according to Salina Police Captain Jim Feldman.

Investigators determined the the boy was in a vehicle with other individuals, and was carrying a handgun under his left arm. When the boy&nbsp; reached for the handgun, a shot was fired and he received a superficial wound in his left armpit area.&nbsp; 

The driver of the vehicle transported the boy to Salina Regional Health Center.

Officers conducted a search warrant on the vehicle and confirmed the boy had shot himself. Police did not find the gun but did find marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The boy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and then&nbsp;booked into the Juvenile Detention Center in Junction City on requested charges of Criminal Use of a Weapon, Criminal Carrying of a Weapon, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm and Liquor Consumption.

Kansas boy in custody after accidentally shooting himself

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-park-service">National Park Service</a>&nbsp;will offer free admission to U.S. residents on President Donald Trump’s birthday next year — which also happens to be Flag Day — but is eliminating the benefit for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm" target="_blank">new list</a>&nbsp;of free admission days for Americans is the latest example of the Trump administration downplaying America’s civil rights history while also promoting the president’s image, name and legacy.

<a href="https://www.doi.gov/blog/mark-your-calendars-fee-free-days-2025" target="_blank">Last year</a>, the list of free days included Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth — which is June 19 — but not June 14, Trump’s birthday.

The new free-admission policy takes effect Jan. 1 and was one of several changes announced by the Park Service late last month, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-park-fees-international-tourists-557f52a2e3c12540594f19cadbbc8334">higher admission fees</a>&nbsp;for international visitors.

The other days of free park admission in 2026 are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday (Oct. 27) and the anniversary of the creation of the Park Service (Aug. 25).

Eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm" target="_blank">Martin Luther King Jr</a>. Day and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/juneteenth.htm" target="_blank">Juneteenth</a>, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the last enslaved Americans were emancipated, removes two of the nation’s most prominent civil rights holidays.

Some civil rights leaders voiced opposition to the change after news about it began spreading over the weekend.

“The raw &amp; rank racism here stinks to high heaven,” Harvard Kennedy School professor Cornell William Brooks, a former president of the NAACP, wrote on social media about the new policy.

Kristen Brengel, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that while presidential administrations have tweaked the free days in the past, the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is particularly concerning. For one, the day has become a popular day of service for community groups that use the free day to perform volunteer projects at parks.

That will now be much more expensive, said Brengel, whose organization is a nonprofit that advocates for the park system.

“Not only does it recognize an American hero, it’s also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,” Brengel said. “Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition … For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration, and it shouldn’t be.”

Some Democratic lawmakers also weighed in to object to the new policy.

“The President didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom,” said Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. “Our country deserves better.”

A spokesperson for the National Park Service did not immediately respond to questions on Saturday seeking information about the reasons behind the changes.

Since taking office, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">sought to eliminate</a>&nbsp;programs seen as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-tuskegee-airmen-women-war-history-88a92c8485281d7c088c5eafe5dbf002">promoting diversity</a>&nbsp;across the federal government, actions that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-purge-images-pentagon-diversity-women-black-8efcfaec909954f4a24bad0d49c78074">erased or downplayed</a>&nbsp;America’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-service-disparaging-d861b3c902ef68b0184c2bd776f707e4">history of racism</a>&nbsp;as well as the civil rights victories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-black-history-smithsonian-dei-687fd306dc9c6d7611300d74fe49b8aa">Black Americans</a>.

Self-promotion is an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-greenwood-2713fda3efdfa297d0f024efb1ca3003">old habit of the president’s</a>&nbsp;and one he has continued in his second term. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-misses-out-on-nobel-peace-prize-729973788d8953da9af1cbc136232e96">unsuccessfully put himself forward</a>&nbsp;for the Nobel Peace Prize,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-institute-of-peace-6545c0101a02b677359f2732b019bf6a">renamed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Institute of Peace after himself, sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-commanders-stadium-name-nfl-d229beaf321af4fad2f5ae36b8227c34">put his name</a>&nbsp;on the planned NFL stadium in the nation’s capital and had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-accounts-kids-michael-dell-1831095c23ead75b67edc65ead5309fd">a new children’s savings program</a>&nbsp;named after him.

National parks fee-free calendar drops Juneteenth, MLK Day

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A suspect accused in a deadly Labor Day weekend robbery, killing is due back in court Monday.

Lafayette J. Washington, 21, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in&nbsp;Judge Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to move forward.

In September, Washington was charged with First degree murder, theft of property and criminal possession of a firearm in the shooting death of 23-year-old D’Andre Rubio of Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police.

The shooting occurred&nbsp; just after 1:30 a.m. September 1, in the 100 block of Rock Island in Wichita. Officers arrived and found Rubio suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives have learned that a disturbance took place before the shooting.&nbsp;

Washinton is being held on bond of over $1 million dollars.

Preliminary Hearing for Kansas Labor Day robbery, killing

By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel Writer

Boeing said Monday that it has completed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">$4.7 billion purchase</a>&nbsp;of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for the giant aerospace company's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-boeing-737-fuselage-28bceec61cef878005b965a016fa8787">737 Max jetliners</a>, including an Alaska Airlines aircraft that suffered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetliner-blowout-737-max-9-united-alaska-2f74f52bbad7fca26aa11786bd44c356">door-panel blowout</a>&nbsp;last year.

The deal,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-spirit-aerosystems-negotiations-outsourcing-75471aeaecf3144842ecdcbe2ed6f76f">in the works for over a year</a>, brings Boeing's largest provider of spare parts in-house. CEO Kelly Ortberg called it a “pivotal moment” for the company's future.

“As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry," Ortberg said in a statement.

Boeing previously owned Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit but spun it off in 2005. Reabsorbing the company, which is not related to Spirit Airlines, reverses a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing major work on its passenger planes, an approach that faced mounting criticism in recent years as manufacturing problems at Spirit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-supplier-slow-production-737-max-2525b4c5a27a7332b80b3016645918db">disrupted production</a>&nbsp;and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners, including 737s and 787s.

When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">Boeing</a>&nbsp;announced in July 2024 that it planned to reacquire Spirit, it positioned the move as a step toward improving quality and safety.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">Concerns about safety</a>&nbsp;came to a head almost six months earlier, after the door panel flew off the Alaska Airlines plane as it traveled 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) over Oregon.

The mishap left a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner, but no one was seriously injured. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board later said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e">four bolts</a>&nbsp;that help secure door panels were missing from the Alaska jet after repair work at a Boeing factory.

The finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-737-max-82145b25ed988cd8cae0bce3de79ce9d">renewed questions about Boeing’s safety culture</a>&nbsp;and came as the company confronted an ongoing criminal case over two earlier fatal crashes involving its Max jetliners.

Those crashes, which happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ede40d989be64863a9405802d6bb083b">off the coast of Indonesia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1108708781ba46808a16843bda8cc079">in Ethiopia</a>&nbsp;less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, killed 346 people and led to a worldwide grounding of the 737 Max for nearly two years. The Justice Department accused Boeing of deceiving regulators about a flight-control system that was later implicated in the crashes.

The criminal case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-737-max-crash-criminal-case-2fda6bd5226b042787c5bec3c02b78d3">resolved just last month</a>, when a federal judge in Texas approved the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charge as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-max-crashes-80ffdcf649f89ee0b3de689c0cfd3079">deal with Boeing.</a>&nbsp;In exchange, Boeing agreed to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for the crash victims’ families, and internal safety and quality measures.

The total value of the Spirit acquisition is around $8.3 billion, Boeing has said. Shares of Boeing rose roughly 2% in midday trading Monday.

&nbsp;Boeing on Monday announced it has completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, according to a media release from the aerospace company.

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