Junction City, Manhattan, and Chapman, KS —&nbsp;Konza Prairie Community Health Center is making it easier for families and individuals to get the care they need by expanding hours across Junction City, Manhattan, and Chapman. The new schedule offers earlier openings and longer days to accommodate work, school, and transportation challenges.

Konza can offer expanded hours thanks to funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). "Expanding our hours means more opportunities for patients to receive care when it works for them," said Danielle Hallgren, CEO, Konza Prairie Community Health Center. "We know that work schedules, childcare, and transportation challenges often prevent people from getting the care they need. Thanks to HRSA’s support, we can better meet those needs and keep our community healthier."

The HRSA Expanded Hours project began in 2023 and was implemented in two phases. Over the course of this two-year initiative, Konza has added a total of 24 clinical hours per week across its Junction City, Manhattan, and Chapman locations. Phase 1 extended evening hours at the Manhattan clinic. Phase 2 introduces early morning hours at both Junction City and Manhattan clinics and – in Chapman – adds a full clinic day plus an additional hour of nutrition services. These operational changes equate to 1,248 additional clinical hours, across all three communities, annually.

“This approach ensures patients receive the services they need most, exactly where they need them,” said Hallgren. “It embodies Konza’s patient-centered philosophy and reinforces our team’s mission to improve access to care for everyone.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kpchc.org/">www.kpchc.org</a>&nbsp;or call&nbsp;your local Konza clinic.

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration supports health centers nationwide in improving access to essential services. This funding enables clinics to offer extended hours, ensuring patients can receive timely care outside of traditional business hours.

About Konza Prairie Community Health Center

Konza Prairie Community Health Center is a trusted provider of comprehensive healthcare services for all individuals, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Konza serves uninsured, underinsured, fully insured, and Medicaid beneficiaries, offering medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to improve the overall health and well-being of our communities.

Konza Prairie Community Health Center Extends Hours to Better Serve Local Communities

Many districts have already gone to not allowing cell phones in the middle and high school levels of education. Now there will be a bill going before Kansas House members addressing the topic, explained State Representative Nate Butler. "This will make legislation pass through that will force them to make sure that there's no cell phones in middle schools and high schools." Butler added, of course, that there would be a lot of requirements on when students could and could not have cell phones. Butler will be one of the sponsors of the bill.

The 2026 legislative session begins next week.

Other issues that are expected to receive discussion will range from redistricting&nbsp;to a reduction in property taxes. Ninety days are set aside for the session.

Butler represents the 68th District in the Kansas House.

Cell phone usage in schools is an issue on the horizon for legislators

A&nbsp; pharmacy construction project will begin on Jan. 12 at Irwin Army Community Hospital. It will last through mid-March, to replace fire shutter doors and enhance patient and staff safety during emergency evacuations. According to Fort Riley while pharmacy operations will continue, patient interactions and prescription pickup will temporarily move to the lobby area in front of the pharmacy, and patients should expect longer wait times during construction.

&nbsp;The IACH pharmacy will offer extended hours on Saturday, Jan. 10, and Sunday, Jan. 11, to support patients ahead of construction.&nbsp;

Construction project slated at IACH

GEARY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30a.m. Thursday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1991 Chevy S10 driven by Terry J. Riley, 21, Melbourne, Florida, was eastbound on Interstate 70 took the Marshall&nbsp; Field exit to Fort Riley. The driver attempted to turn left onto Marshall Drive and the pickup began to spin due to road conditions. The pickup struck a 2021 Jeep Compass driven by Blake L. Frederick, 19, Melbourne, Florida, who was stopped on Marshall Drive waiting to enter Interstate 70 eastbound.

EMS transported a passenger in the Jeep identified as Sarah L.&nbsp;Johnson, 19, Kingston, North Carolina, to&nbsp;Stormont Vail Hospital-Flint HIlls. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Woman hospitalized after pickup, SUV crash

Abilene, Kan.&nbsp;- The Eisenhower Presidential Library will host a special Lunch &amp; Learn program,&nbsp;"Ike's Essential Leadership Qualities,"&nbsp;on&nbsp;January 22, 2026, at 12 p.m. CST.&nbsp;The hybrid program will be held in the Library building indoor courtyard and online via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://hcmbltcab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f3mB5AyULJN2eKAEVPdXS4WNqqUdC3tCiei2wxXa7j4_afucHMgnwFjlr8thReSOXBE1xAX1a8xG2fDULzeFXPKb0qBnJDDpFheKLALLrb4x8D5dZOpk3e-11Bn4X6DNG2CbTl7v0TGqsREKGj7u-AKQP_tQoPyevyyfPsOxAwJZIlUqGQmSzg==&amp;c=vaNxCXl5oLPtPz900O7BOPt5mq1g7EZIgQwHuEEhHpw3w-McFTjJ2w==&amp;ch=RENq96YuhEdR5McKt-fAOwb0H1uGfIayVlzgb4hQ_M9xKWECGH7Hkg==">YouTube Livestream</a>. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 a.m. A light box-lunch will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

The program will feature&nbsp;Daniel J. Vermilya, a Park Ranger at the Eisenhower National Historic Site, who will delve into the leadership philosophy of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The discussion is based on an article Eisenhower penned for&nbsp;Reader's Digest&nbsp;in June 1965, where he outlined "a handful of known qualities which I am convinced are the essence of leadership."

Attendees will explore the specific characteristics Eisenhower deemed vital for effective leaders and hear illustrative stories from his long and distinguished military and political career. This program offers a unique opportunity to gain insights into the principles that guided one of the 20th century's most influential figures.

Vermilya coordinates educational programming and special events at Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA. With over 15 years of service with the National Park Service, he has also worked at Antietam National Battlefield, Monocacy National Battlefield, and Gettysburg National Military Park.

Ike's Essential Leadership Qualities Celebrating America 250! 

Geary County is conducting a feasibility study concerning a change to the daily hours the offices are available to the public and would like your input.The survey is available as a press release on the Geary County website at <a href="http://www.gearycounty.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExc0pqUGY0OUxVQ0tuZGwyOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR43vDggbBV8Yje7Ok05ify-ESj2tE-YKwjA7jr8gYQENR89eSsPeANYgOUlyQ_aem_x5ufVrm_wtuF5NFLMSH-2g" target="_blank">www.gearycounty.org.</a>

The survey will be attached as a PDF for you to print, complete and return via email to GEFinance@gearycounty.org or you may drop it off in the Finance office at the Geary County Office Building, 200 E. 8th Street, Junction City no later than January 23, 2026.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 Input will be taken on posssible change to county office hours

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Skylar Chambers, Probation violation, arrested 01/05

Deion Singleton, Failure to appear, arrested 01/05

Sharla Smith, Failure to appear, arrested 01/05

Isaac Johnson, Probation violation, arrested 01/05

Cameron Bergman, Aggravated indecent liberties solicitation of a child, Sex act with a child &lt; 14, arrested 01/05

Anthony Whitfield, Domestic battery, arrested 01/05

Anaiah Johnson, Domestic battery; Unlawful restraint, arrested 01/05

Danny Schwarz, Violation of a protection order, arrested 01/05

Javon Bailey, Failure to appear, arrested 01/06

Robert Maxwell, Failure to appear, arrested 01/06

Frankie Page Jr., Failure to appear, arrested 01/06

Brittany Clark, Probation violation, arrested 01/07

Joanne Guilday, Failure to appear, arrested 01/07

Geary County Booking Photos Jan. 6-8, 2026

Geary County 2025 transient guest&nbsp; tax collections were down about two percent. It is the tax paid by users of lodging facilities.

Three factors in the decline were cited during the Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau Committee meeting on Wednesday. They included the closure or demolition of three hotels, the federal government shutdown and road construction closures along I-70.

--Due to the bridge construction, Interstate 70 eastbound is temporarily down to one lane.

--The annual Chamber of Commerce dinner is scheduled March 12.

--The new CVB Visitor's Guide has been prepared for distribution.

TGT tax collections show a decrease

There will be a Victory With Honors ceremony at 2 p.m. his Friday at the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters to honor the outgoing Division Chief of Staff, Col. Travis Habhab, and welcome the incoming chief of staff, Col. Gregory McLean.

Col. Habhab has served more than 27 years in the U.S. Army. He served as the Chief of Staff for the 1st Infantry Division, coordinating division staff activities and supporting the more than 13,000 warfighters assigned to the First Division and their families. As he concludes his Army service, he begins a new chapter of supporting Soldiers, their families, and military retirees and veterans as the executive director of Military and Veterans Affairs at Kansas State University.

Col. McLean began his Army service as an enlisted Armor Crewman. He has served at every echelon of command, most recently as the 194th Armored Brigade Commander at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he oversaw the training of initial entry Soldiers as part of the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command (T2COM), formerly Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).&nbsp; He joins the Big Red One as the division prepares for their rotation to Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Victory With Honors ceremony is scheduled at Fort Riley

MANHATTAN, KS (January 7, 2026)&nbsp;The Junction City, Manhattan and Wamego Chambers of Commerce have released the 4th Annual 20 under 40 class of young professionals making a difference in their communities.

Winners of 2026’s 20 under 40 will be recognized at a special reception in their honor at 5 p.m., Jan. 22, at the Museum of Art + Light.&nbsp;If you would like to attend the reception honoring the 2026 top young professionals, go&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://business.manhattan.org/ap/Events/Register/vP31qQbr">here</a>.&nbsp;

“We are incredibly honored to recognize such a distinguished group,” said Jason Smith, president and CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our membership has been committed to engaging young professionals for the past several years and we feel very strongly that one way to engage is to recognize achievement.”

Winners were nominated from the three counties that make up the Manhattan MSA (Riley, Pottawatomie and Geary). Nominees were then asked to complete an application that outlined their achievements in their profession as well as work in the community. From the nearly 75 nominees and over 60 applicants, an appointed committee selected the final 20.

Fourth annual 20 under 40 class is announced

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a chase and arrest in Wabaunsee County.

On Tuesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Alma Police Department, and the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office participated in what can only be described as an ambitious but poorly executed attempt to escape the long arm of the law, according to a media release from the Wabaunsee County Sheriff.

The incident began with a stolen vehicle traveling on Interstate 70, which exited into Alma, drove through Alma, exited Alma, and then continued back north until it encountered the firm but fair reminder that roads end yet consequences continue. The vehicle wrecked out near the intersection of K-99 and Fairfield Road, at which point the suspect bailed on foot. 

This classic maneuver is commonly referred to as “I’ll just run into the countryside and see what happens" and what happened next was 'tons of cops everywhere and all at once."&nbsp;

The suspect ran and attempted to hide in a cow pond yet was quickly met by Kansas State Troopers, Alma City Marshal Mike Baker in a scuba suit, and Deputies of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office.

 Ok, so Marshal Mike was not wearing a scuba suit, yet that would have been like, totally rad. Making a special appearance was surprise guest hero and homeowner Mr. Anthony Maike, who stepped up to protect his property armed with a super sick boom stick reminding everyone involved that trespassing in rural Kansas is not recommended and we LOVE the 2nd Amendment here in Wabaunsee County Kansas 

The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Dylan Woodcox, of Abilene, Kansas, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Wabaunsee County Jail on requested charges including Flee and Elude, Driving a Stolen Vehicle, active warrants out of Dickinson County, not having a driver's license and littering (probably idk) further charges will be forwarded to the Wabaunsee County Attorney.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.&nbsp;

🎥 Sheriff: Kan. stolen car suspect was hiding in cow pond

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a man for an alleged attack on his mother.

Just after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a residence located in the 1700 block of Morton Street in Great Bend in response to a report of an aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.

While responding to the call, officers were advised that a family member reported to 911 that a son was holding his mother at knife point inside of the residence. 

Upon arrival, officers attempted to make contact with the residents inside of the home but were unable to do so. Great Bend police officers, with assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol, quickly surrounded the residence, while a search warrant was drafted.

Upon the execution of the warrant, officers located and apprehended Patton Mills, 33, who was taken into custody without incident. A female victim was located inside the residence with multiple injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. The victim was transported by EMS for further medical treatment.

Mills was booked into the Barton County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery (Domestic Violence), and for an outstanding Warrant.

Kansas man accused of violent attack on his mother

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday proposed setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”

Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/us-trump-updates-01-07-2026">U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea.

The 2026 military budget is set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-congress-trump-dd67d203accfb65b7604072ebb5da153">at $901 billion.</a>

Trump in recent days has also called for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-greenland-trump-russia-deterrence-threat-07d6c18ed968c25736eca2c25d935edb">taking over the Danish territory of Greenland</a>&nbsp;for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”

“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” Trump said in a posting on Truth Social announcing his proposal.

The military just received a large boost of some $175 billion in the GOP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">“big, beautiful bill”</a>&nbsp;of tax breaks and spending reductions that Trump signed into law last year.

Insisting on more funding for the Pentagon is almost certain to run into resistance from Democrats who work to maintain parity between changes in defense and non-defense spending. But it’s also sure to draw objections from the GOP’s deficit hawks who have pushed back against larger military spending.

But Trump said he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.

The U.S. government collected gross revenues of $288.5 billion last year from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-trade-economy-3096dec0bb6bc49f3b965f64fce70bfa">tariffs</a>&nbsp;and other excise taxes, up from $98.3 billion in 2024, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That’s a meaningful increase in revenues from taxing imports. But it’s not enough to cover the various promises made by Trump, who has said the tariffs can also cover dividends to taxpayers, pay down the national debt and, now, cover increased spending on the military.

Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday also threatened to cut off Pentagon purchases from Raytheon, one of the biggest U.S. defense contractors, if the company did not end the practice of stock buybacks and invest more profits into building out its weapons manufacturing capacity.

“Either Raytheon steps up, and starts investing in more upfront Investment like Plants and Equipment, or they will no longer be doing business with Department of War,” Trump said on social media. “Also, if Raytheon wants further business with the United States Government, under no circumstances will they be allowed to do any additional Stock Buybacks, where they have spent Tens of Billions of Dollars, until they are able to get their act together.”

The threat came as the president issued an executive order calling on the Pentagon to begin a review to spot defense contractors who are underperforming on fulfilling contracts and insufficiently investing in building manufacturing but are still engaging in stock buybacks or distributing dividends to shareholders.

The order also calls for the Pentagon to take steps to ensure future contracts with any new or existing defense contractor contain a provision prohibiting stock buybacks during a period of underperformance on U.S. government contracts. The order also calls for the Pentagon to stipulate in future contracts that executive incentive compensation is not tied to short-term financial metrics.

Trump in recent months has repeatedly complained broadly that defense companies have been woefully behind on deliveries of critical weaponry, yet continue to mete out dividends and stock buybacks to investors and offering eye-popping salaries to top executives.

The criticism of Raytheon, however, was the most pointed to date of a particular contractor.

The company is responsible for making some of the military’s most widely used and notable missiles, including the Tomahawk cruise missile, the shoulder-launched Javelin and Stinger missiles, and the Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

Raytheon also owns Pratt and Whitney, a company that is responsible for manufacturing a host of jet engines that power aircraft for all the military branches, including the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

On Wall Street, shares of defense contractors fell, with Northrop Grumman dropping 5.5%, Lockheed Martin declining 4.8% and RTX Corp., the parent company of Raytheon, slipping 2.5%.

Raytheon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dangerous times: Trump proposes massive increase in defense spending

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House passed legislation Thursday, 230-196, that would extend&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/%E2%80%9CNo%20matter%20the%20issue,%20if%20the%20House%20puts%20forward%20relatively%20strong,%20bipartisan%20support,%20it%20makes%20it%20easier%20for%20the%20senators%20to%20get%20there.%E2%80%9D">expired health care subsidies</a>&nbsp;for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act as renegade GOP lawmakers joined essentially all Democrats in voting for the measure.

Forcing the issue to a vote came about after a handful of Republicans signed on to a so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">“discharge petition”</a>&nbsp;to unlock debate, bypassing objections from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>. The bill now goes to the Senate, where pressure is building for a similar bipartisan compromise.

Together, the rare political coalitions are rushing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c">resolve the standoff</a>&nbsp;over the enhanced tax credits that were put in place during the COVID-19 crisis but expired late last year after no agreement was reached during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>.

“The affordability crisis is not a ‘hoax,’ it is very real — despite what Donald Trump has had to say,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, invoking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordability-pennsylvania-speech-6a7884b814f448ab6b17b9d924a356ba">the president's remarks</a>.

“Democrats made clear before the government was shut down that we were in this affordability fight until we win this affordability fight,” he said. “Today we have an opportunity to take a meaningful step forward.”

Ahead of voting, the nonpartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbo-big-beautiful-bill-trump-republican-deficit-debt-d432b67a965790e4a26de46ea8db1266">Congressional Budget Office</a>&nbsp;estimated that the bill, which would provide a three-year extension of the subsidy, would increase the nation's deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade. At the same time, it would increase the number of people with health insurance by 100,000 this year, 3 million in 2027, 4 million in 2028 and 1.1 million in 2029, the CBO said.

Growing support for extending ACA subsidies

Johnson, R-La., worked for months to prevent this situation. His office argued Thursday that the federal health care funding from the COVID-19 era is ripe with fraud, pointing to an investigation in Minnesota, and urged a no vote.

On the floor, Republicans argued that the subsidies as structured have contributed to fraud and that the chamber should be focused on lowering health insurance costs for the broader population.

“Only 7% of the population relies on Obamacare marketplace plans. This chamber should be about helping 100% of Americans,” said Rep. Jason Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

While the momentum from the vote shows the growing support for the tax breaks that have helped some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-enrollment-subsidies-health-90ad8b27a6693c5aa03a9ca841048479">22 million Americans</a>&nbsp;have access to health insurance, the Senate would be under no requirement to take up the House bill.

Instead, a small group of senators from both parties has been working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that for any plan to find support in his chamber, it will need to have income limits to ensure that the financial aid is focused on those who most need the help. He and other Republicans also want to ensure that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.

Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who is part of the negotiations on reforms and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, said there is agreement on addressing fraud in health care.

“We recognize that we have millions of people in this country who are going to lose — are losing, have lost — their health insurance because they can’t afford the premiums,” Shaheen said. “And so we’re trying to see if we can’t get to some agreement that’s going to help, and the sooner we can do that, the better.”

Trump has pushed Republicans to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can bypass the federal government and handle insurance on their own. Democrats largely reject this idea as insufficient for covering the high costs of health care.

The action by Republicans to force a vote has been an affront to Johnson and his leadership team, who essentially lost control of what comes to the House floor as the Republican lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.

After last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-signs-government-funding-bill-ending-shutdown-after-record-43-day-disruption-ap-explains-6f25ef5b692c418cbed5bbdb26b796d7">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;failed to resolve the issue, Johnson had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on another health care bill that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes.

But after days of discussions, Johnson and the GOP leadership sided with the more conservative wing, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up ACA, which they consider a failed government program. He offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-house-health-care-plan-obamacare-subsidies-208b30670d0486c8d27ceb59c59003e0">modest proposal of health care reforms</a>&nbsp;that was approved, but has stalled.

It was then that rank-and-file lawmakers took matters into their own hands, as many of their constituents faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-aca-speaker-johnson-1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253">soaring health insurance premiums</a>&nbsp;beginning this month.

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York, signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.

Trump encourages GOP to take on health care issue

What started as a long shot effort by Democrats to offer a discharge petition has become a political vindication of the Democrats’ government shutdown strategy as they fought to preserve the health care funds.

Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.

Trump, during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-house-republicans-meeting-kennedy-center-ad8705ea228a8a4591567fb51f87edb3">lengthy speech</a>&nbsp;this week to House GOP lawmakers, encouraged his party to take control of the health care debate — an issue that has stymied Republicans since he tried, and failed, to repeal Obamacare during his first term.

Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed to this report.

House approves 3-year extension of expired health care subsidies

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged road rage shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 32-year-old Keithlin Royster, according to KCPD Officer Alanya Gonzalez

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting on southbound 71 Highway and Blue River Road.

First responders located a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway and a woman asking for help. At that time, officers observed Royster unresponsive inside of the vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene and pronounce him deceased at that scene.

Preliminary information indicates this may be a road rage incident. It is believed two unidentified men were occupying an unknown vehicle when shots were fired, striking the victim. It is not currently known where the start of the altercation began, and where exactly the shooting occurred. 

A subject of interest turned himself in to police late Wednesday regarding this incident and he was questioned by detectives for further investigation. Detectives are not currently seeking any additional suspects, and the case has been presented to prosecutors for consideration of applicable charges, according to Gonzalez.

Police: Suspect in deadly KC road-rage killing turns himself in

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jan. 26 marks the official start date of the 2026 tax filing season, when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2025 tax returns. April 15 is the filing deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

Tax season is the annual period when taxpayers prepare and submit their income tax returns for the previous calendar year to the IRS and most U.S. citizens and permanent residents need to file a tax return if they make more than a certain amount of money for the year.

Tax experts, including the IRS’ independent watchdog, have warned that this year’s filing season could be hampered by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-doge-layoffs-tax-season-0659e4b439400bf66023273f6a532fa0">loss of tens of thousands of tax collection workers</a>&nbsp;who left the agency through planned layoffs and buyouts spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-irs-bessent-bisignano-e58cfaf2c88299e728d9783c8f5476fa">named to the new role in October</a>, said “the IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public. At the same time, IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.”

Bisignano is also commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

The IRS will also be responsible for implementing major provisions of Republicans’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions" target="_blank">tax and spending package</a>&nbsp;signed into law last summer. Several provisions in the law retroactively affect the 2025 tax year, likely leading to more questions from taxpayers and requiring the IRS to update tax forms.

“President Trump is committed to the taxpayers of this country and improving upon the successful tax filing season in 2025,” said acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent in a news release. “I am confident in our ability to deliver results and drive growth for businesses and consumers alike.”

The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.

The average refund amount was $3,167, according to IRS data. Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger tax refunds in 2026.

The latest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-season-irs-audits-watchdog-report-fb5a1ecec7424362e34e9502270f1e21">National Taxpayer Advocate report</a>&nbsp;to Congress published in June states that the IRS workforce has fallen from 102,113 workers at the end of the Biden administration to 75,702. The IRS website does not include the latest employment numbers on the agency’s workforce.

IRS employees involved in last year’s tax season were not allowed to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline of April 15, 2025.

The June&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/" target="_blank">National Taxpayer Advocate</a>&nbsp;report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky.

IRS announces when they will begin accepting 2025 tax returns

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has advanced a resolution that would limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ability to conduct further&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">attacks against Venezuela</a>, sounding a note of disapproval for the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-european-union-greenland-denmark-rubio-frederiksen-4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300">expanding ambitions</a>&nbsp;in the Western Hemisphere.

Democrats and five Republicans voted to advance the war powers resolution on a 52-47 vote tally and ensure a later vote for final passage. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the resolution.

It has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it if it were to pass the House, but it’s still a significant gesture that shows unease among some Republicans after the U.S. military seized Venezuelan President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-capture-trump-attack-military-ceb21da088f0a06b1813e66922def9a3">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;in a surprise nighttime raid.

Two Republicans flip on Venezuela war powers resolution vote

The Senate is voting on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela, and the vote tally is looking to be razor-thin.

Two Republicans who previously voted against similar resolutions — Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Susan Collins of Maine — are now voting for the resolution. It’s still not clear what the final vote outcome would be.

A majority vote would set up a later vote on passage for the resolution. It still has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it, but the vote outcome showed how some Republicans are uneasy with the Trump administration’s military action against Venezuela.

Some Republicans insist on congressional approval for war

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, said on Air Force One on Sunday that he’s comfortable with Trump taking over other countries — including Greenland — without congressional approval. “The commander in chief is the commander in chief. They can use military force,” Graham said.

But some others are voicing opposition. Asked whether he’d support putting troops on the ground in Venezuela, Thom Tillis of North Carolina responded: “Not without congressional authorization.”

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, an outspoken proponent of war powers resolutions, acknowledged that Maduro is seen as a “bad guy” and “a socialist and an autocrat.” But, Paul added, “The question is about who has the power to take the country to war?”

Paul said Republicans discussed Trump’s plans for Greenland at their Wednesday luncheon and he heard “zero support” for taking military action to seize it.

Sen. Tim Kaine: ‘It’s time for Congress to assert its control over military action of this kind’

“It’s time to get this out of secrecy and put it in the light,” the Virginia Democrat said after forcing a Thursday Senate vote on a resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to strike Venezuela militarily again.

Kaine said a resolution on Greenland would soon be filed, in addition to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria.

Republican leaders have said they had no advance notification of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-presidential-palace-blowtorches-7969152ae48510003fe9cbde92f3c102">raid early morning Saturday</a>&nbsp;to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, but they’ve backed Trump, and mostly expressed satisfaction this week as top administration officials provided classified briefings on the operation.

“I think the president has demonstrated at least already a very strong commitment to peace through strength, especially in this hemisphere,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “I think Venezuela got that message loudly and clearly.”

Moran, Marshall vote no on resolution to limit Trump’s ability to attack Venezuela

NEW YORK (AP) — NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year and may&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">bring its crew</a>&nbsp;back early from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-spacex-contract-international-space-station-339c0b8313073fdf4d9fe22056f3d51c">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;due to an onboard medical issue.

The spacewalk was supposed to happen on Thursday, but was postponed because of an unspecified medical concern with an astronaut, who was not identified, the space agency said.

NASA said the crew member is now stable, but it's “actively evaluating all options” including an early end to the mission.

“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority,” said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner in a statement.

The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four have been at the orbiting lab since August after launching from Florida.

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

NASA facing medical emergency on International Space Station

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonel-aleccia">JONEL ALECCIA</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9"></a>&nbsp;

Americans should eat more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and less added sugar, according to the latest edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">federal nutrition advice</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday by the Trump administration.

Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2025-2030 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, which offer updated recommendations for a healthy diet and provide the foundation for federal nutrition programs and policies. They come as Kennedy has for months stressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-kennedy-food-pyramid-dietary-guidelines-eb08465c99512d224112ff6c95d24a32">overhauling the U.S. food supply</a>&nbsp;as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda.

The guidelines emphasize consumption of fresh vegetables, whole grains and dairy products, long advised as part of a healthy eating plan. Officials released a new graphic depicting an inverted version of the long-abandoned food pyramid, with protein, dairy, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables at the top and whole grains at the bottom.

But they also take a new stance on “highly processed” foods, and refined carbohydrates, urging consumers to avoid “packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies and candy.” That’s a different term for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ultraprocessed-foods-healthy-diet-0501eb985016149541e6cc727e55dfea">ultraprocessed foods</a>, the tasty, energy-dense products that make up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/americans-get-more-than-half-their-calories-from-ultra-processed-foods-cdc-report-says/" target="_blank">more than half the calories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. diet and have been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

The new guidance backs away from revoking long-standing advice to limit saturated fats, despite signals from Kennedy and Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary that the administration would push for more consumption of animal fats to end the “war” on saturated fats.

Instead, the document suggests that Americans should choose whole-food sources of saturated fat — such as meat, whole-fat dairy or avocados — while continuing to limit saturated fat consumption to no more than 10% of daily calories. The guidance says “other options can include butter or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seed-oil-beef-tallow-kennedy-4fdf0f30134277fd6dd20b4ede789295">beef tallow</a>,” despite previous recommendations to avoid those fats.

The dietary guidelines, required by law to be updated every five years, provide a template for a healthy diet. But in a country where more than half of adults have a diet-related chronic disease, few Americans actually follow the guidance, research shows.

The new recommendations drew praise from some prominent nutrition and medical experts.

“There should be broad agreement that eating more whole foods and reducing highly processed carbohydrates is a major advance in how we approach diet and health,” said Dr. David Kessler, a former FDA commissioner who has written books about diet and nutrition and has sent a petition to the FDA to remove key ingredients in ultraprocessed foods.

“The guidelines affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health,” said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association.

Other experts were relieved that the guidelines didn’t go against decades of nutrition evidence linking saturated fat to heart disease, but they were critical of the guidelines’ focus on meat and dairy as a primary source of protein instead of plant-based sources.

“Overall, if people eat the way these are recommended, they will be eating more calories, not less,” said Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and food policy expert who advised previous editions of the guidance.

The new document is just 10 pages, upholding Kennedy’s pledge to create a simple, understandable guideline. Previous editions of the dietary guidelines have grown over the years, from a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/1980%20DGA.pdf" target="_blank">19-page pamphlet</a>&nbsp;in 1980 to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf" target="_blank">164-page document</a>&nbsp;issued in 2020, which included a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/DGA_2020-2025_ExecutiveSummary_English.pdf" target="_blank">four-page executive summary</a>.

The guidance will have the most profound effect on the federally funded National School Lunch Program, which is required to follow the guidelines to feed nearly 30 million U.S. children on a typical school day.

The Agriculture Department will have to translate the recommendations into specific requirements for school meals, a process that can take years, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association. The latest school nutrition standards were proposed in 2023 but won’t be fully implemented until 2027, she noted.

Science advisers didn’t make ultraprocessed food recommendations

The new guidelines skip the advice of a 20-member panel of nutrition experts, who met for nearly two years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usda-hhs-dietary-guidelines-d6a9c6f0554f279497acb5714b3032b9">review the latest scientific evidence</a>&nbsp;on diet and health.

That panel didn’t make recommendations about ultraprocessed food. Although a host of studies have shown links between ultraprocessed foods and poor health outcomes, the nutrition experts had concerns with the quality of the research and the certainty that those foods, and not other factors, were causing the problems.

The recommendations on highly processed foods drew cautiously positive reactions. The FDA and the Agriculture Department are already working on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/25/2025-14089/ultra-processed-foods-request-for-information" target="_blank">definition of ultraprocessed foods</a>, but it’s expected to take time.

Not all highly processed foods are unhealthy, said Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“I think the focus should be on highly processed carbohydrates,” he said, noting that processing of protein or fats can be benign or even helpful.

The guidelines made a few other notable changes, including a call to potentially double protein consumption.

The previous recommended dietary allowance called for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — about 54 grams daily for a 150-pound person. The new recommendation is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. An average American man consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, or about twice the previously recommended limit.

Makary said the new advice supersedes protein guidance that was based on the “bare minimum” required for health.

Ludwig also noted that the earlier recommendation was the minimum amount needed to prevent protein deficiency and said higher amounts of protein might be beneficial.

“A moderate increase in protein to help displace the processed carbohydrates makes sense,” he said.

Officials with the American Heart Association, however, called for more research on protein consumption and the best sources for optimal health.

“Pending that research, we encourage consumers to prioritize plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats and to limit high-fat animal products including red meat, butter, lard and tallow, which are linked to increased cardiovascular risk,” the group said in a statement.

The guidelines advise avoiding or sharply limiting added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners, saying “no amount” is considered part of a healthy diet.

No one meal should contain more than 10 grams of added sugars, or about 2 teaspoons, the new guidelines say.

Previous federal guidelines recommended limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories for people older than 2, but to aim for less. That’s about 12 teaspoons a day in a 2,000-calorie daily diet. Children younger than 2 should have no added sugars at all, the older guidance said.

In general, most Americans consume about 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new guidelines roll back previous recommendations to limit alcohol to one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men.

Instead, the guidance advises Americans to “consume less alcohol for better health.” They also say that alcohol should be avoided by pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder and those who are unable to control the amount they drink.

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