There will be a retirement reception honoring&nbsp;Dr. Richard Lochamy&nbsp;on&nbsp;Thursday, Dec. 11 from 3:30–6:30 PM&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Walker Reception Hall, 135 West 7th St, Junction City.&nbsp;

Practice Manager Alicia Lance said that all patients, colleagues, and friends are invited to attend.Light refreshments will be served.

Come celebrate and wish Dr. Lochamy well as he sails onto his next adventure. If you have any questions call&nbsp;785-762-6543.

Retirement reception is scheduled for Dr. Richard Lochamy

The Geary County Historical Society will be hosting A Kaw Theater Christmas on Saturday, December 13th from 1-4pm. The original Kaw Theater candy—originally made by the Heyl family—will be on sale in three flavors: licorice, lemon, and, of course, cinnamon! 

Historical Society Executive Director Heather Hagedorn said that along with Kaw Theater candy, movie theater popcorn will be available to enjoy while watching classic Christmas movies.&nbsp;The gift shop at the Historical Society will also be open for local Christmas gifts including books, mugs, tea towels, and ornaments with Kansas and/or Geary County themes.

&nbsp;The Geary County Historical Society Museum is located at 530 N. Adams, Junction City and includes three floors of exhibits that will also be open for touring throughout the event.&nbsp; &nbsp;

A Kaw Theater Christmas is set for Saturday

The two week report from Nov. 19 through Dec. 2 for the Geary County Sheriff's Department from Sheriff Nate Boeckman was presented on Monday at the Geary County Commission meeting.

There was an average daily inmate population of 88, reflecting a large drop from a few weeks earlier. There were not any burglaries and there were 14 arrests. Total calls were calculated at 526.&nbsp;

Cold weather is believed to be a big factor in the reduced number of calls.

Sheriff's Office numbers

RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp; Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Manhattan have made an arrest.&nbsp;

Just after 8p.m. Monday,&nbsp; Riley County Police in conjunction with Topeka Police and the KHP&nbsp; arrested 29-year-old Erick Sanches of Manhattan in the 300 Block of Kansas Avenue, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Sanchez is being held on a $1 million dollar bond on requested charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal threat.&nbsp;

Just before 12:30a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp; responded to the 800 block of Colorado for a reported welfare check of an injured man. Upon arrival, officers located 36-year-old Mark Rickenbaker, of Manhattan. During the investigation, officers discovered Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival. Rickenbaker, who was transported to Via Christi Hospital with serious injuries, later died, as a result of those injuries.

Police capture suspect in weekend murder in Manhattan

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Monday in Manhattan.

Acording to the Riley County Police Department activity report,&nbsp; a 1999 Ford F-350 driven by Russell Thompson, 65, had struck a 2003 Chevrolet truck driven by James Posch, 64, at the intersection of 11th Street and Bertrand Street.&nbsp; The impact pushed into a 2013 Toyota RAV4, driven by Korie Kirkwood, 20.

EMS transported Posch to Via Christi for his injuries and issued a citation for failing to stop at a stop sign.

The RCPD released no additional details including where the drivers were from.

Driver hospitalized, cited after 3-vehicle crash

ELLIS COUNTY —A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Monday in Ellis County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Peterbilt semi driven by George A. Crawford, 72, Elk City, Kansas, was southbound on Vincent Road at Old Highway 40.&nbsp; The driver did not see or hear the train's whistle. A Union Pacific Train with 41 cars struck the semi as it was crossing the tracks. EMS transported Crawford to Hays Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

The train engineer Troy A. Young, 52, Abilene and conductor Tyler S.&nbsp;Gurnee, 33, Salina, were not injured. Crawford was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Abilene man working aboard train involved in crash with a semi

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 

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

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

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a 4-year-old have made an arrest.

Just before 3:30p.m. Monday, police&nbsp; responded to a medical call regarding an unresponsive 4-year-old child in the 2600 block of South Topeka in Wichita, according to police department spokesman Andrew Ford. The child was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was pronounced deceased at 4:07 p.m.

Police booked a suspect, identified as 34-year-old Daniel Martin,&nbsp; into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of Child Abuse pending the Medical Examiners autopsy report.

Kansas man jailed after 4-year-old dies at a hospital

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-us-security-strategy-russia-interference-dd672c0d0b3f31378c39381ef8ea8dea">U.S.-European alliance.</a>

Leo spoke to reporters after meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, who is on another tour to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-europe-talks-297fc6a148fdb8dce4defb31b953ce0f">rally European support</a>&nbsp;for Kyiv. The American pope said they discussed the need for a ceasefire and the Vatican’s efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities.

Leo was asked about the U.S. peace proposal and the seeming sidelining of European powers in the process. Speaking as he left his vacation home in Castel Gandolfo, Leo insisted that Europe’s role was crucial to any deal.

“Seeking a peace agreement without including Europe in the talks is unrealistic, given the war is in Europe,” he said. “Guarantees are also being sought for security today and in the future. Europe must be part of this, and unfortunately not everyone understands this, but I think there is a great opportunity for European leaders to unite and seek a solution together.”

Zelenskyy has said there are three documents in the peace agreement being discussed with U.S. and European partners, a framework document of 20 points, a second document with security guarantees, and a third document about Ukraine's recovery.

Leo was asked about the U.S. peace plan for Ukraine but appeared to respond to a broader question about the Trump administration’s views on the U.S.-Europe alliance. Just last week, the Trump administration released its U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-strategy-europe-russia-america-first-068488ca7e6d1c92ccaddd1649958218">national security strategy</a>, which questions the U.S.-European alliance and stresses a desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.

Leo said what he had read would “make a huge change in what was for many, many years a true alliance between Europe and the United States.” Additionally, some comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest an effort “trying to break apart what I think needs to be an alliance today and in the future.”

While some people in the United States may agree with that effort, “I think many others would see things in a different way,” Leo said.

The Holy See has tried to remain neutral in Russia's war while offering solidarity and concrete assistance to what it calls the “martyred” people of Ukraine. Leo has met now three times with Zelenskyy and has spoken by telephone at least once with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The American pope has called for a ceasefire and urged Russia in particular to make gestures to promote peace.

The Vatican has also tried to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities, and last month Leo met with some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-ukraine-russia-war-negotiations-children-c83dc48e3c197a66bb1377bbb50a341a">returned children at the Vatican.</a>

Pope Leo issues demand on Ukraine pease deal

NEMAHA COUNTY —A Kansas man died in a residential fire Friday in Nemaha County.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Wetmore Fire Chief noticed smoke in the valley near the community and&nbsp; eventually found a trailer fully involved in fire in the 300 Block of 1st Street, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.

 Wetmore Fire Department, Nemaha County Fire District #3, and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the fire incident.

The occupant was known to be homebound and believed to be in the residence. Special Agents arrived at the scene, and the victim, identified as 65-year-old Randall Nott, was soon located inside the residence deceased. He was a user of Home Oxygen Therapy and a known smoker.

&nbsp;The Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) Investigation Division was requested to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;Three Special Agents/Certified Fire Investigators from the KSFM responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;

The fire incident is classified as undetermined.

Kansas man dies in trailer house fire

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.

The Coldwater City Council announced Monday that it had accepted Ceballos’ resignation.

“We will continue with the daily work of the city ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” a statement said. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”

The council swore in Britt Lenertz, president of the city council, as the town’s mayor. She will serve out the rest of Ceballos’ term, Lenertz said.

Ceballos was elected to his second term as mayor one day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/05/small-town-kansas-mayor-charged-with-alleged-voter-fraud-state-leader-says-hundreds-more-cases-expected/">announced at a November news conference</a>&nbsp;that Ceballos had been arrested for multiple felonies. Ceballos has a green card, which means he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but he did not apply for citizenship until February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/11/13/dhs-reveals-new-records-criminal-alien-who-voted-multiple-times-kansas-elections" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security</a>.

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ceballos will be “placed in removal proceedings” if he is convicted.

Kansas man charged with election fraud resigns his position as mayor

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve faces an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">unusually contentious</a>&nbsp;meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut.

The Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">sharply divided</a>&nbsp;over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">have been exacerbated</a>&nbsp;by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">remains elevated</a>, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">unemployment rate has risen</a>, which often leads to rate cuts.

Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point cut that Powell is likely to support at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, which would be the most dissenting votes in six years. Just 12 of the 19 members vote on rate decisions. Several of the non-voting officials have also said they oppose another rate cut.

“It’s just a really tricky time. Perfectly sensible people can reach different answers,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed staff member. “And the committee kind of likes to work by consensus, but this is a situation where that consensus is hard to reach.”

The debate, which has also been fueled by a lack of official federal data on employment and inflation during the government shutdown, could be a preview of where the Fed is headed after Powell’s term as chair ends in May. His successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">widely expected to be</a>&nbsp;Kevin Hassett, the top White House economic adviser. Hassett may push for faster cuts than other officials would be willing to support.

English said the potential for greater disagreement could be seen as a sign of healthy debate between different views. The Fed’s tradition of reaching unanimous or nearly-unanimous decisions has often been criticized as evidence of “groupthink.” Yet some Fed officials warn that there are downsides to sharp splits. If the committee votes end up as 8-4 or even 7-5, then financial markets could lose confidence in where the central bank is headed next.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller, for example, has said that in the case of a 7-5 vote, if just one official changed their view, it could bring about a significant shift in Fed policy.

For now, however, most economists expect what’s called a “hawkish cut” — the Fed will reduce rates, while also signaling that it may stand pat for some time to assess the economy’s health. (“Hawks” refer to officials who generally support higher rates to combat inflation, while “doves” more often support lower rates to boost hiring).

The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Jeffrey Schmid, is expected to dissent for a second straight meeting in favor of keeping rates unchanged. He may be joined by St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem. Fed governor Stephen Miran, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-miran-trump-70a09bdf2e10839f35e1596cafe5c415">hurriedly appointed</a>&nbsp;to the Fed’s board by Trump in September, will likely dissent for a third straight meeting in favor of a larger, half-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate.

After the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">last meeting Oct. 28-29</a>, several policymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">said</a>&nbsp;they would prefer to keep rates unchanged at the December meeting, leading Wall Street investors to briefly downgrade the odds of a third rate cut to less than 30%. But then John Williams, president of the New York Fed, said that this year’s uptick in inflation appears to be a temporary blip driven by Trump’s tariffs that would likely fade by the middle of 2026.

As a result, “I still see room for a further adjustment” in the Fed’s short-term rate, Williams said. As president of the New York Fed and vice chair of the rate-setting committee, Williams gets to vote on every interest rate decision and is close to Powell. Analysts said it was unlikely Williams would have made such a statement without Powell’s support. Investors rapidly lifted the odds of a cut, which now are at 89%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank">CME Fedwatch</a>.

“You’re seeing the power of the chair,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and also a former top Fed staffer. “Members of the committee, my instinct is, are wanting to underscore their support for Powell.”

Powell has come under relentless attack from Trump, who just last month said he would “love to fire his ass” and called Powell “this clown.”

The Fed is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, two goals that are potentially in conflict.

For now, Powell and many other Fed officials are more concerned about hiring and unemployment rather than inflation. While the official government jobs reports have been delayed, in September the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, the third straight increase and the highest in four years.

Payroll provider ADP, meanwhile, reported that in November, its data showed companies shed 32,000 jobs. And many large firms have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">announced sweeping layoffs.</a>

Worries that the job market could get worse are a key reason a rate cut in December is likely — but not necessarily beyond that. Fed officials will have up to three months of backlogged jobs and inflation data to consider when they meet in late January. Those figures could show inflation remains stubbornly high or that hiring has rebounded, which would suggest further cuts aren’t needed.

“What they may end up agreeing to do is cut rates now, but give some guidance ... that signals that they’re on&nbsp;

Divided Fed expected to deliver another interest rate cut

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next year’s elections.

Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office — well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held sometime next year.

Referendum votes in Missouri are automatically set for the upcoming November election, unless the General Assembly approves an earlier date during its regular session that begins in January. Missouri’s candidate filing period runs from Feb. 24 through March 31, but districts can still be changed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-census-2020-missouri-congress-73dbf242acd05bfea4f24223228d0621">after the deadline</a>, as occurred when the legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-missouri-redistricting-congress-38efa0999c9901cc531c3768bb53a3c4">approved districts in 2022</a>.

The signatures also need to be formally verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who has argued the referendum is unconstitutional. But if the signatures hold up, the referendum could create a significant obstacle for Republicans who hope the new districts could help them win a currently Democratic-held seat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">in the Kansas City area</a>&nbsp;in the November election.

“At the end of the day, these are going to have to get counted, and people are going to vote on this,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, which sponsored the referendum drive.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">Redistricting</a>&nbsp;typically happens once a decade, after each census. But the national political parties are engaged in an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle after Trump urged Republican-led states to reshape House voting districts to their advantage. The Republican president is trying to avert a historical tendency for the incumbent’s party to lose seats in midterm elections.

Each House seat could be crucial, because Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win control of the chamber and impede Trump’s agenda.

Redistricting is spreading through states

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-texas-redistricting-trump-republicans-discrimination-c1bbf88e2a1f7d49cda512b8ef165750">Texas was the first</a>&nbsp;to respond to Trump’s call by passing a new congressional map that could help Republicans win five additional seats. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;last week for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections.

Republicans could gain one seat each under new maps passed in Missouri and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-north-carolina-map-lawsuit-trump-ce0c6f203eef66a46f1aabb4eaaf32ed">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and have an improved chance at taking two additional seats under a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52">Ohio congressional map</a>. In Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-state-senate-redistricting-vote-b7200fcdba1e8cca2c14a808f3e0b3e0">senators are considering</a>&nbsp;a proposal this week that also could help Republicans win two additional seats.

Democrats scored a victory in California, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">voters in November approved</a>&nbsp;a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win five additional seats. Democrats could gain a seat in Utah under new congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-redistricting-congressional-map-democrats-a443a6584fad0adeeb5eadcc336a4390">districts imposed by a judge</a>.

But Republicans are challenging both states’ measures in court. And Utah lawmakers are meeting in a special session Tuesday to consider delaying the candidate filing deadline to allow more time for the legal challenge.

Virginia Democrats have also taken a first step toward mid-decade redistricting, with additional votes expected in the new year.

Missouri referendum sparks intense battle

People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million, coming mostly from out-of-state organizations opposed to the new map. National Republican-aligned groups have countered with more than $2 million for a committee supporting the new map.

Republicans have tried to thwart the referendum in numerous ways.

Organizations supporting the Republican redistricting have attempted to pay people up to $30,000 to quit gathering petition signatures, according to a lawsuit filed by Advanced Micro Targeting Inc., a company hired by People Not Politicians.

Hoskins, the secretary of state, contends he cannot legally count about 100,000 petition signatures gathered in the one-month span between legislative passage of the redistricting bill and his approval of the referendum petition’s format, but can only count those gathered after that.

Hoskins also wrote a ballot summary stating the new map “repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan ... and better reflects statewide voting patterns.” That’s the opposite of what referendum backers contends it does, and People Not Politicians is challenging that wording in court.

Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hoskins and the General Assembly asserting that congressional redistricting legislation cannot be subject to a referendum. Although a federal judge dismissed that suit Monday, the judge noted that Hoskins has “the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself,” which would likely trigger a new court case.

Missouri’s restricting effort already has sparked an intense court battle. Lawsuits by opponents challenge the legality of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s special session proclamation, assert that mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution, and claim the new districts run afoul of requirements to be compact, contiguous and equally populated.

It’s been more than a century since Missouri last held a referendum on a congressional redistricting plan. In 1922, the U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-led legislature were defeated by nearly 62% of the statewide vote.

Opponents of redistricting in Missouri submit a petition to force a public vote

NEW YORK (AP) —A federal judge said Tuesday that the Justice Department can publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">release investigative materials from a sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, the longtime confidante of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>.

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled after the Justice Department in November asked two judges in New York to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits, along with investigative materials that could amount to hundreds or thousands of previously unreleased documents.

He's the second judge to allow the Justice Department to publicly disclose previously secret Epstein-related records.

Last week, a judge in Florida granted the department’s request to release transcripts from an abandoned federal grand jury investigation into Epstein in the 2000s.

A request to release records from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case is still pending.

The Justice Department said Congress intended the unsealing when it passed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month.

Judge unseals Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury materials, citing Epstein files act

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.

&nbsp;Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge&nbsp;Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 8:30p.m. on June 15, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered 28-year-old Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with Eric Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.

On June 16, police&nbsp; arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting. He met the requirement for bond and was released from jail with an ankle monitor.&nbsp; On June 21, he cut the ankle monitor and fled to Mexico.

On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.

On October 30, deputies booked Gonzalez-Gutierrez back into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on bond totaling over $3 million on charges of first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and violation of the offender registration act, according to online jail records.

Preliminary hearing for Kan. murder suspect captured in Mexico

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

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