SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.

Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.

On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.

Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.

Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.

In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.

Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is scheduled to learn his fate in connection with sex crimes committed in 2020.

Darrius Johnson, 39, is scheduled to make an appearance in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom for sentencing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, Johnson asked to withdraw his guilty plea and face a jury trial. The judge rejected the request.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601904705441.png" alt="Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.---------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is scheduled to learn his fate in connection with sex crimes committed in 2020.Darrius Johnson, 39, is scheduled to make an appearance in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom for sentencing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December, Johnson asked to withdraw his guilty plea and face a jury trial. The judge rejected the request.On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.

Kansas sex offender going back to prison for rape, kidnapping

&nbsp;The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) that 87-year-old John Joseph Martin was located and is now safe.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY&nbsp;– The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing St. Marys man, according to a media release from the KBI.

The whereabouts of 87-year-old John Joseph Martin are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Martin is likely driving a black 2008 Chevrolet Colorado bearing Kansas tag 1434AJY. He was last believed to be in St. Marys on Jan. 26, at approximately 3 p.m.

Martin is a white male who is around six foot tall, weighs approximately 207 pounds, has gray hair and hazel eyes.

If you see John Joseph Martin, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 457-3353.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769482070161.png" alt="John J. Martin-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>John J. Martin-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) that 87-year-old John Joseph Martin was located and is now safe.------------POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY&nbsp;– The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing St. Marys man, according to a media release from the KBI.The whereabouts of 87-year-old John Joseph Martin are unknown and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.Martin is likely driving a black 2008 Chevrolet Colorado bearing Kansas tag 1434AJY. He was last believed to be in St. Marys on Jan. 26, at approximately 3 p.m.Martin is a white male who is around six foot tall, weighs approximately 207 pounds, has gray hair and hazel eyes.If you see John Joseph Martin, or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 457-3353.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kansas man is safe

DAMASCUS — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a new mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq on Wednesday to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The transfer mission began while U.S. forces successfully transported 150 ISIS fighters held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. Ultimately, up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be transferred from Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities.

"We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security."

DAMASCUS — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a new mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq on Wednesday to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The transfer mission began while U.S. forces successfully transported 150 ISIS fighters held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. Ultimately, up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be transferred from Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities."We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security."

U.S. forces launch mission in Syria to transfer ISIS detainees

SEDGWICK COUNTY– A 49-year-old Wichita man was sentenced Thursday for the shooting of a teenager in a Goddard parking lot in May 2024.

Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Ruben Contreras to 43 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. This sentence represents the maximum term of imprisonment allowed under Kansas law for the conviction.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rundle ordered Contreras to serve 36 months of post-release supervision and required him to register as a violent offender for 15 years.

In November 2025, a Sedgwick County jury found Contreras guilty of one count of aggravated battery. The jury acquitted him of a separate charge of attempted first-degree murder.

The charges stemmed from an incident on May 11, 2024, at Walmart in Goddard, Kansas.&nbsp; Contreras shot 18-year-old Anakin Zehring following an altercation in the parking lot. Zehring was struck by gunfire and left paralyzed.

The case was prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District of Kansas.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is scheduled for sentencing Thursday for shooting a teen in a Walmart parking lot.

&nbsp;In November a jury found 47-year-old Ruben Contreras of Wichita guilty of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He had originally been charged with attempted first-degree murder.

&nbsp; He is scheduled to appear in Judge Seth Rundle's courtroom for the sentencing. In July Contreras plead not guilty to the charges.

Just before 5p.m. May 11, 2024 officers were dispatched to a call involving a weapon at Walmart, 18631 W. Kellogg in Goddard, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. First responders located an 18-year-old, later identified as Anakin Zehring, in a vehicle&nbsp;suffering from a gunshot wound, in the Walmart parking lot.

Zehring and some friends were firing a&nbsp;toy gel blaster in the parking lot&nbsp;when they hit a girl, according to a court document. Investigators say she called her father, Contreras, who came to the scene and shot Zehring. EMS transported Zehring to the hospital in serious condition.&nbsp; He continues to recover at a hospital in Nebraska, according to an<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-support-my-sons-recovery-journey?lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&amp;mibextid=xfxF2i">&nbsp;online fundraiser.</a>

A suspect identified as&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748186">Contreras,</a>&nbsp;remained on the scene when law enforcement arrived and was taken into custody.

Contreras was transported to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation to be interviewed. He was later booked into Sedgwick County Detention Facility and later met the condition of a $300-thousand bond and is out of jail, according to online records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715641692899.png" alt="Contreras photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Contreras photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– A 49-year-old Wichita man was sentenced Thursday for the shooting of a teenager in a Goddard parking lot in May 2024.Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Ruben Contreras to 43 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. This sentence represents the maximum term of imprisonment allowed under Kansas law for the conviction.In addition to the prison term, Judge Rundle ordered Contreras to serve 36 months of post-release supervision and required him to register as a violent offender for 15 years.In November 2025, a Sedgwick County jury found Contreras guilty of one count of aggravated battery. The jury acquitted him of a separate charge of attempted first-degree murder.The charges stemmed from an incident on May 11, 2024, at Walmart in Goddard, Kansas.&nbsp; Contreras shot 18-year-old Anakin Zehring following an altercation in the parking lot. Zehring was struck by gunfire and left paralyzed.The case was prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District of Kansas.-------------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is scheduled for sentencing Thursday for shooting a teen in a Walmart parking lot.&nbsp;In November a jury found 47-year-old Ruben Contreras of Wichita guilty of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He had originally been charged with attempted first-degree murder.&nbsp; He is scheduled to appear in Judge Seth Rundle's courtroom for the sentencing. In July Contreras plead not guilty to the charges.Just before 5p.m. May 11, 2024 officers were dispatched to a call involving a weapon at Walmart, 18631 W. Kellogg in Goddard, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. First responders located an 18-year-old, later identified as Anakin Zehring, in a vehicle&nbsp;suffering from a gunshot wound, in the Walmart parking lot.Zehring and some friends were firing a&nbsp;toy gel blaster in the parking lot&nbsp;when they hit a girl, according to a court document. Investigators say she called her father, Contreras, who came to the scene and shot Zehring. EMS transported Zehring to the hospital in serious condition.&nbsp; He continues to recover at a hospital in Nebraska, according to an<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-support-my-sons-recovery-journey?lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&amp;mibextid=xfxF2i">&nbsp;online fundraiser.</a>A suspect identified as&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748186">Contreras,</a>&nbsp;remained on the scene when law enforcement arrived and was taken into custody.Contreras was transported to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation to be interviewed. He was later booked into Sedgwick County Detention Facility and later met the condition of a $300-thousand bond and is out of jail, according to online records.

Years in prison: Kan. man shot teen in Walmart parking lot

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is going to prison,

Judgw William Wooley sentencd 24-year-old Dominic Thomas to 180 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is scheduled to learn his fate Wednesday.

Sentencing for&nbsp;24-year-old Dominic Thomas is scheduled in Judge William Wolley's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

 In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.

Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.

During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765505981091.png" alt="Thomas-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is going to prison,Judgw William Wooley sentencd 24-year-old Dominic Thomas to 180 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack in the fall of 2020, on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, is scheduled to learn his fate Wednesday.Sentencing for&nbsp;24-year-old Dominic Thomas is scheduled in Judge William Wolley's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley DavidsonUpon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.&nbsp; He has been held in the Sedgwick County Jail since July of 2024, according to online jail records.

 Kan. man who tried to drown pregnant girlfriend is going to prison

<a href="https://apnews.com/video/powerball-lottery-players-dream-big-as-jackpot-reaches-1-6-billion-6ff5647e15794b4c890f1fd5d3e111a5">Powerball</a>&nbsp;will be drawing its winning lottery numbers Monday night for a record 46th time since its last jackpot was claimed, as a string of failed sweepstakes ballooned the top prize to $1.6 billion.

So far, it's the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ec46e188305c9425cb555eef00a89d37">5th-largest jackpot</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history after more than three months without a Powerball winner. The game's long odds created a massive windfall that has enticed people to splurge on $2 tickets ahead of the live drawing at 10:59 p.m. ET Monday night.

Lottery officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-iowa-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-f3d841745b774492a03983e8f4bdc719">made the odds tougher</a>&nbsp;in 2015 to create these humongous jackpots and draw more attention, while also making it easier to win smaller prizes.

Experts say it’s a sign the lottery is operating exactly as designed, and that no one should really expect to match all six numbers and make a killing. Still, somebody will likely win at some point, and many players are hoping to be that lucky winner.

“Everybody wants to be a millionaire,” said Saqi Anwer, an Atlanta gas station manager who sold $800 worth of tickets on Saturday.

Monday's estimated $1.6 billion jackpot has a cash value of $735.3 million.

That means a winner can choose to be paid the whole amount&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity,</a>&nbsp;with an immediate payment and then annual payments over 29 years that increase by 5% each time. Winners almost always opt for the up-front cash value, however both eye-popping figures are before taxes.

The last time someone won the Powerball top prize was on Sept. 6, when players in Missouri and Texas won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-winner-4261a3909c9e01dacc0869c50030e198">$1.787 billion</a>&nbsp;— the second-highest jackpot in U.S. history.

Matt Strawn, who chairs the Powerball Product Group, said in an interview that nothing special predated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots this year other than the odds of the game. Still, he said it would be magical for a winning ticket to be cashed in during the holidays.

“Imagine if someone is giving the gift of a winning Powerball ticket away, whether it’s in a stocking or a thank-you note to your mail carrier,” Strawn said.

How does the prize rank among the largest jackpots ever?

Monday’s potential bounty now tops the existing 5th-biggest jackpot of a $1.586 billion drawn on Jan. 13, 2016.

Four other jackpots, all from the past three years, have bested the current prize. The biggest U.S. jackpot ever was $2.04 billion back in 2022.

That lotto winner bought the ticket at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sacramento-california-los-angeles-business-0a72f926487b51b7a6d60451679f8c76">Los Angeles-area gas station</a>&nbsp;and opted for a lump-sum payment of $997.6 million.

In Atlanta on Sunday, players were lining up to get their tickets ahead of Monday's drawing.

“My wife encourages me to buy a ticket because she wants to go on a big trip and she wants to do something good in society,” Bob Wehner said outside a car wash. “And she thought, ‘Well, we can do both if we win, for crying out loud!’”

Ronan Farrell, a middle schooler, speculated about buying an Xbox and a Lamborghini if his family won.

“With an Xbox controller as well,” he added.

The odds of winning Monday’s jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball. Before the switch a decade ago, the odds were 1 in 175 million. Players now have a 1 in 24.9 chance overall of winning some kind of prize.

Tim Chartier, a Davidson College math professor, said he's never bought a lottery ticket despite knowing those odds inside and out.

“Picking a winning lottery ticket is equivalent to selecting one marked dollar bill from a stack 19 miles high — roughly the height of more than 115 Statues of Liberty,” or 30 kilometers, Chartier said.

“If you have the funds and you enjoy dreaming about a billionaire life, enjoy the ride. Of course, you could win,” Chartier said. “But when the numbers don’t fall your way, recognize that the odds were never in your favor — and that the twinkle of possibility is what made the journey worth the almost-certain letdown.”

Associated Press videojournalist Emilie Megnien in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/video/powerball-lottery-players-dream-big-as-jackpot-reaches-1-6-billion-6ff5647e15794b4c890f1fd5d3e111a5">Powerball</a>&nbsp;will be drawing its winning lottery numbers Monday night for a record 46th time since its last jackpot was claimed, as a string of failed sweepstakes ballooned the top prize to $1.6 billion.So far, it's the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ec46e188305c9425cb555eef00a89d37">5th-largest jackpot</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history after more than three months without a Powerball winner. The game's long odds created a massive windfall that has enticed people to splurge on $2 tickets ahead of the live drawing at 10:59 p.m. ET Monday night.Lottery officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-iowa-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-f3d841745b774492a03983e8f4bdc719">made the odds tougher</a>&nbsp;in 2015 to create these humongous jackpots and draw more attention, while also making it easier to win smaller prizes.Experts say it’s a sign the lottery is operating exactly as designed, and that no one should really expect to match all six numbers and make a killing. Still, somebody will likely win at some point, and many players are hoping to be that lucky winner.“Everybody wants to be a millionaire,” said Saqi Anwer, an Atlanta gas station manager who sold $800 worth of tickets on Saturday.<h2>How much would the winner take home?</h2>Monday's estimated $1.6 billion jackpot has a cash value of $735.3 million.That means a winner can choose to be paid the whole amount&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">through an annuity,</a>&nbsp;with an immediate payment and then annual payments over 29 years that increase by 5% each time. Winners almost always opt for the up-front cash value, however both eye-popping figures are before taxes.The last time someone won the Powerball top prize was on Sept. 6, when players in Missouri and Texas won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-winner-4261a3909c9e01dacc0869c50030e198">$1.787 billion</a>&nbsp;— the second-highest jackpot in U.S. history.Matt Strawn, who chairs the Powerball Product Group, said in an interview that nothing special predated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots this year other than the odds of the game. Still, he said it would be magical for a winning ticket to be cashed in during the holidays.“Imagine if someone is giving the gift of a winning Powerball ticket away, whether it’s in a stocking or a thank-you note to your mail carrier,” Strawn said.<h2>How does the prize rank among the largest jackpots ever?</h2>Monday’s potential bounty now tops the existing 5th-biggest jackpot of a $1.586 billion drawn on Jan. 13, 2016.Four other jackpots, all from the past three years, have bested the current prize. The biggest U.S. jackpot ever was $2.04 billion back in 2022.That lotto winner bought the ticket at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sacramento-california-los-angeles-business-0a72f926487b51b7a6d60451679f8c76">Los Angeles-area gas station</a>&nbsp;and opted for a lump-sum payment of $997.6 million.In Atlanta on Sunday, players were lining up to get their tickets ahead of Monday's drawing.“My wife encourages me to buy a ticket because she wants to go on a big trip and she wants to do something good in society,” Bob Wehner said outside a car wash. “And she thought, ‘Well, we can do both if we win, for crying out loud!’”Ronan Farrell, a middle schooler, speculated about buying an Xbox and a Lamborghini if his family won.“With an Xbox controller as well,” he added.<h2>What are the odds of winning? Not good</h2>The odds of winning Monday’s jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball. Before the switch a decade ago, the odds were 1 in 175 million. Players now have a 1 in 24.9 chance overall of winning some kind of prize.Tim Chartier, a Davidson College math professor, said he's never bought a lottery ticket despite knowing those odds inside and out.“Picking a winning lottery ticket is equivalent to selecting one marked dollar bill from a stack 19 miles high — roughly the height of more than 115 Statues of Liberty,” or 30 kilometers, Chartier said.“If you have the funds and you enjoy dreaming about a billionaire life, enjoy the ride. Of course, you could win,” Chartier said. “But when the numbers don’t fall your way, recognize that the odds were never in your favor — and that the twinkle of possibility is what made the journey worth the almost-certain letdown.”___Associated Press videojournalist Emilie Megnien in Atlanta contributed to this report.___Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/">Report for America</a>&nbsp;is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

You could be a billionaire before Christmas: Powerball Monday night

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Business Writer

Elon Musk, already the world's richest man, scored another huge windfall Friday when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a $55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018 as an incentive for its CEO to steer the automaker to new heights.

Besides padding Musk's current fortune of $679 billion, the restoration of the 2018 pay package vindicates his long-held belief that the Delaware legal system had overstepped its bounds in January 2024 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-tesla-compensation-pay-shareholders-e75687178d1175fba36ca55bd9c4c805">Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick rescinded</a>&nbsp;the compensation in a case brought by a disgruntled Tesla shareholder.

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday.

McCormick's ruling so incensed Musk that it spurred him to spurn Delaware and reincorporate Tesla in Texas. That decision also caused Tesla's board to scramble for ways to keep its CEO happy, including a successful effort to persuade the company's shareholders to reaffirm the pay package, which was valued at $44.9 billion at the time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-elon-musk-pay-package-shareholder-vote-8b6cce1a1aa460dbbaac69eb73e0e5e7">of the second vote 18 months ago</a>.

With Musk still signaling discontent, Tesla upped the ante again this year by crafting another pay package that could pay him $1 trillion if he can lead the automaker down a road during the next decade that lifts the company's market value from its current $1.6 trillion to $8.5 trillion. Shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-electric-trillion-pay-stock-f2140db92e8032121f4c114234059165">approved that pay package last month,</a>&nbsp;to Musk's delight.

That may sound like a difficult task, but it also appeared like a long shot for Musk to hit all the targets to qualify for the payout that was dangled in the 2018 package. At that time, Tesla was still struggling to expand its production of electric vehicles and burning through cash.

At the time the 2018 pay package was drawn up, Tesla's market value was hovering in the $50 billion to $75 billion range. But then the company's manufacturing problems eased, enabling it to start meeting hot demand for its vehicles, which in turn pumped up its sales and stock price to a level that qualified Musk for the big payout that had been promised him.

But based on evidence that included Musk's testimony during a 2022 trial, McCormick ruled the pay package had been crafted by a board that was too cozy and beholden to the hard-charging Musk.

In its 49-page ruling, the Delaware Supreme Court cited a variety of errors in McCormick's 2024 decision and declared the 2018 pay package should be restored. It also awarded Tesla $1 in nominal damages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741300124075.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Business WriterElon Musk, already the world's richest man, scored another huge windfall Friday when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a $55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018 as an incentive for its CEO to steer the automaker to new heights.Besides padding Musk's current fortune of $679 billion, the restoration of the 2018 pay package vindicates his long-held belief that the Delaware legal system had overstepped its bounds in January 2024 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-tesla-compensation-pay-shareholders-e75687178d1175fba36ca55bd9c4c805">Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick rescinded</a>&nbsp;the compensation in a case brought by a disgruntled Tesla shareholder.Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday.McCormick's ruling so incensed Musk that it spurred him to spurn Delaware and reincorporate Tesla in Texas. That decision also caused Tesla's board to scramble for ways to keep its CEO happy, including a successful effort to persuade the company's shareholders to reaffirm the pay package, which was valued at $44.9 billion at the time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-elon-musk-pay-package-shareholder-vote-8b6cce1a1aa460dbbaac69eb73e0e5e7">of the second vote 18 months ago</a>.With Musk still signaling discontent, Tesla upped the ante again this year by crafting another pay package that could pay him $1 trillion if he can lead the automaker down a road during the next decade that lifts the company's market value from its current $1.6 trillion to $8.5 trillion. Shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-tesla-electric-trillion-pay-stock-f2140db92e8032121f4c114234059165">approved that pay package last month,</a>&nbsp;to Musk's delight.That may sound like a difficult task, but it also appeared like a long shot for Musk to hit all the targets to qualify for the payout that was dangled in the 2018 package. At that time, Tesla was still struggling to expand its production of electric vehicles and burning through cash.At the time the 2018 pay package was drawn up, Tesla's market value was hovering in the $50 billion to $75 billion range. But then the company's manufacturing problems eased, enabling it to start meeting hot demand for its vehicles, which in turn pumped up its sales and stock price to a level that qualified Musk for the big payout that had been promised him.But based on evidence that included Musk's testimony during a 2022 trial, McCormick ruled the pay package had been crafted by a board that was too cozy and beholden to the hard-charging Musk.In its 49-page ruling, the Delaware Supreme Court cited a variety of errors in McCormick's 2024 decision and declared the 2018 pay package should be restored. It also awarded Tesla $1 in nominal damages.

World's richest man recovers $55 billion pay package in court ruling

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department faces a Friday deadline to release its files on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, a convicted sex offender and wealthy financier known for his connections to some of the world’s most influential people, including Donald Trump, who as president had tried to keep the files sealed.

The Justice Department hasn’t said when during the day it intends to make the records public. The total volume is also unclear, though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a Fox News Channel interview that he expected the department to release “several hundred thousand” records Friday and then several hundred thousand more in the coming weeks.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The records</a>&nbsp;could contain the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades worth of government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">investigations into Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of young women and underage girls.

Their release has long been demanded by a public hungry to learn whether any of Epstein’s rich and powerful associates knew about — or participated in — the abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-survivors-react-a7cceac935feda8d94b8fa59e13b01fa">Epstein’s accusers</a>&nbsp;have also long sought answers about why federal authorities shut down their initial investigation into the allegations in 2008.

Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on Nov. 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-4872c23a3ed03bf3d4c526581d3aed59">30 days to release most of its files</a>&nbsp;and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">Epstein's death in a federal jail</a>.

The law’s passage was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.

That law allows for redactions about the victims or ongoing investigations but makes clear no records shall be withheld or redacted due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Nov. 14 that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-clinton-investigation-justice-department-d0ce8385cb7f42705ac068310e3231be">ordered a top federal prosecutor</a>&nbsp;to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump pressed for such an inquiry, though he did not explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men Trump mentioned in a social media post demanding the investigation has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

In July, Trump dismissed some of his own supporters as “weaklings” for falling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supporters-epstein-sex-trafficking-investigation-bondi-47370e63060d79af64b0b8ac70b970a4">“the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.”</a>&nbsp;But both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-trump-congress-c858fcd7d587bb61d1b73753487b0ee1">Trump did a U-turn</a>&nbsp;on the files once it became clear that congressional action was inevitable. He insisted that the Epstein matter had become a distraction to the Republican agenda and that releasing the records was the best way to move on.

Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at his mansion. The FBI joined the investigation, and authorities gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.

Ultimately, though, prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">gave Epstein a deal</a>&nbsp;that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution. He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under age 18 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Epstein’s accusers then spent years in civil litigation trying to get that plea deal set aside. One of those women, Virginia Giuffre, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous other men, including billionaires, famous academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Prince Andrew</a>.

All of those men denied the allegations. Prosecutors never brought charges in connection with Giuffre’s claims, but her account fueled conspiracy theories about supposed government plots to protect the powerful.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Giuffre died</a>&nbsp;by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.

Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">he killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his arrest. Prosecutors then charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, with recruiting underage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">was interviewed</a>&nbsp;over the summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued that she never should have been tried or convicted.

The Justice Department in July said it had not found any information that could support prosecuting anyone else.

Lots of Epstein records were already public

After nearly two decades of court action and prying by reporters, a voluminous number of records related to Epstein is already public, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and transcripts of depositions of his accusers, his staffers and others.

Yet the public’s appetite for more records has been insatiable, particularly for anything related to Epstein’s associations with famous people including Trump, Mountbatten-Windsor and Clinton.

Trump was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a falling-out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.

Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre, but King Charles III&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-royals-andrew-prince-title-removed-c1538b68893cb1395073e1ca6b9468f4">stripped him of his royal titles</a>&nbsp;this year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-memoir-983e88151ce72ac5428fd7940ad19d1e">Giuffre’s memoir</a>&nbsp;was published after she died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754485085876.png" alt="File photo U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi- Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi- Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department faces a Friday deadline to release its files on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, a convicted sex offender and wealthy financier known for his connections to some of the world’s most influential people, including Donald Trump, who as president had tried to keep the files sealed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pam Bondi must release the files by midnight tomorrow. If not, I lay out the consequences. <a href="https://t.co/MRIB437bHP">pic.twitter.com/MRIB437bHP</a>&mdash; Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/2001757853908885997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Justice Department hasn’t said when during the day it intends to make the records public. The total volume is also unclear, though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a Fox News Channel interview that he expected the department to release “several hundred thousand” records Friday and then several hundred thousand more in the coming weeks.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The records</a>&nbsp;could contain the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades worth of government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">investigations into Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of young women and underage girls.Their release has long been demanded by a public hungry to learn whether any of Epstein’s rich and powerful associates knew about — or participated in — the abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-survivors-react-a7cceac935feda8d94b8fa59e13b01fa">Epstein’s accusers</a>&nbsp;have also long sought answers about why federal authorities shut down their initial investigation into the allegations in 2008.Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on Nov. 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-4872c23a3ed03bf3d4c526581d3aed59">30 days to release most of its files</a>&nbsp;and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">Epstein's death in a federal jail</a>.The law’s passage was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.<h2>What the law allows</h2>That law allows for redactions about the victims or ongoing investigations but makes clear no records shall be withheld or redacted due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Nov. 14 that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-clinton-investigation-justice-department-d0ce8385cb7f42705ac068310e3231be">ordered a top federal prosecutor</a>&nbsp;to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump pressed for such an inquiry, though he did not explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men Trump mentioned in a social media post demanding the investigation has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.In July, Trump dismissed some of his own supporters as “weaklings” for falling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supporters-epstein-sex-trafficking-investigation-bondi-47370e63060d79af64b0b8ac70b970a4">“the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.”</a>&nbsp;But both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-trump-congress-c858fcd7d587bb61d1b73753487b0ee1">Trump did a U-turn</a>&nbsp;on the files once it became clear that congressional action was inevitable. He insisted that the Epstein matter had become a distraction to the Republican agenda and that releasing the records was the best way to move on.<h2>The Epstein investigations</h2>Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at his mansion. The FBI joined the investigation, and authorities gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.Ultimately, though, prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">gave Epstein a deal</a>&nbsp;that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution. He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under age 18 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.Epstein’s accusers then spent years in civil litigation trying to get that plea deal set aside. One of those women, Virginia Giuffre, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous other men, including billionaires, famous academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Prince Andrew</a>.All of those men denied the allegations. Prosecutors never brought charges in connection with Giuffre’s claims, but her account fueled conspiracy theories about supposed government plots to protect the powerful.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Giuffre died</a>&nbsp;by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">he killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his arrest. Prosecutors then charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, with recruiting underage girls for Epstein to abuse.Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">was interviewed</a>&nbsp;over the summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued that she never should have been tried or convicted.The Justice Department in July said it had not found any information that could support prosecuting anyone else.<h2>Lots of Epstein records were already public</h2>After nearly two decades of court action and prying by reporters, a voluminous number of records related to Epstein is already public, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and transcripts of depositions of his accusers, his staffers and others.Yet the public’s appetite for more records has been insatiable, particularly for anything related to Epstein’s associations with famous people including Trump, Mountbatten-Windsor and Clinton.Trump was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a falling-out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre, but King Charles III&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-royals-andrew-prince-title-removed-c1538b68893cb1395073e1ca6b9468f4">stripped him of his royal titles</a>&nbsp;this year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-memoir-983e88151ce72ac5428fd7940ad19d1e">Giuffre’s memoir</a>&nbsp;was published after she died.___Sisak reported from New York.

🎥Congressman explains consequences if AG does not release Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts has led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;'s conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency, starting well before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's time in the White House</a>.

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

The justices could take the next step in a case being argued Monday that calls for a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/humphreys-executor-supreme-court-trump-independent-agencies-8facfe6107fa94b28f391734d1620fe4">90-year-old decision</a>&nbsp;limiting executive authority to be overturned.

The court's conservatives, liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted in September, seem to be “raring to take that action.”

They already have allowed Trump, in the opening months of the Republican's second term, to fire almost everyone he has wanted, despite the court's 1935 decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep295/usrep295602/usrep295602.pdf">Humphrey's Executor</a>&nbsp;that prohibits the president from removing the heads of independent agencies without cause.

The officials include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-supreme-court-dbe174d342817e1ae84bce3e9c40bd48">Rebecca Slaughter</a>, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-firings-bedoya-slaughter-488bfe5419e48d5acbd95d3f9401404b">firing</a>&nbsp;from the Federal Trade Commission is at issue in the current case, as well as officials from the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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

Humphrey's Executor has long been a target of the conservative legal movement that has embraced an expansive view of presidential power known as the unitary executive.

The case before the high court involves the same agency, the FTC, that was at issue in 1935. The justices established that presidents — Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt at the time — could not fire the appointed leaders of the alphabet soup of federal agencies without cause.

The decision ushered in an era of powerful independent federal agencies charged with regulating labor relations, employment discrimination, the air waves and much else.

Proponents of the unitary executive theory have said the modern administrative state gets the Constitution all wrong: Federal agencies that are part of the executive branch answer to the president, and that includes the ability to fire their leaders at will.

As Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in a 1988 dissent that has taken on mythical status among conservatives, “this does not mean some of the executive power, but all of the executive power.”

Since 2010 and under Roberts' leadership, the Supreme Court has steadily whittled away at laws restricting the president's ability to fire people.

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

In the 2024 immunity decision that spared Trump from being prosecuted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Roberts included the power to fire among the president's “conclusive and preclusive” powers that Congress lacks the authority to restrict.

But according to legal historians and even a prominent proponent of the originalism approach to interpreting the Constitution that is favored by conservatives, Roberts may be wrong about the history underpinning the unitary executive.

“Both the text and the history of Article II are far more equivocal than the current Court has been suggesting,” wrote Caleb Nelson, a University of Virginia law professor who once served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.

Jane Manners, a Fordham University law professor, said she and other historians filed briefs with the court to provide history and context about the removal power in the country's early years that also could lead the court to revise its views. “I'm not holding my breath,” she said.

Slaughter's lawyers embrace the historians' arguments, telling the court that limits on Trump's power are consistent with the Constitution and U.S. history.

The Justice Department argues Trump can fire board members for any reason as he works to carry out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">his agenda</a>&nbsp;and that the precedent should be tossed aside.

“Humphrey’s Executor was always egregiously wrong,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764798462400.png" alt="&nbsp;President Trump in the Oval Office last week -File image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;President Trump in the Oval Office last week -File image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts has led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;'s conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency, starting well before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's time in the White House</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a>&nbsp;of the Supreme Court oral argumentThe justices could take the next step in a case being argued Monday that calls for a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/humphreys-executor-supreme-court-trump-independent-agencies-8facfe6107fa94b28f391734d1620fe4">90-year-old decision</a>&nbsp;limiting executive authority to be overturned.The court's conservatives, liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted in September, seem to be “raring to take that action.”They already have allowed Trump, in the opening months of the Republican's second term, to fire almost everyone he has wanted, despite the court's 1935 decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep295/usrep295602/usrep295602.pdf">Humphrey's Executor</a>&nbsp;that prohibits the president from removing the heads of independent agencies without cause.The officials include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-supreme-court-dbe174d342817e1ae84bce3e9c40bd48">Rebecca Slaughter</a>, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-firings-bedoya-slaughter-488bfe5419e48d5acbd95d3f9401404b">firing</a>&nbsp;from the Federal Trade Commission is at issue in the current case, as well as officials from the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.The only officials who have so far survived efforts to remove them are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-federal-reserve-lisa-cook-5a48941a9e30017b0ed3e5837492d288">Lisa Cook</a>, a Federal Reserve governor, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-copyright-official-firing-c5ccca29ff5413815347340ffa300f69">Shira Perlmutter</a>, a copyright official with the Library of Congress. The court already has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a966_1b8e.pdf">suggested</a>&nbsp;that it will view the Fed differently from other independent agencies, and Trump has said he wants her out because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">allegations of mortgage fraud</a>. Cook says she did nothing wrong.Humphrey's Executor has long been a target of the conservative legal movement that has embraced an expansive view of presidential power known as the unitary executive.The case before the high court involves the same agency, the FTC, that was at issue in 1935. The justices established that presidents — Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt at the time — could not fire the appointed leaders of the alphabet soup of federal agencies without cause.The decision ushered in an era of powerful independent federal agencies charged with regulating labor relations, employment discrimination, the air waves and much else.Proponents of the unitary executive theory have said the modern administrative state gets the Constitution all wrong: Federal agencies that are part of the executive branch answer to the president, and that includes the ability to fire their leaders at will.As Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in a 1988 dissent that has taken on mythical status among conservatives, “this does not mean some of the executive power, but all of the executive power.”Since 2010 and under Roberts' leadership, the Supreme Court has steadily whittled away at laws restricting the president's ability to fire people.In 2020, Roberts wrote for the court that “the President’s removal power is the rule, not the exception” in a decision upholding Trump’s firing of the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau despite job protections similar to those upheld in Humphrey’s case.In the 2024 immunity decision that spared Trump from being prosecuted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Roberts included the power to fire among the president's “conclusive and preclusive” powers that Congress lacks the authority to restrict.But according to legal historians and even a prominent proponent of the originalism approach to interpreting the Constitution that is favored by conservatives, Roberts may be wrong about the history underpinning the unitary executive.“Both the text and the history of Article II are far more equivocal than the current Court has been suggesting,” wrote Caleb Nelson, a University of Virginia law professor who once served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.Jane Manners, a Fordham University law professor, said she and other historians filed briefs with the court to provide history and context about the removal power in the country's early years that also could lead the court to revise its views. “I'm not holding my breath,” she said.Slaughter's lawyers embrace the historians' arguments, telling the court that limits on Trump's power are consistent with the Constitution and U.S. history.The Justice Department argues Trump can fire board members for any reason as he works to carry out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">his agenda</a>&nbsp;and that the precedent should be tossed aside.“Humphrey’s Executor was always egregiously wrong,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.A second question in the case could affect Cook, the Fed governor. Even if a firing turns out to be illegal, the court wants to decide whether judges have the power to reinstate someone.Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote earlier this year that fired employees who win in court can likely get back pay, but not reinstatement.That might affect Cook's ability to remain in her job. The justices have seemed wary about the economic uncertainty that might result if Trump can fire the leaders of the central bank. The court will hear separate arguments in January about whether Cook can remain in her job as her court case challenging her firing proceeds.

 🎧Supreme Court weighs another step in favor of broad presidential power

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">National Guard members</a>&nbsp;who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/muriel-bowser-washington-dc-trump-0e9f3cfc668fd70faa9820c8bfb4e7a3">Mayor Muriel Bowser</a>&nbsp;said they were hospitalized in critical condition.

The rare shooting of National Guard members comes as the presence of the troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-dc-deployment-c1c2b13a7102632632267bf1262506ff">court fights</a>&nbsp;and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.

Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.

“This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.

Two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said the suspect was believed to be an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and has been living in Washington state.

The suspect has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, they said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition.

A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send the extra troops.

Nearly 2,200 troops currently are assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.

The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station.

After hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.

“It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.

“At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.

At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.

Stacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”

Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.

More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed to Washington in August. Last week about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned to West Virginia just over a week ago.

Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.

The president, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guard members “will pay a very steep price.”

“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”

In Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Vice President JD Vance urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two guard members. He cautioned that much remained unknown, including the motive.

“I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vance said as he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.

Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead. “We are devastated by this senseless act of violence,” he said in a video posted on the social platform X.

Trump issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-crime-national-guard-homelessness-655bc22834223c7dc93115bbcb2b215c">emergency order</a>&nbsp;in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.

Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.

The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764188250922.png" alt="Photo courtesy WTTG" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WTTG</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Two West Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">National Guard members</a>&nbsp;who deployed to the nation’s capital were shot Wednesday just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence that the mayor described as a targeted attack.FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/muriel-bowser-washington-dc-trump-0e9f3cfc668fd70faa9820c8bfb4e7a3">Mayor Muriel Bowser</a>&nbsp;said they were hospitalized in critical condition.The rare shooting of National Guard members comes as the presence of the troops in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country has been a flashpoint issue for months, fueling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-dc-deployment-c1c2b13a7102632632267bf1262506ff">court fights</a>&nbsp;and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration’s use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem.Jeffrey Carroll, an executive assistant D.C. police chief, said investigators had no information on a motive. He said the assailant “came around the corner” and immediately started firing at the troops, citing video reviewed by investigators.“This was a targeted shooting,” Bowser said.Two law enforcement officials and a person familiar with the matter said the suspect was believed to be an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021 and has been living in Washington state.The suspect has been identified by law enforcement officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, but authorities were still working to fully confirm his background, they said. The people could not discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey initially said the troops had died, but he later walked that statement back to say his office was “receiving conflicting reports” about their condition.A suspect who was in custody also was shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The Trump administration quickly ordered 500 more National Guard members to Washington following the shooting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump asked him to send the extra troops.Nearly 2,200 troops currently are assigned to the joint task force operating in the city, according to the government’s latest update.<h2>Troops held down the shooter</h2>The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station.After hearing gunfire, other troops in the area ran over and held down the gunman after he was shot, Carroll said.“It appears to be a lone gunman that raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Carroll said, adding that it was not clear whether one of the guard members or a law enforcement officer shot the suspect.“At this point we have no other suspects,” Carroll said at a news conference.At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said another law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Social media video shared in the immediate aftermath showed first responders performing CPR on one of the troops and treating the other on a glass-covered sidewalk.<h2>Witnesses saw people fleeing</h2>Stacy Walters said she was in a car when she heard two gunshots and saw people running. Almost instantly, law enforcement swarmed the area. “It’s such a beautiful day. Who would do this? And we’re getting ready for the holidays?”Emma McDonald, who exited a metro station just after the shots were fired, said she and a friend sought safety with others in a cafe. McDonald told AP that minutes later she saw first responders rolling a stretcher carrying a National Guard member whose head was covered in blood.More than 300 West Virginia National Guard members were deployed to Washington in August. Last week about 160 of them volunteered to extend their deployment until the end of the year, while the others returned to West Virginia just over a week ago.Police tape cordoned off the scene, and fire and police vehicle lights flashed and helicopter blades thudded overhead. Agents from the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were there, and National Guard troops stood sentry nearby. At least one helicopter landed on the National Mall.<h2>Trump vows that shooter will pay</h2>The president, who was in Florida for Thanksgiving, warned in a statement on social media that the “animal” who shot the guard members “will pay a very steep price.”“God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”In Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Vice President JD Vance urged “everybody who’s a person of faith” to pray for the two guard members. He cautioned that much remained unknown, including the motive.“I think it’s a somber reminder that soldiers, whether they’re active duty, reserve or National Guard, our soldiers are the sword and the shield of the United States of America,” Vance said as he delivered a Thanksgiving message to troops.Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, scrapped plans to spend the holiday with troops at Guantanamo Bay in order to travel to D.C. and be with guard members there instead. “We are devastated by this senseless act of violence,” he said in a video posted on the social platform X.Trump issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-crime-national-guard-homelessness-655bc22834223c7dc93115bbcb2b215c">emergency order</a>&nbsp;in August that federalized the local police force and sent in National Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia. The order expired a month later, but the troops remained.Last week a federal judge ordered an end to the deployment but also put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the Trump administration time to either remove the troops or appeal the decision.The guard members have patrolled neighborhoods, train stations and other locations, participated in highway checkpoints and been assigned to pick up trash and guard sports events.___

Alleged shooter of National Guard Troops in DC identified

Independence and Hallsville school districts to continue four-day weeks with 62% and 75% voter approval

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

When the Independence School District announced it was switching to a four-day week during the 2023-24 school year, it drew questions from local families and statewide officials.

Parents wondered what kind of child care they would have on days without classroom instruction. And&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/08/four-day-school-week-faces-scrutiny-from-missouri-legislature-state-education-board/">lawmakers debated</a>&nbsp;whether the state needed to intervene.

Ultimately, Missouri’s General Assembly passed a law requiring a vote for non–rural school districts to authorize a four-day week.

On Tuesday, the Independence and Hallsville school districts became the first large districts to receive the approval of voters to continue with four-day weeks.

“I knew that the majority of our community supported it,” Hallsville Superintendent Tyler Walker told The Independent. “I was a little bit surprised to see how much support it was.”

In Hallsville, residents had two questions on the ballot related to the school district. One asked about the four-day week and the other was a bond measure previously passed in April&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/27/numerous-voter-approved-bonds-in-missouri-in-jeopardy-for-violating-public-notice-law/">but not confirmed by the State Auditor</a>.

The election drew 25% of registered voters,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/unofficial.asp" target="_blank">according to the Boone County Clerk</a>, and 75% of those voted in favor of the four-day school week. The vote authorizes the schedule for the next 10 years, when then the district will have to hold another special election.

Walker didn’t think the margin would be that wide. Earlier surveys from the district’s 2022 adoption of the schedule put approval at around 60%.

He believes that the district’s growing success on standardized tests and other publicly available metrics have given families confidence that the four-day week isn’t such a bad thing.

“Our community has grown to appreciate the four day week more after experiencing it for a few years,” he said.

Todd Fuller, director of communications for the Missouri State Teachers Association, told The Independent that voters in districts who have already been operating in a four-day week like Independence and Hallsville have an idea of how it works for their students. The state law, passed in 2024, will require a vote prior to the schedule’s adoption for those who do not already adopt the abbreviated week.

“Anyone who’s a constituent of the district has had time to digest this process, and they’ve been able to decide over a two-year period whether it’s been beneficial or not beneficial for their kids,” Fuller said. “So if they are expressing that feeling with their vote, then we’re going to have a pretty good understanding of what they really want.”

The association doesn’t have an official stance on the four-day week. But Fuller said the teachers it represents have been pleased with the schedule.

Jorjana Pohlman, president of Independence’s branch of the Missouri National Education Association, told The Independent that the overall sentiment is positive from the district’s educators.

Mondays out of the classroom have become a good time for teachers to have doctor’s appointments, spend time with their families and plan for the week ahead, she said.

“In the beginning, it was fear of the unknown for families as well as teachers,” she said. “A lot of teachers had the attitude of, ‘Let’s try it.’ They, I think overall, felt it was a positive thing.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/education-reports-database/4dsw-case-study" target="_blank">study by Missouri State University researchers</a>&nbsp;looked at recent applicants to teaching positions in Independence, finding that the four-day week was a key part of the district’s recruitment.

In particular, 63% of applicants rated the four-day schedule as a top-three reason for applying, and 27% said it was their top priority.

The study also looked at the value of the four-day week for applicants, asking how much they would sacrifice in salary to work at a district with the schedule. On average, applicants were willing to sacrifice $2267 annually for the four-day week.

Walker said the schedule has also improved recruitment in Hallsville, with a dramatic uptick in veteran teachers applying to positions.

With teachers coming to Independence schools particularly for their schedule, some worried that returning to a five-day week would have large consequences for staffing. But Pohlman said a survey showed that the loss of educators is less than many would think.

“The educators, they care deeply about their students, and they want what’s best for students and for the community, whether it’s four day week or five day week,” she said. “They are still going to be committed.”

Almost&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/prime-blog/4dsw-summary" target="_blank">a third of Missouri districts have adopted a four-day week</a>, with around 91% of those districts in rural settings. Only districts in cities with at least 30,000 residents, or those located in Jackson, Clay, St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties, must call for a vote before moving to a four-day week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762369520602.png" alt=" On Tuesday, voters in two Missouri towns approved a four-day school week. Both districts had already been operating on the schedule but required voter approval to continue (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> On Tuesday, voters in two Missouri towns approved a four-day school week. Both districts had already been operating on the schedule but required voter approval to continue (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Independence and Hallsville school districts to continue four-day weeks with 62% and 75% voter approval</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>When the Independence School District announced it was switching to a four-day week during the 2023-24 school year, it drew questions from local families and statewide officials.Parents wondered what kind of child care they would have on days without classroom instruction. And&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/08/four-day-school-week-faces-scrutiny-from-missouri-legislature-state-education-board/">lawmakers debated</a>&nbsp;whether the state needed to intervene.Ultimately, Missouri’s General Assembly passed a law requiring a vote for non–rural school districts to authorize a four-day week.On Tuesday, the Independence and Hallsville school districts became the first large districts to receive the approval of voters to continue with four-day weeks.“I knew that the majority of our community supported it,” Hallsville Superintendent Tyler Walker told The Independent. “I was a little bit surprised to see how much support it was.”In Hallsville, residents had two questions on the ballot related to the school district. One asked about the four-day week and the other was a bond measure previously passed in April&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/27/numerous-voter-approved-bonds-in-missouri-in-jeopardy-for-violating-public-notice-law/">but not confirmed by the State Auditor</a>.The election drew 25% of registered voters,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/unofficial.asp" target="_blank">according to the Boone County Clerk</a>, and 75% of those voted in favor of the four-day school week. The vote authorizes the schedule for the next 10 years, when then the district will have to hold another special election.Walker didn’t think the margin would be that wide. Earlier surveys from the district’s 2022 adoption of the schedule put approval at around 60%.He believes that the district’s growing success on standardized tests and other publicly available metrics have given families confidence that the four-day week isn’t such a bad thing.“Our community has grown to appreciate the four day week more after experiencing it for a few years,” he said.Todd Fuller, director of communications for the Missouri State Teachers Association, told The Independent that voters in districts who have already been operating in a four-day week like Independence and Hallsville have an idea of how it works for their students. The state law, passed in 2024, will require a vote prior to the schedule’s adoption for those who do not already adopt the abbreviated week.“Anyone who’s a constituent of the district has had time to digest this process, and they’ve been able to decide over a two-year period whether it’s been beneficial or not beneficial for their kids,” Fuller said. “So if they are expressing that feeling with their vote, then we’re going to have a pretty good understanding of what they really want.”The association doesn’t have an official stance on the four-day week. But Fuller said the teachers it represents have been pleased with the schedule.Jorjana Pohlman, president of Independence’s branch of the Missouri National Education Association, told The Independent that the overall sentiment is positive from the district’s educators.Mondays out of the classroom have become a good time for teachers to have doctor’s appointments, spend time with their families and plan for the week ahead, she said.“In the beginning, it was fear of the unknown for families as well as teachers,” she said. “A lot of teachers had the attitude of, ‘Let’s try it.’ They, I think overall, felt it was a positive thing.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/education-reports-database/4dsw-case-study" target="_blank">study by Missouri State University researchers</a>&nbsp;looked at recent applicants to teaching positions in Independence, finding that the four-day week was a key part of the district’s recruitment.In particular, 63% of applicants rated the four-day schedule as a top-three reason for applying, and 27% said it was their top priority.The study also looked at the value of the four-day week for applicants, asking how much they would sacrifice in salary to work at a district with the schedule. On average, applicants were willing to sacrifice $2267 annually for the four-day week.Walker said the schedule has also improved recruitment in Hallsville, with a dramatic uptick in veteran teachers applying to positions.With teachers coming to Independence schools particularly for their schedule, some worried that returning to a five-day week would have large consequences for staffing. But Pohlman said a survey showed that the loss of educators is less than many would think.“The educators, they care deeply about their students, and they want what’s best for students and for the community, whether it’s four day week or five day week,” she said. “They are still going to be committed.”Almost&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/prime-blog/4dsw-summary" target="_blank">a third of Missouri districts have adopted a four-day week</a>, with around 91% of those districts in rural settings. Only districts in cities with at least 30,000 residents, or those located in Jackson, Clay, St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties, must call for a vote before moving to a four-day week.

Missouri voters approve 4-day school week in two districts, showing rising support

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — A Kansas&nbsp; woman accused in the stabbing death of her mother on Halloween made her first court appearance Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944840018.png" alt="Police on the sene early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the sene early Friday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — A Kansas&nbsp; woman accused in the stabbing death of her mother on Halloween made her first court appearance Tuesday.Angelynn Elizabeth Mock, 47, was charged with first-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 8a.m. Friday, police responded to a reported stabbing at a residence in the 1500 block of East Crowley in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders located Mock outside the home.&nbsp;Inside the residence, officers found 80-year-old Anita Avers unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.&nbsp;Sedgwick County EMS transported the victim to St. Francis Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased at 8:26 a.m.Mock was transported to the hospital for treatment before being taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; She is due back in court November 14, according to the district attorney's office. She is being held on a one-million dollar bond.----------------SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — A Kansas&nbsp; woman accused in the stabbing death of her mother on Halloween will make her first court appearance Tuesday.Angelynn Elizabeth Mock, 47, is in custody on a one-million dollar bond on a requested charge of first-degree murder following the fatal stabbing of her 80-year-old mother, Anita Avers.Just before 8a.m. Friday, police responded to a reported stabbing at a residence in the 1500 block of East Crowley in Wichita, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect, identified from jail booking records&nbsp; as Mock, outside the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1761994823380.png" alt="Mock photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Mock photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Inside the residence, officers found Anita Avers unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.&nbsp;Sedgwick County EMS transported the victim to St. Francis Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased at 8:26 a.m.Mock was transported to the hospital for treatment before being taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.

Misc