BOSTON (AP) — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drones-new-jersey-what-to-know-e6f565f5d51d9d47ad140e7e7d131842">drones buzzing</a>&nbsp;over parts of New York and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/new-jersey-trisha-bushey-christopher-stadulis-phil-murphy-joe-biden-3f3b17660cbc4330a54628816e1857b3">New Jersey</a>, elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights.

“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“'We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer,” he said.

National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But because they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. — or how they can be stopped — leaders of both political parties are demanding better technology and powers to deal with the drones.

Sen. Chuck Schumer called Sunday for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators.

“New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it,” Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told reporters about the drone sightings. “We are going to get the answers for them.”

The federal government did little to answer those questions in its own media briefings Sunday morning. “There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.”

Some of the drones reported above parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be “manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.”

Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their remote identification, including the location of their operators. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is behind the drones plaguing locations over New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability.

Schumer wants the federal government to use a recently declassified radio wave technology in New York and New Jersey. The radio wave detector can be attached to a drone or airplane and can determine whether another flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. Schumer said state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones.

On Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state.

“This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details, including where the system will be deployed.

Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-sightings-central-new-jersey-cd8866c9c2568216759007716990decf">initially being spotted</a>&nbsp;near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.

Drones are now being reported all along the northern East Coast, with suspicious sightings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to news reports.

Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down.

Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, Mayorkas said Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said.

A bill before the U.S. Senate would enhance some federal agencies’ authority and give new abilities to local and state agencies to track drones. It would also start a pilot program allowing states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator.

“What the drone issue points out are gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department," Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. "Americans are finding it hard to believe we can’t figure out where these are coming from.’’

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734228753383.png" alt="Image from New Jersey Senator Andy Kim" />
 <figcaption>Image from New Jersey Senator Andy Kim</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drones-new-jersey-what-to-know-e6f565f5d51d9d47ad140e7e7d131842">drones buzzing</a>&nbsp;over parts of New York and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/new-jersey-trisha-bushey-christopher-stadulis-phil-murphy-joe-biden-3f3b17660cbc4330a54628816e1857b3">New Jersey</a>, elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights.“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday.”“'We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer,” he said.National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But because they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. — or how they can be stopped — leaders of both political parties are demanding better technology and powers to deal with the drones.Sen. Chuck Schumer called Sunday for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators.“New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it,” Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told reporters about the drone sightings. “We are going to get the answers for them.”The federal government did little to answer those questions in its own media briefings Sunday morning. “There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.”Some of the drones reported above parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be “manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.”Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their remote identification, including the location of their operators. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is behind the drones plaguing locations over New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability.Schumer wants the federal government to use a recently declassified radio wave technology in New York and New Jersey. The radio wave detector can be attached to a drone or airplane and can determine whether another flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. Schumer said state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones.On Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state.“This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details, including where the system will be deployed.Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-sightings-central-new-jersey-cd8866c9c2568216759007716990decf">initially being spotted</a>&nbsp;near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.Drones are now being reported all along the northern East Coast, with suspicious sightings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to news reports.Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down.Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, Mayorkas said Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said.A bill before the U.S. Senate would enhance some federal agencies’ authority and give new abilities to local and state agencies to track drones. It would also start a pilot program allowing states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator.“What the drone issue points out are gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department," Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. "Americans are finding it hard to believe we can’t figure out where these are coming from.’’

Congressman on drone mystery: 'We don’t know’ not a good enough answer

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend crash have made an arrest.

Just after 2:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash in the 1700 block of S. Mosley in Wichita, according to a media release.

First responders located a white 4-door sedan that had collided with multiple trees.&nbsp; Lanashia Clay, 22, from Wichita was seated in the front passenger seat and was pronounced deceased at the scene despite life-saving efforts. 

A 25-year-old woman from Wichita was the rear seat passenger. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. 

The 30-year-old male driver was also transported to a local hospital for treatment. After being medically cleared, he was taken into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Involuntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Battery-DUI, and Driving after suspended.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Preliminary investigation indicates that alcohol and drugs are suspected to be contributing factors in the crash, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734260889156.png" alt="Charles Smith-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Charles Smith-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend crash have made an arrest.Just after 2:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash in the 1700 block of S. Mosley in Wichita, according to a media release.First responders located a white 4-door sedan that had collided with multiple trees.&nbsp; Lanashia Clay, 22, from Wichita was seated in the front passenger seat and was pronounced deceased at the scene despite life-saving efforts. A 25-year-old woman from Wichita was the rear seat passenger. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries. The 30-year-old male driver was also transported to a local hospital for treatment. After being medically cleared, he was taken into custody on requested charges of&nbsp;Involuntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Battery-DUI, and Driving after suspended.&nbsp;&nbsp;Preliminary investigation indicates that alcohol and drugs are suspected to be contributing factors in the crash, according to police.

Kansas driver injured in deadly crash moved from hospital to jail

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement have arrested a 16-year-old for a deadly weekend shooting.

Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 2100 block of E. Murdock, within Sim Park in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

 Upon arrival, officers located two individuals who had sustained gunshot wounds. One victim, identified as 19-year-old David Hernandez-Cervantez, was transported to a local hospital and later died of his injuries, according to Gupilan

The second victim, a 22-year-old man from Wichita, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Through the investigation, a 16-year-old from Wichita was identified as a suspect and has been arrested on requested charges of second-degree murder. 

The victims and the suspect are known to each other and this shooting was not a random incident. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation as detectives continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734277918629.png" alt="Police on the scene of the deadly shooting" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the deadly shooting</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement have arrested a 16-year-old for a deadly weekend shooting.Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 2100 block of E. Murdock, within Sim Park in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals who had sustained gunshot wounds. One victim, identified as 19-year-old David Hernandez-Cervantez, was transported to a local hospital and later died of his injuries, according to GupilanThe second victim, a 22-year-old man from Wichita, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Through the investigation, a 16-year-old from Wichita was identified as a suspect and has been arrested on requested charges of second-degree murder. The victims and the suspect are known to each other and this shooting was not a random incident. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation as detectives continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

16-year-old jailed for deadly shooting in Kansas park

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)— The U.S. embassy in Damascus advised Americans to leave Syria, saying the security situation there continues to be volatile and unpredictable with armed conflict and “terrorism throughout the country."

The embassy, which has been closed since 2012, posted a statement on X, warning U.S. citizens who were unable to leave the country to prepare “contingency plans for emergency situations.” It didn't give further details.

The statement also said that the U.S. government is unable to provide any routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens and those who need “emergency assistance to depart should contact the U.S. Embassy in the country they plan to enter.”

Sleeper cells of the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks over the past months in different parts of Syria. Despite their defeat in March 2019, the extremists still pose a threat in the war-torn country.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)— The U.S. embassy in Damascus advised Americans to leave Syria, saying the security situation there continues to be volatile and unpredictable with armed conflict and “terrorism throughout the country."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Event: The security situation in Syria continues to be volatile and unpredictable with armed conflict and terrorism throughout the country. U.S. citizens should depart Syria if possible. U.S. citizens who are unable to depart should prepare contingency plans for emergency… <a href="https://t.co/egDW27dmKm">pic.twitter.com/egDW27dmKm</a>&mdash; U.S. Embassy Syria (@USEmbassySyria) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassySyria/status/1868544196803784980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The embassy, which has been closed since 2012, posted a statement on X, warning U.S. citizens who were unable to leave the country to prepare “contingency plans for emergency situations.” It didn't give further details.The statement also said that the U.S. government is unable to provide any routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens and those who need “emergency assistance to depart should contact the U.S. Embassy in the country they plan to enter.”Sleeper cells of the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks over the past months in different parts of Syria. Despite their defeat in March 2019, the extremists still pose a threat in the war-torn country.

US embassy advises Americans to leave Syria

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of selling drugs remains jailed in Kansas.

Last month, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a 1991 Toyota pickup north of Dearing, Kansas, for a traffic violation, according to Montgomery County sheriff Ron Wade.

 During the stop, Police Service Dog (PSD) Pax was deployed for an open-air sniff around the vehicle. PSD Pax alerted deputies to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. Following the alert, deputies conducted a search of the vehicle, discovering over a pound of methamphetamine later confirmed to be mixed with fentanyl.

 Additional items found included syringes, marijuana, and various drug paraphernalia. Deputies arrested the driver and sole occupant 69-year-old Donny Sumner of Wayside, Kansas. 

Sumner was subsequently transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges that include Distribution of opiates, opium, or narcotic stimulants, 100 grams to less than 1 kilogram, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent for use• Failure to maintain vehicle liability insurance• Unsafe turning or stopping, failure to signal, Possession of marijuana

He is being held without bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734131289336.png" alt="Sumner photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Sumner photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of selling drugs remains jailed in Kansas.Last month, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a 1991 Toyota pickup north of Dearing, Kansas, for a traffic violation, according to Montgomery County sheriff Ron Wade. During the stop, Police Service Dog (PSD) Pax was deployed for an open-air sniff around the vehicle. PSD Pax alerted deputies to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. Following the alert, deputies conducted a search of the vehicle, discovering over a pound of methamphetamine later confirmed to be mixed with fentanyl. Additional items found included syringes, marijuana, and various drug paraphernalia. Deputies arrested the driver and sole occupant 69-year-old Donny Sumner of Wayside, Kansas. Sumner was subsequently transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and booked on requested charges that include Distribution of opiates, opium, or narcotic stimulants, 100 grams to less than 1 kilogram, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent for use• Failure to maintain vehicle liability insurance• Unsafe turning or stopping, failure to signal, Possession of marijuanaHe is being held without bond, according to online jail records.

Sheriff: Kansas drug dealer had meth mixed with fentanyl

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon convicted in a&nbsp;fatal 2021 nightclub shooting in Wichita is going to prison.

Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 26-year-old Keshawn Dawson just more than 35-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In May Dawson&nbsp; pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless murder and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

At 12:40 a.m. on Sept. 7,&nbsp; 2021 officers responded to a shooting call at the Enigma Club, 351 N. Mosely in Wichita.&nbsp; Officers located multiple victims that were all transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The shooting&nbsp;killed 34-year-old Preston Spencer and injured six others&nbsp;

 The investigation revealed Dawson got into a disturbance earlier inside the club and was forced to leave.&nbsp; Dawson returned a short time later and fired multiple rounds with a handgun through windows into the club from the outside, striking the victims.

At the time of the crime, Dawson had active felony Sedgwick County warrants and was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions, according to Officer Charlie Davidson.

On Oct. 8, 2021 U.S. Marshals arrested Dawson in Phoenix Arizona.&nbsp;

Dawson was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution to the Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board and an extradition fee of more than $3,100.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634817510235.png" alt="Dawson-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Dawson-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon convicted in a&nbsp;fatal 2021 nightclub shooting in Wichita is going to prison.Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 26-year-old Keshawn Dawson just more than 35-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In May Dawson&nbsp; pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless murder and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.At 12:40 a.m. on Sept. 7,&nbsp; 2021 officers responded to a shooting call at the Enigma Club, 351 N. Mosely in Wichita.&nbsp; Officers located multiple victims that were all transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The shooting&nbsp;killed 34-year-old Preston Spencer and injured six others&nbsp; The investigation revealed Dawson got into a disturbance earlier inside the club and was forced to leave.&nbsp; Dawson returned a short time later and fired multiple rounds with a handgun through windows into the club from the outside, striking the victims.At the time of the crime, Dawson had active felony Sedgwick County warrants and was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions, according to Officer Charlie Davidson.On Oct. 8, 2021 U.S. Marshals arrested Dawson in Phoenix Arizona.&nbsp;Dawson was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution to the Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board and an extradition fee of more than $3,100.

Kan. mass shooting suspect captured in Arizona is going to prison

MEXICO CITY (AP) — An American couple were shot to death while visiting the western Mexico state of Michoacan. Officials confirmed their nationalities on Saturday.

State prosecutors said the couple died when their pickup truck was sprayed with bullets. Investigations were underway, but authorities offered no immediate information on the identity of the assailants or a possible motive.

The killings occurred late Wednesday in the town Angamacutiro, Michoacan.

The town government confirmed that the victims were named Rafael Cardona, and his wife, Gloria Ambriz. It identified Cardona as the brother-in-law of the town’s mayor and said the town government’s public Christmas-season events were cancelled.

Local media reported the couple were from Sacramento, California, and were apparently visiting the town.

The town is located on the border with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-cartels-violence-eight-killed-guanajuato-fa99d31b8bff7c47d5db562180eb40c4">the neighboring state of Guanajuato, which has more homicides than any other state in Mexico</a>. Warring drug gangs fighting for the territory are largely responsible for the violence there.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — An American couple were shot to death while visiting the western Mexico state of Michoacan. Officials confirmed their nationalities on Saturday.State prosecutors said the couple died when their pickup truck was sprayed with bullets. Investigations were underway, but authorities offered no immediate information on the identity of the assailants or a possible motive.The killings occurred late Wednesday in the town Angamacutiro, Michoacan.The town government confirmed that the victims were named Rafael Cardona, and his wife, Gloria Ambriz. It identified Cardona as the brother-in-law of the town’s mayor and said the town government’s public Christmas-season events were cancelled.Local media reported the couple were from Sacramento, California, and were apparently visiting the town.The town is located on the border with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-cartels-violence-eight-killed-guanajuato-fa99d31b8bff7c47d5db562180eb40c4">the neighboring state of Guanajuato, which has more homicides than any other state in Mexico</a>. Warring drug gangs fighting for the territory are largely responsible for the violence there.

Police ID American couple shot to death in Mexico

NEW YORK (AP) — Her memories of recording “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy. She remembers the producer placing decorations around the studio and blasting the air conditioner on a warm Nashville day to create a holiday spirit. The musicians, she recalls, nailed it in a couple of takes.

That's about it. After all, Brenda Lee was 13 years old at the time — and it was 66 years ago, in 1958.

Somewhat implausibly, her celebration of a “Christmas party hop” is more popular today than ever before. It's an unusual trajectory, even accounting for the fact that music listeners during the holiday season tend to embrace songs they've known for years.

“Rockin'” eclipsed Mariah Carey's perennial favorite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christmas-mariah-carey-queen-song-346d94b58c268edb5a7fcb3c912e982c">“All I Want for Christmas is You”</a>&nbsp;last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. A week later, following a birthday, she beat her own mark. Kendrick Lamar likely stands in her way of doing it again this year.

Another record: Sixty-five years represented the longest interval between a record being released and making it to No. 1.

“It is a good song,” Lee told The Associated Press. “It's a song that anybody can sing. You can join in, you can sing it, everyone is happy. I sure am glad that I have it. I never thought in my life that a Christmas song would be my legacy. But I'll take it.”

It's a phenomenon that music journalist Holly Gleason noticed recently while stopping for coffee in Nashville, near the neighborhood where Lee lives. The song came over the loudspeaker and the room — parents, kids, hipsters — erupted in singing and laughter. “It's kind of an ear worm on steroids,” said Gleason, whose 2017 book “Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives” featured Lee, among others.

The song manages the neat trick of sounding retro yet not dated. Sweet guitar licks snake around Lee's voice in the original recording. Boots Randolph's saxophone solo drives it home. The party flies by quickly, the song over in two minutes, six seconds.

Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it's easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? Rock ‘n’ roll was in its infancy then, too.

In the song, Lee sings about “mistletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop.”

In real life, she hadn't experienced her first kiss. “Lord, no,” she said. “Not to say I didn't want to. I wasn't even allowed to date until I was 16.”

What is the ‘new old-fashioned way,’ anyway?

The song hits plenty of holiday reference points — pumpkin pie, caroling, boughs of holly. You can overlook the part of the chorus that doesn't make much sense: what is the “new old-fashioned way,” exactly?

The simplicity of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” is a big part of its appeal, said Nathaniel Sloan, a musicologist at the University of Southern California and co-host of the “Switched on Pop” podcast. Like many successful holiday songs, it evokes nostalgia for a happier, more peaceful time — even if that's more imagination than reality, he said.

The style is more rockabilly than traditional rock or country, and Sloan believes that has much to do with why it continues to sound fresh.

“The thing that has always stunned me about the song is that you're listening to a 13-year-old's performance, and it doesn't sound that way to me,” he said. “There's a depth to the vocal, even a weathered quality, that I can't believe she was so young. It's pitch-perfect.”

For all of its success, the song was barely noticed upon its release in 1958. Not until two years later, when Lee's profile was higher through hits like “I'm Sorry,” did it make the music charts. Its biggest boost came 40 years after that, when “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” was featured in the hit movie “Home Alone.” The movie itself has become a holiday staple, giving more exposure to the song each year.

Her record company continues to push the song, recording a video in 2023 that included guest appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This year it has released “Noche Buena Y Navidad,” a Spanish-language version using artificial intelligence to create a vocal derived from Lee's voice.

The record company is throwing Lee a birthday party

Universal Music is holding a party for her in Nashville to celebrate her 80th birthday on Wednesday. “She's just a force and a character,” said Cindy Mabe, the company's chairwoman and CEO. “She's full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.”

“Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It has been streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally and certified seven times Platinum, meaning at least seven million copies sold. Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves and the duo of Darlene Love &amp; Ronnie Spector are among the artists who've covered it.

Lee has sung it countless times over the years, most recently at a charity event last year. It made her concert setlist even in the heat of summer. How much money the song has earned is murky; the record company wouldn't talk about it. The bulk of its income would likely go to Marks' estate.

“It has never been a money thing for me,” Lee said. “It’s been a love thing. The money is great, yes, and I’m grateful. But I would be singing it on the corner for pennies because that’s what I love to do.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/dbauder">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733836678527.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Her memories of recording “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy. She remembers the producer placing decorations around the studio and blasting the air conditioner on a warm Nashville day to create a holiday spirit. The musicians, she recalls, nailed it in a couple of takes.That's about it. After all, Brenda Lee was 13 years old at the time — and it was 66 years ago, in 1958.Somewhat implausibly, her celebration of a “Christmas party hop” is more popular today than ever before. It's an unusual trajectory, even accounting for the fact that music listeners during the holiday season tend to embrace songs they've known for years.“Rockin'” eclipsed Mariah Carey's perennial favorite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/christmas-mariah-carey-queen-song-346d94b58c268edb5a7fcb3c912e982c">“All I Want for Christmas is You”</a>&nbsp;last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. A week later, following a birthday, she beat her own mark. Kendrick Lamar likely stands in her way of doing it again this year.Another record: Sixty-five years represented the longest interval between a record being released and making it to No. 1.“It is a good song,” Lee told The Associated Press. “It's a song that anybody can sing. You can join in, you can sing it, everyone is happy. I sure am glad that I have it. I never thought in my life that a Christmas song would be my legacy. But I'll take it.”<h2>‘An ear worm on steroids’</h2>It's a phenomenon that music journalist Holly Gleason noticed recently while stopping for coffee in Nashville, near the neighborhood where Lee lives. The song came over the loudspeaker and the room — parents, kids, hipsters — erupted in singing and laughter. “It's kind of an ear worm on steroids,” said Gleason, whose 2017 book “Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives” featured Lee, among others.The song manages the neat trick of sounding retro yet not dated. Sweet guitar licks snake around Lee's voice in the original recording. Boots Randolph's saxophone solo drives it home. The party flies by quickly, the song over in two minutes, six seconds.Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it's easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? Rock ‘n’ roll was in its infancy then, too.In the song, Lee sings about “mistletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop.”In real life, she hadn't experienced her first kiss. “Lord, no,” she said. “Not to say I didn't want to. I wasn't even allowed to date until I was 16.”<h2>What is the ‘new old-fashioned way,’ anyway?</h2>The song hits plenty of holiday reference points — pumpkin pie, caroling, boughs of holly. You can overlook the part of the chorus that doesn't make much sense: what is the “new old-fashioned way,” exactly?The simplicity of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” is a big part of its appeal, said Nathaniel Sloan, a musicologist at the University of Southern California and co-host of the “Switched on Pop” podcast. Like many successful holiday songs, it evokes nostalgia for a happier, more peaceful time — even if that's more imagination than reality, he said.The style is more rockabilly than traditional rock or country, and Sloan believes that has much to do with why it continues to sound fresh.“The thing that has always stunned me about the song is that you're listening to a 13-year-old's performance, and it doesn't sound that way to me,” he said. “There's a depth to the vocal, even a weathered quality, that I can't believe she was so young. It's pitch-perfect.”For all of its success, the song was barely noticed upon its release in 1958. Not until two years later, when Lee's profile was higher through hits like “I'm Sorry,” did it make the music charts. Its biggest boost came 40 years after that, when “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” was featured in the hit movie “Home Alone.” The movie itself has become a holiday staple, giving more exposure to the song each year.Her record company continues to push the song, recording a video in 2023 that included guest appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This year it has released “Noche Buena Y Navidad,” a Spanish-language version using artificial intelligence to create a vocal derived from Lee's voice.<h2>The record company is throwing Lee a birthday party</h2>Universal Music is holding a party for her in Nashville to celebrate her 80th birthday on Wednesday. “She's just a force and a character,” said Cindy Mabe, the company's chairwoman and CEO. “She's full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.”“Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It has been streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally and certified seven times Platinum, meaning at least seven million copies sold. Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves and the duo of Darlene Love &amp; Ronnie Spector are among the artists who've covered it.Lee has sung it countless times over the years, most recently at a charity event last year. It made her concert setlist even in the heat of summer. How much money the song has earned is murky; the record company wouldn't talk about it. The bulk of its income would likely go to Marks' estate.“It has never been a money thing for me,” Lee said. “It’s been a love thing. The money is great, yes, and I’m grateful. But I would be singing it on the corner for pennies because that’s what I love to do.”____David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/dbauder">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.</a>

Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger testified Wednesday that more than 700 threats against members of Congress were made during the last month alone, with at least 50 cases of people making false 911 calls in an attempt to get police teams to respond to lawmakers’ homes, often called “swatting.”

Manger, who took over the police department following the Jan. 6 attack, said the agency has done a relatively good job bolstering security at the Capitol building during the last few years, but needs more officers and money to address lawmakers’ security when they are back home or at offsite events.

Manger pointed to the dignitary protection division, which is responsible for keeping congressional leadership safe wherever they go, as “woefully understaffed.”

“We provide the protection at the level it needs to be. But you do that through officers working double shifts and averaging … 50 hours of overtime every pay period,” Manger said.

The division that protects leadership currently holds about 250 officers, but Manger pressed for that to be doubled to at least 500.

“And not only can we provide protection for the leadership 24/7, but when we have people that have threats against them that require us to stand up temporary details, we can do that,” Manger said. “Because right now, when we do it, we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. We’re yanking somebody off another detail to stand up a detail to help someone for a temporary threat situation.”

There are numerous situations, he testified, where if USCP had more officers it could better protect lawmakers both on and off Capitol Hill. For example, USCP needs more than the 20 or so agents it currently has investigating threats against members of Congress.

Threats against lawmakers have been on the rise for years, but are having increasingly dire consequences. Just this week&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/motorist-killed-as-police-respond-to-bomb-threat-targeting-marjorie-taylor-greene/" target="_blank">a woman in Georgia was killed</a>&nbsp;in what local police described as a “tragic chain of events” after an email falsely claimed there was a bomb in the mailbox at Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s home there.

Manger said during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?540508-1/us-capitol-police-chief-testifies-oversight-department&amp;live" target="_blank">hearing</a>&nbsp;in the Senate Rules Committee that lawmakers need to raise USCP’s spending levels to allow it to continue holding 12 recruiting classes per year of 25 officers each for the next few years.

The mandatory retirement age for USCP should also be raised from 60 to 65 to match the “tweak” the Secret Service holds that allows it to keep senior officers working above the ceiling of 57 years old for federal law enforcement, which Manger called “shameful” because he believes it is too low.

“We have people that are in the prime of their career at that age and they got to go. And so, you know, I’ve been able to get the Capitol Police Board to agree to extend it to the age 60. And I have several officers that I’ve spoken with just in the last month who are hitting 60 years old, and they said, ‘Chief, I don’t want to go,’” Manger said. “And you look at them, and they look like they’re 35 and they certainly can still do the job, physically, mentally, and they’re some of the best cops you’d ever want to work with. But I have no ability to hold on to them.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734108078507.png" alt="U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger testifies during a Senate this week-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger testifies during a Senate this week-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger testified Wednesday that more than 700 threats against members of Congress were made during the last month alone, with at least 50 cases of people making false 911 calls in an attempt to get police teams to respond to lawmakers’ homes, often called “swatting.”Manger, who took over the police department following the Jan. 6 attack, said the agency has done a relatively good job bolstering security at the Capitol building during the last few years, but needs more officers and money to address lawmakers’ security when they are back home or at offsite events.Manger pointed to the dignitary protection division, which is responsible for keeping congressional leadership safe wherever they go, as “woefully understaffed.”“We provide the protection at the level it needs to be. But you do that through officers working double shifts and averaging … 50 hours of overtime every pay period,” Manger said.The division that protects leadership currently holds about 250 officers, but Manger pressed for that to be doubled to at least 500.“And not only can we provide protection for the leadership 24/7, but when we have people that have threats against them that require us to stand up temporary details, we can do that,” Manger said. “Because right now, when we do it, we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. We’re yanking somebody off another detail to stand up a detail to help someone for a temporary threat situation.”There are numerous situations, he testified, where if USCP had more officers it could better protect lawmakers both on and off Capitol Hill. For example, USCP needs more than the 20 or so agents it currently has investigating threats against members of Congress.<h2>Woman in Georgia killed</h2>Threats against lawmakers have been on the rise for years, but are having increasingly dire consequences. Just this week&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/motorist-killed-as-police-respond-to-bomb-threat-targeting-marjorie-taylor-greene/" target="_blank">a woman in Georgia was killed</a>&nbsp;in what local police described as a “tragic chain of events” after an email falsely claimed there was a bomb in the mailbox at Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s home there.Manger said during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?540508-1/us-capitol-police-chief-testifies-oversight-department&amp;live" target="_blank">hearing</a>&nbsp;in the Senate Rules Committee that lawmakers need to raise USCP’s spending levels to allow it to continue holding 12 recruiting classes per year of 25 officers each for the next few years.The mandatory retirement age for USCP should also be raised from 60 to 65 to match the “tweak” the Secret Service holds that allows it to keep senior officers working above the ceiling of 57 years old for federal law enforcement, which Manger called “shameful” because he believes it is too low.“We have people that are in the prime of their career at that age and they got to go. And so, you know, I’ve been able to get the Capitol Police Board to agree to extend it to the age 60. And I have several officers that I’ve spoken with just in the last month who are hitting 60 years old, and they said, ‘Chief, I don’t want to go,’” Manger said. “And you look at them, and they look like they’re 35 and they certainly can still do the job, physically, mentally, and they’re some of the best cops you’d ever want to work with. But I have no ability to hold on to them.”&nbsp;

U.S. Capitol Police chief details 700 threats against members of Congress in one month

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BARBARA%20ORTUTAY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer</a>

Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">concerns about the effects</a>&nbsp;of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95% in 2022. Nearly three-quarters said they visit YouTube every day.

There was a slight downward trend in several popular apps teens used. For instance, 63% of teens said they used TikTok, down from 67% and Snapchat slipped to 55% from 59%. This small decline could be due to pandemic-era restrictions easing up and kids having more time to see friends in person, but it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">not enough to be truly meaningful</a>.

X saw the biggest decline among teenage users. Only 17% of teenagers said they use X, down from 23% in 2022, the year Elon Musk bought the platform. Reddit held steady at 14%. About 6% of teenagers said they use Threads, Meta's answer to X that launched in 2023.

The report comes as countries around the world are grappling with how to handle the effects of social media on young people's well-being. Australia recently passed a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-ban-australia-kids-4dda8d92bd4b896ff502482b6736ab24">banning kids under 16</a>&nbsp;from social networks, though it's unclear how it will be able to enforce the age limit — and whether it will come with unintended consequences such as isolating vulnerable kids from their peers.

Meta's messaging service WhatsApp was a rare exception in that it saw the number of teenage users increase, to 23% from 17% in 2022.

Pew also asked kids how often they use various online platforms. Small but significant numbers said they are on them “almost constantly.” For YouTube, 15% reported constant use, for TikTok, 16% and for Snapchat, 13%.

As in previous surveys, girls were more likely to use TikTok almost constantly while boys gravitated to YouTube. There was no meaningful gender difference in the use of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.

Roughly a quarter of Black and Hispanic teens said they visit TikTok almost constantly, compared with just 8% of white teenagers.

The report was based on a survey of 1,391 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted from Sept. 18 to Oct. 10, 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664558814705.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BARBARA%20ORTUTAY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer</a>Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">concerns about the effects</a>&nbsp;of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center.As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95% in 2022. Nearly three-quarters said they visit YouTube every day.There was a slight downward trend in several popular apps teens used. For instance, 63% of teens said they used TikTok, down from 67% and Snapchat slipped to 55% from 59%. This small decline could be due to pandemic-era restrictions easing up and kids having more time to see friends in person, but it's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">not enough to be truly meaningful</a>.X saw the biggest decline among teenage users. Only 17% of teenagers said they use X, down from 23% in 2022, the year Elon Musk bought the platform. Reddit held steady at 14%. About 6% of teenagers said they use Threads, Meta's answer to X that launched in 2023.The report comes as countries around the world are grappling with how to handle the effects of social media on young people's well-being. Australia recently passed a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-ban-australia-kids-4dda8d92bd4b896ff502482b6736ab24">banning kids under 16</a>&nbsp;from social networks, though it's unclear how it will be able to enforce the age limit — and whether it will come with unintended consequences such as isolating vulnerable kids from their peers.Meta's messaging service WhatsApp was a rare exception in that it saw the number of teenage users increase, to 23% from 17% in 2022.Pew also asked kids how often they use various online platforms. Small but significant numbers said they are on them “almost constantly.” For YouTube, 15% reported constant use, for TikTok, 16% and for Snapchat, 13%.As in previous surveys, girls were more likely to use TikTok almost constantly while boys gravitated to YouTube. There was no meaningful gender difference in the use of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.Roughly a quarter of Black and Hispanic teens said they visit TikTok almost constantly, compared with just 8% of white teenagers.The report was based on a survey of 1,391 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted from Sept. 18 to Oct. 10, 2024.

Pew report: Nearly half of US teens are online 'constantly'

Nonresidents represent three-fourths of 19,467 abortions in Kansas

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Demand for abortion in Kansas skyrocketed by 58% during 2023 in response to near-total bans on the procedure in Missouri and Oklahoma and strict limits in other Midwest states.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Kansas documented 7,849 abortions in 2021. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/24/on-dobbs-decision-anniversary-kansas-abortion-rights-supporters-look-to-next-battle/">strike down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the 2019 Kansas Supreme Court’s opinion that women had a state constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy were factors in the rise in Kansas abortions to 12,319 in 2022.

Kansas’ total of abortions substantially escalated in 2023 to 19,467, KDHE said, for the 58% uptick compared to 2022.

In 2022, nonresidents received 8,475 abortions. The number of out-of-state patients reached 15,111 in 2023. In terms of Kansas residents, last year’s 4,356 abortions was an increase of 512 from 2022.

“Access to abortion shouldn’t depend on zip codes, but legal battles in states like Arizona mean that access to care is hanging in the balance,” said Trust Women, which operates a clinic in Wichita.

Passage of a Missouri constitutional amendment in November to reestablish reproductive freedom could have an influence on nonresident abortions in Kansas during 2025.

“The courts are thoughtfully reviewing years of complex anti-abortion laws and bans in Missouri,” said Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “While this process takes time, rest assured we are committed to continue fighting for Missourians’ access to their new constitutional right.”

In 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court held the state’s Bill of Rights contained the right to control one’s own body and exercise self-determination. The justices said this fundamental state right included decisions about pregnancy.

Soon after reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would have opened the door to more strict abortion laws.

Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for Kansas For Life, said the state’s two-year increase in abortions didn’t represent interests of Kansans.

“Anyone who says this is what Kansans voted for is a liar and on the wrong side of history,” Underwood said. “The surge of abortions in Kansas is a heartbreaking reminder of the abortion industry’s relentless targeting of vulnerable women who are no longer protected by enforceable informed consent laws or basic abortion facility inspection and safety standards.”

In 2024, the state Supreme Court struck down anti-abortion statutes, including the ban on a second trimester procedure and laws regulating abortion providers more aggressively than other health professionals. Under current standards, an abortion in Kansas may be performed up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.

In 2024, Nebraska voters inserted a 12-week ban into its state constitution. Iowa enforces a six-week ban. Missouri and Oklahoma have been prohibiting abortion except to protect individuals from life-threatening situations.

Last year, KDHE reported, 69% of Kansas resident abortions occurred prior to nine weeks of gestational age. About 90% were prior to the 13th week, KDHE said. Eighty-five percent of women receiving Kansas abortions last year were unmarried.

KDHE said the abortion ratio of 128 per 1,000 live births for Kansas residents in 2023 was 14.5% higher than the ratio of 111.8 per 1,000 live births in 2022. The ratio had dropped from 151 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2004.

During 2023, Kansas recorded 34,041 live births among residents of the state. The rate per 1,000 people in Kansas was the lowest since state officials began tracking the figure in 1912.

The number of Kansas pregnancies for individuals under 20 years of age in 2023 was 2,041, down 2.6% from 2022. It represented the lowest pregnancy rate for this age group in 20 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734232610750.png" alt=" The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the number of abortions performed in Kansas during 2023 climbed to 19,467, which was 58% greater than the 12,319 total in 2022. Three-fourths of last year's abortion patients lived in other states and traveled to Kansas for the procedure. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the number of abortions performed in Kansas during 2023 climbed to 19,467, which was 58% greater than the 12,319 total in 2022. Three-fourths of last year's abortion patients lived in other states and traveled to Kansas for the procedure. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Nonresidents represent three-fourths of 19,467 abortions in Kansas</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Demand for abortion in Kansas skyrocketed by 58% during 2023 in response to near-total bans on the procedure in Missouri and Oklahoma and strict limits in other Midwest states.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Kansas documented 7,849 abortions in 2021. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/24/on-dobbs-decision-anniversary-kansas-abortion-rights-supporters-look-to-next-battle/">strike down Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the 2019 Kansas Supreme Court’s opinion that women had a state constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy were factors in the rise in Kansas abortions to 12,319 in 2022.Kansas’ total of abortions substantially escalated in 2023 to 19,467, KDHE said, for the 58% uptick compared to 2022.In 2022, nonresidents received 8,475 abortions. The number of out-of-state patients reached 15,111 in 2023. In terms of Kansas residents, last year’s 4,356 abortions was an increase of 512 from 2022.“Access to abortion shouldn’t depend on zip codes, but legal battles in states like Arizona mean that access to care is hanging in the balance,” said Trust Women, which operates a clinic in Wichita.Passage of a Missouri constitutional amendment in November to reestablish reproductive freedom could have an influence on nonresident abortions in Kansas during 2025.“The courts are thoughtfully reviewing years of complex anti-abortion laws and bans in Missouri,” said Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “While this process takes time, rest assured we are committed to continue fighting for Missourians’ access to their new constitutional right.”In 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court held the state’s Bill of Rights contained the right to control one’s own body and exercise self-determination. The justices said this fundamental state right included decisions about pregnancy.Soon after reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would have opened the door to more strict abortion laws.Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for Kansas For Life, said the state’s two-year increase in abortions didn’t represent interests of Kansans.“Anyone who says this is what Kansans voted for is a liar and on the wrong side of history,” Underwood said. “The surge of abortions in Kansas is a heartbreaking reminder of the abortion industry’s relentless targeting of vulnerable women who are no longer protected by enforceable informed consent laws or basic abortion facility inspection and safety standards.”In 2024, the state Supreme Court struck down anti-abortion statutes, including the ban on a second trimester procedure and laws regulating abortion providers more aggressively than other health professionals. Under current standards, an abortion in Kansas may be performed up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.In 2024, Nebraska voters inserted a 12-week ban into its state constitution. Iowa enforces a six-week ban. Missouri and Oklahoma have been prohibiting abortion except to protect individuals from life-threatening situations.Last year, KDHE reported, 69% of Kansas resident abortions occurred prior to nine weeks of gestational age. About 90% were prior to the 13th week, KDHE said. Eighty-five percent of women receiving Kansas abortions last year were unmarried.KDHE said the abortion ratio of 128 per 1,000 live births for Kansas residents in 2023 was 14.5% higher than the ratio of 111.8 per 1,000 live births in 2022. The ratio had dropped from 151 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2004.During 2023, Kansas recorded 34,041 live births among residents of the state. The rate per 1,000 people in Kansas was the lowest since state officials began tracking the figure in 1912.The number of Kansas pregnancies for individuals under 20 years of age in 2023 was 2,041, down 2.6% from 2022. It represented the lowest pregnancy rate for this age group in 20 years.

Kansas abortions rise 58% in 2023 amid tight restrictions in nearby states

CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward.

Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drones-rules-regulations-safety-airports-flights-978a47224fdeb42e66a89393d81b1eb4">the saga of the drones</a>&nbsp;reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights.

This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-8bfe84cf2678400181292b75f9193395">Lawmakers are demanding</a>&nbsp;(but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what’s behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-82f3d8bc816350dbfc0953e5de6063e6">wrote to President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X.

More drone sightings have been reported in New York City, and Mayor Eric Adams says the city is investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials. And then President-elect Donald Trump posted that he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site.

But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies, none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they’re looking into what’s happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else.

Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on.

In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group.

The Facebook page,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/552059654373970" target="_blank">New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it</a>, has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there.

One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.)

Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she’s glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said.

“I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said.

She doesn’t buy what the governor said, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-1bf2b36e8617d46da711dae602708be2">the drones aren’t a risk to public safety.</a>&nbsp;Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”

“How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.”

Then there’s the notion that people could misunderstand what they’re seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots.

Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they’re looking at.

Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories.

“It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.”

Federal officials echo Austin’s view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy.

That’s not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects.

For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions.

“My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said.

“Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734228753383.png" alt="Image from New Jersey Senator Andy Kim" />
 <figcaption>Image from New Jersey Senator Andy Kim</figcaption>
 </figure>CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward.Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drones-rules-regulations-safety-airports-flights-978a47224fdeb42e66a89393d81b1eb4">the saga of the drones</a>&nbsp;reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights.This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-8bfe84cf2678400181292b75f9193395">Lawmakers are demanding</a>&nbsp;(but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what’s behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-82f3d8bc816350dbfc0953e5de6063e6">wrote to President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X.More drone sightings have been reported in New York City, and Mayor Eric Adams says the city is investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials. And then President-elect Donald Trump posted that he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734187379689.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies, none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they’re looking into what’s happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734002450175.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last night I went out with local police to spot drone flying over New Jersey, here’s what I saw. We drove to Round Valley Reservoir and the officer pointed to lights moving low over the tree line. Sometimes they were solid white light, others flashed of red and green.THREAD <a href="https://t.co/ly7kUUDWDn">pic.twitter.com/ly7kUUDWDn</a>&mdash; Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyKimNJ/status/1867582643346571730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group.The Facebook page,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/552059654373970" target="_blank">New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it</a>, has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there.One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.)Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she’s glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said.“I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said.She doesn’t buy what the governor said, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-1bf2b36e8617d46da711dae602708be2">the drones aren’t a risk to public safety.</a>&nbsp;Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”“How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.”Then there’s the notion that people could misunderstand what they’re seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots.Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they’re looking at.Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories.“It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.”Federal officials echo Austin’s view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy.That’s not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects.For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions.“My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said.“Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added.

Drones or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious sightings

MARION COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Marion County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Toyota Camry driven by Alicia D.&nbsp;Warwick, 38, Peabody, was northbound on Kansas 15 at U.S. 56 seven miles west of Hillsboro. 

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and the car struck the trailer of an eastbound 2021 Freightliner semi driven by Alfred S. Johnson, 34, Hockley, Texas.

Warwick was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Jost Funeral Home. EMS transported two passengers in the car 14-year-old Jason Ortiz and 14-year-old Gabe Glenn to Wesley Medical Center. The KHP did not report the hometowns of the teens.&nbsp; Johnson was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

MARION COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Saturday in Marion County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Toyota Camry driven by Alicia D.&nbsp;Warwick, 38, Peabody, was northbound on Kansas 15 at U.S. 56 seven miles west of Hillsboro. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and the car struck the trailer of an eastbound 2021 Freightliner semi driven by Alfred S. Johnson, 34, Hockley, Texas.Warwick was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Jost Funeral Home. EMS transported two passengers in the car 14-year-old Jason Ortiz and 14-year-old Gabe Glenn to Wesley Medical Center. The KHP did not report the hometowns of the teens.&nbsp; Johnson was not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. woman dead, 2 boys hospitalized after car strikes semi's trailer

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Kansas bank robbery have made an arrest.

Just after 4 p.m. Wednesday police responded to reports of a robbery at Equity Bank, 7701 E. Kellogg in Wichita.

Employees reported that a man entered the bank and presented a note to a teller demanding money, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. The suspect, described as a white male wearing glasses, a black hoodie, black sweatpants and gloves, according to the FBI ran from the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.

On Thursday, the Wichita Patrol East Community Policing Team, assisting the Robbery Section, located a vehicle connected to the suspect. During a traffic stop, robbery detectives and FBI agents gathered critical information about the suspect’s location.

The Property Crimes Reduction Team was contacted for assistance and, with support from the Vice Unit, identified the suspect in Derby. Detectives observed the individual walking away from a location and directed marked units to his position. The suspect identified according to Sedgwick County booking&nbsp; records as 54-year-old Craig Duane Drees was taken into custody without incident.

Following extensive follow-up and collaboration across multiple Wichita Police sections and bureaus, Drees&nbsp; booked into jail on requested charges that include on count of robbery of a financial institution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121631432.png" alt="Drees photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Drees photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Kansas bank robbery have made an arrest.Just after 4 p.m. Wednesday police responded to reports of a robbery at Equity Bank, 7701 E. Kellogg in Wichita.Employees reported that a man entered the bank and presented a note to a teller demanding money, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo. The suspect, described as a white male wearing glasses, a black hoodie, black sweatpants and gloves, according to the FBI ran from the bank with an undetermined amount of cash.On Thursday, the Wichita Patrol East Community Policing Team, assisting the Robbery Section, located a vehicle connected to the suspect. During a traffic stop, robbery detectives and FBI agents gathered critical information about the suspect’s location.The Property Crimes Reduction Team was contacted for assistance and, with support from the Vice Unit, identified the suspect in Derby. Detectives observed the individual walking away from a location and directed marked units to his position. The suspect identified according to Sedgwick County booking&nbsp; records as 54-year-old Craig Duane Drees was taken into custody without incident.Following extensive follow-up and collaboration across multiple Wichita Police sections and bureaus, Drees&nbsp; booked into jail on requested charges that include on count of robbery of a financial institution.

Police track down Kansas bank robbery suspect

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;huddled with allies and a Republican cause célèbre at Saturday's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-navy-preview-bryson-daily-fdf749eac409eac5293288ccd044c2fc">Army-Navy football game,</a>&nbsp;taking in one of the most storied rivalries in college sports while spotlighting his emerging national security team.

Trump was joined by Vice President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">embattled Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth</a>, potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">backup defense secretary option</a>&nbsp;Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and others to watch Navy beat Army 31-13 in the 125th matchup between the service academies.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daniel-perry-chokehold-vance-army-navy-227774aa980f18ee1c9647492e1dcfbe">Daniel Penny</a>, a military veteran who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide this past week in the chokehold death of an agitated subway rider in New York, also was a guest in the president's suite. Penny was invited by Vance, who accused prosecutors of trying to “ruin" Penny's life by charging the Marine veteran in the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-neely-daniel-penny-subway-chokehold-funeral-1bc99d85bc399c4e22a07039876a24d4">Jordan Neely</a>&nbsp;in 2023.

Trump arrived at Northwest Stadium just before kickoff and was greeted warmly by the crowd, which erupted in cheers when the president-elect, Vance and Elon Musk, who Trump has appointed to help lead a proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, appeared on the scoreboard video screen.

The president, who was seated with his entourage in a stadium suite, mouthed “thank you” and the crowd erupted in a chant of “USA, USA!”

Trump, who attended Army-Navy games as president-elect in 2016 and during his first term, has been making an increasing number of public appearances before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. He was accompanied by his family and Vance on Thursday as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stock-exchange-time-nyse-bell-ringing-91a59ff0f4ce77c0c6f87e55a38c6c75">rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange</a>&nbsp;after being recognized as Time magazine's person of the year.

Trump spent the weeks after the Nov. 5 election holed up at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida assembling a team to help lead his next administration.

He and his aides have become bullish about Hegseth's chances of winning Senate confirmation. The Army combat veteran and former Fox News host's chances of becoming defense secretary had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">appeared in peril</a>&nbsp;amid allegations of excessive drinking,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-sexual-assault-13540626e4b0b1399a0ecab5a592f515">sexual assault</a>&nbsp;and his views on women in combat.

DeSantis, a former Navy lawyer who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, is among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">possible replacement candidates</a>&nbsp;Trump has considered if Hegseth's bid fizzles.

But Saturday's game offered Trump a chance to display his commitment to Hegseth's nomination. The embattled nominee even stood with Trump and Vance for the playing of the national anthem.

The mood appeared celebratory for Trump and his team on Saturday.

Hegseth along with fellow Army veterans Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump's incoming national security adviser, and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to serve as director of national intelligence, posted a short video on X shortly before the game to make their allegiances clear.

“We love our Navy, except today” said Waltz, a retired Army National Guard colonel who did multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.

Trump also spent time during the game with Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose future could be on shaky ground in the new Trump administration.

Biden last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cq-brown-jr-air-force-1e348527cc3c95f66eb3cd6ebaa0e6f0">tapped Brown</a>&nbsp;for a four-year term as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, but military leaders serve at the pleasure of the president.

Brown, a combat pilot and just the second Black officer to serve as chairman, spoke out after the police killing of George Floyd, a touchstone moment in the Black Lives Matter movement, about the bias he faced in his own life and career.

But Trump has expressed disdain for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/diversity-equity-inclusion-higher-education-597b65d8f06062cff60b2e185281870a">equity and diversity programs</a>. And his defense secretary pick Hegseth has decried a “woke” agenda that he argues is undermining U.S. military strength. Hegseth, days before he was announced as Trump's Pentagon nominee, called for firing Brown and generals that have promoted diversity policies in a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL.

Trump also made time for Republican lawmakers that he'll need to get his agenda through Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was among the lawmakers that chatted up Trump at the game. He brought with him a contingent of other GOP lawmakers, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Pennsylvania Sen.-elect David McCormick, that vied for face time with the incoming president weeks before Republicans take control of the White House and both branches of Congress.

Johnson, who could be seen talking with the president-elect before kickoff, had said he would discuss with Trump plans for a legislative package that could move through Congress next year with a simple majority in the face of expected Democratic opposition.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daniel-perry-chokehold-vance-army-navy-227774aa980f18ee1c9647492e1dcfbe">Vance brought Penny,</a>&nbsp;a fellow Marine veteran, as his guest. Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in Neely's death after a judge had dismissed a more serious manslaughter charge last week because the jury deadlocked on that count.

The case was a flashpoint in the long-standing debates over racial justice and as well as failures by New York City to address homelessness and mental illness, both of which Neely had struggled with.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734224270414.jpeg" alt="Photo by Dan Scavino, Jr.&nbsp;Incoming Assistant to POTUS and Deputy Chief of Staff" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Dan Scavino, Jr.&nbsp;Incoming Assistant to POTUS and Deputy Chief of Staff</figcaption>
 </figure>LANDOVER, Md. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President-elect Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;huddled with allies and a Republican cause célèbre at Saturday's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-navy-preview-bryson-daily-fdf749eac409eac5293288ccd044c2fc">Army-Navy football game,</a>&nbsp;taking in one of the most storied rivalries in college sports while spotlighting his emerging national security team.Trump was joined by Vice President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">embattled Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth</a>, potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">backup defense secretary option</a>&nbsp;Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and others to watch Navy beat Army 31-13 in the 125th matchup between the service academies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President-elect Trump and VP-elect JD Vance at Army-Navy game. <a href="https://t.co/7wMh4VVCTg">pic.twitter.com/7wMh4VVCTg</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1868061574046666795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/daniel-perry-chokehold-vance-army-navy-227774aa980f18ee1c9647492e1dcfbe">Daniel Penny</a>, a military veteran who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide this past week in the chokehold death of an agitated subway rider in New York, also was a guest in the president's suite. Penny was invited by Vance, who accused prosecutors of trying to “ruin" Penny's life by charging the Marine veteran in the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-neely-daniel-penny-subway-chokehold-funeral-1bc99d85bc399c4e22a07039876a24d4">Jordan Neely</a>&nbsp;in 2023.Trump arrived at Northwest Stadium just before kickoff and was greeted warmly by the crowd, which erupted in cheers when the president-elect, Vance and Elon Musk, who Trump has appointed to help lead a proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, appeared on the scoreboard video screen.The president, who was seated with his entourage in a stadium suite, mouthed “thank you” and the crowd erupted in a chant of “USA, USA!”Trump, who attended Army-Navy games as president-elect in 2016 and during his first term, has been making an increasing number of public appearances before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. He was accompanied by his family and Vance on Thursday as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stock-exchange-time-nyse-bell-ringing-91a59ff0f4ce77c0c6f87e55a38c6c75">rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange</a>&nbsp;after being recognized as Time magazine's person of the year.Trump spent the weeks after the Nov. 5 election holed up at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida assembling a team to help lead his next administration.He and his aides have become bullish about Hegseth's chances of winning Senate confirmation. The Army combat veteran and former Fox News host's chances of becoming defense secretary had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pete-hegseth-defense-pentagon-transition-74d056e44c3cd14a1a9ae97704cda53e">appeared in peril</a>&nbsp;amid allegations of excessive drinking,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-sexual-assault-13540626e4b0b1399a0ecab5a592f515">sexual assault</a>&nbsp;and his views on women in combat.DeSantis, a former Navy lawyer who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, is among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">possible replacement candidates</a>&nbsp;Trump has considered if Hegseth's bid fizzles.But Saturday's game offered Trump a chance to display his commitment to Hegseth's nomination. The embattled nominee even stood with Trump and Vance for the playing of the national anthem.The mood appeared celebratory for Trump and his team on Saturday.Hegseth along with fellow Army veterans Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump's incoming national security adviser, and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to serve as director of national intelligence, posted a short video on X shortly before the game to make their allegiances clear.“We love our Navy, except today” said Waltz, a retired Army National Guard colonel who did multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.“Go Army!" Gabbard added.Trump also spent time during the game with Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose future could be on shaky ground in the new Trump administration.Biden last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cq-brown-jr-air-force-1e348527cc3c95f66eb3cd6ebaa0e6f0">tapped Brown</a>&nbsp;for a four-year term as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, but military leaders serve at the pleasure of the president.Brown, a combat pilot and just the second Black officer to serve as chairman, spoke out after the police killing of George Floyd, a touchstone moment in the Black Lives Matter movement, about the bias he faced in his own life and career.But Trump has expressed disdain for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/diversity-equity-inclusion-higher-education-597b65d8f06062cff60b2e185281870a">equity and diversity programs</a>. And his defense secretary pick Hegseth has decried a “woke” agenda that he argues is undermining U.S. military strength. Hegseth, days before he was announced as Trump's Pentagon nominee, called for firing Brown and generals that have promoted diversity policies in a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL.Trump also made time for Republican lawmakers that he'll need to get his agenda through Congress.House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was among the lawmakers that chatted up Trump at the game. He brought with him a contingent of other GOP lawmakers, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Pennsylvania Sen.-elect David McCormick, that vied for face time with the incoming president weeks before Republicans take control of the White House and both branches of Congress.Johnson, who could be seen talking with the president-elect before kickoff, had said he would discuss with Trump plans for a legislative package that could move through Congress next year with a simple majority in the face of expected Democratic opposition.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daniel-perry-chokehold-vance-army-navy-227774aa980f18ee1c9647492e1dcfbe">Vance brought Penny,</a>&nbsp;a fellow Marine veteran, as his guest. Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in Neely's death after a judge had dismissed a more serious manslaughter charge last week because the jury deadlocked on that count.The case was a flashpoint in the long-standing debates over racial justice and as well as failures by New York City to address homelessness and mental illness, both of which Neely had struggled with.“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance said in a post on X on Friday. “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”___Madhani reported from West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.