SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-joint-chiefs-chairman-razin-caine-military-41b3faeaefd4d965dc22b15b0223ec58">Air Force Gen. Dan Caine</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday for an unexpected visit as the U.S. steps up its military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean.

Their arrival in the U.S. territory comes more than a week after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines deployed to Puerto Rico for what officials said was a training exercise, a move that some on the island have criticized.

But on Monday night, Hegseth said in a video posted on X that the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.”

“Make no mistake about it, what you’re doing right now is not training. This is the real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interest of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people,” he said while aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

Earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-jenniffer-gonzalez-new-governor-sworn-84afbbfa537b23f35494df0127b20c2d">Puerto Rico's Gov. Jenniffer González</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth and Caine visited on behalf of President Donald Trump's administration to support those participating in the training.

“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to U.S. national security and for their fight against drug cartels and the narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro,” González said.

Hegseth and Caine met with officials at the 156th Wing Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, a city just east of the capital of San Juan.

González said Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base and thanked those he described as “American warriors” for their work. He later departed for the USS Iwo Jima.

“The American people are counting on you to ensure the American homeland is kept safe,” Hegseth told the Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima. “Narco terrorists and drug traffickers are on notice.”

The visit comes as the U.S. prepares to deploy 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels, a person familiar with the planning said Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because information about the deployments has not been made public.

On Sept. 2, Trump announced that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean</a>&nbsp;against a vessel that had left Venezuela and was suspected of carrying drugs. Eleven people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Caribbean, with the president saying the vessel was operated by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">Tren de Aragua</a>.

While the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-caribbean-us-strike-boat-drugs-f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c">praised the strike</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. should kill all drug traffickers “violently,” reaction from other Caribbean leaders has been more subdued.

Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds&nbsp;<a href="https://f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c/">recently told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for an open line of communication on developments. He said they want to avoid being surprised by any U.S. moves against Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s government on Monday insisted that the U.S. is falsely accusing it of playing a crucial role in the global drug trade. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told reporters the U.S. government should redirect its recently deployed maritime force to the Pacific, where fast boats and container ships have long carried Colombian cocaine.

“Those ships that are trying to intimidate Venezuela today should be there in the Pacific if they truly wanted to fight and prevent cocaine from reaching the United States of America,” she said. “They have a GPS location problem. They’re where they shouldn’t be. They need to calibrate their GPS.”

Rodríguez, citing reports from the United Nations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, added that Venezuela “has absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of (U.S.) citizens from drug overdoses” as the country “is not relevant” in global drug production.

She suggested the U.S. should focus on fighting consumption within its borders.

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy, a lot of double standards, a lot of political manipulation of this issue to attack, to intervene, to aim for regime change in countries that aren’t sympathetic,” she said, referring to drug trafficking.

The ongoing training of the Marines in Puerto Rico and the upcoming deployment of fighter jets have rankled some in the U.S. territory, where the memories of the U.S. Navy using nearby islands as training ranges for decades remains fresh,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-hiking-army-puerto-rico-bombings-816e653d04dc9e88599d37fdcb7da5d8">with the cleanup still ongoing</a>.

The April 1999 death of civilian security guard David Sanes Rodríguez sparked large protests at the time, eventually leading to the U.S. military leaving the island. Rodríguez was killed after two 500-pound (226-kilogram) bombs were dropped near him as part of a training mission in Vieques.

On Sunday, dozens of people gathered at the National Guard base in Carolina to decry the heightened U.S. military presence on the island.

They held signs that said, “No to War” and “No to military bases in P.R.”

Organizers also warned against the use of Puerto Rico as a staging ground for potential U.S. military actions in the region.

“We denounce the existence of military bases in Puerto Rico,” said Sonia Santiago Hernández, founder of Mothers Against War.

González has dismissed those concerns, saying that Puerto Rico is playing an important role in Trump's ongoing fight against drug trafficking since it represents a U.S. border in the Caribbean.

She also has noted that the ongoing training of Marines involves logistics exercises and no ammunition.

Siul López, a spokesman for Puerto Rico’s National Guard, told the AP that the Marines were practicing amphibious maneuvers with a variety of vehicles, adding that he did not know how many were on the island.

Meanwhile, González said last week that she estimates more than 1,000 Marines were in Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Marine Corps issued a statement on Aug. 31 noting that marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit would be conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico.

“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.

It wasn’t immediately clear how long Hegseth and Caine planned to stay in Puerto Rico, or if they visited other sites while on the island.

López, the National Guard’s spokesman, declined to comment on specifics of the visit.

Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Washington D.C., Regina García Cano in Caracas and AP videographer Alejandro Granadillo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-joint-chiefs-chairman-razin-caine-military-41b3faeaefd4d965dc22b15b0223ec58">Air Force Gen. Dan Caine</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday for an unexpected visit as the U.S. steps up its military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome aboard the USS Iwo Jima <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> <a href="https://t.co/hx42HBSFez">pic.twitter.com/hx42HBSFez</a>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1965133239158440203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SECWAR</a> aboard the USS Iwo Jima, addressing America’s WARRIORS: “What you’re doing right now is NOT training. This is a REAL-WORLD EXERCISE on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States of America—to end the POISONING of the American people.” <a href="https://t.co/euQHFPsIll">pic.twitter.com/euQHFPsIll</a>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1965152057196957935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A message to our warfighters from the Secretary of War. <a href="https://t.co/UVbsvAuNmR">pic.twitter.com/UVbsvAuNmR</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1965177415455682691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Their arrival in the U.S. territory comes more than a week after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines deployed to Puerto Rico for what officials said was a training exercise, a move that some on the island have criticized.But on Monday night, Hegseth said in a video posted on X that the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.”“Make no mistake about it, what you’re doing right now is not training. This is the real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interest of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people,” he said while aboard the USS Iwo Jima.Earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-jenniffer-gonzalez-new-governor-sworn-84afbbfa537b23f35494df0127b20c2d">Puerto Rico's Gov. Jenniffer González</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth and Caine visited on behalf of President Donald Trump's administration to support those participating in the training.“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to U.S. national security and for their fight against drug cartels and the narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro,” González said.Hegseth and Caine met with officials at the 156th Wing Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, a city just east of the capital of San Juan.González said Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base and thanked those he described as “American warriors” for their work. He later departed for the USS Iwo Jima.“The American people are counting on you to ensure the American homeland is kept safe,” Hegseth told the Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima. “Narco terrorists and drug traffickers are on notice.”The visit comes as the U.S. prepares to deploy 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels, a person familiar with the planning said Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because information about the deployments has not been made public.<h2>Tensions escalating</h2>On Sept. 2, Trump announced that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean</a>&nbsp;against a vessel that had left Venezuela and was suspected of carrying drugs. Eleven people were killed in the rare U.S. military operation in the Caribbean, with the president saying the vessel was operated by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">Tren de Aragua</a>.While the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-caribbean-us-strike-boat-drugs-f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c">praised the strike</a>&nbsp;and said the U.S. should kill all drug traffickers “violently,” reaction from other Caribbean leaders has been more subdued.Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds&nbsp;<a href="https://f0529291209ffbf4162340df7860ba4c/">recently told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that members of Caricom, a regional trade bloc, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for an open line of communication on developments. He said they want to avoid being surprised by any U.S. moves against Venezuela.Meanwhile, Venezuela’s government on Monday insisted that the U.S. is falsely accusing it of playing a crucial role in the global drug trade. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told reporters the U.S. government should redirect its recently deployed maritime force to the Pacific, where fast boats and container ships have long carried Colombian cocaine.“Those ships that are trying to intimidate Venezuela today should be there in the Pacific if they truly wanted to fight and prevent cocaine from reaching the United States of America,” she said. “They have a GPS location problem. They’re where they shouldn’t be. They need to calibrate their GPS.”Rodríguez, citing reports from the United Nations and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, added that Venezuela “has absolutely nothing to do with the deaths of (U.S.) citizens from drug overdoses” as the country “is not relevant” in global drug production.She suggested the U.S. should focus on fighting consumption within its borders.“There’s a lot of hypocrisy, a lot of double standards, a lot of political manipulation of this issue to attack, to intervene, to aim for regime change in countries that aren’t sympathetic,” she said, referring to drug trafficking.<h2>‘No to War’</h2>The ongoing training of the Marines in Puerto Rico and the upcoming deployment of fighter jets have rankled some in the U.S. territory, where the memories of the U.S. Navy using nearby islands as training ranges for decades remains fresh,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-hiking-army-puerto-rico-bombings-816e653d04dc9e88599d37fdcb7da5d8">with the cleanup still ongoing</a>.The April 1999 death of civilian security guard David Sanes Rodríguez sparked large protests at the time, eventually leading to the U.S. military leaving the island. Rodríguez was killed after two 500-pound (226-kilogram) bombs were dropped near him as part of a training mission in Vieques.On Sunday, dozens of people gathered at the National Guard base in Carolina to decry the heightened U.S. military presence on the island.They held signs that said, “No to War” and “No to military bases in P.R.”Organizers also warned against the use of Puerto Rico as a staging ground for potential U.S. military actions in the region.“We denounce the existence of military bases in Puerto Rico,” said Sonia Santiago Hernández, founder of Mothers Against War.González has dismissed those concerns, saying that Puerto Rico is playing an important role in Trump's ongoing fight against drug trafficking since it represents a U.S. border in the Caribbean.She also has noted that the ongoing training of Marines involves logistics exercises and no ammunition.<h2>Marines in Puerto Rico</h2>Siul López, a spokesman for Puerto Rico’s National Guard, told the AP that the Marines were practicing amphibious maneuvers with a variety of vehicles, adding that he did not know how many were on the island.Meanwhile, González said last week that she estimates more than 1,000 Marines were in Puerto Rico.The U.S. Marine Corps issued a statement on Aug. 31 noting that marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit would be conducting amphibious training and flight operations in southern Puerto Rico.“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.It wasn’t immediately clear how long Hegseth and Caine planned to stay in Puerto Rico, or if they visited other sites while on the island.López, the National Guard’s spokesman, declined to comment on specifics of the visit.___Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Washington D.C., Regina García Cano in Caracas and AP videographer Alejandro Granadillo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.

 US steps up military operations in the Caribbean

ROOKS COUNTY —A pair of small earthquake shook portions of northwest Kansas since Friday.

Just before 10p.m. Monday, a quake with a magnitude 3.6 rattled rural Rooks County approximately 3 miles northwst of Stockton, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.

Just before 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake in the same area. There are no reports of any damage, according to the Rooks County Sheriff's office&nbsp;

ROOKS COUNTY —A pair of small earthquake shook portions of northwest Kansas since Friday.Just before 10p.m. Monday, a quake with a magnitude 3.6 rattled rural Rooks County approximately 3 miles northwst of Stockton, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.Just before 5a.m. Friday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake in the same area. There are no reports of any damage, according to the Rooks County Sheriff's office&nbsp;

Small earthquakes reported in NW Kansas

FINNEY COUNTY: —A Garden City man’s fence-hopping escape plan fell flat after he was arrested for burglary over the weekend. 

Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 1100 block of W. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported burglary in progress, where a suspect broke into an apartment, stole property, and fled the scene, according to a media release from police.

The resident, who was not home at the time, witnessed the break-in remotely via a security camera and immediately called police. After arriving, Officers learned the suspect, identified as Victor Viurquez, 34, was actively jumping fences throughout the neighborhood to avoid being captured. 

After a brief search, Viurquez was located in a nearby alley and taken into custody. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Burglary, multiple counts of Criminal Trespass, and multiple counts of Criminal Damage. No injuries were reported, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757358713405.png" alt="Viurquez" />
 <figcaption>Viurquez</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY: —A Garden City man’s fence-hopping escape plan fell flat after he was arrested for burglary over the weekend. Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 1100 block of W. Campbell Street in Garden City for a reported burglary in progress, where a suspect broke into an apartment, stole property, and fled the scene, according to a media release from police.The resident, who was not home at the time, witnessed the break-in remotely via a security camera and immediately called police. After arriving, Officers learned the suspect, identified as Victor Viurquez, 34, was actively jumping fences throughout the neighborhood to avoid being captured. After a brief search, Viurquez was located in a nearby alley and taken into custody. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Burglary, multiple counts of Criminal Trespass, and multiple counts of Criminal Damage. No injuries were reported, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

SW Kan. homeowner watched burglary remotely via a security camera

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.

Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp;

 At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;

Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.

The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.

With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757329643145.png" alt="Hampton-photo Brown County." />
 <figcaption>Hampton-photo Brown County.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp; At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sheriff: Pickup theft suspect captured hiding in tall Kansas crops

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released on Monday a sexually suggestive letter to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;purportedly signed by President Donald Trump, which he has denied.

The letter was included as part of a 50th birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier who was once a friend of Trump’s. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.

Trump has said he did not write the letter or create the drawing of a curvaceous woman that surrounds the letter, and he filed a $10 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury-justice-department-ece8a837f9bd179771f801a765e242e4">lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;for earlier reporting on his link to the letter.

“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement posted on X. “President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”

White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted various pictures on X of Trump’s signature over the years and wrote, “it’s not his signature.”

The release of the drawing comes as the president has for months faced increasing pressure to force more disclosure in the case of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them, while Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by him.

It also once again puts a spotlight on Trump’s former friendship with Epstein, which the president has said ended two decades ago after a falling-out. Trump said recently that he cut ties with Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">because he “stole” young women</a>&nbsp;— including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who was among Epstein’s most well-known sex trafficking accusers — who worked for the spa at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

The case against Epstein was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Trump had suggested during the presidential campaign that he’d seek to open the government’s files into Epstein, but much of what the government has released so far had already been out there.

Democrats on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;received a copy of the birthday album on Monday as part of a batch of documents from Epstein’s estate.

Trump has denied writing the letter and creating the drawing, calling The Wall Street Journal report on it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

“These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” Trump said.

The letter released by the committee looks exactly as described by The Wall Street Journal in its report.

The letter bearing Trump’s name and what appears to be his signature includes text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a curvaceous woman.

“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the letter says.

The letter’s disclosure comes amid a bipartisan push in Congress for the release of the so-called Epstein files amid years of speculation and conspiracy theories. Calls for the release of the records came from Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, before he was sworn into the country’s No. 2 position.

The Justice Department in August began turning over records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation to the House Oversight Committee.

The committee subpoenaed the Epstein estate for documents last month. In addition to the birthday book, lawmakers requested Epstein’s last will and testament, agreements he signed with prosecutors, his contact books, and his financial transactions and holdings.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released on Monday a sexually suggestive letter to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;purportedly signed by President Donald Trump, which he has denied.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🚨HERE IT IS: We got Trump’s birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein that the President said doesn’t exist. Trump talks about a “wonderful secret” the two of them shared. What is he hiding? Release the files! <a href="https://t.co/k2Mq8Hu3LY">pic.twitter.com/k2Mq8Hu3LY</a>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965125560016994708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Time for <a href="https://twitter.com/newscorp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@newscorp</a> to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION! <a href="https://t.co/O6iKk4SYF5">https://t.co/O6iKk4SYF5</a> <a href="https://t.co/T0wlp36P9h">pic.twitter.com/T0wlp36P9h</a>&mdash; Taylor Budowich (@TayFromCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TayFromCA/status/1965133529177878754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump wrote a personalized note in Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book. He’s spent all summer lying about its existence. We got a copy. Ranking Member <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRobertGarcia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepRobertGarcia</a> explains what we know and how we got here: <a href="https://t.co/PVbHaVWppw">pic.twitter.com/PVbHaVWppw</a>&mdash; Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1965133235685298250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The letter was included as part of a 50th birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier who was once a friend of Trump’s. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that said he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire “Birthday Card” story is false. As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively…&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1965146390348398627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump has said he did not write the letter or create the drawing of a curvaceous woman that surrounds the letter, and he filed a $10 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury-justice-department-ece8a837f9bd179771f801a765e242e4">lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;for earlier reporting on his link to the letter.“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement posted on X. “President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted various pictures on X of Trump’s signature over the years and wrote, “it’s not his signature.”The release of the drawing comes as the president has for months faced increasing pressure to force more disclosure in the case of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6184561-Jeffrey-Epstein-indictment.html" target="_blank">was accused</a>&nbsp;of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them, while Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by him.It also once again puts a spotlight on Trump’s former friendship with Epstein, which the president has said ended two decades ago after a falling-out. Trump said recently that he cut ties with Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-congress-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-3ca45e130deb5f2eee8deff36d99734f">because he “stole” young women</a>&nbsp;— including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who was among Epstein’s most well-known sex trafficking accusers — who worked for the spa at his Mar-a-Lago resort.The case against Epstein was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Trump had suggested during the presidential campaign that he’d seek to open the government’s files into Epstein, but much of what the government has released so far had already been out there.Democrats on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-congress-justice-department-trump-3e0d2146ce0cd0f6cecaab0198402ac7">House Oversight Committee</a>&nbsp;received a copy of the birthday album on Monday as part of a batch of documents from Epstein’s estate.Trump has denied writing the letter and creating the drawing, calling The Wall Street Journal report on it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”“These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” Trump said.The letter released by the committee looks exactly as described by The Wall Street Journal in its report.The letter bearing Trump’s name and what appears to be his signature includes text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a curvaceous woman.“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the letter says.The letter’s disclosure comes amid a bipartisan push in Congress for the release of the so-called Epstein files amid years of speculation and conspiracy theories. Calls for the release of the records came from Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, before he was sworn into the country’s No. 2 position.The Justice Department in August began turning over records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation to the House Oversight Committee.The committee subpoenaed the Epstein estate for documents last month. In addition to the birthday book, lawmakers requested Epstein’s last will and testament, agreements he signed with prosecutors, his contact books, and his financial transactions and holdings.

Read the Trump note to Epstein that he denies signing released by Congress

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. – The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating a shooting that left 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville dead in the 7700 block of South Broadway near Haysville.

Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

Inside the vehicle, first responders found Rau suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant. The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter ran from the scene to the west and remains at large.

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-30s, last seen wearing black shorts and a tan puffy Carhartt jacket. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

The Sheriff’s Office has deployed multiple resources to identify and locate the individual responsible. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division at 316-660-5300. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. – The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating a shooting that left 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville dead in the 7700 block of South Broadway near Haysville.Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.Inside the vehicle, first responders found Rau suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant. The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter ran from the scene to the west and remains at large.The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-30s, last seen wearing black shorts and a tan puffy Carhartt jacket. He should be considered armed and dangerous.The Sheriff’s Office has deployed multiple resources to identify and locate the individual responsible. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigations Division at 316-660-5300. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Sheriff IDs Kan. man in SUV crash who died from gunshot wounds

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon who admitted his role in a 2023 mass shooting at a nightclub in Wichita's Old Town that left 11 injured is going to prison.

On Friday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 29-year-old John Houze to 17 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In July Houze pleaded no contest to criminal possession of a weapon

&nbsp;The other charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, 2023, police responded to the City Nightz Club in the 200 Block of North Washington in Wichita, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later.

Eight days after the incident, police arrested Houze in the case.&nbsp; Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

In December Judge David Dahl sentenced 25-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita to 82 months in prison with 36 months post release for his role in the shooting, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office.  The judge also ordered restitution to a City Nightz victim of $8,499.89, and $1,000 to City Nightz.

In June of 2024, co-defendant in the crime, 21-year-old Ameir King-Ingram was sentenced to just more than 4-years in prison.&nbsp;

Just before noon Monday police booked 27-year-old John D. Houze on requested charges of of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant stemming from the shooting.

On Friday police booked 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram in the case on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A 31-year-old Missouri man arrested in the case on July 3, was released when the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office determined he fired a weapon in self defense.

Police continue&nbsp;&nbsp;asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.

King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the July 2023 investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the July 2023 investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon who admitted his role in a 2023 mass shooting at a nightclub in Wichita's Old Town that left 11 injured is going to prison.On Friday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced 29-year-old John Houze to 17 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In July Houze pleaded no contest to criminal possession of a weapon<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689015131240.png" alt="Houze photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Houze photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The other charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal.Just before 1a.m. July 2, 2023, police responded to the City Nightz Club in the 200 Block of North Washington in Wichita, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later.Eight days after the incident, police arrested Houze in the case.&nbsp; Houze has previous convictions for aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.In December Judge David Dahl sentenced 25-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita to 82 months in prison with 36 months post release for his role in the shooting, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. The judge also ordered restitution to a City Nightz victim of $8,499.89, and $1,000 to City Nightz.In June of 2024, co-defendant in the crime, 21-year-old Ameir King-Ingram was sentenced to just more than 4-years in prison.&nbsp;Just before noon Monday police booked 27-year-old John D. Houze on requested charges of of aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as a Kansas Department of Corrections warrant stemming from the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688816302231.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.On Friday police booked 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram in the case on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;&nbsp;A 31-year-old Missouri man arrested in the case on July 3, was released when the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office determined he fired a weapon in self defense.Police continue&nbsp;&nbsp;asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.ADVERTISING<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Thomas-photo Wichita PoliceJust before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCHThere were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Kan. felon going back to prison for role in night club mass shooting 

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department is attempting to identify the a suspect invoved in an aggravated assault that occurred in the area of E 23rd Street and Indiana Ave on August 4 at 11:38p.m.

Security camera images show someone in a sweatshirt and sweatpants with a plaid backpack and hat. Police released no additional informtion.

Anyone who can identify the suspect or provide information is asked to contact the Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757357790550.png" alt="Image KC Police" />
 <figcaption>Image KC Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas City Missouri Police Department is attempting to identify the a suspect invoved in an aggravated assault that occurred in the area of E 23rd Street and Indiana Ave on August 4 at 11:38p.m.Security camera images show someone in a sweatshirt and sweatpants with a plaid backpack and hat. Police released no additional informtion.Anyone who can identify the suspect or provide information is asked to contact the Assault Squad at 816-234-5227 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

KCPD asks for help to ID alleged aggravated assault suspect

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a> Associated Press

High school history teacher Katharina Matro often pulls materials from the Smithsonian Institution website as she assembles her lessons. She trusts its materials, which don’t require the same level of vetting as other online resources. She uses documents and other primary sources it curates for discussions of topics like genocide and slavery.

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-review-250th-anniversary-2e26f9555bb8d51c7c0f92edede1c866">White House presses for changes at the Smithsonian</a>, she’s worried she may not be able to rely on it in the same way.

“We don’t want a partisan history,” said Matro, a teacher in Bethesda, Maryland. “We want the history that’s produced by real historians.”

Far beyond museums in Washington, President Donald Trump’s review at the Smithsonian could influence how history is taught in classrooms around the country. The institution is a leading provider of curriculum and other educational materials, which are subject to the sweeping new assessment of all its public-facing content.

Trump is moving to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-smithsonian-american-history-slavery-impeachment-fe5b1a41a96e4c99249943c058e15196">bring the Smithsonian into alignment</a>&nbsp;with his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-american-history-mckinley-greenland-7e2b6f2e98e93f76fb2cbcad71f36c5d">vision of American history</a>. In a letter last month to the Smithsonian Institution, the White House said its review is meant to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.” It’s part of Trump’s agenda to “celebrate American exceptionalism” by removing “divisive or partisan narratives,” it said.

Those opposed to the changes fear they will promote a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-trump-history-impeachment-b2b60d952d92df1a4a5233e0d60ecaa6">more sanitized version of American history.</a>

In celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary next year, the Education Department recently launched the White House’s Founders Museum in partnership with PragerU,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-teacher-test-ideology-california-new-york-1d08d0ef4e6e3dc71d8537601d8455e9">a conservative nonprofit</a>&nbsp;that produces videos on politics and history. Visitors to the museum in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as well as the White House website, can read biographies on the signers of the Declaration of Independence and watch videos that depict them speaking.

“Real patriotic education means that just as our founders loved and honored America, so we should honor them,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prageru.com/videos/prageru-unveils-the-founders-museum-at-the-white-house?ref=404media.co&amp;showFilter=" target="_blank">PragerU video</a>&nbsp;introducing the project.

The project mentions some signers favoring abolition and includes Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman who became the first published Black female poet in the U.S. But critics say it brushes over some of the nation’s darker past.

“Those are the kinds of things that teachers are really leery of because they don’t see partisanship in the sources that we’re using as being good educational practice,” said Tina Ellsworth, president of the National Council for the Social Studies.

History teachers use supplemental resources over textbooks

Like many other history teachers, Matro said she turns to materials from the Smithsonian because she doesn’t have the time to create lessons from scratch or the budget to buy the latest books. She favors the museum’s digitized collections to guide her classes.

“I don’t have to figure out ‘is this real? Is this not real?’ I can trust the descriptions of the artifact,” she said.

More than 80% of history teachers report using free resources from federal museums, archives and institutions including the Smithsonian, according to an American Historical Association survey last year.

The federal institutions’ materials have been widely trusted partly because they are thoroughly examined by professionals, said Brendan Gillis, the historical association’s director of teaching and learning. Some teachers have out-of-date history textbooks, and online resources from institutions like the Smithsonian can fill the gaps, he said.

“That’s been one of the most influential and profoundly important ways that the federal government has invested in social studies education over the last couple of decades,” Gillis said.

While education always has been part of the Smithsonian’s mission, developing materials specifically for classrooms became more prevalent after World War II, said William Walker, a State University of New York, Oneonta, professor who has researched the Smithsonian’s history. The museum organizes professional development workshops for teachers and offers materials ranging from worksheets to videos.

Russell Jeung, an Asian-American studies professor at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, took part in a Smithsonian video series in 2020 meant to educate high schoolers and adults on racism and discrimination against Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic and other points in American history.

Jeung said he expects the project will be shelved by the White House review.

“I think the story will be told,” Jeung said. “But the tragedy again and the loss is that we won’t get the national recognition that we deserve.”

In recent years, many states have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-cc00d3bfecc7c286a268998b50533d17">passed laws</a>&nbsp;adopting guidelines on how schools can address topics including racism, sexism and other topics. And professional groups say teachers will continue to adapt and find resources to put historical events in due context, regardless of what happens at the Smithsonian.

“Education is always political, so we know that as social studies teachers, it’s our job to navigate that terrain, which we do and we do well,” Ellsworth said.

Educators worry students will be turned off on history

Michael Heiman, a longtime social studies teacher in Juneau, Alaska, said he typically had his students do a scavenger hunt of artifacts in a virtual Smithsonian tour.

He said the exhibits always have been culturally inclusive and if that changes, he worries it would affect students of color he’s taught, including Native American children. It could discourage them from pursuing careers in museum sciences or engaging with history at all, he said.

“We are further quieting voices that are important to our country,” Heiman said. “We are also restricting certain kids in those underrepresented populations to really understand more about their past.”

About a decade ago, graduate students of history professor Sam Redman at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, had the opportunity to collaborate with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for a blog series commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The exercise connected objects in the Smithsonian collection to the civil rights law. The experience for his students was “really incredible,” he said.

Each year, he’s heard students say they want to get a job in the federal government or work at the Smithsonian after graduation. But not this year. Redman said he hasn’t heard a single student express interest.

“This is a pressing concern, no doubt about it,” he said.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725669343205.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a> Associated PressHigh school history teacher Katharina Matro often pulls materials from the Smithsonian Institution website as she assembles her lessons. She trusts its materials, which don’t require the same level of vetting as other online resources. She uses documents and other primary sources it curates for discussions of topics like genocide and slavery.As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-review-250th-anniversary-2e26f9555bb8d51c7c0f92edede1c866">White House presses for changes at the Smithsonian</a>, she’s worried she may not be able to rely on it in the same way.“We don’t want a partisan history,” said Matro, a teacher in Bethesda, Maryland. “We want the history that’s produced by real historians.”Far beyond museums in Washington, President Donald Trump’s review at the Smithsonian could influence how history is taught in classrooms around the country. The institution is a leading provider of curriculum and other educational materials, which are subject to the sweeping new assessment of all its public-facing content.Trump is moving to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-smithsonian-american-history-slavery-impeachment-fe5b1a41a96e4c99249943c058e15196">bring the Smithsonian into alignment</a>&nbsp;with his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-american-history-mckinley-greenland-7e2b6f2e98e93f76fb2cbcad71f36c5d">vision of American history</a>. In a letter last month to the Smithsonian Institution, the White House said its review is meant to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.” It’s part of Trump’s agenda to “celebrate American exceptionalism” by removing “divisive or partisan narratives,” it said.Those opposed to the changes fear they will promote a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-trump-history-impeachment-b2b60d952d92df1a4a5233e0d60ecaa6">more sanitized version of American history.</a>In celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary next year, the Education Department recently launched the White House’s Founders Museum in partnership with PragerU,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-teacher-test-ideology-california-new-york-1d08d0ef4e6e3dc71d8537601d8455e9">a conservative nonprofit</a>&nbsp;that produces videos on politics and history. Visitors to the museum in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as well as the White House website, can read biographies on the signers of the Declaration of Independence and watch videos that depict them speaking.“Real patriotic education means that just as our founders loved and honored America, so we should honor them,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prageru.com/videos/prageru-unveils-the-founders-museum-at-the-white-house?ref=404media.co&amp;showFilter=" target="_blank">PragerU video</a>&nbsp;introducing the project.The project mentions some signers favoring abolition and includes Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman who became the first published Black female poet in the U.S. But critics say it brushes over some of the nation’s darker past.“Those are the kinds of things that teachers are really leery of because they don’t see partisanship in the sources that we’re using as being good educational practice,” said Tina Ellsworth, president of the National Council for the Social Studies.<h2>History teachers use supplemental resources over textbooks</h2>Like many other history teachers, Matro said she turns to materials from the Smithsonian because she doesn’t have the time to create lessons from scratch or the budget to buy the latest books. She favors the museum’s digitized collections to guide her classes.“I don’t have to figure out ‘is this real? Is this not real?’ I can trust the descriptions of the artifact,” she said.More than 80% of history teachers report using free resources from federal museums, archives and institutions including the Smithsonian, according to an American Historical Association survey last year.The federal institutions’ materials have been widely trusted partly because they are thoroughly examined by professionals, said Brendan Gillis, the historical association’s director of teaching and learning. Some teachers have out-of-date history textbooks, and online resources from institutions like the Smithsonian can fill the gaps, he said.“That’s been one of the most influential and profoundly important ways that the federal government has invested in social studies education over the last couple of decades,” Gillis said.While education always has been part of the Smithsonian’s mission, developing materials specifically for classrooms became more prevalent after World War II, said William Walker, a State University of New York, Oneonta, professor who has researched the Smithsonian’s history. The museum organizes professional development workshops for teachers and offers materials ranging from worksheets to videos.Russell Jeung, an Asian-American studies professor at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, took part in a Smithsonian video series in 2020 meant to educate high schoolers and adults on racism and discrimination against Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic and other points in American history.Jeung said he expects the project will be shelved by the White House review.“I think the story will be told,” Jeung said. “But the tragedy again and the loss is that we won’t get the national recognition that we deserve.”In recent years, many states have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-cc00d3bfecc7c286a268998b50533d17">passed laws</a>&nbsp;adopting guidelines on how schools can address topics including racism, sexism and other topics. And professional groups say teachers will continue to adapt and find resources to put historical events in due context, regardless of what happens at the Smithsonian.“Education is always political, so we know that as social studies teachers, it’s our job to navigate that terrain, which we do and we do well,” Ellsworth said.<h2>Educators worry students will be turned off on history</h2>Michael Heiman, a longtime social studies teacher in Juneau, Alaska, said he typically had his students do a scavenger hunt of artifacts in a virtual Smithsonian tour.He said the exhibits always have been culturally inclusive and if that changes, he worries it would affect students of color he’s taught, including Native American children. It could discourage them from pursuing careers in museum sciences or engaging with history at all, he said.“We are further quieting voices that are important to our country,” Heiman said. “We are also restricting certain kids in those underrepresented populations to really understand more about their past.”About a decade ago, graduate students of history professor Sam Redman at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, had the opportunity to collaborate with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for a blog series commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The exercise connected objects in the Smithsonian collection to the civil rights law. The experience for his students was “really incredible,” he said.Each year, he’s heard students say they want to get a job in the federal government or work at the Smithsonian after graduation. But not this year. Redman said he hasn’t heard a single student express interest.“This is a pressing concern, no doubt about it,” he said.——The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

White House’s review of Smithsonian content could reach into classrooms nationwide

CLOUD COUNTY —Two juveniles are hospitalized in critical condition after they were burned at a bonfire in Concordia.

Just before 10p.m. Saturday, police heard a loud noice and screaming, according to a media release from Concordia Police. As officers were attempting to located the screaming, police dispatch received a 911 call from the 400 Block of West 5th Street reporting two juveniles who were severely burned.

First responders located the two juveniles consistent with the 911 report of burn injuries. Concordia Fire Department responded and transported the juveniles to North Central Kansas Medical Center for treatment of critical injuries. They were later transferred to a burn unit at a level one trauma hospital. Both were still reported in critical condition on Monday, according to police.

Investigators determined the juveniles were pouring accelerant on a bonfire. The fire traveled up the stream of the accelerant and caused the explosion. Police did not release the names of the victims.

CLOUD COUNTY —Two juveniles are hospitalized in critical condition after they were burned at a bonfire in Concordia.Just before 10p.m. Saturday, police heard a loud noice and screaming, according to a media release from Concordia Police. As officers were attempting to located the screaming, police dispatch received a 911 call from the 400 Block of West 5th Street reporting two juveniles who were severely burned.First responders located the two juveniles consistent with the 911 report of burn injuries. Concordia Fire Department responded and transported the juveniles to North Central Kansas Medical Center for treatment of critical injuries. They were later transferred to a burn unit at a level one trauma hospital. Both were still reported in critical condition on Monday, according to police.Investigators determined the juveniles were pouring accelerant on a bonfire. The fire traveled up the stream of the accelerant and caused the explosion. Police did not release the names of the victims.

2 juveniles critically burned at bonfire in north central Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888">civil jury's finding</a>&nbsp;that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault.

In a ruling issued Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury's damages awards are fair and reasonable.”

Trump had argued that he should not have to pay the sum as a result of a Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. His lawyers had asked for a new trial.

A civil jury in Manhattan issued the $88.3 million award last year following a trial that centered on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996.

That award followed a separate trial, in which Trump was found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually abusing Carroll</a>&nbsp;and ordered to pay $5 million. That award was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld</a>&nbsp;by an appeals court last December.

In a memoir, and again at a 2023 trial, Carroll described how a chance encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue in 1996 started with the two flirting as they shopped, then ended with a violent struggle inside a dressing room.

Carroll said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.

A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but concluded he hadn’t committed rape, as defined under New York law.

Trump repeatedly denied that the encounter took place and accused Carroll of making it up to help sell her book.

He also said that Carroll was “not my type.”

The 2023 jury awarded Carroll $5 million to compensate her for both the alleged attack and statements Trump made denying that it had happened.

After that first verdict, the court held a second trial with a new jury for the purpose of deciding damages for additional statements Trump made attacking Carroll’s character and truthfulness.

Trump had skipped the first civil trial but he attended the second, which took place as he was running for president in 2024. Speaking to reporters throughout the trial, Trump portrayed the lawsuit as part of a broader effort to smear him and prevent him from regaining the White House.

His lawyers complained that the judge, in setting rules for the second, damages trial, had barred Trump and his defense team from claiming in front of the jury that he was innocent of the attack. The judge ruled that that issue had been settled by the first jury and didn’t need to be revisited.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706306535436.png" alt="File photo - E. Jean Carroll E. leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former President Donald Trump.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo - E. Jean Carroll E. leaves court in New York City after a jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in her defamation suit against former President Donald Trump.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888">civil jury's finding</a>&nbsp;that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault.In a ruling issued Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury's damages awards are fair and reasonable.”Trump had argued that he should not have to pay the sum as a result of a Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. His lawyers had asked for a new trial.A civil jury in Manhattan issued the $88.3 million award last year following a trial that centered on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996.That award followed a separate trial, in which Trump was found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually abusing Carroll</a>&nbsp;and ordered to pay $5 million. That award was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld</a>&nbsp;by an appeals court last December.In a memoir, and again at a 2023 trial, Carroll described how a chance encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue in 1996 started with the two flirting as they shopped, then ended with a violent struggle inside a dressing room.Carroll said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but concluded he hadn’t committed rape, as defined under New York law.Trump repeatedly denied that the encounter took place and accused Carroll of making it up to help sell her book.He also said that Carroll was “not my type.”The 2023 jury awarded Carroll $5 million to compensate her for both the alleged attack and statements Trump made denying that it had happened.After that first verdict, the court held a second trial with a new jury for the purpose of deciding damages for additional statements Trump made attacking Carroll’s character and truthfulness.Trump had skipped the first civil trial but he attended the second, which took place as he was running for president in 2024. Speaking to reporters throughout the trial, Trump portrayed the lawsuit as part of a broader effort to smear him and prevent him from regaining the White House.His lawyers complained that the judge, in setting rules for the second, damages trial, had barred Trump and his defense team from claiming in front of the jury that he was innocent of the attack. The judge ruled that that issue had been settled by the first jury and didn’t need to be revisited.

Court upholds $83.3 million defamation judgment against President Trump

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in connection with an Amber Alert in September of 2024 is due in court for Monday.

 Trevawn Strong, 30 of Wichita will attend an arraignment hearing in Judge William Wooley's court room, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Strong has been charged with abuse of a child, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, three counts of criminal threat, and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, criminal restraint, and criminal damage to property, according to the District Attorney's office.

Just before 5 p.m. September 11,&nbsp; 2024, Strong forcibly took his 5-year-old son Trevawn Strong Jr from his mother utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence in Wichita, according to police.

&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported the boy was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;

Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody.

Strong remains free on a $250,000 bond with conditions including electronic monitoring with pre-trial services, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726138875380.png" alt="Strong-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Strong-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in connection with an Amber Alert in September of 2024 is due in court for Monday. Trevawn Strong, 30 of Wichita will attend an arraignment hearing in Judge William Wooley's court room, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Strong has been charged with abuse of a child, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, three counts of criminal threat, and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, criminal restraint, and criminal damage to property, according to the District Attorney's office.Just before 5 p.m. September 11,&nbsp; 2024, Strong forcibly took his 5-year-old son Trevawn Strong Jr from his mother utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence in Wichita, according to police.&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported the boy was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody.Strong remains free on a $250,000 bond with conditions including electronic monitoring with pre-trial services, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in violent Kansas Amber Alert will return to court

Several states say pharmacists must continue providing shots.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania, announced last week that they would be breaking with restrictive eligibility policies unveiled last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Friday morning to authorize pharmacists to provide the shot to anyone who desires it for the next 30 days, which can be renewed.

“When they said that they are not going to be requiring COVID shots and other vaccinations for our families, I said, ‘No, here in New York we will make parents have the option.’ If you want your child to have a COVID shot, it should be available to you and it should be covered by insurance,” Hochul&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNiPowR3Kso" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a news conference Friday morning, where she signed the order.

“So what I’m doing now is signing an executive order, because extreme times call for extreme measures. And this is the power I have to use in the interim until we are able to have the legislature get back in January and pass legislation that mandates this.”

Previous FDA policy recommended that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots be made available to anyone 6 months or older regardless of their health status. But in August, the federal agency announced restrictions for the new shot.

The FDA limited access to the vaccines to people who are 65 and older and to younger people with at least one underlying health condition, such as asthma or obesity, that would put them at risk of developing a severe illness without a booster shot. Children are eligible only if a medical provider is consulted. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine, one of the three that were approved, will no longer be available for any child under 5.

“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1960742897201872969" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 27.

Other states are also taking measures to ensure more people can get access to the vaccines.

On Thursday, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/doc/coverage-for-vaccines-bulletin/download" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;health insurers in the state to continue covering the vaccine. The state also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing shots to residents above the age of 5.

Massachusetts is “leading efforts to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities,” the governor’s office said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-announces-immediate-steps-to-ensure-vaccine-availability-in-massachusetts-amid-trump-rfk-rollbacks" target="_blank">release</a>.

This week, the State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania held a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">special meeting</a>&nbsp;to vote to bypass federal vaccine recommendations and allow pharmacists to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines.

“Health care decisions should be up to individuals — not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr. My Administration will continue to protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">said</a>.

<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-access-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/briefs/nm-board-of-pharmacy-expected-to-release-new-protocol-for-covid-19-vaccines-this-week/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>&nbsp;took similar steps this week, with state officials signing public health orders asking state agencies to take steps necessary to require insurers to cover the vaccines and instructing pharmacists to provide the shots without a doctor’s note.

Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:schatlani@stateline.org">schatlani@stateline.org</a>.

<h2>Several states say pharmacists must continue providing shots.</h2>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania, announced last week that they would be breaking with restrictive eligibility policies unveiled last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Friday morning to authorize pharmacists to provide the shot to anyone who desires it for the next 30 days, which can be renewed.“When they said that they are not going to be requiring COVID shots and other vaccinations for our families, I said, ‘No, here in New York we will make parents have the option.’ If you want your child to have a COVID shot, it should be available to you and it should be covered by insurance,” Hochul&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNiPowR3Kso" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a news conference Friday morning, where she signed the order.“So what I’m doing now is signing an executive order, because extreme times call for extreme measures. And this is the power I have to use in the interim until we are able to have the legislature get back in January and pass legislation that mandates this.”Previous FDA policy recommended that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots be made available to anyone 6 months or older regardless of their health status. But in August, the federal agency announced restrictions for the new shot.The FDA limited access to the vaccines to people who are 65 and older and to younger people with at least one underlying health condition, such as asthma or obesity, that would put them at risk of developing a severe illness without a booster shot. Children are eligible only if a medical provider is consulted. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine, one of the three that were approved, will no longer be available for any child under 5.“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1960742897201872969" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 27.Other states are also taking measures to ensure more people can get access to the vaccines.On Thursday, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/doc/coverage-for-vaccines-bulletin/download" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;health insurers in the state to continue covering the vaccine. The state also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing shots to residents above the age of 5.Massachusetts is “leading efforts to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities,” the governor’s office said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-announces-immediate-steps-to-ensure-vaccine-availability-in-massachusetts-amid-trump-rfk-rollbacks" target="_blank">release</a>.This week, the State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania held a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">special meeting</a>&nbsp;to vote to bypass federal vaccine recommendations and allow pharmacists to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines.“Health care decisions should be up to individuals — not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr. My Administration will continue to protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">said</a>.<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-access-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/briefs/nm-board-of-pharmacy-expected-to-release-new-protocol-for-covid-19-vaccines-this-week/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>&nbsp;took similar steps this week, with state officials signing public health orders asking state agencies to take steps necessary to require insurers to cover the vaccines and instructing pharmacists to provide the shots without a doctor’s note.Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:schatlani@stateline.org">schatlani@stateline.org</a>.

States break with FDA restrictions on COVID vaccines, ensuring broader access

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita and asking hte public for help to locate suspects.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 700 North Piatt in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp;

Witnesses were giving the victim CPR and then emergency crews transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Police are looking for three persons of interest in the case. They are described as a light-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with curly hair, a dark-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with a thin build and a woman believed to be in her 40s, approximately 5-foot-2 with red and black hair that may have be a wig.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757327761418.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita and asking hte public for help to locate suspects.Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 700 North Piatt in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp;Witnesses were giving the victim CPR and then emergency crews transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Police are looking for three persons of interest in the case. They are described as a light-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with curly hair, a dark-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with a thin build and a woman believed to be in her 40s, approximately 5-foot-2 with red and black hair that may have be a wig.Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

Police ask for help to locate 3 suspects in Kansas man's murder

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump while he played golf last year in South Florida wanted to ask potential jurors Monday on the first day of jury selection about their views on the war in Gaza and the talk of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, but a judge said those questions were irrelevant.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier had signed off on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself but said court-appointed attorneys needed to remain as standby counsel. Routh also wanted to ask jurors what they would do if they were driving and saw a turtle in the road.

The judge on Monday approved most of the other questions for jurors submitted by prosecutors.

Routh wore a gray sports coat, red tie with white stripes and khaki slacks, in accordance with Cannon's instructions that he be dressed in professional business attire, and he was partially shackled at the defense table. Three batches of 60 jurors arrived at the federal courtroom in Fort Pierce, Florida, on a staggered schedule Monday and spent the morning filling out questionnaires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741357051491.png" alt="Routh booking photo Palm Beach County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Routh booking photo Palm Beach County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump while he played golf last year in South Florida wanted to ask potential jurors Monday on the first day of jury selection about their views on the war in Gaza and the talk of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, but a judge said those questions were irrelevant.U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier had signed off on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself but said court-appointed attorneys needed to remain as standby counsel. Routh also wanted to ask jurors what they would do if they were driving and saw a turtle in the road.The judge on Monday approved most of the other questions for jurors submitted by prosecutors.Routh wore a gray sports coat, red tie with white stripes and khaki slacks, in accordance with Cannon's instructions that he be dressed in professional business attire, and he was partially shackled at the defense table. Three batches of 60 jurors arrived at the federal courtroom in Fort Pierce, Florida, on a staggered schedule Monday and spent the morning filling out questionnaires.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The court has blocked off four weeks for Routh's trial, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time.Jury selection was expected to take three days in an effort to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements were scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that.At a hearing last week, Cannon explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom.Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of illegally storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The case became mired in delays as motions piled up over months, and was ultimately dismissed by Cannon last year after she concluded that the special counsel tapped by the Justice Department to investigate Trump was illegally appointed.Routh's trial begins nearly a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted Routh's attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-indictment-b4c956e1a126e4acfb3c4eae0c06ddb1">attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate</a>, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump's ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said.The judge last week unsealed the prosecutor's 33-page list of exhibits that could be introduced as evidence at the trial. It says prosecutors have photos of Routh holding the same model of semi-automatic rifle found at Trump's club.Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch fuse.In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.--------------FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A federal trial is scheduled to begin Monday for a man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump as he played golf in Florida in September 2024.Jury selection is expected to take three days, with attorneys questioning three sets of 60 prospective jurors. They’re trying to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that. The court has blocked off four weeks for the trial, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time.Here’s what to know about the case.<h2>The judge lets Routh represent himself</h2>U.S. District&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-justice-department-2737f5645c7d6d1b83ca06810542df88">Judge Aileen Cannon</a>&nbsp;signed off in July on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself during his trial, but said court-appointed attorneys need to remain as standby counsel.The judge told Routh she believes it’s a bad idea for Routh to represent himself, but he wouldn’t be dissuaded. Routh, who has described the extent of his education as two years of college after earning his GED certificate, told Cannon that he understood the potential challenges and would be ready.Cannon confirmed during a hearing earlier this week that Routh would be dressed in professional business attire for the trial. She also explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom.“If you make any sudden movements, marshals will take decisive and quick action to respond,” Cannon said.<h2>Routh is a self-styled mercenary leader</h2>The 59-year-old Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he had a 2002 arrest for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch-long fuse.In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.<h2>Routh is charged with attempted assassination</h2>Authorities said Routh tried to assassinate Trump, the Republican nominee for presidential, while he played golf at his golf club in West Palm Beach.Routh is facing five felony counts in federal court in Fort Pierce. They include attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate; possessing a firearm to carry out a violent crime; assaulting a federal officer; felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.<h2>Same judge presided over Trump case</h2>Cannon is the same judge who presided over another high-profile case involving Trump —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">the classified documents case</a>.Last year, Cannon sided with Trump’s lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed by the U.S. Justice Department. Cannon’s ruling halted a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats the president faced before he returned to office last January.Cannon was a former federal prosecutor who was nominated to the bench by Trump in 2020.<h2>Trump was not hurt by Routh</h2>Trump was uninjured, and there’s no evidence that Routh fired his weapon at the golf course. U.S. Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away. An agent fired, and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming and a GoPro camera. He was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.Last September’s alleged assassination attempt took place just nine weeks after Trump survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life in Pennsylvania.