The Festival of Lights was a highlight at the Blue Earth Plaza in Manhattan Friday night.

The Festival of Lights is an annual event in Manhattan.

Holiday season begins in Manhattan

The Manhattan Indians shut out Olathe Northwest 27-0 to win the Class 6A State Football Championship in Emporia on Saturday..

The Indians finished the season with a final record of 11-2.

Manhattan wins the Class 6A State Football Championship

WABAUNSEE COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Saturday in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Dodge Durango driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Chestina N.&nbsp; Randles, 29, Alma, was northbound in the 100 block of Southtown Road. A&nbsp;gust of wind blew the SUV off the roadway. The vehicle landed&nbsp; on the passenger side, about 20 feet down an embankment.

&nbsp;EMS transported Randles to Stormont Vail. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman hospitalized after wind blows SUV down embankment

Quality testing results are in for this year’s U.S. hard red winter (HRW) crop. Global customers will once again be able to purchase good quality&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;that provides high value, according to a recently released report by U.S.&nbsp;Wheat&nbsp;Associates (USW).

Kansas delivered a strong hard red winter&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;crop in 2025, producing more than 340 million bushels as timely late-spring rains helped fields rebound from earlier drought stress. Harvest ran later than normal due to frequent storms, but test weight and falling number concerns proved minimal, and most disease pressures like stripe rust, leaf rust and&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;streak mosaic stayed localized. While protein levels came in slightly lower than recent drought years, overall yield and grain quality across Kansas reflected a resilient crop supported by improved moisture.

After the collection and analysis of more than 2,250 samples of&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;collected from coast to coast, U.S.&nbsp;Wheat&nbsp;Associates (USW) has officially published&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001b2JzuS5UAYoREkTIW6y07ToLkLojbrbcduYWyT2O1_0RWgJao9CzommSQGcCZy29YIvPdCLcPMEc8aSLFutIwuLPLOsA9q0eRoxZkLOtBeS-_4BEmLuBmd7a__yCisJZ7CTDaDz92Rpkxc5d1YBZxzO3kSW7zCQHU8zY9u0MM8-k68XUnvoHGcdIJLKOqaNHv5_OVMAT1CQSuXnG9aZq-lR1fq69kj10vPSoSraHEgRmkWUqxEBjLg==&amp;c=Y3J3anDIEYYznVQYfAvNarjZbLF5QAd-J9-gzAnbUjRuJJ_KFUaJFA==&amp;ch=VJjEvwMtcU1ovAtj7wqpX32S0lUslMRUB9lMTQXd-thREtAN9TVWPw==">the 2025 U.S. Crop Quality Report</a>. The report, which is the 46th issued since 1979, provides essential, objective information to help global&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;buyers purchase the&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;they need at the best value possible.

“We are happy to share the 2025 U.S. Crop Quality Report, a detailed look at the high-quality&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;grown by U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;farmers and used by millers and bakers around the world,” said USW President and CEO Mike Spier. “This USW report reflects not only the quality of the 2025 crop, but also the hard work and commitment of U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;farmers. We’re proud to share the results of their efforts with our global partners.”

The 2025 report is supported by funding from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) export market development programs and USW’s state&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;commission members. The report includes class-specific information, starting with samples collected during harvest. Those samples are then sent to six partner laboratories across the United States, who conduct rigorous testing and analysis. This year’s report includes expanded extensograph testing and additional RVA (Rapid Visco Analyser) flour data for both soft and hard winter&nbsp;wheat.

The results are then compiled into the Crop Quality Report, which provides grade, non-grade, flour and specific end-product data. For example, this year’s report included additional data on sponge cake performance for soft red winter&nbsp;wheat. Overall, across all classes, global buyers will find U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;to be a consistent and reliable foundational ingredient for&nbsp;wheat-based food products.

USW also shares more detailed, regional reports for all six U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;classes and Desert Durum® on its website. There is also a new standalone document on collection and analysis methods. Find all crop quality reports and related information at<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001b2JzuS5UAYoREkTIW6y07ToLkLojbrbcduYWyT2O1_0RWgJao9CzommSQGcCZy29hL198Z7s1SlOKuPE0tMxFTRT9Ze_VYoi4a8qvJBApQG6v95alrHxji4gp8IJrJzrw_Qyitjp__nW0wvNtxWARil2R3ORkfSHiW2u1mo_wOrYXVDA7_qfQg==&amp;c=Y3J3anDIEYYznVQYfAvNarjZbLF5QAd-J9-gzAnbUjRuJJ_KFUaJFA==&amp;ch=VJjEvwMtcU1ovAtj7wqpX32S0lUslMRUB9lMTQXd-thREtAN9TVWPw==">&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001b2JzuS5UAYoREkTIW6y07ToLkLojbrbcduYWyT2O1_0RWgJao9CzommSQGcCZy29hL198Z7s1SlOKuPE0tMxFTRT9Ze_VYoi4a8qvJBApQG6v95alrHxji4gp8IJrJzrw_Qyitjp__nW0wvNtxWARil2R3ORkfSH07IgK2WP3XkughnZ9obQNg==&amp;c=Y3J3anDIEYYznVQYfAvNarjZbLF5QAd-J9-gzAnbUjRuJJ_KFUaJFA==&amp;ch=VJjEvwMtcU1ovAtj7wqpX32S0lUslMRUB9lMTQXd-thREtAN9TVWPw==">uswheat.org/cropquality</a>.

USW staff will now take this data to international customers during the organization’s annual crop quality seminars. This global showcase is expected to include 35 seminars in 30 countries across all regions of the world.&nbsp;

Shawn Thiele, associate director of the IGP Institute, will join Casey Chumrau, CEO of the Washington Grain Commission, and Senay Simsek, food science department head at Purdue University, for the crop quality seminar series in South America.&nbsp;

From November 3 to 10, the trio presented to key customers and stakeholders in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile. These markets have purchased substantially more U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;in the current marketing year than in years prior, thanks to the competitiveness of U.S.&nbsp;wheat&nbsp;in the world marketplace and USW's technical assistance and trade servicing activities, like the crop quality seminars.

Wheat Scoop: 2025 U.S. crop quality report

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Riley County Arrest Report November 27, 28 and 29

After every K-State home football game, RCPD officers, K-State Police and the Highway Patrol work to keep traffic moving safely as fans leave the stadium.

The&nbsp; RCPD said that the goal is simple — to get everyone out of the area quickly and safely. To do that, they execute a postgame traffic plan. There’ll notice cones, barricades, and officers directing traffic. Please be patient and understand that officers are following a comprehensive plan developed not only by the RCPD but in coordination with all of our community emergency services, as well as K-State Athletics. 

Thank you for your patience and for helping us make gamedays safe for everyone.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Traffic plan set for fans leaving Bill Snyder Family Stadium

In just the first 10 months of 2025, the Flint Hills Breadbasket has already seen 22,424 total visits from 2,586 families. For all of 2024, they saw 18,510 visits from 2,275 families.

The need in the community is rising and support matters. You can make a difference this holiday season by donating to the Annual Mayor's Holiday Food and Fund Drive!

Donate: at - <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Ffhbbmayor25%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUXJkYlU1SkQzQWgyekg1SnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4Y1_MM5xkcEu-35Rvjigaa5ZQnZx4hmqj2FGD7i8RtUlLj6hVV6Ta_sAu5Fw_aem_hlcwBO9RhlefgkgV9mOQvA&amp;h=AT1sknYHkES8fRTU0daJ5HsWEQqHF2ZlzK6Qzoveg9uKQ63uRwthO035qIeTcDNYJqVVUMXfls1nNOJNPrV6xNrEvaRneEaC72LcFPqBlYnif5tnCoBhblVphmSVQw6QUH4f3S0wVVgmq6Lk5pI4ScH8UsI0Cz3f&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT2rtKDM6Qt09RXp2OjAS8I08UKK5sMiyCyb0TAUGmhjtGuZSrjL09mPILK4axMheAcwSiRW1U15fcsFsT5NPI58i47Wot8txGoZGOi53XJu1r0gVqWwJFIkeSQ62cJkV2wZlXpu_1ZJBn6pKqfzwpl_oHEhoDlChCEaDBh6I5Pcmscu_LMC1eNXuOyMJRE" target="_blank">bit.ly/fhbbmayor25</a>- <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fvenmo.com%2Fflinthillsbreadbasket%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUXJkYlU1SkQzQWgyekg1SnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7ngtNIlc817FVuuIYDZLHQkf-LB4ydISe0whJzSWhmGpWNjpue9aSCn5Himw_aem_kkcYD1QpU7jLrePvXB5KUw&amp;h=AT0TEQWW1jOB7UHpenYRawWfM1_F_P3iU7lHtdfDaBMpDx4HFxeOkc5-AvD8IUjhMTp598bwEfEZ_k7Vcjspdv95uxoWs84twGWvBgP4Cu1uTxTxGsFadwsNa733OEPGpxRD_TNDowWwxaxINK8ZGkrYVyG6P5uo&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT2rtKDM6Qt09RXp2OjAS8I08UKK5sMiyCyb0TAUGmhjtGuZSrjL09mPILK4axMheAcwSiRW1U15fcsFsT5NPI58i47Wot8txGoZGOi53XJu1r0gVqWwJFIkeSQ62cJkV2wZlXpu_1ZJBn6pKqfzwpl_oHEhoDlChCEaDBh6I5Pcmscu_LMC1eNXuOyMJRE" target="_blank">venmo.com/flinthillsbreadbasket</a>- Mail or drop off: FHBB, 2326 Skyvue Lane, Manhattan, KS 66502&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mayor's Holiday Drive is under way

The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce has thanked the Riley County Commission and the Manhattan City Commission for proclaiming Nov. 29 as Small Business Saturday. 

Thanks to Ashley Urban with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CURAINS?__cft__[0]=AZUiID8GPIca3WL6OVJZjwSI5MCObls7Oh_JPoPvNmlFyYhibS5pru12OdS_J45YQQK7-HtNVbRX5RscToaAiL4819MfxZz-Nzn7gkY9iQTToEY_YMUTNMKIoxGJopyJv3r6M3mPBBmNxpRFM_89qHYyfa7lqgUCP-usE92QaXmFcHorDiq5sB4kqhHSrYzSLiQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">CURA Insurance</a>, for receiving the shop local Small Business Saturday proclamation from the Manhattan Mayor and Sara Larson with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560232063398&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUiID8GPIca3WL6OVJZjwSI5MCObls7Oh_JPoPvNmlFyYhibS5pru12OdS_J45YQQK7-HtNVbRX5RscToaAiL4819MfxZz-Nzn7gkY9iQTToEY_YMUTNMKIoxGJopyJv3r6M3mPBBmNxpRFM_89qHYyfa7lqgUCP-usE92QaXmFcHorDiq5sB4kqhHSrYzSLiQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">1880 Beef</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WildandBloomingKS?__cft__[0]=AZUiID8GPIca3WL6OVJZjwSI5MCObls7Oh_JPoPvNmlFyYhibS5pru12OdS_J45YQQK7-HtNVbRX5RscToaAiL4819MfxZz-Nzn7gkY9iQTToEY_YMUTNMKIoxGJopyJv3r6M3mPBBmNxpRFM_89qHYyfa7lqgUCP-usE92QaXmFcHorDiq5sB4kqhHSrYzSLiQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Wild &amp; Blooming, LLC Floral + Event Co</a> for receiving the proclamation from the Riley County Commission Chair.

Celebrate <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/smallbusinesssaturday?__eep__=6&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUiID8GPIca3WL6OVJZjwSI5MCObls7Oh_JPoPvNmlFyYhibS5pru12OdS_J45YQQK7-HtNVbRX5RscToaAiL4819MfxZz-Nzn7gkY9iQTToEY_YMUTNMKIoxGJopyJv3r6M3mPBBmNxpRFM_89qHYyfa7lqgUCP-usE92QaXmFcHorDiq5sB4kqhHSrYzSLiQ&amp;__tn__=*NK-R">#SmallBusinessSaturday</a> on Nov 29!&nbsp;

This is Small Business Saturday

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Kansas-based chapters of nonprofit organizations focused on wildlife conservation or promoting hunting and fishing have a special fundraising opportunity thanks to the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission. Through the Commission’s Big Game Permit program, administered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), eligible organizations can enter a random drawing for one of seven special big game hunting permits, which may then be sold to raise funds for conservation projects. Applications are due by December 26, 2025.

Each year, the program offers up to seven Commission Big Game permits (no more than one elk and one antelope, and up to seven deer permits), depending on the applicants’ preferences. Deer permits are either-species/either-sex and are valid statewide during any season with the legal equipment for that season; and they do not count against other big game permits the license holder may obtain.

“Organizations that win a Commission Big Game Permit typically raffle or auction it, which does two important things,” said&nbsp;Sarah Navarro, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ chief of licensing. “It helps them raise funds for its mission, and it generates dedicated dollars for a mutually agreed-upon conservation project that KDWP and the organization approve together.”

Winning organizations keep 15 percent of their sale price of the Commission Big Game Permit to support their missions. The remaining 85 percent is held by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks until a mutually agreed-upon conservation project is approved. (If Kansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry is drawn, they may keep 85 percent of their sale price in order to offset donated deer processing fees.) Organizations may not win a Commission Big Game Permit more than once in a three-year period.

Application Period for Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission Big Game Hunting Permits Now Open

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 54-year-old&nbsp;Dean Garvin of Ogden in the 3200 block of Kimball Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; 

He is being held on a $50,000 bond on requested charges that include&nbsp;. two counts of distribution of opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant 3.5 grams but less than 100 grams; two counts of distribution/possession with intent to distribute heroin/certain stimulants/fentanyl 3.5-100 grams; two counts of use/possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; distribution of a controlled substance with a dosage 10 to 100 units, two counts of possession of marijuana; one count of distribution or possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use; ; one count of driving while suspended/cancelled/revoked; ; one count of possession of opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant; and one count of use of communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation.&nbsp; County Jail at the time of this report.

Garvin has a previous drug conviction in Dickinson County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. felon accused of selling fentanyl, other drugs in Riley County

<a><b>MANHATTAN, Kan.</b></a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State fans coming to Manhattan on Saturday for the Wildcats’ Senior Day contest against Colorado are alerted to a partial closure of Anderson Avenue through the weekend.

The closure zone on Anderson is from Connecticut Avenue to Canfield Drive. Only local access will be available to Timberlane Drive and Bellehaven Road residents, emergency vehicles and those with driveways in the work zone.

 K-State Fans Alerted to Anderson Avenue Closure

MIAMI COUNTY—A Kansas man is in custody after a high-speed chase in a reported stolen vehicle.

Just after 1p.m. Friday, police located a vehicle that had been reported stolen from Overland Park, according to a media release.&nbsp;

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop with the vehicle at the intersection of Holly Lane and Baptiste Drive. The vehicle fled and traveled onto U.S. 169 northbound. With the assistance of Miami&nbsp; County Sheriff deputies, the vehicle was pursued until U.S. 169 and 215th Street where stop sticks were deployed by Spring Hill police.&nbsp; The driver of the fleeing vehicle lost control and the vehicle came to a stop in the median just north of 215th Street.

Police took the driver identified as 23-year-old Skyler Chacon into custody. He is being held in the Miami County Jail on requested charges of flee and elude, reckless driving, no drivers license and other alleged traffic violations. He is expected to face additional charges. There were no injuries reported.

Police jail Kan. suspect after chase in reported stolen vehicle

NEW YORK (AP) —A judge on Wednesday dismissed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-indictment-fani-willis-b9000b28e65fc8ebe57f6f9cca5cc3ef">Georgia election interference case</a>&nbsp;against President Donald Trump and others, bringing an end to the last of four criminal cases filed against him that threatened to upend his finances and take away his freedom as he sought a return to the White House.

The Georgia dismissal came after a new prosecutor in the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-indictment-fani-willis-b9000b28e65fc8ebe57f6f9cca5cc3ef">declined to pursue the charges</a>.

Since Trump’s reelection last year, four separate criminal cases — including his hush money conviction and federal allegations of election interference and illegally hoarding classified documents — have either been dropped, resolved or put aside. On the civil side, several high-profile lawsuits against Trump have been quietly working their way through the appeals process.

Here’s a look at some of Trump’s criminal and civil cases and where they stand now:

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">became the first former U.S. president</a>&nbsp;convicted of felonies when a New York jury found him guilty in May 2024 of falsifying business records to cover up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-opening-stormy-daniels-6beee9b99114898ee0dd60185d43bac5">a hush money payment to a porn actor</a>&nbsp;who said the two had sex.

Though Trump could have faced jail time, Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan in January&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">sentenced</a>&nbsp;him instead to what’s known as an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction on the books but sparing him any punishment.

Trump was set to take office just days later, and Merchan said he had to respect Trump’s upcoming legal protections as president, even wishing him “Godspeed as you assume your second term in office.”

Trump is trying to get the conviction erased, a push that was given new life in November when a federal appeals court ordered a lower court&nbsp;<a href="https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/166b3213-136f-462d-b518-a40538e74103/1/doc/24-2299_opn.pdf#xml=https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/166b3213-136f-462d-b518-a40538e74103/1/hilite/" target="_blank">to reconsider its decision</a>&nbsp;to keep the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-new-york-immunity-a905207c7db9fc48d022d68ac6cc12e1">state court</a>&nbsp;instead of moving it to federal court.

In August 2023, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">charged Trump and 18 others</a>&nbsp;with participating in a scheme to illegally try to overturn his narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Willis cited Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mug-shot-donald-trump-indictment-839920116a244df3e55bdedf33820a80">January 2021 phone call</a>&nbsp;to Georgia’s secretary of state, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-joe-biden-presidential-elections-election-2020-electoral-college-311f88768b65f7196f52a4757dc162e4">effort to replace</a>&nbsp;Georgia’s Democratic presidential electors with ones who would vote for Trump, harassment of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-2022-midterm-elections-georgia-election-recounts-5cffe294a372eb32dc68588784202314">Fulton County election worker</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-lawsuits-donald-trump-voting-6a1324cc6cf45c95ca086a5c81617b15">unauthorized copying</a>&nbsp;of data and software from elections equipment.

But the case stalled over revelations Willis had been in a relationship with the man she appointed to prosecute it. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fani-willis-georgia-election-indictment-removed-0aa6db3b7abed22eb08ed9323f687972">state appeals court in December</a>&nbsp;removed Willis from the case and the state Supreme Court later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fani-willis-appeal-georgia-supreme-court-trump-7be50feee272612484490b53592e7e08">declined to hear her appeal</a>.

Pete Skandalakis, the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case in November after he said several prosecutors declined to take it. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee issued a brief order dismissing the case in its entirety Wednesday after Skandalakis said he has decided not to pursue it further.

Special counsel Jack Smith charged Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">in August</a>&nbsp;2023 with conspiring to overturn the results of his election loss to President Joe Biden in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors allege Trump and his allies knowingly promoted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2020-election-lies-debunked-4fc26546b07962fdbf9d66e739fbb50d">election fraud lies</a>&nbsp;in a bid to push state officials to overturn Biden’s win and pressure Vice President Mike Pence to disrupt the ceremonial counting of electoral votes.

But Smith moved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-justice-department-jack-smith-d6172cf98d8e03e099571c908267456c">to drop the case</a>&nbsp;after Trump won reelection in November. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">criminal prosecution</a>.

In a separate prosecution,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">Smith charged Trump in June 2023</a>&nbsp;with illegally retaining classified documents he took from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after he left office in January 2021, and then obstructing government demands to give them back. Prosecutors filed additional charges the following month, accusing Trump of showing a Pentagon “plan of attack” to visitors at his golf club in New Jersey.

Smith also moved to drop that case after Trump’s election victory.

In May 2023, a federal jury found that Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defamed her. The jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">awarded Carroll $5 million</a>.

In January 2024, a second jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888">awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million</a>&nbsp;in damages for comments Trump had made about her while he was president, finding that they were defamatory. A federal appeals court panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-appeal-award-d587004df6f7c46ec4a17b563a38bfa9">upheld the jury’s finding</a>&nbsp;in September. Trump has since asked the full appellate court to hear arguments and reconsider the ruling.

Trump also appealed the first jury decision, but a federal appeals court in December&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld</a>&nbsp;it and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-e-jean-carroll-sexual-abuse-appeal-8e2db7bdb881ff0b9353b6fb17750f48">declined in June to reconsider</a>. In November, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-abuse-defamation-supreme-court-be62982deb6821b62e0471f5bea3e64d">asked the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to hear his appeal.

New York Attorney General Letitia James&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deposition-new-york-lawsuit-letitia-james-8071b5cff84c1eaad7a4dc02f71191f1">sued Trump</a>&nbsp;in 2022, alleging he habitually exaggerated his wealth and the value of marquee assets like Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago.

In February 2024, a New York judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties</a>, but an appeals court in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-appeal-db39d93feff322eeeeedbc1ff75ccaf3">threw out</a>&nbsp;that massive financial penalty while narrowly endorsing a lower court’s finding that he engaged in fraud by padding his wealth on financial statements provided to lenders and insurers.

The appeals court judges ruled that the penalty — which had soared to $515 million with interest tacked on each day — violated the U.S. Constitution’s ban on excessive fines. At the same time, they left in place other punishments, including bans on Trump and his two eldest sons from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">serving in corporate leadership</a>&nbsp;for a few years.

James&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-fraud-penalty-billions-appeal-b613dacb27d64644bde94fe96da1cc9d">filed a notice of appeal</a>&nbsp;with the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, in September.

 Here's where all the legal cases against Trump stand since his return to the White House

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque on Saturday but didn't stop to pray, as he focused more on bolstering ties with Orthodox patriarchs and promoting courageous steps for Eastern and Western churches to be united.

Leo took his shoes off and, in his white socks, toured the 17th-century mosque, looking up at its soaring tiled domes and the Arabic inscriptions on its columns as an imam pointed them out to him.

The Vatican had said Leo would observe a “brief moment of silent prayer” in the mosque, but he didn't. An imam of the mosque, Asgin Tunca, said he had invited Leo to pray, since the mosque was “Allah's house,” but the pope declined.

Later, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said: “The pope experienced his visit to the mosque in silence, in a spirit of contemplation and listening, with deep respect for the place and the faith of those who gather there in prayer.”

Leo, history's first American pope, was following in the footsteps of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2444bfb0a63143d19605055b29ceba6d">recent predecessors,</a>&nbsp;who all made high-profile visits to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, as it is officially known, in a gesture of respect to Turkey’s Muslim majority.

Papal visits to Blue Mosque often raise questions

But the visits have always raised questions about whether the pope would pray in the Muslim house of worship, or at the very least pause to gather thoughts in a meditative silence.

When Pope Benedict XVI visited Turkey in 2006, tensions were high because Benedict had offended many in the Muslim world a few months earlier with a speech in Regensburg, Germany that was widely interpreted as linking Islam and violence.

The Vatican added a visit to the Blue Mosque at the last minute in a bid to reach out to Muslims. He observed a moment of silent prayer, head bowed, as the imam prayed next to him, facing east.

Benedict later thanked him “for this moment of prayer" for what was only the second time a pope had visited a mosque, after St. John Paul II visited one briefly in Syria in 2001.

There were no doubts in 2014 when Pope Francis visited the Blue Mosque: He stood for two minutes of silent prayer facing east, his head bowed, eyes closed and hands clasped in front of him. The Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, told the pope afterwards, “May God accept it.”

With Leo, though, even the Vatican seemed caught off guard by his decision not to pray. The Holy See had to correct the official record of the visit after it originally kept the planned reference to him pausing for prayer.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, the imam Tunca said he had told the pope: “It’s not my house, not your house, (it’s the) house of Allah.” He said he invited Leo to worship "But he said, ‘That’s OK.’”

“He wanted to see the mosque, wanted to feel (the) atmosphere of the mosque, I think. And was very pleased,” he said.

In the afternoon, Leo prayed with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, at the patriarchal church of Saint George.

There, they prayed the doxology, a hymn of praise and glory to God, and signed a joint declaration vowing to take courageous steps on the path to unity including to find a common date for Easter.

Eastern and Western churches split in the Great Schism of 1054, a divide precipitated largely by disagreements over the primacy of the pope. While ties have warmed, they remain divided and other schisms have formed.

“It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year,” the joint statement said, referring to Easter.

The Vatican said in his remarks to the patriarchs gathered, Leo pointed to the next Holy Year to be celebrated by Christians, in 2033 on the anniversary of Christ's crucifixion, and invited them to go to Jerusalem on “a journey that leads to full unity.”

Leo's final event was a Catholic Mass in Istanbul's Volkswagen Arena for the country's Catholic community, who number 33,000 in a country of more than 85 million people, most of whom are Sunni Muslim.

Renato Marai was among a group of 26 visitors from Florence, Italy, who traveled to Istanbul to see the pope. “It’s wonderful to see him on his first foreign trip, a really important moment for our group,” he said.

Tarcin Unlu, meanwhile, was among many Turkish attendees, a recent convert to Christianity from Islam. "I became Christian because I thought it was the best religion for me but my family is definitely not happy,” Unlu said.

Her friend, Rodrick Nuel, originally from Nigeria’s Biafra region but now living in northern Cyprus, said the papal visit sent a “a powerful message for the global Christian community.”

“Also, as Turkey is 99.9% Muslim and just 0.1% Christian, it shows the pope is reaching out to other religions as well,” he added.

The Airbus software update doesn't spare pope

While Leo was focusing on bolstering relations with Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Muslims, trip organizers were dealing with more mundane issues.

Leo's ITA Airways Airbus A320neo charter was among those caught up in the worldwide Airbus software update, ordered by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The order came after an analysis found the computer code may have contributed to a sudden drop in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetblue-flight-emergency-landing-florida-4b5d0809c2a11a197634a4b0cdf343f1">altitude of a JetBlue plane</a>&nbsp;last month.

The Vatican spokesman, Bruni, said the necessary monitor to update the aircraft was on its way to Istanbul from Rome along with the technician who would install it.

Leo is scheduled to fly from Istanbul to Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday afternoon for the second leg of his inaugural trip as pope.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Surprise move by the Pope in visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque 

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a missing persons case say it is now a homicide investigation.

The victim, according to Independence police, Elayjah Murray, was reported missing on Nov. 28. Police learned Murray had possibly been shot. He was found dead in South Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday.

Police want to speak with 28-year-old Eric Phillips II in connection with the homicide investigation.

Police: Missing person case now a KC homicide investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-shopping-sales-prices-deals-bbefeb75238596fa23ee59c3f647c361">wider economic uncertainty</a>&nbsp;hovering above this year's holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-friday-deals-holiday-shopping-2d85fcbab82d71ecd930b6fe1060f3c1">for Black Friday</a>&nbsp;— spending billions of dollars both in stores and online.

Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute.

Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said.

Meanwhile, software company Salesforce — which tracks digital spending from a range of retailers, including grocers — estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally. And e-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute — with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company.

Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 4.1% from a year ago. The retail sales indicator, which is not adjusted for inflation, showed online sales jumped by double digits (10.4%), while in-store purchases inched up 1.7%.

Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said consumers are “navigating an uncertain environment” this holiday season “by shopping early, leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-list items.”

Black Friday is far from the sales event that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-is-black-friday-2024-holiday-shopping-7a1d3de4b7eeebe9a93d0aef29b12ac1">created midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem</a>&nbsp;just decades ago. More and more consumers have instead turned to online deals to make post-Thanksgiving purchases from the comfort of their own homes — or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions now offered by retailers.

In-store traffic has dwindled over the years. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% compared to 2024. Still, the firm noted that was “notably better” than a sharper 6.2% decline it saw in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.

Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, found that in-store retail visits dipped 2.1% — but said that was in line with expectations and trends already seen this year. Traffic over the week of Black Friday was up nearly 57% compared to the week prior, per Sensormatic.

“Black Friday has really turned into like a full week event, or even further,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. And “Black Friday is really the start of just a really and critical stretch for retailers,” he added — noting that the weekend following Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmas next month, will also be some of the busiest in terms of in-store traffic.

Meanwhile, in terms of e-commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday — before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday, which would mark yet another record.

Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. U.S. President Donald Trump’s barrage of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on foreign imports&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-tariffs-small-business-d4df6f00651eb33ea5d97fad5d7273d6">have strained businesses</a>&nbsp;and households alike over the last year. And despite spending more overall, Salesforce found U.S. shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday (down 2% from last year). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firm noted, as average selling prices climbed 7%.

This year’s holiday spending rush arrives amid heightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs, workers across public and private sectors are also struggling with anxieties over job security — amid both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">corporate layoffs</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-snap-thanksgiving-holiday-7a812cfb02cadf5f61ebab0b4784d8e2">after-effects of the 43-day government shutdown</a>.

An uptick in budget-conscious behavior can also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes — and “consumers are thinking a little bit harder about their purchases” this year, he explains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”

For the November-December holiday season overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S. shoppers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-retail-federation-holiday-forecast-tariffs-inflation-de5b851a009fed78b446676c1d944853">will spend more than $1 trillion</a>&nbsp;for the first time this year. But the rate of growth is slowing — with an anticipated increase of 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holiday season.

At the same time, credit card debt and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buy-now-pay-later-missed-payments-regulation-f7fd30f2a0e900460919fad76a1e0dbf">delinquencies on other short-term loans</a>&nbsp;have been rising. And more and more shoppers are turning to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buy-now-pay-later-loans-installments-02852578a991fb0d31879acd0b687e0d">“buy now, pay later” plans</a>, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items.

Shoppers spend billions on Black Friday to snag holiday deals, despite wider economic uncertainty

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man who admitted to charges in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a motorcyclist is going to prison.

Last Friday, Judge William Woolley sentenced 31-year-old Nathan Luck&nbsp;to 69 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;On September 26, Luck pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and failure to stop at the scene of a crash, according to the district attorney's office.

Just before 10p.m. July 28, 2024, police responded to a 2-vehicle collision the area of East Central and Bristol in Wichita.

Police determined a motorcycle driven by 64-year-old Steven Golik was westbound on Central Avenue in Wichita when an eastbound Honda CR-V driven by Luck failed to yield the right of way, struck the motorcycle and fled the accident scene. EMS transported Golik to to a local hospital. He died days later.

Officers later located the Honda&nbsp; CR-V in the 500 block of Bristol Court and took Luck into custody.

Prison for SUV driver in deadly hit-and-run crash

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City, Missouri, woman was sentenced this week to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for a fraud scheme in which she embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jennifer L. Cabral, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, to 60 months in federal prison on for one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering to run concurrently and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $306,034.28 to her former employer and to forfeit $1,393.50.

As part of her plea, Cabral admitted that she stole money from the checking account of her employer and used those funds for her personal benefit, including purchasing a 2019 Mazda CX-9 automobile, in which she has since agreed to forfeit all interests.

According to information presented in court, Cabral made unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments to herself&nbsp;using her employer’s online account at a local financial institution.&nbsp; Cabral accessed her employer’s accounting software and directed payments to&nbsp;her personal bank accounts at two other financial institutions. Once those funds were deposited in her personal accounts, she used them for various personal benefits including vehicle payments toward the purchase of her car.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grandview, Mo. Police Department.

KC woman admits stealing money from employer to buy a car

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday said that the airspace “above and surrounding”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/venezuela">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;should be considered as “closed in its entirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-cartel-soles-us-drugs-terrorist-f778922c04b4f514092bd29b91e77358">U.S. pressure</a>&nbsp;on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. His government accused Trump of making a ”colonial threat" and seeking to undermine the South American country's sovereignty.

The White House did not respond to questions about what Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, and it was unclear whether he was announcing a new policy or simply reinforcing the messaging around his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-us-trump-drugs-strikes-negotiations-70e6017cdde101d06ebbc15cbb5a44fd">campaign against Maduro</a>, which has involved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-drugs-25000-lives-c6e4c750b0dc6f15d397d598c9bd169f">multiple strikes</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on small boats accused of ferrying drugs as well as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-venezuela-trump-ford-strikes-drugs-241ea9e039d717b9f80f793922cb7cc9">buildup of naval forces</a>&nbsp;in the region. More than 80 people have been killed in such strikes since early September.

The Republican president addressed his call for an aerial blockade to “Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers,” rather than to Maduro.

Venezuela’s government said it “forcefully rejects” Trump’s claim about closing the airspace and that it was a “colonial threat” intended to undermine the country's "territorial integrity, aeronautical security and full sovereignty.”

The Foreign Ministry said “such declarations constitute a hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act.”

The statement also said that U.S. immigration authorities had unilaterally suspended biweekly deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants. Following negotiations between the two governments, more than 13,000 Venezuelans have been deported to Venezuela this year on dozens of chartered flights, the latest of which arrived late Friday in Caracas, the capital, according to flight-tracking data.

International airlines last week began to cancel flights to Venezuela after the Federal Aviation Administration told pilots to be cautious flying around the country because of heightened military activity.

The FAA’s jurisdiction is generally limited to the United States and its territories. The agency does routinely warn pilots about the dangers of flying over areas with ongoing conflicts or military activity around the globe, as it did earlier this month with Venezuela. The FAA works with other countries and the International Civil Aviation Organization on international issues. The FAA and ICAO did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.

Trump's administration has sought to ratchet up pressure on Maduro. The U.S. government does not view Maduro as the legitimate leader of the oil-rich but increasingly impoverished South American nation and he faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.

U.S. forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuela and the USS Gerald R. Ford, America's most advanced aircraft carrier, was sent to the area. The Ford rounds off the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-buildup-caribbean-venezuela-ships-troops-810f6181371f53536c723ea562c5277c">buildup of U.S. firepower</a>&nbsp;in the region in generations. With its arrival, the “Operation Southern Spear” mission includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and about 12,000 sailors and Marines.

There are bipartisan calls for greater oversight of the U.S. military strikes against vessels in the region after The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of the Sept. 2 attack on suspected drug smugglers.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its top Democrat, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, said in a joint statement late Friday that the committee "will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”

Trump’s team has weighed both military and nonmilitary options with Venezuela, including covert action by the CIA.

Trump has publicly floated the idea of talking to Maduro. The New York Times reported Friday that Trump and Maduro had spoken. The White House declined to answer questions about the conversation.

President Trump declares Venezuela airspace closed

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7a.m. Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas.

According to Kansas City, Kansas police, an SUV driven by a man in 60s was northbound in the 1300 Block of N 38th Street. The vehicle veered off the road into a parking lot and struck two posts.

First responders pronounced the man deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Police did n ot release his name of additional details.

Driver dies after SUV crash in Kansas City parking lot

WASHINGTON — Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s upcoming resignation from Congress set off a series of questions and misinformation about what health care and pension benefits lawmakers receive once they leave public service.&nbsp;

The system is a bit complex and determined by when a lawmaker entered Congress as well as how long they stayed. Members must serve at least five years, putting Greene just over the eligibility line&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/11/21/georgia-congresswoman-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-she-will-resign-in-january/" target="_blank">when she officially steps aside</a>&nbsp;in January.&nbsp;

Members of Congress elected after 1984 are covered under the Federal Employees’ Retirement System. The four House lawmakers and one senator elected before then may be under the Civil Service Retirement System, so their benefit may be calculated differently than that of their colleagues.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service explains in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/RL/PDF/RL30631/RL30631.39.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;about lawmakers’ retirement benefits that “pensions, like those of other federal employees, are financed through a combination of employee and employer contributions.”&nbsp;

“Under both CSRS and FERS, Members of Congress are eligible for a pension at the age of 62 if they have completed at least 5 years of service,” the report states. “Members are eligible for a pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after completing 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on length of service (as measured in months) and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.”

All members also must pay into Social Security, and how much in taxes they pay and benefits they receive are the same as for all beneficiaries.

Members of Congress, except for leadership, are paid $174,000 a year.

Greene, who began her congressional career on Jan. 3, 2021, will be just over the five-year requirement when she formally resigns on Jan. 5.&nbsp;

Greene will receive about $8,700 in pension benefits per year for the rest of her life, after she turns 62. She is now 51.

Former U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who was first sworn in on June 2, 1987, after winning a special election, will receive considerably more in pension benefits given that she was a member for decades longer than Greene and had a higher salary during her time in leadership.&nbsp;

The National Taxpayers Union Foundation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntu.org/foundation/detail/pelosi-to-exit-congress-with-one-of-the-largest-pensions-on-record" target="_blank">expects</a>&nbsp;Pelosi will receive an annual pension of $107,860 after she retires in January 2027.&nbsp;

Members of Congress who retire or resign are eligible to purchase health insurance from the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program as long as they had health insurance from the District of Columbia’s Affordable Care Act marketplace “for the five years of service immediately prior to retirement,” according to a different CRS&nbsp;<a href="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R43194.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>.&nbsp;

While in Congress, lawmakers are eligible to have some of their health coverage offset by their employer — the federal government — as long as they purchase it through the D.C. marketplace, known as DC Health Link. Like others in the states, it was created by the Affordable Care Act.

As with group health insurance plans, the amount subsidized by the federal government depends on whether a lawmaker selects a health plan that covers themselves or themselves plus eligible family members.&nbsp;

Rep. MTG's retirement launches speculation about congressional pensions

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joe Jackson rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns as Kansas State defeated Colorado 24-14 and earned bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season on a cold and blustery day. The game-time temperature was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 24.

Quarterback Avery Johnson was 10-of-17 for 115 yards in difficult conditions for Kansas State (6-6, 5-4 Big 12).

Kaidon Salter was 14-of-25 for 172 yards for Colorado (3-9, 1-8), who got two rushing touchdowns from Micah Welch.

Jackson scored his second touchdown of the day from 1-yard out with 4:32 left in the third quarter. The score capped a 56-yard drive.

The Wildcats then made it a two-score game with a 35-yard field goal by Luis Rodriguez. The Wildcats stalled at the Colorado 19-yard line, but they burned 6:43 off the clock.

Welch's second rushing touchdown of the game capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive and brought the Buffaloes to within 17-14.

But Jackson's third touchdown, a 17-yard scamper with 2:34 left, extended the lead to 10 points.

K-State used nearly half the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Jackson. The Wildcats used 7:13 for a 13-play drive.

Neither team did much offensively for most of the rest of the half until Colorado marched 84 yards in 11 plays for the tying touchdown.

Welch hurdled over the line from the 1 for the score. Colorado finished the half with 162 yards of total offense. K-State finished with 114 yards, with 74 of those coming on its opening drive.

Colorado: The Buffaloes didn't look like a team with nothing to play for. They outgained the Wildcats 323-321.

Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled to find its rhythm on offense. A week after gaining 574 yards, they gained just 321.

Colorado's season is done. Kansas State will await a bowl invitation.

🏈 Jackson's three rushing touchdowns leads K-State to bowl eligibility

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, Elijah Davis returned an interception 97 yards for another score, and No. 14 Utah came from behind to beat Kansas 31-21 on Friday and keep its slim Big 12 championship hopes alive.

Larry Simmons caught two TD passes, Wayshon Parker ran for 95 yards and Utah (10-2, 7-2, No. 13 CFP) picked off Jalon Daniels three times in the final game of his college career, helping the Utes reach the 10-win mark for the third time in the last five years.

More importantly, the Utes can still play for a conference title. They need Arizona State to beat Arizona on Friday night, then Texas Tech to lose to West Virginia and BYU to beat UCF on Saturday — a long-shot scenario, to be sure, but a reason to turn on TVs.

“We hope 10-2 gets us to what we want to do, but from my standpoint, we were not happy with how last season went," said Dampier, who transferred in from New Mexico after the Utes had finished 5-7 in their first season in the Big 12.

“Just happy it all came together,” he said. “We finished strong, and it was all that work we put in.”

Utah won despite allowing 290 yards rushing, one week after beating Kansas State after allowing 472 on the ground.

“It took a while to get going, and really get into a rhythm. We started to get some things going in the second half,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We kept finding ways to make plays, stay in the game, and that's kind of the way it went in the end.”

Daniels finished with 187 yards passing and a touchdown, and also rushed for a TD, though his turnovers led to a smattering of boos from Kansas fans, many of whom have endured the QB's highs and lows over the past six seasons.

Daniel Hishaw Jr. had 107 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Jayhawks (5-7, 3-6). Leshon Williams ran for 104.

“Obviously as a team we didn’t play well enough to win the football game,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said.

Utah looked as if it might turn Senior Day into a rout in the opening minutes, but the Kansas defense — which had let Leipold's team down so often this season — finally seemed to find its fight. The Jayhawks bottled up the Utes, who had been averaging 279.6 yards on the ground, and early on Dampier was having little success through the air, twice misfiring on fourth-down attempts.

Utah led just 10-7 at halftime in a game it desperately needed to win.

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