Group makes case by drawing upon dystopian horror of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Five people walked through the Kansas Capitol on Monday shrouded in long, red cloaks and with faces concealed from view by wing-like white bonnets.

The intent was to catch the attention of legislators and lobbyists, who complied with puzzled looks as they tried to comprehend the scene.

Why the outfits? Were they part of a cult? Might they be nuns? What do they want? Could they be dangerous?

Christy Allen, among the women dressed as characters from the dystopian novel and film “The Handmaid’s Tale,” said the group chose the distinctive wardrobe to emphasize frustration with the direction of state government in Kansas and Missouri as well as the dismantling of political norms by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.

Allen and her peers carried small cloth signs that summarized their message to politicians. It said, simply: “Shame.” They were told they would be asked to leave if they displayed the signs inside the Kansas Senate chamber.

“I’m tired of people putting party over people,” Allen said. “I feel with the erosion of all people’s rights, the United States becomes a theocracy. Our uniform, and it is a uniform, and we are an army, stands for the subjugation of all people’s rights, and that’s what’s happening with the hypocrisy right now. It’s carrying over into Kansas. We are free staters, right, and we should stick with that.”

The 1985 novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and a more recent television series based on the book described a world where fertility rates plunged and fertile women were enslaved to bear children for the ruling class. Civil war in the United States produced a totalitarian, Christian form of government led by power-hungry leaders who relied on a divine law to control women. In the Handmaid world, female residents were forced to survive under laws forbidding them from owning property, handling money or reading and writing.

Angela Korbin, another member of the Handmaid group, said she was in Topeka to protest how democracy was under attack for the benefit of white, evangelical men.

“I want people to know that women’s rights are trans rights and trans rights are human rights,” she said.

She was referencing Senate Bill 244, an anti-transgender bill passed by the Republican-led House and Senate but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Under the legislation, Kansans using public restrooms would be required to make use of facilities aligned with their sex declaration at birth rather than respect a person’s gender identity. It would establish a mechanism for people who claimed they were offended to seek $1,000 bounties from violators of the law. Government agencies not in compliance could be hit with a $25,000 fine on a first offense or $125,000 fines for subsequent incidents.

“It’s punitive,” Allen said. “Actions say a lot.”

The Handmaid contingent also voiced objections to public policy decisions in Kansas on immigration, health care, education and elections.

Outside the Capitol on Monday, a couple hundred people with colorful signs and flags conducted a protest on Presidents Day that was labeled “Not My President.” It was organized by Kansas 50501, which promotes nonviolent protests in Topeka that build relationships among people eager to defend the Constitution, respect coequal branches of government and deliver on the promise of equal rights for all.

Much of the anger on the south steps of the Statehouse centered Trump’s alleged campaign to violate rights of Americans by directing federal agents to, organizers said, “kill us.”

Teresa Gorby of Ottawa was on hand with a sign that declared “Stop ICE Now.”

“I’m here for my country,” she said. “We need funding for health care, things that help our people not rich guys.”

Topeka residents Duane and Kathy Dahm carried signs that urged people to respect the Constitution and to remind people that “silence kills democracy.”

“We’re just tired and fed up with everything that’s going on,” Duane Dahm said. “All the illegal stuff (Trump’s) doing.”

Other signs registered other concerns: “We’re not being governed, we’re being lied and looted,” “No dictator, no crown. We the people won’t kneel down” and “The darkness has got to give.”

Doug McGaw, a Vietnam veteran who earned a Purple Heart and taught at Emporia State University, said the people had to compel the three branches of the federal government to bring order to chaos.

“We have a corrupt government that will not obey the law,” he said. “We need to stiffen the spine of people who are responsible for our laws and justice system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771292907831.png" alt=" Protesters adorned with clothing reminiscent of “the Handmaid’s Tale” carried cloth signs labeled “Shame” as they challenged Kansas legislators Monday at the Kansas Capitol to enact policies for benefit of Kansans rather than follow a path toward theocratic government. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Protesters adorned with clothing reminiscent of “the Handmaid’s Tale” carried cloth signs labeled “Shame” as they challenged Kansas legislators Monday at the Kansas Capitol to enact policies for benefit of Kansans rather than follow a path toward theocratic government. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Group makes case by drawing upon dystopian horror of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Five people walked through the Kansas Capitol on Monday shrouded in long, red cloaks and with faces concealed from view by wing-like white bonnets.The intent was to catch the attention of legislators and lobbyists, who complied with puzzled looks as they tried to comprehend the scene.Why the outfits? Were they part of a cult? Might they be nuns? What do they want? Could they be dangerous?Christy Allen, among the women dressed as characters from the dystopian novel and film “The Handmaid’s Tale,” said the group chose the distinctive wardrobe to emphasize frustration with the direction of state government in Kansas and Missouri as well as the dismantling of political norms by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.Allen and her peers carried small cloth signs that summarized their message to politicians. It said, simply: “Shame.” They were told they would be asked to leave if they displayed the signs inside the Kansas Senate chamber.“I’m tired of people putting party over people,” Allen said. “I feel with the erosion of all people’s rights, the United States becomes a theocracy. Our uniform, and it is a uniform, and we are an army, stands for the subjugation of all people’s rights, and that’s what’s happening with the hypocrisy right now. It’s carrying over into Kansas. We are free staters, right, and we should stick with that.”The 1985 novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and a more recent television series based on the book described a world where fertility rates plunged and fertile women were enslaved to bear children for the ruling class. Civil war in the United States produced a totalitarian, Christian form of government led by power-hungry leaders who relied on a divine law to control women. In the Handmaid world, female residents were forced to survive under laws forbidding them from owning property, handling money or reading and writing.Angela Korbin, another member of the Handmaid group, said she was in Topeka to protest how democracy was under attack for the benefit of white, evangelical men.“I want people to know that women’s rights are trans rights and trans rights are human rights,” she said.She was referencing Senate Bill 244, an anti-transgender bill passed by the Republican-led House and Senate but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.Under the legislation, Kansans using public restrooms would be required to make use of facilities aligned with their sex declaration at birth rather than respect a person’s gender identity. It would establish a mechanism for people who claimed they were offended to seek $1,000 bounties from violators of the law. Government agencies not in compliance could be hit with a $25,000 fine on a first offense or $125,000 fines for subsequent incidents.“It’s punitive,” Allen said. “Actions say a lot.”The Handmaid contingent also voiced objections to public policy decisions in Kansas on immigration, health care, education and elections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771292857650.png" alt="Doug McGaw, of Emporia, sits during a Feb. 16, 2026, protest outside the Capitol. The Vietnam veteran says he won’t follow orders of a felon, insurrectionist or traitor regardless of the individual’s official position. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Doug McGaw, of Emporia, sits during a Feb. 16, 2026, protest outside the Capitol. The Vietnam veteran says he won’t follow orders of a felon, insurrectionist or traitor regardless of the individual’s official position. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The outsiders</h2>Outside the Capitol on Monday, a couple hundred people with colorful signs and flags conducted a protest on Presidents Day that was labeled “Not My President.” It was organized by Kansas 50501, which promotes nonviolent protests in Topeka that build relationships among people eager to defend the Constitution, respect coequal branches of government and deliver on the promise of equal rights for all.Much of the anger on the south steps of the Statehouse centered Trump’s alleged campaign to violate rights of Americans by directing federal agents to, organizers said, “kill us.”Teresa Gorby of Ottawa was on hand with a sign that declared “Stop ICE Now.”“I’m here for my country,” she said. “We need funding for health care, things that help our people not rich guys.”Topeka residents Duane and Kathy Dahm carried signs that urged people to respect the Constitution and to remind people that “silence kills democracy.”“We’re just tired and fed up with everything that’s going on,” Duane Dahm said. “All the illegal stuff (Trump’s) doing.”Other signs registered other concerns: “We’re not being governed, we’re being lied and looted,” “No dictator, no crown. We the people won’t kneel down” and “The darkness has got to give.”Doug McGaw, a Vietnam veteran who earned a Purple Heart and taught at Emporia State University, said the people had to compel the three branches of the federal government to bring order to chaos.“We have a corrupt government that will not obey the law,” he said. “We need to stiffen the spine of people who are responsible for our laws and justice system.”

Kansas protesters argue for fundamental reform of government in both style and substance

CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader's assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84.

His daughter, Santita Jackson, confirmed that Jackson died at home, surrounded by family.

As a young organizer in Chicago, Jackson was called to meet with King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-voting-rights-memphis-north-america-a5fa959c9c3a418d9f5eb1b1badb8db2">at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis</a>&nbsp;shortly before King was killed and he publicly positioned himself thereafter as King's successor.

Jackson led a lifetime of crusades in the United States and abroad, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0cfc7e215c604452be78493c000ec5c8">pressuring executives</a>&nbsp;to make America a more open and equitable society.

And when he declared, “I am Somebody,” in a poem he often repeated, he sought to reach people of all colors. “I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young; but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody,” Jackson intoned.

It was a message he took literally and personally, having risen from obscurity in the segregated South to become America’s best-known civil rights activist since King.

“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement posted online. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8f3f24a221ed47b79ee04b47a789d35a">Despite profound health challenges</a>&nbsp;in his final years including a rare brain disorder that affected his ability to move and speak, Jackson continued protesting against racial injustice into the era of Black Lives Matter. In 2024, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and at a City Council meeting to show support for a resolution backing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-israel-hamas-resolution-ceasefire-7f210b4ed091347d4137810999bdc536">ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war</a>.

“Even if we win,” he told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer whose knee kept&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">George Floyd</a>&nbsp;from breathing was convicted of murder, “it’s relief, not victory. They’re still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive.”

Calls to action, delivered in a memorable voice

Jackson’s voice, infused with the stirring cadences and powerful insistence of the Black church, demanded attention. On the campaign trail and elsewhere, he used rhyming and slogans such as: “Hope not dope” and “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it,″ to deliver his messages.

Jackson had his share of critics, both within and outside of the Black community. Some considered him a grandstander, too eager to seek out the spotlight. Looking back on his life and legacy, Jackson told The Associated Press in 2011 that he felt blessed to be able to continue the service of other leaders before him and to lay a foundation for those to come.

“A part of our life’s work was to tear down walls and build bridges, and in a half century of work, we’ve basically torn down walls,” Jackson said. “Sometimes when you tear down walls, you’re scarred by falling debris, but your mission is to open up holes so others behind you can run through.”

In his final months, as he received 24-hour care, he lost his ability to speak, communicating with family and visitors by holding their hands and squeezing.

“I get very emotional knowing that these speeches belong to the ages now,” his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., told the AP in October.

A student athlete drawn to the Civil Rights Movement

Jesse Louis Jackson was born on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, the son of high school student Helen Burns and Noah Louis Robinson, a married man who lived next door. Jackson was later adopted by Charles Henry Jackson, who married his mother.

Jackson was a star quarterback on the football team at Sterling High School in Greenville, and accepted a football scholarship from the University of Illinois. But after he reportedly was told Black people couldn’t play quarterback, he transferred to North Carolina A&amp;T in Greensboro, where he became the first-string quarterback, an honor student in sociology and economics, and student body president.

Arriving on the historically Black campus in 1960 just months after students there launched sit-ins at a whites-only diner, Jackson immersed himself in the blossoming Civil Rights Movement.

By 1965, he joined the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-business-alabama-martin-luther-king-jr-race-and-ethnicity-b0d6202cf702d3ae1e487e9c0329083c">voting rights march</a>&nbsp;King led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King dispatched him to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference effort to pressure companies to hire Black workers.

Jackson called his time with King “a phenomenal four years of work.”

Jackson was with King on April 4, 1968, when the civil rights leader was slain at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Jackson’s account of the assassination was that King died in his arms.

With his flair for the dramatic, Jackson wore a turtleneck he said was soaked with King’s blood for two days, including at a King memorial service held by the Chicago City Council, where he said: “I come here with a heavy heart because on my chest is the stain of blood from Dr. King’s head.”

However, several King aides, including speechwriter Alfred Duckett, questioned whether Jackson could have gotten King’s blood on his clothing. There are no images of Jackson in pictures taken shortly after the assassination.

In 1971, Jackson broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to form Operation PUSH, originally named People United to Save Humanity. The organization based on Chicago’s South Side declared a sweeping mission, from diversifying workforces to registering voters in communities of color nationwide. Using lawsuits and threats of boycotts, Jackson pressured top corporations to spend millions and publicly commit to diversifying their workforces.

The constant campaigns often left his wife, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, the college sweetheart he married in 1963, taking the lead in raising their five children: Santita Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson, Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson Jr., and two future members of Congress, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Luther Jackson and Jesse L. Jackson Jr., who resigned in 2012 but is seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms.

The elder Jackson, who was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1968 and earned his Master of Divinity in 2000, also acknowledged fathering a child, Ashley Jackson, with one of his employees at Rainbow/PUSH, Karen L. Stanford. He said he understood what it means to be born out of wedlock and supported her emotionally and financially.

Presidential aspirations fall short but help ‘keep hope alive’

Despite once telling a Black audience he would not run for president “because white people are incapable of appreciating me,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9399c132eb6f43d28021ba0e1da1d88c/Jesse-Jackson's-decades-in-public-eye-shaped-by-many-roles">Jackson ran twice</a>&nbsp;and did better than any Black politician had before President Barack Obama, winning 13 primaries and caucuses for the Democratic nomination in 1988, four years after his first failed attempt.

His successes left supporters chanting another Jackson slogan, “Keep Hope Alive.”

“I was able to run for the presidency twice and redefine what was possible; it raised the lid for women and other people of color,” he told the AP. “Part of my job was to sow seeds of the possibilities.”

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4842199/representative-john-lewis-reflects-impact-jesse-jackson-1988-presidential-candidacy">U.S. Rep. John Lewis said</a>&nbsp;during a 1988 C-SPAN interview that Jackson’s two runs for the Democratic nomination “opened some doors that some minority person will be able to walk through and become president.”

Jackson also pushed for cultural change, joining calls by NAACP members and other movement leaders in the late 1980s to identify Black people in the United States as African Americans.

“To be called African Americans has cultural integrity — it puts us in our proper historical context,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=jesse+jackson+african+americans&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1028US1028&amp;ei=KhfEZLOoI9PJptQP0-iu2AE&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiz5fXTkbKAAxXTpIkEHVO0CxsQ4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=jesse+jackson+african+americans&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiH2plc3NlIGphY2tzb24gYWZyaWNhbiBhbWVyaWNhbnNInxNQlwRY4QtwAXgAkAEAmAFuoAGWDKoBAzcuObgBA8gBAPgBAeIDBBgBIEGIBgE&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:3a6492f0,vid:qrSA6vbqC90">Jackson said at the time</a>. “Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some base, some historical cultural base. African Americans have hit that level of cultural maturity.”

Jackson’s words sometimes got him in trouble.

In 1984, he apologized for what he thought were private comments to a reporter, calling New York City “Hymietown,” a derogatory reference to its large Jewish population. And in 2008, he made headlines when he complained that Obama was “talking down to Black people” in comments captured by a microphone he didn’t know was on during a break in a television taping.

Still, when Jackson joined the jubilant crowd in Chicago’s Grant Park to greet Obama that election night, he had tears streaming down his face.

“I wish for a moment that Dr. King or (slain civil rights leader) Medgar Evers ... could’ve just been there for 30 seconds to see the fruits of their labor,” he told the AP years later. “I became overwhelmed. It was the joy and the journey.”

Exerting influence on events at home and abroad

Jackson also had influence abroad, meeting world leaders and scoring diplomatic victories, including the release of Navy Lt. Robert Goodman from Syria in 1984, as well as the 1990 release of more than 700 foreign women and children held after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. In 1999, he won the freedom of three Americans imprisoned by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.

“Citizens have the right to do something or do nothing,” Jackson said, before heading to Syria. “We choose to do something.”

In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/al-sharpton-racial-injustice-georgia-brunswick-crime-d79f3ef1a8cc16ce74adc38f9e6ec0ec">Jackson joined the parents of Ahmaud Arbery</a>&nbsp;inside the Georgia courtroom where three white men were convicted of killing the young Black jogger. In 2022, he hand-delivered a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, calling for federal charges against former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in the 2014 killing of Black teenager Laquan McDonald.

Jackson, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-rainbow-push-stepping-down-8452b3479834d1ef7acef84419575864">stepped down as president of Rainbow/PUSH</a>&nbsp;in July 2023, disclosed in 2017 that he had sought treatment for Parkinson’s, but he continued to make public appearances even as the disease made it more difficult for listeners to understand him. Earlier this year doctors confirmed a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, a life-threatening neurological disorder. He was admitted to a hospital in November.

During the coronavirus pandemic, he and his wife survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-religion-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-fb8ce99277e00e21189f948b98d15d55">being hospitalized with COVID-19</a>. Jackson was vaccinated early, urging Black people in particular to get protected, given their higher risks for bad outcomes.

“It’s America’s unfinished business — we’re free, but not equal,” Jackson told the AP. “There’s a reality check that has been brought by the coronavirus, that exposes the weakness and the opportunity.”

Former Associated Press writer Karen Hawkins, who left The Associated Press in 2012, contributed to this report. Associated Press writer Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763387324646.png" alt="Rev.. Jesse Jackson image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rev.. Jesse Jackson image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader's assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84.His daughter, Santita Jackson, confirmed that Jackson died at home, surrounded by family.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIP</a> Jesse Jackson ... 1-14-1999 introduces Donald Trump: &quot;A friend who is deceptive ... One can miss his seriousness and his commitment ... He gave us space at 40 Wall Street ... He has this sense of the curious and a will to risk to make things better ...He&#39;s a serious person&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ITng3Gg6eG">pic.twitter.com/ITng3Gg6eG</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/2023710211710890384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Jesse Jackson 1988 Democratic National Convention Speech<a href="https://t.co/5nXDZJXAFw">https://t.co/5nXDZJXAFw</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2023737980540559678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As a young organizer in Chicago, Jackson was called to meet with King&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-voting-rights-memphis-north-america-a5fa959c9c3a418d9f5eb1b1badb8db2">at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis</a>&nbsp;shortly before King was killed and he publicly positioned himself thereafter as King's successor.Jackson led a lifetime of crusades in the United States and abroad, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0cfc7e215c604452be78493c000ec5c8">pressuring executives</a>&nbsp;to make America a more open and equitable society.And when he declared, “I am Somebody,” in a poem he often repeated, he sought to reach people of all colors. “I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young; but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody,” Jackson intoned.It was a message he took literally and personally, having risen from obscurity in the segregated South to become America’s best-known civil rights activist since King.“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement posted online. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8f3f24a221ed47b79ee04b47a789d35a">Despite profound health challenges</a>&nbsp;in his final years including a rare brain disorder that affected his ability to move and speak, Jackson continued protesting against racial injustice into the era of Black Lives Matter. In 2024, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and at a City Council meeting to show support for a resolution backing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-israel-hamas-resolution-ceasefire-7f210b4ed091347d4137810999bdc536">ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war</a>.“Even if we win,” he told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer whose knee kept&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">George Floyd</a>&nbsp;from breathing was convicted of murder, “it’s relief, not victory. They’re still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/VxOpIcb8gy">pic.twitter.com/VxOpIcb8gy</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2023752601380978807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Calls to action, delivered in a memorable voice</h2>Jackson’s voice, infused with the stirring cadences and powerful insistence of the Black church, demanded attention. On the campaign trail and elsewhere, he used rhyming and slogans such as: “Hope not dope” and “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it,″ to deliver his messages.Jackson had his share of critics, both within and outside of the Black community. Some considered him a grandstander, too eager to seek out the spotlight. Looking back on his life and legacy, Jackson told The Associated Press in 2011 that he felt blessed to be able to continue the service of other leaders before him and to lay a foundation for those to come.“A part of our life’s work was to tear down walls and build bridges, and in a half century of work, we’ve basically torn down walls,” Jackson said. “Sometimes when you tear down walls, you’re scarred by falling debris, but your mission is to open up holes so others behind you can run through.”In his final months, as he received 24-hour care, he lost his ability to speak, communicating with family and visitors by holding their hands and squeezing.“I get very emotional knowing that these speeches belong to the ages now,” his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., told the AP in October.<h2>A student athlete drawn to the Civil Rights Movement</h2>Jesse Louis Jackson was born on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, the son of high school student Helen Burns and Noah Louis Robinson, a married man who lived next door. Jackson was later adopted by Charles Henry Jackson, who married his mother.Jackson was a star quarterback on the football team at Sterling High School in Greenville, and accepted a football scholarship from the University of Illinois. But after he reportedly was told Black people couldn’t play quarterback, he transferred to North Carolina A&amp;T in Greensboro, where he became the first-string quarterback, an honor student in sociology and economics, and student body president.Arriving on the historically Black campus in 1960 just months after students there launched sit-ins at a whites-only diner, Jackson immersed himself in the blossoming Civil Rights Movement.By 1965, he joined the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-business-alabama-martin-luther-king-jr-race-and-ethnicity-b0d6202cf702d3ae1e487e9c0329083c">voting rights march</a>&nbsp;King led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King dispatched him to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference effort to pressure companies to hire Black workers.Jackson called his time with King “a phenomenal four years of work.”Jackson was with King on April 4, 1968, when the civil rights leader was slain at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Jackson’s account of the assassination was that King died in his arms.With his flair for the dramatic, Jackson wore a turtleneck he said was soaked with King’s blood for two days, including at a King memorial service held by the Chicago City Council, where he said: “I come here with a heavy heart because on my chest is the stain of blood from Dr. King’s head.”However, several King aides, including speechwriter Alfred Duckett, questioned whether Jackson could have gotten King’s blood on his clothing. There are no images of Jackson in pictures taken shortly after the assassination.In 1971, Jackson broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to form Operation PUSH, originally named People United to Save Humanity. The organization based on Chicago’s South Side declared a sweeping mission, from diversifying workforces to registering voters in communities of color nationwide. Using lawsuits and threats of boycotts, Jackson pressured top corporations to spend millions and publicly commit to diversifying their workforces.The constant campaigns often left his wife, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, the college sweetheart he married in 1963, taking the lead in raising their five children: Santita Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson, Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson Jr., and two future members of Congress, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Luther Jackson and Jesse L. Jackson Jr., who resigned in 2012 but is seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms.The elder Jackson, who was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1968 and earned his Master of Divinity in 2000, also acknowledged fathering a child, Ashley Jackson, with one of his employees at Rainbow/PUSH, Karen L. Stanford. He said he understood what it means to be born out of wedlock and supported her emotionally and financially.<h2>Presidential aspirations fall short but help ‘keep hope alive’</h2>Despite once telling a Black audience he would not run for president “because white people are incapable of appreciating me,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9399c132eb6f43d28021ba0e1da1d88c/Jesse-Jackson's-decades-in-public-eye-shaped-by-many-roles">Jackson ran twice</a>&nbsp;and did better than any Black politician had before President Barack Obama, winning 13 primaries and caucuses for the Democratic nomination in 1988, four years after his first failed attempt.His successes left supporters chanting another Jackson slogan, “Keep Hope Alive.”“I was able to run for the presidency twice and redefine what was possible; it raised the lid for women and other people of color,” he told the AP. “Part of my job was to sow seeds of the possibilities.”<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4842199/representative-john-lewis-reflects-impact-jesse-jackson-1988-presidential-candidacy">U.S. Rep. John Lewis said</a>&nbsp;during a 1988 C-SPAN interview that Jackson’s two runs for the Democratic nomination “opened some doors that some minority person will be able to walk through and become president.”Jackson also pushed for cultural change, joining calls by NAACP members and other movement leaders in the late 1980s to identify Black people in the United States as African Americans.“To be called African Americans has cultural integrity — it puts us in our proper historical context,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=jesse+jackson+african+americans&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1028US1028&amp;ei=KhfEZLOoI9PJptQP0-iu2AE&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiz5fXTkbKAAxXTpIkEHVO0CxsQ4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=jesse+jackson+african+americans&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiH2plc3NlIGphY2tzb24gYWZyaWNhbiBhbWVyaWNhbnNInxNQlwRY4QtwAXgAkAEAmAFuoAGWDKoBAzcuObgBA8gBAPgBAeIDBBgBIEGIBgE&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:3a6492f0,vid:qrSA6vbqC90">Jackson said at the time</a>. “Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some base, some historical cultural base. African Americans have hit that level of cultural maturity.”Jackson’s words sometimes got him in trouble.In 1984, he apologized for what he thought were private comments to a reporter, calling New York City “Hymietown,” a derogatory reference to its large Jewish population. And in 2008, he made headlines when he complained that Obama was “talking down to Black people” in comments captured by a microphone he didn’t know was on during a break in a television taping.Still, when Jackson joined the jubilant crowd in Chicago’s Grant Park to greet Obama that election night, he had tears streaming down his face.“I wish for a moment that Dr. King or (slain civil rights leader) Medgar Evers ... could’ve just been there for 30 seconds to see the fruits of their labor,” he told the AP years later. “I became overwhelmed. It was the joy and the journey.”<h2>Exerting influence on events at home and abroad</h2>Jackson also had influence abroad, meeting world leaders and scoring diplomatic victories, including the release of Navy Lt. Robert Goodman from Syria in 1984, as well as the 1990 release of more than 700 foreign women and children held after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. In 1999, he won the freedom of three Americans imprisoned by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.“Citizens have the right to do something or do nothing,” Jackson said, before heading to Syria. “We choose to do something.”In 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/al-sharpton-racial-injustice-georgia-brunswick-crime-d79f3ef1a8cc16ce74adc38f9e6ec0ec">Jackson joined the parents of Ahmaud Arbery</a>&nbsp;inside the Georgia courtroom where three white men were convicted of killing the young Black jogger. In 2022, he hand-delivered a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, calling for federal charges against former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in the 2014 killing of Black teenager Laquan McDonald.Jackson, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jesse-jackson-rainbow-push-stepping-down-8452b3479834d1ef7acef84419575864">stepped down as president of Rainbow/PUSH</a>&nbsp;in July 2023, disclosed in 2017 that he had sought treatment for Parkinson’s, but he continued to make public appearances even as the disease made it more difficult for listeners to understand him. Earlier this year doctors confirmed a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, a life-threatening neurological disorder. He was admitted to a hospital in November.During the coronavirus pandemic, he and his wife survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-religion-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-fb8ce99277e00e21189f948b98d15d55">being hospitalized with COVID-19</a>. Jackson was vaccinated early, urging Black people in particular to get protected, given their higher risks for bad outcomes.“It’s America’s unfinished business — we’re free, but not equal,” Jackson told the AP. “There’s a reality check that has been brought by the coronavirus, that exposes the weakness and the opportunity.”___Former Associated Press writer Karen Hawkins, who left The Associated Press in 2012, contributed to this report. Associated Press writer Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed.

Longtime civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson dies at 84

SEDGWICK COUNTY—An Oklahoma truck driver accused of intentionally backing over and killing a Georgia man in the parking lot of a Wichita truck stop will face a trial.

On Friday, Travis Briscoe, 46,&nbsp;waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

&nbsp;He is charged with 2nd degree murder for the death of 57-year-old Abdelmuttalib Mohammed.

On August 13, police responded to the Love's Travel Stop in the 1500 block of East 21st Street North for an injury crash, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. They found 57-year-old Abdelmuttalib Mohammed of Georgia, under a truck. Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services pronounced him dead at 5:32 p.m.

Investigators with the Wichita Police Department determined Mohammed had been in a verbal altercation with Briscoe. The two men did not know each other, according to Gupilan. During the altercation, Briscoe began backing into a parking stall with his semitractor-trailer striking&nbsp; Mohammed.

Briscoe remains jailed on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755126893221.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—An Oklahoma truck driver accused of intentionally backing over and killing a Georgia man in the parking lot of a Wichita truck stop will face a trial.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755180791856.png" alt="Briscoe photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Briscoe photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday, Travis Briscoe, 46,&nbsp;waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;He is charged with 2nd degree murder for the death of 57-year-old Abdelmuttalib Mohammed.On August 13, police responded to the Love's Travel Stop in the 1500 block of East 21st Street North for an injury crash, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. They found 57-year-old Abdelmuttalib Mohammed of Georgia, under a truck. Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services pronounced him dead at 5:32 p.m.Investigators with the Wichita Police Department determined Mohammed had been in a verbal altercation with Briscoe. The two men did not know each other, according to Gupilan. During the altercation, Briscoe began backing into a parking stall with his semitractor-trailer striking&nbsp; Mohammed.Briscoe remains jailed on a $150,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Driver who backed over, killed man at Kan. truck stop will face a jury

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating their seventh homicide case over the past week in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the VA hospital in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon officers arrival, they contacted several individuals who had stated the shooting occurred in the 2900 block of Brighton Avenue. The victim was transported by private conveyance to the VA hospital for medical treatment. VA hospital staff advised officers at that time that the victim was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary information provided by a witness stated that she was inside of her residence when she heard several sounds of shots outside of her home. She exited the residence and located an adult male victim, lying in the street suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. An adult male suspect was seen entering an unknown vehicle and left the area in an unknown direction.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene to begin collecting evidence and witness statements.

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771296464032.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating their seventh homicide case over the past week in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the VA hospital in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.Upon officers arrival, they contacted several individuals who had stated the shooting occurred in the 2900 block of Brighton Avenue. The victim was transported by private conveyance to the VA hospital for medical treatment. VA hospital staff advised officers at that time that the victim was pronounced deceased.Preliminary information provided by a witness stated that she was inside of her residence when she heard several sounds of shots outside of her home. She exited the residence and located an adult male victim, lying in the street suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. An adult male suspect was seen entering an unknown vehicle and left the area in an unknown direction.&nbsp;Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene to begin collecting evidence and witness statements.If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

Police: Man dies in shooting near VA hospital in Kansas City

ATLANTA (AP) —A man whose teenage son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">is accused of killing</a>&nbsp;two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school should be held responsible for providing the weapon despite warnings about alleged threats his son made, a prosecutor said Monday.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-apalachee-high-colin-gray-6e7e30bca5cb0bfcd4a8d40c3b3827c0">trial of Colin Gray</a>&nbsp;began Monday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-parents-charged-bbe07bf6f882fd44f893639dc36c0825">one of several</a>&nbsp;cases around the country where prosecutors are trying to hold parents responsible after their children are accused in fatal shootings.

Gray&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-mass-shooting-apalachee-high-school-697501c20b548316ba27b2fff3cc6a97">faces 29 counts</a>, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and numerous counts of second-degree cruelty to children related to the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.

“This is not a case about holding parents accountable for what their children do," Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said in his opening statement. “This case is about this defendant and his actions in allowing a child that he has custody over access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”

Prosecutors argue that amounts to cruelty to children, and second-degree murder is defined in Georgia law as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children.

Investigators have said Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time, carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school northeast of Atlanta that is attended by 1,900 students.

But Brian Hobbs, an attorney for Colin Gray, said the shooting's planning and timing "were hidden by Colt Gray from his father. That’s the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”

With a semiautomatic rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, Colt Gray boarded the school bus, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, they said.

Smith told the jury that Colin Gray’s daughter was in lockdown at her middle school and texted her father that there had been a shooting at the high school. When law enforcement arrived at Gray’s home, he met them in the garage and “without any prompting, he blurts out, ‘I knew it,’” Smith said.

Smith said that in September 2021, Colt Gray used a school computer to search the phrase, “how to kill your dad.” School resource officers were then sent to the home, but it was determined to be a “misunderstanding,” Smith said.

Sixteen months before the shooting, in May 2023, law enforcement acted on a tip from the FBI after a shooting threat was made online concerning an elementary school. The threat was traced to a computer at Gray’s home, Smith said.

Colin Gray was told about the threat and was asked whether his son had access to guns. Gray replied that he and his son “take this school shooting stuff very seriously,” according to Smith. Colt Gray denied that he made the threat and said that his online account had been hacked, Smith said.

That Christmas, Colin Gray&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apalachee-high-school-colin-colt-gray-04346f61a8fc8cba2520343866c56eb6">gave his son the gun as a gift</a>&nbsp;and continued to buy accessories after that, including “a lot of ammunition,” Smith said.

Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz">Nikolas Cruz</a>, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, prosecutors have said. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent had testified that the teen’s parents had discussed their son’s fascination with school shooters but decided that it was in a joking context and not a serious issue.

Three weeks before the shooting, Gray received a chilling text from his son: “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands,” according to Smith.

Colin Gray was also aware his son’s mental health had deteriorated and had sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, an investigator testified.

“We have had a very difficult past couple of years and he needs help. Anger, anxiety, quick to be volatile. I don’t know what to do,” Colin Gray wrote about his son.

But Smith said Colin Gray never followed through on concerns about getting his son admitted to an in-patient facility.

The trial is being held in Winder, in Barrow County, where the shooting happened. The defense asked for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-apalachee-high-b2ddc3ef39b485e1f0af8a2e1530fa2c">change of venue</a>&nbsp;because of pretrial publicity, and prosecutors agreed. The judge kept the trial in Winder but decided to bring in jurors from nearby Hall County to hear the case. Jurors were selected last week.

Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725585758159.png" alt="-Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>-Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) —A man whose teenage son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">is accused of killing</a>&nbsp;two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school should be held responsible for providing the weapon despite warnings about alleged threats his son made, a prosecutor said Monday.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-apalachee-high-colin-gray-6e7e30bca5cb0bfcd4a8d40c3b3827c0">trial of Colin Gray</a>&nbsp;began Monday in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-parents-charged-bbe07bf6f882fd44f893639dc36c0825">one of several</a>&nbsp;cases around the country where prosecutors are trying to hold parents responsible after their children are accused in fatal shootings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725622947526.png" alt="Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Gray&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-mass-shooting-apalachee-high-school-697501c20b548316ba27b2fff3cc6a97">faces 29 counts</a>, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and numerous counts of second-degree cruelty to children related to the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.“This is not a case about holding parents accountable for what their children do," Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said in his opening statement. “This case is about this defendant and his actions in allowing a child that he has custody over access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”Prosecutors argue that amounts to cruelty to children, and second-degree murder is defined in Georgia law as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children.Investigators have said Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time, carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school northeast of Atlanta that is attended by 1,900 students.But Brian Hobbs, an attorney for Colin Gray, said the shooting's planning and timing "were hidden by Colt Gray from his father. That’s the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”With a semiautomatic rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, Colt Gray boarded the school bus, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, they said.Smith told the jury that Colin Gray’s daughter was in lockdown at her middle school and texted her father that there had been a shooting at the high school. When law enforcement arrived at Gray’s home, he met them in the garage and “without any prompting, he blurts out, ‘I knew it,’” Smith said.Smith said that in September 2021, Colt Gray used a school computer to search the phrase, “how to kill your dad.” School resource officers were then sent to the home, but it was determined to be a “misunderstanding,” Smith said.Sixteen months before the shooting, in May 2023, law enforcement acted on a tip from the FBI after a shooting threat was made online concerning an elementary school. The threat was traced to a computer at Gray’s home, Smith said.Colin Gray was told about the threat and was asked whether his son had access to guns. Gray replied that he and his son “take this school shooting stuff very seriously,” according to Smith. Colt Gray denied that he made the threat and said that his online account had been hacked, Smith said.That Christmas, Colin Gray&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apalachee-high-school-colin-colt-gray-04346f61a8fc8cba2520343866c56eb6">gave his son the gun as a gift</a>&nbsp;and continued to buy accessories after that, including “a lot of ammunition,” Smith said.Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz">Nikolas Cruz</a>, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, prosecutors have said. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent had testified that the teen’s parents had discussed their son’s fascination with school shooters but decided that it was in a joking context and not a serious issue.Three weeks before the shooting, Gray received a chilling text from his son: “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands,” according to Smith.Colin Gray was also aware his son’s mental health had deteriorated and had sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, an investigator testified.“We have had a very difficult past couple of years and he needs help. Anger, anxiety, quick to be volatile. I don’t know what to do,” Colin Gray wrote about his son.But Smith said Colin Gray never followed through on concerns about getting his son admitted to an in-patient facility.The trial is being held in Winder, in Barrow County, where the shooting happened. The defense asked for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-shooting-apalachee-high-b2ddc3ef39b485e1f0af8a2e1530fa2c">change of venue</a>&nbsp;because of pretrial publicity, and prosecutors agreed. The judge kept the trial in Winder but decided to bring in jurors from nearby Hall County to hear the case. Jurors were selected last week.___Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

Jury hears case against father of boy charged in deadly school shooting

KANSAS CITY —Police have identified the driver who died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City, Missouri.

A white Nissan Murano driven by 34-year-old Sterling A. Roaf was southbound on Virginia in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The Nissan failed to stop for the posted stop sign at Rockhurst and Virginia. 

The Nissan continued southbound and struck a gold Jeep wrangler that was unoccupied and parked on Rockhurst. After striking the Jeep, the Nissan continued over the curb and up the grassy hill where it began to roll. The vehicle struck the Rockhurst College’s “Corcoran Building” before coming to rest. 

Roaf, sole occupant of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff. This is fatality #7 compared to #5 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Becchina.

KANSAS CITY —Police have identified the driver who died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City, Missouri.A white Nissan Murano driven by 34-year-old Sterling A. Roaf was southbound on Virginia in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The Nissan failed to stop for the posted stop sign at Rockhurst and Virginia. The Nissan continued southbound and struck a gold Jeep wrangler that was unoccupied and parked on Rockhurst. After striking the Jeep, the Nissan continued over the curb and up the grassy hill where it began to roll. The vehicle struck the Rockhurst College’s “Corcoran Building” before coming to rest. Roaf, sole occupant of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff. This is fatality #7 compared to #5 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Becchina.

Police ID driver who died after crash on college campus in KC

CLOUD COUNTY—Law enforcement conducted an extensive investigation into the allegations of crimes against children, according to a social media report from Concordia Police.

Just before 11a.m. February 13, the Concordia Police Department executed a search warrant at 616 Valley St. in Concordia regarding the investigation. While conducting the search warrant, Officers located drug paraphernalia and methamphetamines.

The suspect, David Brown (alias: Axel Brown), age 21, was arrested for drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamines, along with his Cloud County Warrant on requested charges that include Rape, Two counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Criminal Sodomy, Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Aggravated Assault Criminal Threat, Criminal Restraint, Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct or Deprivation, Furnishing Alcoholic Liquor or Cereal Malt Beverage to a minor, Taxation- Cigarettes, Electronic Cigarettes, and Tobacco Unlawful Acts

The Concordia Police Department encourages parents and guardians to speak with their children to see if they have had any contact with David “Axel” Brown. If any children have had contact with David “Axel” Brown, please email Detective Emma Thyfault- ethyfault@concordiaks.org and Lt. Adam Sorell- asorell@concordiaks.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771198793635.png" alt="Brown photo Cloud County" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Cloud County</figcaption>
 </figure>CLOUD COUNTY—Law enforcement conducted an extensive investigation into the allegations of crimes against children, according to a social media report from Concordia Police.Just before 11a.m. February 13, the Concordia Police Department executed a search warrant at 616 Valley St. in Concordia regarding the investigation. While conducting the search warrant, Officers located drug paraphernalia and methamphetamines.The suspect, David Brown (alias: Axel Brown), age 21, was arrested for drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamines, along with his Cloud County Warrant on requested charges that include Rape, Two counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Criminal Sodomy, Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Aggravated Assault Criminal Threat, Criminal Restraint, Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct or Deprivation, Furnishing Alcoholic Liquor or Cereal Malt Beverage to a minor, Taxation- Cigarettes, Electronic Cigarettes, and Tobacco Unlawful ActsThe Concordia Police Department encourages parents and guardians to speak with their children to see if they have had any contact with David “Axel” Brown. If any children have had contact with David “Axel” Brown, please email Detective Emma Thyfault- ethyfault@concordiaks.org and Lt. Adam Sorell- asorell@concordiaks.org.

Police looking for other victims in Kansas child sex crime investigation

RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man has been arrested in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose investigated by the Hutchinson Police Department.

Police took 31-year-old Cody R. Martin of Wichita into custody Feb. 11 on requested charges of distribution of fentanyl causing death and arranging the sale of a controlled substance using a communication facility, according to Hutchinson Police.

The case stems from a fatal overdose reported in January 2025. The Hutchinson Police Department assigned the investigation to its Special Operations Unit, which identified Martin as a suspect in the alleged illegal distribution of controlled substances that resulted in the death.

Investigators forwarded their findings to the Reno County District Attorney’s Office for review. After evaluating the case, Reno County District Attorney Thomas R. Stanton filed criminal complaints in Reno County District Court alleging violations of Kansas law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771283832839.png" alt="Martin from an August 2025 drug arrest in Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Martin from an August 2025 drug arrest in Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —A Kansas man has been arrested in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose investigated by the Hutchinson Police Department.Police took 31-year-old Cody R. Martin of Wichita into custody Feb. 11 on requested charges of distribution of fentanyl causing death and arranging the sale of a controlled substance using a communication facility, according to Hutchinson Police.The case stems from a fatal overdose reported in January 2025. The Hutchinson Police Department assigned the investigation to its Special Operations Unit, which identified Martin as a suspect in the alleged illegal distribution of controlled substances that resulted in the death.Investigators forwarded their findings to the Reno County District Attorney’s Office for review. After evaluating the case, Reno County District Attorney Thomas R. Stanton filed criminal complaints in Reno County District Court alleging violations of Kansas law.

Kansas man arrested for alleged fentanyl overdose death

VIENNA (AP) — Austrian public prosecutors filed terrorism-related charges Monday against a 21-year-old defendant who they say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austria-extremism-arrests-security-taylor-swift-7ece0b264f6e4152b8214c9fba8c425b">planned to carry out an attack</a>&nbsp;on one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna in August 2024.

Vienna public prosecutors said in a statement that the unnamed defendant had declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">allegiance to the Islamic State group</a>&nbsp;by sharing propaganda material and videos via various messaging services.

Vienna prosecutors also accuse the defendant of having “obtained instructions on the internet for the construction of a shrapnel bomb based on the explosive triacetone triperoxide” typically used by IS, and of having produced a small amount of the explosive.

Prosecutors also say that the defendant had made "several attempts” to buy weapons illegally outside the country and to bring them to Austria.

Vienna public prosecutors plan to proceed with a criminal case against the unnamed suspect in Wiener Neustadt, a town near the Austrian capital.

The spokesperson for the Vienna public prosecutors office confirmed to The Associated Press that the defendant is in custody. Austrian media identified the suspect as Beran A. and said he was arrested in August 2024.

Austrian authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austria-taylor-swift-concerts-canceled-extremism-arrests-feff9108d0a14d9941c4bc416c0eb05f">canceled three planned Taylor Swift shows</a>&nbsp;in Vienna in August 2024 after they said they foiled an apparent plot to target the performances.

The U.S. provided intelligence that fed into the decision to cancel the concerts.

“The United States has an enduring focus on our counterterrorism mission. We work closely with partners all over the world to monitor and disrupt threats. And so as part of that work, the United States did share information with Austrian partners to enable the disruption of a threat to Taylor Swift’s concerts there in Vienna,” then-White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in August 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733776996717.png" alt="File Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour" on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)" />
 <figcaption>File Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour" on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</figcaption>
 </figure>VIENNA (AP) — Austrian public prosecutors filed terrorism-related charges Monday against a 21-year-old defendant who they say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austria-extremism-arrests-security-taylor-swift-7ece0b264f6e4152b8214c9fba8c425b">planned to carry out an attack</a>&nbsp;on one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna in August 2024.Vienna public prosecutors said in a statement that the unnamed defendant had declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">allegiance to the Islamic State group</a>&nbsp;by sharing propaganda material and videos via various messaging services.Vienna prosecutors also accuse the defendant of having “obtained instructions on the internet for the construction of a shrapnel bomb based on the explosive triacetone triperoxide” typically used by IS, and of having produced a small amount of the explosive.Prosecutors also say that the defendant had made "several attempts” to buy weapons illegally outside the country and to bring them to Austria.Vienna public prosecutors plan to proceed with a criminal case against the unnamed suspect in Wiener Neustadt, a town near the Austrian capital.The spokesperson for the Vienna public prosecutors office confirmed to The Associated Press that the defendant is in custody. Austrian media identified the suspect as Beran A. and said he was arrested in August 2024.Austrian authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austria-taylor-swift-concerts-canceled-extremism-arrests-feff9108d0a14d9941c4bc416c0eb05f">canceled three planned Taylor Swift shows</a>&nbsp;in Vienna in August 2024 after they said they foiled an apparent plot to target the performances.The U.S. provided intelligence that fed into the decision to cancel the concerts.“The United States has an enduring focus on our counterterrorism mission. We work closely with partners all over the world to monitor and disrupt threats. And so as part of that work, the United States did share information with Austrian partners to enable the disruption of a threat to Taylor Swift’s concerts there in Vienna,” then-White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in August 2024.

21-year-old charged in Taylor Swift concert attack plot 

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Jus before 2a.m. Feb. 10,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a GMC Terrain for a traffic infraction near 102nd Road on U.S. Highway 75 in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted which resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs. The driver, Raymond Earl Hughes, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and no proof of insurance.  The passenger, Julyn Michelle Owens, 60, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770686647494.png" alt="Hughes -photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Hughes -photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Jus before 2a.m. Feb. 10,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a GMC Terrain for a traffic infraction near 102nd Road on U.S. Highway 75 in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770686610762.png" alt="Owens photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Owens photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted which resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs. The driver, Raymond Earl Hughes, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and no proof of insurance. The passenger, Julyn Michelle Owens, 60, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas couple caught transporting meth

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement took a suspect, identified as 30-year-old Andrew McCann, according to booking records, into custody after a standoff in the city of Shawnee.

Just after 9a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to investigate a report of shots fired into an occupied dwelling that occurred Saturday near Quivira Road and W. 71st Street in Shawnee, according to a media release. No injuries were reported.

At approximately 11:40 a.m., Shawnee officers located the suspect near W. 121st Street and Ballentine Street in Overland Park, where he barricaded himself until his arrest.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement took a suspect, identified as 30-year-old Andrew McCann, according to booking records, into custody after a standoff in the city of Shawnee.Just after 9a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to investigate a report of shots fired into an occupied dwelling that occurred Saturday near Quivira Road and W. 71st Street in Shawnee, according to a media release. No injuries were reported.At approximately 11:40 a.m., Shawnee officers located the suspect near W. 121st Street and Ballentine Street in Overland Park, where he barricaded himself until his arrest.

Suspect in custody after shots fired into Kansas home

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-710d3acdef86d1c3935b94f58f763d72">Investigators working</a>&nbsp;on the disappearance of “Today” show host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie’s</a>&nbsp;mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively at the stores, the Pima County, Arizona, sheriff said Monday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-88e8731270d05e6e667730d2ed8633d3">Nancy Guthrie</a>, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-ransom-deadline-arizona-3977f842fd3d1fd66952d1d763944b9d">ransom notes</a>&nbsp;were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-arizona-b765fed6b9669441383b75860263ac99">released surveillance videos</a>&nbsp;of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson the night she vanished. A porch camera&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-nest-camera-footage-kidnapper-bd5f1d886543e23f2d105535031c9445">recorded video</a>&nbsp;of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, a jacket and gloves.

Pima Count Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a text message to The Associated Press on Monday that the 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack was the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.”

“This backpack is exclusive to Walmart and we are working with Walmart management to develop further leads,” Nanos said.

The suspect's clothing “may have been purchased from Walmart but is not exclusively available at Walmart,” the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a statement Monday. “This remains a possibility only.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-missing-1199fb9cb9acfacdca9fa02d61bc0554">Investigators on Sunday</a>&nbsp;announced that a glove discovered near the Guthrie home has been sent for DNA testing. The FBI said that it received preliminary results Saturday and was awaiting official confirmation. The development comes as law enforcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-kidnapping-investigation-64736b14fa5dbd8961325ea6147e78e7">gathers more potential evidence</a>&nbsp;and as the search for Guthrie’s mother heads into its third week. Authorities previously said they had not identified a suspect.

The FBI said the suspect in the surveillance footage is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build.

Nanos said on Monday that members of Guthrie's family, including siblings and spouses, are not suspects.

“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement.

Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770749564250.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-710d3acdef86d1c3935b94f58f763d72">Investigators working</a>&nbsp;on the disappearance of “Today” show host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie’s</a>&nbsp;mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively at the stores, the Pima County, Arizona, sheriff said Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Today, the FBI is increasing its reward up to $100,000 for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. New identifying details about the suspect in the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie have been… <a href="https://t.co/GJcx4ra6wX">pic.twitter.com/GJcx4ra6wX</a>&mdash; FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2022084453699350981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-88e8731270d05e6e667730d2ed8633d3">Nancy Guthrie</a>, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-ransom-deadline-arizona-3977f842fd3d1fd66952d1d763944b9d">ransom notes</a>&nbsp;were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A statement from Sheriff Chris Nanos on the Nancy Guthrie Investigation: <a href="https://t.co/YfhQSPkrFJ">pic.twitter.com/YfhQSPkrFJ</a>&mdash; Pima County Sheriff&#39;s Department (@PimaSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PimaSheriff/status/2023500234454954354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Federal Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-arizona-b765fed6b9669441383b75860263ac99">released surveillance videos</a>&nbsp;of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson the night she vanished. A porch camera&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-nest-camera-footage-kidnapper-bd5f1d886543e23f2d105535031c9445">recorded video</a>&nbsp;of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, a jacket and gloves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770737956751.png" alt="Billboard in Texas -photo courtesy KVUE" />
 <figcaption>Billboard in Texas -photo courtesy KVUE</figcaption>
 </figure>Pima Count Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a text message to The Associated Press on Monday that the 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack was the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.”“This backpack is exclusive to Walmart and we are working with Walmart management to develop further leads,” Nanos said.The suspect's clothing “may have been purchased from Walmart but is not exclusively available at Walmart,” the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a statement Monday. “This remains a possibility only.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-missing-1199fb9cb9acfacdca9fa02d61bc0554">Investigators on Sunday</a>&nbsp;announced that a glove discovered near the Guthrie home has been sent for DNA testing. The FBI said that it received preliminary results Saturday and was awaiting official confirmation. The development comes as law enforcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-guthrie-kidnapping-investigation-64736b14fa5dbd8961325ea6147e78e7">gathers more potential evidence</a>&nbsp;and as the search for Guthrie’s mother heads into its third week. Authorities previously said they had not identified a suspect.The FBI said the suspect in the surveillance footage is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build.Nanos said on Monday that members of Guthrie's family, including siblings and spouses, are not suspects.“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement.Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

Why Nancy Guthrie investigators are working with Walmart 

NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Former U.S. President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;said he did not see evidence that aliens “have made contact with us,” after sending social media abuzz by saying aliens were real on a podcast over the weekend.

During a lightning round of questions with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked, “Are aliens real?”

“They’re real,” he answered, continuing: “But I haven’t seen them. And, they’re not being kept in Area 51.”

On Sunday, the former president released a statement on Instagram, appearing to clarify what he meant by his comments that have since gone viral.

“I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify. Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

Secrecy around Area 51, a top-secret Cold War test site in the Nevada desert, has long fueled conspiracy theories among UFO enthusiasts.

In 2013, the CIA acknowledged the existence of the site, but not UFO crashes, black-eyed extraterrestrials or staged moon landings.

Declassified documents referred to the 8,000-square-mile (20,700-square-kilometer) installation by name after decades of U.S. government officials refusing to acknowledge it.

The base has been a testing ground for a host of top-secret aircraft, including the U-2 in the 1950s and later the B-2 stealth bomber.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622822273014.png" alt="UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command" />
 <figcaption>UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Former U.S. President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;said he did not see evidence that aliens “have made contact with us,” after sending social media abuzz by saying aliens were real on a podcast over the weekend.During a lightning round of questions with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked, “Are aliens real?”“They’re real,” he answered, continuing: “But I haven’t seen them. And, they’re not being kept in Area 51.”On Sunday, the former president released a statement on Instagram, appearing to clarify what he meant by his comments that have since gone viral.“I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify. Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”Secrecy around Area 51, a top-secret Cold War test site in the Nevada desert, has long fueled conspiracy theories among UFO enthusiasts.In 2013, the CIA acknowledged the existence of the site, but not UFO crashes, black-eyed extraterrestrials or staged moon landings.Declassified documents referred to the 8,000-square-mile (20,700-square-kilometer) installation by name after decades of U.S. government officials refusing to acknowledge it.The base has been a testing ground for a host of top-secret aircraft, including the U-2 in the 1950s and later the B-2 stealth bomber.___

Obama clarifies alien comments after telling podcast ‘they’re real’

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in “Tender Mercies,” has died at age 95.

Duvall died “peacefully” at his home Sunday in Middleburg, Virginia, according to an announcement from his publicist and from a statement posted on his Facebook page by his wife, Luciana Duvall.

“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” Luciana Duvall wrote. “His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.”

The bald, wiry Duvall didn’t have leading man looks, but few “character actors” enjoyed such a long, rewarding and unpredictable career, in leading and supporting roles, from an itinerant preacher to Josef Stalin. Beginning with his 1962 film debut as Boo Radley, the reclusive neighbor in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Duvall created a gallery of unforgettable portrayals. They earned him seven Academy Award nominations and the best actor prize for “Tender Mercies,” which came out in 1983. He also won four Golden Globes, including one for playing the philosophical cattle-drive boss in the 1989 miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” a role he often cited as his favorite.

He had been acting for some 20 years when “The Godfather,” released in 1972, established him as one of the most in-demand performers of Hollywood. He had made a previous film, “The Rain People,” with Francis Coppola, and the director chose him to play Tom Hagen in the mafia epic that featured Al Pacino and Marlon Brando among others. Duvall was a master of subtlety as an Irishman among Italians, rarely at the center of a scene, but often listening and advising in the background, an irreplaceable thread through the saga of the Corleone crime family.

“Stars and Italians alike depend on his efficiency, his tidying up around their grand gestures, his being the perfect shortstop on a team of personality sluggers,” wrote the critic David Thomson. “Was there ever a role better designed for its actor than that of Tom Hagen in both parts of ‘The Godfather?’”

In another Coppola film, “Apocalypse Now,” Duvall was wildly out front, the embodiment of deranged masculinity as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, who with equal vigor enjoyed surfing and bombing raids on the Viet Cong. Duvall required few takes for one of the most famous passages in movie history, barked out on the battlefield by a bare-chested, cavalry-hatted Kilgore: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn’t find one of ‘em, not one stinkin’ dink body.

“The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like — victory.”

Coppola once commented about Duvall: “Actors click into character at different times — the first week, third week. Bobby’s hot after one or two takes.”

He was Oscar-nominated as supporting actor for “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” but a dispute over money led him to turn down the third Godfather epic, a loss deeply felt by critics, fans and “Godfather” colleagues. Duvall would complain publicly about being offered less than his co-stars.

Fellow actors marveled at Duvall’s studious research and planning, and his coiled energy. Michael Caine, who co-starred with him in the 2003 “Secondhand Lions,” once told The Associated Press: “Before a big scene, Bobby just sits there, absolutely quiet; you know when not to talk to him.” Anyone who disturbed him would suffer the well-known Duvall temper, famously on display during the filming of the John Wayne Western “True Grit,” when Duvall seethed at director Henry Hathaway’s advice to “tense up” before a scene.

Duvall was awarded an Oscar in 1984 for his leading role as the troubled singer and songwriter Mac Sledge in “Tender Mercies,” a prize he accepted while clad in a cowboy tuxedo with Western tie. In 1998, he was nominated for best actor in “The Apostle,” a drama about a wayward Southern evangelist which he wrote, directed, starred in, produced and largely financed. With customary thoroughness, he visited dozens of country churches and spent 12 years writing the script and trying to get it made.

Among other notable roles: the outlaw gang leader who gets ambushed by John Wayne in “True Grit"; Jesse James in “The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid"; the pious and beleaguered Frank Burns in “M-A-S-H"; the TV hatchet man in “Network"; Dr. Watson in “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution"; and the sadistic father in “The Great Santini.”

“When I was doing ‘Colors’ in 1988 with Sean Penn, someone asked me how I do it all these years, keep it fresh. Well, if you don’t overwork, have some hobbies, you can do it and stay hungry even if you’re not really hungry,” Duvall told The Associated Press in 1990.

In his mid-80s, he received a supporting Oscar nomination as the title character of the 2014 release “The Judge,” in which he is accused of causing a death in a hit-and-run accident. More recent films included “Widows” and “12 Mighty Orphans.”

Robert Selden Duvall grew up in the Navy towns of Annapolis and the San Diego area, where he was born in 1931. He spent time in other cities as his father, who rose to be an admiral, was assigned to various duties.

The boy’s experience helped in his adult profession as he learned the nuances of regional speech and observed the psyche of military men, which he would portray in several films.

Duvall reportedly used his Navy officer father as the basis for his portrayal of the explosive militarist in “The Great Santini,” based on the Pat Conroy novel. He commented in 2003: “My dad was a gentleman but a seether, a stern, blustery guy, and away a lot of the time.” Bobby took after his mother, an amateur actress, in playing a guitar and performing. He was a wrestler like his father and enjoyed besting kids older than himself.

He lacked the concentration for schoolwork and nearly flunked out of Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. His despairing parents decided he needed something to keep him in college so he wouldn’t be drafted for the Korean War. “They recommended acting as an expedient thing to get through,” he recalled. “I’m glad they did.” He flourished in drama classes.

“Way back when I was in college,” Duvall told the AP in 1990, “there was a wonderful man named Frank Parker, who had been a dancer in World War I. We did a full-length mime play and I played a Harlequin clown. I really liked that.

“Then, I played an older guy in ‘All My Sons,’ and at one point I had this emotional moment, where this emotion was pouring out. Parker said at that moment he didn’t think acting can be carried any further than that. And this guy was a very critical guy. So I thought, at that moment at least, this is what I wanted to do.”

After two years in the Army, he used the G.I. Bill to finance his studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, hanging out with such other young hopefuls as Robert Morse, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. After a one-night performance in “A View From the Bridge,” Duvall began getting offers for work in TV series, among them “The Naked City” and “The Defenders.”

Between his high-paying jobs in major productions, Duvall devoted himself to directing personal projects: a documentary about a prairie family, “We’re Not the Jet Set”; a film about gypsies, “Angelo, My Love”; and “Assassination Tango,” in which he also starred.

Duvall had been a tango dancer since seeing the musical “Tango Argentina” in the 1980s and visited in Argentina dozens of times to study the dance and the culture. The result was the 2003 release about a hit man with a passion for tango.

His co-star was Luciana Pedraza, 42 years his junior, whom he married in 2005. Duvall’s three previous marriages — to Barbara Benjamin, Gail Youngs and Sharon Brophy — ended in divorce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771268313413.png" alt="FILE - Actor Robert Duvall holds the Golden Globe award he won for best actor in a dramatic motion picture for his role in "Tender Mercies" in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 29,198 4. (AP Photo/Lennox Mclendon, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Actor Robert Duvall holds the Golden Globe award he won for best actor in a dramatic motion picture for his role in "Tender Mercies" in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 29,198 4. (AP Photo/Lennox Mclendon, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in “Tender Mercies,” has died at age 95.Duvall died “peacefully” at his home Sunday in Middleburg, Virginia, according to an announcement from his publicist and from a statement posted on his Facebook page by his wife, Luciana Duvall.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Robert Duvall had one C-SPAN appearance, at a dinner where Secretary Colin Powell received the George C. Marshall Award in 2003. RIP. <a href="https://t.co/e92kz8t4ck">pic.twitter.com/e92kz8t4ck</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2023483217391526332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” Luciana Duvall wrote. “His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.”The bald, wiry Duvall didn’t have leading man looks, but few “character actors” enjoyed such a long, rewarding and unpredictable career, in leading and supporting roles, from an itinerant preacher to Josef Stalin. Beginning with his 1962 film debut as Boo Radley, the reclusive neighbor in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Duvall created a gallery of unforgettable portrayals. They earned him seven Academy Award nominations and the best actor prize for “Tender Mercies,” which came out in 1983. He also won four Golden Globes, including one for playing the philosophical cattle-drive boss in the 1989 miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” a role he often cited as his favorite.He had been acting for some 20 years when “The Godfather,” released in 1972, established him as one of the most in-demand performers of Hollywood. He had made a previous film, “The Rain People,” with Francis Coppola, and the director chose him to play Tom Hagen in the mafia epic that featured Al Pacino and Marlon Brando among others. Duvall was a master of subtlety as an Irishman among Italians, rarely at the center of a scene, but often listening and advising in the background, an irreplaceable thread through the saga of the Corleone crime family.“Stars and Italians alike depend on his efficiency, his tidying up around their grand gestures, his being the perfect shortstop on a team of personality sluggers,” wrote the critic David Thomson. “Was there ever a role better designed for its actor than that of Tom Hagen in both parts of ‘The Godfather?’”In another Coppola film, “Apocalypse Now,” Duvall was wildly out front, the embodiment of deranged masculinity as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, who with equal vigor enjoyed surfing and bombing raids on the Viet Cong. Duvall required few takes for one of the most famous passages in movie history, barked out on the battlefield by a bare-chested, cavalry-hatted Kilgore: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn’t find one of ‘em, not one stinkin’ dink body.“The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like — victory.”Coppola once commented about Duvall: “Actors click into character at different times — the first week, third week. Bobby’s hot after one or two takes.”<h2>Honored, but still hungry</h2>He was Oscar-nominated as supporting actor for “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” but a dispute over money led him to turn down the third Godfather epic, a loss deeply felt by critics, fans and “Godfather” colleagues. Duvall would complain publicly about being offered less than his co-stars.Fellow actors marveled at Duvall’s studious research and planning, and his coiled energy. Michael Caine, who co-starred with him in the 2003 “Secondhand Lions,” once told The Associated Press: “Before a big scene, Bobby just sits there, absolutely quiet; you know when not to talk to him.” Anyone who disturbed him would suffer the well-known Duvall temper, famously on display during the filming of the John Wayne Western “True Grit,” when Duvall seethed at director Henry Hathaway’s advice to “tense up” before a scene.Duvall was awarded an Oscar in 1984 for his leading role as the troubled singer and songwriter Mac Sledge in “Tender Mercies,” a prize he accepted while clad in a cowboy tuxedo with Western tie. In 1998, he was nominated for best actor in “The Apostle,” a drama about a wayward Southern evangelist which he wrote, directed, starred in, produced and largely financed. With customary thoroughness, he visited dozens of country churches and spent 12 years writing the script and trying to get it made.Among other notable roles: the outlaw gang leader who gets ambushed by John Wayne in “True Grit"; Jesse James in “The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid"; the pious and beleaguered Frank Burns in “M-A-S-H"; the TV hatchet man in “Network"; Dr. Watson in “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution"; and the sadistic father in “The Great Santini.”“When I was doing ‘Colors’ in 1988 with Sean Penn, someone asked me how I do it all these years, keep it fresh. Well, if you don’t overwork, have some hobbies, you can do it and stay hungry even if you’re not really hungry,” Duvall told The Associated Press in 1990.In his mid-80s, he received a supporting Oscar nomination as the title character of the 2014 release “The Judge,” in which he is accused of causing a death in a hit-and-run accident. More recent films included “Widows” and “12 Mighty Orphans.”<h2>Ungifted in school, gifted on stage</h2>Robert Selden Duvall grew up in the Navy towns of Annapolis and the San Diego area, where he was born in 1931. He spent time in other cities as his father, who rose to be an admiral, was assigned to various duties.The boy’s experience helped in his adult profession as he learned the nuances of regional speech and observed the psyche of military men, which he would portray in several films.Duvall reportedly used his Navy officer father as the basis for his portrayal of the explosive militarist in “The Great Santini,” based on the Pat Conroy novel. He commented in 2003: “My dad was a gentleman but a seether, a stern, blustery guy, and away a lot of the time.” Bobby took after his mother, an amateur actress, in playing a guitar and performing. He was a wrestler like his father and enjoyed besting kids older than himself.He lacked the concentration for schoolwork and nearly flunked out of Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. His despairing parents decided he needed something to keep him in college so he wouldn’t be drafted for the Korean War. “They recommended acting as an expedient thing to get through,” he recalled. “I’m glad they did.” He flourished in drama classes.“Way back when I was in college,” Duvall told the AP in 1990, “there was a wonderful man named Frank Parker, who had been a dancer in World War I. We did a full-length mime play and I played a Harlequin clown. I really liked that.“Then, I played an older guy in ‘All My Sons,’ and at one point I had this emotional moment, where this emotion was pouring out. Parker said at that moment he didn’t think acting can be carried any further than that. And this guy was a very critical guy. So I thought, at that moment at least, this is what I wanted to do.”After two years in the Army, he used the G.I. Bill to finance his studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, hanging out with such other young hopefuls as Robert Morse, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. After a one-night performance in “A View From the Bridge,” Duvall began getting offers for work in TV series, among them “The Naked City” and “The Defenders.”Between his high-paying jobs in major productions, Duvall devoted himself to directing personal projects: a documentary about a prairie family, “We’re Not the Jet Set”; a film about gypsies, “Angelo, My Love”; and “Assassination Tango,” in which he also starred.Duvall had been a tango dancer since seeing the musical “Tango Argentina” in the 1980s and visited in Argentina dozens of times to study the dance and the culture. The result was the 2003 release about a hit man with a passion for tango.His co-star was Luciana Pedraza, 42 years his junior, whom he married in 2005. Duvall’s three previous marriages — to Barbara Benjamin, Gail Youngs and Sharon Brophy — ended in divorce.—-Former Associated Press Hollywood correspondent Bob Thomas, who died in 2014, was the primary writer of this obituary