SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen was back in court for an arraignment hearing.

On Friday, 20-year-old Gauge Brasher pleaded not guilty to&nbsp;unintentional but reckless second-degree murder and failure to stop at an accident resulting in the death of 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He will go to trial on June 29th, according to the district attorney's office.

Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the then 19-year-old Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. 

The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755212957933.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen was back in court for an arraignment hearing.On Friday, 20-year-old Gauge Brasher pleaded not guilty to&nbsp;unintentional but reckless second-degree murder and failure to stop at an accident resulting in the death of 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He will go to trial on June 29th, according to the district attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755212684049.png" alt="Brasher from the wanted poster Wichita police." />
 <figcaption>Brasher from the wanted poster Wichita police.</figcaption>
 </figure>Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;Witnesses at the intersection identified the then 19-year-old Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Kan. driver who hid after crash that killed boy will face a jury

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a scam call, where a couple lost over $45,000.

On January 30, a couple received a phone message from a financial technology company "Robinhood", that a PIN change on their cryptocurrency account was requested, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The message further stated if they did not request the change, they would need to contact a telephone number that was provided.

Afterwards, the couple contacted the number and spoke with a man with a British accent. Through the course of the conversation, the couple provided account information thinking they were updating and securing their account.

A few hours later, the couple checked their account and discovered 8 coins valued at $45,866 was taken from their account.

The couple reported this to the Sheriff's Office on Saturday.&nbsp;

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a scam call, where a couple lost over $45,000.On January 30, a couple received a phone message from a financial technology company "Robinhood", that a PIN change on their cryptocurrency account was requested, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.The message further stated if they did not request the change, they would need to contact a telephone number that was provided.Afterwards, the couple contacted the number and spoke with a man with a British accent. Through the course of the conversation, the couple provided account information thinking they were updating and securing their account.A few hours later, the couple checked their account and discovered 8 coins valued at $45,866 was taken from their account.The couple reported this to the Sheriff's Office on Saturday.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Scam call cost Kansas couple $45,000.00

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that it had taken down several thousand documents and “media” that may have inadvertently included victim-identifying information since it began releasing the latest batch of documents related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9">disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;on Friday.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here t</a>o view the latest files

It blamed the release of sensitive information that drew an outcry from victims and their lawyers on mistakes that were “technical or human error.”

In a letter to the New York judges overseeing the sex trafficking cases brought against Epstein and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton wrote that the department had taken down nearly all materials identified by victims or their lawyers, along with a “substantial number” of documents identified independently by the government.

Clayton, who is based in Manhattan, said the department has “iteratively revised its protocols for addressing flagging documents” after victims and their lawyers requested changes to the process for review and redaction of posted records.

He wrote that documents are promptly pulled down from the public website when victims flag a concern that something should be redacted. He said the concern is then evaluated before a redacted version of the document can be reposted, “ideally within 24 to 36 hours.”

Also Monday, a section of the Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/court-records">Epstein files website</a>&nbsp;that had contained public court records from Epstein and Maxwell’s criminal cases and civil lawsuits was no longer functioning.

A message seeking comment on the website issue was left for the Justice Department.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-epstein-files-28e917b173e0c371cff08946a24d2cd3">Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview</a>&nbsp;Sunday on ABC's “This Week” that there have been sporadic errors in redacting, or blacking out, sensitive information but that the Justice Department has tried to work quickly to address them.

“Every time we hear from a victim or their lawyer that they believe that their name was not properly redacted, we immediately rectified that. And the numbers we’re talking about, just so the American people understand, we’re talking about .001 percent of all the materials,” Blanche said.

The effect of errors in the document redactions was highlighted Monday morning at a sex trafficking trial in New York federal court when lawyers for two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luxury-real-estate-brothers-nyc-sex-trafficking-c83be9f3a6bf4f8aefeb472c47642c6e">high-end real estate brokers</a>&nbsp;and their brother asked Judge Valerie E. Caproni for a mistrial because of documents that were made public without necessary redactions.

Deanna Paul, a defense lawyer at the trial of Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander, said the “government through its own conduct has destroyed the possibility of a fair trial in this case” after the names of the brothers were included in several documents released on Friday. The brothers have pleaded not guilty to drugging and raping multiple girls and women from 2008 to 2021.

Paul said the Alexander brothers had now been “branded” with the “most toxic association.”

The judge tentatively rejected the mistrial request but still confronted a prosecutor, asking: “Government, really?”

“Yes, I understand where the court's coming from,” replied Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Espinosa.

She said she wasn't sure how the documents were “caught up in the universe of documents” related to Epstein but confirmed that at least one of the documents that mention the Alexander brothers “should have been properly redacted” and she said the documents had been withdrawn from public circulation.

As she spoke, Espinosa also gave an update on the general release of Epstein-related documents by the Justice Department, saying that the remaining documents to be released were “primarily related to civil litigation” that might require a judge's approval to be made public.

__ The AP is reviewing the documents released by the Justice Department in collaboration with journalists from CBS, NBC, MS NOW and CNBC. Journalists from each newsroom are working together to examine the files and share information about what is in them. Each outlet is responsible for its own independent news coverage of the documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765560316012.png" alt="Photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that it had taken down several thousand documents and “media” that may have inadvertently included victim-identifying information since it began releasing the latest batch of documents related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9">disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;on Friday.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here t</a>o view the latest filesIt blamed the release of sensitive information that drew an outcry from victims and their lawyers on mistakes that were “technical or human error.”In a letter to the New York judges overseeing the sex trafficking cases brought against Epstein and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">confidant Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton wrote that the department had taken down nearly all materials identified by victims or their lawyers, along with a “substantial number” of documents identified independently by the government.Clayton, who is based in Manhattan, said the department has “iteratively revised its protocols for addressing flagging documents” after victims and their lawyers requested changes to the process for review and redaction of posted records.He wrote that documents are promptly pulled down from the public website when victims flag a concern that something should be redacted. He said the concern is then evaluated before a redacted version of the document can be reposted, “ideally within 24 to 36 hours.”Also Monday, a section of the Justice Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/court-records">Epstein files website</a>&nbsp;that had contained public court records from Epstein and Maxwell’s criminal cases and civil lawsuits was no longer functioning.A message seeking comment on the website issue was left for the Justice Department.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-epstein-files-28e917b173e0c371cff08946a24d2cd3">Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview</a>&nbsp;Sunday on ABC's “This Week” that there have been sporadic errors in redacting, or blacking out, sensitive information but that the Justice Department has tried to work quickly to address them.“Every time we hear from a victim or their lawyer that they believe that their name was not properly redacted, we immediately rectified that. And the numbers we’re talking about, just so the American people understand, we’re talking about .001 percent of all the materials,” Blanche said.The effect of errors in the document redactions was highlighted Monday morning at a sex trafficking trial in New York federal court when lawyers for two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luxury-real-estate-brothers-nyc-sex-trafficking-c83be9f3a6bf4f8aefeb472c47642c6e">high-end real estate brokers</a>&nbsp;and their brother asked Judge Valerie E. Caproni for a mistrial because of documents that were made public without necessary redactions.Deanna Paul, a defense lawyer at the trial of Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander, said the “government through its own conduct has destroyed the possibility of a fair trial in this case” after the names of the brothers were included in several documents released on Friday. The brothers have pleaded not guilty to drugging and raping multiple girls and women from 2008 to 2021.Paul said the Alexander brothers had now been “branded” with the “most toxic association.”The judge tentatively rejected the mistrial request but still confronted a prosecutor, asking: “Government, really?”“Yes, I understand where the court's coming from,” replied Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Espinosa.She said she wasn't sure how the documents were “caught up in the universe of documents” related to Epstein but confirmed that at least one of the documents that mention the Alexander brothers “should have been properly redacted” and she said the documents had been withdrawn from public circulation.As she spoke, Espinosa also gave an update on the general release of Epstein-related documents by the Justice Department, saying that the remaining documents to be released were “primarily related to civil litigation” that might require a judge's approval to be made public.__ The AP is reviewing the documents released by the Justice Department in collaboration with journalists from CBS, NBC, MS NOW and CNBC. Journalists from each newsroom are working together to examine the files and share information about what is in them. Each outlet is responsible for its own independent news coverage of the documents.

Justice Dept. makes major changes to latest release of Epstein files 

KANSAS CITY —One person died in shooting at a restaurant in Kansas City and police have identified the victim as 27-year-old&nbsp;Decorrian Partee, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just&nbsp;after 8p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at a restaurant at 31st and Prospect in Kansas City, Missouri.

First responders located two shooting victims inside the restaurant, one of the victims was alert and responsive, the second victim, later identified as Partee, was unresponsive.&nbsp;

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene.&nbsp;EMS transported one vicim to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, he was&nbsp; listed in stable condition, according to Becchina.

EMS took over treatment of Partee ultimately declared him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives were at the scene and took over the investigation.&nbsp;

Preliminary information indicates that one or more people were inside the restaurant when an interaction between multiple people escalated to gunfire. That gunfire struck both victims. The suspect or suspects then left the restaurant in an unknown direction.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the restaurant or nearby 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/2026/2/1769955887917.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte"" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte"</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —One person died in shooting at a restaurant in Kansas City and police have identified the victim as 27-year-old&nbsp;Decorrian Partee, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just&nbsp;after 8p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at a restaurant at 31st and Prospect in Kansas City, Missouri.First responders located two shooting victims inside the restaurant, one of the victims was alert and responsive, the second victim, later identified as Partee, was unresponsive.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769955867317.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene.&nbsp;EMS transported one vicim to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, he was&nbsp; listed in stable condition, according to Becchina.EMS took over treatment of Partee ultimately declared him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives were at the scene and took over the investigation.&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates that one or more people were inside the restaurant when an interaction between multiple people escalated to gunfire. That gunfire struck both victims. The suspect or suspects then left the restaurant in an unknown direction.&nbsp;If anyone was in the restaurant or nearby 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 ID victim in deadly KC restaurant killing 

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 — The president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents during a decade of financial and academic turbulence for public universities plans to retire from the higher education leadership job in July.

Blake Flanders has been the Board of Regents’ top administrator since 2015. The Board of Regents has primary responsibility for six public universities and oversight duties with the state’s community colleges, technical colleges and Washburn University in Topeka.

“Kansas colleges and universities create life-changing opportunities for families and are engines of economic growth in our state,” Flanders said. “I know that our system is well positioned to help Kansas build a bright and prosperous future.”

Flanders was part of shaping the Board of Regents’ strategic plan to support students, improve college affordability, address deferred maintenance, promote research and focus on economic development.

During the past five years in Kansas, university on-time graduation rates climbed nearly 10 percentage points, state-funded student financial aid nearly quadrupled and the backlog of deferred building maintenance at universities was cut by $123 million.

“Throughout his tenure, Dr.&nbsp;Flanders&nbsp;has addressed our most pressing challenges with bold, data-driven solutions that are grounded in outcomes and accountability,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the state Board of Regents. “Our higher education system and our entire state have benefitted from his innovative leadership and commitment to serving Kansas.”

In the years Flanders presided as Board of Regents’ president, public higher education in Kansas grappled with national trends that included rising operational costs, the challenge of sustaining student enrollment and substantial loss of federal research funding.

In the 2026 Legislature, the Kansas higher education system remained under political pressure to tie academic programs to business workforce expectations and to comply with bans on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The university system in Kansas has been targeted by the Legislature for budget cuts and scrutiny of faculty tenure. In 2022, Emporia State University fired 30 tenured or tenure-track faculty under a policy approved by the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents took no action in 2024 when evidence emerged that Wichita State University President Richard Muma copied others’ work without proper attribution for portions of his doctoral dissertation.

In 2015, the Board of Regents promoted Flanders to president from his position as vice president of workforce development. Previously, he was a liaison between the Board of Regents and the Kansas Department of Commerce.

He earned a doctorate in education at Kansas State University in 2004. He was vice president of instructional services at Manhattan Area Technical College from 1998 to 2004 and on the faculty of Butler Community College from 1988 to 1998.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770058922550.png" alt=" Blake Flanders, CEO and president of the Kansas Board of Regents, is expected to retire from the higher education leadership job in June. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Blake Flanders, CEO and president of the Kansas Board of Regents, is expected to retire from the higher education leadership job in June. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>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 — The president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents during a decade of financial and academic turbulence for public universities plans to retire from the higher education leadership job in July.Blake Flanders has been the Board of Regents’ top administrator since 2015. The Board of Regents has primary responsibility for six public universities and oversight duties with the state’s community colleges, technical colleges and Washburn University in Topeka.“Kansas colleges and universities create life-changing opportunities for families and are engines of economic growth in our state,” Flanders said. “I know that our system is well positioned to help Kansas build a bright and prosperous future.”Flanders was part of shaping the Board of Regents’ strategic plan to support students, improve college affordability, address deferred maintenance, promote research and focus on economic development.During the past five years in Kansas, university on-time graduation rates climbed nearly 10 percentage points, state-funded student financial aid nearly quadrupled and the backlog of deferred building maintenance at universities was cut by $123 million.“Throughout his tenure, Dr.&nbsp;Flanders&nbsp;has addressed our most pressing challenges with bold, data-driven solutions that are grounded in outcomes and accountability,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the state Board of Regents. “Our higher education system and our entire state have benefitted from his innovative leadership and commitment to serving Kansas.”In the years Flanders presided as Board of Regents’ president, public higher education in Kansas grappled with national trends that included rising operational costs, the challenge of sustaining student enrollment and substantial loss of federal research funding.In the 2026 Legislature, the Kansas higher education system remained under political pressure to tie academic programs to business workforce expectations and to comply with bans on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.The university system in Kansas has been targeted by the Legislature for budget cuts and scrutiny of faculty tenure. In 2022, Emporia State University fired 30 tenured or tenure-track faculty under a policy approved by the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents took no action in 2024 when evidence emerged that Wichita State University President Richard Muma copied others’ work without proper attribution for portions of his doctoral dissertation.In 2015, the Board of Regents promoted Flanders to president from his position as vice president of workforce development. Previously, he was a liaison between the Board of Regents and the Kansas Department of Commerce.He earned a doctorate in education at Kansas State University in 2004. He was vice president of instructional services at Manhattan Area Technical College from 1998 to 2004 and on the faculty of Butler Community College from 1988 to 1998.

Kansas Board of Regents CEO stepping down after decade leading higher education system

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose on Monday following sharp swings that shook financial markets overnight, including tumbles for Asian stocks.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gold-personal-finance-wall-street-3f41d4a3e41dd721875687d2f4aeaeb7">Gold</a>&nbsp;and silver prices sank further following their latest wild moves.

On Wall Street, the S&amp;P 500 added 0.5% and snapped a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-gold-rates-oil-7f0eadba91bc2e550945eb49bc1085f3">three-day losing streak</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 515 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.

Stocks of companies that make computer storage helped lead the market, adding to gains from last week following several profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations. Airlines and cruise-ship operators were also strong, benefiting from a sharp easing of oil prices.

The center of action in financial markets was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-dollar-gold-fed-2a3715ff96ba5c10b97c49e04ad9f8ec">again precious metals</a>, where momentum has suddenly halted after gold’s price roughly doubled in just 12 months.

Gold briefly dropped below $4,500 per ounce in the overnight hours, down more than $1,000 from its high point reached just last week. It then climbed back above $4,800 before settling at $4,652.60, down 1.9% from Friday.

Silver’s price has been on an even wilder ride recently, and it swung from a 9% loss overnight to a modest gain and back to a loss of 1.9%.

Gold and silver prices had surged as investors looked for safer things to own amid a wide range of worries, including a Federal Reserve that may be set to become less independent, a U.S. stock market that critics say is expensive, threats of tariffs and heavy debt loads for governments worldwide.

Their prices cratered on Friday, including a 31.4% plunge for silver. Some on Wall Street saw it as a result of President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-chair-48dcd3a768960eabb4e52183fa897aa1">nomination of Kevin Warsh</a>&nbsp;as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">next chair of the Fed</a>. Warsh’s reputation as a former Fed governor may have raised expectations that he may keep interest rates high to fight inflation, which would reduce the need to hide out in gold and silver for protection.

But many on Wall Street are also skeptical of that initial reading and say the expectation from Trump is likely that Warsh will cut interest rates, something the president has been demanding. That could give the economy a boost but also worsen inflation over the long term.

The Fed’s chair has a big influence on the economy and markets worldwide by helping to dictate where the U.S. central bank moves interest rates. That affects prices for all kinds of investments, as the Fed tries to keep the U.S. job market humming without letting inflation get out of control.

The recent swoons for gold and silver may also simply mark the return of gravity for two investments whose price shot very high, very fast. They’re likely more about the washout for some traders who had borrowed money to bet on metals’ prices continuing to soar, rather than about a wholesale change in expectations for demand for metals, according to Darrell Cronk, chief investment officer for Wealth &amp; Investment Management at Wells Fargo.

On Wall Street, Sandisk leaped 15.4% to lead the S&amp;P 500. The data-storage company added to its 6.9% gain from Friday, after it reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It credited demand created by the artificial-intelligence boom, among other things.

That helped offset a 2.9% drop for Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI technology. The losses were worse in Asia, where AI winners plunged. South Korea’s Kospi fell 5.3% from its record for its worst day in almost 10 months after chip company SK Hynix lost nearly 9%.

The Walt Disney Co. fell 7.4% even though the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-iger-zootopia-avatar-d82fe1044c2ec380acf8711895338acd">entertainment giant reported a stronger profit</a>&nbsp;for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It warned of challenges that are keeping international visitors away from its U.S. theme parks, among other things.

Oil prices dropped more than 4% after Trump told reporters that Iran is “seriously talking to us.” It’s a potential signal of improving relations between the two countries, which could keep oil flowing easily around the world.

The drop in oil prices could mean less painful fuel bills for airlines and cruise ships. That helped Carnival steam 8.1% higher, and United Airlines climb 4.9%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 37.41 points to 6,976.44 and finished just shy of its record set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 515.19 to 49,407.66, and the Nasdaq composite gained 130.29 to 23,592.11.

In the bond market, Treasury yields edged higher after a report said that U.S. manufacturing grew last month, when economists were expecting a contraction. The yield on the 10-year Treasury erased an earlier dip and rose to 4.28%, up from 4.26% late Friday.

Such strong figures could persuade the Federal Reserve to stay on pause with its cuts to interest rates. The next big set of data that could sway the Fed was supposed to come on Friday, when the U.S. government was due to update the nation’s unemployment rate. But that report has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-report-labor-shutdown-0f327d71037f89afb818ea78b1162010">postponed because of the partial federal government shutdown.</a>

In stock markets abroad, European indexes rose roughly 1% following a washout in Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.3%, while stocks fell 2.2% in Hong Kong and 2.5% in Shanghai.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File AP Photo/Richard Drew" />
 <figcaption>File AP Photo/Richard Drew</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose on Monday following sharp swings that shook financial markets overnight, including tumbles for Asian stocks.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gold-personal-finance-wall-street-3f41d4a3e41dd721875687d2f4aeaeb7">Gold</a>&nbsp;and silver prices sank further following their latest wild moves.On Wall Street, the S&amp;P 500 added 0.5% and snapped a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-gold-rates-oil-7f0eadba91bc2e550945eb49bc1085f3">three-day losing streak</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 515 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.Stocks of companies that make computer storage helped lead the market, adding to gains from last week following several profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations. Airlines and cruise-ship operators were also strong, benefiting from a sharp easing of oil prices.The center of action in financial markets was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-dollar-gold-fed-2a3715ff96ba5c10b97c49e04ad9f8ec">again precious metals</a>, where momentum has suddenly halted after gold’s price roughly doubled in just 12 months.Gold briefly dropped below $4,500 per ounce in the overnight hours, down more than $1,000 from its high point reached just last week. It then climbed back above $4,800 before settling at $4,652.60, down 1.9% from Friday.Silver’s price has been on an even wilder ride recently, and it swung from a 9% loss overnight to a modest gain and back to a loss of 1.9%.Gold and silver prices had surged as investors looked for safer things to own amid a wide range of worries, including a Federal Reserve that may be set to become less independent, a U.S. stock market that critics say is expensive, threats of tariffs and heavy debt loads for governments worldwide.Their prices cratered on Friday, including a 31.4% plunge for silver. Some on Wall Street saw it as a result of President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-chair-48dcd3a768960eabb4e52183fa897aa1">nomination of Kevin Warsh</a>&nbsp;as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">next chair of the Fed</a>. Warsh’s reputation as a former Fed governor may have raised expectations that he may keep interest rates high to fight inflation, which would reduce the need to hide out in gold and silver for protection.But many on Wall Street are also skeptical of that initial reading and say the expectation from Trump is likely that Warsh will cut interest rates, something the president has been demanding. That could give the economy a boost but also worsen inflation over the long term.The Fed’s chair has a big influence on the economy and markets worldwide by helping to dictate where the U.S. central bank moves interest rates. That affects prices for all kinds of investments, as the Fed tries to keep the U.S. job market humming without letting inflation get out of control.The recent swoons for gold and silver may also simply mark the return of gravity for two investments whose price shot very high, very fast. They’re likely more about the washout for some traders who had borrowed money to bet on metals’ prices continuing to soar, rather than about a wholesale change in expectations for demand for metals, according to Darrell Cronk, chief investment officer for Wealth &amp; Investment Management at Wells Fargo.On Wall Street, Sandisk leaped 15.4% to lead the S&amp;P 500. The data-storage company added to its 6.9% gain from Friday, after it reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It credited demand created by the artificial-intelligence boom, among other things.That helped offset a 2.9% drop for Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI technology. The losses were worse in Asia, where AI winners plunged. South Korea’s Kospi fell 5.3% from its record for its worst day in almost 10 months after chip company SK Hynix lost nearly 9%.The Walt Disney Co. fell 7.4% even though the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-iger-zootopia-avatar-d82fe1044c2ec380acf8711895338acd">entertainment giant reported a stronger profit</a>&nbsp;for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It warned of challenges that are keeping international visitors away from its U.S. theme parks, among other things.Oil prices dropped more than 4% after Trump told reporters that Iran is “seriously talking to us.” It’s a potential signal of improving relations between the two countries, which could keep oil flowing easily around the world.The drop in oil prices could mean less painful fuel bills for airlines and cruise ships. That helped Carnival steam 8.1% higher, and United Airlines climb 4.9%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 37.41 points to 6,976.44 and finished just shy of its record set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 515.19 to 49,407.66, and the Nasdaq composite gained 130.29 to 23,592.11.In the bond market, Treasury yields edged higher after a report said that U.S. manufacturing grew last month, when economists were expecting a contraction. The yield on the 10-year Treasury erased an earlier dip and rose to 4.28%, up from 4.26% late Friday.Such strong figures could persuade the Federal Reserve to stay on pause with its cuts to interest rates. The next big set of data that could sway the Fed was supposed to come on Friday, when the U.S. government was due to update the nation’s unemployment rate. But that report has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-report-labor-shutdown-0f327d71037f89afb818ea78b1162010">postponed because of the partial federal government shutdown.</a>In stock markets abroad, European indexes rose roughly 1% following a washout in Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.3%, while stocks fell 2.2% in Hong Kong and 2.5% in Shanghai.

US stocks climb as gold and silver prices keep falling

By MARCIA DUNN &nbsp;AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA ran into a leak while fueling its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artemis-nasa-moonshot-921fc1a0a832217fae8b57d2fce2dc66">new moon rocket</a>&nbsp;Monday in one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-astronauts-moon-540260c90a45e0de4cb28f3e481777ff">final make-or-break test</a>&nbsp;that will determine when astronauts can launch on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-moon-astronauts-countdown-db49cef0eafce61f89a2984a5215c089">lunar fly-around</a>.

The launch team began loading the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket with super-cold hydrogen and oxygen at Kennedy Space Center at midday. More than 700,000 gallons (2.6 million liters) had to flow into the tanks and remain on board for several hours, mimicking the final stages of an actual countdown.

But just a couple hours into the daylong operation, excessive hydrogen was detected near the bottom of the rocket. Hydrogen loading was temporarily halted, with just half of the core stage filled.

The launch team scrambled to work around the problem using techniques developed during the only other Space Launch System rocket launch three years ago. That first test flight was plagued by hydrogen leaks before finally soaring.

The crew, three Americans and one Canadian, monitored the critical dress rehearsal from nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away in Houston, home to Johnson Space Center. They have been in quarantine for the past 1½ weeks, awaiting the practice countdown's outcome.

The all-day operation will determine when they can blast off on the first lunar voyage by a crew in more than half a century.

Running two days behind because of a bitter cold snap, NASA set its countdown clocks to stop a half-minute before reaching zero, just before engine ignition. The clocks began ticking Saturday night, giving launch controllers the chance to go through all the motions and deal with any lingering rocket problems. Hydrogen leaks kept the first SLS rocket on the pad for months in 2022.

If the fueling demo can be completed successfully on time, NASA could launch commander Reid Wiseman and his crew to the moon as soon as Sunday. The rocket must be flying by Feb. 11 or the mission will be called off until March. The space agency only has a few days in any given month to launch the rocket, and the extreme cold already has shortened February’s launch window by two days.

The nearly 10-day mission will send the astronauts past the moon, around the mysterious far side and then straight back to Earth, with the goal of testing the capsule's life support and other vital systems. The crew will not go into lunar orbit or attempt to land.

NASA last sent astronauts to the moon during the 1960s and 1970s Apollo program. The new Artemis program aims for a more sustained lunar presence, with Wiseman’s crew setting the stage for future moon landings by other astronauts.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769203436542.png" alt="The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission (left to right):NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen- Credits: NASA" />
 <figcaption>The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission (left to right):NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen- Credits: NASA</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARCIA DUNN &nbsp;AP Aerospace WriterCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA ran into a leak while fueling its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artemis-nasa-moonshot-921fc1a0a832217fae8b57d2fce2dc66">new moon rocket</a>&nbsp;Monday in one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-astronauts-moon-540260c90a45e0de4cb28f3e481777ff">final make-or-break test</a>&nbsp;that will determine when astronauts can launch on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-moon-astronauts-countdown-db49cef0eafce61f89a2984a5215c089">lunar fly-around</a>.The launch team began loading the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket with super-cold hydrogen and oxygen at Kennedy Space Center at midday. More than 700,000 gallons (2.6 million liters) had to flow into the tanks and remain on board for several hours, mimicking the final stages of an actual countdown.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our &quot;wet dress rehearsal&quot; for Artemis II is underway at <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a>! Watch our static feed as teams practice fueling the rocket and conduct a simulated launch countdown as we prepare for the real thing: <a href="https://t.co/4iEhNgfQb3">https://t.co/4iEhNgfQb3</a> Real-time Artemis updates: <a href="https://t.co/40PMWktQjO">https://t.co/40PMWktQjO</a> <a href="https://t.co/D9nZskFuP1">pic.twitter.com/D9nZskFuP1</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/2018361967644127646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But just a couple hours into the daylong operation, excessive hydrogen was detected near the bottom of the rocket. Hydrogen loading was temporarily halted, with just half of the core stage filled.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770064312533.png" alt="Image courtesy NASA" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy NASA</figcaption>
 </figure>The launch team scrambled to work around the problem using techniques developed during the only other Space Launch System rocket launch three years ago. That first test flight was plagued by hydrogen leaks before finally soaring.The crew, three Americans and one Canadian, monitored the critical dress rehearsal from nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away in Houston, home to Johnson Space Center. They have been in quarantine for the past 1½ weeks, awaiting the practice countdown's outcome.The all-day operation will determine when they can blast off on the first lunar voyage by a crew in more than half a century.Running two days behind because of a bitter cold snap, NASA set its countdown clocks to stop a half-minute before reaching zero, just before engine ignition. The clocks began ticking Saturday night, giving launch controllers the chance to go through all the motions and deal with any lingering rocket problems. Hydrogen leaks kept the first SLS rocket on the pad for months in 2022.If the fueling demo can be completed successfully on time, NASA could launch commander Reid Wiseman and his crew to the moon as soon as Sunday. The rocket must be flying by Feb. 11 or the mission will be called off until March. The space agency only has a few days in any given month to launch the rocket, and the extreme cold already has shortened February’s launch window by two days.The nearly 10-day mission will send the astronauts past the moon, around the mysterious far side and then straight back to Earth, with the goal of testing the capsule's life support and other vital systems. The crew will not go into lunar orbit or attempt to land.NASA last sent astronauts to the moon during the 1960s and 1970s Apollo program. The new Artemis program aims for a more sustained lunar presence, with Wiseman’s crew setting the stage for future moon landings by other astronauts.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

NASA has problems during a practice countdown of moon rocket 

WASHINGTON (AP) —House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement operations. J

Democrats in the Senate and House are seeking new constraints on federal immigration agents after the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. The Democratic demands include:

1. Ending “roving patrols” in cities and requiring coordination with local law enforcement on immigration arrests

2. Stopping the detention and deportation of U.S. citizens

3. Requiring judicial approval for warrants

4. Implementing an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents and giving them enhanced training

5. Requiring agents to wear body cameras and unmask

Republicans are open to some of the changes, but have drawn a line on judicial warrants and unmasking. They say the warrants would be onerous and warn that unmasked federal agents would face doxxing — the publishing of their private info online.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768672710821.png" alt="Photo DHS" />
 <figcaption>Photo DHS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement operations. JDemocrats in the Senate and House are seeking new constraints on federal immigration agents after the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. The Democratic demands include:1. Ending “roving patrols” in cities and requiring coordination with local law enforcement on immigration arrests2. Stopping the detention and deportation of U.S. citizens3. Requiring judicial approval for warrants4. Implementing an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents and giving them enhanced training5. Requiring agents to wear body cameras and unmaskRepublicans are open to some of the changes, but have drawn a line on judicial warrants and unmasking. They say the warrants would be onerous and warn that unmasked federal agents would face doxxing — the publishing of their private info online.

Details on what Dems and Republicans want in the ICE legislation

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump&nbsp;is threatening to sue comedian Trevor Noah after the Grammy host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/article/trevor-noah-grammys-nicki-minaj-kendrick-lamar-79ee508f2e15ec56b2b4826b787b6913">mocked Trump</a>&nbsp;during Sunday’s show.

After the song of the year presentation, Noah said, “That is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.”

Trump answered Monday on Truth Social, calling it “false and defamatory” to suggest he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-musk-andrew-tisch-google-682447e50bf9a3643a36c9b54ccdfa22">Trump, Clinton and other powerful men</a>&nbsp;are in headlines after another release of the U.S. government’s files on Epstein.

The president called Noah a “poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C.” and referenced his previous lawsuits against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">ABC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-harris-minutes-paramount-6415042fe910ae60b432dd8c73ef61b2">CBS</a>. Those yielded settlement payments that will go to Trump’s future presidential library.

“Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!” Trump wrote.

Noah's Epstein Island joke was not his only dig at President Trump during the Grammy Awards.

Noah joked that the Grammy Awards were coming to viewers “completely live” because “if we edited any of the show, the president would sue CBS for $16 billion.”

It’s a not-so-subtle reference to Trump’s uneasy history with CBS News. He won a $16 million settlement last summer from Paramount over a&nbsp;“60 Minutes” interview that he claimed was edited deceptively for Kamala Harris’ benefit. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt more recently reportedly told new “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil that they would “sue your ass off” if his 13-minute interview with the president was cut in any way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754697291233.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump&nbsp;is threatening to sue comedian Trevor Noah after the Grammy host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/article/trevor-noah-grammys-nicki-minaj-kendrick-lamar-79ee508f2e15ec56b2b4826b787b6913">mocked Trump</a>&nbsp;during Sunday’s show.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770032034136.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>After the song of the year presentation, Noah said, “That is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Here&#39;s Trevor Noah&#39;s comments and joke about Trump and Bill Clinton at the Grammy Awards... -DW <a href="https://t.co/PnxvnkP2sW">pic.twitter.com/PnxvnkP2sW</a>&mdash; DeSota Wilson (@desota) <a href="https://twitter.com/desota/status/2018217062783451401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump answered Monday on Truth Social, calling it “false and defamatory” to suggest he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-musk-andrew-tisch-google-682447e50bf9a3643a36c9b54ccdfa22">Trump, Clinton and other powerful men</a>&nbsp;are in headlines after another release of the U.S. government’s files on Epstein.The president called Noah a “poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C.” and referenced his previous lawsuits against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">ABC</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-harris-minutes-paramount-6415042fe910ae60b432dd8c73ef61b2">CBS</a>. Those yielded settlement payments that will go to Trump’s future presidential library.“Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!” Trump wrote.Noah's Epstein Island joke was not his only dig at President Trump during the Grammy Awards.Noah joked that the Grammy Awards were coming to viewers “completely live” because “if we edited any of the show, the president would sue CBS for $16 billion.”It’s a not-so-subtle reference to Trump’s uneasy history with CBS News. He won a $16 million settlement last summer from Paramount over a&nbsp;“60 Minutes” interview that he claimed was edited deceptively for Kamala Harris’ benefit. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt more recently reportedly told new “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil that they would “sue your ass off” if his 13-minute interview with the president was cut in any way.

What Trump said about comedian's Epstein joke during Grammy awards

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– A General Court-Martial at McConnell Air Force Base resulted in a conviction on several charges, according to a statement from the base.

Senior Airman Randall Moore, 22nd&nbsp;Maintenance Squadron, faced court-martial Jan. 26-Feb. 1 on one&nbsp; charge and two specifications of violating Article 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), sexual abuse of a child; one charge and two specification specifications of violating Article 131b of the UCMJ, obstruction of justice; and one charge and five specifications of violating Article 134 of the UCMJ, child pornography and indecent conduct.

Moore was found guilty of one charge and all five specifications of child pornography and indecent conduct, and also found guilty of one charge and one specification of obstruction of justice.

The presiding military judge sentenced Moore to 40 months confinement, a Dishonorable Discharge, reduction to the rank of Airman Basic, and total forfeiture of all pay and allowances. He will be confined in a military facility, with the location to be determined.&nbsp;&nbsp;Airman Basic is the lowest enlisted Air Force rank.

In December he was also arrested for alleged insurance fraud, according to Sedgwick County arrest records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769992727420.png" alt="Moore photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Moore photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– A General Court-Martial at McConnell Air Force Base resulted in a conviction on several charges, according to a statement from the base.Senior Airman Randall Moore, 22nd&nbsp;Maintenance Squadron, faced court-martial Jan. 26-Feb. 1 on one&nbsp; charge and two specifications of violating Article 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), sexual abuse of a child; one charge and two specification specifications of violating Article 131b of the UCMJ, obstruction of justice; and one charge and five specifications of violating Article 134 of the UCMJ, child pornography and indecent conduct.Moore was found guilty of one charge and all five specifications of child pornography and indecent conduct, and also found guilty of one charge and one specification of obstruction of justice.The presiding military judge sentenced Moore to 40 months confinement, a Dishonorable Discharge, reduction to the rank of Airman Basic, and total forfeiture of all pay and allowances. He will be confined in a military facility, with the location to be determined.&nbsp;&nbsp;Airman Basic is the lowest enlisted Air Force rank.In December he was also arrested for alleged insurance fraud, according to Sedgwick County arrest records.

Court-Martial: Kansas airman sentenced for child sex crimes

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-homeland-security-pentagon-transportation-2dd3464f56295ff79f136c1c5c24a532">partial government shutdown</a>&nbsp;as debate intensifies over the Trump administration's sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minneapolis-hospitals-32cd5ca61d495e155d43b7cfd5e563b9">immigration enforcement operations</a>.

Johnson signaled he is relying on help from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to ensure passage. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-republican-trump-ice-homeland-security-1eb2706ef2c4f91a69a083d23e30ba95">struck a deal with senators</a>&nbsp;to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a broader package after public outrage over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-fbi-alex-pretti-immigration-65a963816603a08bbc9db83961dd173f">two shooting deaths</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChJQJk-DRy0">protests in Minneapolis</a>&nbsp;against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the plan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-immigration-trump-homeland-security-39fd7917e39aaf9e4e78e89f3449a587">approved by the Senate,</a>&nbsp;DHS would be funded temporarily to Feb. 13, setting up a deadline for Congress to try to find consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations.

“The president is leading this,” Johnson, R-La., told “Fox News Sunday.”

“It’s his play call to do it this way," the speaker said, adding that the Republican president has “already conceded that he wants to turn down the volume” on federal immigration sweeps and raids.

A first test will come Monday afternoon during a committee meeting when Johnson will need his own GOP majority to advance the package after Democrats refused to provide the votes for speedy consideration. Johnson said he is hopeful work can wrap up for a full House vote, at least by Tuesday.

Democrats are demanding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-customs-enforcement-democrats-noem-impeachment-funding-03095f6a4041bef063afe22becf1a788">restraints on ICE</a>&nbsp;that go beyond $20 million for body cameras that already is in the bill and want to require that federal immigration agents unmask and identify themselves and are pressing for an end to roving patrols, amid other changes.

“What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York on ABC’s “This Week.”

Jeffries said the administration needs to begin negotiations now, not over the next two weeks, on changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minneapolis-hospitals-32cd5ca61d495e155d43b7cfd5e563b9">immigration enforcement operations</a>.

“Masks should come off," he said. “Judicial warrants should absolutely be required consistent with the Constitution, in our view, before DHS agents or ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people out of their cars.”

At the same time, House Republicans, with some allies in the Senate, are making their own demands, as they work to support Trump's clamp down on immigrants in the U.S.

The House Freedom Caucus has insisted on fuller funding for Homeland Security while certain Republicans are pushing to include other measures, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-save-act-citizenship-voting-elections-a37c139461d11eb5f82086680b67ffe7">the SAVE Act</a>, a longshot Trump priority that would require proof of citizenship before Americans are eligible to participate in elections and vote.

Johnson said he would be talking to lawmakers over the day ahead to see what it will take to win over support.

Meanwhile, a number of federal agencies are snared in the funding standoff as the government went into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-homeland-security-pentagon-transportation-2dd3464f56295ff79f136c1c5c24a532">partial shutdown</a>&nbsp;over the weekend.

Defense, health, transportation and housing are among those that were given shutdown guidance by the administration, though many operations are deemed essential and services are not necessarily interrupted. Workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on. Some could be furloughed.

Lawmakers from both parties are increasingly concerned the closure will disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help constituents in the states after storms and other disasters.

This is the second time in a matter of months that federal government operations have been disrupted as Congress is using the annual funding process as leverage to extract policy changes. Last fall, Democrats sparked what became the longest federal shutdown in history, 43 days, as they protested the expiration of health insurance tax breaks.

That shutdown ended with a promise to vote on proposals to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. But with GOP opposition, Democrats were unable to achieve their goal of keeping the subsidies in place. Insurance premiums spiked in the new year for millions of people.

This time, the administration has signaled its interest in more quickly resolving the shutdown.

Johnson said he was in the Oval Office last week when Trump, along with border czar Tom Homan, spoke with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York to work out a deal on immigration enforcement changes.

“I think we’re on the path to get agreement,” Johnson said on NBC's “Meet the Press.”

Body cameras, which are already provided for in the package, and an end to the roving patrols by immigration agents are areas of potential agreement, Johnson said.

But he said taking the masks off and putting names on agents' uniforms could lead to problems for law enforcement officers as they are being targeted by the protesters and their personal information is posted online.

“I don’t think the president would approve it — and he shouldn’t,” Johnson said on Fox.

Democrats, however, said the immigration operations are out of control, and must end in Minneapolis and other cities.

Growing numbers of lawmakers are calling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shootings-kristi-noem-ice-congress-add9ac7b90f5677621009e8a603c0141">fired or impeached</a>.

"What is happening in Minnesota right now is a dystopia," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who led efforts to hold the line for more changes.

“ICE is making this country less safe, not more safe today," Murphy said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“Our focus over the next two weeks has to be reining in a lawless and immoral immigration agency.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-homeland-security-pentagon-transportation-2dd3464f56295ff79f136c1c5c24a532">partial government shutdown</a>&nbsp;as debate intensifies over the Trump administration's sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minneapolis-hospitals-32cd5ca61d495e155d43b7cfd5e563b9">immigration enforcement operations</a>.Johnson signaled he is relying on help from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to ensure passage. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-republican-trump-ice-homeland-security-1eb2706ef2c4f91a69a083d23e30ba95">struck a deal with senators</a>&nbsp;to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a broader package after public outrage over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-fbi-alex-pretti-immigration-65a963816603a08bbc9db83961dd173f">two shooting deaths</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChJQJk-DRy0">protests in Minneapolis</a>&nbsp;against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the plan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-immigration-trump-homeland-security-39fd7917e39aaf9e4e78e89f3449a587">approved by the Senate,</a>&nbsp;DHS would be funded temporarily to Feb. 13, setting up a deadline for Congress to try to find consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations.“The president is leading this,” Johnson, R-La., told “Fox News Sunday.”“It’s his play call to do it this way," the speaker said, adding that the Republican president has “already conceded that he wants to turn down the volume” on federal immigration sweeps and raids.A first test will come Monday afternoon during a committee meeting when Johnson will need his own GOP majority to advance the package after Democrats refused to provide the votes for speedy consideration. Johnson said he is hopeful work can wrap up for a full House vote, at least by Tuesday.<h2>Democrats dig in on ICE changes</h2>Democrats are demanding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-customs-enforcement-democrats-noem-impeachment-funding-03095f6a4041bef063afe22becf1a788">restraints on ICE</a>&nbsp;that go beyond $20 million for body cameras that already is in the bill and want to require that federal immigration agents unmask and identify themselves and are pressing for an end to roving patrols, amid other changes.“What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York on ABC’s “This Week.”Jeffries said the administration needs to begin negotiations now, not over the next two weeks, on changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minneapolis-hospitals-32cd5ca61d495e155d43b7cfd5e563b9">immigration enforcement operations</a>.“Masks should come off," he said. “Judicial warrants should absolutely be required consistent with the Constitution, in our view, before DHS agents or ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people out of their cars.”<h2>Republicans make their own demands</h2>At the same time, House Republicans, with some allies in the Senate, are making their own demands, as they work to support Trump's clamp down on immigrants in the U.S.The House Freedom Caucus has insisted on fuller funding for Homeland Security while certain Republicans are pushing to include other measures, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-save-act-citizenship-voting-elections-a37c139461d11eb5f82086680b67ffe7">the SAVE Act</a>, a longshot Trump priority that would require proof of citizenship before Americans are eligible to participate in elections and vote.Johnson said he would be talking to lawmakers over the day ahead to see what it will take to win over support.<h2>Partial government shutdown drags on</h2>Meanwhile, a number of federal agencies are snared in the funding standoff as the government went into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-homeland-security-pentagon-transportation-2dd3464f56295ff79f136c1c5c24a532">partial shutdown</a>&nbsp;over the weekend.Defense, health, transportation and housing are among those that were given shutdown guidance by the administration, though many operations are deemed essential and services are not necessarily interrupted. Workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on. Some could be furloughed.Lawmakers from both parties are increasingly concerned the closure will disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help constituents in the states after storms and other disasters.This is the second time in a matter of months that federal government operations have been disrupted as Congress is using the annual funding process as leverage to extract policy changes. Last fall, Democrats sparked what became the longest federal shutdown in history, 43 days, as they protested the expiration of health insurance tax breaks.That shutdown ended with a promise to vote on proposals to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. But with GOP opposition, Democrats were unable to achieve their goal of keeping the subsidies in place. Insurance premiums spiked in the new year for millions of people.<h2>Trump wants quick end to shutdown</h2>This time, the administration has signaled its interest in more quickly resolving the shutdown.Johnson said he was in the Oval Office last week when Trump, along with border czar Tom Homan, spoke with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York to work out a deal on immigration enforcement changes.“I think we’re on the path to get agreement,” Johnson said on NBC's “Meet the Press.”Body cameras, which are already provided for in the package, and an end to the roving patrols by immigration agents are areas of potential agreement, Johnson said.But he said taking the masks off and putting names on agents' uniforms could lead to problems for law enforcement officers as they are being targeted by the protesters and their personal information is posted online.“I don’t think the president would approve it — and he shouldn’t,” Johnson said on Fox.Democrats, however, said the immigration operations are out of control, and must end in Minneapolis and other cities.Growing numbers of lawmakers are calling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shootings-kristi-noem-ice-congress-add9ac7b90f5677621009e8a603c0141">fired or impeached</a>."What is happening in Minnesota right now is a dystopia," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who led efforts to hold the line for more changes.“ICE is making this country less safe, not more safe today," Murphy said on “Fox News Sunday.”“Our focus over the next two weeks has to be reining in a lawless and immoral immigration agency.”

Partial federal government shutdown far from over

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil is said to be predicting six more weeks of wintry weather after he saw his shadow Monday.

His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-history-d13aaf4f0e62b1bf0126935f0176d2f2">annual prediction</a>&nbsp;was translated by his handlers at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says that when Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that means there will be an early spring. When he does see it, it’s six more weeks of winter.

Phil tends to predict a longer winter far more often than an early spring.

Tens of thousands of people were on hand at Gobbler's Knob for the annual ritual that goes back more than a century, with ties to ancient farming traditions in Europe. Punxsutawney's festivities have grown considerably since the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.

Lisa Gibson was at her 10th Groundhog Day, wearing a lighted hat that resembled the tree stump from which Phil emerges shortly after daybreak.

“Oh man, it just breaks up the doldrums of winter,” said Gibson, accompanied by her husband — dressed up as Elvis Presley — and teenage daughter. “It’s like Halloween and New Year’s Eve all wrapped up into one holiday.”

Gibson, a resident of Pittsburgh, had been rooting for Phil to not see his shadow and therefore predict an early start to spring.

Rick Siger, Pennsylvania’s secretary of community and economic development, said the outdoor thermometer in his vehicle read 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 15 degrees Celsius) on his way to Gobbler’s Knob.

“I think it’s just fun — folks having a good time,” said Siger, attending his fourth straight Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. “It brings people together at a challenging time. It is a unifying force that showcases the best of Pennsylvania, the best of Punxsutawney, this area.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/punxsutawney-phil-groundhog-winter-forecast-ab11e8b4745227fe2b218d2ccebbbaa4">Last year’s announcement</a>&nbsp;was six more weeks of winter, by far Phil’s more common assessment and not much of a surprise during the first week of February. His top-hatted handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club insist Phil’s “groundhogese” of winks, purrs, chatters and nods are being interpreted when they relate the meteorological marmot’s muses about the days ahead.

AccuWeather’s chief long-range weather expert, meteorologist Paul Pastelok, said early Monday some clouds moved into Punxsutawney overnight, bringing flurries he called “microflakes.”

Pastelok said the coming week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-ice-snow-cold-4b1aad9d5c8b380ae18e6e6c2e650dee">will remain cold</a>, with below-average temperatures in the eastern United States.

Phil isn't the only animal being consulted for long-term weather forecasts Monday. There are formal and informal Groundhog Day events in many places in the U.S., Canada and beyond.

Groundhog Day falls on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the shortest, darkest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It’s a time of year that also figures in the Celtic calendar and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-baby-jesus-restoration-a242ac62e87662c6b44f961b34005750">Christian holiday of Candlemas</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770035450810.png" alt="Punxsutawney Phil&nbsp; image from Associated Press video" />
 <figcaption>Punxsutawney Phil&nbsp; image from Associated Press video</figcaption>
 </figure>PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil is said to be predicting six more weeks of wintry weather after he saw his shadow Monday.His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-history-d13aaf4f0e62b1bf0126935f0176d2f2">annual prediction</a>&nbsp;was translated by his handlers at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rAcg590fUWM?si=-I8-jQadP1omp3oX&amp;start=12159" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says that when Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that means there will be an early spring. When he does see it, it’s six more weeks of winter.Phil tends to predict a longer winter far more often than an early spring.Tens of thousands of people were on hand at Gobbler's Knob for the annual ritual that goes back more than a century, with ties to ancient farming traditions in Europe. Punxsutawney's festivities have grown considerably since the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.Lisa Gibson was at her 10th Groundhog Day, wearing a lighted hat that resembled the tree stump from which Phil emerges shortly after daybreak.“Oh man, it just breaks up the doldrums of winter,” said Gibson, accompanied by her husband — dressed up as Elvis Presley — and teenage daughter. “It’s like Halloween and New Year’s Eve all wrapped up into one holiday.”Gibson, a resident of Pittsburgh, had been rooting for Phil to not see his shadow and therefore predict an early start to spring.Rick Siger, Pennsylvania’s secretary of community and economic development, said the outdoor thermometer in his vehicle read 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 15 degrees Celsius) on his way to Gobbler’s Knob.“I think it’s just fun — folks having a good time,” said Siger, attending his fourth straight Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. “It brings people together at a challenging time. It is a unifying force that showcases the best of Pennsylvania, the best of Punxsutawney, this area.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/punxsutawney-phil-groundhog-winter-forecast-ab11e8b4745227fe2b218d2ccebbbaa4">Last year’s announcement</a>&nbsp;was six more weeks of winter, by far Phil’s more common assessment and not much of a surprise during the first week of February. His top-hatted handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club insist Phil’s “groundhogese” of winks, purrs, chatters and nods are being interpreted when they relate the meteorological marmot’s muses about the days ahead.AccuWeather’s chief long-range weather expert, meteorologist Paul Pastelok, said early Monday some clouds moved into Punxsutawney overnight, bringing flurries he called “microflakes.”Pastelok said the coming week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-ice-snow-cold-4b1aad9d5c8b380ae18e6e6c2e650dee">will remain cold</a>, with below-average temperatures in the eastern United States.Phil isn't the only animal being consulted for long-term weather forecasts Monday. There are formal and informal Groundhog Day events in many places in the U.S., Canada and beyond.Groundhog Day falls on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the shortest, darkest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It’s a time of year that also figures in the Celtic calendar and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-baby-jesus-restoration-a242ac62e87662c6b44f961b34005750">Christian holiday of Candlemas</a>.___

🎥Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction on winter's end

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City, Missouri mayor Quinton Lucas joined CBS Face The Nation on Sunday to discuss critical issues facing American cities. From immigration policy and housing affordability to crime reduction and preparing for the 2026 World Cup.

On the proposed federal detention center for the region, Mayor Lucas said, "Converting a gigantic distribution facility into a warehouse for 10,000 people for which it was never designed is not right, and it is fundamentally something that is inhumane."

ICE was given $45 billion for detention centers in the tax and spending bill that President Trump signed last year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769999366187.png" alt="Photo from Mayor Lucas' social media page" />
 <figcaption>Photo from Mayor Lucas' social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Kansas City, Missouri mayor Quinton Lucas joined CBS Face The Nation on Sunday to discuss critical issues facing American cities. From immigration policy and housing affordability to crime reduction and preparing for the 2026 World Cup.On the proposed federal detention center for the region, Mayor Lucas said, "Converting a gigantic distribution facility into a warehouse for 10,000 people for which it was never designed is not right, and it is fundamentally something that is inhumane."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Mayor Lucas on the proposed federal detention center for Face the Nation: &quot;Converting a gigantic distribution facility into a warehouse for 10,000 people for which it was never designed is not right, and it is fundamentally something that is inhumane.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/JTY0PDnKys">pic.twitter.com/JTY0PDnKys</a>&mdash; Mayor Quinton Lucas (@MayorLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorLucasKC/status/2018087502104371704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>ICE was given $45 billion for detention centers in the tax and spending bill that President Trump signed last year.

🎥KCMO Mayor talks proposed federal detention center on Face The Nation

WYANDOTTE CCOUNTY—Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are investigating a double-homicide.

Just before noon Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;in the 1000 block of Orville Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders located three adults inside a home; one man and one woman were pronounced deceased on scene and one man was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

 All three had apparent gunshot wounds. The initial investigation indicates that the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. Detectives are not currently seeking suspects. Police did not release the names of the victims or additional details.

This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.

WYANDOTTE CCOUNTY—Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are investigating a double-homicide.Just before noon Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;in the 1000 block of Orville Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders located three adults inside a home; one man and one woman were pronounced deceased on scene and one man was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All three had apparent gunshot wounds. The initial investigation indicates that the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. Detectives are not currently seeking suspects. Police did not release the names of the victims or additional details.This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.

Police: 2 dead, 1 wounded in shooting at Kansas home

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating an injury accident that occurred just after 12:30a.m. early Saturday in Atchison.

A 2019 Honda pickup driven by Joshua Hosier, 42, Atchison, was westbound on Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; A 2001 Toyota Highlander driven by Joshua Campbell, 18, Atchison, was southbound on 14th Street. The two vehicles collided at the&nbsp;intersection of 14th and Kansas Avenue. 

EMS arrived on the scene and examined and treated Campbell and a 21-year-old passenger for minor injuries but they were not transported. 

Hosier had fled the scene on foot but went to Police headquarters a short time later.&nbsp; EMS later transported him to Amberwell Hospital for treatment of injuries that he sustained in the accident. 

Charges are pending against Hosier, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769959094995.jpeg" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating an injury accident that occurred just after 12:30a.m. early Saturday in Atchison.A 2019 Honda pickup driven by Joshua Hosier, 42, Atchison, was westbound on Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; A 2001 Toyota Highlander driven by Joshua Campbell, 18, Atchison, was southbound on 14th Street. The two vehicles collided at the&nbsp;intersection of 14th and Kansas Avenue. EMS arrived on the scene and examined and treated Campbell and a 21-year-old passenger for minor injuries but they were not transported. Hosier had fled the scene on foot but went to Police headquarters a short time later.&nbsp; EMS later transported him to Amberwell Hospital for treatment of injuries that he sustained in the accident. Charges are pending against Hosier, according to Wilson.

Kan. man hospitalized after running from 2 vehicle crash

KANSAS CITY– A former Grain Valley, Missouri police officer was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays to 20 years in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by supervised release for Life.

August Price Gildehaus, 30, of Blue Springs, Mo., previously pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography.

Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.

Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.

Gildehaus will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681393419659.png" alt="Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police" />
 <figcaption>Gildehaus-photo Grain Valley Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A former Grain Valley, Missouri police officer was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays to 20 years in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by supervised release for Life.August Price Gildehaus, 30, of Blue Springs, Mo., previously pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography.Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.Gildehaus will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Prison: KC area police officer admitted to sex crimes with 15-year-old

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man who shot his wife outside a Wichita elementary school in 2024 is going to prison for a long time.

On Friday, Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 47-year-old Vincent Solomon to 330 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December a jury convicted him of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal use of weapons and interference with law enforcement.

Just after 9a.m. September 23, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a news conference.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727347323043.png" alt="Solomon photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Solomon photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man who shot his wife outside a Wichita elementary school in 2024 is going to prison for a long time.On Friday, Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 47-year-old Vincent Solomon to 330 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December a jury convicted him of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal use of weapons and interference with law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769810858483.png" alt="Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 9a.m. September 23, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a news conference.The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. Solomon made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.Solomon then ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for Solomon to drop his gun and observed Solomon place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. Solomon would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm Solomon physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.Investigators later learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to Solomon shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the suspect chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw Solomon with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported Somomon and the woman to an area hospital.&nbsp;The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct an investigation and Solomon was later booked into jail.&nbsp;