TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Consumers across the U.S. still will be able to buy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethanol-e15-gasoline-midwest-epa-40550ba65a308617fdc490dcf9e57ad9">higher-ethanol blend E15 gasoline</a>&nbsp;this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday, saving them a little money at the pump but risking potential damage to the air and water.

The emergency waiver issued by the EPA prevents retailers in most states from having to stop selling E15 gasoline on May 1. While the waiver remains in effect only through May 20, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signaled that he plans to keep issuing waivers through Sept. 15, the date when the federal government typically would allow E15 sales in all states again.

Most gasoline sold across the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol, but 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Midwest, where most of the nation's corn is grown. E15 gasoline generally costs at least 10 cents less a gallon than E10 gasoline, but the EPA had previously prohibited its sale during the summer over concerns that its use during the summer driving season could increase smog.

But the EPA has relaxed restrictions on E15, granting a series of short-term waivers in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to allow its sale nationwide through the summer. And last year, the EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethanol-e15-gas-midwest-ba37597f6d1880e31d94180a13299e35">issued a rule</a>&nbsp;allowing year-round sales in eight Midwestern states — Iowa, usually the nation's top corn producer, as well as Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Trump administration officials said Monday's action will lower consumers' costs and give them more choices at the pump while also increasing the demand for corn. They also described it as reducing America's reliance on imported energy.

“Our nation’s great corn growers are critical to helping the U.S. achieve energy independence, which is essential to national security,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.

While the ethanol industry and Iowa officials praised the EPA's action, the Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group for ethanol producers, argued that Congress should approve legislation allowing year-round E15 sales across the U.S.

“For the economic and energy security benefits of E15 to be fully realized, the marketplace needs long-term certainty,” President and CEO Geoff Cooper said.

The biofuels industry and politicians in both major parties argue that ethanol helps farmers, lowers prices at the pump and reduces greenhouse gas because the fuel burns more cleanly than straight gasoline.

But ethanol consumes about 40% of the nation's corn crop, and environmentalists argue that higher corn production leads to higher use of fertilizers that are a leading source of water pollution.

Zack Pistora, Kansas lobbyist for the Sierra Club, said ethanol plants also use high amounts of water, and states like Kansas are worried about the depletion of aquifers. He said it's “hypocritical” to portray ethanol as environmentally friendly and said the Trump administration should promote renewable energy, electric vehicles, public transportation and sustainable agriculture.

“We need to dramatically reduce our fossil fuel dependence, but relying on corn-based ethanol doesn’t put our country on the path it needs,” Pistora said in an interview.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640102505306.png" alt="File photo EPA" />
 <figcaption>File photo EPA</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Consumers across the U.S. still will be able to buy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethanol-e15-gasoline-midwest-epa-40550ba65a308617fdc490dcf9e57ad9">higher-ethanol blend E15 gasoline</a>&nbsp;this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday, saving them a little money at the pump but risking potential damage to the air and water.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">GOOD NEWS: The Trump Administration has approved the year-round sale of E15, providing consumers with more options at the pump, new markets for Kansas farmers and bolstering American energy independence. <a href="https://t.co/LwYnMfGwbH">https://t.co/LwYnMfGwbH</a>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1916960571238306167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The emergency waiver issued by the EPA prevents retailers in most states from having to stop selling E15 gasoline on May 1. While the waiver remains in effect only through May 20, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signaled that he plans to keep issuing waivers through Sept. 15, the date when the federal government typically would allow E15 sales in all states again.Most gasoline sold across the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol, but 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Midwest, where most of the nation's corn is grown. E15 gasoline generally costs at least 10 cents less a gallon than E10 gasoline, but the EPA had previously prohibited its sale during the summer over concerns that its use during the summer driving season could increase smog.But the EPA has relaxed restrictions on E15, granting a series of short-term waivers in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to allow its sale nationwide through the summer. And last year, the EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethanol-e15-gas-midwest-ba37597f6d1880e31d94180a13299e35">issued a rule</a>&nbsp;allowing year-round sales in eight Midwestern states — Iowa, usually the nation's top corn producer, as well as Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.Trump administration officials said Monday's action will lower consumers' costs and give them more choices at the pump while also increasing the demand for corn. They also described it as reducing America's reliance on imported energy.“Our nation’s great corn growers are critical to helping the U.S. achieve energy independence, which is essential to national security,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.While the ethanol industry and Iowa officials praised the EPA's action, the Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group for ethanol producers, argued that Congress should approve legislation allowing year-round E15 sales across the U.S.“For the economic and energy security benefits of E15 to be fully realized, the marketplace needs long-term certainty,” President and CEO Geoff Cooper said.The biofuels industry and politicians in both major parties argue that ethanol helps farmers, lowers prices at the pump and reduces greenhouse gas because the fuel burns more cleanly than straight gasoline.But ethanol consumes about 40% of the nation's corn crop, and environmentalists argue that higher corn production leads to higher use of fertilizers that are a leading source of water pollution.Zack Pistora, Kansas lobbyist for the Sierra Club, said ethanol plants also use high amounts of water, and states like Kansas are worried about the depletion of aquifers. He said it's “hypocritical” to portray ethanol as environmentally friendly and said the Trump administration should promote renewable energy, electric vehicles, public transportation and sustainable agriculture.“We need to dramatically reduce our fossil fuel dependence, but relying on corn-based ethanol doesn’t put our country on the path it needs,” Pistora said in an interview.

Thanks to Sen. Moran's efforts: Cheaper E15 gas available this summer

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for distributing child exploitation sexual abuse materials.

According to court documents, Zachary Charles Hiskey, 27, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

In June 2021, Hiskey used his account on a messaging app called Kik to share videos depicting adult males engaged in sexually explicit activities with prepubescent children. Kik detected the videos and reported the account to law enforcement through a cyber tipline. This led to the discovery of other child exploitation sexual abuse materials connected to Hiskey’s email account and to IP logs at his home in Hutchinson.

While executing a search warrant at Hiskey's home, investigators found an electronic device with an Internet browser thumbnail of recently viewed child exploitation sexual abuse materials. A forensic examination revealed the Kik account in question had been installed and then deleted on his cell phone.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745874188067.png" alt="Hiskey following his arrest in December in Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hiskey following his arrest in December in Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for distributing child exploitation sexual abuse materials.According to court documents, Zachary Charles Hiskey, 27, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.In June 2021, Hiskey used his account on a messaging app called Kik to share videos depicting adult males engaged in sexually explicit activities with prepubescent children. Kik detected the videos and reported the account to law enforcement through a cyber tipline. This led to the discovery of other child exploitation sexual abuse materials connected to Hiskey’s email account and to IP logs at his home in Hutchinson.While executing a search warrant at Hiskey's home, investigators found an electronic device with an Internet browser thumbnail of recently viewed child exploitation sexual abuse materials. A forensic examination revealed the Kik account in question had been installed and then deleted on his cell phone.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Kansas man admitted sharing child sex abuse videos

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Five years ago, Lee Norman was trying to dissuade Kansans from ingesting chemical cleaners to prevent COVID-19, preparing for the end of a statewide stay-at-home order and deciding whether to send tests for everyone in long-term care facilities and prisons.

Norman, then secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, jokes that reflecting on those years is like taking “a walk down bad memory lane.”

“We were meeting 24/7, 365,” Norman said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “And trying to figure out — without having enough resources, without having (a) vaccine, without having any medications and without having any testing — what the heck we were going to do with this lethal virus that has now landed in the United States.”

Within two years of the first cases in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/19/lee-norman-steps-down-as-kansas-health-secretary-months-after-internal-dispute/">Norman stepped down from his cabinet post</a>&nbsp;at the request of Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration.

The first case was recorded March 7, 2020, and about a week later, Kelly declared a state of emergency.

Less than a week after that, she ordered K-12 schools closed.

By the end of the month, national case counts inched toward 100,000, deaths reached 1,000, President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion stimulus bill and Kelly issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state.

The first four weeks went “swimmingly well,” even amid uncertainty and shock, Norman said.

But, he said, things quickly became contentious as executive action from the governor, public health recommendations and attempts at understanding a brand new virus unfolded.

“You know, four weeks was pretty unusual to have that kind of engagement,” he said. “And after that, it became distinctly unfun.”

He admitted public health was slow to address the social and psychological impacts of the pandemic. But by the point he and other public health officials realized that, he said, resistance to following public health guidance had already begun to take shape.

The politicization that crept into Norman’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic still exists in public health today. The 2025 Kansas Legislature passed bills in April that hinder the governor’s authority to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/10/kansas-legislature-votes-to-remove-county-health-officials-power-to-ban-public-gatherings/">limit public gatherings</a>&nbsp;and pare back vaccination requirements for children.

Norman, who now works in the private sector, said investing in public health infrastructure is key for preparing for future health crises.

As Kansans faced last year a spike in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/31/tuberculosis-toll-in-kansas-city-kansas-area-rises-to-nearly-70-active-cases/">tuberculosis cases</a>&nbsp;and more recently a growing&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/02/vaccination-rates-down-in-most-kansas-counties-where-measles-cases-occurring/">measles outbreak</a>, Norman emphasized the importance of vaccinations and adhering to public health guidance.

The governor signed into law in April modifications to vaccine requirements for children that make it easier for parents to claim religious exemptions as justification for their unvaccinated children. The governor vetoed another piece of legislation that created a pathway for people to sue state and county health officials for their decisions about quarantines and other public health guidance. The Legislature overrode Kelly’s veto, making the change law.

Masks and limiting large gatherings work, Norman said. They have for centuries, he added.

“Half of everybody, kind of wants to undo the benefits of public health, and mock it even, which is particularly hurtful,” Norman said. “I think that the Legislature needs to, one, respect personal autonomy and responsibility, and then secondly, if people are want to have more autonomy, I think they have to listen to very, very good guidance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610057767019.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman during a press conference with Gov.&nbsp; Kelly -image from governor's weekly media briefing in 2020" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman during a press conference with Gov.&nbsp; Kelly -image from governor's weekly media briefing in 2020</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Five years ago, Lee Norman was trying to dissuade Kansans from ingesting chemical cleaners to prevent COVID-19, preparing for the end of a statewide stay-at-home order and deciding whether to send tests for everyone in long-term care facilities and prisons.Norman, then secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, jokes that reflecting on those years is like taking “a walk down bad memory lane.”“We were meeting 24/7, 365,” Norman said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “And trying to figure out — without having enough resources, without having (a) vaccine, without having any medications and without having any testing — what the heck we were going to do with this lethal virus that has now landed in the United States.”Within two years of the first cases in Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/11/19/lee-norman-steps-down-as-kansas-health-secretary-months-after-internal-dispute/">Norman stepped down from his cabinet post</a>&nbsp;at the request of Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration.The first case was recorded March 7, 2020, and about a week later, Kelly declared a state of emergency.Less than a week after that, she ordered K-12 schools closed.By the end of the month, national case counts inched toward 100,000, deaths reached 1,000, President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion stimulus bill and Kelly issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state.The first four weeks went “swimmingly well,” even amid uncertainty and shock, Norman said.But, he said, things quickly became contentious as executive action from the governor, public health recommendations and attempts at understanding a brand new virus unfolded.“You know, four weeks was pretty unusual to have that kind of engagement,” he said. “And after that, it became distinctly unfun.”He admitted public health was slow to address the social and psychological impacts of the pandemic. But by the point he and other public health officials realized that, he said, resistance to following public health guidance had already begun to take shape.The politicization that crept into Norman’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic still exists in public health today. The 2025 Kansas Legislature passed bills in April that hinder the governor’s authority to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/10/kansas-legislature-votes-to-remove-county-health-officials-power-to-ban-public-gatherings/">limit public gatherings</a>&nbsp;and pare back vaccination requirements for children.Norman, who now works in the private sector, said investing in public health infrastructure is key for preparing for future health crises.As Kansans faced last year a spike in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/31/tuberculosis-toll-in-kansas-city-kansas-area-rises-to-nearly-70-active-cases/">tuberculosis cases</a>&nbsp;and more recently a growing&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/02/vaccination-rates-down-in-most-kansas-counties-where-measles-cases-occurring/">measles outbreak</a>, Norman emphasized the importance of vaccinations and adhering to public health guidance.The governor signed into law in April modifications to vaccine requirements for children that make it easier for parents to claim religious exemptions as justification for their unvaccinated children. The governor vetoed another piece of legislation that created a pathway for people to sue state and county health officials for their decisions about quarantines and other public health guidance. The Legislature overrode Kelly’s veto, making the change law.Masks and limiting large gatherings work, Norman said. They have for centuries, he added.“Half of everybody, kind of wants to undo the benefits of public health, and mock it even, which is particularly hurtful,” Norman said. “I think that the Legislature needs to, one, respect personal autonomy and responsibility, and then secondly, if people are want to have more autonomy, I think they have to listen to very, very good guidance.”

Kansas’ former top public health official reflects on five years since COVID-19

KANSAS CITY, Kansas —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting April 24, in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old Eric Johnson-Linares.

Just after 5p.m. April 24, police responded to a shooting in the 600 Block of South 71st Terrace, according to a media release. First responders found Johnson-Linares outside, deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect details.

KANSAS CITY, Kansas —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting April 24, in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old Eric Johnson-Linares.Just after 5p.m. April 24, police responded to a shooting in the 600 Block of South 71st Terrace, according to a media release. First responders found Johnson-Linares outside, deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect details.

Police ID victim in deadly Kansas shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman arrested in connection with an accidental shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl made her first court appearance on Monday.&nbsp; Judge Shawn Elliott charged 50-year-old Ana Sorto Mejia of Wichita with one count of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 2p.m. April 11, police responded to the 2500 block of E. Harry in Wichita following reports of a shooting, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders found a 4-year-old girl who had sustained a single gunshot wound to her lower torso. She was immediately transported to a local hospital with critical injuries, according to Gupilan.

After preliminary investigation, it was found that the child's guardian, identified as Sorto, left a firearm unsecured, allowing the child to access it, resulting in the child unintentionally shooting themselves.&nbsp; 

Late that night, police booked Sorto into the Sedgwick County Jail. She is not longer in custody. She is due back in court May 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744469792810.png" alt="Sorto-Mejia -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Sorto-Mejia -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman arrested in connection with an accidental shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl made her first court appearance on Monday.&nbsp; Judge Shawn Elliott charged 50-year-old Ana Sorto Mejia of Wichita with one count of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 2p.m. April 11, police responded to the 2500 block of E. Harry in Wichita following reports of a shooting, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders found a 4-year-old girl who had sustained a single gunshot wound to her lower torso. She was immediately transported to a local hospital with critical injuries, according to Gupilan.After preliminary investigation, it was found that the child's guardian, identified as Sorto, left a firearm unsecured, allowing the child to access it, resulting in the child unintentionally shooting themselves.&nbsp; Late that night, police booked Sorto into the Sedgwick County Jail. She is not longer in custody. She is due back in court May 12.

Kan. woman faces judge for accidental shooting of 4-year-old

KANSAS CITY—One person died in a hit-and-run incident on Monday in Kansas City, Missouri.

A pedestrian was standing on the left shoulder of westbound 210 Highway at N Chouteau, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp; An unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian,&nbsp;throwing the person into the grassy center median. 

The vehicle left the scene without stopping. The pedestrian was declared deceased at the scene. Police don't know exactly when the pedestrian was struck. This is fatality #20 compared to #38 at this time last year.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in a hit-and-run incident on Monday in Kansas City, Missouri.A pedestrian was standing on the left shoulder of westbound 210 Highway at N Chouteau, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp; An unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian,&nbsp;throwing the person into the grassy center median. The vehicle left the scene without stopping. The pedestrian was declared deceased at the scene. Police don't know exactly when the pedestrian was struck. This is fatality #20 compared to #38 at this time last year.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim.

KCPD investigating fatal hit-and-run

On Monday, Kansas Governor Laura attended join the State of Kansas Holocaust Commission, the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, and community leaders for the annual Holocaust Commemoration ceremony. 

"We must take every opportunity to remember those affected by the Holocaust and renew our commitment to building a more inclusive tomorrow." "There is no place for bigotry and hate in Kansas"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745888844950.png" alt="Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Kansas Governor Laura attended join the State of Kansas Holocaust Commission, the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, and community leaders for the annual Holocaust Commemoration ceremony. "We must take every opportunity to remember those affected by the Holocaust and renew our commitment to building a more inclusive tomorrow." "There is no place for bigotry and hate in Kansas"

Kansas Governor attends Holocaust commemoration ceremony

WASHINGTON (AP) — An F/A-18 fighter jet slipped off the hanger deck of an aircraft carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-warships-middle-east-carrier-increase-0801c2c12cac065eefa06bd73667fd69">deployed to the Middle East</a>, as sailors were towing the aircraft into place in the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman on Monday, the Navy said.

The crew members who were in the pilot seat of the Super Hornet and on the small towing tractor both jumped out before the jet and the tug went into the Red Sea. According to a defense official, the sailor who jumped from the aircraft sustained a minor injury. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.

“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said in a statement. The jet was part of Strike Fighter Squadron 136.

Fighter jets are routinely towed around the hangar deck to park them where they are needed for any flight operations or other work. It is unclear whether there will be an effort to recover the jet, which costs about $60 million. The incident is under investigation.

The Truman has been deployed to the Middle East for months and recently has been involved in stepped-up military operations against the Yemen-based Houthi rebels. U.S. Central Command has said that the military has conducted daily strikes, which have been done by fighter jets, bombers, ships and drones.

The Truman’s deployment has already been extended once by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by about a month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745891273909.png" alt="An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136, launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). US Navy Photo" />
 <figcaption>An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136, launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). US Navy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An F/A-18 fighter jet slipped off the hanger deck of an aircraft carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-warships-middle-east-carrier-increase-0801c2c12cac065eefa06bd73667fd69">deployed to the Middle East</a>, as sailors were towing the aircraft into place in the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman on Monday, the Navy said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745891378009.png" alt="USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on April 15, 2025. US Navy Photo" />
 <figcaption>USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on April 15, 2025. US Navy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The crew members who were in the pilot seat of the Super Hornet and on the small towing tractor both jumped out before the jet and the tug went into the Red Sea. According to a defense official, the sailor who jumped from the aircraft sustained a minor injury. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel details.“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said in a statement. The jet was part of Strike Fighter Squadron 136.Fighter jets are routinely towed around the hangar deck to park them where they are needed for any flight operations or other work. It is unclear whether there will be an effort to recover the jet, which costs about $60 million. The incident is under investigation.The Truman has been deployed to the Middle East for months and recently has been involved in stepped-up military operations against the Yemen-based Houthi rebels. U.S. Central Command has said that the military has conducted daily strikes, which have been done by fighter jets, bombers, ships and drones.The Truman’s deployment has already been extended once by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by about a month.

US Navy loses $60 million jet that fell overboard from aircraft carrier

KANSAS CITY —It was another deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City. Police are investigating four separate homicides involving five victims including a Kansas City firefighter/paramedic.

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 3100 block of Spruce, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

Officers were directed to a home on the block and led inside by people at the scene. Inside the residence officers located a shooting victim later identified as 42-year-old William Porter.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported him to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

A short time later officers were notified he died at the hospital. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and one or more suspects were inside the residence when they had an interaction that led to gunfire and the victim being struck. The unknown suspect(s) then left the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 8500 block of Sni-A-Bar Road, according to Captain Becchina.

On arrival officers were directed to the side of a residence there where they located a man later identified as 50-year-old Joshua Teel unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared him deceased.

A preliminary investigation indicates that Teel was outside the residence when he had an interaction with an unknown suspect. That interaction led to gunfire which struck him .The suspect then left the scene in an unknown direction.

Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a check the welfare call at 152 Highway and North Oak Trafficway involving a woman, later identified as&nbsp; 38-year-old Shanetta Bossell walking on the highway.

Callers were concerned for her safety and called police. Responding officers located Bossell on the side of the highway there. Ultimately, they requested EMS to respond for further treatment.

EMS began to transport Bossell to the hospital for further treatment. While en-route to the hospital in the ambulance, at approximately 1:25a.m., she produced an edged weapon and stabbed the KCFD Firefighter/Paramedic Graham Hoffman causing significant injuries.

The ambulance driver then stopped the ambulance at 152 highway and Platte Purchase and signaled to a KCPD police officer that had been following the ambulance for help. That KCPD officer took Bossell into custody at that location. Additional EMS crews responded and transported&nbsp; Hoffman to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.

Just after 2p.m. Sunday, police were notified that Hoffman had died.&nbsp; The Clay County prosecutor charged Bossell murder in the first degree and armed criminal action.

Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at 12th and Belmont in Kansas City, Missouri , according to Becchina.

First responders were directed to a vehicle in the road there. Inside that vehicle officers located Ruiz and Suri unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victims deceased.

The investigation indicates that the victims were inside the vehicle at the location when they had an interaction with one or more suspects and shots were fired. Both victims were inside the vehicle when they were struck by the gunfire. Initial responding officers took one subject of interest into custody for further investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745807157858.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —It was another deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City. Police are investigating four separate homicides involving five victims including a Kansas City firefighter/paramedic.Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 3100 block of Spruce, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. Officers were directed to a home on the block and led inside by people at the scene. Inside the residence officers located a shooting victim later identified as 42-year-old William Porter.&nbsp; &nbsp;EMS transported him to the hospital with life threatening injuries.A short time later officers were notified he died at the hospital. Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and one or more suspects were inside the residence when they had an interaction that led to gunfire and the victim being struck. The unknown suspect(s) then left the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745807068124.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 8500 block of Sni-A-Bar Road, according to Captain Becchina.On arrival officers were directed to the side of a residence there where they located a man later identified as 50-year-old Joshua Teel unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared him deceased.A preliminary investigation indicates that Teel was outside the residence when he had an interaction with an unknown suspect. That interaction led to gunfire which struck him .The suspect then left the scene in an unknown direction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745790431024.png" alt="Graham Hoffman" />
 <figcaption>Graham Hoffman</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 12:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a check the welfare call at 152 Highway and North Oak Trafficway involving a woman, later identified as&nbsp; 38-year-old Shanetta Bossell walking on the highway.Callers were concerned for her safety and called police. Responding officers located Bossell on the side of the highway there. Ultimately, they requested EMS to respond for further treatment.EMS began to transport Bossell to the hospital for further treatment. While en-route to the hospital in the ambulance, at approximately 1:25a.m., she produced an edged weapon and stabbed the KCFD Firefighter/Paramedic Graham Hoffman causing significant injuries.The ambulance driver then stopped the ambulance at 152 highway and Platte Purchase and signaled to a KCPD police officer that had been following the ambulance for help. That KCPD officer took Bossell into custody at that location. Additional EMS crews responded and transported&nbsp; Hoffman to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.Just after 2p.m. Sunday, police were notified that Hoffman had died.&nbsp; The Clay County prosecutor charged Bossell murder in the first degree and armed criminal action.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745702653802.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at 12th and Belmont in Kansas City, Missouri , according to Becchina.First responders were directed to a vehicle in the road there. Inside that vehicle officers located Ruiz and Suri unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victims deceased.The investigation indicates that the victims were inside the vehicle at the location when they had an interaction with one or more suspects and shots were fired. Both victims were inside the vehicle when they were struck by the gunfire. Initial responding officers took one subject of interest into custody for further investigation.

Deadly weekend in Kansas City: 5 victims, 4 homicide investigations

MCPHERSON&nbsp; —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a barn fire that&nbsp;claimed the lives of two horses early Monday in McPherson County.

Just after 7:30a.m., The McPherson Fire Department was dispatched to a fire near the intersection of 17th Avenue and Eisenhower Road. C

First responders found a small barn fully involved in flames. The structure had partially collapsed, with the roof falling inward.

Two horses located near the fire were moved to safety by bystanders and the property owners, who were working to keep them cool before firefighters arrived. However, two other horses inside the barn were unable to escape and perished in the fire. No foul play is suspected.

MCPHERSON&nbsp; —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a barn fire that&nbsp;claimed the lives of two horses early Monday in McPherson County.Just after 7:30a.m., The McPherson Fire Department was dispatched to a fire near the intersection of 17th Avenue and Eisenhower Road. CFirst responders found a small barn fully involved in flames. The structure had partially collapsed, with the roof falling inward.Two horses located near the fire were moved to safety by bystanders and the property owners, who were working to keep them cool before firefighters arrived. However, two other horses inside the barn were unable to escape and perished in the fire. No foul play is suspected.

Two horses killed in rural Kansas barn fire

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 8:30a.m. on Sunday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 700 block South 4th Street in the city of Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver,&nbsp; identified as 66-year-old Ivan Cushinberry, Jr., stopped the vehicle and the officer made contact with him. 

During an investigation, while the officer was getting Cushinberry out of the vehicle, Cushinberry started the vehicle and sped off. A pursuit followed to the 500 block S Street where Cushinberry stopped the vehicle and he was taken into custody.&nbsp; Police ultimately found cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;fleeing and attempting to elude, transporting an open container, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745852742708.png" alt="Cushinberry-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Cushinberry-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 8:30a.m. on Sunday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 700 block South 4th Street in the city of Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver,&nbsp; identified as 66-year-old Ivan Cushinberry, Jr., stopped the vehicle and the officer made contact with him. During an investigation, while the officer was getting Cushinberry out of the vehicle, Cushinberry started the vehicle and sped off. A pursuit followed to the 500 block S Street where Cushinberry stopped the vehicle and he was taken into custody.&nbsp; Police ultimately found cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. He is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;fleeing and attempting to elude, transporting an open container, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with law enforcement.

Police found cocaine in vehicle during Kansas traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday opened a weeklong celebration of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;first 100 days in office by focusing on his border crackdown, an area of relative strength for the president at a time when there are red flags for him in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-immigration-trade-100-days-poll-625efe6128d5f2e90e04bcc7f30479eb">the latest round of polling.</a>

Yard signs with mugshots of immigrants who have been accused of crimes like rape and murder were posted across the White House lawn, positioned so they would be in the background of television broadcasts outside the West Wing. Tom Homan, Trump's top border adviser, told reporters that there has been “unprecedented success" on the border effort and "we’re going to keep doing it, full speed ahead.”

Immigration is Trump's leading issue in public opinion surveys, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a morning briefing the administration is in "the beginning stages of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history.”

About 139,000 people have been removed so far, according to the White House. Deportations have occasionally lagged behind Democrat President Joe Biden’s numbers, but Trump officials reject the comparison as not “apples to apples” because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-100-days-immigration-000001967735d2ebabdf7777546a0000">so many fewer people</a>&nbsp;are crossing the border now.

Later on Monday, Leavitt held a second briefing exclusively for “new media,” where Trump-aligned social media influencers asked friendly questions and applauded at the end.

Tuesday will be Trump's 100th day in office, and the Republican president plans to mark the day in Michigan, where he will hold&nbsp;<a href="https://known%20as%20an%20automotive%20hub./">a rally in Macomb County</a>, an automotive hub north of Detroit. After relatively little travel so far in his term, Trump will also deliver a commencement address Thursday at the University of Alabama.

Trump is also doing a number of interviews timed to the 100-day mark, including an Oval Office interview with ABC News that is to air Tuesday night. He's also talked with journalists from The Atlantic magazine, a publication that he's frequently attacked for its critical reporting.

<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/06/trump-second-term-comeback/682573/">Trump told The Atlantic</a>&nbsp;that he feels more powerful in his second turn in the White House. His administration is stocked with loyalists, and he's become even more confrontational with a judicial system that at times&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-constitution-courts-lawsuits-796543ab4a3d5589f47fd66fd9d6bfef">serves as a check</a>&nbsp;on his agenda.

“The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” he said. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.”

Presidents have marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-100-days-promises-inflation-tariffs-deportations-970c837dada26ad5f6baaa6019131cf5">the initial 100 days</a>&nbsp;of their terms since Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved swiftly to counter the Great Depression after taking office in 1933.

Trump wasn't so bullish about the idea during his first term, when he was plagued by setbacks, investigations and turnover in his ranks, at that time calling the 100-day mark "&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/205ad54dc72e4ab69b3a214c96eeb9ce">an artificial barrier</a>."

But now he's trying to harness the moment to mark the ambitious agenda he's pursued in his first months. Leavitt said Trump had already signed almost as many executive orders as Biden did during his entire term.

But many Americans believe Trump has mostly been focused on the wrong priorities.

Americans are nearly twice as likely to say Trump has been mostly focusing on the wrong priorities as to say he has been focusing on the right ones, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/100-days-in-and-the-public-feels-trumps-presidency-is-proceeding-mostly-as-expected/">an AP-NORC survey</a>, and only about half of Republicans say he’s mostly had the right focus. Another one-quarter of Republicans say it’s been about an even mix of right and wrong priorities, and about 1 in 10 say he’s focusing on the wrong things.

And among Trump's own supporters, the share of Republicans who say he has been at least a “good” president has fallen about 10 percentage points since January.

Other polls conducted in recent weeks have found similar levels of dissatisfaction with Trump’s first few months, particularly with his economic policies and approach to tariffs.

Trump lashed out at the results on social media as “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.”

As he's pushed to crack down on illegal immigration, Trump has drawn criticism as he has strained the limits of executive power, attacked judges who've ruled against him, sent hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a mega-prison in El Salvador in defiance of a court order and balked at a Supreme Court order that his administration must facilitate the return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

His plans to carry out a mass deportation have not yet shaped up, but the White House is ramping up efforts to encourage people who are in the country illegally to “self-deport,” with actions that include stiffer fines and incentives to leave, including airfare and stipends.

His administration has pointed to the steep drop in the number of illegal border crossings as an early and significant sign of success.

Trump planned to sign at least two executive orders later Monday related to immigration, including one directing state and federal officials to publish a list of “sanctuary city” jurisdictions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday opened a weeklong celebration of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;first 100 days in office by focusing on his border crackdown, an area of relative strength for the president at a time when there are red flags for him in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-immigration-trade-100-days-poll-625efe6128d5f2e90e04bcc7f30479eb">the latest round of polling.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Under Joe Biden, criminal illegal aliens called the shots. Under President Trump, it’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life for America — and we&#39;re feeling good. 🎶 <a href="https://t.co/pD7hf1A07G">pic.twitter.com/pD7hf1A07G</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1916870056413192618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Yard signs with mugshots of immigrants who have been accused of crimes like rape and murder were posted across the White House lawn, positioned so they would be in the background of television broadcasts outside the West Wing. Tom Homan, Trump's top border adviser, told reporters that there has been “unprecedented success" on the border effort and "we’re going to keep doing it, full speed ahead.”Immigration is Trump's leading issue in public opinion surveys, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a morning briefing the administration is in "the beginning stages of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history.”About 139,000 people have been removed so far, according to the White House. Deportations have occasionally lagged behind Democrat President Joe Biden’s numbers, but Trump officials reject the comparison as not “apples to apples” because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-100-days-immigration-000001967735d2ebabdf7777546a0000">so many fewer people</a>&nbsp;are crossing the border now.Later on Monday, Leavitt held a second briefing exclusively for “new media,” where Trump-aligned social media influencers asked friendly questions and applauded at the end.Tuesday will be Trump's 100th day in office, and the Republican president plans to mark the day in Michigan, where he will hold&nbsp;<a href="https://known%20as%20an%20automotive%20hub./">a rally in Macomb County</a>, an automotive hub north of Detroit. After relatively little travel so far in his term, Trump will also deliver a commencement address Thursday at the University of Alabama.Trump is also doing a number of interviews timed to the 100-day mark, including an Oval Office interview with ABC News that is to air Tuesday night. He's also talked with journalists from The Atlantic magazine, a publication that he's frequently attacked for its critical reporting.<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/06/trump-second-term-comeback/682573/">Trump told The Atlantic</a>&nbsp;that he feels more powerful in his second turn in the White House. His administration is stocked with loyalists, and he's become even more confrontational with a judicial system that at times&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-constitution-courts-lawsuits-796543ab4a3d5589f47fd66fd9d6bfef">serves as a check</a>&nbsp;on his agenda.“The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” he said. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.”Presidents have marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-100-days-promises-inflation-tariffs-deportations-970c837dada26ad5f6baaa6019131cf5">the initial 100 days</a>&nbsp;of their terms since Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved swiftly to counter the Great Depression after taking office in 1933.Trump wasn't so bullish about the idea during his first term, when he was plagued by setbacks, investigations and turnover in his ranks, at that time calling the 100-day mark "&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/205ad54dc72e4ab69b3a214c96eeb9ce">an artificial barrier</a>."But now he's trying to harness the moment to mark the ambitious agenda he's pursued in his first months. Leavitt said Trump had already signed almost as many executive orders as Biden did during his entire term.But many Americans believe Trump has mostly been focused on the wrong priorities.Americans are nearly twice as likely to say Trump has been mostly focusing on the wrong priorities as to say he has been focusing on the right ones, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/100-days-in-and-the-public-feels-trumps-presidency-is-proceeding-mostly-as-expected/">an AP-NORC survey</a>, and only about half of Republicans say he’s mostly had the right focus. Another one-quarter of Republicans say it’s been about an even mix of right and wrong priorities, and about 1 in 10 say he’s focusing on the wrong things.And among Trump's own supporters, the share of Republicans who say he has been at least a “good” president has fallen about 10 percentage points since January.Other polls conducted in recent weeks have found similar levels of dissatisfaction with Trump’s first few months, particularly with his economic policies and approach to tariffs.Trump lashed out at the results on social media as “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.”As he's pushed to crack down on illegal immigration, Trump has drawn criticism as he has strained the limits of executive power, attacked judges who've ruled against him, sent hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a mega-prison in El Salvador in defiance of a court order and balked at a Supreme Court order that his administration must facilitate the return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.His plans to carry out a mass deportation have not yet shaped up, but the White House is ramping up efforts to encourage people who are in the country illegally to “self-deport,” with actions that include stiffer fines and incentives to leave, including airfare and stipends.His administration has pointed to the steep drop in the number of illegal border crossings as an early and significant sign of success.Trump planned to sign at least two executive orders later Monday related to immigration, including one directing state and federal officials to publish a list of “sanctuary city” jurisdictions.

White House focuses on border crackdown as it marks 100 days for Trump's second term

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman is going to prison.

On Monday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Katelyn Barrioz, 24 of Wichita, to nearly 20-years in prison.  She was sentenced to 216 months for 2nd degree murder, 7 months for flee and elude, and 7 months for theft with 36 months post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offce. The judge ordered the sentences run consecutive.

On April 14, Barrioz pled guilty to the charges.

On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail later that week, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730458850794.png" alt="-The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash" />
 <figcaption>-The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman is going to prison.On Monday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Katelyn Barrioz, 24 of Wichita, to nearly 20-years in prison. She was sentenced to 216 months for 2nd degree murder, 7 months for flee and elude, and 7 months for theft with 36 months post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offce. The judge ordered the sentences run consecutive.On April 14, Barrioz pled guilty to the charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284905956.png" alt="Barrioz photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Barrioz photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail later that week, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Prison for stolen van crash that killed Kansas woman

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in accident just before 4a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.

A citizen report told police a vehicle was southbound on Interstate 35 at Interstate 635 freeway at a high rate of speed according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.

Moments later the same citizen came upon the vehicle after it had crashed underneath the eastbound Interstate 635 bridge. EMS transported the driver of vehicle, later identified as&nbsp;Nicolas Hawthorne, 34, Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp; to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. Medical staff pronounced him deceased.

The crash is still under investigation, according to Lacy.

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in accident just before 4a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.A citizen report told police a vehicle was southbound on Interstate 35 at Interstate 635 freeway at a high rate of speed according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy.Moments later the same citizen came upon the vehicle after it had crashed underneath the eastbound Interstate 635 bridge. EMS transported the driver of vehicle, later identified as&nbsp;Nicolas Hawthorne, 34, Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp; to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. Medical staff pronounced him deceased.The crash is still under investigation, according to Lacy.

Speed a possible factor in fatal Kansas crash 

TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday she had signed into law 11 bills, meeting a deadline and cementing public education funding, tax incentives for major data centers and a new crime for possessing, creating or distributing AI-generated child pornography.

The bills were bipartisan, Kelly said, as she signed them before the end of the 10-day period she has to take action after the Legislature delivers them to her.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb186/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 186</a>&nbsp;crafted first-time, clear protections for those who are the subject of AI-generated imagery without their consent. It’s an effort to mitigate the harms caused by technology, “in both the digital realm and the physical world,” Kelly said in a news release.

“Given the rise of AI-enabled crime, enhancing public safety for our fellow Kansans is crucial,” Kelly said.

The law applies to the alteration of real photos or generating new material from scratch, said Rep. Brad Barrett, an Osage City Republican who sat on the House committee that heard and negotiated the original bill.&nbsp;

“This legislation strengthens our child exploitation laws to protect kids from this evolving threat and also updates our breach of privacy law to shield adults from having their images maliciously altered to appear nude or sexually explicit when they have an expectation of privacy,” he said.

The law adds to the definition of sex crimes within the Kansas Criminal Code to include AI-generated material. It also modifies existing criminal bond-setting procedure to hike up bond rates for any defendant with prior convictions of sexually violent crimes. The minimum bond for those defendants is now $750,000, which Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said addresses patterns of “predatory behavior.”

“This part of the bill ensures the safety of victims comes first,” Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said. “By requiring the consideration of similar prior acts when setting bond, we can alleviate some of the fear for victims.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb156/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 156</a>&nbsp;increases the amount of money inmates can receive from the Kansas Department of Corrections for losses, personal injury or property damage.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb204/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 204</a>&nbsp;seals criminal and juvenile cases — meaning information is kept secret — until an arrest warrant is executed. It also creates a new appointment process for trustees of county law libraries.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb237/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 237</a>&nbsp;empowers law enforcement officers to investigate violations of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act, which targets scrap metal dealers. It was initially proposed by the Wichita Police Department.

Kelly said a new law that incentivizes major data center projects in Kansas gives “the state another tool in the toolbox to bring jobs, infrastructure, and prosperity to Kansas communities through economic development.”

<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb98/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 98</a>&nbsp;creates a 20-year sales tax exemption for data centers investing at least $250 million within five years of opening. The exemption could include land acquisition, development and construction, equipment acquisition and permitting, design, engineering, labor for installing and maintaining data center equipment, and lease payments.

Businesses that receive the exemption must by law conserve, reuse, and replace water, pay for electricity from a public utility for 10 years and maintain at least 20 new jobs at the data center within two years of launching.

Kelly also signed into law&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2289/" target="_blank">House Bill 2289</a>, which was championed by Stilwell Republican Rep. Sean Tarwater and enacts limits on housing tax credits. Over time, the law eventually will dismantle the state’s affordable housing tax credit program.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2125/" target="_blank">House Bill 2125</a>&nbsp;reauthorized the 20-mill statewide school property tax levy to finance public schools through the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. The bill also sets strict deadlines on local taxing entities, enabling county clerks to use a taxing jurisdiction’s budget and tax levy from the previous year if it doesn’t submit budget information by Oct. 1.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2231/" target="_blank">House Bill 2231</a>&nbsp;shifts Kansas to a corporate income tax calculation method that aligns with the majority of states. Kelly said the law evens “the playing field for Kansas-based businesses, making the state more attractive for capital investment, and encouraging job creation.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2335/" target="_blank">House Bill 2335</a>&nbsp;creates, beginning in January, a new license plate for members of hunting organization Hunter Nation.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2007/" target="_blank">House Bill 2007</a>&nbsp;cleans up statutes that were amended multiple times during the 2025 session.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2275/" target="_blank">House Bill 2275</a>&nbsp;enables a handful of Kansas counties to ask voters whether they favor a sales tax proposal to fund projects. It also creates a tax exemption for custom meat processing sales.

In Finney County, county commissioners want to impose a 0.5% sales tax to finance construction or remodeling projects in the county courthouse, jail, law enforcement center or other administrative building.

In Jackson County, commissioners want to ask voters if they would favor a 0.25% sales tax to support hospital services.

In Pawnee County, commissioners can ask voters if they want to pay an up to 1% sales tax for providing health care services and “furnish” and “equip” public safety operations.

In Seward County, voters will decide if they want to pay a 0.5% sales tax to fund road and bridge projects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745864234505.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly, pictured here at a May 14, 2024, event in Topeka, signed 11 bills into law last week following the close of the 2025 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly, pictured here at a May 14, 2024, event in Topeka, signed 11 bills into law last week following the close of the 2025 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday she had signed into law 11 bills, meeting a deadline and cementing public education funding, tax incentives for major data centers and a new crime for possessing, creating or distributing AI-generated child pornography.The bills were bipartisan, Kelly said, as she signed them before the end of the 10-day period she has to take action after the Legislature delivers them to her.Crime and law enforcement<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb186/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 186</a>&nbsp;crafted first-time, clear protections for those who are the subject of AI-generated imagery without their consent. It’s an effort to mitigate the harms caused by technology, “in both the digital realm and the physical world,” Kelly said in a news release.“Given the rise of AI-enabled crime, enhancing public safety for our fellow Kansans is crucial,” Kelly said.The law applies to the alteration of real photos or generating new material from scratch, said Rep. Brad Barrett, an Osage City Republican who sat on the House committee that heard and negotiated the original bill.&nbsp;“This legislation strengthens our child exploitation laws to protect kids from this evolving threat and also updates our breach of privacy law to shield adults from having their images maliciously altered to appear nude or sexually explicit when they have an expectation of privacy,” he said.The law adds to the definition of sex crimes within the Kansas Criminal Code to include AI-generated material. It also modifies existing criminal bond-setting procedure to hike up bond rates for any defendant with prior convictions of sexually violent crimes. The minimum bond for those defendants is now $750,000, which Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said addresses patterns of “predatory behavior.”“This part of the bill ensures the safety of victims comes first,” Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said. “By requiring the consideration of similar prior acts when setting bond, we can alleviate some of the fear for victims.”<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb156/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 156</a>&nbsp;increases the amount of money inmates can receive from the Kansas Department of Corrections for losses, personal injury or property damage.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb204/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 204</a>&nbsp;seals criminal and juvenile cases — meaning information is kept secret — until an arrest warrant is executed. It also creates a new appointment process for trustees of county law libraries.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb237/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 237</a>&nbsp;empowers law enforcement officers to investigate violations of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act, which targets scrap metal dealers. It was initially proposed by the Wichita Police Department.Industry and developmentKelly said a new law that incentivizes major data center projects in Kansas gives “the state another tool in the toolbox to bring jobs, infrastructure, and prosperity to Kansas communities through economic development.”<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb98/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 98</a>&nbsp;creates a 20-year sales tax exemption for data centers investing at least $250 million within five years of opening. The exemption could include land acquisition, development and construction, equipment acquisition and permitting, design, engineering, labor for installing and maintaining data center equipment, and lease payments.Businesses that receive the exemption must by law conserve, reuse, and replace water, pay for electricity from a public utility for 10 years and maintain at least 20 new jobs at the data center within two years of launching.Kelly also signed into law&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2289/" target="_blank">House Bill 2289</a>, which was championed by Stilwell Republican Rep. Sean Tarwater and enacts limits on housing tax credits. Over time, the law eventually will dismantle the state’s affordable housing tax credit program.Taxes and government<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2125/" target="_blank">House Bill 2125</a>&nbsp;reauthorized the 20-mill statewide school property tax levy to finance public schools through the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. The bill also sets strict deadlines on local taxing entities, enabling county clerks to use a taxing jurisdiction’s budget and tax levy from the previous year if it doesn’t submit budget information by Oct. 1.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2231/" target="_blank">House Bill 2231</a>&nbsp;shifts Kansas to a corporate income tax calculation method that aligns with the majority of states. Kelly said the law evens “the playing field for Kansas-based businesses, making the state more attractive for capital investment, and encouraging job creation.”<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2335/" target="_blank">House Bill 2335</a>&nbsp;creates, beginning in January, a new license plate for members of hunting organization Hunter Nation.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2007/" target="_blank">House Bill 2007</a>&nbsp;cleans up statutes that were amended multiple times during the 2025 session.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2275/" target="_blank">House Bill 2275</a>&nbsp;enables a handful of Kansas counties to ask voters whether they favor a sales tax proposal to fund projects. It also creates a tax exemption for custom meat processing sales.In Finney County, county commissioners want to impose a 0.5% sales tax to finance construction or remodeling projects in the county courthouse, jail, law enforcement center or other administrative building.In Jackson County, commissioners want to ask voters if they would favor a 0.25% sales tax to support hospital services.In Pawnee County, commissioners can ask voters if they want to pay an up to 1% sales tax for providing health care services and “furnish” and “equip” public safety operations.In Seward County, voters will decide if they want to pay a 0.5% sales tax to fund road and bridge projects.

Kansas governor signs 11 bills dealing with crime, industry, governing

SALINA —Just after 9a.m. Monday, Salina 9-1-1 received calls from Salina South High School staff advising a possible person with a firearm was at South High School, 730 E Magnolia, according to a media release from police.

The school immediately locked down, and the SHS School Resource Officer, who was already on scene began a coordinated response. Numerous Officers and Detectives from the Salina Police Department responded, as did law enforcement officials from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The first Officers arrived at 9:15 AM and immediately began searching the school.

Simultaneously, officers began interviewing witnesses, staff, and reviewing surveillance video from the school. While on scene, Officers were made aware of a post by a student which showed the student with a gun, there were no threats attached to the picture.

 It was determined the post was made on April 3rd, 2025, and the photo was not taken at the school as is being reported on social media. This post was then shared with other students in a chat group. A student using a restroom on this date then heard a sound which they thought could possibly be a gun being “racked” and reported it to staff believing it was the student who made the post. 

It was determined from surveillance video, the student who made the post had not been in the restroom. The student who was observed leaving the restroom at the time was located and checked. This student indicated the sound was from him crushing a water bottle. The post made by the student is being investigated.

The investigation determined there was no firearm present or active threats.

The building clearing was completed at 10:12a.m. , and the school was released to the School Administration.

The Salina Police Department noted that parents responded and congregated in the parking lots, remaining calm and supportive. The staff and students secured themselves in the classrooms in which they were located, controlling their environments and allowing law enforcement to move swiftly to clear the enormous structure unobstructed. We applaud the staff, students, and parents for their conduct.

SALINA —On Monday morning, South High School administration,&nbsp; 730 E Magnolia Road, Salina, received a report of a gun in the building, according to a media release from USD 305. 

The school immediately went into lockdown and alerted law enforcement. Salina Police, Saline County Sheriff's office, Kansas Highway Patrol and Saline County Fire and rescue responded and searched the building. They determined that the school is secure and that there was no weapon and that no shots were fired.

The police turned the building back over to administration. The South High School administration will determine any adjustments to the schedule that are needed.&nbsp; The school day will resume as usual.

"We appreciate the quick response from the Salina Police Department and first responders. They have determined that there was no danger," according to USD 305.

SALINA— Law enforcement are on the scene of an incident at South High School,&nbsp;730 E Magnolia Road, Salina.&nbsp; There are unconfirmed reports the incident involved a gun. The school was on lock down status 

“Police were alerted and are on site at this time and are in charge of the situation. Students and staff remain locked in classrooms," according to a message sent to parents.

USD 305 is expected to release more information as it becomes available.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police have not released details on their investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745853925661.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Just after 9a.m. Monday, Salina 9-1-1 received calls from Salina South High School staff advising a possible person with a firearm was at South High School, 730 E Magnolia, according to a media release from police.The school immediately locked down, and the SHS School Resource Officer, who was already on scene began a coordinated response. Numerous Officers and Detectives from the Salina Police Department responded, as did law enforcement officials from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The first Officers arrived at 9:15 AM and immediately began searching the school.Simultaneously, officers began interviewing witnesses, staff, and reviewing surveillance video from the school. While on scene, Officers were made aware of a post by a student which showed the student with a gun, there were no threats attached to the picture. It was determined the post was made on April 3rd, 2025, and the photo was not taken at the school as is being reported on social media. This post was then shared with other students in a chat group. A student using a restroom on this date then heard a sound which they thought could possibly be a gun being “racked” and reported it to staff believing it was the student who made the post. It was determined from surveillance video, the student who made the post had not been in the restroom. The student who was observed leaving the restroom at the time was located and checked. This student indicated the sound was from him crushing a water bottle. The post made by the student is being investigated.The investigation determined there was no firearm present or active threats.The building clearing was completed at 10:12a.m. , and the school was released to the School Administration.The Salina Police Department noted that parents responded and congregated in the parking lots, remaining calm and supportive. The staff and students secured themselves in the classrooms in which they were located, controlling their environments and allowing law enforcement to move swiftly to clear the enormous structure unobstructed. We applaud the staff, students, and parents for their conduct.----------SALINA —On Monday morning, South High School administration,&nbsp; 730 E Magnolia Road, Salina, received a report of a gun in the building, according to a media release from USD 305. The school immediately went into lockdown and alerted law enforcement. Salina Police, Saline County Sheriff's office, Kansas Highway Patrol and Saline County Fire and rescue responded and searched the building. They determined that the school is secure and that there was no weapon and that no shots were fired.The police turned the building back over to administration. The South High School administration will determine any adjustments to the schedule that are needed.&nbsp; The school day will resume as usual."We appreciate the quick response from the Salina Police Department and first responders. They have determined that there was no danger," according to USD 305.----------SALINA— Law enforcement are on the scene of an incident at South High School,&nbsp;730 E Magnolia Road, Salina.&nbsp; There are unconfirmed reports the incident involved a gun. The school was on lock down status “Police were alerted and are on site at this time and are in charge of the situation. Students and staff remain locked in classrooms," according to a message sent to parents.USD 305 is expected to release more information as it becomes available.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police have not released details on their investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Police update details on investigation at high school in Salina

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for his involvement in a fatal crash involving street racing last year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2602/Hamilton-COMPLAINTREDACTED">Cortez A. Hamilton</a>&nbsp;faces two counts of 1st Degree Involuntary Manslaughter, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. If convicted, he could face between six to 20 years in prison.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2603/Hamilton-PCREDACTED">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the intersection of Carondelet Drive and Wornall Road on a reported injury crash on Dec. 30, 2024. Both occupants of a Honda HRV identified as 91-year-old Verne Zugenbuhler and 72-year-old Diane Zugenbuhler, were pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant identified as Hamilton driving a black Chrysler involved in the crash was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses say they saw the Chrysler and a silver vehicle racing each other at a high rate of speed on Wornall Road before the crash. As the Honda HRV was making a left-hand turn from Wornall Road onto Carondelet Drive, the Chrysler struck the front passenger corner, redirecting it southbound and causing it to begin rotating counterclockwise. The Chrysler continued in a southwest direction and collided with a wooden utility pole where it came to its final resting spot. The silver vehicle was not impacted in the crash and continued south on Wornall Road.&nbsp;

Prior to the collision, Hamilton's vehicle was traveling at a recorded speed of 104 miles per hour in a 40 miles per hour zone. At impact, Hamilton was traveling 79 miles per hour.

A blood test revealed Hamilton was operating his vehicle while under the influence of Cannabinoids.&nbsp; Under a new municipal law, drivers participating in illegal street racing or side shows could face fines of up to $1,000 and their vehicles could be impounded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735607895651.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for his involvement in a fatal crash involving street racing last year.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2602/Hamilton-COMPLAINTREDACTED">Cortez A. Hamilton</a>&nbsp;faces two counts of 1st Degree Involuntary Manslaughter, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. If convicted, he could face between six to 20 years in prison.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735607871090.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2603/Hamilton-PCREDACTED">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the intersection of Carondelet Drive and Wornall Road on a reported injury crash on Dec. 30, 2024. Both occupants of a Honda HRV identified as 91-year-old Verne Zugenbuhler and 72-year-old Diane Zugenbuhler, were pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant identified as Hamilton driving a black Chrysler involved in the crash was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.&nbsp;Witnesses say they saw the Chrysler and a silver vehicle racing each other at a high rate of speed on Wornall Road before the crash. As the Honda HRV was making a left-hand turn from Wornall Road onto Carondelet Drive, the Chrysler struck the front passenger corner, redirecting it southbound and causing it to begin rotating counterclockwise. The Chrysler continued in a southwest direction and collided with a wooden utility pole where it came to its final resting spot. The silver vehicle was not impacted in the crash and continued south on Wornall Road.&nbsp;Prior to the collision, Hamilton's vehicle was traveling at a recorded speed of 104 miles per hour in a 40 miles per hour zone. At impact, Hamilton was traveling 79 miles per hour.A blood test revealed Hamilton was operating his vehicle while under the influence of Cannabinoids.&nbsp; Under a new municipal law, drivers participating in illegal street racing or side shows could face fines of up to $1,000 and their vehicles could be impounded.

KC man allegedly 'under the influence' before fatal street racing crash 

SALINE COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol shared a story of appreciation for their effort to go above and beyond the call of duty.

"Every now and then, we receive a message that reminds us why we do what we do. On Sunday, we received the following from a family traveling across Kansas:"

“Trooper Van Buren helped us out today on I-70, about ten miles west of Salina. Our donut tire was funky, so he drove my husband to Walmart to have our new tire mounted — and when they got back, he put it on for us."

”This photo was taken during that moment," The KHP wrote.&nbsp; "We’re proud of Trooper Van Buren and all our troopers who go the extra mile to help others every day. Thank you to the traveling public for trusting us to be there when you need a hand."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745838931420.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol shared a story of appreciation for their effort to go above and beyond the call of duty."Every now and then, we receive a message that reminds us why we do what we do. On Sunday, we received the following from a family traveling across Kansas:"“Trooper Van Buren helped us out today on I-70, about ten miles west of Salina. Our donut tire was funky, so he drove my husband to Walmart to have our new tire mounted — and when they got back, he put it on for us.""You troopers are angels!!!"”This photo was taken during that moment," The KHP wrote.&nbsp; "We’re proud of Trooper Van Buren and all our troopers who go the extra mile to help others every day. Thank you to the traveling public for trusting us to be there when you need a hand."

KHP shares a story of gratitude: You Troopers are angels

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matt-sedensky">MATT SEDENSKY</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Montgomery used to check the balance on his retirement account once a week and smile. But lately, not wanting to get upset and question if he could retire in a few years, there was only one solution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File photo Specialist Patrick King, left, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Specialist Patrick King, left, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matt-sedensky">MATT SEDENSKY</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Montgomery used to check the balance on his retirement account once a week and smile. But lately, not wanting to get upset and question if he could retire in a few years, there was only one solution.“I’m not looking,” says the 66-year-old professor from Huntington Woods, Michigan.As the White House simultaneously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-a9d714eea677488ef9397547d838dbd0">injects turmoil into financial markets with its trade war</a>&nbsp;and dismisses fears of a downturn, retired and near-retired Americans are anxiously looking on, worried about outliving their savings or having to put off entries on their bucket lists.Keeping logged off his account has made Montgomery’s days less worrisome. He and his wife adjusted their portfolio after Election Day, including moving more money into bonds. But he’s not sure what more he can do if the entire world economy can be affected by Washington’s decisions.“I hope like hell I don’t lose all my retirement savings,” he says. “But where else could you put the money that these people could not disorder? They can’t get into your mattress but that’s about it.”Many experts warned U.S. stocks were overpriced and due for a correction even before President Donald Trump reclaimed the Oval Office. But a historic blanket of tariffs have injected new uncertainty into the market.Though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-cd30ed61467eee2dc778006fa49924ee">stocks rallied this week</a>, the S&amp;P 500 is down 10% from an all-time high reached in February. Losses in the Nasdaq and among small-cap stocks are steeper. Even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasurys-bond-market-yield-tariff-46b4818710f01b8cc93fd002081167b0">bonds</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dollar-trump-tariffs-trade-safe-haven-china-c108fd36a3122f85872ad34ba5f5d977">the U.S. dollar</a>&nbsp;have been volatile. Many economists are warning of a possible recession.It has 71-year-old Jeanne Oats Estridge feeling so “paranoid” she called her financial planner with an idea.“How about we put it all in cash?” Oats Estridge asked.“I just don’t advise it,” she heard back.Oats Estridge, who lives in Dayton, Ohio, retired from a job in software engineering and now writes books, including her latest, on four octogenarian women kidnapped by sex-trafficking aliens. Her account is down more than $40,000 and she gets angry thinking about how some in Washington have reacted to the market volatility, including Trump’s recent market assessment that it was “a great time to buy.”“Where am I supposed to come up with the money to buy? My underwear drawer?” Oats Estridge asks.Earlier this month, the Cboe Volatility Index, considered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cboe.com/us/indices/dashboard/VIX/" target="_blank">a “fear gauge” of investor pessimism</a>, reached its highest level in five years. The index, known as VIX, has since retreated but is still in territory reflecting fearful investors. Another measure of market sentiment, the Cboe S&amp;P 500 Left Tail Volatility Index, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cboe.com/us/indices/dashboard/LTV/" target="_blank">tracks investor worry about so-called “black swan” events</a>&nbsp;such as the 2008 housing crash that spurred the Great Recession, likewise has backed off from highs but remains elevated.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114308258545250117" target="_blank">urged people to “be cool”</a>&nbsp;in assessing the impact of tariffs on their investments. Asked about his own savings earlier this month, he chuckled and replied:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwKczP3nhaY" target="_blank">“I haven’t checked my 401(k).”</a>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meantime, brushed off the possibility that some might need to delay retiring, saying people&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsB3uCtEys" target="_blank">“don’t look at the day-to-day fluctuations of what’s happening.”</a>That seeming nonchalance isn’t sitting well with some older investors.Peter Rost, 72, retired from his software development job last year and planned to start tapping his retirement savings to supplement Social Security. But he doesn’t want to bake in his losses.“I’m looking to take $2,000 and meanwhile the account drops by $30,000,” he says.He’s been through serious downturns before, but those were different.“I had the time to be patient and let it work its way back,” says Rost, who lives in New Hartford, Connecticut, “but now I’m retired and I need money from that account.”At his age, he says, there’s one goal: “Make sure I don’t run out of money before I die.”Americans’ retirement savings totaled about $44 trillion at the end of 2024, according to the Investment Company Institute. The composition of those savings has shifted increasingly toward stocks in the last couple decades as the 401(k) has become employers’ typical offering.Among fund giant Vanguard’s nearly 5 million accounts, for example, the average investor puts three-quarters of their savings in stocks. Even older investors are still heavily steeped in equities: People 55 to 64 have 64% in stocks at Vanguard; those 65 and older have 49% in stocks.With that exposure, financial advisers are getting an influx of calls amid the recent market uncertainty.Tj Binkowski, who runs Narrow Road Financial Planning in Clarksville, Tennessee, says some clients find themselves obsessively checking their accounts and feel the emotional strain of worrying about their money. A downturn, he says, hits an older investor much differently.“When you’re retired, paper losses aren’t just on paper anymore,” says Binkowski. “You’re locking them in every month that you take money out.”Paul Duesterhaus, a 68-year-old retiree from Quincy, Illinois, is passing up an IRA withdrawal this year to avoid selling at a low. Instead, the retired manager at an air compressor manufacturing company will put off buying a new car as planned and cut back on things like eating out.Still, he can’t help but feel bigger impacts of a trade war are ahead.“I think there’s going to be longer lasting effects that are going to affect every American,” he says.That angst is more common among older adults than younger people. An April poll by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/immigration-remains-one-of-trumps-strongest-issues/" target="_blank">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;found just under half of U.S. adults ages 45 and older said their retirement savings are a “major” source of stress for them right now, compared to about one-third of younger people. Older Americans were also more likely to say they’re stressed about the stock market.For now, many older investors are taking the advice of many experts, to fine-tune investments if necessary but avoid dramatic moves. But it can be hard advice to swallow.“The more things go up and down, the more nervous you get,” says Steve Turner, a 74-year-old from Chesterfield, Missouri, who runs a small public relations business. He now finds himself anxious when he goes to log on to his retirement account, wondering, “Gee, do I want to press the button?”“You worry that things may work themselves out in the long run, but you don’t have as long,” says Turner. “You’re not 30, you’re not 40, you’re not 50, you’re not even 60.”___Matt Sedensky can be reached at&nbsp;msedensky@ap.org&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/sedensky." target="_blank">https://x.com/sedensky.</a>