KANSAS CITY —One of two people injured in a crash into a creek near the Kansas City Plaza has died.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a&nbsp;white, four-door sedan was westbound on Ward Parkway from the Plaza in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

The driver failed to negotiate the curve transitioning to the southbound lanes. The vehicle vaulted over the guardrail and came to rest upside down in Brush Creek.

EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Late Sunday St. Luke's Hospital staff reported the passenger died, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver remains in critical condition.&nbsp; This is fatality number 60 in Kansas City, Missouri for 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763914090050.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —One of two people injured in a crash into a creek near the Kansas City Plaza has died.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a&nbsp;white, four-door sedan was westbound on Ward Parkway from the Plaza in Kansas City at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The driver failed to negotiate the curve transitioning to the southbound lanes. The vehicle vaulted over the guardrail and came to rest upside down in Brush Creek.EMS transported both occupants to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Late Sunday St. Luke's Hospital staff reported the passenger died, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver remains in critical condition.&nbsp; This is fatality number 60 in Kansas City, Missouri for 2025.

KCPD: One injured when car flips into creek has died

Just after 3 p.m., November 17, police were dispatched to an a dispute at the the Salvation Army, 2545 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.

Upon their arrival, they contacted Leslie DeWitt, 49, and learned that she had exhibited disruptive behavior in the business and had been asked several times by the store personnel to leave the property.

Officers informed DeWitt that she was no longer welcome on the business property and she entered her vehicle and drove away. A short time later, an officer observed DeWitt's vehicle back in the Salvation Army parking lot and observed DeWitt exiting the store. DeWitt entered her vehicle as the officer approached to detain her.&nbsp;

As the officer was standing between the open car door and the woman, DeWitt placed her vehicle in reverse and proceeded to back up, striking the officer with the door and briefly pulling him alongside the moving vehicle. 

DeWitt then drove eastbound on 10th Street at a high rate of speed. She was relocated and taken into custody a short time later.

After her arrest,&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed and alerted to her vehicle. A search of DeWitt's vehicle was conducted and THC, opiates, and drug paraphernalia were located. During subsequent processing for DUI,&nbsp; DeWitt kicked, spit on, and attempted to bite members of the Great Bend Police Department.

DeWitt was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery on a law enforcement officer, Felony Interference, Felony DUI, Possession of THC, Possession of Opiates, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Assault on Law enforcement officer.

The GBPD was assisted on this call by the Barton County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Great Bend Fire Department.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764035676465.png" alt="Dewitt-photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Dewitt-photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 3 p.m., November 17, police were dispatched to an a dispute at the the Salvation Army, 2545 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend, according to a media release.Upon their arrival, they contacted Leslie DeWitt, 49, and learned that she had exhibited disruptive behavior in the business and had been asked several times by the store personnel to leave the property.Officers informed DeWitt that she was no longer welcome on the business property and she entered her vehicle and drove away. A short time later, an officer observed DeWitt's vehicle back in the Salvation Army parking lot and observed DeWitt exiting the store. DeWitt entered her vehicle as the officer approached to detain her.&nbsp;As the officer was standing between the open car door and the woman, DeWitt placed her vehicle in reverse and proceeded to back up, striking the officer with the door and briefly pulling him alongside the moving vehicle. DeWitt then drove eastbound on 10th Street at a high rate of speed. She was relocated and taken into custody a short time later.After her arrest,&nbsp; K9 Niko was deployed and alerted to her vehicle. A search of DeWitt's vehicle was conducted and THC, opiates, and drug paraphernalia were located. During subsequent processing for DUI,&nbsp; DeWitt kicked, spit on, and attempted to bite members of the Great Bend Police Department.DeWitt was booked into the Barton County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery on a law enforcement officer, Felony Interference, Felony DUI, Possession of THC, Possession of Opiates, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Assault on Law enforcement officer.The GBPD was assisted on this call by the Barton County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Great Bend Fire Department.&nbsp;

Kansas woman accused of striking officer with her car

SALINE COUNTY —The future of the pit bull dog ban in Salina will be decided in a special election in February, according to the City Commission on Monday.

The commission decided to use a mail ballot. Registered Salina voters will receive a ballot in the mail and a postage-paid envelope. The ballot must be returned to the clerk’s office prior to the February 24, deadline.

In October a group presented a petition to repeal the pit bull dog ban in Salina to the Salina City Manager’s Office. The Saline County Election Officer validated the petition.

In 2004, the city enacted a pit bull ban.&nbsp;Once the February 2026 election is complete, the decision is law for at least ten years.

&nbsp;Overland Park, Hiawatha, Independence, Clay Center, Bonner Springs and Garden City have repealed similar pit bull breed bans in the past.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607709807472.png" alt="Flicker CC" />
 <figcaption>Flicker CC</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —The future of the pit bull dog ban in Salina will be decided in a special election in February, according to the City Commission on Monday.The commission decided to use a mail ballot. Registered Salina voters will receive a ballot in the mail and a postage-paid envelope. The ballot must be returned to the clerk’s office prior to the February 24, deadline.In October a group presented a petition to repeal the pit bull dog ban in Salina to the Salina City Manager’s Office. The Saline County Election Officer validated the petition.In 2004, the city enacted a pit bull ban.&nbsp;Once the February 2026 election is complete, the decision is law for at least ten years.&nbsp;Overland Park, Hiawatha, Independence, Clay Center, Bonner Springs and Garden City have repealed similar pit bull breed bans in the past.

Salina sets date for special election on Pit Bull ordinance 

NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/betting-arrests-sports-gambling-poker-fa72cd1ced5bdaacfabe1688d873bf45">rigged poker games</a>&nbsp;involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">federal takedown</a>&nbsp;of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday's proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-hall-of-fame-induction-6e9a225d4a29f9d13c35179d7f2b847c">inducted</a>&nbsp;into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rozier-billups-jones-betting-arrests-4241238cb43d998f1b9eac47b8d326a7">Damon Jones</a>&nbsp;was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">exploit insider information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-arrest-65eb67f6a0ed283ca6dd011d70425df8">most beloved</a>&nbsp;in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons' title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">multiyear extension</a>&nbsp;with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Los Angeles Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/terry-rozier-salary-sports-betting-db662e66f4f56959ad4765d33cf5ced8">unpaid leave</a>&nbsp;and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-trail-blazers-tiago-splitter-7a126fe382491a95a8d33d0d580ca399">interim coach</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761225884441.png" alt="Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers" />
 <figcaption>Chauncey Billups played for the University of Colorado, which was part of the Big 12 conference, leading the team to a second-place finish and an NCAA tournament appearance in the inaugural season of the Big 12 in 1996-97. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors that season. photo courtesy Portland Trail Blazers</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/betting-arrests-sports-gambling-poker-fa72cd1ced5bdaacfabe1688d873bf45">rigged poker games</a>&nbsp;involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-terry-rozier-gambling-probe-de98ecb76bb8f13b85f4c5ac62f66221">federal takedown</a>&nbsp;of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday's proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-hall-of-fame-induction-6e9a225d4a29f9d13c35179d7f2b847c">inducted</a>&nbsp;into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.Former NBA player and assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rozier-billups-jones-betting-arrests-4241238cb43d998f1b9eac47b8d326a7">Damon Jones</a>&nbsp;was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>&nbsp;in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prop-bets-nba-scandal-624ce04b410eb3e97806c3c011412476">exploit insider information</a>&nbsp;about players to win bets on NBA games.Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.But he is perhaps&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-arrest-65eb67f6a0ed283ca6dd011d70425df8">most beloved</a>&nbsp;in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons' title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">multiyear extension</a>&nbsp;with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Los Angeles Clippers.After his arrest, he was placed on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/terry-rozier-salary-sports-betting-db662e66f4f56959ad4765d33cf5ced8">unpaid leave</a>&nbsp;and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chauncey-billups-trail-blazers-tiago-splitter-7a126fe382491a95a8d33d0d580ca399">interim coach</a>.

Former Big 12 star enters a plea in NBA gambling scandal 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy "illegal orders."

The Pentagon’s statement, posted on social media, cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other measures.

It is extraordinary for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump's second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical, to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation. It comes after Trump ramped up the rhetoric last week by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">accusing the lawmakers of sedition</a>&nbsp;“punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days after the video was released.

In its statement Monday, the Pentagon suggested that Kelly’s statements in the video interfered with the “loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces” by citing the federal law that prohibits such actions.

“A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures,” the statement said.

In the video posted last Tuesday, Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers who have served in the military or intelligence community to speak “directly to members of the military.” The other lawmakers are Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/slotkin-democratic-response-text-trump-congress-6ba1012264201e715c290da1b8f45bc4">Elissa Slotkin</a>&nbsp;and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who are seen as possible future aspirants for higher office and elevated their political profiles with the video's wide exposure.

Kelly, who was a fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders,” while other lawmakers in the video said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws ... our Constitution.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Kelly was facing investigation because he is the only one of the lawmakers who formally retired from the military and is still under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.

“Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately," Hegseth said on his personal X account. Of the wider group, he added that “their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger.”

Kelly’s office did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on the Pentagon investigation. Speaking Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Kelly said Trump’s words were “very serious” and “carry tremendous weight,” adding that “because of what he says there is now increased threats against us.”

His fellow Democratic Arizona senator, Ruben Gallego, decried the Trump administration for targeting Kelly after he “dedicated his life to serving this country with honor.”

“Mark told the truth — in America, we swear an oath to the Constitution, not wannabe kings,” Gallego posted on social media.

Kelly and the other lawmakers didn’t mention specific circumstances in the video last week, but its release comes as the Trump administration has ordered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the military to blow up small boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean accused of ferrying drugs and continues its attempts at deploying National Guard troops into U.S. cities despite some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">legal setbacks</a>.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said last week that “our military follows orders, and our civilians give legal orders."

Troops, especially uniformed commanders, do have specific obligations to reject orders that are unlawful, if they make that determination.

While commanders have military lawyers on their staffs to consult with in making such a determination, rank-and-file troops who are tasked with carrying out those orders are rarely in a similar position and often have to rely on their superiors.

Broad legal precedence also holds that just following orders — colloquially known as the “Nuremberg defense,” as it was used unsuccessfully by senior Nazi officials to justify their actions under Adolf Hitler — doesn’t absolve troops.

Yet, there has been little reaction online from troops to the lawmakers' video.

A former service member who helps run an online military forum and spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation said the lawmakers’ message is unlikely even to reach troops because the video was posted only on X and was far too long to be reposted on platforms like TikTok where troops actually consume information.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">in a video</a>&nbsp;that called for troops to defy "illegal orders."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764005998423.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Pentagon’s statement, posted on social media, cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other measures.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763674382514.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>It is extraordinary for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump's second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical, to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation. It comes after Trump ramped up the rhetoric last week by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2">accusing the lawmakers of sedition</a>&nbsp;“punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days after the video was released.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In its statement Monday, the Pentagon suggested that Kelly’s statements in the video interfered with the “loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces” by citing the federal law that prohibits such actions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;The White House is supportive of the <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a>&#39;s investigation into Senator Mark Kelly, and I think what Senator Mark Kelly was actually trying to do was intimidate the 1.3M active duty service members who are currently serving... you can&#39;t have a functioning… <a href="https://t.co/F2Aiq6UoP9">https://t.co/F2Aiq6UoP9</a> <a href="https://t.co/QcmQv6cExr">pic.twitter.com/QcmQv6cExr</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1993058026069410266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures,” the statement said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When I was 22 years old, I commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and swore an oath to the Constitution. I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, test pilot school, four space… <a href="https://t.co/jMAlYEozQ6">pic.twitter.com/jMAlYEozQ6</a>&mdash; Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkKelly/status/1993025671757807746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the video posted last Tuesday, Kelly was one of six Democratic lawmakers who have served in the military or intelligence community to speak “directly to members of the military.” The other lawmakers are Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/slotkin-democratic-response-text-trump-congress-6ba1012264201e715c290da1b8f45bc4">Elissa Slotkin</a>&nbsp;and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who are seen as possible future aspirants for higher office and elevated their political profiles with the video's wide exposure.Kelly, who was a fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders,” while other lawmakers in the video said they needed troops to “stand up for our laws ... our Constitution.”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Kelly was facing investigation because he is the only one of the lawmakers who formally retired from the military and is still under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.“Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately," Hegseth said on his personal X account. Of the wider group, he added that “their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger.”Kelly’s office did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on the Pentagon investigation. Speaking Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Kelly said Trump’s words were “very serious” and “carry tremendous weight,” adding that “because of what he says there is now increased threats against us.”His fellow Democratic Arizona senator, Ruben Gallego, decried the Trump administration for targeting Kelly after he “dedicated his life to serving this country with honor.”“Mark told the truth — in America, we swear an oath to the Constitution, not wannabe kings,” Gallego posted on social media.Kelly and the other lawmakers didn’t mention specific circumstances in the video last week, but its release comes as the Trump administration has ordered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the military to blow up small boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean accused of ferrying drugs and continues its attempts at deploying National Guard troops into U.S. cities despite some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-judge-ruling-dc-washington-national-guard-1be5c3744e35f8dd68a6a12fa4583186">legal setbacks</a>.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said last week that “our military follows orders, and our civilians give legal orders."Troops, especially uniformed commanders, do have specific obligations to reject orders that are unlawful, if they make that determination.While commanders have military lawyers on their staffs to consult with in making such a determination, rank-and-file troops who are tasked with carrying out those orders are rarely in a similar position and often have to rely on their superiors.Broad legal precedence also holds that just following orders — colloquially known as the “Nuremberg defense,” as it was used unsuccessfully by senior Nazi officials to justify their actions under Adolf Hitler — doesn’t absolve troops.Yet, there has been little reaction online from troops to the lawmakers' video.A former service member who helps run an online military forum and spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation said the lawmakers’ message is unlikely even to reach troops because the video was posted only on X and was far too long to be reposted on platforms like TikTok where troops actually consume information.

Pentagon investigates U.S. Senator for video urging troops defy ‘illegal orders’

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a shooting that left two dead in Topeka.&nbsp;

Just before 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting at McDonalds restaurant in the 1200 block of SW Gage Boulevard in Topeka, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Jayme Green.

 At the scene, first responders located two victims who were&nbsp;deceased. EMS transported a third victim to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the name of the victims or any additional details on Monday afternoon.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to email telltpd@topeka.org or contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764000702973.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a shooting that left two dead in Topeka.&nbsp;Just before 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting at McDonalds restaurant in the 1200 block of SW Gage Boulevard in Topeka, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Jayme Green. At the scene, first responders located two victims who were&nbsp;deceased. EMS transported a third victim to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police did not release the name of the victims or any additional details on Monday afternoon.Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to email telltpd@topeka.org or contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online

2 dead, 1 wounded in shooting at Kan. fast food restaurant

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday welcomed this year’s official White House Christmas tree, a white fir from a farm in Michigan that arrived by horse-drawn carriage.

The tree, which came from Korson’s Tree Farms, arrived on the North Portico. It was delivered by a pair of Clydesdales named Logan and Ben in a carriage driven by one of three men, all wearing top hats, who were on board.

“It’s a beautiful tree,” the first lady said as she circled the carriage and posed for pictures.

Wearing a cream-colored overcoat and dark red gloves, she shook hands with one of the drivers and a woman who was standing with the horses.

The 18 1/2-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room.

Korson’s Tree Farms secured the honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s national tree contest. The winner of that contest has produced the official White House Christmas tree since 1966.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday welcomed this year’s official White House Christmas tree, a white fir from a farm in Michigan that arrived by horse-drawn carriage.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">First Lady Melania Trump receives the 2025 White House Christmas Tree 🌲 <a href="https://t.co/exxZAN5Qf6">pic.twitter.com/exxZAN5Qf6</a>&mdash; Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstLadyOffice/status/1993045306116866403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“It will be beautiful! We are going to plan, and it’s starting today” <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> ❤️🎄 <a href="https://t.co/bfAMYzQjSQ">pic.twitter.com/bfAMYzQjSQ</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1993006026782826922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">First Lady Melania Trump (<a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>) receives White House Christmas Tree. <a href="https://t.co/jGFkc8IJH8">pic.twitter.com/jGFkc8IJH8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1993005187934347329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tree, which came from Korson’s Tree Farms, arrived on the North Portico. It was delivered by a pair of Clydesdales named Logan and Ben in a carriage driven by one of three men, all wearing top hats, who were on board.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“It will be beautiful! We are going to plan, and it’s starting today” <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> ❤️🎄 <a href="https://t.co/bfAMYzQjSQ">pic.twitter.com/bfAMYzQjSQ</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1993006026782826922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a beautiful tree,” the first lady said as she circled the carriage and posed for pictures.Wearing a cream-colored overcoat and dark red gloves, she shook hands with one of the drivers and a woman who was standing with the horses.The 18 1/2-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room.Korson’s Tree Farms secured the honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s national tree contest. The winner of that contest has produced the official White House Christmas tree since 1966.

🎥First lady welcomes Christmas tree to the White House

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in a 3-vehicle accident just before 5:30p.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.

&nbsp;The Segwick County sheriff's office reported three vehicles, an Amazon delivery van, a Dodge Ram pickup and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. were southbound on 135th Street West at 63rd Street South between K-42 Highway and Clearwater.

The Amazon van’s driver began a U-turn at 63rd Street South in front of the Dodge Ram and the motorcycle, triggering a chain-reaction crash.

First responders found the motorcycle’s driver, 63-year-old Dwayne Wesley Evers of Clearwater, and his passenger, a 58-year-old Clearwater woman, with critical injuries.

Despite life-saving measures, Evers died at the scene. EMS transported the woman motorcycle passenger to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries. The driver of the Dodge Ram, a 70-year-old Clearwater man, was also taken by EMS to a Wichita hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. The Amazon van’s driver, a 25-year-old Wichita man, was not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Investigators do not suspect speed or impairment as a cause of the accident.

After completing the reconstruction, the Sheriff’s Office will forward the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for review.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in a 3-vehicle accident just before 5:30p.m. Saturday in Sedgwick County.&nbsp;The Segwick County sheriff's office reported three vehicles, an Amazon delivery van, a Dodge Ram pickup and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. were southbound on 135th Street West at 63rd Street South between K-42 Highway and Clearwater.The Amazon van’s driver began a U-turn at 63rd Street South in front of the Dodge Ram and the motorcycle, triggering a chain-reaction crash.First responders found the motorcycle’s driver, 63-year-old Dwayne Wesley Evers of Clearwater, and his passenger, a 58-year-old Clearwater woman, with critical injuries.Despite life-saving measures, Evers died at the scene. EMS transported the woman motorcycle passenger to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries. The driver of the Dodge Ram, a 70-year-old Clearwater man, was also taken by EMS to a Wichita hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. The Amazon van’s driver, a 25-year-old Wichita man, was not injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;Investigators do not suspect speed or impairment as a cause of the accident.After completing the reconstruction, the Sheriff’s Office will forward the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Kansas motorcyclist killed in crash with Amazon van, pickup

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump said he has accepted an invitation from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit Beijing and that he reciprocated by inviting Xi for a state visit to the U.S. later next year.

Trump made the announcement a few hours after speaking with Xi on the phone on Monday morning. He said the two men discussed issues including Ukraine, fentanyl, and soybeans. The phone call came nearly one month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-trade-tiktok-tariffs-semiconductors-7934c7772af030ba246ba200adf7bf8b">the two met in person</a>&nbsp;in the South Korean city of Busan.

“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump said.

Beijing, which announced the phone call first, said nothing about the state visits but said the two leaders discussed trade, Taiwan and Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761820813647.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump said he has accepted an invitation from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit Beijing and that he reciprocated by inviting Xi for a state visit to the U.S. later next year.Trump made the announcement a few hours after speaking with Xi on the phone on Monday morning. He said the two men discussed issues including Ukraine, fentanyl, and soybeans. The phone call came nearly one month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-trade-tiktok-tariffs-semiconductors-7934c7772af030ba246ba200adf7bf8b">the two met in person</a>&nbsp;in the South Korean city of Busan.“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump said.Beijing, which announced the phone call first, said nothing about the state visits but said the two leaders discussed trade, Taiwan and Ukraine.

President Trump says he will visit Beijing in April

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/nicky-forster">NICKY FORSTER</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season is starting slowly, and it’s unclear if it will be as bad as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-season-cdc-a640e8fe0bffa4a8f6bdbd7ea8e5608a">last winter’s</a>, but some health experts are worried as U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Friday shows a new version of the virus has emerged.

An early analysis suggests current vaccines may still be somewhat effective against the new version of the flu, which has been the main driver of recent infections, CDC data shows.

Some scientists and medical professionals are more worried about disappointing vaccination rates, a main reason why flu hospitalizations and deaths were unusually bad during last year’s flu season — one of the deadliest this century.

“I think we’re going to see a really severe season,” said Asefeh Faraz Covelli of the George Washington University School of Nursing.

Last winter, the overall flu hospitalization rate was the highest seen since the H1N1 flu pandemic 15 years ago. Flu was the underlying or a contributing cause of more than 18,000 deaths, and one seven-day stretch early this year saw more than 1,800 deaths — the highest one-week spike in at least a decade.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-deaths-children-cdc-e79b1e4169d629ad4bc1095d95d82110">Child flu deaths</a>&nbsp;also were far higher than usual.

CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/usmap.html" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday showed low flu activity so far, with only one state — Louisiana — reporting moderate activity. Most of the reported infections have been in children, said the CDC’s Alicia Budd, who tracks flu infections for the Atlanta-based agency.

Most also have been a new version of the type A H3N2 virus that historically has caused the most hospitalizations and deaths in older people. That type is responsible for most flu infections so far this year, and more than half have been a new subclade K variant that is different from the strain this year’s flu shots were built to fight.

A preliminary&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691349457a0ccd6a3aad7fa9/_Flu_interimVE_2526_.pdf" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the United Kingdom suggests the shots do provide at least partial protection, although it will take some time for scientists to know exactly how effective they are. Experts say any protection that softens the blow of a flu infection is important to get.

Flu seasons tend to get bad between December and February, and illnesses likely will accelerate as people travel and gather for Thanksgiving, Covelli said.

“I think it’s going to start picking up here,” she said. “This is the ideal time to get vaccinated.”

Researchers this year have been facing an unusual struggle to get a handle on how respiratory infection and vaccination rates have been trending.

They usually rely on the CDC for data, but a recent government shutdown halted data collection and reporting just as respiratory infections started ramping up.

Meanwhile, government efforts to promote disease-preventing shots have been more limited since U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was put in charge of the CDC and other federal health agencies. Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist, has fostered uncertainty about the safety of vaccines, including flu shots that contained a preservative called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-flu-vaccine-thimerosal-c5696bbc19f345323153d5336cb5e798">thimerosal</a>.

Indeed, vaccination rates against COVID-19 clearly continue to plummet, with about 6% of children and 14% of adults up to date on their shots, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/vaccination-trends.html" target="_blank">other CDC data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday. Each figure is about 3 percentage points less than it was at this point last fall.

For the flu, vaccination trends are a little muddier. Some sources have suggested flu vaccinations are down. Over two million fewer flu shots were given at U.S. pharmacies through the end of October compared to last year, according to data from IQVIA, a health information and research company.

But the latest CDC data indicates that for children, the vaccination rate this year is about the same as it was at this point last fall, at 34%. And the vaccination rate for adults is up a few percentage points to about 37%, according to the CDC data, which relies on survey information.

It is early in the season and too early to know if the increase will be sustained or what is causing it, CDC officials said.

As of the beginning of November, the U.S. flu hospitalization rate is about the same as it was at the same point in 2024. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and another respiratory virus, RSV, are lower so far this season, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/index.html" target="_blank">another set</a>&nbsp;of CDC data.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764001939646.png" alt="CDC Flu map Nov. 15, 2025" />
 <figcaption>CDC Flu map Nov. 15, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/nicky-forster">NICKY FORSTER</a>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season is starting slowly, and it’s unclear if it will be as bad as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-season-cdc-a640e8fe0bffa4a8f6bdbd7ea8e5608a">last winter’s</a>, but some health experts are worried as U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Friday shows a new version of the virus has emerged.An early analysis suggests current vaccines may still be somewhat effective against the new version of the flu, which has been the main driver of recent infections, CDC data shows.Some scientists and medical professionals are more worried about disappointing vaccination rates, a main reason why flu hospitalizations and deaths were unusually bad during last year’s flu season — one of the deadliest this century.“I think we’re going to see a really severe season,” said Asefeh Faraz Covelli of the George Washington University School of Nursing.Last winter, the overall flu hospitalization rate was the highest seen since the H1N1 flu pandemic 15 years ago. Flu was the underlying or a contributing cause of more than 18,000 deaths, and one seven-day stretch early this year saw more than 1,800 deaths — the highest one-week spike in at least a decade.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flu-deaths-children-cdc-e79b1e4169d629ad4bc1095d95d82110">Child flu deaths</a>&nbsp;also were far higher than usual.CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/usmap.html" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday showed low flu activity so far, with only one state — Louisiana — reporting moderate activity. Most of the reported infections have been in children, said the CDC’s Alicia Budd, who tracks flu infections for the Atlanta-based agency.Most also have been a new version of the type A H3N2 virus that historically has caused the most hospitalizations and deaths in older people. That type is responsible for most flu infections so far this year, and more than half have been a new subclade K variant that is different from the strain this year’s flu shots were built to fight.A preliminary&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691349457a0ccd6a3aad7fa9/_Flu_interimVE_2526_.pdf" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the United Kingdom suggests the shots do provide at least partial protection, although it will take some time for scientists to know exactly how effective they are. Experts say any protection that softens the blow of a flu infection is important to get.Flu seasons tend to get bad between December and February, and illnesses likely will accelerate as people travel and gather for Thanksgiving, Covelli said.“I think it’s going to start picking up here,” she said. “This is the ideal time to get vaccinated.”Researchers this year have been facing an unusual struggle to get a handle on how respiratory infection and vaccination rates have been trending.They usually rely on the CDC for data, but a recent government shutdown halted data collection and reporting just as respiratory infections started ramping up.Meanwhile, government efforts to promote disease-preventing shots have been more limited since U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was put in charge of the CDC and other federal health agencies. Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist, has fostered uncertainty about the safety of vaccines, including flu shots that contained a preservative called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-flu-vaccine-thimerosal-c5696bbc19f345323153d5336cb5e798">thimerosal</a>.Indeed, vaccination rates against COVID-19 clearly continue to plummet, with about 6% of children and 14% of adults up to date on their shots, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/vaccination-trends.html" target="_blank">other CDC data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday. Each figure is about 3 percentage points less than it was at this point last fall.For the flu, vaccination trends are a little muddier. Some sources have suggested flu vaccinations are down. Over two million fewer flu shots were given at U.S. pharmacies through the end of October compared to last year, according to data from IQVIA, a health information and research company.But the latest CDC data indicates that for children, the vaccination rate this year is about the same as it was at this point last fall, at 34%. And the vaccination rate for adults is up a few percentage points to about 37%, according to the CDC data, which relies on survey information.It is early in the season and too early to know if the increase will be sustained or what is causing it, CDC officials said.As of the beginning of November, the U.S. flu hospitalization rate is about the same as it was at the same point in 2024. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 and another respiratory virus, RSV, are lower so far this season, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/index.html" target="_blank">another set</a>&nbsp;of CDC data.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Health experts worry about a new strain of flu and vaccination rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">FBI Director James Comey</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-justice-department-trump-pam-bondi-3da6cd432be74bab32b2ecbfb2e2b451">New York Attorney General Letitia James</a>, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

The rulings from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie halt at least for now a pair of prosecutions that had hastened concerns that the Justice Department was being weaponized to pursue the president’s political adversaries and amount to a stunning rebuke of the Trump administration's legal maneuvering to install a loyal, and inexperienced, prosecutor willing to file the cases.

The orders make Lindsey Halligan the latest Trump administration prosecutor to be disqualified because of the manner in which they were appointed. Both defendants had asked for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the Justice Department would not be able to bring them again. But the judge instead dismissed them without prejudice, though it was not immediately clear if or how the Justice Department might attempt to revive the prosecutions.

The challenge to Halligan's appointment was one piece of a multiprong assault on the indictments by both Comey and James, who had each sought to have their cases dismissed on grounds that the prosecutions were vindictive. Comey's lawyers had also seized on irregularities in the grand jury process in seeking to get the prosecution thrown out. Each of those requests remains pending.

Monday's order deals exclusively with the mechanism the Trump administration employed to appoint Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, to lead one of the Justice Department’s most elite and important offices.

Halligan was named to the job in September after a different interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, was effectively forced out amid pressure from the Trump administration to file charges against Comey and James.

After Siebert resigned, Comey’s lawyers argued, the judges of the federal court district should have had exclusive say over who got to fill the vacancy. Instead, Trump nominated Halligan while publicly imploring Bondi in a social media post to take action against his political opponents, saying in a Truth Social post that “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

Comey was indicted days later on charges of making a false statement and obstructing Congress, and James was charged soon after that in a mortgage fraud investigation.

In a statement, James said, “I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country.”

“I remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day,” the New York attorney general, a Democrat, said.

Judges have separately disqualified interim U.S. attorneys in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Nevada, but have permitted cases brought under their watch to move forward. But lawyers for Comey and James had argued that Currie’s ruling needed to go even further because Halligan was the sole signer of the indictments and the driving force behind them.

Comey has for years been one of Trump’s chief antagonists. Appointed to the job in 2013 by President Barack Obama, Comey, at the time of Trump’s 2016 election, was overseeing an investigation into whether his presidential campaign had conspired with Russia to sway the outcome of the race. Furious over that investigation, Trump fired Comey in May 2017 and the two officials have verbally sparred in the years since.

James has also been a frequent target of Trump’s ire, especially since she won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">a staggering judgment</a>&nbsp;against him and the Trump Organization in a lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks by overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements. An appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-appeal-db39d93feff322eeeeedbc1ff75ccaf3">overturned the fine</a>, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump had committed fraud.

Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak in New York and Lindsay Whitehurst and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758848907803.png" alt="Image from former FBI Director James Comey's&nbsp; Instagram" />
 <figcaption>Image from former FBI Director James Comey's&nbsp; Instagram</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">FBI Director James Comey</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-justice-department-trump-pam-bondi-3da6cd432be74bab32b2ecbfb2e2b451">New York Attorney General Letitia James</a>, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764011114494.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The rulings from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie halt at least for now a pair of prosecutions that had hastened concerns that the Justice Department was being weaponized to pursue the president’s political adversaries and amount to a stunning rebuke of the Trump administration's legal maneuvering to install a loyal, and inexperienced, prosecutor willing to file the cases.The orders make Lindsey Halligan the latest Trump administration prosecutor to be disqualified because of the manner in which they were appointed. Both defendants had asked for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the Justice Department would not be able to bring them again. But the judge instead dismissed them without prejudice, though it was not immediately clear if or how the Justice Department might attempt to revive the prosecutions.The challenge to Halligan's appointment was one piece of a multiprong assault on the indictments by both Comey and James, who had each sought to have their cases dismissed on grounds that the prosecutions were vindictive. Comey's lawyers had also seized on irregularities in the grand jury process in seeking to get the prosecution thrown out. Each of those requests remains pending.Monday's order deals exclusively with the mechanism the Trump administration employed to appoint Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, to lead one of the Justice Department’s most elite and important offices.Halligan was named to the job in September after a different interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, was effectively forced out amid pressure from the Trump administration to file charges against Comey and James.After Siebert resigned, Comey’s lawyers argued, the judges of the federal court district should have had exclusive say over who got to fill the vacancy. Instead, Trump nominated Halligan while publicly imploring Bondi in a social media post to take action against his political opponents, saying in a Truth Social post that “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”Comey was indicted days later on charges of making a false statement and obstructing Congress, and James was charged soon after that in a mortgage fraud investigation.In a statement, James said, “I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country.”“I remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day,” the New York attorney general, a Democrat, said.Judges have separately disqualified interim U.S. attorneys in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Nevada, but have permitted cases brought under their watch to move forward. But lawyers for Comey and James had argued that Currie’s ruling needed to go even further because Halligan was the sole signer of the indictments and the driving force behind them.Comey has for years been one of Trump’s chief antagonists. Appointed to the job in 2013 by President Barack Obama, Comey, at the time of Trump’s 2016 election, was overseeing an investigation into whether his presidential campaign had conspired with Russia to sway the outcome of the race. Furious over that investigation, Trump fired Comey in May 2017 and the two officials have verbally sparred in the years since.James has also been a frequent target of Trump’s ire, especially since she won&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">a staggering judgment</a>&nbsp;against him and the Trump Organization in a lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks by overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements. An appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-appeal-db39d93feff322eeeeedbc1ff75ccaf3">overturned the fine</a>, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump had committed fraud.____Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak in New York and Lindsay Whitehurst and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

Cases dismissed against former FBI Director and NY Attorney General

WILSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 1a.m. Monday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Ram ProMaster van driven by Bradley&nbsp;Plec, 32,&nbsp; Graniteville, South Carolina was westbound on U.S. 400 nine and one half miles north west of Fredonia. The van veered left of center into the eastbound lane and struck a 2025 Volvo semi driven by Sergiu&nbsp; Ionas, 50, Morton Grove, Illinois,&nbsp;head-on near the eastbound shoulder.

Plec was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Ionas to the hospital in Fredonia. Plec was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

WILSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 1a.m. Monday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Ram ProMaster van driven by Bradley&nbsp;Plec, 32,&nbsp; Graniteville, South Carolina was westbound on U.S. 400 nine and one half miles north west of Fredonia. The van veered left of center into the eastbound lane and struck a 2025 Volvo semi driven by Sergiu&nbsp; Ionas, 50, Morton Grove, Illinois,&nbsp;head-on near the eastbound shoulder.Plec was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Ionas to the hospital in Fredonia. Plec was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Driver killed after van, semi head-on crash on Kansas highway

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam that cost a Kansas woman nearly $10,000.

On November, 22, a 72-year-old Salina woman reported receiving an email reportedly from PayPal indicating she had spent $399.99 in Bitcoin purchases on October 29, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

 There was a number attached to the email indicating if she did not make the purchase to call. The victim called and the person they spoke with asked for access to their computer which was granted. 

The suspect advised she had been hacked and he needed to fix the account. A short time later the victim received an email saying the $399.99 was being returned but they had accidentally sent $40,000 to her account. 

When the victim looked at her checking account she observed $40,000. The email asked her to return the money. The person the victim was communicating with asked for a “good Faith” payment of $20,000. The victim refused, then the suspect asked for $9,900. The suspect told her to download Whatsapp and the Bitcoin app for communication purposes.

 The victim also sent pictures of her driver’s license and provided her social security number. The suspect then had the victim drive to Snak Attack at 1619 W. Magnolia in Salina and deposit $9,900 in the Bitcoin machine. The suspect was on the phone with the victim the entire time, according to Captain Feldman.

It was determined the suspect had been able to access the victim’s bank account and move funds to make it look like $40,000 had been transferred into her account. The suspect was reported to have a foreign accent. Total loss was valued at $9,900.

The Salina Police Department remind citizens to not allow anyone to access your computer or provide personal information. If you receive suspicious emails please do not reply or call the numbers attached to the emails. If you have any concerns please call your local police department or contact your bank directly.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam that cost a Kansas woman nearly $10,000.On November, 22, a 72-year-old Salina woman reported receiving an email reportedly from PayPal indicating she had spent $399.99 in Bitcoin purchases on October 29, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. There was a number attached to the email indicating if she did not make the purchase to call. The victim called and the person they spoke with asked for access to their computer which was granted. The suspect advised she had been hacked and he needed to fix the account. A short time later the victim received an email saying the $399.99 was being returned but they had accidentally sent $40,000 to her account. When the victim looked at her checking account she observed $40,000. The email asked her to return the money. The person the victim was communicating with asked for a “good Faith” payment of $20,000. The victim refused, then the suspect asked for $9,900. The suspect told her to download Whatsapp and the Bitcoin app for communication purposes. The victim also sent pictures of her driver’s license and provided her social security number. The suspect then had the victim drive to Snak Attack at 1619 W. Magnolia in Salina and deposit $9,900 in the Bitcoin machine. The suspect was on the phone with the victim the entire time, according to Captain Feldman.It was determined the suspect had been able to access the victim’s bank account and move funds to make it look like $40,000 had been transferred into her account. The suspect was reported to have a foreign accent. Total loss was valued at $9,900.The Salina Police Department remind citizens to not allow anyone to access your computer or provide personal information. If you receive suspicious emails please do not reply or call the numbers attached to the emails. If you have any concerns please call your local police department or contact your bank directly.

Police: Kan. woman lost nearly $10,000 in computer scam

CHELSEA, Mich. (AP) — Old Brick Farm, where Larry Doll raises chickens, turkeys and ducks, was fortunate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/labubu-stranger-things-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-floats-unveiled-cbd2dfc34ff349e4b40df3bcd67a2f1a">this Thanksgiving season</a>.

Doll’s small farm west of Detroit had no cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>, despite an ongoing outbreak that killed more than 2 million U.S. turkeys in the last three months alone. He also avoided another disease, avian metapneumovirus, which causes turkeys to lay fewer eggs.

“I try to keep the operation as clean as possible, and not bringing other animals in from other farms helps mitigate that risk as well,” said Doll, whose farm has been in his family for five generations.

But Doll still saw the impact as those diseases shrank the U.S. turkey flock to a 40-year low this year. The hatchery where he gets his turkey chicks had fewer available this year. He plans to order another 100 hatchlings soon, even though they won’t arrive until July.

“If you don’t get your order in early, you’re not going to get it,” he said.

The shrinking population is expected to cause wholesale turkey prices to rise 44% this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite the increase, many stores are offering discounted or even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-turkeys-dropped-from-airplanes-9865b07e98826a77dd3570c679600f1a">free turkeys</a>&nbsp;to soften the potential blow to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/grocery-chains-vie-for-a-place-on-thanksgiving-tables-with-turkey-dinner-deals-and-store-brands/" target="_blank">Thanksgiving meal budgets</a>. But even if the bird is cheaper than last year, the ingredients to prepare the rest of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-safety-holidays-3584c4cf4d6a7c8bf9d5d6b55e3af66b">the holiday feast</a>&nbsp;may not be.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steel-aluminum-tariffs-trump-70479a1206f9d57a3b65747c17f46b52">Tariffs on imported steel</a>, for example, have increased prices for canned goods.

As of Nov. 17, a basket of 11 Thanksgiving staples — including a 10-pound frozen turkey, 10 Russet potatoes, a box of stuffing and cans of corn, green beans and cranberry sauce – cost $58.81, or 4.1% more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/thanksgiving-dinner-inflation-groceries-buying-power/">than last year</a>, according to Datasembly, a market research company that surveys weekly prices at 150,000 U.S. stores. That’s higher than the average price increase for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">food eaten at home</a>, which rose 2.7% in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Datasembly showed a 2% decline in the retail price of a 10-pound turkey as of Nov. 17. Pricing out Thanksgiving meals isn’t an exact science, and the firm’s tally differed from other estimates.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/cost-of-thanksgiving-dinner-declines" target="_blank">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>, which uses volunteer shoppers in all 50 states to survey prices, reported that Thanksgiving dinner for 10 would cost $55.16 this year, or 5% less than last year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/com/insights/agri-food-intelligence/thanksgiving-food-report/" target="_blank">Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute</a>, using NielsenIQ data from September, estimated that feeding 10 people on Thursday using store-brand products would cost $80 this year, which is 2% to 3% lower than last year’s estimate.

Grocery chains are also offering deals to attract shoppers. Discount grocer Aldi is advertising a $40 meal for 10 with 21 items. Kroger said shoppers could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegetarian-vegan-thanksgiving-tips-19dc237fa13270d9c8fb87b4e9991d8e">feed 10 people</a>&nbsp;for under $50 with its menu of store-brand products.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump touted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-thanksgiving-meal-cost-discounts-0005c70022b7701e0ec0531220673942">Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal basket</a>, which he said was 25% cheaper than last year. But that was because Walmart included a different assortment and fewer products overall this year.

“We’re seeing some promotions being implemented in an effort to draw customers into the store,” David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said.

That’s despite a sharp increase in wholesale turkey prices since August. In the second week of November, frozen 8-16 pound hens were averaging $1.77 per pound, up 81% from the same period last year, according to Mark Jordan, the executive director of Leap Market Analytics, which closely follows the poultry and livestock markets.

Avian viruses are the main culprit. But another reason for turkey’s higher wholesale prices has been an increase in consumer demand as other meats have gotten more expensive, Jordan said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/beef-prices-rising-us">Beef prices</a>&nbsp;were up 14% in September compared to last year, for example.

“For a big chunk of the population, they look at steak cuts and say, ‘I can’t or I don’t want to pay $30 a pound,’” Jordan said.

That’s the case for Paul Nadeau, a retired consultant from Austin, Texas, who plans to smoke a turkey this week. Nadeau said he usually smokes a brisket over Thanksgiving weekend, but the beef brisket he buys would now cost more than $100. Turkey prices are also up at his local H-E-B supermarket, he said, but not by as much.

“I don’t know of anything that’s down in price since last year except for eggs,” Nadeau said.

Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminum are also raising prices. Farok Contractor, a distinguished professor of management and global business at the Rutgers Business School, said customers are paying 10 cents to 40 cents more per can when companies pass on the full cost of tariffs.

Tariffs may be partly to blame for the increased cost of jellied cranberry sauce, which was up 38% from last year in Datasembly’s survey. But weather was also a factor.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cranberries-bog-conservation-wetlands-massachusetts-wisconsin-harvest-ea0af5630d7234d78b361d72d228717f">U.S. cranberry production</a>&nbsp;is expected to be down 9% this year, hurt by drought conditions in Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Illinois, where most of the country’s canning pumpkins are grown, dry weather actually helped pumpkins avoid diseases that are more prevalent in wet conditions, said Raghela Scavuzzo, an associate director of food systems development at the Illinois Farm Bureau and the executive director of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association. Datasembly found that a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix cost 5% less than last year.

Back at Old Brick Farm, which has been in his family since 1864, Doll walked among his turkeys the week before Thanksgiving, patting their heads as they waddled between their warm barn and an open pasture. In a few days, he planned to deliver them to an Amish butcher.

Doll sold all 92 turkeys he raised this year, with customers paying $6.50 per pound for what many tell him is the best turkey they’ve ever tasted. He enjoys a little profit, he said, and the good feeling of supplying a holiday meal.

“I just love it, to think that, you know, not only are we providing them food, but the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving dinner,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763981972972.png" alt="Image courtesy Dillons" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Dillons</figcaption>
 </figure>CHELSEA, Mich. (AP) — Old Brick Farm, where Larry Doll raises chickens, turkeys and ducks, was fortunate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/labubu-stranger-things-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-floats-unveiled-cbd2dfc34ff349e4b40df3bcd67a2f1a">this Thanksgiving season</a>.Doll’s small farm west of Detroit had no cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>, despite an ongoing outbreak that killed more than 2 million U.S. turkeys in the last three months alone. He also avoided another disease, avian metapneumovirus, which causes turkeys to lay fewer eggs.“I try to keep the operation as clean as possible, and not bringing other animals in from other farms helps mitigate that risk as well,” said Doll, whose farm has been in his family for five generations.But Doll still saw the impact as those diseases shrank the U.S. turkey flock to a 40-year low this year. The hatchery where he gets his turkey chicks had fewer available this year. He plans to order another 100 hatchlings soon, even though they won’t arrive until July.“If you don’t get your order in early, you’re not going to get it,” he said.<h2>Thanksgiving costs vary</h2>The shrinking population is expected to cause wholesale turkey prices to rise 44% this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite the increase, many stores are offering discounted or even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-turkeys-dropped-from-airplanes-9865b07e98826a77dd3570c679600f1a">free turkeys</a>&nbsp;to soften the potential blow to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/grocery-chains-vie-for-a-place-on-thanksgiving-tables-with-turkey-dinner-deals-and-store-brands/" target="_blank">Thanksgiving meal budgets</a>. But even if the bird is cheaper than last year, the ingredients to prepare the rest of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-safety-holidays-3584c4cf4d6a7c8bf9d5d6b55e3af66b">the holiday feast</a>&nbsp;may not be.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steel-aluminum-tariffs-trump-70479a1206f9d57a3b65747c17f46b52">Tariffs on imported steel</a>, for example, have increased prices for canned goods.As of Nov. 17, a basket of 11 Thanksgiving staples — including a 10-pound frozen turkey, 10 Russet potatoes, a box of stuffing and cans of corn, green beans and cranberry sauce – cost $58.81, or 4.1% more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/thanksgiving-dinner-inflation-groceries-buying-power/">than last year</a>, according to Datasembly, a market research company that surveys weekly prices at 150,000 U.S. stores. That’s higher than the average price increase for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">food eaten at home</a>, which rose 2.7% in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Datasembly showed a 2% decline in the retail price of a 10-pound turkey as of Nov. 17. Pricing out Thanksgiving meals isn’t an exact science, and the firm’s tally differed from other estimates.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/cost-of-thanksgiving-dinner-declines" target="_blank">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>, which uses volunteer shoppers in all 50 states to survey prices, reported that Thanksgiving dinner for 10 would cost $55.16 this year, or 5% less than last year. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/com/insights/agri-food-intelligence/thanksgiving-food-report/" target="_blank">Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute</a>, using NielsenIQ data from September, estimated that feeding 10 people on Thursday using store-brand products would cost $80 this year, which is 2% to 3% lower than last year’s estimate.<h2>Tempting turkey prices</h2>Grocery chains are also offering deals to attract shoppers. Discount grocer Aldi is advertising a $40 meal for 10 with 21 items. Kroger said shoppers could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vegetarian-vegan-thanksgiving-tips-19dc237fa13270d9c8fb87b4e9991d8e">feed 10 people</a>&nbsp;for under $50 with its menu of store-brand products.Earlier this month, President Donald Trump touted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-thanksgiving-meal-cost-discounts-0005c70022b7701e0ec0531220673942">Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal basket</a>, which he said was 25% cheaper than last year. But that was because Walmart included a different assortment and fewer products overall this year.“We’re seeing some promotions being implemented in an effort to draw customers into the store,” David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said.That’s despite a sharp increase in wholesale turkey prices since August. In the second week of November, frozen 8-16 pound hens were averaging $1.77 per pound, up 81% from the same period last year, according to Mark Jordan, the executive director of Leap Market Analytics, which closely follows the poultry and livestock markets.Avian viruses are the main culprit. But another reason for turkey’s higher wholesale prices has been an increase in consumer demand as other meats have gotten more expensive, Jordan said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/beef-prices-rising-us">Beef prices</a>&nbsp;were up 14% in September compared to last year, for example.“For a big chunk of the population, they look at steak cuts and say, ‘I can’t or I don’t want to pay $30 a pound,’” Jordan said.That’s the case for Paul Nadeau, a retired consultant from Austin, Texas, who plans to smoke a turkey this week. Nadeau said he usually smokes a brisket over Thanksgiving weekend, but the beef brisket he buys would now cost more than $100. Turkey prices are also up at his local H-E-B supermarket, he said, but not by as much.“I don’t know of anything that’s down in price since last year except for eggs,” Nadeau said.<h2>Tariffs and weather</h2>Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminum are also raising prices. Farok Contractor, a distinguished professor of management and global business at the Rutgers Business School, said customers are paying 10 cents to 40 cents more per can when companies pass on the full cost of tariffs.Tariffs may be partly to blame for the increased cost of jellied cranberry sauce, which was up 38% from last year in Datasembly’s survey. But weather was also a factor.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cranberries-bog-conservation-wetlands-massachusetts-wisconsin-harvest-ea0af5630d7234d78b361d72d228717f">U.S. cranberry production</a>&nbsp;is expected to be down 9% this year, hurt by drought conditions in Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.In Illinois, where most of the country’s canning pumpkins are grown, dry weather actually helped pumpkins avoid diseases that are more prevalent in wet conditions, said Raghela Scavuzzo, an associate director of food systems development at the Illinois Farm Bureau and the executive director of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association. Datasembly found that a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix cost 5% less than last year.<h2>Farm to table</h2>Back at Old Brick Farm, which has been in his family since 1864, Doll walked among his turkeys the week before Thanksgiving, patting their heads as they waddled between their warm barn and an open pasture. In a few days, he planned to deliver them to an Amish butcher.Doll sold all 92 turkeys he raised this year, with customers paying $6.50 per pound for what many tell him is the best turkey they’ve ever tasted. He enjoys a little profit, he said, and the good feeling of supplying a holiday meal.“I just love it, to think that, you know, not only are we providing them food, but the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving dinner,” he said.___

Stores keep prices down in a tough year for Thanksgiving turkey

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend hit-and-run have made an arrest.

Just after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to a call about a pedestrian hit near Central and Hillside in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders found a a man who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated the victim and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified in booking records as 27-year-old Chance M. Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony Hit and Run Resulting in a Death.&nbsp;

Anyone with more information is urged to contact Accident Follow-Up detectives at 316-350-3686. Tips can also be anonymously submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763948742947.png" alt="Photo Courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend hit-and-run have made an arrest.Just after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to a call about a pedestrian hit near Central and Hillside in Wichita, according to a media release from Wichita Police. First responders found a a man who had been struck by multiple vehicles. Wichita Fire Department personnel extricated the victim and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763983059541.png" alt="FLORES-LEACH -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>FLORES-LEACH -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Initial investigation indicated the pedestrian was hit by three different vehicles. Two drivers stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The third vehicle fled but was later located by officers. The driver, identified in booking records as 27-year-old Chance M. Flores-Leach was initially outstanding but was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony Hit and Run Resulting in a Death.&nbsp;Anyone with more information is urged to contact Accident Follow-Up detectives at 316-350-3686. Tips can also be anonymously submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Fatal crash: Pedestrian struck by 3 vehicles, 1 Kan. driver arrested

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident involving three individuals who entered private property without authorization, climbed a secured tower, and parachuted from the structure, according to a statement from the Shawnee County Sheriff.

"While no injuries were reported, this type of activity is extremely dangerous and illegal."

"Climbing restricted towers poses significant risks, including electrocution, falls from great heights, and structural failures."

"Unauthorized parachute jumps endanger not only the individuals involved but also nearby residents and first responders who must address the situation."

The sheriff's office reminded the public that trespassing on private or secured property is a criminal offense, and high-risk stunts like this can quickly turn deadly.

If you have any information on this incident or if you see suspicious activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.Thank you for helping us keep Shawnee County safe!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763859634187.png" alt="Image from security camera provided by the Shawnee County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera provided by the Shawnee County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident involving three individuals who entered private property without authorization, climbed a secured tower, and parachuted from the structure, according to a statement from the Shawnee County Sheriff."While no injuries were reported, this type of activity is extremely dangerous and illegal."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763859280555.png" alt="Image Shwnee County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Shwnee County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>"Climbing restricted towers poses significant risks, including electrocution, falls from great heights, and structural failures.""Unauthorized parachute jumps endanger not only the individuals involved but also nearby residents and first responders who must address the situation."The sheriff's office reminded the public that trespassing on private or secured property is a criminal offense, and high-risk stunts like this can quickly turn deadly.If you have any information on this incident or if you see suspicious activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.Thank you for helping us keep Shawnee County safe!

Sheriff: 3 parachute from secured Kan. tower on private property

NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died at 81.

His family posted a message Monday on his social media sites that he died from a “seizure followed by pneumonia.” Additional information was not immediately available.

“”To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career,” the announcement reads in part. “He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”

Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for catchphrases and topical lyrics who joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh. By the early 1970s, he had accepted director Perry Henzell’s offer to star in a film about an aspiring reggae musician, Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin, who turns to crime when his career stalls. Henzell named the movie “The Harder They Come” after suggesting the title as a possible song for Cliff.

“Ivanhoe was a real-life character for Jamaicans,” Cliff told Variety in 2022, upon the film’s 50th anniversary. “When I was a little boy, I used to hear about him as being a bad man. A real bad man. No one in Jamaica, at that time, had guns. But he had guns and shot a policeman, so he was someone to be feared. However, being a hero was the manner in which Perry wanted to make his name — an anti-hero in the way that Hollywood turns its bad guys into heroes.”

“The Harder They Come,” delayed for some two years because of sporadic funding, was the first major commercial release to come out of Jamaica. It sold few tickets in its initial run, despite praise from Roger Ebert and other critics. But it now stands as a cultural touchstone, with a soundtrack widely cited as among the greatest ever and as a turning point in reggae’s worldwide rise.

For a brief time, Cliff rivaled Marley as the genre’s most prominent artist. On an album that included Toots and the Maytals, the Slickers and Desmond Dekker, Cliff was the featured artist on four out of 11 songs, all well placed in the reggae canon.

“Sitting in Limbo” was a moody, but hopeful take on a life in restless motion. “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and the title song were calls for action and vows of final payments: “The harder they come, the harder they fall, one and all.” Cliff otherwise lets out a weary cry on “Many Rivers to Cross,” a gospel-style testament that he wrote after confronting racism in England in the 1960s.

“It was a very frustrating time. I came to England with very big hopes, and I saw my hopes fading,” he told Rolling Stone in 2012.

Cliff’s career peaked with “The Harder They Come,” but, after a break in the late 1970s, he worked steadily for decades, whether session work with the Rolling Stones or collaborations with Wyclef Jean, Sting and Annie Lennox among others. Meanwhile, his early music lived on. The Sandinistas in Nicaragua used “You Can Get it If You Really Want” as a campaign theme and Bruce Springsteen helped expand Cliff’s U.S. audience with his live cover of the reggae star’s “Trapped,” featured on the million-selling charity album from 1985, “We Are the World.” Others performing his songs included John Lennon, Cher and UB40.

Cliff was nominated for seven Grammys and won twice for best reggae album: in 1986 for “Cliff Hanger” and in 2012 for the well-named “Rebirth,” widely regarded as his best work in years. His other albums included the Grammy-nominated “The Power and the Glory,” “Humanitarian” and the 2022 release “Refugees.” He also performed on Steve Van Zandt’s protest anthem, “Sun City,” and acted in the Robin Williams comedy “Club Paradise,” for which he contributed a handful of songs to the soundtrack and sang with Elvis Costello on the rocker “Seven Day Weekend.”

In 2010, Cliff was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He was born James Chambers in suburban Saint James and, like Ivan Martin in “The Harder They Come,” moved to Kingston in his youth to become a musician. In the early 1960s, Jamaica was gaining its independence from Britain and the early sounds of reggae — first called ska and rocksteady — were catching on. Calling himself Jimmy Cliff, he had a handful of local hits, including “King of Kings” and “Miss Jamaica,” and, after overcoming the kinds of barriers that upended Martin, was called on to help represent his country at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.

“(Reggae) is a pure music. It was born of the poorer class of people,” he told Spin in 2022. “It came from the need for recognition, identity and respect.”

<figure>
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 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died at 81.His family posted a message Monday on his social media sites that he died from a “seizure followed by pneumonia.” Additional information was not immediately available.“”To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career,” the announcement reads in part. “He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for catchphrases and topical lyrics who joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh. By the early 1970s, he had accepted director Perry Henzell’s offer to star in a film about an aspiring reggae musician, Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin, who turns to crime when his career stalls. Henzell named the movie “The Harder They Come” after suggesting the title as a possible song for Cliff.“Ivanhoe was a real-life character for Jamaicans,” Cliff told Variety in 2022, upon the film’s 50th anniversary. “When I was a little boy, I used to hear about him as being a bad man. A real bad man. No one in Jamaica, at that time, had guns. But he had guns and shot a policeman, so he was someone to be feared. However, being a hero was the manner in which Perry wanted to make his name — an anti-hero in the way that Hollywood turns its bad guys into heroes.”“The Harder They Come,” delayed for some two years because of sporadic funding, was the first major commercial release to come out of Jamaica. It sold few tickets in its initial run, despite praise from Roger Ebert and other critics. But it now stands as a cultural touchstone, with a soundtrack widely cited as among the greatest ever and as a turning point in reggae’s worldwide rise.For a brief time, Cliff rivaled Marley as the genre’s most prominent artist. On an album that included Toots and the Maytals, the Slickers and Desmond Dekker, Cliff was the featured artist on four out of 11 songs, all well placed in the reggae canon.“Sitting in Limbo” was a moody, but hopeful take on a life in restless motion. “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and the title song were calls for action and vows of final payments: “The harder they come, the harder they fall, one and all.” Cliff otherwise lets out a weary cry on “Many Rivers to Cross,” a gospel-style testament that he wrote after confronting racism in England in the 1960s.“It was a very frustrating time. I came to England with very big hopes, and I saw my hopes fading,” he told Rolling Stone in 2012.<h2>The music lives on</h2>Cliff’s career peaked with “The Harder They Come,” but, after a break in the late 1970s, he worked steadily for decades, whether session work with the Rolling Stones or collaborations with Wyclef Jean, Sting and Annie Lennox among others. Meanwhile, his early music lived on. The Sandinistas in Nicaragua used “You Can Get it If You Really Want” as a campaign theme and Bruce Springsteen helped expand Cliff’s U.S. audience with his live cover of the reggae star’s “Trapped,” featured on the million-selling charity album from 1985, “We Are the World.” Others performing his songs included John Lennon, Cher and UB40.Cliff was nominated for seven Grammys and won twice for best reggae album: in 1986 for “Cliff Hanger” and in 2012 for the well-named “Rebirth,” widely regarded as his best work in years. His other albums included the Grammy-nominated “The Power and the Glory,” “Humanitarian” and the 2022 release “Refugees.” He also performed on Steve Van Zandt’s protest anthem, “Sun City,” and acted in the Robin Williams comedy “Club Paradise,” for which he contributed a handful of songs to the soundtrack and sang with Elvis Costello on the rocker “Seven Day Weekend.”In 2010, Cliff was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.He was born James Chambers in suburban Saint James and, like Ivan Martin in “The Harder They Come,” moved to Kingston in his youth to become a musician. In the early 1960s, Jamaica was gaining its independence from Britain and the early sounds of reggae — first called ska and rocksteady — were catching on. Calling himself Jimmy Cliff, he had a handful of local hits, including “King of Kings” and “Miss Jamaica,” and, after overcoming the kinds of barriers that upended Martin, was called on to help represent his country at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.“(Reggae) is a pure music. It was born of the poorer class of people,” he told Spin in 2022. “It came from the need for recognition, identity and respect.”<h2>Approaching stardom</h2>His popularity grew over the second half of the 1960s, and he signed with Island Records, the world’s leading reggae label. Island founder Chris Blackwell tried in vain to market him to rock audiences, but Cliff still managed to reach new listeners. He had a hit with a cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World,” and reached the top 10 in the UK with the uplifting “Wonderful World, Beautiful People.” Cliff’s widely heard protest chant, “Vietnam,” was inspired in part by a friend who had served in the war and returned damaged beyond recognition.His success as a recording artist and concert performer led Henzell to seek a meeting with him and flatter him into accepting the part: “You know, I think you’re a better actor than singer,” Cliff remembered him saying. Aware that “The Harder They Come” could be a breakthrough for Jamaican cinema, he openly wished for stardom, although Cliff remained surprised by how well known he became.“Back in those days there were few of us African descendants who came through the cracks to get any kind of recognition,′ he told The Guardian in 2021. “It was easier in music than movies. But when you start to see your face and name on the side of the buses in London that was like: ‘Wow, what’s going on?’”