KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Law enforcement are investigating a series of homicides in Kansas City since last Friday.

Just after 11pm Monday, police were dispatched to a medical call in the 3000 block of Mersington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.&nbsp; First responders found a man later identified as 51-year-old Eric Stennis unresponsive in the street with unknown significant injuries. EMS treated him but ultimately declared him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Based on preliminary information from people who were at the scene when officers arrived Stennis had an interaction with unknown subject(s) nearby that led to him being injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;Through investigation, detectives&nbsp; identified a subject of interest, an adult male, and he is in custody, according to Becchina.

Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were called to report of a shooting in the 9800 block of Marsh, according to KCPD Officer Phil DiMartino. First responders located two shooting victims, a man and woman later identified as 32-year-old&nbsp;Derrick D. Rhodes and 30-year-old&nbsp;Aminah C. Johnson, in the front of a residence there.

 Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over. EMS transported both victims to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries. Initial responding officers took one adult male subject of interest into custody for further investigation. Late Monday afternoon detectives were notified that both Rhodes and Johnson were declared deceased at the hospital.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance took place at the residence, between multiple subjects known to each other, which escalated into gunfire that struck both the deceased victims.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 5600 block of E 29th Street on a reported shooting. Upon arrival officers were directed to the front yard of a residence on 29th street. They located a Ahmed suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel responded and pronounced her deceased on scene.

Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

Just before 4a.m. Saturday, police responded to the 4300 block of North Corrington regarding a follow up to a missing persons investigation, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. First respondes were directed to a motel room where they located a man and woman. Both were suffering from gun shot wounds and were pronounced deceased on scene. Police have not reported an arrest.

Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. First responders found a man lying in the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics responded and pronounced the victim deceased.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. March 26, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte. First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced the victim deceased on scene.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743107951249.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation March 26-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation March 26-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Law enforcement are investigating a series of homicides in Kansas City since last Friday.Just after 11pm Monday, police were dispatched to a medical call in the 3000 block of Mersington, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.&nbsp; First responders found a man later identified as 51-year-old Eric Stennis unresponsive in the street with unknown significant injuries. EMS treated him but ultimately declared him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Based on preliminary information from people who were at the scene when officers arrived Stennis had an interaction with unknown subject(s) nearby that led to him being injured.&nbsp;&nbsp;Through investigation, detectives&nbsp; identified a subject of interest, an adult male, and he is in custody, according to Becchina.Just before 2p.m. Monday, police were called to report of a shooting in the 9800 block of Marsh, according to KCPD Officer Phil DiMartino. First responders located two shooting victims, a man and woman later identified as 32-year-old&nbsp;Derrick D. Rhodes and 30-year-old&nbsp;Aminah C. Johnson, in the front of a residence there. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over. EMS transported both victims to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries. Initial responding officers took one adult male subject of interest into custody for further investigation. Late Monday afternoon detectives were notified that both Rhodes and Johnson were declared deceased at the hospital.Preliminary investigation indicates that a disturbance took place at the residence, between multiple subjects known to each other, which escalated into gunfire that struck both the deceased victims.Just before 7p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 5600 block of E 29th Street on a reported shooting. Upon arrival officers were directed to the front yard of a residence on 29th street. They located a Ahmed suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel responded and pronounced her deceased on scene.Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.Just before 4a.m. Saturday, police responded to the 4300 block of North Corrington regarding a follow up to a missing persons investigation, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. First respondes were directed to a motel room where they located a man and woman. Both were suffering from gun shot wounds and were pronounced deceased on scene. Police have not reported an arrest.Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. First responders found a man lying in the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics responded and pronounced the victim deceased.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in this case.Just before&nbsp;7:30p.m. March 26, patrol&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the&nbsp;3700&nbsp;block&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte. First responders were directed to the parking lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;a convenience&nbsp;store at the corner&nbsp;of&nbsp;St.&nbsp;John&nbsp;and Monroe. They found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. They immediately began performing life saving measures and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS pronounced the victim deceased on scene.This is being investigated as a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest.

8 homicide victims in Kansas City over the past week

WASHINGTON (AP) — The final U.S. soldier who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-pabrade-us-soldiers-military-training-c89957fc6a62da8624202095920630e1">went missing in Lithuania</a>&nbsp;has been found dead, bringing to an end a massive weeklong search for the four service members whose armored vehicle was pulled from a swampy training area, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-us-soldiers-lithuania-armored-vehicle-pabrade-452f254b648ff36d3bc7b155ba705144">The bodies of the three other soldiers</a>&nbsp;were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and authorities dug the M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in the town of Pabradė.

The Army released the identities of the three soldiers recovered Monday, but the fourth soldier’s name has not been made public as family notifications continue. They were Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.

The soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing a week ago, the Army said.

“This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said in a statement Tuesday. “Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.”

Hundreds of Lithuanian and U.S. soldiers and rescuers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-us-soldiers-swamp-lithuania-drain-f82b38c4598044f2b7f3800ad17013f7">took part in the search</a>&nbsp;through the thick forests and swampy terrain around Pabradė, 6 miles (10 kilometers) west of the border with Belarus. The 63-ton (126,000-pound) armored vehicle was discovered March 26 submerged in 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water, but it took days to pull it out of the bog.

Lithuanian armed forces provided military helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems and search and rescue personnel. They brought in additional excavators, sluice and slurry pumps, other heavy construction equipment, technical experts and several hundred tons of gravel and earth to help the recovery.

Navy divers maneuvered through thick layers of mud, clay and sediment with zero visibility to reach the vehicle Sunday evening and attach steel cables so it could be pulled out. When just three of the four bodies were found, the divers began a search of the bog area for the fourth.

Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, expressed gratitude to the U.S. allies who sent troops and equipment to help in the search and recovery.

“I can’t say enough about the support our Lithuanian Allies have provided us. We have leaned on them, and they, alongside our Polish and Estonian Allies — and our own Sailors, Airmen and experts from the Corps of Engineers — have enabled us to find and bring home our Soldiers,” Donahue said in the statement. “This is a tragic event, but it reinforces what it means to have Allies and friends.”

According to the 3rd Infantry Division, Duenez was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer and had served more than seven years in the Army. He deployed to Poland in 2021 and Germany in 2022, and he was currently serving in the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment.

“Sgt. Jose Duenez will always hold a special place in our hearts. As both a leader and a soldier, he set an example every day — always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance,” said Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, a commander in his squadron.

Franco was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer who had been in the Army for more than six years. He deployed to Korea in 2020 and Germany in 2022.

Wellens said Franco’s “infectious smile and genuine joy in being with his team were matched only by the tenacity and drive. He never asked more of his soldiers than he was willing to give himself — a true testament to his character.”

Taitano was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer. He had been in the Army for nearly two years, and this was his first deployment.

Cpt. Matthew Lund, another 5th Squadron commander, said “Taitano will always be remembered as the spark of the team. He wore a smile on his face no matter the environment or task and constantly brought the team together with his charisma and laughter.”

Approximately 3,500 soldiers from the brigade deployed in January to locations across Poland and the Baltic states for a nine-month rotation as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which supports NATO allies and partners following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“This loss is simply devastating,” said Norrie, the 3rd Infantry Division commander. “We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our Soldiers” during this difficult time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743588047163.png" alt="This combination of images shows from left, Army Pfc. Dante D. Tatiana, 21, of Dededo, Guam, Sgt. Edwin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, Calif., and Sgt. Jose Duenez, 25, of Joliet, Ill., three of the four soldiers who were killed in a training accident near Pabradė, Lithuania, in March 2025.(Department of Defense via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This combination of images shows from left, Army Pfc. Dante D. Tatiana, 21, of Dededo, Guam, Sgt. Edwin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, Calif., and Sgt. Jose Duenez, 25, of Joliet, Ill., three of the four soldiers who were killed in a training accident near Pabradė, Lithuania, in March 2025.(Department of Defense via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The final U.S. soldier who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-pabrade-us-soldiers-military-training-c89957fc6a62da8624202095920630e1">went missing in Lithuania</a>&nbsp;has been found dead, bringing to an end a massive weeklong search for the four service members whose armored vehicle was pulled from a swampy training area, the U.S. military said Tuesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-us-soldiers-lithuania-armored-vehicle-pabrade-452f254b648ff36d3bc7b155ba705144">The bodies of the three other soldiers</a>&nbsp;were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and authorities dug the M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in the town of Pabradė.The Army released the identities of the three soldiers recovered Monday, but the fourth soldier’s name has not been made public as family notifications continue. They were Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.The soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing a week ago, the Army said.“This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said in a statement Tuesday. “Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.”Hundreds of Lithuanian and U.S. soldiers and rescuers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-us-soldiers-swamp-lithuania-drain-f82b38c4598044f2b7f3800ad17013f7">took part in the search</a>&nbsp;through the thick forests and swampy terrain around Pabradė, 6 miles (10 kilometers) west of the border with Belarus. The 63-ton (126,000-pound) armored vehicle was discovered March 26 submerged in 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water, but it took days to pull it out of the bog.Lithuanian armed forces provided military helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems and search and rescue personnel. They brought in additional excavators, sluice and slurry pumps, other heavy construction equipment, technical experts and several hundred tons of gravel and earth to help the recovery.Navy divers maneuvered through thick layers of mud, clay and sediment with zero visibility to reach the vehicle Sunday evening and attach steel cables so it could be pulled out. When just three of the four bodies were found, the divers began a search of the bog area for the fourth.Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, expressed gratitude to the U.S. allies who sent troops and equipment to help in the search and recovery.“I can’t say enough about the support our Lithuanian Allies have provided us. We have leaned on them, and they, alongside our Polish and Estonian Allies — and our own Sailors, Airmen and experts from the Corps of Engineers — have enabled us to find and bring home our Soldiers,” Donahue said in the statement. “This is a tragic event, but it reinforces what it means to have Allies and friends.”According to the 3rd Infantry Division, Duenez was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer and had served more than seven years in the Army. He deployed to Poland in 2021 and Germany in 2022, and he was currently serving in the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment.“Sgt. Jose Duenez will always hold a special place in our hearts. As both a leader and a soldier, he set an example every day — always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance,” said Capt. Madyson K. Wellens, a commander in his squadron.Franco was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer who had been in the Army for more than six years. He deployed to Korea in 2020 and Germany in 2022.Wellens said Franco’s “infectious smile and genuine joy in being with his team were matched only by the tenacity and drive. He never asked more of his soldiers than he was willing to give himself — a true testament to his character.”Taitano was also an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer. He had been in the Army for nearly two years, and this was his first deployment.Cpt. Matthew Lund, another 5th Squadron commander, said “Taitano will always be remembered as the spark of the team. He wore a smile on his face no matter the environment or task and constantly brought the team together with his charisma and laughter.”Approximately 3,500 soldiers from the brigade deployed in January to locations across Poland and the Baltic states for a nine-month rotation as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which supports NATO allies and partners following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.“This loss is simply devastating,” said Norrie, the 3rd Infantry Division commander. “We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our Soldiers” during this difficult time.

Fourth US soldier found deceased in Lithuania after vehicle sank in swamp

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3000 block of York in Kansas City, Mo., according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First arriving crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single story home.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear for human life. Occupants were able to escape. One dog was rescued and one dog was removed but did not survive. There were no other injuries. Officials have not released a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743535140411.png" alt="Photo KDFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KDFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3000 block of York in Kansas City, Mo., according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First arriving crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single story home.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear for human life. Occupants were able to escape. One dog was rescued and one dog was removed but did not survive. There were no other injuries. Officials have not released a damage estimate.

Family pet dies in Kansas City house fire

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Val Kilmer, the brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in "Top Gun," donned a voluminous cape as Batman in "Batman Forever" and portrayed Jim Morrison in "The Doors," has died. He was 65.

Kilmer died Tuesday night in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said in an email to The Associated Press. The Times was the first to report his death on Tuesday.

Val Kilmer died from pneumonia. He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies.

"I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed," he says toward the end of "Val," the 2021 documentary on his career. "And I am blessed."

Kilmer, the youngest actor ever accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School at the time he attended, experienced the ups and downs of fame more dramatically than most. His break came in 1984's spy spoof "Top Secret!" followed by the comedy "Real Genius" in 1985. Kilmer would later show his comedy chops again in films including "MacGruber" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."

His movie career hit its zenith in the early 1990s as he made a name for himself as a dashing leading man, starring alongside Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton in 1993's "Tombstone," as Elvis' ghost in "True Romance" and as a bank-robbing demolition expert in Michael Mann's 1995 film "Heat" with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

"While working with Val on 'Heat' I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val's possessing and expressing character," director Michael Mann said in a statement Tuesday night.

Actor Josh Brolin, a friend of Kilmer, was among others paying tribute.

"You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker," Brolin wrote on Instagram. "There's not a lot left of those."

Kilmer — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in "Tombstone," he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Morrison, he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year.

That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defending himself by emphasizing art over commerce.

"In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio," he wrote in his memoir, "I'm Your Huckleberry."

One of his more iconic roles — hotshot pilot Tom "Iceman" Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise — almost didn't happen. Kilmer was courted by director Tony Scott for "Top Gun" but initially balked. "I didn't want the part. I didn't care about the film. The story didn't interest me," he wrote in his memoir. He agreed after being promised that his role would improve from the initial script. He would reprise the role in the film's 2022 sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick."

One career nadir was playing Batman in Joel Schumacher's goofy, garish "Batman Forever" with Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O'Donnell's Robin — before George Clooney took up the mantle for 1997's "Batman &amp; Robin" and after Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in 1989's "Batman" and 1992's "Batman Returns."

Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Kilmer was "hamstrung by the straight-man aspects of the role," while Roger Ebert deadpanned that he was a "completely acceptable" substitute for Keaton. Kilmer, who was one and done as Batman, blamed much of his performance on the suit.

"When you're in it, you can barely move and people have to help you stand up and sit down," Kilmer said in "Val," in lines spoken by his son Jack, who voiced the part of his father in the film because of his inability to speak. "You also can't hear anything and after a while people stop talking to you, it's very isolating. It was a struggle for me to get a performance past the suit, and it was frustrating until I realized that my role in the film was just to show up and stand where I was told to."

His next projects were the film version of the 1960s TV series "The Saint" — fussily putting on wigs, accents and glasses — and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" with Marlon Brando, which became one of the decade's most infamously cursed productions.

David Gregory's 2014 documentary "Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau," described a cursed set that included a hurricane, Kilmer bullying director Richard Stanley, the firing of Stanley via fax (who sneaked back on set as an extra with a mask on) and extensive rewrites by Kilmer and Brando. The older actor told the younger at one point: "'It's a job now, Val. A lark. We'll get through it.' I was as sad as I've ever been on a set," Kilmer wrote in his memoir.

In 1996, Entertainment Weekly ran a cover story about Kilmer titled "The Man Hollywood Loves to Hate." The directors Schumacher and John Frankenheimer, who finished "The Island of Dr. Moreau," said he was difficult. Frankenheimer said there were two things he would never do: "Climb Mount Everest and work with Val Kilmer again."

Other artists came to his defense, like D. J. Caruso, who directed Kilmer in "The Salton Sea" and said the actor simply liked to talk out scenes and enjoyed having a director's attention.

"Val needs to immerse himself in a character. I think what happened with directors like Frankenheimer and Schumacher is that Val would ask a lot of questions, and a guy like Schumacher would say, 'You're Batman! Just go do it,'" Caruso told The New York Times in 2002.

After "The Island of Dr. Moreau," the movies were smaller, like David Mamet human-trafficking thriller "Spartan"; "Joe the King" in 1999, in which he played a paunchy, abusive alcoholic; and playing the doomed '70s porn star John Holmes in 2003's "Wonderland." He also threw himself into his one-man stage show "Citizen Twain," in which he played Mark Twain.

"I enjoy the depth and soul the piece has that Twain had for his fellow man and America," he told Variety in 2018. "And the comedy that's always so close to the surface, and how valuable his genius is for us today."

Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Chatsworth High School alongside future Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and future Emmy winner Mare Winningham. At 17, he was the youngest drama student ever admitted at the Juilliard School in 1981.

Shortly after he left for Juilliard, his younger brother, 15-year-old Wesley, suffered an epileptic seizure in the family's Jacuzzi and died on the way to the hospital. Wesley was an aspiring filmmaker when he died.

"I miss him and miss his things. I have his art up. I like to think about what he would have created. I'm still inspired by him," Kilmer told the Times.

While still at Juilliard, Kilmer co-wrote and appeared in the play "How It All Began" and later turned down a role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders" for the Broadway play, "Slab Boys," alongside Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn.

Kilmer published two books of poetry (including "My Edens After Burns") and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for spoken word album for "The Mark of Zorro." He was also a visual artist and a lifelong Christian Scientist.

He dated Cher, married and divorced actor Joanne Whalley. He is survived by their two children, Mercedes and Jack.

"I have no regrets," Kilmer told the AP in 2021. "I've witness and experienced miracles."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743586690530.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Val Kilmer, the brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in "Top Gun," donned a voluminous cape as Batman in "Batman Forever" and portrayed Jim Morrison in "The Doors," has died. He was 65.Kilmer died Tuesday night in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said in an email to The Associated Press. The Times was the first to report his death on Tuesday.Val Kilmer died from pneumonia. He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies."I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed," he says toward the end of "Val," the 2021 documentary on his career. "And I am blessed."Kilmer, the youngest actor ever accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School at the time he attended, experienced the ups and downs of fame more dramatically than most. His break came in 1984's spy spoof "Top Secret!" followed by the comedy "Real Genius" in 1985. Kilmer would later show his comedy chops again in films including "MacGruber" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."His movie career hit its zenith in the early 1990s as he made a name for himself as a dashing leading man, starring alongside Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton in 1993's "Tombstone," as Elvis' ghost in "True Romance" and as a bank-robbing demolition expert in Michael Mann's 1995 film "Heat" with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro."While working with Val on 'Heat' I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val's possessing and expressing character," director Michael Mann said in a statement Tuesday night.Actor Josh Brolin, a friend of Kilmer, was among others paying tribute."You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker," Brolin wrote on Instagram. "There's not a lot left of those."Kilmer — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in "Tombstone," he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Morrison, he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year.That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defending himself by emphasizing art over commerce."In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio," he wrote in his memoir, "I'm Your Huckleberry."One of his more iconic roles — hotshot pilot Tom "Iceman" Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise — almost didn't happen. Kilmer was courted by director Tony Scott for "Top Gun" but initially balked. "I didn't want the part. I didn't care about the film. The story didn't interest me," he wrote in his memoir. He agreed after being promised that his role would improve from the initial script. He would reprise the role in the film's 2022 sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick."One career nadir was playing Batman in Joel Schumacher's goofy, garish "Batman Forever" with Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O'Donnell's Robin — before George Clooney took up the mantle for 1997's "Batman &amp; Robin" and after Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in 1989's "Batman" and 1992's "Batman Returns."Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Kilmer was "hamstrung by the straight-man aspects of the role," while Roger Ebert deadpanned that he was a "completely acceptable" substitute for Keaton. Kilmer, who was one and done as Batman, blamed much of his performance on the suit."When you're in it, you can barely move and people have to help you stand up and sit down," Kilmer said in "Val," in lines spoken by his son Jack, who voiced the part of his father in the film because of his inability to speak. "You also can't hear anything and after a while people stop talking to you, it's very isolating. It was a struggle for me to get a performance past the suit, and it was frustrating until I realized that my role in the film was just to show up and stand where I was told to."His next projects were the film version of the 1960s TV series "The Saint" — fussily putting on wigs, accents and glasses — and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" with Marlon Brando, which became one of the decade's most infamously cursed productions.David Gregory's 2014 documentary "Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau," described a cursed set that included a hurricane, Kilmer bullying director Richard Stanley, the firing of Stanley via fax (who sneaked back on set as an extra with a mask on) and extensive rewrites by Kilmer and Brando. The older actor told the younger at one point: "'It's a job now, Val. A lark. We'll get through it.' I was as sad as I've ever been on a set," Kilmer wrote in his memoir.In 1996, Entertainment Weekly ran a cover story about Kilmer titled "The Man Hollywood Loves to Hate." The directors Schumacher and John Frankenheimer, who finished "The Island of Dr. Moreau," said he was difficult. Frankenheimer said there were two things he would never do: "Climb Mount Everest and work with Val Kilmer again."Other artists came to his defense, like D. J. Caruso, who directed Kilmer in "The Salton Sea" and said the actor simply liked to talk out scenes and enjoyed having a director's attention."Val needs to immerse himself in a character. I think what happened with directors like Frankenheimer and Schumacher is that Val would ask a lot of questions, and a guy like Schumacher would say, 'You're Batman! Just go do it,'" Caruso told The New York Times in 2002.After "The Island of Dr. Moreau," the movies were smaller, like David Mamet human-trafficking thriller "Spartan"; "Joe the King" in 1999, in which he played a paunchy, abusive alcoholic; and playing the doomed '70s porn star John Holmes in 2003's "Wonderland." He also threw himself into his one-man stage show "Citizen Twain," in which he played Mark Twain."I enjoy the depth and soul the piece has that Twain had for his fellow man and America," he told Variety in 2018. "And the comedy that's always so close to the surface, and how valuable his genius is for us today."Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Chatsworth High School alongside future Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and future Emmy winner Mare Winningham. At 17, he was the youngest drama student ever admitted at the Juilliard School in 1981.Shortly after he left for Juilliard, his younger brother, 15-year-old Wesley, suffered an epileptic seizure in the family's Jacuzzi and died on the way to the hospital. Wesley was an aspiring filmmaker when he died."I miss him and miss his things. I have his art up. I like to think about what he would have created. I'm still inspired by him," Kilmer told the Times.While still at Juilliard, Kilmer co-wrote and appeared in the play "How It All Began" and later turned down a role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders" for the Broadway play, "Slab Boys," alongside Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn.Kilmer published two books of poetry (including "My Edens After Burns") and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for spoken word album for "The Mark of Zorro." He was also a visual artist and a lifelong Christian Scientist.He dated Cher, married and divorced actor Joanne Whalley. He is survived by their two children, Mercedes and Jack."I have no regrets," Kilmer told the AP in 2021. "I've witness and experienced miracles."____Kennedy reported from New York.

Val Kilmer, 'Top Gun' and Batman star dies at 65

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ended March 2025 with total tax collections at $636.9 million. That is $13.6 million, or 2.1%, below the estimate. Total tax collections were down 16.2% from March 2024, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F04%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3215978%2F09_March_Revenue_FY2025_04-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010195f22e2ef4-d796d20d-77f6-4873-b693-c713ad94508b-000000/yxqOcZcEf_QqS3ChOHLS1y1sOdUSoJwGb7nt2wZWh8M=398">here</a>&nbsp;to view the March 2025 revenue numbers.

Individual income tax collections were $261.6 million. That is $3.4 million, or 1.3% below the estimate. Individual income tax collections were down 28.3% from March 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $50.1 million. That is $26.9 million, or 34.9% below the estimate, and down 35.0% from March 2024. &nbsp;

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $246.8 million, which is $8.2 million, or 3.2% below the estimate and down $14.5 million, or 5.5%, from March 2024.&nbsp;

The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CRE), comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, will meet on April 17, 2025, to review the fall estimate and make any revisions it may consider necessary.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ended March 2025 with total tax collections at $636.9 million. That is $13.6 million, or 2.1%, below the estimate. Total tax collections were down 16.2% from March 2024, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F04%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3215978%2F09_March_Revenue_FY2025_04-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010195f22e2ef4-d796d20d-77f6-4873-b693-c713ad94508b-000000/yxqOcZcEf_QqS3ChOHLS1y1sOdUSoJwGb7nt2wZWh8M=398">here</a>&nbsp;to view the March 2025 revenue numbers.Individual income tax collections were $261.6 million. That is $3.4 million, or 1.3% below the estimate. Individual income tax collections were down 28.3% from March 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $50.1 million. That is $26.9 million, or 34.9% below the estimate, and down 35.0% from March 2024. &nbsp;Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $246.8 million, which is $8.2 million, or 3.2% below the estimate and down $14.5 million, or 5.5%, from March 2024.&nbsp;The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CRE), comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, will meet on April 17, 2025, to review the fall estimate and make any revisions it may consider necessary.

Kansas total tax collections in March down from 2024

JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director is going to prison for sex crimes.

On Friday, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 35-year-old Micah Horton to 34-months for unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton who was&nbsp;the Choir Director at Olathe North High School. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710373305440.png" alt="Horton photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director is going to prison for sex crimes.On Friday, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 35-year-old Micah Horton to 34-months for unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton who was&nbsp;the Choir Director at Olathe North High School. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations.

Prison: Former Kan. school choir director admits to unlawful sexual relations 

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.

Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.

It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”

Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”

“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”

Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’

Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.

Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”

Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.

“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”

As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.

“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.

Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.

His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record

As Booker neared Thurmond's record, he remarked, "I don’t have that much gas in the tank.”

Yet anticipation in the Capitol was growing that he could supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech. Democratic senators sat at their desks to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers.

He had already surpassed the longest speech time for a sitting senator — the 21 hours and 19 minutes that Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ted-cruz">Ted Cruz</a>, a Texas Republican, had held the floor to contest the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Responding to his record being broken, Cruz posted a meme of Homer Simpson crying on social media.

Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.

“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."

Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural maneuvers to try to thwart Republicans.

Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?

Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. He was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a4917019ce954f809677941533f38f51">launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark</a>. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-cory-booker-ia-state-wire-deval-patrick-iowa-a737f1e88c667cac19c59bf8acb2c16e">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.

But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.

On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker’s Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams.

Even before taking to the national political stage, Booker was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party in New Jersey, serving as mayor of Newark, the state's largest city, from 2006 to 2013.

During college, he played tight end for Stanford University's football team. He became a Rhodes scholar and graduated from Yale Law before starting his career as an attorney for nonprofits.

He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-united-states-congress-general-news-senate-elections-united-states-government-31beb16e9f704852991d5e6576b2cdaf">a special election</a>&nbsp;held after the death of incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg. He won his first full term in 2014 and reelection in 2020.

As Democratic colleagues made their way to the Senate chamber to help Booker by asking him questions, he also made heartfelt tributes to his fellow senators, recalling their personal backgrounds and shared experiences in the Senate. Booker also called on Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.

Booker said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more."

Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743501571096.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>: &quot;Would the Senator yield for a question?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>: &quot;Chuck Schumer, it&#39;s the only time in my life I can tell you no.&quot; Schumer: &quot;I just wanted to tell you, a question, do you know you have just broken the record?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kRPK5Iq659">pic.twitter.com/kRPK5Iq659</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907213181937668537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 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">In his prayer, Senate chaplain Black alludes to Cory Booker marathon speech: &quot;Today we are grateful for the efforts of the floor staff, Capitol Police, the stenographers, the pages and all those who have worked through the night. We pray you give them the strength they need...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uBumUrX8k5">pic.twitter.com/uBumUrX8k5</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1907105050201100373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”<h2>Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’</h2>Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.<h2>His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record</h2>As Booker neared Thurmond's record, he remarked, "I don’t have that much gas in the tank.”Yet anticipation in the Capitol was growing that he could supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech. Democratic senators sat at their desks to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers.He had already surpassed the longest speech time for a sitting senator — the 21 hours and 19 minutes that Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ted-cruz">Ted Cruz</a>, a Texas Republican, had held the floor to contest the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Responding to his record being broken, Cruz posted a meme of Homer Simpson crying on social media.Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural maneuvers to try to thwart Republicans.<h2>Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?</h2>Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. He was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a4917019ce954f809677941533f38f51">launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark</a>. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-cory-booker-ia-state-wire-deval-patrick-iowa-a737f1e88c667cac19c59bf8acb2c16e">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker’s Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams.Even before taking to the national political stage, Booker was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party in New Jersey, serving as mayor of Newark, the state's largest city, from 2006 to 2013.During college, he played tight end for Stanford University's football team. He became a Rhodes scholar and graduated from Yale Law before starting his career as an attorney for nonprofits.He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-united-states-congress-general-news-senate-elections-united-states-government-31beb16e9f704852991d5e6576b2cdaf">a special election</a>&nbsp;held after the death of incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg. He won his first full term in 2014 and reelection in 2020.As Democratic colleagues made their way to the Senate chamber to help Booker by asking him questions, he also made heartfelt tributes to his fellow senators, recalling their personal backgrounds and shared experiences in the Senate. Booker also called on Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.Booker said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more."___Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed.

Booker's anti-Trump speech rocks the U.S. Senate for over 24 hours

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court March 28 following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant last week, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.&nbsp; 

As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm&nbsp; Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.&nbsp; Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.&nbsp; The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI.

"FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."

“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.&nbsp; This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582827978726.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court March 28 following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant last week, according to the United State's Attorney.Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.&nbsp; As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm&nbsp; Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.&nbsp; Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.&nbsp; The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI."FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.&nbsp; This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

Mexican national caught in KC with 102 pounds of crystal meth

WOODSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident discovered on Tuesday in Woodson County

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevrolet Impala driven by&nbsp; Hayden T.&nbsp; Green, 21, Fredonia, was southbound on Kansas 105 just north of 30th Road.

The driver lost control of the car as it came over the hill. The vehicle entered the east ditch and struck a tree. Green was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

The crash was discovered just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday. The KHP is unsure what date and time that it occurred.

WOODSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident discovered on Tuesday in Woodson CountyThe Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevrolet Impala driven by&nbsp; Hayden T.&nbsp; Green, 21, Fredonia, was southbound on Kansas 105 just north of 30th Road.The driver lost control of the car as it came over the hill. The vehicle entered the east ditch and struck a tree. Green was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.The crash was discovered just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday. The KHP is unsure what date and time that it occurred.

Kansas man dies after car strikes a tree

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LISA MASCARO&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/leah-askarinam">LEAH ASKARINAM</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for new parents in Congress to able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">vote by proxy</a>, rather than in person, as they care for newborns.

His plan failed, 206-222. Kansas GOP members of the House for the measure.

In an unprecedented move, the House Republican leadership had engineered a way to quietly kill the bipartisan plan from two new mothers — Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado. Their plan has support from a majority of House colleagues. Some 218 lawmakers backed their effort, signing on to a so-called discharge petition to force their proposal on the House floor for consideration.

But Johnson, like GOP leaders before him, rails against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-health-voting-3ee9bf16c6575c973cebc962ede05fa7">proxy voting</a>, as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pushes people back to work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic work-from-home trend.

A procedural vote Tuesday tested who had the tally on their side — the speaker or the plan’s sponsors. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats to sink the GOP leaders’ effort.

“If we don’t do the right thing now, it’ll never be done,” said Luna, who gave birth to her son in 2023.

Pettersen, with a diaper over her shoulder and 4-month-old son Sam in her arms, stood on the House floor and pleaded with colleagues to turn back the GOP leadership’s effort to stop their resolution.

“It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress,” she said. “We’re asking you to continue to stand with us.”

Johnson had drawn the line against proxy voting as unconstitutional.

“Look, I’m a father, I’m pro-family,” the Republican speaker said late last month. But “I believe it violates more than two centuries of tradition and institution. And I think that it opens a Pandora’s box, where ultimately, maybe no one is here.”

It’s the first time in modern House history that the leadership was taking the extraordinary step to try to halt a discharge petition when it’s this far along. Next steps are uncertain.

Luna used the discharge petition process as she and others grew frustrated that House committees and party leaders were not bringing the proxy-voting proposal forward. Instead, she and others gathered the majority signatures needed, 218, to discharge it from limbo, and force it to the floor for action.

At a rules committee hearing early Tuesday, the GOP-led panel tucked a provision into the routine rules process that would have prohibited not just this discharge petition but any others that try to push proxy voting forward.

Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the panel, said a discharge petition has never been halted before at this stage — a remarkable move from Republicans who often campaign as the party aligned with family values.

“Given the chance to actually support families, they turn their backs,” he said. “A majority of the chamber is upending what the majority in this chamber wants.”

Republicans countered that Luna, who led the discharge effort, did not go through the regular process of waiting for their resolution to be brought to the floor through normal procedure. And they criticized the temporary proxy voting policy that Democrats put in place during the pandemic that they said was abused by member absences.

“You have to come to work, you have to be present,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. during a committee debate.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chair of the Rules Committee, decried what she called the “laptop class” in America that doesn’t have the luxury of working by proxy. “Members of Congress simply need to show up for work,” she said.

About a dozen women have given birth while in Congress over the years, and there are many new fathers as well. One, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, had dashed back to Washington for votes in 2023 after his wife had just given birth and their son was in an intensive care unit.

Many new and existing parents were among the eight other Republicans who joined Luna to push ahead past the leadership.

Luna’s petition opens the door for the House to vote on a resolution that would allow new parents serving in Congress to designate a proxy — another member of Congress — to vote on their behalf for 12 weeks.

Republicans had barred proxy voting once they took control of the House from Democrats in 2023. The new resolution, which includes specific procedures on how the new parent would deliver voting instructions, would mean a change in their House rules.

The resolution from the mothers allows proxy voting for lawmakers who have given birth or pregnant lawmakers who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition. It also applies to lawmakers whose spouses are pregnant or giving birth.

Under the resolution, qualifying lawmakers may designate a proxy to cast a vote for them for up to 12 weeks.

Luna, who is among the House’s more conservative lawmakers, made headlines for her steadfast support of Trump. But she resigned this week from the archconservative House Freedom Caucus, saying she could no longer be part of the group if members “broker backroom deals” against its values.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;LISA MASCARO&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/leah-askarinam">LEAH ASKARINAM</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for new parents in Congress to able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">vote by proxy</a>, rather than in person, as they care for newborns.His plan failed, 206-222. Kansas GOP members of the House for the measure.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: After less than a day in session, the House is DONE for the week, Speaker Johnson says. This comes after a handful of Republicans joined all the Democrats to allow certain members to vote from their couches instead of coming in to work. Infuriating. “That rule… <a href="https://t.co/1eCtbtJsWk">pic.twitter.com/1eCtbtJsWk</a>&mdash; Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1907142417037336992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In an unprecedented move, the House Republican leadership had engineered a way to quietly kill the bipartisan plan from two new mothers — Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado. Their plan has support from a majority of House colleagues. Some 218 lawmakers backed their effort, signing on to a so-called discharge petition to force their proposal on the House floor for consideration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Parental Proxy Resolution author <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPettersen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepPettersen</a> speaks while holding her nine month old son, Sam: &quot;It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress to address these very unique challenges that members face, these life events.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Hxg5BZIeBn">pic.twitter.com/Hxg5BZIeBn</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907114967800668534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 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">I’m back in DC with Sam to demand that Speaker Johnson hold a vote on our bipartisan resolution to allow new moms and dads to vote remotely while caring for their newborns. Speaker Johnson himself has voted remotely 39 times—but now he’s pulling every trick in the book to stop… <a href="https://t.co/KZnfmk55Mw">pic.twitter.com/KZnfmk55Mw</a>&mdash; U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (@RepPettersen) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPettersen/status/1906848195230998818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But Johnson, like GOP leaders before him, rails against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-health-voting-3ee9bf16c6575c973cebc962ede05fa7">proxy voting</a>, as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pushes people back to work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic work-from-home trend.A procedural vote Tuesday tested who had the tally on their side — the speaker or the plan’s sponsors. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats to sink the GOP leaders’ effort.“If we don’t do the right thing now, it’ll never be done,” said Luna, who gave birth to her son in 2023.Pettersen, with a diaper over her shoulder and 4-month-old son Sam in her arms, stood on the House floor and pleaded with colleagues to turn back the GOP leadership’s effort to stop their resolution.“It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress,” she said. “We’re asking you to continue to stand with us.”Johnson had drawn the line against proxy voting as unconstitutional.“Look, I’m a father, I’m pro-family,” the Republican speaker said late last month. But “I believe it violates more than two centuries of tradition and institution. And I think that it opens a Pandora’s box, where ultimately, maybe no one is here.”It’s the first time in modern House history that the leadership was taking the extraordinary step to try to halt a discharge petition when it’s this far along. Next steps are uncertain.Luna used the discharge petition process as she and others grew frustrated that House committees and party leaders were not bringing the proxy-voting proposal forward. Instead, she and others gathered the majority signatures needed, 218, to discharge it from limbo, and force it to the floor for action.At a rules committee hearing early Tuesday, the GOP-led panel tucked a provision into the routine rules process that would have prohibited not just this discharge petition but any others that try to push proxy voting forward.Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the panel, said a discharge petition has never been halted before at this stage — a remarkable move from Republicans who often campaign as the party aligned with family values.“Given the chance to actually support families, they turn their backs,” he said. “A majority of the chamber is upending what the majority in this chamber wants.”Republicans countered that Luna, who led the discharge effort, did not go through the regular process of waiting for their resolution to be brought to the floor through normal procedure. And they criticized the temporary proxy voting policy that Democrats put in place during the pandemic that they said was abused by member absences.“You have to come to work, you have to be present,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. during a committee debate.Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chair of the Rules Committee, decried what she called the “laptop class” in America that doesn’t have the luxury of working by proxy. “Members of Congress simply need to show up for work,” she said.About a dozen women have given birth while in Congress over the years, and there are many new fathers as well. One, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, had dashed back to Washington for votes in 2023 after his wife had just given birth and their son was in an intensive care unit.Many new and existing parents were among the eight other Republicans who joined Luna to push ahead past the leadership.Luna’s petition opens the door for the House to vote on a resolution that would allow new parents serving in Congress to designate a proxy — another member of Congress — to vote on their behalf for 12 weeks.Republicans had barred proxy voting once they took control of the House from Democrats in 2023. The new resolution, which includes specific procedures on how the new parent would deliver voting instructions, would mean a change in their House rules.The resolution from the mothers allows proxy voting for lawmakers who have given birth or pregnant lawmakers who are unable to travel safely or have a serious medical condition. It also applies to lawmakers whose spouses are pregnant or giving birth.Under the resolution, qualifying lawmakers may designate a proxy to cast a vote for them for up to 12 weeks.Luna, who is among the House’s more conservative lawmakers, made headlines for her steadfast support of Trump. But she resigned this week from the archconservative House Freedom Caucus, saying she could no longer be part of the group if members “broker backroom deals” against its values.

🎥Speaker fails to squash proxy voting effort from new moms in Congress

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sarah-parvini">SARAH PARVINI</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.

Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that “there’s tremendous interest in Tiktok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.

“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump said.

Trump also said that the administration is “dealing with China” who “also want it because they may have something to do with it.” Last week, Trump said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-tariffs-3bc8eef6fa75987c52bd86bab5eb6f05">consider a reduction in tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China if that country’s government approves a sale of TikTok’s operations in the U.S.

Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDance’s divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.

“I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote,” he said Sunday. “I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.”

Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasn’t provided details on what that type of deal would entail.

TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. It’s also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.

If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.

Trump’s order came a few days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-security-speech-166f7c794ee587d3385190f893e52777">Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law</a>&nbsp;that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.

The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.

Although it’s unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.

Aides for Vice President JD&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-deal-vance-sale-trump-d54f3a01f8e2b04c01f80adfa4b884cb">Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal,</a>&nbsp;have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-trump-perplexity-87988733973760927bb5681f7de9b9af">with a merger proposal</a>&nbsp;that would combine Perplexity’s business with TikTok’s U.S. operation.

Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alexis-ohanian-tiktok-ban-trump-220e0dbc78e348af33152b9fab0f907c">Alexis Ohanian as a strategic</a>&nbsp;adviser. Investors in the consortium say they’ve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.

Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.

Trump said in January that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-microsoft-trump-ban-china-0335cb0e4f394db3c0a6f06a064c5e64">Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app</a>. Other interested parties include Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sarah-parvini">SARAH PARVINI</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that “there’s tremendous interest in Tiktok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump said.Trump also said that the administration is “dealing with China” who “also want it because they may have something to do with it.” Last week, Trump said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-tariffs-3bc8eef6fa75987c52bd86bab5eb6f05">consider a reduction in tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China if that country’s government approves a sale of TikTok’s operations in the U.S.Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDance’s divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.“I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote,” he said Sunday. “I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.”Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasn’t provided details on what that type of deal would entail.TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. It’s also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.<h2>What will happen on April 5?</h2>If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.Trump’s order came a few days after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-security-speech-166f7c794ee587d3385190f893e52777">Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law</a>&nbsp;that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.<h2>Who wants to buy TikTok?</h2>Although it’s unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.Aides for Vice President JD&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-deal-vance-sale-trump-d54f3a01f8e2b04c01f80adfa4b884cb">Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal,</a>&nbsp;have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-trump-perplexity-87988733973760927bb5681f7de9b9af">with a merger proposal</a>&nbsp;that would combine Perplexity’s business with TikTok’s U.S. operation.Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alexis-ohanian-tiktok-ban-trump-220e0dbc78e348af33152b9fab0f907c">Alexis Ohanian as a strategic</a>&nbsp;adviser. Investors in the consortium say they’ve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.Trump said in January that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-microsoft-trump-ban-china-0335cb0e4f394db3c0a6f06a064c5e64">Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app</a>. Other interested parties include Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.

With a TikTok ban looming, Trump signals a deal will come before the deadline

WASHINGTON —House Republicans advanced a bill out of committee on Tuesday that would limit the power of judges who have taken action against President Trump's executive orders. (click below to view Rep. Schmidt's comments)

During their Tuesday morning news conference, Freshman Congressman from Kansas, Derek Schmidt joined GOP leadership to explain what the 'nationwide injunctions bill' will do&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1526rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr1526rh.pdf">Click here to read the bill</a>

"We're not de-funding courts, said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "We're not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction."

Derek Schmidt served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. He was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate  representing the 15th district from 2001 to 2011. In 2022, Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743532285603.png" alt="Kansas 2nd District Rep. Derek Schmidt during Tuesday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 2nd District Rep. Derek Schmidt during Tuesday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —House Republicans advanced a bill out of committee on Tuesday that would limit the power of judges who have taken action against President Trump's executive orders. (click below to view Rep. Schmidt's comments)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M5xzihuI7UM?si=C21AbMhV4AOW8Oo_&amp;start=1555" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>During their Tuesday morning news conference, Freshman Congressman from Kansas, Derek Schmidt joined GOP leadership to explain what the 'nationwide injunctions bill' will do&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1526rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr1526rh.pdf">Click here to read the bill</a>Schmidt also explained the Save Act<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The SAVE Act is simple. 🎙️<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepDerekSchmidt</a> breaks it down for us ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/SlN27CQd4M">pic.twitter.com/SlN27CQd4M</a>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1907132415513891250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"We're not de-funding courts, said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "We're not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: &quot;We&#39;re not de-funding courts. We&#39;re not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/j9BQDBOv9o">pic.twitter.com/j9BQDBOv9o</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907081734736199765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Derek Schmidt served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. He was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate representing the 15th district from 2001 to 2011. In 2022, Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas.

🎥Kan. congressman joins House leadership news conference

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Traffic Division is currently investigating a hit-and-run that left one person dead. 

Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of an accident in the 4300 block of State Line Road, according to a media release.

 When officers arrived on scene, they located a man deceased in the roadway. The initial investigation revealed a large construction dump truck struck the pedestrian and left the scene. The construction company is cooperating in the investigation and police are working to identify the driver of the truck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743534048942.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Traffic Division is currently investigating a hit-and-run that left one person dead. Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to report of an accident in the 4300 block of State Line Road, according to a media release. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man deceased in the roadway. The initial investigation revealed a large construction dump truck struck the pedestrian and left the scene. The construction company is cooperating in the investigation and police are working to identify the driver of the truck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Hit-and-run: Dump truck killed man on busy Kansas street

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged violence involving three people at at park.

Just before 7:30pm. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of suspicious activity at Oregon Trail Park at 1100 block of South Robinson Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

It was reported that a man engaged in a physical altercation with two juveniles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers were able to locate and contact the man. All involved parties are being cooperative with the investigation.

It is believed that other members of the community were in the area during the incident and are asked to contact the Police Department if you have any information that can assist with this investigation.

This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged violence involving three people at at park.Just before 7:30pm. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a report of suspicious activity at Oregon Trail Park at 1100 block of South Robinson Street in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.It was reported that a man engaged in a physical altercation with two juveniles.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers were able to locate and contact the man. All involved parties are being cooperative with the investigation.It is believed that other members of the community were in the area during the incident and are asked to contact the Police Department if you have any information that can assist with this investigation.This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

Police: Fight between man, juveniles at Kan. park under investigation

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jeffery T.&nbsp;Galbreath,&nbsp; 39, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 135&nbsp;on the exit ramp to North Hydraulic in Wichita. The SUV rear-ended a 2014 Hyundia Elantra driven by Pamela V.&nbsp;Jean Reyes, 29, Wichita, who was&nbsp;exiting to North Hydraulic Avenue. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743530739051.png" alt="Image KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Image KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jeffery T.&nbsp;Galbreath,&nbsp; 39, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 135&nbsp;on the exit ramp to North Hydraulic in Wichita. The SUV rear-ended a 2014 Hyundia Elantra driven by Pamela V.&nbsp;Jean Reyes, 29, Wichita, who was&nbsp;exiting to North Hydraulic Avenue. After impact, the Pontiac continued northbound crossing the lanes of traffic, struck the inside barrier wall,&nbsp; crossed the lane of traffic again and struck the outside barrier wall in the construction zone.Galbreath was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.