<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765328781902.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Delivers Remarks on the Economy <a href="https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo">https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998545515139461327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our nation is STRONG,<br>America is respected again,<br>and the United States is BACK. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7gM8MlRZ9u">pic.twitter.com/7gM8MlRZ9u</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998578042801893532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">📍 MOUNT POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA<br><br>RALLY STYLE! <a href="https://t.co/VvCJRArvB3">pic.twitter.com/VvCJRArvB3</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547587054404045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in PA: &quot;I&#39;m thrilled to be back in this incredible Commonwealth, with so many proud, hardworking American patriots... Let me begin by wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!&quot; 🎄❤️ <a href="https://t.co/cfUwmgUmzI">pic.twitter.com/cfUwmgUmzI</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547681736798287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Since my inauguration, we&#39;ve created nearly 60,000 new Pennsylvania jobs, including 4,000 Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs...more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians have been lifted off food stamps...we&#39;ve secured commitments for nearly $100 billion dollars of investment in… <a href="https://t.co/I19jU8XGyX">pic.twitter.com/I19jU8XGyX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998550149875081608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re right now drilling more oil than we&#39;ve ever done — ever before... It was just reported that four states had $1.99 a gallon.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ltvNEbYkwo">pic.twitter.com/ltvNEbYkwo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998551735363842073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000 a year. Under Trump, the typical factory worker has seen their wages increase by more than $1,300... For construction workers, it’s $1,800 up... For miners, their wages went up $3,300.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/C8CDUDGhCy">pic.twitter.com/C8CDUDGhCy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998552530130031024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 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"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Trump Dance in Pennsylvania! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/wPlzM36v87">pic.twitter.com/wPlzM36v87</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998571525461639242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Highlights of President Trump's rally on the economy, affordability worries

<b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.

The Coldwater City Council announced Monday that it had accepted Ceballos’ resignation.

“We will continue with the daily work of the city ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” a statement said. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”

The council swore in Britt Lenertz, president of the city council, as the town’s mayor. She will serve out the rest of Ceballos’ term, Lenertz said.

Ceballos was elected to his second term as mayor one day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/05/small-town-kansas-mayor-charged-with-alleged-voter-fraud-state-leader-says-hundreds-more-cases-expected/">announced at a November news conference</a>&nbsp;that Ceballos had been arrested for multiple felonies. Ceballos has a green card, which means he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but he did not apply for citizenship until February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/11/13/dhs-reveals-new-records-criminal-alien-who-voted-multiple-times-kansas-elections" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security</a>.

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ceballos will be “placed in removal proceedings” if he is convicted.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762377337825.png" alt="-Joe Ceballos resigned Monday as mayor of Coldwater. A legal resident who&nbsp;is not a U.S. citizen, he faces election fraud charges. (City of Coldwater)" />
                        <figcaption>-Joe Ceballos resigned Monday as mayor of Coldwater. A legal resident who&nbsp;is not a U.S. citizen, he faces election fraud charges. (City of Coldwater)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a></p><p>TOPEKA — Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.</p><p>The Coldwater City Council announced Monday that it had accepted Ceballos’ resignation.</p><p>“We will continue with the daily work of the city ensuring that all services and operations move forward without interruption,” a statement said. “Our priority is keeping the community informed and maintaining stability during this transition.”</p><p>The council swore in Britt Lenertz, president of the city council, as the town’s mayor. She will serve out the rest of Ceballos’ term, Lenertz said.</p><p>Ceballos was elected to his second term as mayor one day before Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/05/small-town-kansas-mayor-charged-with-alleged-voter-fraud-state-leader-says-hundreds-more-cases-expected/">announced at a November news conference</a>&nbsp;that Ceballos had been arrested for multiple felonies. Ceballos has a green card, which means he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, but he did not apply for citizenship until February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/11/13/dhs-reveals-new-records-criminal-alien-who-voted-multiple-times-kansas-elections" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security</a>.</p><p>Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Ceballos will be “placed in removal proceedings” if he is convicted.</p>

Kansas man charged with election fraud resigns his position as mayor

NEMAHA COUNTY —A Kansas man died in a residential fire Friday in Nemaha County.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Wetmore Fire Chief noticed smoke in the valley near the community and&nbsp; eventually found a trailer fully involved in fire in the 300 Block of 1st Street, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.

 Wetmore Fire Department, Nemaha County Fire District #3, and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the fire incident.

The occupant was known to be homebound and believed to be in the residence. Special Agents arrived at the scene, and the victim, identified as 65-year-old Randall Nott, was soon located inside the residence deceased. He was a user of Home Oxygen Therapy and a known smoker.

&nbsp;The Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) Investigation Division was requested to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;Three Special Agents/Certified Fire Investigators from the KSFM responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;

The fire incident is classified as undetermined.

<p>NEMAHA COUNTY —A Kansas man died in a residential fire Friday in Nemaha County.</p><p>Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Wetmore Fire Chief noticed smoke in the valley near the community and&nbsp; eventually found a trailer fully involved in fire in the 300 Block of 1st Street, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.</p><p> Wetmore Fire Department, Nemaha County Fire District #3, and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the fire incident.</p><p>The occupant was known to be homebound and believed to be in the residence. Special Agents arrived at the scene, and the victim, identified as 65-year-old Randall Nott, was soon located inside the residence deceased. He was a user of Home Oxygen Therapy and a known smoker.</p><p>&nbsp;The Kansas State Fire Marshal (KSFM) Investigation Division was requested to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;Three Special Agents/Certified Fire Investigators from the KSFM responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp;</p><p>The fire incident is classified as undetermined.</p>

Kansas man dies in trailer house fire

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas CIty man faces several felony charges in connection with a shooting that injured two people last month.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2767/BankstonMarquise-Complaint-PC-Red">Marquise Bankston</a>, 29, faces two counts of 1st Degree Assault, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On Nov. 5, Kansas City police responded to a shooting and located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Nearby surveillance footage showed a vehicle stopping at an intersection. The driver exited the vehicle and began firing shots toward the victims as they were walking down the street. The victims began firing back. The vehicle then fled.

Detectives began using investigative leads, including license plate readers, location data from the vehicle, which was discovered to be stolen, and surveillance footage to identify Bankston and connect him to the shooting.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764970947269.png" alt="Bankston photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Bankston photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas CIty man faces several felony charges in connection with a shooting that injured two people last month.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2767/BankstonMarquise-Complaint-PC-Red">Marquise Bankston</a>, 29, faces two counts of 1st Degree Assault, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon/Prior Conviction, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.</p><p>On Nov. 5, Kansas City police responded to a shooting and located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.</p><p>Nearby surveillance footage showed a vehicle stopping at an intersection. The driver exited the vehicle and began firing shots toward the victims as they were walking down the street. The victims began firing back. The vehicle then fled.</p><p>Detectives began using investigative leads, including license plate readers, location data from the vehicle, which was discovered to be stolen, and surveillance footage to identify Bankston and connect him to the shooting.&nbsp;</p>

Kansas City man jailed for gunfight that injured two

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a>

Roughly 300,000 signatures demanding Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered congressional map</a>&nbsp;be placed on the 2026 ballot were submitted to the secretary of state’s office Tuesday morning —&nbsp; more than two and a half times the number needed.&nbsp;

The political action committee behind the effort, People Not Politicians, called the campaign an “unprecedented show of grassroots power.”

The petition pages filled 691 boxes and, after initial processing, each page will be scanned and images delivered to local election authorities for signature verification, Director of Elections Chrissy Peters said.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a first-term Republican, will oversee the verification process. Under the Missouri Constitution, the law establishing new districts will not take effect on Thursday and will remain in limbo until voters can decide its fate at the ballot box or Hoskins determines the signature threshold was not reached.

Several questions swirl around the signatures.

First, Hoskins has previously stated he won’t accept any signatures collected before Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the bill on Sept. 29. That decision impacts around 92,000 signatures.

Testifying in a Cole County courtroom on Monday in a lawsuit challenging Hoskins’ decision, Peters said the cut-off date the office will use is Oct. 14, because that is the day that Hoskins approved the form of the referendum petition.

Signatures before that date will be be separated, scanned for preservation, but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/08/federal-judge-rejects-missouri-ags-push-to-block-referendum-on-gerrymandered-map/">not distributed to county election officials for verification</a>&nbsp;until Judge Chris Limbaugh rules on whether Hoskins must accept them, Peters said.

Some pages contain signatures gathered before Oct. 14 and on or after that date, Peters said in an interview Tuesday. How those will be processed is uncertain, she said.

“We were made aware today verbally by the petitioner that there could be mixed pages like that,” Peters said. “So we will make that determination after I have a chance to review it.”

Second, a Trump-appointed federal judge threw out a lawsuit Monday that argued a referendum on redistricting was unconstitutional. In the ruling, the judge said state court was the proper venue if Hoskins believes the referendum violates the constitution. That could set the stage for yet another legal showdown over the power of voters to overturn the actions of the legislature.&nbsp;

Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans.&nbsp;

The 5th District, based in Kansas City and represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005, is carved up under the new map with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts. Heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

The intended result is a map where Republicans hold seven of the state’s eight seats.&nbsp;

The day lawmakers passed the new map, People Not Politicians submitted paperwork with the secretary of state’s office for a referendum. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice — including overturning a congressional map in 1922.

The last time a referendum campaign was deployed was in 2019, when the secretary of state’s office used procedural maneuvers to successfully derail a push to overturn newly-passed restrictions on abortion. The move sparked a lawsuit, and in 2022 the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the laws the secretary of state used to obstruct the citizen-initiated referendum process were unconstitutional.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765304429176.png" alt=" Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
                        <figcaption> Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a><br><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"><i>Missouri Independent</i></a></p><p>Roughly 300,000 signatures demanding Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered congressional map</a>&nbsp;be placed on the 2026 ballot were submitted to the secretary of state’s office Tuesday morning —&nbsp; more than two and a half times the number needed.&nbsp;</p><p>The political action committee behind the effort, People Not Politicians, called the campaign an “unprecedented show of grassroots power.”</p><p>The petition pages filled 691 boxes and, after initial processing, each page will be scanned and images delivered to local election authorities for signature verification, Director of Elections Chrissy Peters said.</p><p>Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a first-term Republican, will oversee the verification process. Under the Missouri Constitution, the law establishing new districts will not take effect on Thursday and will remain in limbo until voters can decide its fate at the ballot box or Hoskins determines the signature threshold was not reached.</p><p>Several questions swirl around the signatures.</p><p>First, Hoskins has previously stated he won’t accept any signatures collected before Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the bill on Sept. 29. That decision impacts around 92,000 signatures.</p><p>Testifying in a Cole County courtroom on Monday in a lawsuit challenging Hoskins’ decision, Peters said the cut-off date the office will use is Oct. 14, because that is the day that Hoskins approved the form of the referendum petition.</p><p>Signatures before that date will be be separated, scanned for preservation, but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/08/federal-judge-rejects-missouri-ags-push-to-block-referendum-on-gerrymandered-map/">not distributed to county election officials for verification</a>&nbsp;until Judge Chris Limbaugh rules on whether Hoskins must accept them, Peters said.</p><p>Some pages contain signatures gathered before Oct. 14 and on or after that date, Peters said in an interview Tuesday. How those will be processed is uncertain, she said.</p><p>“We were made aware today verbally by the petitioner that there could be mixed pages like that,” Peters said. “So we will make that determination after I have a chance to review it.”</p><p>Second, a Trump-appointed federal judge threw out a lawsuit Monday that argued a referendum on redistricting was unconstitutional. In the ruling, the judge said state court was the proper venue if Hoskins believes the referendum violates the constitution. That could set the stage for yet another legal showdown over the power of voters to overturn the actions of the legislature.&nbsp;</p><p>Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans.&nbsp;</p><p>The 5th District, based in Kansas City and represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005, is carved up under the new map with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts. Heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.</p><p>The intended result is a map where Republicans hold seven of the state’s eight seats.&nbsp;</p><p>The day lawmakers passed the new map, People Not Politicians submitted paperwork with the secretary of state’s office for a referendum. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice — including overturning a congressional map in 1922.</p><p>The last time a referendum campaign was deployed was in 2019, when the secretary of state’s office used procedural maneuvers to successfully derail a push to overturn newly-passed restrictions on abortion. The move sparked a lawsuit, and in 2022 the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the laws the secretary of state used to obstruct the citizen-initiated referendum process were unconstitutional.</p>

Campaign to put gerrymandered Missouri map on the ballot turns in 300,000 signatures

RILEY COUNTY<b>–</b>&nbsp; Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Manhattan have made an arrest.&nbsp;

Just after 8p.m. Monday,&nbsp; Riley County Police in conjunction with Topeka Police and the KHP&nbsp; arrested 29-year-old Erick Sanches of Manhattan in the 300 Block of Kansas Avenue in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Sanchez is being held on a $1 million dollar bond on requested charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal threat.&nbsp;

Just before 12:30a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp; responded to the 800 block of Colorado for a reported welfare check of an injured man. Upon arrival, officers located 36-year-old Mark Rickenbaker, of Manhattan. During the investigation, officers discovered Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival. Rickenbaker, who was transported to Via Christi Hospital with serious injuries, later died, as a result of those injuries.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765218730118.png" alt="Sanchez phot Riley Co." />
                        <figcaption>Sanchez phot Riley Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RILEY COUNTY<b>–</b>&nbsp; Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Manhattan have made an arrest.&nbsp;</p><p>Just after 8p.m. Monday,&nbsp; Riley County Police in conjunction with Topeka Police and the KHP&nbsp; arrested 29-year-old Erick Sanches of Manhattan in the 300 Block of Kansas Avenue in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.</p><p>Sanchez is being held on a $1 million dollar bond on requested charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal threat.&nbsp;</p><p>Just before 12:30a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp; responded to the 800 block of Colorado for a reported welfare check of an injured man. Upon arrival, officers located 36-year-old Mark Rickenbaker, of Manhattan. During the investigation, officers discovered Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival. Rickenbaker, who was transported to Via Christi Hospital with serious injuries, later died, as a result of those injuries.</p>

Police capture suspect in weekend murder in Manhattan

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.

El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.

Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.

Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.

Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.

China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.

Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.

Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.

Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goods

South Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.

European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.

Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.

Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.

Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.

United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.

At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625596705829.png" alt="Post photo" />
                        <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.</p><p>Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. </p><p>FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.</p><p>The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.</p><p>The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).</p><p>To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.</p><p>“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. </p><p>The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. </p><p>“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”</p><p>Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration</p><p>In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.</p><p>Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025</p><p>Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.</p><p>Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.</p><p>The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.</p><p>Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.</p><p>Trump Supported OBBBA Farmer Wins</p><p>With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.</p><p>For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.</p><p>OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.</p><p>The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.</p><p>OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.</p><p>OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.</p><p>OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.</p><p>Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs</p><p>On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.</p><p>On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.</p><p>These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.</p><p>Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions</p><p>Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.</p><p>USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys</p><p>This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.</p><p>On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.</p><p>On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.</p><p>On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.</p><p>On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.</p><p>USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.</p><p>This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history</p><p>President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.</p><p>EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.</p><p>List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date</p><p>USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.</p><p>Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.</p><p>Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.</p><p>El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.</p><p>Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.</p><p>Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.</p><p>Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.</p><p>China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.</p><p>Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.</p><p>Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.</p><p>Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.</p><p>Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goods</p><p>South Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.</p><p>European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.</p><p>Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.</p><p>Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.</p><p>Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.</p><p>United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.</p><p>At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.</p>

Details from USDA on $12 billion assistance for farmers

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Michael G. Weintraub, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just before midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to shooting at a convenience store in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Upon arrival officers did not locate a victim but located evidence of a possible crime scene. Just after midnight a call was received from a local hospital that a shooting victim arrived by private vehicle. The victim, later identified as Michael G. Weintraub was suffering from life threatening gun shot wounds. Investigators and crime scene personnel responded to both scenes and were able to determine he was shot in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, and that both shooting calls were related.&nbsp;

Just after 2a.m. Monday, officers were notified Weintraub died of his injuries at the hospital. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case, according to DiMartino. The name of the victim has not been released.

<p>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Michael G. Weintraub, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.</p><p>Just before midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to shooting at a convenience store in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.</p><p>Upon arrival officers did not locate a victim but located evidence of a possible crime scene. Just after midnight a call was received from a local hospital that a shooting victim arrived by private vehicle. The victim, later identified as Michael G. Weintraub was suffering from life threatening gun shot wounds. Investigators and crime scene personnel responded to both scenes and were able to determine he was shot in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, and that both shooting calls were related.&nbsp;</p><p>Just after 2a.m. Monday, officers were notified Weintraub died of his injuries at the hospital. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case, according to DiMartino. The name of the victim has not been released.</p>

KCPD: Sunday shooting victim dies at the hospital

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in Crawford County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Altima driven by Eric M. Myers, 38, Des Moines, Iowa, was eastbound on U.S. 400 four and one half miles west of Kansas 7.

The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2001 Dodge Dakota driven by Carol S. Sharp, 68, Altoona, head-on. After impact the pickup traveled off the road and rolled into the north ditch.

EMS transported Sharp to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where she was pronouned deceased and Myers to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<p>CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in Crawford County.&nbsp;</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Altima driven by Eric M. Myers, 38, Des Moines, Iowa, was eastbound on U.S. 400 four and one half miles west of Kansas 7.</p><p>The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2001 Dodge Dakota driven by Carol S. Sharp, 68, Altoona, head-on. After impact the pickup traveled off the road and rolled into the north ditch.</p><p>EMS transported Sharp to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where she was pronouned deceased and Myers to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.</p>

Kansas woman killed in head-on crash

KANSAS CITY —Pet owners learned have much for which to be thankful after a fire at a boarding facility in the Kansas City metro.

On Sunday night,&nbsp; police assisted fire crews on a smoke alarm call at Lily's Play and Stay 511 Main Street in the city of Belton, according to a media release from the Belton Fire Department.

 Upon arrival, crews discovered smoke and fire inside the building. Fire crews quickly located and extinguished the fire and safely rescued one dog from the affected room. 

The dog was transported by a boarding employee for treatment related to smoke inhalation. Belton Police Officers and Animal Control relocated the remaining 17 animals to ensure their safety.&nbsp; Those animals were taken to Lily’s Rescue Rehab, 1016, north Scott Avenue in Belton. "&nbsp;All pets are safe and accounted for, and our team is working to make sure everyone remains comfortable and cared for," according to the boarding facility.&nbsp; There was no official word on when the boarding facility would reopen or on a cause of the fire.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765225798092.png" alt="Photos Belton Fire Dept." />
                        <figcaption>Photos Belton Fire Dept.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —Pet owners learned have much for which to be thankful after a fire at a boarding facility in the Kansas City metro.</p><p>On Sunday night,&nbsp; police assisted fire crews on a smoke alarm call at Lily's Play and Stay 511 Main Street in the city of Belton, according to a media release from the Belton Fire Department.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765225778375.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p> Upon arrival, crews discovered smoke and fire inside the building. Fire crews quickly located and extinguished the fire and safely rescued one dog from the affected room. </p><p>The dog was transported by a boarding employee for treatment related to smoke inhalation. Belton Police Officers and Animal Control relocated the remaining 17 animals to ensure their safety.&nbsp; Those animals were taken to Lily’s Rescue Rehab, 1016, north Scott Avenue in Belton. "&nbsp;All pets are safe and accounted for, and our team is working to make sure everyone remains comfortable and cared for," according to the boarding facility.&nbsp; There was no official word on when the boarding facility would reopen or on a cause of the fire.</p>

Pets rescued from Kansas City area boarding facility

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765228441626.jpeg" alt="President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a>: As <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> said, we are very pleased to announce that today, we are going to be effectuating a $11B bridge payment to our farmers... by the end of this month, every farmer that is able to apply for it will know exactly what that number looks like. <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/hUk5XFmVMd">pic.twitter.com/hUk5XFmVMd</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998118157178069161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &quot;These direct payments will give producers the breathing room they need to market this year’s harvest and plan for next season... thanks to the administration&#39;s pro growth policies, input costs like fuel and fertilizer are easing... Interest rates are coming… <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/afbyMM1E89">pic.twitter.com/afbyMM1E89</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998120274764632411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on lowering the cost of farm equipment: &quot;We’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery... we’re going to take a lot of that nonsense off of the equipment, which is going to reduce [prices].&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bPuKHsgeGA">pic.twitter.com/bPuKHsgeGA</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998119170899136723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Farmers are an indispensable national asset, part of the backbone of America…I’ve always felt it so strongly. They are so important.” <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/hDv28uOrdM">pic.twitter.com/hDv28uOrdM</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998122795981541672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meryl Kennedy, Rice, Corn, and Soybean Farmer from Monroe, LA: &quot;The rice industry thanks you sincerely for what you have done for the California rice market into Japan. It has been monumental for our industry.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4tqdnu25Io">pic.twitter.com/4tqdnu25Io</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998124143968145796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cordt Holub, Corn and Soybean Farmer from Dysart, Iowa: &quot;I think you brought Christmas to farmers with this bridge payment... What you&#39;re doing here in D.C. is working... I&#39;ll be able to potentially pass on a farm to my children because of you.&quot; ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14">https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14</a> <a href="https://t.co/aW1qXFws2Q">pic.twitter.com/aW1qXFws2Q</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998122935828058237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump details the $12B aid package for farmers

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
                        <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chief Justice Roberts asks whether Humphrey’s Executor is outdated saying it is “vanishingly insignificant has nothing to do with what the FTC looks like today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YfvDBOdpU0">pic.twitter.com/YfvDBOdpU0</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998111919077478432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Jackson argues in favor of giving Congress increased authority in determining an agency&#39;s operations rather than Executive authority. <a href="https://t.co/wj8hNEsnqY">pic.twitter.com/wj8hNEsnqY</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998128563413721422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Jackson says that it is the “best interest of the American people to have certain kinds of issues handled by experts” and it is undermined when one person has too much power. Agarwal agrees, saying too much power with one person is problematic. <a href="https://t.co/recl3K6SiV">pic.twitter.com/recl3K6SiV</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998128420396372094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Gorsuch asks if Humphrey’s Executor may have been “poorly reasoned.” <a href="https://t.co/N16jL3thL6">pic.twitter.com/N16jL3thL6</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998112641840009570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chief Justice Roberts and other justices asks about Congress’s role in structuring agencies, whether Congress may transform standard executive agencies into independent commissions with removal protections that limit presidential control. <a href="https://t.co/BBJSKwJbq8">pic.twitter.com/BBJSKwJbq8</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998112019354980609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Kagan questions the independence of agencies that Congress has given authority w/o control by any single individual.<br><br>Justice Gorsuch asks if Congress has delegated too much legislative authority to agencies. <a href="https://t.co/fn4Oqx6gIM">pic.twitter.com/fn4Oqx6gIM</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998111481217376561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justice Sotomayor asks U.S. Solicitor General for examples of any court cases that have broken a 90 plus year precedent that overturning Humphrey’s Executor, which limits the president&#39;s ability to fire officials in independent agencies, would do. <a href="https://t.co/seX4rP5fxt">pic.twitter.com/seX4rP5fxt</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998110912784302256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎧 Highlights: Supreme Court on expanding presidential powers

RILEY COUNTY —On Monday, the Riley County Police Department issued an attempt to located for 29-year-old Erick Sanchez-Chavez of Manhattan. 

We’d like to speak to him regarding the death of Mark Rickenbaker in the 800 block of Colorado St on December 6.

&nbsp;Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check and located Rickenbaker who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

Sanchez-Chavez is described as 5-foot 8,&nbsp; 180 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Do NOT approach or attempt to apprehend Sanchez-Chavez. 

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765218730118.png" alt="Sanchez-Chavez-photo RCPD" />
                        <figcaption>Sanchez-Chavez-photo RCPD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RILEY COUNTY —On Monday, the Riley County Police Department issued an attempt to located for 29-year-old Erick Sanchez-Chavez of Manhattan. </p><p>We’d like to speak to him regarding the death of Mark Rickenbaker in the 800 block of Colorado St on December 6.</p><p>&nbsp;Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check and located Rickenbaker who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;</p><p>Sanchez-Chavez is described as 5-foot 8,&nbsp; 180 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Do NOT approach or attempt to apprehend Sanchez-Chavez. </p><p>If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.</p>

Police ask for help to locate suspect in Kan. man's murder

By RIO YAMAT <br>AP Airlines and Travel Writer

Boeing said Monday that it has completed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">$4.7 billion purchase</a>&nbsp;of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for the giant aerospace company's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-boeing-737-fuselage-28bceec61cef878005b965a016fa8787">737 Max jetliners</a>, including an Alaska Airlines aircraft that suffered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetliner-blowout-737-max-9-united-alaska-2f74f52bbad7fca26aa11786bd44c356">door-panel blowout</a>&nbsp;last year.

The deal,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-spirit-aerosystems-negotiations-outsourcing-75471aeaecf3144842ecdcbe2ed6f76f">in the works for over a year</a>, brings Boeing's largest provider of spare parts in-house. CEO Kelly Ortberg called it a “pivotal moment” for the company's future.

“As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry," Ortberg said in a statement.

Boeing previously owned Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit but spun it off in 2005. Reabsorbing the company, which is not related to Spirit Airlines, reverses a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing major work on its passenger planes, an approach that faced mounting criticism in recent years as manufacturing problems at Spirit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-supplier-slow-production-737-max-2525b4c5a27a7332b80b3016645918db">disrupted production</a>&nbsp;and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners, including 737s and 787s.

When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">Boeing</a>&nbsp;announced in July 2024 that it planned to reacquire Spirit, it positioned the move as a step toward improving quality and safety.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">Concerns about safety</a>&nbsp;came to a head almost six months earlier, after the door panel flew off the Alaska Airlines plane as it traveled 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) over Oregon.

The mishap left a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner, but no one was seriously injured. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board later said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e">four bolts</a>&nbsp;that help secure door panels were missing from the Alaska jet after repair work at a Boeing factory.

The finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-737-max-82145b25ed988cd8cae0bce3de79ce9d">renewed questions about Boeing’s safety culture</a>&nbsp;and came as the company confronted an ongoing criminal case over two earlier fatal crashes involving its Max jetliners.

Those crashes, which happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ede40d989be64863a9405802d6bb083b">off the coast of Indonesia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1108708781ba46808a16843bda8cc079">in Ethiopia</a>&nbsp;less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, killed 346 people and led to a worldwide grounding of the 737 Max for nearly two years. The Justice Department accused Boeing of deceiving regulators about a flight-control system that was later implicated in the crashes.

The criminal case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-737-max-crash-criminal-case-2fda6bd5226b042787c5bec3c02b78d3">resolved just last month</a>, when a federal judge in Texas approved the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charge as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-max-crashes-80ffdcf649f89ee0b3de689c0cfd3079">deal with Boeing.</a>&nbsp;In exchange, Boeing agreed to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for the crash victims’ families, and internal safety and quality measures.

The total value of the Spirit acquisition is around $8.3 billion, Boeing has said. Shares of Boeing rose roughly 2% in midday trading Monday.

&nbsp;Boeing on Monday announced it has completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, according to a media release from the aerospace company.

"This is a pivotal moment in Boeing's history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations and establish Spirit Defense," said&nbsp;Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company. "As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry."

Boeing's acquisition includes all of Spirit's Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. It also includes commercially procured fuselages for the P-8 and KC-46.

The transaction also brings Boeing's largest supplier of spare parts in house, expands Boeing's global maintenance, repair and overhaul services footprint and adds to Boeing's rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio with Spirit's aftermarket businesses.

Spirit Defense will continue to support its customers as an independent supplier to the defense industry to ensure uninterrupted support for its customers. It will act as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space &amp; Security, aligning for financial reporting and select enterprise functional and site support, but maintaining independent governance and operations.

In addition, portions of Spirit AeroSystems' operations in&nbsp;Belfast, Northern Ireland, have been acquired by Boeing, and the&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;site will operate as an independent subsidiary branded as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company.

Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations in&nbsp;Wichita, Kansas;&nbsp;Dallas, Texas; and&nbsp;Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick,&nbsp;Scotland, will begin to integrate into Boeing. Approximately 15,000 teammates across the five sites are becoming a part of Boeing.

"Kansas'&nbsp;aviation expertise reaches far beyond our borders," said&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Laura Kelly. "We help manufacture the aircraft the world relies on. Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems underscores the global significance of the work happening in our state and positions&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;to continue shaping the future of aerospace innovation for decades to come."

"Wichita&nbsp;would not be the Air Capital of the World without the extraordinary engineers, designers and manufacturers who have invested in our aerospace industry and made&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;their home," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Jerry Moran. "Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems will help build bridges between&nbsp;Seattle&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and bring new opportunities to the Air Capital of the World. I welcome Boeing back to&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and look forward to working with them to build a lasting relationship with the community and its workforce, as well as current and future suppliers, to continue building on the growth we have seen in recent years."

"Today's announcement is a great recognition of the world-class talent we have in&nbsp;Wichita," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger Marshall. "Our workers and the unions that represent them have kept America as the gold standard in aerospace, and they deserve to be at the center of any future investment. I'm grateful that this agreement further solidifies&nbsp;Wichita's&nbsp;prestige in the industry."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765206367987.png" alt="737 fuselage production in Wichita-Boeing photo" />
                        <figcaption>737 fuselage production in Wichita-Boeing photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By RIO YAMAT <br>AP Airlines and Travel Writer</p><p>Boeing said Monday that it has completed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">$4.7 billion purchase</a>&nbsp;of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for the giant aerospace company's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spirit-aerosystems-boeing-737-fuselage-28bceec61cef878005b965a016fa8787">737 Max jetliners</a>, including an Alaska Airlines aircraft that suffered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetliner-blowout-737-max-9-united-alaska-2f74f52bbad7fca26aa11786bd44c356">door-panel blowout</a>&nbsp;last year.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wichita would not be the Air Capital of the World without the extraordinary engineers, designers and manufacturers who have invested in our aerospace industry and made Kansas their home. Boeing&#39;s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems will help build bridges between Seattle and…</p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1998038794931458194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The deal,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-spirit-aerosystems-negotiations-outsourcing-75471aeaecf3144842ecdcbe2ed6f76f">in the works for over a year</a>, brings Boeing's largest provider of spare parts in-house. CEO Kelly Ortberg called it a “pivotal moment” for the company's future.</p><p>“As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry," Ortberg said in a statement.</p><p>Boeing previously owned Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit but spun it off in 2005. Reabsorbing the company, which is not related to Spirit Airlines, reverses a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing major work on its passenger planes, an approach that faced mounting criticism in recent years as manufacturing problems at Spirit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-supplier-slow-production-737-max-2525b4c5a27a7332b80b3016645918db">disrupted production</a>&nbsp;and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners, including 737s and 787s.</p><p>When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-acquisition-spirit-aerosystems-c6956d6f22355c95aa39a79eb384ff41">Boeing</a>&nbsp;announced in July 2024 that it planned to reacquire Spirit, it positioned the move as a step toward improving quality and safety.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-max-emergency-landing-alaska-airlines-79bc1ea98ee7fbc6edf46aff9319775b">Concerns about safety</a>&nbsp;came to a head almost six months earlier, after the door panel flew off the Alaska Airlines plane as it traveled 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) over Oregon.</p><p>The mishap left a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner, but no one was seriously injured. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board later said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e">four bolts</a>&nbsp;that help secure door panels were missing from the Alaska jet after repair work at a Boeing factory.</p><p>The finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-737-max-82145b25ed988cd8cae0bce3de79ce9d">renewed questions about Boeing’s safety culture</a>&nbsp;and came as the company confronted an ongoing criminal case over two earlier fatal crashes involving its Max jetliners.</p><p>Those crashes, which happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ede40d989be64863a9405802d6bb083b">off the coast of Indonesia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1108708781ba46808a16843bda8cc079">in Ethiopia</a>&nbsp;less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, killed 346 people and led to a worldwide grounding of the 737 Max for nearly two years. The Justice Department accused Boeing of deceiving regulators about a flight-control system that was later implicated in the crashes.</p><p>The criminal case was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-737-max-crash-criminal-case-2fda6bd5226b042787c5bec3c02b78d3">resolved just last month</a>, when a federal judge in Texas approved the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charge as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-justice-department-max-crashes-80ffdcf649f89ee0b3de689c0cfd3079">deal with Boeing.</a>&nbsp;In exchange, Boeing agreed to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for the crash victims’ families, and internal safety and quality measures.</p><p>The total value of the Spirit acquisition is around $8.3 billion, Boeing has said. Shares of Boeing rose roughly 2% in midday trading Monday.</p><p>-----------------</p><p>&nbsp;Boeing on Monday announced it has completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, according to a media release from the aerospace company.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wichita would not be the Air Capital of the World without the extraordinary engineers, designers and manufacturers who have invested in our aerospace industry and made Kansas their home. Boeing&#39;s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems will help build bridges between Seattle and…</p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1998038794931458194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>"This is a pivotal moment in Boeing's history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations and establish Spirit Defense," said&nbsp;Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company. "As we welcome our new teammates and bring our two companies together, our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for our customers and the industry."</p><p>Boeing's acquisition includes all of Spirit's Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. It also includes commercially procured fuselages for the P-8 and KC-46.</p><p>The transaction also brings Boeing's largest supplier of spare parts in house, expands Boeing's global maintenance, repair and overhaul services footprint and adds to Boeing's rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio with Spirit's aftermarket businesses.</p><p>Spirit Defense will continue to support its customers as an independent supplier to the defense industry to ensure uninterrupted support for its customers. It will act as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space &amp; Security, aligning for financial reporting and select enterprise functional and site support, but maintaining independent governance and operations.</p><p>In addition, portions of Spirit AeroSystems' operations in&nbsp;Belfast, Northern Ireland, have been acquired by Boeing, and the&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;site will operate as an independent subsidiary branded as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company.</p><p>Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations in&nbsp;Wichita, Kansas;&nbsp;Dallas, Texas; and&nbsp;Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick,&nbsp;Scotland, will begin to integrate into Boeing. Approximately 15,000 teammates across the five sites are becoming a part of Boeing.</p><p>"Kansas'&nbsp;aviation expertise reaches far beyond our borders," said&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Laura Kelly. "We help manufacture the aircraft the world relies on. Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems underscores the global significance of the work happening in our state and positions&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;to continue shaping the future of aerospace innovation for decades to come."</p><p>"Wichita&nbsp;would not be the Air Capital of the World without the extraordinary engineers, designers and manufacturers who have invested in our aerospace industry and made&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;their home," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Jerry Moran. "Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems will help build bridges between&nbsp;Seattle&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and bring new opportunities to the Air Capital of the World. I welcome Boeing back to&nbsp;Wichita&nbsp;and look forward to working with them to build a lasting relationship with the community and its workforce, as well as current and future suppliers, to continue building on the growth we have seen in recent years."</p><p>"Today's announcement is a great recognition of the world-class talent we have in&nbsp;Wichita," said U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger Marshall. "Our workers and the unions that represent them have kept America as the gold standard in aerospace, and they deserve to be at the center of any future investment. I'm grateful that this agreement further solidifies&nbsp;Wichita's&nbsp;prestige in the industry."</p>

Moran celebrates Boeing's acquisition of Kan. aircraft parts maker

LAFAYETTE COUNTY —A Kansas man died during a pursuit with law enforcement just before 4a.m. Sunday in Lafayette County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Acura TL driven by a 67-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man was westbound on Old Highway 40 at Route M. The driver failed to yield to a sheriff's deputy and a pursuit ensued. The driver failed to negotiate a left turn.&nbsp; The&nbsp; car traveled off the right side of the road, rolled and the driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected.&nbsp; 

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Stewart-Hoefner Funeral Home.&nbsp; &nbsp;The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.

<p>LAFAYETTE COUNTY —A Kansas man died during a pursuit with law enforcement just before 4a.m. Sunday in Lafayette County, Missouri.</p><p>The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Acura TL driven by a 67-year-old Kansas City, Kansas man was westbound on Old Highway 40 at Route M. The driver failed to yield to a sheriff's deputy and a pursuit ensued. The driver failed to negotiate a left turn.&nbsp; The&nbsp; car traveled off the right side of the road, rolled and the driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected.&nbsp; </p><p>The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Stewart-Hoefner Funeral Home.&nbsp; &nbsp;The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.</p>

Driver dies in crash during chase with Missouri deputy

&nbsp;A Republican lawmaker who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday, and he would not oppose the public release of a September strike on a drug boat that killed two survivors if the Pentagon were to declassify it.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764640848301.png" alt="U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat Sept. 2-image from Department of War" />
                        <figcaption>U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat Sept. 2-image from Department of War</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;A Republican lawmaker who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday, and he would not oppose the public release of a September strike on a drug boat that killed two survivors if the Pentagon were to declassify it.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The best way to have a large scale impact on these foreign drug traffickers is to destroy their boats.<br><br>I support President Trump’s mission to protect kids across Arkansas from these drugs. <a href="https://t.co/PyHZ1xlp2Z">pic.twitter.com/PyHZ1xlp2Z</a></p>&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1997734351904415756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The order, like the entire operation, is to destroy these drug boats — which are running drugs into our country from foreign drug cartels and traffickers,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenTomCotton</a>.<br><br>&quot;It was entirely appropriate to strike the boat again to make sure that its cargo was destroyed.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GVVdtbcQ0c">pic.twitter.com/GVVdtbcQ0c</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1997690655913509189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Any boat filled with drugs and operated by foreign drug traffickers trying to kill American kids is a valid military target. <br><br>We should continue these lawful, needful strikes to protect our children. <a href="https://t.co/EAGsb0jK2R">pic.twitter.com/EAGsb0jK2R</a></p>&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1997729067219464689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Another GOP senator wants to release video of Sept. strike on drug boat

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.

Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Kansas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun, according to the United State's Attorney.

By pleading guilty, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire.&nbsp;Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.&nbsp; A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765029150128.png" alt="Mays from an arrest in Wyandotte County" />
                        <figcaption>Mays from an arrest in Wyandotte County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.</p><p>Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Kansas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun, according to the United State's Attorney.</p><p>By pleading guilty, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire.&nbsp;Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.</p><p>Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.&nbsp; A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.</p><p>This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.</p>

Kansas man admits illegally possessing a machine gun

Sioux City, Iowa —Two men with lengthy criminal histories were convicted by a jury last month after a 11-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. according to the United State's Attorney.

Floyd Clifford Coates, Jr., aka Cliff Coates, age 44, from St. Francis, Kansas, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Drug User, Conspiracy to Conceal Objects with the Intent to Impair Their Availability for an Official Proceeding, and Concealing Objects with the Intent to Impair their Availability for an Official Proceeding. Coates was acquitted of other charges related to threats, and obstruction of justice.&nbsp;

Dennis Lawson, age 65, from Whiting, Iowa, was convicted of Using Threat of Physical Force Against Another with the Intent to Hinder, Delay, or Prevent the Communication to a Law Enforcement Officer and Judge of the United States of Information Relating to the Commission and Possible Commission of a Federal Offense. Lawson was acquitted of other charges relating to drugs, threats and obstruction.&nbsp;

The verdict was returned following about 2 hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that in Spring 2019, Coates was a member of a drug trafficking organization that funneled pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to Strubel, Iowa, among other places, for redistribution, and that Coates possessed firearms to protect his illegal drug operation. Evidence also showed that on Easter weekend 2019, Coates had arranged a drug run to Kansas City, Missouri.

To execute the Easter weekend drug run, Coates had convinced an Iowa woman to drive from Sioux City, Iowa; meet him in Blair, Nebraska; and drive him to Kansas City, Missouri, and back. Coates decided to travel to Blair from Trenton, Nebraska, with another woman, 18-year-old Sunny Sramek. Coates and Sramek left Trenton in his wife’s white Ford Explorer to go on the trip. There is no evidence Ms. Sramek knew Coates was going to Kansas City; in fact, she told friends and family that she was going to be on a day trip to Omaha.&nbsp;

The pair made it to Blair, where Coates went into a home, but Ms. Sramek did not. Coates’s driver arrived from Sioux City and Coates said nothing of Ms. Sramek to the driver. As the driver and Coates left the home, the driver saw Ms. Sramek’s motionless body. The driver testified it looked as if Ms. Sramek had overdosed, and Coates said he had provided her methamphetamine. Coates cancelled his drug run to Kansas City and told his driver to go to the home of his brother-in-law Dennis Lawson near Whiting, Iowa, on the banks of the Missouri River. The driver testified that after they arrived at Lawson’s residence Lawson and Coates disappeared for a time, when they returned, Ms. Sramek’s body was gone. The driver also testified that she and Coates cleaned out the car, and that Lawson threatened her saying if she told anyone, “it would be her funeral.”

Later, Coates told confidants that Ms. Sramek had overdosed. He told other friends a more violent story. In both versions, however, he told people he had thrown Ms. Sramek’s body into the Missouri River to conceal evidence of his crimes. Coates was confident his efforts at concealing Ms. Sramek’s body would insulate him from accountability. He told one person “no body, no case” and asked another “you can’t get charged with murder if there is no body, can you?”

Coates’s confidence was misplaced. Law enforcement gathered a significant amount of physical evidence tying Coates to Ms. Sramek’s disappearance. Forensic analysis indicated Ms. Sramek’s DNA and a significant amount of blood were found in the white Ford Explorer. The forensic findings combined with other evidence provided the proof the jury used to convict Coates and Lawson.&nbsp;

“Sunny Sramek went missing more than six years ago,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “But the investigators’ dedication kept her case from going cold. Thanks to them, these two criminals now face judgment for Sunny’s disappearance. Those who believe they can escape justice through threats, cover-ups, or the passage of time will discover they are mistaken.”

“The convictions of Coates and Lawson represent years of tireless, unwavering efforts by a dedicated team of FBI personnel who never stopped looking for Sunny Sramek,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “Despite the defendants’ best efforts to conceal involvement in her disappearance, the FBI persisted in our mission to hold these subjects accountable for their actions. We hope these convictions bring some measure of solace to Sunny’s family. The FBI will always use every tool and technique in our arsenal to seek justice for the missing and attempts to hinder those efforts will be aggressively investigated.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coates and Lawson remain in custody of the United States Marshal.

Coates faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Lawson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765156241257.png" alt="Coates has six previous convictions for theft and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections photo KDOC" />
                        <figcaption>Coates has six previous convictions for theft and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections photo KDOC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Sioux City, Iowa —Two men with lengthy criminal histories were convicted by a jury last month after a 11-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. according to the United State's Attorney.</p><p>Floyd Clifford Coates, Jr., aka Cliff Coates, age 44, from St. Francis, Kansas, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Drug User, Conspiracy to Conceal Objects with the Intent to Impair Their Availability for an Official Proceeding, and Concealing Objects with the Intent to Impair their Availability for an Official Proceeding. Coates was acquitted of other charges related to threats, and obstruction of justice.&nbsp;</p><p>Dennis Lawson, age 65, from Whiting, Iowa, was convicted of Using Threat of Physical Force Against Another with the Intent to Hinder, Delay, or Prevent the Communication to a Law Enforcement Officer and Judge of the United States of Information Relating to the Commission and Possible Commission of a Federal Offense. Lawson was acquitted of other charges relating to drugs, threats and obstruction.&nbsp;</p><p>The verdict was returned following about 2 hours of jury deliberations.</p><p>The evidence at trial showed that in Spring 2019, Coates was a member of a drug trafficking organization that funneled pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to Strubel, Iowa, among other places, for redistribution, and that Coates possessed firearms to protect his illegal drug operation. Evidence also showed that on Easter weekend 2019, Coates had arranged a drug run to Kansas City, Missouri.</p><p>To execute the Easter weekend drug run, Coates had convinced an Iowa woman to drive from Sioux City, Iowa; meet him in Blair, Nebraska; and drive him to Kansas City, Missouri, and back. Coates decided to travel to Blair from Trenton, Nebraska, with another woman, 18-year-old Sunny Sramek. Coates and Sramek left Trenton in his wife’s white Ford Explorer to go on the trip. There is no evidence Ms. Sramek knew Coates was going to Kansas City; in fact, she told friends and family that she was going to be on a day trip to Omaha.&nbsp;</p><p>The pair made it to Blair, where Coates went into a home, but Ms. Sramek did not. Coates’s driver arrived from Sioux City and Coates said nothing of Ms. Sramek to the driver. As the driver and Coates left the home, the driver saw Ms. Sramek’s motionless body. The driver testified it looked as if Ms. Sramek had overdosed, and Coates said he had provided her methamphetamine. Coates cancelled his drug run to Kansas City and told his driver to go to the home of his brother-in-law Dennis Lawson near Whiting, Iowa, on the banks of the Missouri River. The driver testified that after they arrived at Lawson’s residence Lawson and Coates disappeared for a time, when they returned, Ms. Sramek’s body was gone. The driver also testified that she and Coates cleaned out the car, and that Lawson threatened her saying if she told anyone, “it would be her funeral.”</p><p>Later, Coates told confidants that Ms. Sramek had overdosed. He told other friends a more violent story. In both versions, however, he told people he had thrown Ms. Sramek’s body into the Missouri River to conceal evidence of his crimes. Coates was confident his efforts at concealing Ms. Sramek’s body would insulate him from accountability. He told one person “no body, no case” and asked another “you can’t get charged with murder if there is no body, can you?”</p><p>Coates’s confidence was misplaced. Law enforcement gathered a significant amount of physical evidence tying Coates to Ms. Sramek’s disappearance. Forensic analysis indicated Ms. Sramek’s DNA and a significant amount of blood were found in the white Ford Explorer. The forensic findings combined with other evidence provided the proof the jury used to convict Coates and Lawson.&nbsp;</p><p>“Sunny Sramek went missing more than six years ago,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “But the investigators’ dedication kept her case from going cold. Thanks to them, these two criminals now face judgment for Sunny’s disappearance. Those who believe they can escape justice through threats, cover-ups, or the passage of time will discover they are mistaken.”</p><p>“The convictions of Coates and Lawson represent years of tireless, unwavering efforts by a dedicated team of FBI personnel who never stopped looking for Sunny Sramek,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “Despite the defendants’ best efforts to conceal involvement in her disappearance, the FBI persisted in our mission to hold these subjects accountable for their actions. We hope these convictions bring some measure of solace to Sunny’s family. The FBI will always use every tool and technique in our arsenal to seek justice for the missing and attempts to hinder those efforts will be aggressively investigated.”</p><p>Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coates and Lawson remain in custody of the United States Marshal.</p><p>Coates faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.</p><p>Lawson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.</p>

Kan. man linked to disappearance of woman found guilty of drug, gun charges

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Manhattan. Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check of an injured man, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

First responders located a 36-year-old man, identified as Mark Rickenbaker of Manhattan who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

This is an isolated incident, according to the RCPD. Police released no additional details.

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

<p>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Manhattan. Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check of an injured man, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.</p><p>First responders located a 36-year-old man, identified as Mark Rickenbaker of Manhattan who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;</p><p>This is an isolated incident, according to the RCPD. Police released no additional details.</p><p>Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.</p>