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

LAWRENCE — Government, university and community leaders commemorated the opening Wednesday of a state-of-the-art convention center at the University of Kansas, which is equipped with amenities meant to draw thousands of annual visitors and generate revenue to pay off the university’s large-scale development project.

More than 100 people milled about the center’s grand entrance hall and conference rooms to hear Gov. Laura Kelly, university chancellor Douglas Girod and three others praise the teamwork and vision behind the University of Kansas Conference Center. They predicted a future of economic and community prosperity before cutting a ceremonious red ribbon held by the university’s mascots, Big Jay and Baby Jay.

The center is part of the project to revamp the school’s football stadium and northern campus entrance to create the Gateway District. The project could cost up to $808 million, and it relies heavily on state and local incentives, along with funding from the Republican-led Kansas Legislature and private donors to subsidize development.

The conference center is expected to be among the first steps in producing a return on those public and private investments.

“Not only will this facility benefit the greater Lawrence community, but it will also attract out-of-state visitors, spurring significant economic activity,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “Today marks a major step towards completion of the first phase of the university’s Gateway District project.”

The 55,000-square-foot center is the first of its kind in Douglas County. Kelly said the conference center has “required an intense collaborative effort.”

It is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the center’s visitors can access a patio that puts them at eye-level with players and coaches. Conference center users can also access stadium amenities, including the digital scoreboard, meeting rooms and various offices, said Girod.

The university envisions galas, weddings, conventions, trade shows and other large social events as potential uses for the center, said Girod. Event bookings already stretch into 2027, he said.

“As a result of this design, it really positions us to host all kinds of events, bringing out-of-town visitors into our community,” Girod said, “and that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, to generate additional economic activity to the city, county, state and beyond.”

Girod said he hopes the new center will attract events from around the world. An estimated 400,000 people visit Lawrence annually. KU’s Rock Chalk Park soccer complex on the western edge of the city is currently under consideration for hosting a team base camp for the 2026 World Cup.

The conference center isn’t a typical one, in large part because of its location, Girod said.

“Right in the heart of Lawrence, right at the foot of the hill, right at the base of campus, right at the gateway of our campus, and, of course, as part of our stadium,” he said.

The Legislature allocated $35 million to the project in 2022 from American Rescue Plan Act funds. It received $50 million in grant funding in 2023 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which required a three-to-one match of private funds. The city of Lawrence approved in August a $95 million package of incentives, including the city’s first Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds, which allow the city to finance the project with nearly $86 million in bonds. Once built, the development’s revenues and sales taxes will pay off the bonds.

Now that phase 1 is complete, the roughly $300 million phase 2 is expected to begin once KU’s football season ends, said Girod.

The second phase is expected to begin with renovations to the east side of the football stadium and construction of a parking garage and a 150-room hotel. A roughly 440-bed student housing complex, outdoor event plaza and retail, restaurant and office space are expected to follow, extending use of the area beyond football season.

Nearly 1 million people are predicted to visit the Gateway District annually once the project is complete in 2030, according to a feasibility study submitted to the city of Lawrence. Developers expect the district to produce a net economic output of $84.9 million and more than 1,600 full-time jobs.

“Today marks a shift in what is possible in Lawrence,” said Kim Anspach, the executive director of Explore Lawrence, the city’s tourism arm.

Capacity often restricted the city’s ability to host and grow events, she said. The center helps create a “steady rhythm of activity,” which helps support the year-round stability of the local economy.

The center is not a one-time boost, Anspach said; it’s a foundation.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042529180.png" alt="The University of Kansas Conference Center, which is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, opens in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It is part of the Gateway District project’s renovations of the northern entrance to campus, which are expected to finish in 2030. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>The University of Kansas Conference Center, which is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, opens in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It is part of the Gateway District project’s renovations of the northern entrance to campus, which are expected to finish in 2030. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>LAWRENCE — Government, university and community leaders commemorated the opening Wednesday of a state-of-the-art convention center at the University of Kansas, which is equipped with amenities meant to draw thousands of annual visitors and generate revenue to pay off the university’s large-scale development project.</p><p>More than 100 people milled about the center’s grand entrance hall and conference rooms to hear Gov. Laura Kelly, university chancellor Douglas Girod and three others praise the teamwork and vision behind the University of Kansas Conference Center. They predicted a future of economic and community prosperity before cutting a ceremonious red ribbon held by the university’s mascots, Big Jay and Baby Jay.</p><p>The center is part of the project to revamp the school’s football stadium and northern campus entrance to create the Gateway District. The project could cost up to $808 million, and it relies heavily on state and local incentives, along with funding from the Republican-led Kansas Legislature and private donors to subsidize development.</p><p>The conference center is expected to be among the first steps in producing a return on those public and private investments.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042491946.png" alt="People gather in the University of Kansas Conference Center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It will host galas, parties, graduations, conventions and trade shows, said KU Chancellor Doug Girod. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>People gather in the University of Kansas Conference Center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas on Nov. 12, 2025. It will host galas, parties, graduations, conventions and trade shows, said KU Chancellor Doug Girod. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“Not only will this facility benefit the greater Lawrence community, but it will also attract out-of-state visitors, spurring significant economic activity,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “Today marks a major step towards completion of the first phase of the university’s Gateway District project.”</p><p>The 55,000-square-foot center is the first of its kind in Douglas County. Kelly said the conference center has “required an intense collaborative effort.”</p><p>It is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the center’s visitors can access a patio that puts them at eye-level with players and coaches. Conference center users can also access stadium amenities, including the digital scoreboard, meeting rooms and various offices, said Girod.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042452129.png" alt="Field-level access in the University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium is attached to the university’s 55,000-square-foot. conference center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Field-level access in the University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium is attached to the university’s 55,000-square-foot. conference center, which opened in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The university envisions galas, weddings, conventions, trade shows and other large social events as potential uses for the center, said Girod. Event bookings already stretch into 2027, he said.</p><p>“As a result of this design, it really positions us to host all kinds of events, bringing out-of-town visitors into our community,” Girod said, “and that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, to generate additional economic activity to the city, county, state and beyond.”</p><p>Girod said he hopes the new center will attract events from around the world. An estimated 400,000 people visit Lawrence annually. KU’s Rock Chalk Park soccer complex on the western edge of the city is currently under consideration for hosting a team base camp for the 2026 World Cup.</p><p>The conference center isn’t a typical one, in large part because of its location, Girod said.</p><p>“Right in the heart of Lawrence, right at the foot of the hill, right at the base of campus, right at the gateway of our campus, and, of course, as part of our stadium,” he said.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042361413.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly at the University of Kansas Conference Center opening in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly at the University of Kansas Conference Center opening in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The Legislature allocated $35 million to the project in 2022 from American Rescue Plan Act funds. It received $50 million in grant funding in 2023 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which required a three-to-one match of private funds. The city of Lawrence approved in August a $95 million package of incentives, including the city’s first Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds, which allow the city to finance the project with nearly $86 million in bonds. Once built, the development’s revenues and sales taxes will pay off the bonds.</p><p>Now that phase 1 is complete, the roughly $300 million phase 2 is expected to begin once KU’s football season ends, said Girod.</p><p>The second phase is expected to begin with renovations to the east side of the football stadium and construction of a parking garage and a 150-room hotel. A roughly 440-bed student housing complex, outdoor event plaza and retail, restaurant and office space are expected to follow, extending use of the area beyond football season.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763042326830.png" alt="A banner hangs on the untouched portion of the University of Kansas football stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. It depicts a rendering of upcoming plans to complete stadium renovations and construct a hotel and parking garage, creating what will be known as the Gateway District. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>A banner hangs on the untouched portion of the University of Kansas football stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, on Nov. 12, 2025. It depicts a rendering of upcoming plans to complete stadium renovations and construct a hotel and parking garage, creating what will be known as the Gateway District. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Nearly 1 million people are predicted to visit the Gateway District annually once the project is complete in 2030, according to a feasibility study submitted to the city of Lawrence. Developers expect the district to produce a net economic output of $84.9 million and more than 1,600 full-time jobs.</p><p>“Today marks a shift in what is possible in Lawrence,” said Kim Anspach, the executive director of Explore Lawrence, the city’s tourism arm.</p><p>Capacity often restricted the city’s ability to host and grow events, she said. The center helps create a “steady rhythm of activity,” which helps support the year-round stability of the local economy.</p><p>The center is not a one-time boost, Anspach said; it’s a foundation.</p>

KU convention center opens, capping phase 1 of $800M stadium expansion, redevelopment

MITCHELL COUNTY —Two people were injured in a home explosion on Wednesday in Mitchell County.

Just before 6:30pm, the Mitchell County Communication Center received calls of a house explosion had occurred at the corner of Elkhorn Street and Wisconsin Street in Simpson, Kansas, according to a media release from the Mitchell County Sheriff.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and located two adult victims with severe injuries. Both victims were transported to the Mitchell County Health Hospital Systems ER initially. The victims were then flown to higher level of care hospitals. 

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and responded to the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763033183062.png" alt="Photo Mitchell Co. Sheriff" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Mitchell Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MITCHELL COUNTY —Two people were injured in a home explosion on Wednesday in Mitchell County.</p><p>Just before 6:30pm, the Mitchell County Communication Center received calls of a house explosion had occurred at the corner of Elkhorn Street and Wisconsin Street in Simpson, Kansas, according to a media release from the Mitchell County Sheriff.</p><p>Emergency personnel responded to the scene and located two adult victims with severe injuries. Both victims were transported to the Mitchell County Health Hospital Systems ER initially. The victims were then flown to higher level of care hospitals. </p><p>The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and responded to the scene.&nbsp;</p>

Sheriff: 2 critically injured in Kansas home explosion

RAY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide in rural Ray County have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;

Just after noon Wednesday,&nbsp;deputies responded to the 500 block of Arapahoe Drive and found a 43-year-old man unresponsive with apparent gunshot wounds., according to a media release. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities located the suspect in another residence and took 55-year-old Glen Stice into custody. He is being held on a 24-hour investigative hold as the Ray County Prosecutor’s Office reviews potential charges.

The sheriff's office did not release the name of the victim or additional details.

<p>RAY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide in rural Ray County have a suspect in custody.&nbsp;</p><p>Just after noon Wednesday,&nbsp;deputies responded to the 500 block of Arapahoe Drive and found a 43-year-old man unresponsive with apparent gunshot wounds., according to a media release. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.</p><p>Authorities located the suspect in another residence and took 55-year-old Glen Stice into custody. He is being held on a 24-hour investigative hold as the Ray County Prosecutor’s Office reviews potential charges.</p><p>The sheriff's office did not release the name of the victim or additional details.</p>

Deputies arrest suspect in deadly rural Missouri shooting

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5">Starbucks Workers United</a>, the union organizing Starbucks baristas, announced stores in 45 cities will strike beginning Thursday. The cities included are in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego,&nbsp; Dallas, Columbus, Ohio, and Seattle. More stores are prepared to join if Starbucks doesn't reach a contract agreement with the union, organizers said.

Starbucks confirmed that the vast majority of its U.S. stores would be open and operating as usual Thursday.

<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5">Starbucks Workers United</a>, the union organizing Starbucks baristas, announced stores in 45 cities will strike beginning Thursday. The cities included are in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego,&nbsp; Dallas, Columbus, Ohio, and Seattle. More stores are prepared to join if Starbucks doesn't reach a contract agreement with the union, organizers said.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/gdbL0MxtjX">https://t.co/gdbL0MxtjX</a></p>&mdash; Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBWorkersUnited/status/1988727090007670974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Starbucks confirmed that the vast majority of its U.S. stores would be open and operating as usual Thursday.</p>

Starbucks workers union launches strike in 45 cities

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763004356820.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></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;With my signature, the federal government will now resume normal operations and my administration, and our partners in Congress, will continue our work to lower the cost of living, restore public safety... and make America affordable again for all Americans.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ybJjiM2lIL">pic.twitter.com/ybJjiM2lIL</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988810732834812391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 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;For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress shut down the government of the United States in an attempt to extort American taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars for illegal aliens... Today, we’re sending a clear message that we will NEVER give in to extortion.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kMKncQPsiL">pic.twitter.com/kMKncQPsiL</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988809270163566995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 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;The Democrats shutdown has inflicted massive harm. They caused 20,000 flights to be cancelled or delayed... they deprived more than 1M government workers from their paychecks and cut off food stamp benefits of millions and millions of Americans in need.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/KCdnltt95L">pic.twitter.com/KCdnltt95L</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988810060576031185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump signs bill to end the 43 day government shutdown

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House approved a spending package Wednesday evening that will reopen the government and end the longest shutdown in the nation’s history, once President Donald Trump signs the legislation into law.

The White House announced Trump will sign the bill in the Oval Office at 9:45 p.m. Eastern.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025285?Page=2" target="_blank">222-209 vote</a>&nbsp;marked the first time that chamber took up a bill since mid-September, when Republican leaders recessed after members approved a stopgap spending measure they knew couldn’t advance in the Senate.&nbsp;

That stalemate, centered around sharply rising health care costs, led to a 43-day shutdown that affected nearly every corner of the country through delayed funding for nutrition programs for millions of Americans, no pay for federal workers, flight delays tied to staffing shortages and much more.&nbsp;

But after nearly six weeks of failed procedural votes, seven centrist Senate Democrats and one independent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">broke with party leaders</a>&nbsp;on Sunday to advance the reworked spending package and then voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-bipartisan-vote-passes-bill-end-record-breaking-shutdown-house-next" target="_blank">approve the legislation</a>&nbsp;Monday.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who said throughout the shutdown he was interested in a bipartisan path forward on health insurance costs after the shutdown ended, committed to hold a floor vote on a Democratic bill “no later than the second week in December.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said repeatedly throughout the funding lapse GOP lawmakers have ideas to improve the health care system. However, he didn’t detail any of those publicly and hasn’t committed to a floor vote.&nbsp;

House debate on the spending package that will reopen government was largely along party lines, though Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Steube of Florida voted against the bill.

Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Adam Gray of California, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state and Tom Suozzi of New York voted for passage.&nbsp;

Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., urged support for the legislation, saying “history reminds us that shutdowns never change the outcome.”&nbsp;

“Over the last 43 days the facts did not shift, the votes required did not shift, the path forward did not change,” Cole said. “The only thing that did move was the level of pain Democrats inflicted on the nation.”

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the spending panel, rejected the legislation and said it does nothing to address the rising cost of health care.&nbsp;

“More than 20 million Americans will have to pay double, even triple, their monthly insurance premium in just a matter of weeks,” DeLauro said. “And this bill leaves families without even a glimmer of hope that their costs might go down.”

The Senate significantly reworked the stopgap bill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">the House originally passed</a>&nbsp;in mid-September into what is now a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22HR+5371%22%7D" target="_blank">394-page package</a>, adding in three of the full-year government funding bills and changing the date of the stopgap measure to Jan. 30, among many other provisions. The original stopgap was set to last through Nov. 21.&nbsp;

The updated measure gives Congress a couple more months to work out agreement on the remaining nine appropriations bills that were supposed to become law before the start of the current fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;

Lawmakers could create a partial government shutdown if they’re unable to agree on approving the remaining appropriations bill before the new government funding deadline at the end of January.

Trump will turn his attention toward the rising cost of health care that Democrats highlighted during the shutdown, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a Wednesday briefing, though she didn’t put a firm timeline on when he’ll release any plans.

“Once the government reopens, the president, as he’s always maintained, is absolutely open to having conversations about health care,” Leavitt said. “And I think you’ll see the president putting forth some really good policy proposals that Democrats should take very seriously to fix, again, the system that they broke.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters following a closed-door meeting that Democrats will try to get the necessary signatures on a discharge petition to force a floor vote on legislation to extend tax credits for three years for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

The New York Democrat said the extension mirrors how long the enhanced tax credits were set to last initially in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.&nbsp;

Temporary health care subsidies were originally passed as part of the COVID-19-era American Rescue Plan in 2021 for two years. The Inflation Reduction Act, the signature climate policy bill from the Biden administration, then extended those health care subsidies for three years, expiring at the end of December 2025.&nbsp;

“The legislation that we will introduce in the context of a discharge petition will provide that level of certainty to working-class Americans who are on the verge of seeing their premiums, co-pays and deductibles skyrocket,” Jeffries said.&nbsp;

Democrats will need the support of at least a handful of Republicans in order to get the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025111210" target="_blank">discharge petition</a>&nbsp;was released mid-afternoon.

The spending package wraps in several different bills and provisions, such as the three full-year funding bills that cover the Agriculture Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Legislative Branch, military construction projects and Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Trump administration issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Senate-Amendment-to-H.R.-5371-SAP.pdf" target="_blank">Statement of Administration Policy</a>&nbsp;a few hours before the House voted, saying the administration strongly supports the bill, describing the measure as “a fiscally responsible package that provides the full-year funding necessary to support the Nation’s veterans, farmers, and rural communities.”

The package also “ends disruptions to programs the American people rely on and ensures the thousands of Federal employees who have been forced to work without a paycheck, such as air traffic controllers, will be promptly paid,” the administration added.&nbsp;

The Agriculture and Military Construction-VA spending bills include tens of billions of dollars in earmarks requested by lawmakers from both political parties, important to them as midterm elections loom in 2026.

‘Legislative self-dealing’ in Senate attacked

But not every Republican on Capitol Hill is happy with how the full-year bills turned out.&nbsp;

Speaker Johnson announced mid-afternoon that the House would take a separate vote later this month to remove language from the package that will allow senators to file suit against the federal government if their data is subpoenaed.

“We are putting this legislation on the fast track suspension calendar in the House for next week,” Johnson wrote in a social media post.&nbsp;

The provision, tucked into the full-year Legislative Branch spending bill, is retroactive to January 1, 2022, and would apply to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/combative-ag-pam-bondi-confronts-us-senate-judiciary-over-trump-crackdown" target="_blank">the eight senators who had their cell phone records subpoenaed</a>&nbsp;during a 2023 investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.&nbsp;

The FBI reportedly obtained data for cell phone use between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7, 2021, for Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, as well as Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.&nbsp;

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said during floor debate the bill “contains the single most corrupt provision for legislative self-dealing that anyone in this chamber today has ever voted on.”

“This provision is an affront to our taxpayers, to the rule of law, to everyone who believes that we in public office must be the servants of the people, not the masters of the people who get special legal rights and privileges and multi-million-dollar payoffs,” Raskin said.&nbsp;

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUsg77xQWFM&amp;t=224s" target="_blank">told reporters</a>&nbsp;earlier in the day that he will “definitely” be filing a lawsuit after the new provision becomes law.&nbsp;

“And if you think I’m going to settle this thing for a million dollars? No. I want to make it so painful no one ever does this again,” Graham said, later adding he wasn’t sure if he’d win such a case.

Dissatisfaction among GOP lawmakers with that provision was on full display on social media, where Florida’s Steube responded to Speaker Johnson’s post by writing that the “Senate will never take up your ‘standalone’ bill. This is precisely why you shouldn’t let the Senate jam the House.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762997095564.png" alt="A view of the House floor as the the result of the vote was announced Wednesday just before 7:30p.m. CST." />
                        <figcaption>A view of the House floor as the the result of the vote was announced Wednesday just before 7:30p.m. CST.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — The U.S. House approved a spending package Wednesday evening that will reopen the government and end the longest shutdown in the nation’s history, once President Donald Trump signs the legislation into law.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: U.S. House votes to end government shutdown, 222-209. <br><br>Goes now to the president. <a href="https://t.co/LPySa48qUZ">pic.twitter.com/LPySa48qUZ</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1988780269688541282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The White House announced Trump will sign the bill in the Oval Office at 9:45 p.m. Eastern.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025285?Page=2" target="_blank">222-209 vote</a>&nbsp;marked the first time that chamber took up a bill since mid-September, when Republican leaders recessed after members approved a stopgap spending measure they knew couldn’t advance in the Senate.&nbsp;</p><p>That stalemate, centered around sharply rising health care costs, led to a 43-day shutdown that affected nearly every corner of the country through delayed funding for nutrition programs for millions of Americans, no pay for federal workers, flight delays tied to staffing shortages and much more.&nbsp;</p><p>But after nearly six weeks of failed procedural votes, seven centrist Senate Democrats and one independent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">broke with party leaders</a>&nbsp;on Sunday to advance the reworked spending package and then voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-bipartisan-vote-passes-bill-end-record-breaking-shutdown-house-next" target="_blank">approve the legislation</a>&nbsp;Monday.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who said throughout the shutdown he was interested in a bipartisan path forward on health insurance costs after the shutdown ended, committed to hold a floor vote on a Democratic bill “no later than the second week in December.”</p><p>House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said repeatedly throughout the funding lapse GOP lawmakers have ideas to improve the health care system. However, he didn’t detail any of those publicly and hasn’t committed to a floor vote.&nbsp;</p><p>House debate on the spending package that will reopen government was largely along party lines, though Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Steube of Florida voted against the bill.</p><p>Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Adam Gray of California, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state and Tom Suozzi of New York voted for passage.&nbsp;</p><p>Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., urged support for the legislation, saying “history reminds us that shutdowns never change the outcome.”&nbsp;</p><p>“Over the last 43 days the facts did not shift, the votes required did not shift, the path forward did not change,” Cole said. “The only thing that did move was the level of pain Democrats inflicted on the nation.”</p><h2>Much higher premiums predicted&nbsp;</h2><p>Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the spending panel, rejected the legislation and said it does nothing to address the rising cost of health care.&nbsp;</p><p>“More than 20 million Americans will have to pay double, even triple, their monthly insurance premium in just a matter of weeks,” DeLauro said. “And this bill leaves families without even a glimmer of hope that their costs might go down.”</p><p>The Senate significantly reworked the stopgap bill&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">the House originally passed</a>&nbsp;in mid-September into what is now a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22HR+5371%22%7D" target="_blank">394-page package</a>, adding in three of the full-year government funding bills and changing the date of the stopgap measure to Jan. 30, among many other provisions. The original stopgap was set to last through Nov. 21.&nbsp;</p><p>The updated measure gives Congress a couple more months to work out agreement on the remaining nine appropriations bills that were supposed to become law before the start of the current fiscal year on Oct. 1.&nbsp;</p><p>Lawmakers could create a partial government shutdown if they’re unable to agree on approving the remaining appropriations bill before the new government funding deadline at the end of January.</p><h2>Democratic discharge petition</h2><p>Trump will turn his attention toward the rising cost of health care that Democrats highlighted during the shutdown, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a Wednesday briefing, though she didn’t put a firm timeline on when he’ll release any plans.</p><p>“Once the government reopens, the president, as he’s always maintained, is absolutely open to having conversations about health care,” Leavitt said. “And I think you’ll see the president putting forth some really good policy proposals that Democrats should take very seriously to fix, again, the system that they broke.”</p><p>House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters following a closed-door meeting that Democrats will try to get the necessary signatures on a discharge petition to force a floor vote on legislation to extend tax credits for three years for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace.</p><p>The New York Democrat said the extension mirrors how long the enhanced tax credits were set to last initially in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.&nbsp;</p><p>Temporary health care subsidies were originally passed as part of the COVID-19-era American Rescue Plan in 2021 for two years. The Inflation Reduction Act, the signature climate policy bill from the Biden administration, then extended those health care subsidies for three years, expiring at the end of December 2025.&nbsp;</p><p>“The legislation that we will introduce in the context of a discharge petition will provide that level of certainty to working-class Americans who are on the verge of seeing their premiums, co-pays and deductibles skyrocket,” Jeffries said.&nbsp;</p><p>Democrats will need the support of at least a handful of Republicans in order to get the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the bill. The&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025111210" target="_blank">discharge petition</a>&nbsp;was released mid-afternoon.</p><h2>What’s in the new bill</h2><p>The spending package wraps in several different bills and provisions, such as the three full-year funding bills that cover the Agriculture Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Legislative Branch, military construction projects and Department of Veterans Affairs.</p><p>Included are:</p><ul>
                        <li>A stopgap spending bill that will keep the rest of the federal government running through Jan. 30;</li><li>$30 million for the U.S. Capitol Police to enhance protections for lawmakers, $30 million for the U.S. Marshals Service to bolster security for members of the judicial and executive branches, and $28 million for enhanced safety for Supreme Court justices;</li><li>Language requiring the Trump administration to reinstate the thousands of workers it sent layoff notices to during the shutdown and preventing officials from firing those workers through January;</li><li>Provisions mandating the Trump administration provide back pay to all federal workers, including those furloughed during the shutdown. Trump at one point during the shutdown had threatened to yank that back pay, though it is required by law.</li>
                    </ul><p>The Trump administration issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Senate-Amendment-to-H.R.-5371-SAP.pdf" target="_blank">Statement of Administration Policy</a>&nbsp;a few hours before the House voted, saying the administration strongly supports the bill, describing the measure as “a fiscally responsible package that provides the full-year funding necessary to support the Nation’s veterans, farmers, and rural communities.”</p><p>The package also “ends disruptions to programs the American people rely on and ensures the thousands of Federal employees who have been forced to work without a paycheck, such as air traffic controllers, will be promptly paid,” the administration added.&nbsp;</p><p>The Agriculture and Military Construction-VA spending bills include tens of billions of dollars in earmarks requested by lawmakers from both political parties, important to them as midterm elections loom in 2026.</p><h2>‘Legislative self-dealing’ in Senate attacked</h2><p>But not every Republican on Capitol Hill is happy with how the full-year bills turned out.&nbsp;</p><p>Speaker Johnson announced mid-afternoon that the House would take a separate vote later this month to remove language from the package that will allow senators to file suit against the federal government if their data is subpoenaed.</p><p>“We are putting this legislation on the fast track suspension calendar in the House for next week,” Johnson wrote in a social media post.&nbsp;</p><p>The provision, tucked into the full-year Legislative Branch spending bill, is retroactive to January 1, 2022, and would apply to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/combative-ag-pam-bondi-confronts-us-senate-judiciary-over-trump-crackdown" target="_blank">the eight senators who had their cell phone records subpoenaed</a>&nbsp;during a 2023 investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.&nbsp;</p><p>The FBI reportedly obtained data for cell phone use between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7, 2021, for Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, as well as Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.&nbsp;</p><p>Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said during floor debate the bill “contains the single most corrupt provision for legislative self-dealing that anyone in this chamber today has ever voted on.”</p><p>“This provision is an affront to our taxpayers, to the rule of law, to everyone who believes that we in public office must be the servants of the people, not the masters of the people who get special legal rights and privileges and multi-million-dollar payoffs,” Raskin said.&nbsp;</p><p>South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUsg77xQWFM&amp;t=224s" target="_blank">told reporters</a>&nbsp;earlier in the day that he will “definitely” be filing a lawsuit after the new provision becomes law.&nbsp;</p><p>“And if you think I’m going to settle this thing for a million dollars? No. I want to make it so painful no one ever does this again,” Graham said, later adding he wasn’t sure if he’d win such a case.</p><p>Dissatisfaction among GOP lawmakers with that provision was on full display on social media, where Florida’s Steube responded to Speaker Johnson’s post by writing that the “Senate will never take up your ‘standalone’ bill. This is precisely why you shouldn’t let the Senate jam the House.”</p>

Government to reopen after 43 days: House sends bill to Trump ending record shutdown

JOHNSON COUNTY, Missouri —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly domestic incident involving an Airman assigned to Whiteman Airforce base that left two dead and one injured.

Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, the Johnson County, Missouri central dispatch received two calls simultaneously about a domestic disturbance in progress in the 700 Block of Cedar Drive in Warrensburg, according to a media release from police.

Officers responded and located the suspect who was armed with a weapon and running south toward Hale Lake Road. The suspect fired their weapon multiple times in the area of the officers as they arrived on the scene. A courageous bystander identified as Tony Barron, attempted to intervene prior to officers arrival. He was shot and killed by the suspect.&nbsp;

Officers established a perimeter and advised local school and businesses to lockdown.&nbsp;

Just after 8:30a.m., officers found the suspect south of the residence. He was deceased with what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.&nbsp; A woman injured during the incident was treated for injuries from Western Missouri Medical Center.&nbsp;No officers or other first responders were injured.&nbsp; Whiteman Air Force Base confirmed that an “off-base, off-duty” Airman was involved in the incident.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762994393092.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOHNSON COUNTY, Missouri —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly domestic incident involving an Airman assigned to Whiteman Airforce base that left two dead and one injured.</p><p>Just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday, the Johnson County, Missouri central dispatch received two calls simultaneously about a domestic disturbance in progress in the 700 Block of Cedar Drive in Warrensburg, according to a media release from police.</p><p>Officers responded and located the suspect who was armed with a weapon and running south toward Hale Lake Road. The suspect fired their weapon multiple times in the area of the officers as they arrived on the scene. A courageous bystander identified as Tony Barron, attempted to intervene prior to officers arrival. He was shot and killed by the suspect.&nbsp;</p><p>Officers established a perimeter and advised local school and businesses to lockdown.&nbsp;</p><p>Just after 8:30a.m., officers found the suspect south of the residence. He was deceased with what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.&nbsp; A woman injured during the incident was treated for injuries from Western Missouri Medical Center.&nbsp;No officers or other first responders were injured.&nbsp; Whiteman Air Force Base confirmed that an “off-base, off-duty” Airman was involved in the incident.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.</p>

Off duty Mo. Airman involved in deadly domestic incident

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A child is recovering from a injuries after an incident that occurred Monday in rural Shawnee County.

Just after 1p.m.,&nbsp;the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a 10-year-old child that fell from a second story window, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

American Medical Response transported the child to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The sheriff's office reported no additional details.

<p>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A child is recovering from a injuries after an incident that occurred Monday in rural Shawnee County.</p><p>Just after 1p.m.,&nbsp;the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a 10-year-old child that fell from a second story window, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.</p><p>American Medical Response transported the child to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The sheriff's office reported no additional details.</p>

Sheriff: 10-year-old fell from 2nd story window of rural Kan. home

RILEY COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.

Just before 11a.m. on Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a house fire at 2409 Lookout Drive, according to a media release from the Manhattan FIre Department.

Crews found a single-story home with fire and smoke showing from the attached garage. The fire was contained within 15 minutes. 

Family members removed an occupant with a physical disability before the fire companies arrived.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.

The building is a single-family residence. Damage to the residence was significant. The owner is listed as Wanda Jepsen who lives there, according to the fire department.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762972834047.png" alt="-Photo Manhattan Fire Department" />
                        <figcaption>-Photo Manhattan Fire Department</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RILEY COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Manhattan.</p><p>Just before 11a.m. on Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a house fire at 2409 Lookout Drive, according to a media release from the Manhattan FIre Department.</p><p>Crews found a single-story home with fire and smoke showing from the attached garage. The fire was contained within 15 minutes. </p><p>Family members removed an occupant with a physical disability before the fire companies arrived.&nbsp; No injuries were reported.</p><p>The building is a single-family residence. Damage to the residence was significant. The owner is listed as Wanda Jepsen who lives there, according to the fire department.</p>

Significant damage reported after fire at Kansas home 

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released emails Wednesday they say show President Donald Trump knew about the financier’s abuse of underage girls as far back as 2011.

<a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/3-emails_redacted.pdf">Click here to read the emails</a>

The three&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26223234-2011-2015-2019-epstein-emails/" target="_blank">emails</a>&nbsp;released by Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform were among 23,000 pages of documents turned over to the committee by Epstein’s estate, according to Democrats.

In a 2011 correspondence with the now-convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein wrote that Trump “spent hours at my house” with a victim whose name is redacted from the email. In the same email, Epstein refers to Trump as the “dog that hasn’t barked.”

In a 2015 email exchange between Epstein and journalist Michael Wolff, Wolff tells Epstein that he’s heard CNN will ask Trump about his relationship with the financier. The two have an exchange about how to hypothetically “craft an answer” for Trump.&nbsp;

Wolff responds, “If he says he hasn’t been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable (public relations) and political currency.”

In a January 2019 email, also to Wolff, Epstein referenced a victim’s name, redacted, as having been at Trump’s Florida estate and private club, Mar-a-Lago, and wrote “Trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever. Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”&nbsp;

Emails raise more questions, leading Dem says

House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia said in a statement Wednesday the emails “raise glaring questions about what else the White House is hiding and the nature of the relationship between Epstein and the President.”

“The Department of Justice must fully release the Epstein files to the public immediately. The Oversight Committee will continue pushing for answers and will not stop until we get justice for the victims,” Garcia continued.

Within hours of the committee Democrats’ release of the emails, committee Republican leaders issued a brief press release linking to “an additional 20,000 pages of documents received from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein” contained on Google Drive and Dropbox clouds.&nbsp;

The White House did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.

Congress investigates after FBI backtracks

The bipartisan committee investigation began shortly after the FBI released a July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">memo</a>&nbsp;stating the Department of Justice would not be releasing any further information on the government’s sex trafficking investigation into Epstein.

Epstein was found dead, apparently by suicide, in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell where he was awaiting federal trial.

The FBI’s announcement that the agency would not release further details caused a firestorm of demands to release all investigative material, even among Trump’s supporters in Congress and far-right media influencers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-charlie-kirk-epstein/5168389" target="_blank">including</a>&nbsp;Megyn Kelly and the late Charlie Kirk.&nbsp;

Trump campaigned on releasing what are often referred to as the “Epstein files.”

A bipartisan effort in the House of Representatives is aiming to force a vote on the release of the files as soon as this week after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., swears in Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva.&nbsp;

Grijalva has pledged to be the final signature needed on a discharge petition by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that will compel a floor vote on a bill to release all Epstein investigation files.

Massie and Khanna hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-must-choose-epstein-survivors-demand-vote-release-case-files" target="_blank">press conference</a>&nbsp;on Capitol Hill in early September featuring several women who told stories of abuse by Epstein and Maxwell.

Since the FBI memo, a magnifying glass has been fixed on Trump’s past relationship with Epstein.&nbsp;

The president sued The Wall Street Journal for reporting on a 50th&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank">birthday card</a>&nbsp;Trump allegedly gave to Epstein. The card featured a cryptic message and a doodle of a naked woman with Trump’s apparent signature mimicking pubic hair.&nbsp;

The Journal also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed the president in May that his name appeared in the Epstein case files. The context in which his name appeared is unclear.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Epstein-photo NY Sex Offender Registry" />
                        <figcaption>Epstein-photo NY Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released emails Wednesday they say show President Donald Trump knew about the financier’s abuse of underage girls as far back as 2011.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762964441190.png" alt="One of the emails released Wednesday by House Oversight Dems" />
                        <figcaption>One of the emails released Wednesday by House Oversight Dems</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/3-emails_redacted.pdf">Click here to read the emails</a></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Q: &quot;In the interest of transparency, why not just go ahead, release the full files on Epstein, get this all over with?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karoline Leavitt: &quot;This administration has done more with respect to transparency when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein than any administration ever.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/t9LlWGohPt">pic.twitter.com/t9LlWGohPt</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1988682162728759490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The three&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26223234-2011-2015-2019-epstein-emails/" target="_blank">emails</a>&nbsp;released by Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform were among 23,000 pages of documents turned over to the committee by Epstein’s estate, according to Democrats.</p><p>In a 2011 correspondence with the now-convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein wrote that Trump “spent hours at my house” with a victim whose name is redacted from the email. In the same email, Epstein refers to Trump as the “dog that hasn’t barked.”</p><p>In a 2015 email exchange between Epstein and journalist Michael Wolff, Wolff tells Epstein that he’s heard CNN will ask Trump about his relationship with the financier. The two have an exchange about how to hypothetically “craft an answer” for Trump.&nbsp;</p><p>Wolff responds, “If he says he hasn’t been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable (public relations) and political currency.”</p><p>In a January 2019 email, also to Wolff, Epstein referenced a victim’s name, redacted, as having been at Trump’s Florida estate and private club, Mar-a-Lago, and wrote “Trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever. Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”&nbsp;</p><h2>Emails raise more questions, leading Dem says</h2><p>House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia said in a statement Wednesday the emails “raise glaring questions about what else the White House is hiding and the nature of the relationship between Epstein and the President.”</p><p>“The Department of Justice must fully release the Epstein files to the public immediately. The Oversight Committee will continue pushing for answers and will not stop until we get justice for the victims,” Garcia continued.</p><p>Within hours of the committee Democrats’ release of the emails, committee Republican leaders issued a brief press release linking to “an additional 20,000 pages of documents received from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein” contained on Google Drive and Dropbox clouds.&nbsp;</p><p>The White House did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.</p><h2>Congress investigates after FBI backtracks</h2><p>The bipartisan committee investigation began shortly after the FBI released a July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">memo</a>&nbsp;stating the Department of Justice would not be releasing any further information on the government’s sex trafficking investigation into Epstein.</p><p>Epstein was found dead, apparently by suicide, in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell where he was awaiting federal trial.</p><p>The FBI’s announcement that the agency would not release further details caused a firestorm of demands to release all investigative material, even among Trump’s supporters in Congress and far-right media influencers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-charlie-kirk-epstein/5168389" target="_blank">including</a>&nbsp;Megyn Kelly and the late Charlie Kirk.&nbsp;</p><p>Trump campaigned on releasing what are often referred to as the “Epstein files.”</p><p>A bipartisan effort in the House of Representatives is aiming to force a vote on the release of the files as soon as this week after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., swears in Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva.&nbsp;</p><p>Grijalva has pledged to be the final signature needed on a discharge petition by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that will compel a floor vote on a bill to release all Epstein investigation files.</p><p>Massie and Khanna hosted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-must-choose-epstein-survivors-demand-vote-release-case-files" target="_blank">press conference</a>&nbsp;on Capitol Hill in early September featuring several women who told stories of abuse by Epstein and Maxwell.</p><p>Since the FBI memo, a magnifying glass has been fixed on Trump’s past relationship with Epstein.&nbsp;</p><p>The president sued The Wall Street Journal for reporting on a 50th&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank">birthday card</a>&nbsp;Trump allegedly gave to Epstein. The card featured a cryptic message and a doodle of a naked woman with Trump’s apparent signature mimicking pubic hair.&nbsp;</p><p>The Journal also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed the president in May that his name appeared in the Epstein case files. The context in which his name appeared is unclear.&nbsp;</p><p>Trump has denied the reports.</p>

US House Dems say newly released Epstein emails show Trump knew about abuse

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged theft in Manhattan.

Just after 2p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;filed a report of theft in the 1300 block of Hudson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; A 73-year-old man reported an unknown suspect stole money during a meeting to purchase items for sale. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $9,000.

<p>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged theft in Manhattan.</p><p>Just after 2p.m. Monday, police&nbsp;filed a report of theft in the 1300 block of Hudson Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp; A 73-year-old man reported an unknown suspect stole money during a meeting to purchase items for sale. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $9,000.</p>

Police: $9,000 stolen from 73-year-old Kan. man

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash and continue to search for one of the drivers involved.

Just before 12:30a.m. Monday, a&nbsp;black pickup was northbound at a high rate of speed at the intersection of&nbsp;Valentine and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The pickup collided with a brown sedan which was making a turn. After impact, the black pickup collided with a parked car and the occupants fled the scene. 

EMS transported the driver of the brown sedan to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

<p>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an injury crash and continue to search for one of the drivers involved.</p><p>Just before 12:30a.m. Monday, a&nbsp;black pickup was northbound at a high rate of speed at the intersection of&nbsp;Valentine and Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.</p><p>The pickup collided with a brown sedan which was making a turn. After impact, the black pickup collided with a parked car and the occupants fled the scene. </p><p>EMS transported the driver of the brown sedan to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.</p>

KCPD: Driver hospitalized, suspects fled 3-vehicle crash

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with CDPH IBTPP, and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism. Epidemiologic and laboratory data show that ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula might be contaminated with&nbsp;Clostridium botulinum, which is causing infant illness in multiple regions of the country.

As of November 10, 2025, a total of 15 infants with suspected or confirmed infant botulism and&nbsp;confirmed exposure to Byheart Whole Nutrition infant formula&nbsp;(various lots) have been reported from 12 states (see map). Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. For 14 cases with illness onset information available, illnesses started on dates ranging from August 9 to November 10, 2025. All 15 infants were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported to date. For 14 infants with age and sex information available, they range in age from 16 to 157 days and 7 (50%) are female.&nbsp;

State and local public health officials are interviewing caregivers about the foods the infants were fed in the month before they got sick. Fifteen infant botulism cases have been identified that were fed ByHeart Whole Nutrition powdered infant formula before getting sick.&nbsp;

According to information shared by IBTPP, since August 1, 2025 through November 10, 2025, 84 infants nationwide have received treatment for infant botulism. Among them, 36 (43%) had any powdered infant formula exposure. Notably, more than 40% (15) infants who had powdered infant formula exposure consumed ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula. This information shows that ByHeart brand formula is disproportionately represented among sick infants in this outbreak, especially given that ByHeart represents an estimated 1% of all infant formula sales in the United States. Investigations remain ongoing but have not identified any other infant formula brands or shared exposures that pose a risk to infants.

As part of this investigation, officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. On November 8, 2025, preliminary laboratory results reported by the<a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR25-017.aspx">&nbsp;California Department of Public Health</a>&nbsp;suggest the presence of the bacteria that produce botulinum toxin in an open can of ByHeart infant formula (lot 206VABP/251131P2) that was fed to an infant with infant botulism. &nbsp;Additional testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. Detection of&nbsp;Clostridium botulinum&nbsp;in infant formula is difficult, and a negative test result does not rule out the presence of the bacteria in the product.&nbsp;

FDA has been in contact with the firm and has requested a recall expansion to include all ByHeart infant formula on the market. On November 11, 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/byheart-broadens-voluntary-recall-while-investigation-continues">ByHeart expanded its recall</a>&nbsp;to include all ByHeart formula nationwide, including cans and single-serve sticks. This advisory will be updated as additional information becomes available.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine the point of contamination. This advisory will be updated as information becomes available. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762681537657.png" alt="Photo FDA" />
                        <figcaption>Photo FDA</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with CDPH IBTPP, and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism. Epidemiologic and laboratory data show that ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula might be contaminated with&nbsp;Clostridium botulinum, which is causing infant illness in multiple regions of the country.</p><p>As of November 10, 2025, a total of 15 infants with suspected or confirmed infant botulism and&nbsp;confirmed exposure to Byheart Whole Nutrition infant formula&nbsp;(various lots) have been reported from 12 states (see map). Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. For 14 cases with illness onset information available, illnesses started on dates ranging from August 9 to November 10, 2025. All 15 infants were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported to date. For 14 infants with age and sex information available, they range in age from 16 to 157 days and 7 (50%) are female.&nbsp;</p><p>State and local public health officials are interviewing caregivers about the foods the infants were fed in the month before they got sick. Fifteen infant botulism cases have been identified that were fed ByHeart Whole Nutrition powdered infant formula before getting sick.&nbsp;</p><p>According to information shared by IBTPP, since August 1, 2025 through November 10, 2025, 84 infants nationwide have received treatment for infant botulism. Among them, 36 (43%) had any powdered infant formula exposure. Notably, more than 40% (15) infants who had powdered infant formula exposure consumed ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula. This information shows that ByHeart brand formula is disproportionately represented among sick infants in this outbreak, especially given that ByHeart represents an estimated 1% of all infant formula sales in the United States. Investigations remain ongoing but have not identified any other infant formula brands or shared exposures that pose a risk to infants.</p><p>As part of this investigation, officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. On November 8, 2025, preliminary laboratory results reported by the<a href="https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR25-017.aspx">&nbsp;California Department of Public Health</a>&nbsp;suggest the presence of the bacteria that produce botulinum toxin in an open can of ByHeart infant formula (lot 206VABP/251131P2) that was fed to an infant with infant botulism. &nbsp;Additional testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. Detection of&nbsp;Clostridium botulinum&nbsp;in infant formula is difficult, and a negative test result does not rule out the presence of the bacteria in the product.&nbsp;</p><p>FDA has been in contact with the firm and has requested a recall expansion to include all ByHeart infant formula on the market. On November 11, 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/byheart-broadens-voluntary-recall-while-investigation-continues">ByHeart expanded its recall</a>&nbsp;to include all ByHeart formula nationwide, including cans and single-serve sticks. This advisory will be updated as additional information becomes available.</p><p>FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine the point of contamination. This advisory will be updated as information becomes available. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

ByHeart baby formula recall expanded as Infant botulism outbreak grows

KEITH COUNTY, Neb— First responders rescued two hunters and a dog on Monday who were trapped in mud flats at Lake McConaughy’s Cedar View Area on Monday, according to a social media report from&nbsp; the Lake McConaughy Dive Rescue Team 

Nebraska Game and Parks responded to assist with an airboat.&nbsp; Rescue crews in cold water survival gear removed on hunter from the mud and water and then another hunter and his dog were removed and brought to shore. 

Garden County EMS transported both hunters for treatment of hypothermia.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

Agencies assisting included the Keith County Fire Department, the Keith County Sheriff's Office, Lewellen Fire Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Keith County EMS with a drone. 

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762913270498.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;&nbsp;Keystone Lemoyne Fire Rescue" />
                        <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;&nbsp;Keystone Lemoyne Fire Rescue</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KEITH COUNTY, Neb— First responders rescued two hunters and a dog on Monday who were trapped in mud flats at Lake McConaughy’s Cedar View Area on Monday, according to a social media report from&nbsp; the Lake McConaughy Dive Rescue Team </p><p>Nebraska Game and Parks responded to assist with an airboat.&nbsp; Rescue crews in cold water survival gear removed on hunter from the mud and water and then another hunter and his dog were removed and brought to shore. </p><p>Garden County EMS transported both hunters for treatment of hypothermia.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.</p><p>Agencies assisting included the Keith County Fire Department, the Keith County Sheriff's Office, Lewellen Fire Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Keith County EMS with a drone. </p>

Hunters and dog rescued from mud flats at Lake McConaughy 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a rollover crash that injured a juvenile passenger.

Just after noon Nov. 2, deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 9700 block of Sunflower Road in De Soto, Kansas, according to a media release. The driver, Jeyson Carabantes-Deras, 25, overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll over. A 6-year-old female passenger was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Deputies determined Carabantes-Deras appeared intoxicated, and DUI testing was conducted. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Carabantes-Deras remains jailed charges on a $500,000 bond on requested aggravated child endangerment, aggravated battery, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while suspended and other traffic violations.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762448240269.png" alt="Carabantes-Deras photo Johnson County" />
                        <figcaption>Carabantes-Deras photo Johnson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a rollover crash that injured a juvenile passenger.</p><p>Just after noon Nov. 2, deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 9700 block of Sunflower Road in De Soto, Kansas, according to a media release. The driver, Jeyson Carabantes-Deras, 25, overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll over. A 6-year-old female passenger was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.</p><p>Deputies determined Carabantes-Deras appeared intoxicated, and DUI testing was conducted. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.</p><p>Carabantes-Deras remains jailed charges on a $500,000 bond on requested aggravated child endangerment, aggravated battery, leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while suspended and other traffic violations.</p>

Man arrested after Kan. rollover crash injured 6-year-old

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

The U.S. Supreme Court has extended through Thursday a pause on lower courts’ orders that the Trump administration authorize a full month of benefits for a food assistance program that 1 in 8 Americans use to buy groceries.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/111125zr_3204.pdf" target="_blank">brief, unsigned order</a>&nbsp;published Tuesday evening also said the full court would decide on the administration’s request to block court orders that the U.S. Department of Agriculture release full November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;

The case was presented to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who said she would have dismissed the case and denied the request for an administrative stay. Jackson was appointed to the high court by President Joe Biden.

The order adds another wrinkle to a case that was already the object of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a weekslong tug-of-war</a>&nbsp;over how the program should operate during the government shutdown.

The shutdown could end before the stay expires. The U.S. Senate passed a bill Monday to reopen the government, and the House is expected to pass it Wednesday. President Donald Trump has said he supports the measure and will likely sign it before the end of the day Thursday.

Trump and administration officials have maintained they were not authorized to release November SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

A Rhode Island federal judge ordered the USDA on Thursday to release full benefits for November. The department sent states a memo authorizing those payments Friday morning, then appealed to the Supreme Court on Friday evening to have the district court’s order overturned.

At the same time, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s order.

In the face of often contradicting administrative guidance and court orders, some states began processing full benefits for November, while others have yet to release them.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post Photo" />
                        <figcaption>Post Photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a></p><p>The U.S. Supreme Court has extended through Thursday a pause on lower courts’ orders that the Trump administration authorize a full month of benefits for a food assistance program that 1 in 8 Americans use to buy groceries.</p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/111125zr_3204.pdf" target="_blank">brief, unsigned order</a>&nbsp;published Tuesday evening also said the full court would decide on the administration’s request to block court orders that the U.S. Department of Agriculture release full November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762903719839.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The case was presented to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who said she would have dismissed the case and denied the request for an administrative stay. Jackson was appointed to the high court by President Joe Biden.</p><p>The order adds another wrinkle to a case that was already the object of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a weekslong tug-of-war</a>&nbsp;over how the program should operate during the government shutdown.</p><p>The shutdown could end before the stay expires. The U.S. Senate passed a bill Monday to reopen the government, and the House is expected to pass it Wednesday. President Donald Trump has said he supports the measure and will likely sign it before the end of the day Thursday.</p><p>Trump and administration officials have maintained they were not authorized to release November SNAP benefits during the shutdown.</p><p>A Rhode Island federal judge ordered the USDA on Thursday to release full benefits for November. The department sent states a memo authorizing those payments Friday morning, then appealed to the Supreme Court on Friday evening to have the district court’s order overturned.</p><p>At the same time, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s order.</p><p>In the face of often contradicting administrative guidance and court orders, some states began processing full benefits for November, while others have yet to release them.</p>

US Supreme Court maintains temporary freeze on full SNAP benefits for November

MITCHELL COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 11:30a.m.&nbsp; Tuesday in Mitchell County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1991 Buick Century driven by Brian&nbsp;Christianson, 69, Hunter, was northbound on Kansas 181 just south of Timothy Trail.&nbsp; &nbsp;The driver attempted to pass a 2005 International semi driven by Ronald&nbsp;Dubbert, 52, Hebron, Nebraska, in a no passing zone. The semi failed to&nbsp;maintain its lane and crossed the center line when negotiating a curve. 

The Buick left the roadway and when it reentered, it made impact with the semi. The semi then left the roadway, entered the east ditch and rolled.&nbsp;

A passenger in the semi identified as 84-year-old Mary&nbsp;Dubbert, 84, Tipton, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Funeral Home.

EMS transported Ronald Dubbert to the Mitchell County Hospital. Christianson was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714501971078.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
                        <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MITCHELL COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 11:30a.m.&nbsp; Tuesday in Mitchell County.&nbsp;</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp; 1991 Buick Century driven by Brian&nbsp;Christianson, 69, Hunter, was northbound on Kansas 181 just south of Timothy Trail.&nbsp; &nbsp;The driver attempted to pass a 2005 International semi driven by Ronald&nbsp;Dubbert, 52, Hebron, Nebraska, in a no passing zone. The semi failed to&nbsp;maintain its lane and crossed the center line when negotiating a curve. </p><p>The Buick left the roadway and when it reentered, it made impact with the semi. The semi then left the roadway, entered the east ditch and rolled.&nbsp;</p><p>A passenger in the semi identified as 84-year-old Mary&nbsp;Dubbert, 84, Tipton, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Roberts Funeral Home.</p><p>EMS transported Ronald Dubbert to the Mitchell County Hospital. Christianson was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.</p>

Kan. woman killed after car, semi crash in no passing zone

NEW YORK&nbsp;–Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – rang the Nasdaq Exchange Opening Bell today in honor of Veterans Day with members of the U.S. Marine Corps and veterans on board the USS Intrepid in New York City. During the ceremony, Sen. Moran paid tribute to his father, Raymond Edwin Moran, a World War II veteran who served in the Army in North Africa and Italy.

“Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing their gratitude and respect for those who serve our country today and for those who served our country in the past,”&nbsp;<b>said Sen. Moran.</b>&nbsp;“I think sometimes we think we have no heroes. But we look to the basketball courts and the amphitheaters of musicians, whenever the person that we work with, or down the hall, or across the street, served our nation in uniform.”

“It wasn’t too long ago that I was at the World War II Memorial, and I went to the Kansas pillar, and I thought of my dad back home in small-town western Kansas who was a World War II veteran, so I called him on my flip phone,”&nbsp;<b>continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;</b>“Fortunately, I got the answering machine, and I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the World War II Memorial, built in your honor, and I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your service, Dad, and I love you.’ ”“We stand together as Americans, and say to those who serve in uniform, and those who served us in the past, we respect you, we thank you for your service, and we love you,”&nbsp;<b>concluded Sen. Moran.</b>

<p>NEW YORK&nbsp;–Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – rang the Nasdaq Exchange Opening Bell today in honor of Veterans Day with members of the U.S. Marine Corps and veterans on board the USS Intrepid in New York City. During the ceremony, Sen. Moran paid tribute to his father, Raymond Edwin Moran, a World War II veteran who served in the Army in North Africa and Italy.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It was great to join the U.S. Marines to recognize Veterans Day this morning for a special ceremony for the <a href="https://twitter.com/NasdaqExchange?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NasdaqExchange</a> Opening Bell on board the USS Intrepid. Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing… <a href="https://t.co/eWBsSt4J1c">pic.twitter.com/eWBsSt4J1c</a></p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1988359890063024542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“Across America, from the prairies of my home state of Kansas to the skyline of New York City, people are expressing their gratitude and respect for those who serve our country today and for those who served our country in the past,”&nbsp;<b>said Sen. Moran.</b>&nbsp;“I think sometimes we think we have no heroes. But we look to the basketball courts and the amphitheaters of musicians, whenever the person that we work with, or down the hall, or across the street, served our nation in uniform.”</p><p>“It wasn’t too long ago that I was at the World War II Memorial, and I went to the Kansas pillar, and I thought of my dad back home in small-town western Kansas who was a World War II veteran, so I called him on my flip phone,”&nbsp;<b>continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;</b>“Fortunately, I got the answering machine, and I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the World War II Memorial, built in your honor, and I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your service, Dad, and I love you.’ ”“We stand together as Americans, and say to those who serve in uniform, and those who served us in the past, we respect you, we thank you for your service, and we love you,”&nbsp;<b>concluded Sen. Moran.</b></p>

🎥Sen. Moran rings Nasdaq opening bell in honor of Veterans Day 

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>

The PAC backing Republican Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 bid for governor improperly coordinated with his campaign on a letter attacking his opponents, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/Scanned/CasedocsPDF/CMTS1957.pdf" target="_blank">consent agreement</a>&nbsp;approved by the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The Committee for Liberty, which spent $2.9 million promoting Ashcroft’s losing effort, must pay $536 and avoid future violations, states the agreement posted Oct. 15 on the commission’s website.

The Committee for Liberty and Ashcroft for Missouri both paid $5,361 each to produce and mail a letter dated March 8, 2024, and marked as paid for jointly by the committees. The consent agreement states that Committee for Liberty should have either reported it as an in-kind expense on behalf of Ashcroft’s campaign or an in-kind donation from Ashcroft’s campaign.

If there is another violation, the agreement states, the commission can seek a fine of the full amount of the expense.

The agreement said Ashcroft’s campaign also did not report it as either an in-kind donation or an in-kind expense on behalf of Committee for Liberty.&nbsp;

Ashcroft, who was secretary of state at the time, was running against then-Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and then-state Sen. Bill Eigel. Kehoe won the primary and is now governor. Eigel came in second and is running to be St. Charles County Executive.

The March 8 letter labeled Kehoe as a closet Democrat and Eigel as a “political gadfly.”

Ashcroft ran a distant third and is now working as an administrative law judge hearing workers’ compensation appeals.

Democratic attorney and lobbyist Jane Dueker&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/29/complaint-alleges-jay-ashcroft-campaign-letter-runs-afoul-of-ethics-law/">filed the complaint</a>&nbsp;in May 2024, citing the failure of either committee to report it properly. She also complained that the value of the donation to Ashcroft for Missouri exceeded the limit of $2,825 from any donor.

Dueker declined to comment on the outcome of the complaint. She noted that the portion of the complaint against Ashcroft’s campaign has not been resolved.

PACs like Committee for Liberty can accept donations of any size. Candidates are allowed to make joint fundraising appeals seeking money in limited amounts for the campaign and unlimited amounts for their PAC.

That is where the coordination must end. Neither the official committee nor the PAC are allowed to influence the other’s campaign strategy or tactics.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710860474873.png" alt="&nbsp;A committee that backed former Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's 2024 campaign for governor has been fined for failing to properly disclose spending on his behalf. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;A committee that backed former Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's 2024 campaign for governor has been fined for failing to properly disclose spending on his behalf. (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>The PAC backing Republican Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 bid for governor improperly coordinated with his campaign on a letter attacking his opponents, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/Scanned/CasedocsPDF/CMTS1957.pdf" target="_blank">consent agreement</a>&nbsp;approved by the Missouri Ethics Commission.</p><p>The Committee for Liberty, which spent $2.9 million promoting Ashcroft’s losing effort, must pay $536 and avoid future violations, states the agreement posted Oct. 15 on the commission’s website.</p><p>The Committee for Liberty and Ashcroft for Missouri both paid $5,361 each to produce and mail a letter dated March 8, 2024, and marked as paid for jointly by the committees. The consent agreement states that Committee for Liberty should have either reported it as an in-kind expense on behalf of Ashcroft’s campaign or an in-kind donation from Ashcroft’s campaign.</p><p>If there is another violation, the agreement states, the commission can seek a fine of the full amount of the expense.</p><p>The agreement said Ashcroft’s campaign also did not report it as either an in-kind donation or an in-kind expense on behalf of Committee for Liberty.&nbsp;</p><p>Ashcroft, who was secretary of state at the time, was running against then-Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and then-state Sen. Bill Eigel. Kehoe won the primary and is now governor. Eigel came in second and is running to be St. Charles County Executive.</p><p>The March 8 letter labeled Kehoe as a closet Democrat and Eigel as a “political gadfly.”</p><p>Ashcroft ran a distant third and is now working as an administrative law judge hearing workers’ compensation appeals.</p><p>Democratic attorney and lobbyist Jane Dueker&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/29/complaint-alleges-jay-ashcroft-campaign-letter-runs-afoul-of-ethics-law/">filed the complaint</a>&nbsp;in May 2024, citing the failure of either committee to report it properly. She also complained that the value of the donation to Ashcroft for Missouri exceeded the limit of $2,825 from any donor.</p><p>Dueker declined to comment on the outcome of the complaint. She noted that the portion of the complaint against Ashcroft’s campaign has not been resolved.</p><p>PACs like Committee for Liberty can accept donations of any size. Candidates are allowed to make joint fundraising appeals seeking money in limited amounts for the campaign and unlimited amounts for their PAC.</p><p>That is where the coordination must end. Neither the official committee nor the PAC are allowed to influence the other’s campaign strategy or tactics.</p>

PAC tied to Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 Missouri governor campaign fined for violating ethics laws 

WASHINGTON —President Trump observed Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery.&nbsp;It is the first Veterans Day since he returned to office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762883390058.png" alt="Image from video by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Image from video by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON —President Trump observed Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery.&nbsp;It is the first Veterans Day since he returned to office.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at <a href="https://twitter.com/ArlingtonNatl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ArlingtonNatl</a> Cemetery on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VeteransDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VeteransDay</a>. <a href="https://t.co/kHCahBjvnK">pic.twitter.com/kHCahBjvnK</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1988283665873264796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor those who served and our fallen heroes 🙏❤️ <a href="https://t.co/nMXD29yGWx">pic.twitter.com/nMXD29yGWx</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1988286691766136839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecVetAffairs</a> salute as the National Anthem plays at Arlington Cemetery 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/raOmGVAcHN">pic.twitter.com/raOmGVAcHN</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1988281544667263008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in observance of Veterans Day 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/to50HJpYpy">pic.twitter.com/to50HJpYpy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988280632028655844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecVetAffairs</a> arrive at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery to honor those who have served the United States 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/onlMcWBEXw">pic.twitter.com/onlMcWBEXw</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988280452822507856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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="en" dir="ltr">God Bless America ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/WLHDxt4vIa">pic.twitter.com/WLHDxt4vIa</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1988297661963972639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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> at Arlington National Cemetery: &quot;On Veterans Day, we honor those who have worn the uniform... whose ranks have formed the mighty wall of flesh and blood, bravery and devotion, that has defended our freedom for 250 years.&quot; 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/i3WtIuJNve">pic.twitter.com/i3WtIuJNve</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988292245402120657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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> honors our veterans at Arlington National Cemetery: &quot;With selfless commitment and unyielding conviction, they made themselves America&#39;s ramparts, and became the shield between our homeland and those who would do us harm. With everything they had, they did one thing above… <a href="https://t.co/EHDcx36eXF">pic.twitter.com/EHDcx36eXF</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988297193489350659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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">This Veterans Day, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> discusses the work his administration has done to fight for our great veterans:<br><br>— Cut the backlog of VA benefit claims IN HALF<br>— Added more than 1 million extra service hours across VA centers<br>— Opened 20 new facilities in 13 states<br>— Brought back VA… <a href="https://t.co/BWvyk5X6pP">pic.twitter.com/BWvyk5X6pP</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988295939719586178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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;Our heroes have lived through unthinkable nightmares so we could live the American Dream... and today, we know without any doubt in our hearts that after two and a half centuries, America stands tall because America’s veterans stood so strong.&quot; ❤️🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7a6HP5LxUU">pic.twitter.com/7a6HP5LxUU</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988293964949319931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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">WATCH IN FULL: <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> delivers remarks at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day <a href="https://t.co/PIv0gYfCYl">pic.twitter.com/PIv0gYfCYl</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988293133193327068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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">GOD BLESS AMERICA — MY HOME SWEET HOME! ❤️🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/dN0Zl4rroX">pic.twitter.com/dN0Zl4rroX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988298531158061466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 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">GOD BLESS OUR GREAT VETERANS! <a href="https://t.co/N71SlAOxsp">pic.twitter.com/N71SlAOxsp</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1988298999083012286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump observes Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery

KANSAS CITY —A second person injured in a crash that occurred October 29, in Kansas City, Missouri has died.

Just before 12:30p.m. on that Wednesday, a silver Dodge Journey was southbound on Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The driver of the Dodge suffered a possible medical emergency and accelerated through the intersection of Linwood and Broadway. 

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761833620367.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A second person injured in a crash that occurred October 29, in Kansas City, Missouri has died.</p><p>Just before 12:30p.m. on that Wednesday, a silver Dodge Journey was southbound on Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The driver of the Dodge suffered a possible medical emergency and accelerated through the intersection of Linwood and Broadway. </p><p>The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the right, struck an unoccupied parked Lexus and traveled up onto the sidewalk. The Dodge then struck a steel light pole, the Vietnam Memorial and continued traveling southbound through the grass and struck the side of the VFW building.</p><p>EMS transported both the driver and front seat passenger of the of the Dodge to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both were reported in very critical condition.</p><p>The passenger of the Dodge Journey, an adult female,  was pronounced deceased on the night of October 29, according to Becchina.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>On Monday, the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the involved driver had succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash and the driver was pronounced deceased by St. Lukes Hospital staff.</p><p> Police released no additional details including the name of the victim. This is fatality #57 compared to #80 last year in Kansas City, Missouri.</p>