The Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation is bringing the 2026 Kansas Mission of Mercy (KMOM) Free Dental Clinic to Manhattan Friday and Saturday at the National Guard Armory, 721 Levee Drive.

According to a release from Konza United Way the&nbsp;clinic will provide free dental services to hundreds of patients each day at no cost. No eligibility, income, or residency requirements are required.

What patients should know before attending:

This event is an opportunity to improve oral health and overall well-being in the community.&nbsp;

Free Dental Clinic coming to Manhattan

USD 383 has congratulated Dr. Joel Gittle on his 2026 induction into the Kansas Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. Dr. Gittle has given more than 30 years of service to teaching music in Kansas, with MHS for a great deal of that time. He will be honored during the February KMEA convention.&nbsp;

Dr. Joel Gittle is congratulated by USD 383

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;

Riley County Arrest Report January 30

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) staff in Mexico City discussed the importance of the Mexican market to U.S. wheat farmers in mid-January with a visiting delegation of Kansas commodity groups led by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas).

“The symbiotic relationship between U.S. wheat farmers and Mexican millers relies on the U.S. as a reliable supplier of high-quality wheat to the Mexican private milling sector,” said Mitch Skalicky, USW regional vice president. “We appreciate the Senator traveling to Mexico to learn more about our work in this top market and offer his support for expanding this successful partnership.”

Senator Marshall traveled with leaders from Kansas Wheat, Kansas Soybean, Kansas Sorghum, Kansas Corn, Kansas Dairy and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. While in Mexico, Senator Marshall met with high-level Mexican government officials — including the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture — to discuss the importance of trade between the two countries and the shared role Kansas agriculture plays in feeding families across North America.

The delegation also met with private-sector businesses and associations operating in both Mexico and the U.S. to learn more about the economic and logistical partnerships powering trade between the two nations.

“Mexico is Kansas’ largest export market, and I traveled to Mexico City with Kansas commodity leaders to protect and expand opportunities for Kansas agriculture,” said Senator Marshall. “Under President Trump’s America First trade agenda, we’re going to fight for Kansas producers, demand fair treatment, and deliver real wins for our state. With USMCA renegotiations beginning this year, we’re focused on opening new doors for Kansas dairy and defending strong markets for Kansas wheat, sorghum, and corn — while enforcing fair trade rules and reducing the trade deficit.

Kansas Delegation Talks Successful Wheat Trade with Mexico

The delegation also met with Skalicky and Stephanie Bryant-Erdmann, USW assistant regional director, on Friday, January 16. The meeting covered a wide array of topics, ranging from the different wheat classes purchased by Mexico from the United States, the volume of Mexican wheat imports, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and transportation economics related to the shipping of wheat by rail from the U.S. to Mexico.

The USW team also presented an overview of the Mexican market situation, specific trade data on wheat shipments from Kansas to Mexico and future opportunities to expand U.S.-Mexico wheat trade.

As of January 8, 2026, Mexico has purchased 3.39 MMT (nearly 124.6 million bushels) of U.S. wheat, an 6% increase from last marketing year. Mexico currently ranks as the top buyer of U.S. hard red winter (HRW) and soft red winter (SRW) wheat and the second-largest buyer of hard red spring (HRS) and durum.

Clay Schemm, a Kansas wheat farmer from Sharon Springs, participated in the trade mission as a representative of Kansas Wheat. He noted that the pride and professionalism in the Mexican milling industry, their appreciation for the quality of wheat produced in the United States and their desire to move more trains and trucks across the border even more efficiently to keep up with the country’s growing demand for wheat. He remarked that it was refreshing to see the same “salt of the earth” work ethic valued by U.S. farming communities mirrored in customers south of the border.

“My personal takeaway is that the Mexican people are a group I am proud to have as partners on the world stage,” Schemm said. “There is a kinship there—a friendliness and a desire to connect that makes it feel like a true North American culture. They are all-in on this partnership, and we should be too.”

Wheat Scoop: USW cconveys importance of strong trade relationship with Mexico to visiting Kansas delegation

TOPEKA —Kansas Attorney General Kobach is warning consumers to be vigilant regarding a sophisticated email scam impersonating the U.S. District Court, according to a statement from his office.

“Kansans should never respond to unsolicited emails claiming to be official court summons—these are sophisticated scams designed to steal personal information or infect devices with malware. State and federal courts do not serve legal documents via email, and clicking links or opening attachments in these fraudulent messages can have serious consequences. My office is committed to protecting consumers from these deceptive tactics, and I urge anyone who receives such an email to report it so we can hold these criminals accountable," Kobach said.

The Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division has received reports of Kansans receiving emails with subject lines such as “Legal Compliance Required: Court Case #USDC-2026-[Number].” These emails fraudulently claim that the recipient is being “formally served with a summons in a civil action” and threaten a default judgment if the recipient does not respond immediately.

What to do if you receive this type of email:

Fake “federal court summons” emails delivering malware in Kansas

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt testified in support of SB 360, the Kansas Consumer Prescription Protection and Accountability Act. The bill establishes a new regulatory framework for pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) that ensures PBM practices are focused on returning savings to Kansans.

“PBMs play a powerful role in determining what patients pay for prescription drugs, yet in Kansas their practices are near unregulated and cost taxpayers and health plans more,” said Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “This bill would go a long way in addressing many of the factors that drive up prescription costs for Kansans.”

SB 360 requires drug rebates to be passed through to patients and their health plans and bans a practice called “spread pricing” where a PBM bills a health plan more for a prescription than they reimburse a pharmacy and keep the difference as profit. The bill also aims to protect patient choices by requiring pharmacies to be reimbursed the same and gives the Department of Insurance the tools to ensure transparency and accountability.

Schmidt joined 63 proponents to testify in favor of SB 360. The full text of the bill can be found here at this <a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/sb360_00_0000.pdf">link.</a>&nbsp;

Before becoming Insurance Commissioner in 2019, Vicki Schmidt served over 40 years as a local pharmacist.&nbsp;

Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt calls for PBM reform

MANHATTAN — For today's learners, higher education must be as adaptable as the lives they lead. Built with flexibility at their core,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://online.k-state.edu/">Kansas State University's online programs</a>&nbsp;support&nbsp;<a>learners</a>&nbsp;balancing careers, family responsibilities and full schedules, offering accessible faculty support and self-paced coursework.

Kelsy Sproul, a graduate teaching assistant for the K-State College of Education's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coe.k-state.edu/academics/departments/rural-education-center/">Rural Education Center</a>, has built her entire educational path online — graduating with her Bachelor of Science in elementary education in 2024 and working toward her Master of Science in curriculum and instruction, which she's anticipated to graduate with in the fall of 2026. As a first-generation, non-traditional college student, Sproul says that her worries surrounding finding support quickly subsided after starting her K-State journey."I was nervous about not receiving the level of mentorship that in-person classes offer. I had taken a few courses online through other institutions, and while the courses were very flexible, they weren't very personal," Sproul said. "Success is never achieved alone, and K-State understands that. Not only is the content fantastic, but the mentorship is strong. The faculty teach the whole student, model what they teach and ensure you have all the support you need to be successful."

Sproul's story is just one example of why K-State's online programs have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News &amp; World Report in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/kansas-state-university-155399/rankings">2026 Best Online Program Rankings</a>.

Ranking alongside institutions such as North Carolina State, Pennsylvania State – World Campus, the University of Alabama and Purdue University, K-State posted gains across several categories, including Best Online Bachelor's Programs, which climbed 28 spots from 2025.

The university's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://online.k-state.edu/">online programs</a>&nbsp;were recognized for academic quality, student support and program accessibility, earning nine repeat rankings and one first-time recognition.&nbsp;

 K-State's nationally acclaimed online programs position students for lifelong success

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WHEAT GROWERS&nbsp;

Washington, D.C. –&nbsp;The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) awarded U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) with its 2025 Wheat Leader of the Year Award for championing the effort to get the Food for Peace program transferred to USDA control.

“Congressman Tracey Mann has been a tireless advocate for wheat growers and rural communities, and his leadership on transferring the Food for Peace program to USDA is a major victory for American farmers. This move reinforces the program’s long-term stability, secures vital market opportunities for American-grown crops, and safeguards life-saving in-kind food aid for the world’s most vulnerable populations. For many years, Congressman Mann has consistently championed wheat growers’ priorities in Congress, and NAWG is proud to recognize his commitment with the 2025 Wheat Leader of the Year Award,”&nbsp;said NAWG President Pat Clements.

"Kansas and American farmers grow some of the highest quality wheat in the world while strengthening our nation’s food supply and independence,”&nbsp;said Rep. Mann. "These men and women power our local economies and answer the noble call to feed a hungry world. I am appreciative of the National Association of Wheat Growers' continued advocacy on behalf of Kansas wheat farmers and am honored to be recognized as the Wheat Leader of the Year. Thank you for all you do for American agriculture."

The Wheat Leader of the Year Award is given annually by NAWG to one Member of Congress based on their demonstrated commitment to the well-being and goals of the wheat industry. It is the wheat industry’s highest legislative award.

NAWG also presented four other Members of Congress with its Wheat Advocate Award for their support for the wheat industry that goes above and beyond.

NAWG congratulates and thanks our award recipients for supporting wheat growers across the United States.

Rep. Mann named the 2025 Wheat Leader of the Year Award

Riley County Arrest Report January 29

Riley County Police Director Brian Peete informed a Connect &amp; Protect town hall meeting audience Wednesday night that the Flint Hills Wellness Coalition will lead the charge to address homelessness. Other agencies can then provide wrap around services to support the effort. Information can be shared between organizaions.

The homeless can be dealing with a variety of issues. The Riley County Police Department will work with community parners with Peete noting one point is how do they help people getter. Behavior is a key issue that will need to be addressed by police.

Peete said, "The task force will be permanent to address issues of homelessness. "

Examples of key issues for the community to address could include substance abuse and mental health.The RCPD will concentrate on criminal disruptive behavior.

Task Force will deal with homelessness issues in Riley County

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that more than $4.1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding has been awarded for 12 projects across Kansas. The investments will strengthen infrastructure, housing and economic opportunities in rural and low- to moderate-income communities.

The 12 awardees will receive a total of $4,125,316 in federal funds, which was matched by $9,158,623 in local investments. The result was a combined total of $12,283,939 to be used for public improvements in communities across the state.

Dickinson County (Abilene), $298,000 – Improving exterior façade to the historic “post office block” at 109 NW 3rd Street, supporting new commercial rental space

City of Arkansas, $628,728 – Adding new playground equipment at Wilson Park

City of Burden, $300,000 – Rehabilitating nine homes and demolishing four dilapidated structures to address unsafe housing conditions

City of Centralia, $650,000 – Improving the sanitary sewer system, including manhole rehabilitation and lift station upgrades

City of Clifton, $160,000 – Installing a new playground surfacing and equipment

City of Holyrood, $300,000 – Rehabilitating eight homes and demolishing three dilapidated structures through a citywide housing program

City of Lyons, $650,000 – Upgrading the wastewater treatment plant, including monitoring system, lift stations, headworks, grit system, process basin improvements, motor center, press system, and electrical and site upgrades

City of Mapleton, $202,600 – Adding a 1,200-foot ADA walking path, parking area, ballfield lighting, fencing, bleachers, dugouts, bathroom improvements and new park amenities at Mapleton Park

City of Moscow, $51,525 – Installing an above-ground storm shelter in City Park that serves up to 50 people

City of Mulvane, $181,205 – Resolving ADA barriers in downtown business districts along Main Street and East Mulvane Street

City of Paola, $300,000 – Renovating a downtown building at 110 E. Peoria St., converting a former church into a wedding venue with exterior improvements and roof replacement

Doniphan County, $403,258 – Improving courthouse accessibility, including new ADA-compliant ramp

Dickinson County will receive CDBG funding

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — In Vicki Schumacher’s nutrition services office at Wichita Public Schools, staff spend roughly two hours verifying one free lunch application from start to finish.

Under proposed legislation, the office could see its work increase twentyfold.

Current federal law requires schools to verify free and reduced lunch eligibility for a random sample amounting to 3% or 3,000 of recipients — whichever is less — but a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Doug Shane requires verifying the gross household income of every student who receives a free lunch.

For Schumacher, who supervises the financial and technical aspects of Wichita Public Schools’ nutrition services,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb387/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;would turn two months of work into a year-round responsibility.

“It would turn the focus of our office into an auditing firm rather than feeding children,” she said, testifying virtually at a Thursday hearing before the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE.

Shane, a veterinarian and professor from Louisburg, was one of three proponents who submitted testimony, and Schumacher was one of about 35 opponents.

To Shane, the change is not an unreasonable ask. The bill’s focus is broader than income verification for households receiving free and reduced lunch, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.

Kansas schools are eligible for at-risk funding that is calculated based on the number of students who apply for free lunch. At-risk funding, which comes from the state, is meant to address kids who are at risk of academic failure and does not automatically apply to students participating in free lunch programs.

The free lunch data is a proxy for determining at-risk funding levels, said Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner for the Kansas State Department of Education.

At-risk funds can only be used for a specific set of programs approved by the state board of education. For 2025, some of them included phonics and literacy practice, math instruction, suicide prevention, writing workshops, after school homework help and character development programs.

At least 12 of the programs support English language learners.

“This bill simply seeks to make sure that we are sustainably funding and fully funding our at-risk obligations, and ensuring that obligation is going to the students that really qualify and really need it,” Shane said.

The stage for the bill was set by an audit published in July, which found that the number of students who were used to determine at-risk funding levels appeared to be “significantly more” than the number of students eligible for the free lunch program.

The House Welfare Reform Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">discussed the audit Jan. 20</a>, honing in on a finding that estimated 54% to 72% of students who qualified for the free lunch program in Kansas were likely ineligible during the 2023-2024 academic year. Auditors said the USDA may have overpaid Kansas school districts between $10 million and $14 million that year, and the state may have overpaid between $38 million and $53 million in at-risk funding.

The audit, however, contained caveats that noted unverified data and data from sources outside the state education department. It found school districts and the state are limited in their ability to verify the accuracy of the list of students automatically enrolled in free lunch. Auditors couldn’t independently verify household income or size.

“The lack of income verification means the free lunch program is at high risk of fraud, waste and abuse,” the audit said.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office, the federal auditing arm, found in a 2019 report that payment error rates in the USDA’s national school lunch and breakfast programs have been high, indicating a potential vulnerability to fraud.

No instances of fraud were directly identified in the Kansas audit, but auditors did compare state data with U.S. Census Bureau data that estimated the number of public school students in households with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. Auditors found that the number of students receiving free lunch in Kansas was more than double what Census projections approximated.

The state education department maintains that free lunch eligibility lists are a snapshot in time and don’t account for potential life changes such as job losses or promotions.&nbsp;

The state auditing office recommended that lawmakers consider reworking the at-risk funding formula, which is not a part of Shane’s bill.&nbsp;

At-risk funding numbers are counted Sept. 20, per state law, and students are eligible for free and reduced lunch for one school year plus around six weeks into the following school year, so students whose eligibility may not continue into the next school year could still be counted for at-risk funding.

Harwood, who provided neutral testimony to the committee, emphasized to legislators the bill, if passed, would conflict with federal law.

In 2024, there were around 200,000 free lunch students in Kansas, and around 275,000 students were eligible to participate in at-risk programs, Harwood said. It’s never been a one-to-one match, he said.

“In many ways, I think the formula is working exactly the way it has been intended to work because this idea that free lunch had some eligibility issues is not new,” he said.

Another piece of the bill requires legislative approval if schools want to utilize the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools to provide free lunch to all students if 25% of a student population is directly certified for free lunch. A student is directly certified as a free lunch student if he or she experiences homelessness, is a runaway or a migrant, is in foster care or is part of a household that uses federal assistance benefits such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program or Medicaid.

Harwood again warned of being in conflict with federal law. The state department of education is not allowed to prohibit a school from utilizing the community eligibility provision.

Around 75% of schools in Kansas qualify for a program that would offer free lunch to all students regardless of eligibility. Only 13% have taken advantage, as of 2024 data.

All of the bill’s proposals are unfunded. The fiscal note indicates the heightened cost to schools, districts, the state education department and the Legislature to meet each of the criteria.

Kansas schools could be required to verify family income for every student receiving free lunch

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen will return to court Friday.

Gauge Brasher, now 20,&nbsp; will appear for an arraignment hearing in the courtroom of Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; Brasher may be asked to enter a plea in the case.

 The DA's office charged Brasher with 2nd degree murder in the death of&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa. He is also charged with failure to stop at an accident and criminal damage to property.

&nbsp;Wichita police took Brasher&nbsp; into custody shortly after 4 p.m. August 15, in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Arraignment hearing for Kan. driver who hid after crash that killed boy

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/graham-dunbar">GRAHAM DUNBAR</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-graves">WILL GRAVES</a>

GENEVA (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles may reclaim the bronze medal on floor exercise from the 2024 Paris Olympics that was stripped from her following an appeal by Romania after all.

Switzerland’s supreme court said on Thursday its judges sent the “highly exceptional circumstances” of the bronze medal awarded in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/simone-biles-olympics-floor-beam">women’s floor exercise</a>&nbsp;back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine new evidence.

The outcome of an event that created a celebrated Olympic photo featuring Chiles, floor exercise silver medalist Simone Biles and gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil — all women of color — rests on just a handful of seconds: Can the U.S. team prove it made a timely appeal in the Olympic arena on behalf of Chiles?

The federal judges’ ruling — highly unusual in cases of this nature — suggested Chiles could regain the bronze medal she originally got in Paris after challenging her judged score.

Chiles’ third-place finish was overturned within days on appeal by the Romanian team to the CAS’ Olympic court in Paris. The medal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romanian-gymnast-bronze-medal-chiles-3cec6ec6344b8d4ecc91270916b0d357">awarded in Bucharest</a>&nbsp;the next week to Ana Maria Barbosu.

The federal court wants CAS to examine a recording that could show the original U.S. challenge of the judged score was within a one-minute deadline on the field of play.

“In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question,” the Swiss Federal Tribunal said in a statement, “it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on Aug. 5, 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favor of the applicant (Chiles).”

The CAS said in a statement Thursday it “can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since been made available.”

The court based in Lausanne, across the Olympics’ home city from the supreme court, gave no timetable for the review. It likely will take at least one year to prepare and process before a verdict is ready.

Still, the federal court’s decision has given Chiles renewed hope of keeping her medal and putting the controversy behind her.

“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has righted a wrong and given Jordan the chance she deserves to reclaim her bronze medal,” Maurice M. Suh, part of the legal team representing Chiles, said in a statement. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.”

Suh added that Chiles will “fight vigorously” and is grateful to have a “full and fair opportunity to defend her bronze medal.”

USA Gymnastics praised the court for recognizing “the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.”

Chiles, now 24, has pressed forward with her life after dealing with significant online backlash — some of it racially tinged — in the immediate aftermath.

She returned to compete collegiately at UCLA while also leaning into her burgeoning celebrity, participating on the reality competition “Dancing With the Stars,” posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and is currently featured in a commercial for a female athleisure apparel line that also includes tennis icon Serena Williams and track star Sha’Carri Richardson.

Graves reported from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Jordan Chiles' appeal granted in Olympics bronze medal battle

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect who admitted setting a fire near the historic Orpheum Theatre,&nbsp;200 N Broadway Street, in Wichita is expected to learn his fate Tuesday.

Jeremy Wycoff, 34, Wichita, who in September pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, will appear in Judge Seth Rundell's courtroom for sentencing. The&nbsp; sentencing hearing for Wycoff was delayed in November and earlier this month.

On the evening of April 10, crews responded to report of a fire near the 102-year-old theatre that is undergoing renovations.&nbsp;

"Thanks to the quick response of Wichita Fire Department, the situation was contained before it caused any major damage to our building or our neighbors along First Street," the theatre announced on their social media page.

Three days after the crime, police arrested Wycoff and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains jailed on a bond of just over $100,000.

Suspect in arson fire near historic Kan. theatre to learn his fate

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will nominate former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-reserve-system">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;official Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Fed, a decision likely to result in sharp changes to the powerful agency that could bring it closer to the White House.

Warsh would replace current chair Jerome Powell when his term expires in May. Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but this year has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">relentlessly assailed him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

"I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”

The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, amounts to a return trip for Warsh, 55, who was a member of the Fed's board from 2006 to 2011. He was the youngest governor in history when he was appointed at age 35. He is currently a fellow at the right-leaning Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In some ways, Warsh is an unlikely choice for the Republican president because he has long been a hawk in Fed parlance, or someone who typically supports higher interest rates to control inflation. Trump has said the Fed’s key rate should be as low as 1%, far below its current level of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">about 3.6%</a>, a stance few economists endorse.

During his time as governor, Warsh objected to some of the low-interest rate policies that the Fed pursued during and after the 2008-09 Great Recession. He also often expressed concern at that time that inflation would soon accelerate, even though it remained at rock-bottom levels for many years after that recession ended.

More recently, however, in speeches and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-high-cost-of-the-feds-mission-creep-role-responsibility-monetary-policy-economy-20a352f8?mod=article_inline">opinion columns</a>, Warsh has said he supports lower rates.

Warsh beat out several other candidates, including Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, investment manager Rick Rieder, and current Fed governor Christopher Waller.

Warsh’s appointment would be a major step toward Trump asserting more control over the Fed, one of the few remaining independent federal agencies. While all presidents influence Fed policy through appointments, Trump’s rhetorical attacks on the central bank have raised concerns about its status&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-federal-reserve-powell-trump-63c3e35e8606b7b73455b08aa21456dd">as an independent institution</a>.

The announcement comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-independence-inflation-5c8cfa5816845d4f005db51c91cdab0d">an extended and unusually public search</a>&nbsp;that underscored the importance of the decision to Trump and the potential impact it could have on the economy. The chair of the Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful economic officials in the world, tasked with combating inflation in the United States while also supporting maximum employment. The Fed is also the nation’s top banking regulator.

The Fed’s rate decisions, over time, influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, including for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.

For now, Warsh would likely fill a seat on the Fed’s governing board that was temporarily occupied by Stephen Miran, a White House adviser who Trump appointed in September. Once on the board, Trump could then elevate Warsh to the chair position when Powell’s term ends in May.

Since Trump's reelection, Warsh has expressed support for the president's economic policies, despite a history as a more conventional, pro-free trade Republican.

In a January 2025 column in The Wall Street Journal, Warsh wrote that "the Trump administration’s strong deregulatory policies, if implemented, would be disinflationary. Cutbacks in government spending — inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency — would also materially reduce inflationary pressures.” Lower inflation would allow the Fed to deliver the rate cuts the president wants.

Trump has sought to exert more control over the Fed. In August he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">tried to fire Lisa Cook</a>, one of seven governors on the Fed’s board, in an effort to secure a majority of the board. Cook, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cook-trump-56e36badb0d1e9752e306fd6609747bd">sued to keep her job</a>, and the Supreme Court, in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-cook-federal-reserve-powell-a8572f8a1f62cf653e822a64c714d05a">a hearing last week</a>, appeared inclined to let her stay in her position while her suit is resolved.

Economic research has found that independent central banks have better track records of controlling inflation. Elected officials, like Trump, often demand lower interest rates to juice growth and hiring, which can fuel higher prices.

Trump had said he would appoint a Fed chair who will cut interest rates to lower the government's borrowing costs and bring down mortgage rates, though the Fed doesn't decide those costs directly.

In December, he wrote on social media of the need for lower borrowing costs and said, “Anyone who disagrees with me will never be the Fed chairman!”

If confirmed by the Senate, Warsh would face challenges in pushing interest rates much lower. The chair is just one member of the Fed’s 19-person rate-setting committee, with 12 of those officials voting on each rate decision. The committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">already split</a>&nbsp;between those worried about persistent inflation, who’d like to keep rates unchanged, and those who think that recent upticks in unemployment point to a stumbling economy that needs lower interest rates to bolster hiring.

Financial markets could also push back. If the Fed cuts its short-term rate too aggressively and is seen as doing so for political reasons, then Wall Street investors could sell Treasury bonds out of fear that inflation would rise. Such sales would push up longer-term interest rates, including mortgage rates, and backfire on Warsh.

Trump considered appointing Warsh as Fed chair during his first term, though ultimately he went with Powell. Warsh’s father-in-law is Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime donor and confidant of Trump’s.

Prior to serving on the Fed's board in 2006, Warsh was an economic aide in George W. Bush's Republican administration and was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.

Warsh worked closely with then-Chair Ben Bernanke in 2008-09 during the central bank’s efforts to combat the financial crisis and the Great Recession. Bernanke later wrote in his memoirs that Warsh was “one of my closest advisers and confidants” and added that his “political and markets savvy and many contacts on Wall Street would prove invaluable.”

Warsh, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/FOMC20080430meeting.pdf">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;in 2008, as the economy tumbled into a deep recession, that further interest rate cuts by the Fed could spur inflation. Yet even after the Fed cut its rate to nearly zero, inflation stayed low.

More recently, Warsh has become harshly critical of the Fed, calling for “regime change" and assailing Powell for engaging on issues like climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion, which Warsh said are outside the Fed's mandate.

His more critical approach suggests that if he does ascend to the position of chair, it would amount to a sharp transition at the Fed.

In a July interview on CNBC, Warsh said Fed policy “has been broken for quite a long time.”

“The central bank that sits there today is radically different than the central bank I joined in 2006,” he added. By allowing inflation to surge in 2021-22, the Fed “brought about the greatest mistake in macroeconomic policy in 45 years, that divided the country.”

Details on President Trump's pick to chair the Federal Reserve

WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.

Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.

It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b">rejected prosecutors’ initial bid</a>&nbsp;to charge the journalist.

Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”

Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrest of Lemon and three others who were present during the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.

“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.

Since he left CNN, Lemon has joined the legion of journalists who have gone into business for himself, posting regularly on YouTube. He hasn’t hidden his disdain for Trump. Yet during his online show from the church, he said repeatedly, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him, and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.

Shortly after the first attempt to charge him fell through, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.

“And guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. That’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead, make me into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">the new Jimmy Kimmel,</a>&nbsp;if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

A prominent civil rights attorney and two other people involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-church-protest-history-58817d7033c6b83867131f4cee87256a">disrupting the Cities Church service</a>.

The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media post last week.

Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights probe into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-minneapolis-protests-ice-immigration-41437baa4b349279cf8abfaf1076162c">37-year-old Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;by federal officers.

“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

Former CNN anchor arrested after protest that disrupted church service

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against a federal official.

According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.&nbsp;

On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.&nbsp;

“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. &nbsp;“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. &nbsp;Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”

Police arrested Osborn and he was booked into the Butler County jail, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of threat to kill Congresswoman

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. —The pilot and three passengers were injured after a helicopter crash into the Meramec River Thursday.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the helicopter carrying Missouri State Parks employees, may have struck a power line while the team was conducting an aerial survey.

Sullivan Fire Protection District crews rescued the four people on board&nbsp; and transported them to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Pilot, passengers rescued after helicopter crash into river in Missouri

What started as sharp criticism of the Homeland Security Secretary has morphed into a move by Democratic lawmakers signing onto&nbsp;impeachment legislation&nbsp;in the Republican-controlled House.

Democrat U.S. Representative Emmanuel Cleaver, II, who represents Missouri's 5th Congressional District, that covers a large part of Kansas City, is calling for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

“Following the second killing of an American citizen and numerous violations of court orders under her leadership, I signed onto H.Res. 996 and am calling for the impeachment of Secretary Kristi Noem. This moment demands moral clarity, not political convenience. When those entrusted with immense power abuse it, showing contempt for the rule of law, human dignity, and constitutional liberties, Congress has not just the authority, but the obligation to act.”

“In my theology of government, impeachment is not a step I take lightly. It is a grave constitutional mechanism meant for moments exactly like this – when misconduct is not incidental, but systemic; when harm is not abstract, but real; and when officials are not only failing to uphold the Constitution, but actively undermining it. Our democracy cannot endure if those at the highest levels of government are allowed to operate above the law or beyond consequence.”

““My decision is consistent with the stand I took just last week. I voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security because I refuse to endorse an agency that has lost their moral compass, leaving them only guided by a desire to inflict suffering without due process. Oversight without accountability is meaningless, and funding without reform is surrendering to injustice.”

“At its core, this is about right and wrong. It is about whether we are willing to meet the moment with integrity, or whether we will avert our eyes while power is misused and lives are diminished. I choose to stand on the side of accountability, justice, and the enduring promise of our Republic – if we can keep it.”

President Donald Trump continues to support Noem.

🎥:KC area Congressman calls for impeachment of DHS Secretary

ATCHISON COUNTY —One&nbsp; person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Thursday in Atchison County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by Dustin B.&nbsp;Saunders, 32, Troy, was northbound on Kansas 7 Highway just north of 318th. The pickup traveled off&nbsp; the roadway to the right and struck a tree. After impact, the pickup spun around and came to a rest in the East ditch of the highway.

Saunders was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup strikes a tree

Season tickets for the seven-game 2026 home campaign will go on sale on Tuesday, February 3.

NEW ORDERS: Tickets will go on sale online only to the public beginning at 5 p.m., next Tuesday, February 3, with a pick-your-own seat map with availability from last season's inventory. Phone and in-person orders will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4.

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