A high school graduation in Kansas took an unexpected turn when a teacher unexpectedly engaged with students in an awkward manner, insisting on handshakes as they crossed the stage. The incident disrupted the celebratory atmosphere at Wichita High School East on May 20.

As students stepped up to receive their diplomas, a school administrator, whose identity remains undisclosed, was seen physically handling graduates Key Henderson and Serena Gomez, creating an uncomfortable scene.

Footage captured by surprised attendees revealed the administrator forcefully grabbing Henderson after he seemingly bypassed him during the ceremony.

Determined to enforce the handshake, the administrator held onto Henderson until the gesture was completed, only then allowing him to proceed with receiving a piece of paper.

He refused to let him go until he shook his hand before handing him a piece of paper.

Around 20 minutes later, Gomez was grabbed by the staff member as she began to rejoice on stage.

As she raised her hands in the air, the official grabbed them, gripped her wrist and forced her into a handshake, before handing her a card as she walked away. 

Gomez told local outlet KAKE that she felt the administrator’s combativeness ruined her moment and was unnecessary. 

Students at Wichita High School East were were manhandled by a school administrator as they crossed the stage to collect their diplomas on May 20

Video shared by stunned audience members showed the administrator, who has not been named, aggressively grab student Serena Gomez when she began to rejoice on the platform

Gomez she felt the administrator’s combativeness ruined her moment and was unnecessary

Her aunt Sabrina Duran had more choice words for the school official, as she shared the video to social media with the caption: ‘That teacher is a b***h.’

The footage of the graduation confrontation divided opinions as it went viral online.

Some accused the teacher of being overly aggressive, while others said he was simply trying to give each student a handshake and a card. 

In a statement to KAKE, Wichita Public Schools defended the administrator and said the students’ on-stage celebrations were against graduation policies. 

‘There are clear expectations shared with students before the graduation ceremony in order to get all 500 students across the stage in a timely manner so everyone can have their moment to celebrate,’ the statement read.

The Daily Mail has contacted the school district for comment. 

The incidents came as another Wichita high school, South High, was also hit with scandal at its graduation. 

The high school’s graduation on May 21 descended into chaos as around ten students and teenagers launched into fights on the Wichita State University (WSU) campus.

Wichita Public Schools defended the administrator and said the students’ on-stage celebrations were against graduation policies, and said ‘there are clear expectations shared with students before the graduation ceremony.’ Pictured: Wichita School District Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld 

The Wichita school district said the fight happened after most people left Koch Arena, where the graduation had been held earlier in the evening. 

In a statement, WSU said: ‘Wichita State University officers responded to a physical altercation outside of Charles Koch Arena following a local high school graduation. 

‘In an effort to restore order and prevent further escalation, officers intervened. The incident was brief, no arrests were made, and no injuries were reported.’

That incident came just weeks after another fight at Chester Lewis Learning Academy’s commencement ceremony, in the same school district. 

Terrii Moses, Wichita Public Schools Director of Safety and Environmental Services, said after that fight: ‘Anytime you have a large number of people that get together, you have the opportunity for people who don’t get along.

‘Indoor events are much easier to handle, but when you release everybody at the same time, you have the opportunity for people to interact with each other.’ 

‘We’ve staffed all of our graduations, we believe appropriately,’ said Moses. ‘We always debrief and work with our partners to determine better ways that we can provide security.’

Ukrainian experts have revealed that a Russian Oreshnik missile, fired at Ukraine in January, appears to have been manufactured nine years ago using components exclusively from Russia and Belarus. This discovery comes from the examination of missile fragments that Russia touts as revolutionary.

First deployed by Russia against Ukraine in 2024, the Oreshnik is a nuclear-capable missile boasting a range exceeding 3,100 miles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the Oreshnik is immune to interception, although many Western analysts have expressed skepticism about this claim.

By recovering debris from the limited number of Oreshnik missiles used by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, Kyiv has been able to gain insights into the weapon and challenge some of the surrounding narratives.

Ukrainian officials believe the Oreshnik is an upgraded version of the RS-26 Rubezh missile, which was first successfully tested in 2012.

At a presentation of electronics recovered from Russian missiles and drones, a Ukrainian missile forensics expert said on Friday that the Oreshnik recovered in January had been assembled in 2017 from components dating to 2016 or earlier, all of them made in Russia or its ally Belarus.

“We were rather surprised, because they say that this is a very new missile, but if you look at the year of assembly, it says 2017,” said the expert, who identified himself only as Petro for security reasons.

AT LEAST THREE STRIKES

Russia has struck Ukrainian territory with the Oreshnik at least three times during the war, including a town near Kyiv during a heavy air assault on May 24.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s sanctions adviser, said the surviving electronics were recovered from an Oreshnik that hit the western city of Lviv in January. Vlasiuk said the missile debris from the latest Oreshnik strike this month was still being studied.

He also said that Ukrainian investigators were observing a greater degree of substitution of western missile components for Chinese ones, which Vlasiuk said appeared to be a “forced” substitution.

Although Ukraine’s Western allies have restricted the export of electronics which could be used in missiles to Russia, Western chips supplied through illicit means are still often found in Russian missiles and drones.

Ukraine has long put pressure on Western countries to toughen enforcement against electronic component flows to Moscow.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — Time is running out for Illinois lawmakers as they face a weekend deadline to decide on the “mega-projects” bill, which could pave the way for a new Chicago Bears stadium in the state.

Lawmakers also have several other important issues to address, such as implementing a cell phone ban in Illinois schools, initiating housing construction projects, and ensuring employees are paid during jury duty.

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ABC7 caught up with State Representative Kam Buckner, who is leading the charge for the Bears stadium bill in the House.

For the bill to move forward, both chambers of the General Assembly must approve it by midnight on Sunday. Failure to meet this deadline could see the Bears opting for Hammond, Indiana, instead of Arlington Heights for their new stadium.

Following extensive Senate discussions on a property tax formula that balances the needs of the Bears and local residents, Buckner notes that several new Senate proposals are emerging. These include a more focused bill that might exclusively address the Bears, reserving other developers for future legislation.

“I’ve been jokingly calling the option of having a paired down version of the megaprojects bill on Ozempic, but frankly I don’t know what that looks like, and it would have to be something that I think both the Senate and the House can get comfortable with,” Buckner said.

Buckner says as long as the Senate passes something by late Sunday night, the House would still have time to meet that midnight deadline, and he says he’s optimistic. This is typical Springfield, he says, and it’s often at the last minute that things get done.

State lawmakers have their work cut out for them in a very short period of time to get it all done, but they have also passed quite a few important pieces of legislation as well.

Keeping the Bears in Illinois has caught most of the public’s attention as state Lawmakers wind down their Spring legislative session, but there is much more going on than just a location of a new Bears stadium and the “mega-projects” bill it’s wrapped in.

“I think the most consequential piece is the regulations around large frontier developers of these AI systems,” Republican State Senate Minority Leader John Curran said.

Waiting for Governor JB Pritzker’s signature is a bipartisan bill to rein in the artificial intelligence industry. It would require third-party audits of big AI company models to ensure safety protocols are in place. Curran says mandating guardrails is aimed at preventing huge disasters.

“You could have an AI model go and take over a power system and shut down power in, you know, a state or an entire region, something of that scale, and think about what that would cost in terms of infrastructure and and damages,” Curran said.

Another bipartisan effort and potential win for the governor is a cell phone ban for in classrooms. Sen. Curran is confident it will pass this session, but, Pritzker’s BUILD Initiative, which paves the way to build more housing, will take some serious work over the weekend. It is facing opposition from local governments, as part of the bill gives state control over zoning.

“I think there’s a chance of it passing, but local control really is one of the biggest issues, especially with the city of Chicago,” Better Government Association VP Bryan Zarou said.

And there are other smaller and overlooked bills making it out of the spring session, including a jury duty bill.

“It makes it mandatory for anyone who has 25 or more employees to pay their employees when they’re out on jury duty,” Zarou said.

And there is the junk fee bill that requires all hidden fees for online ticket or food orders to be shown up front before consumers pay.

And lawmakers have passed the will bill. It allows people to store their wills at the county clerk’s office for a fee so when they die their loved ones can find it.

What must pass before May 31 is a balanced budget, as money is tight.

Democratic State Senator Robert Peters is hoping to pass an digital advertising tax to raise revenue.

“My belief is that we should make sure that tech CEOs who’ve been making so much money in the last year and a half pay their fair share,” Sen. Peters

As for the Bears “mega-projects” bill, with time ticking, lawmakers may now be holding off on the “mega-projects” piece and focus on passing something for the Bears only.

A San Diego resident is grappling with the loss of her cherished cat, Blair, amid fears that coyotes may have claimed the feline after a pet sitter allegedly left a door ajar. The heartache is palpable for Anna Coombs, who is mourning the disappearance of her 12-year-old black-and-white tuxedo cat.

Coombs had enlisted the help of a pet sitter to watch over Blair at her University City home during her and her husband’s trip out of town. However, soon after their departure, the sitter contacted Coombs with unsettling news: Blair, typically an indoor cat, had slipped outside just minutes after the sitter arrived.

“She left the door open while she was bringing her things in,” Coombs recounted, “and saw our cat go outside.” The situation has left Coombs devastated, as she fears the worst for her beloved pet.

But no sooner had they left, she claims the sitter got in touch to inform her that her normally indoor cat had wandered outside within five minutes of her arriving.

‘She left the door open while she was bringing her stuff in. She saw our cat go outside,’ Coombs said.

‘Blair’s never gone outside and willingly come back in. And then [the sitter] just assumed that Blair was an outdoor cat, so she just left the door open all night. I’m so mad at this person.

‘This has been, like, the most devastating week and day of our lives, and there’s so much I want to say about Blair.’

Coombs said the next few days were filled with anxiety as they prayed for Blair’s return. 

Anna Coombs tearfully mourned her 12-year-old black-and-white tuxedo cat Blair who she believes was killed by coyotes after a pet sitter allegedly let her out the front door

She claimed the sitter had even negotiated a higher price due to her experience pet sitting. 

‘She texted us a day, a full day after it happened basically saying, like, “Hey, I feel at peace about this. I just know your cat will come back.” She didn’t ask, “Is this normal?” She just assumed,’ she fumed in a TikTok video.

But her anguish soon turned to full-on despair and just a day later, Coombs shared the news that Blair had been found dead.

She explained that a specialized animal recovery team used a thermal drone and scent-tracking dogs before a hound found what they believed to be Blair’s remains. 

The drone also picked up two coyotes running through the local trails. 

‘They were an incredible team, and they were so nice, and they handled everything with so much care. But I didn’t want to accept it,’ Coombs said. 

‘They said there’s always the possibility of the probability being wrong, so there’s always a hope. But I think we know in our heart that she’s gone.’

Coombs said she has had Blair for the cat’s whole life and the two have moved to various cities together.

Coombs said the sitter told her she managed to lose the cat within five minutes of arriving at her University City home

Coombs enlisted expert help to locate Blair and searchers believe they found her remains as well as evidence of coyotes 

‘She moved with me to college, and she moved with me to Austin. She moved with me to New York, and she moved with me here to San Diego,’ Coombs said. 

 ‘She was literally in the passenger seat of my car when my husband and I kissed for the first time right outside of it.

‘She’s literally been in my life for every major milestone. My kids were supposed to meet her. I know it’s just a cat, but Blair was truly my family.

‘I don’t want to say anything more about the sitter. But Blair was truly such a special cat, and she was my soul cat. And I’m just so, so sad that this was her ending.

‘I just hope that she knows how much I loved her and how much she truly brought to our lives.’

Now, Coombs is urging other pet owners to be overly cautious about their beloved pets. 

‘They know them very well, and I’m just warning anyone in our area, please, please keep your pets safe,’ she said. 

‘Please, please find pet sitters that you fully, fully trust. And over, over, over communicate to them what needs to be said.’

Vanilla Ice remains committed to performing at the Freedom 250 concert in honor of America’s significant birthday, despite several artists backing out this week. The rapper emphasized that “music is not political.”

On Friday, Vanilla Ice confirmed his participation in the Freedom 250 Presents: The Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., an event associated with President Trump. This announcement comes after artists like Martina McBride and Bret Michaels unexpectedly withdrew from the lineup.

“I’m here to celebrate with America,” the rapper, famous for “Ice Ice Baby,” told TMZ. “Music is meant to unite people, and that’s exactly what we aim to do. We’re all about representing the ’90s vibe.”

At 58, Robert Van Winkle, better known as Vanilla Ice, insists that the event’s focus is on commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary, steering clear of political connotations.

“I don’t even vote, so politics doesn’t concern me,” he explained. “If President Biden invited me to perform at his daughter’s wedding, I’d be there. It’s not a big deal to me.”

“You play for your fans. We don’t get a chance to pick our fans, they pick us. And I’ll go play for Putin and I’ll play in Iran if you want, it don’t matter. There’s fans everywhere.”

“Music is not political, it’s universal,” he added.

Vanilla Ice also brushed off criticism surrounding the event and the artists who have decided not to participate.

“Come on, enjoy the dancing. Don’t take it so serious. We’re just entertainers, man,” he said. “I don’t think anybody should take this serious, including them.

“I think everybody should just go dance. It’s just music, what’s the big deal, man? We’re just entertainers.”

The rapper has previously performed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, taking the stage at the Palm Beach, Fla., club during a New Year’s Eve bash at the end of last year.

Vanilla Ice echoed the sentiments in an Instagram video Thursday, saying he was “honored” to be part of the celebration.

“America is turning 250. Come on, man. Let’s go,” he said. “We’re gonna bring back the ’90s. Put your dancing shoes on.

“It’s all about enjoying the great times of 250 years, man. George Washington until now, all the presidents and everybody in between.”

He captioned the post: “Happy birthday America 250 years. It’s gonna be an epic party. This is to bring us all together.

“This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday. Nothing too serious just enjoying some fun, dancing and great memories.”

His comments come after several acts announced they were withdrawing from the Freedom 250 concert following this week’s lineup reveal.

Country singer Martina McBride exited the event one day after being announced, calling the promotion surrounding the concert “misleading.” Bret Michaels, Young MC, Morris Day & The Time and The Commodores have also backed out.

Still on the bill are Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida, C+C Music Factory and Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan.

Freedom 250 was launched by Trump last year and describes itself as a “national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday.”

The Freedom 250 concert is part of the Great American State Fair, a free festival that will take over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from June 25 through July 10.