Health officials are asking people who went to last week's Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium to monitor for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">measles symptoms</a>&nbsp;because a person went to see the singer while infectious.

There is no confirmed outbreak in New Jersey, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">U.S. and North America are seeing high measles activity this year</a>&nbsp;— including hundreds sickened by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">highly infectious airborne virus</a>&nbsp;in West Texas — and declining rates of people getting the vaccine, which is 97% effective after two doses.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-day-care-lubbock-3d90c3ea9050c12dbc74a8f8142a6355">Schools and daycares</a>&nbsp;are among the most common places for measles exposures, like one that happened in three western North Dakota public schools in early May that led to all unvaccinated students being held at home for 21 days under state law.

The Kansas Department of Health reported two new cases in the state this week in Haskell County.&nbsp; The total of 58 cases are in 10 counties.

Here’s what to know about the measles and how to protect yourself.

What's happening with measles in the U.S.?

Most U.S. children get vaccinated against measles before entering public school, but increasing numbers of people skipping shots for religious or personal reasons have fueled outbreaks in the U.S. and abroad this year.

Overall, the U.S. has seen more than 1,000 measles cases across 30 states since the beginning of the year, and 11 states with outbreaks — defined as three or more related cases. The largest outbreak in the U.S. has been in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma</a>. There are also large outbreaks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">Mexico and Canada</a>.

It's a respiratory disease caused by one of the world’s most contagious viruses. The virus is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It most commonly affects kids.

“On average, one infected person may infect about 15 other people,” said Scott Weaver, a center of excellence director for the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. “There’s only a few viruses that even come close to that.”

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

People who have had measles once can’t get it again, health officials say.

It usually doesn’t kill people, but it can.

Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. But about 1 in 5 unvaccinated Americans who get measles are hospitalized, the CDC said. Pregnant women who haven’t gotten the vaccine may give birth prematurely or have a low-birthweight baby.

Among children with measles, about 1 in every 20 develops pneumonia, the CDC said, and about one in every 1,000 suffers swelling of the brain called encephalitis — which can lead to convulsions, deafness or intellectual disability.

“Children develop the most severe illness," said Weaver, who works at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. "The cause of death in these kinds of cases is usually pneumonia and complications from pneumonia.”

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

“Before a vaccine was developed in the 1960s, everybody got” measles, Weaver said. There is “great data” on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, he said, because it's been around for decades.

“Any of these outbreaks we’re seeing can easily be prevented by increasing the rate of vaccination in the community,” he said. “If we can maintain 95% of people vaccinated, we’re not going to see this happening in the future. And we’ve slipped well below that level in many parts of the country.”

Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners</a>&nbsp;— the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.

Do you need a booster if you got the MMR vaccine a while ago?

Not usually. People who are vaccinated are considered protected against measles for their lifetime.

Health care providers can test for antibodies and give boosters if needed.

Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity.”

Weaver said people at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Health officials are asking people who went to last week's Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium to monitor for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">measles symptoms</a>&nbsp;because a person went to see the singer while infectious.There is no confirmed outbreak in New Jersey, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccination-us-rfk-mmr-8fb86f56b0892408680daae4a52047e6">U.S. and North America are seeing high measles activity this year</a>&nbsp;— including hundreds sickened by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">highly infectious airborne virus</a>&nbsp;in West Texas — and declining rates of people getting the vaccine, which is 97% effective after two doses.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-day-care-lubbock-3d90c3ea9050c12dbc74a8f8142a6355">Schools and daycares</a>&nbsp;are among the most common places for measles exposures, like one that happened in three western North Dakota public schools in early May that led to all unvaccinated students being held at home for 21 days under state law.The Kansas Department of Health reported two new cases in the state this week in Haskell County.&nbsp; The total of 58 cases are in 10 counties.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747940935606.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Here’s what to know about the measles and how to protect yourself.<h2>What's happening with measles in the U.S.?</h2>Most U.S. children get vaccinated against measles before entering public school, but increasing numbers of people skipping shots for religious or personal reasons have fueled outbreaks in the U.S. and abroad this year.Overall, the U.S. has seen more than 1,000 measles cases across 30 states since the beginning of the year, and 11 states with outbreaks — defined as three or more related cases. The largest outbreak in the U.S. has been in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma</a>. There are also large outbreaks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">Mexico and Canada</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>What is measles?</h2>It's a respiratory disease caused by one of the world’s most contagious viruses. The virus is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It most commonly affects kids.“On average, one infected person may infect about 15 other people,” said Scott Weaver, a center of excellence director for the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. “There’s only a few viruses that even come close to that.”Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.People who have had measles once can’t get it again, health officials say.<h2>Can measles be fatal?</h2>It usually doesn’t kill people, but it can.Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. But about 1 in 5 unvaccinated Americans who get measles are hospitalized, the CDC said. Pregnant women who haven’t gotten the vaccine may give birth prematurely or have a low-birthweight baby.Among children with measles, about 1 in every 20 develops pneumonia, the CDC said, and about one in every 1,000 suffers swelling of the brain called encephalitis — which can lead to convulsions, deafness or intellectual disability.“Children develop the most severe illness," said Weaver, who works at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. "The cause of death in these kinds of cases is usually pneumonia and complications from pneumonia.”<h2>How can you prevent measles?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.“Before a vaccine was developed in the 1960s, everybody got” measles, Weaver said. There is “great data” on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, he said, because it's been around for decades.“Any of these outbreaks we’re seeing can easily be prevented by increasing the rate of vaccination in the community,” he said. “If we can maintain 95% of people vaccinated, we’re not going to see this happening in the future. And we’ve slipped well below that level in many parts of the country.”Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are below the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners</a>&nbsp;— the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.<h2>Do you need a booster if you got the MMR vaccine a while ago?</h2>Not usually. People who are vaccinated are considered protected against measles for their lifetime.Health care providers can test for antibodies and give boosters if needed.Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity.”Weaver said people at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

KDHE reports additional measles cases in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-education-outcomes-by-empowering-parents-states-and-communities/">executive order</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">dismantle the Education Department</a>&nbsp;and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">mass layoffs</a>. The administration said it would challenge the ruling.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out plans announced in March that sought to work toward Trump’s goal to shut down the department. It marks a setback to one of the Republican president's campaign promises.

The ruling came in two consolidated lawsuits that said Trump's plan amounted to an illegal closure of the Education Department.

One suit was filed by the Somerville and Easthampton school districts in Massachusetts along with the American Federation of Teachers and other education groups. The other suit was filed by a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general.

The suits argued that layoffs left the department unable to carry out responsibilities required by Congress, including duties to support&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-disability-civil-rights-complaint-218a04f50bcf21cb02175e8565a3a287">special education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-education-department-outage-layoffs-5afb5a0a1b51bbe50e5961a63b419041">distribute financial aid</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-civil-rights-special-education-antisemitism-764c1298a4ba856ce793249cdb57e6d6">enforce civil rights laws</a>.

In his order, Joun said the plaintiffs painted a “stark picture of the irreparable harm that will result from financial uncertainty and delay, impeded access to vital knowledge on which students and educators rely, and loss of essential services for America’s most vulnerable student populations.”

Layoffs of that scale, he added, “will likely cripple the Department. The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true."

Hours later, the Trump administration appealed the ruling.

“Once again, a far-left Judge has dramatically overstepped his authority, based on a complaint from biased plaintiffs, and issued an injunction against the obviously lawful efforts to make the Department of Education more efficient and functional for the American people,” spokesperson Madi Biedermann said in a statement.

Joun ordered the Education Department to reinstate federal workers who were terminated as part of the March 11 layoff announcement.

That announcement led to the firing of about 1,300 people. Some Education Department employees have left through buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees, which combined with the layoffs have reduced the staff to roughly half the 4,100 the department had when Trump took office.

“Today’s order means that the Trump administration’s disastrous mass firings of career civil servants are blocked while this wildly disruptive and unlawful agency action is litigated,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs in the Somerville case.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the decision “a first step to reverse this war on knowledge and the undermining of broad-based opportunity.”

The administration has said the layoffs are aimed at efficiency, not a department shutdown. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">called for the closure</a>&nbsp;of the agency but recognizes it must be carried out by Congress, the government said.

The administration said restructuring the agency “may impact certain services until the reorganization is finished” but it’s committed to fulfilling its statutory requirements.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742573578411.png" alt="In March, President Trump shown with Education Secretary Linda McMahon, signed an Executive Order to Dismantle Department of Education" />
 <figcaption>In March, President Trump shown with Education Secretary Linda McMahon, signed an Executive Order to Dismantle Department of Education</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-education-outcomes-by-empowering-parents-states-and-communities/">executive order</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">dismantle the Education Department</a>&nbsp;and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">mass layoffs</a>. The administration said it would challenge the ruling.U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out plans announced in March that sought to work toward Trump’s goal to shut down the department. It marks a setback to one of the Republican president's campaign promises.The ruling came in two consolidated lawsuits that said Trump's plan amounted to an illegal closure of the Education Department.One suit was filed by the Somerville and Easthampton school districts in Massachusetts along with the American Federation of Teachers and other education groups. The other suit was filed by a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general.The suits argued that layoffs left the department unable to carry out responsibilities required by Congress, including duties to support&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-disability-civil-rights-complaint-218a04f50bcf21cb02175e8565a3a287">special education</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-education-department-outage-layoffs-5afb5a0a1b51bbe50e5961a63b419041">distribute financial aid</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-civil-rights-special-education-antisemitism-764c1298a4ba856ce793249cdb57e6d6">enforce civil rights laws</a>.In his order, Joun said the plaintiffs painted a “stark picture of the irreparable harm that will result from financial uncertainty and delay, impeded access to vital knowledge on which students and educators rely, and loss of essential services for America’s most vulnerable student populations.”Layoffs of that scale, he added, “will likely cripple the Department. The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true."Hours later, the Trump administration appealed the ruling.“Once again, a far-left Judge has dramatically overstepped his authority, based on a complaint from biased plaintiffs, and issued an injunction against the obviously lawful efforts to make the Department of Education more efficient and functional for the American people,” spokesperson Madi Biedermann said in a statement.Joun ordered the Education Department to reinstate federal workers who were terminated as part of the March 11 layoff announcement.That announcement led to the firing of about 1,300 people. Some Education Department employees have left through buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees, which combined with the layoffs have reduced the staff to roughly half the 4,100 the department had when Trump took office.“Today’s order means that the Trump administration’s disastrous mass firings of career civil servants are blocked while this wildly disruptive and unlawful agency action is litigated,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs in the Somerville case.Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the decision “a first step to reverse this war on knowledge and the undermining of broad-based opportunity.”The administration has said the layoffs are aimed at efficiency, not a department shutdown. Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">called for the closure</a>&nbsp;of the agency but recognizes it must be carried out by Congress, the government said.The administration said restructuring the agency “may impact certain services until the reorganization is finished” but it’s committed to fulfilling its statutory requirements.___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Judge, Trump admin. battle over closing Education Department

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The former WaKeeney police chief was charged Monday with crimes of mistreatment of suspects after an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Michael Allen Romero was put on administrative leave in March and ultimately removed as police chief.

Romero is charged with one count of mistreatment of a confined person and two counts of battery.

On Jan. 19, Romero allegedly battered&nbsp;Steven&nbsp;Michael Balock.&nbsp;

Balock was facing charges of mistreatment of an animal and interference with a law enforcement officer. Both charges were dropped by the prosecutor, according to court records.

Irene Dirks, WaKeeney mayor, said Balock spoke to the city commission and he said Romero came to his door and was tased when he opened it.

Dirks said Balock told the commissioners at the council's March 18 meeting that although he does own a gun, he was not holding any weapons when he opened the door for Romero.

On March 7, Jesse Clair Maupin was allegedly battered and mistreated while he was in custody, according to court records.

Maupin was taken into custody on a requested misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.

Trego County Attorney Abraham T. Pfannenstiel&nbsp;said the alleged battery against Maupin happened while the suspect was in the back of a police vehicle.

Pfannenstiel, who is also the city prosecutor, dismissed the case against Maupin.

Pfannenstiel issued an official statement on Romero's charges on Wednesday.

“It gives me no pleasure to present charges to the court in this unfortunate case,” Pfannenstiel said in the statement.

“However, any apparent abuse of power by our public officials is in violation of the oath&nbsp;they take to uphold the rule of law—and nobody, not even our leaders in law enforcement, are&nbsp;above the law," he said.

“While these crimes will be prosecuted in the courts of Trego County, I pray that we&nbsp;work together to prevent this case from turning into a prosecution of all law enforcement in the&nbsp;court of public opinion,"&nbsp;Pfannenstiel said in his statement. "The men and women that serve our communities across this country are&nbsp;overwhelmingly officers of the highest integrity who take their duty to protect and serve to heart.

"They deserve our respect and gratitude for the tough role they play in making our communities&nbsp;safer."

No action had been taken on Romero's certification as a law enforcement officer as of an online check of records with the Kansas Commission of Peace Officers' Standards and Training on May 21.

Dirks said as mayor, she has concerns about the city's civil liability, as the charges against Romero came while he was on duty as a city employee.

However,&nbsp;Pfannenstiel, who is also the city attorney, said he was not concerned about civil liability because Romero was not acting within law enforcement standards.

Dirks said she had concerns about Romero since at least September, and her opposition divided both the city council and the community.

The police chief is appointed by the mayor. In January, Dirks refused to reappoint Romero.

Council member&nbsp;Brent Deines made a motion to approve the mayor's appointment of Alex Baker as chief of police. That motion failed on a 2-3 vote, with council members Curtis Flax, Kristin McCoy and Shane Pfeifer voting against appointing a new police chief, according to city council minutes.

Because the council rejected the mayor's new appointment, Romero was allowed to remain at his post.

Two of the WaKeeney City Council members who were backing Romero mounted a petition to recall Dirks, but the petition did not garner enough signatures to move forward, Dirks said.

Romero allegedly gave his key card to another person, giving them access to the law enforcement center that is shared with Trego County's Sheriff's Office, Dirks said.

Dirks said county officials expressed concerns with the security of the law enforcement facility based on Romero's actions.

The sheriff's office served the city with papers in February, indicating that it intended to terminate its lease with the police department. Dirks said once the city terminated Romero, the county reversed its decision to terminate the city's lease.

As issues mounted with Romero, Dirks said her opposition on the council finally relented, and Romero was placed on paid administrative leave on March 18. Trego County Sheriff Edward Pritchard was named interim police chief.

According to an email from Dirks to the Hays Post, Romero was terminated as of the city council meeting on April 1.

"We have had quite a bit of turmoil through the years. We've opened it up and done searches, but at this point, we want things to settle down before we go to the next step," Dirks said.

WaKeeney, population 1,800, has a staff of five when it is fully staffed. The department has two full-time and two part-time staff members now.

Dirks said the two current officers were hired right out of the academy when they turned 21. She said city officials are looking for a new chief to mentor the younger officers.

Dirks attributed the difficulty in finding personnel to burnout due to long hours. She also said, "Part of it is getting someone who understands the community and living in western Kansas."

She said the city has been fortunate to have assistance from the sheriff's office as well as a strong Kansas Highway Patrol presence while the police department is in transition.

"We are not getting in any big rush to find someone," Dirks said. "We want to get into some type of a groove and then look for people."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747935645173.jpeg" alt="Michael Allen Romero" />
 <figcaption>Michael Allen Romero</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe former WaKeeney police chief was charged Monday with crimes of mistreatment of suspects after an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Michael Allen Romero was put on administrative leave in March and ultimately removed as police chief.Romero is charged with one count of mistreatment of a confined person and two counts of battery.On Jan. 19, Romero allegedly battered&nbsp;Steven&nbsp;Michael Balock.&nbsp;Balock was facing charges of mistreatment of an animal and interference with a law enforcement officer. Both charges were dropped by the prosecutor, according to court records.Irene Dirks, WaKeeney mayor, said Balock spoke to the city commission and he said Romero came to his door and was tased when he opened it.Dirks said Balock told the commissioners at the council's March 18 meeting that although he does own a gun, he was not holding any weapons when he opened the door for Romero.On March 7, Jesse Clair Maupin was allegedly battered and mistreated while he was in custody, according to court records.Maupin was taken into custody on a requested misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.Trego County Attorney Abraham T. Pfannenstiel&nbsp;said the alleged battery against Maupin happened while the suspect was in the back of a police vehicle.Pfannenstiel, who is also the city prosecutor, dismissed the case against Maupin.Pfannenstiel issued an official statement on Romero's charges on Wednesday.“It gives me no pleasure to present charges to the court in this unfortunate case,” Pfannenstiel said in the statement.“However, any apparent abuse of power by our public officials is in violation of the oath&nbsp;they take to uphold the rule of law—and nobody, not even our leaders in law enforcement, are&nbsp;above the law," he said.“While these crimes will be prosecuted in the courts of Trego County, I pray that we&nbsp;work together to prevent this case from turning into a prosecution of all law enforcement in the&nbsp;court of public opinion,"&nbsp;Pfannenstiel said in his statement. "The men and women that serve our communities across this country are&nbsp;overwhelmingly officers of the highest integrity who take their duty to protect and serve to heart."They deserve our respect and gratitude for the tough role they play in making our communities&nbsp;safer."No action had been taken on Romero's certification as a law enforcement officer as of an online check of records with the Kansas Commission of Peace Officers' Standards and Training on May 21.Dirks said as mayor, she has concerns about the city's civil liability, as the charges against Romero came while he was on duty as a city employee.However,&nbsp;Pfannenstiel, who is also the city attorney, said he was not concerned about civil liability because Romero was not acting within law enforcement standards.Dirks said she had concerns about Romero since at least September, and her opposition divided both the city council and the community.The police chief is appointed by the mayor. In January, Dirks refused to reappoint Romero.Council member&nbsp;Brent Deines made a motion to approve the mayor's appointment of Alex Baker as chief of police. That motion failed on a 2-3 vote, with council members Curtis Flax, Kristin McCoy and Shane Pfeifer voting against appointing a new police chief, according to city council minutes.Because the council rejected the mayor's new appointment, Romero was allowed to remain at his post.Two of the WaKeeney City Council members who were backing Romero mounted a petition to recall Dirks, but the petition did not garner enough signatures to move forward, Dirks said.Romero allegedly gave his key card to another person, giving them access to the law enforcement center that is shared with Trego County's Sheriff's Office, Dirks said.Dirks said county officials expressed concerns with the security of the law enforcement facility based on Romero's actions.The sheriff's office served the city with papers in February, indicating that it intended to terminate its lease with the police department. Dirks said once the city terminated Romero, the county reversed its decision to terminate the city's lease.As issues mounted with Romero, Dirks said her opposition on the council finally relented, and Romero was placed on paid administrative leave on March 18. Trego County Sheriff Edward Pritchard was named interim police chief.According to an email from Dirks to the Hays Post, Romero was terminated as of the city council meeting on April 1."We have had quite a bit of turmoil through the years. We've opened it up and done searches, but at this point, we want things to settle down before we go to the next step," Dirks said.WaKeeney, population 1,800, has a staff of five when it is fully staffed. The department has two full-time and two part-time staff members now.Dirks said the two current officers were hired right out of the academy when they turned 21. She said city officials are looking for a new chief to mentor the younger officers.Dirks attributed the difficulty in finding personnel to burnout due to long hours. She also said, "Part of it is getting someone who understands the community and living in western Kansas."She said the city has been fortunate to have assistance from the sheriff's office as well as a strong Kansas Highway Patrol presence while the police department is in transition."We are not getting in any big rush to find someone," Dirks said. "We want to get into some type of a groove and then look for people."

Former police chief in NW Kansas faces criminal charges

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man found guilty in a fatal stabbing will have to wait learn his fate.

The sentenced scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Judge Eric Williams courtroom was continued, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, while the judge waits for a report from the Larned State Hospital.

Bryce Johnston, 31, Bel Aire, was found guilt of murder in the death of 44-year old Jayson Stalkup.

In January of 2022, police were dispatched to report of a stabbing in the 2700 block of N Amidon in Wichita, according to a Wichita Police spokesman.

On arrival, officers located Stalkup in the parking lot with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

At around the same time officers were dispatched to the stabbing, an injury accident was called in at 25th and Amidon. Officers arrived at that location and contacted Johnston who they were able to identify as the suspect in the stabbing.

The investigation revealed that the two were involved in an altercation at an apartment complex when Johnston fatally stabbed Stalkup.&nbsp;

Johnston was transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries, then transported to the Sedgwick County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747910899272.png" alt="Johnston photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnston photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man found guilty in a fatal stabbing will have to wait learn his fate.The sentenced scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Judge Eric Williams courtroom was continued, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office, while the judge waits for a report from the Larned State Hospital.Bryce Johnston, 31, Bel Aire, was found guilt of murder in the death of 44-year old Jayson Stalkup.In January of 2022, police were dispatched to report of a stabbing in the 2700 block of N Amidon in Wichita, according to a Wichita Police spokesman.On arrival, officers located Stalkup in the parking lot with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.At around the same time officers were dispatched to the stabbing, an injury accident was called in at 25th and Amidon. Officers arrived at that location and contacted Johnston who they were able to identify as the suspect in the stabbing.The investigation revealed that the two were involved in an altercation at an apartment complex when Johnston fatally stabbed Stalkup.&nbsp;Johnston was transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries, then transported to the Sedgwick County Jail.

Sentencing delayed for fatal Kansas parking lot knife attack

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington</a>&nbsp;were shot and killed while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">“Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested</a>, police said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-photos-9bb0f101b642c6b74ee24c08001878b3">The stunning attack</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday evening prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security and lower their flags to half-staff. It came as Israel has launched another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in a war with Hamas that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-0dd228eaea670cd06416b9a777912748">heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally</a>&nbsp;and as antisemitic acts are on the rise.

The two people killed, identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim, an American, were a young couple about to be engaged, according to Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

Lischinsky told others at an event he attended before he was killed that he was looking forward to returning to Israel to celebrate an upcoming Jewish holiday, said Ted Deutch, the chief executive of the American Jewish Committee, which had put on the reception.

The couple were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect, who had been seen pacing outside the museum, approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/mayor-attorney-general-condemn-deadly-shooting-incident-outside-jewish-museum-in-washington-dc-32607e74992e4bbba64e83e683c13699">at a news conference.</a>

The gunman, identified by police as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, then walked into the museum, was detained by event security and began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said.

“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Donald Trump posted on social media early Thursday. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."

Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;’s office said Thursday he was shocked.

“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel,” he said in a statement.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, led by former judge Jeanine Pirro, will prosecute the case.

It was not immediately clear whether Rodriguez had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A telephone number listed in public records rang unanswered.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote in a post on social media that “early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.”

The influential pan-Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera aired on a loop what appeared to be mobile phone footage of the gunman, wearing a suit jacket and slacks, being pulled away after the shooting, his hands behind his back.

The war, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of some 250 hostages, has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced most of its population.

In the time since, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians. The fighting has displaced 90% of the territory’s roughly 2 million population,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-hostages-05-21-2025-11444e8b684b983dbb64daa5854b7b14">sparked a hunger crisis</a>&nbsp;and obliterated vast swaths of Gaza’s urban landscape.

<a href="https://apnews.com/video/witness-recounts-moment-staff-members-of-israeli-embassy-killed-in-shooting-near-dcs-jewish-museum-3bbc508261bd4ec99995ba90aaf6d5f9">The shooting followed</a>&nbsp;the AJC's annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.

“Sarah and Yaron were stolen from us,” said Deutch, the AJC's chief executive. “Moments before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing and enjoying an event with colleagues and friends. We are in shock and heartbroken as we attempt to process this immense tragedy.”

He described Milgrim, from Overland Park, Kansas, as “warm and compassionate, committed to peace building and passionate about sustainability and people-to-people relations." He said Lischinsky was a staff member of the embassy's political department who at the event told others that he was eager to return to Israel to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot with his family.

Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher were inside the museum when they heard gunshots, and a man came inside looking distressed. Kalin said people came to his aid and brought him water, thinking he needed help, without realizing he was the suspect. When police arrived, he pulled out a red keffiyeh, the Palestinian headscarf, and repeatedly yelled, “Free Palestine,’” Kalin said.

“This event was about humanitarian aid,” Kalin said. “How can we actually help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? How can we bring together Muslims and Jews and Christians to work together to actually help innocent people? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”

Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was one of the local nonprofits in Washington awarded funding from a $500,000 grant program to increase its security. The museum’s leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-united-states-jews-donald-trump-2c2db56fd4d994cbabfde037cb107af8">were concerned because it is a Jewish organization</a>&nbsp;and due to its new LGBTQ exhibit, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/capital-jewish-museum-receives-dc-grant-amid-security-concerns-for-lgbtq-exhibit/3918302/?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_DCBrand">NBC4 Washington</a>.

“We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well,” Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz told the TV station. “And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories.”

In response to the shooting, the museum said in a statement it is “deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless violence.”

Israeli diplomats have a history of being targeted by violence, both by state-backed assailants and Palestinian militants over the decades of the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict that grew out of the founding of Israel in 1948. The Palestinians seek Gaza and the West Bank for a future state, with east Jerusalem as its capital — lands Israel captured in the 1967 war. However, the peace process between the sides has been stalled for years.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington</a>&nbsp;were shot and killed while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">“Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested</a>, police said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">All of Kansas joins in prayer for Overland Park native Sarah Milgrim and her soon-to-be fiancé, Yaron Lischinsky — victims of an unspeakable murder in Washington, DC. Our hearts are with their families and friends, the Overland Park community, and the entire Israeli Embassy…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1925565902843502910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart goes out to the family of Sarah Milgrim, an Overland Park native and KU alumna, who was killed last evening along with her companion, in an antisemitic attack in our nation’s capital. People in our area know the pain of religious-based violence. We pray for its end.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1925553929644867739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-photos-9bb0f101b642c6b74ee24c08001878b3">The stunning attack</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday evening prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security and lower their flags to half-staff. It came as Israel has launched another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in a war with Hamas that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-0dd228eaea670cd06416b9a777912748">heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally</a>&nbsp;and as antisemitic acts are on the rise.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words… <a href="https://t.co/2HytKDp8Fr">pic.twitter.com/2HytKDp8Fr</a>&mdash; Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelinUSA/status/1925447599164702743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two people killed, identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim, an American, were a young couple about to be engaged, according to Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.Lischinsky told others at an event he attended before he was killed that he was looking forward to returning to Israel to celebrate an upcoming Jewish holiday, said Ted Deutch, the chief executive of the American Jewish Committee, which had put on the reception.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747908243268.jpeg" alt="Law enforcement work the scene after two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement work the scene after two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)</figcaption>
 </figure>The couple were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect, who had been seen pacing outside the museum, approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/mayor-attorney-general-condemn-deadly-shooting-incident-outside-jewish-museum-in-washington-dc-32607e74992e4bbba64e83e683c13699">at a news conference.</a>The gunman, identified by police as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, then walked into the museum, was detained by event security and began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said.“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Donald Trump posted on social media early Thursday. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."<h2>Israel's reaction</h2>Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;’s office said Thursday he was shocked.“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel,” he said in a statement.The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, led by former judge Jeanine Pirro, will prosecute the case.It was not immediately clear whether Rodriguez had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A telephone number listed in public records rang unanswered.FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote in a post on social media that “early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.”<h2>Israel's campaign in Gaza</h2>The influential pan-Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera aired on a loop what appeared to be mobile phone footage of the gunman, wearing a suit jacket and slacks, being pulled away after the shooting, his hands behind his back.The war, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of some 250 hostages, has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced most of its population.In the time since, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians. The fighting has displaced 90% of the territory’s roughly 2 million population,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-hostages-05-21-2025-11444e8b684b983dbb64daa5854b7b14">sparked a hunger crisis</a>&nbsp;and obliterated vast swaths of Gaza’s urban landscape.<h2>‘In cold blood’</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/video/witness-recounts-moment-staff-members-of-israeli-embassy-killed-in-shooting-near-dcs-jewish-museum-3bbc508261bd4ec99995ba90aaf6d5f9">The shooting followed</a>&nbsp;the AJC's annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.“Sarah and Yaron were stolen from us,” said Deutch, the AJC's chief executive. “Moments before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing and enjoying an event with colleagues and friends. We are in shock and heartbroken as we attempt to process this immense tragedy.”He described Milgrim, from Overland Park, Kansas, as “warm and compassionate, committed to peace building and passionate about sustainability and people-to-people relations." He said Lischinsky was a staff member of the embassy's political department who at the event told others that he was eager to return to Israel to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot with his family.Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher were inside the museum when they heard gunshots, and a man came inside looking distressed. Kalin said people came to his aid and brought him water, thinking he needed help, without realizing he was the suspect. When police arrived, he pulled out a red keffiyeh, the Palestinian headscarf, and repeatedly yelled, “Free Palestine,’” Kalin said.“This event was about humanitarian aid,” Kalin said. “How can we actually help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? How can we bring together Muslims and Jews and Christians to work together to actually help innocent people? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was one of the local nonprofits in Washington awarded funding from a $500,000 grant program to increase its security. The museum’s leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-united-states-jews-donald-trump-2c2db56fd4d994cbabfde037cb107af8">were concerned because it is a Jewish organization</a>&nbsp;and due to its new LGBTQ exhibit, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/capital-jewish-museum-receives-dc-grant-amid-security-concerns-for-lgbtq-exhibit/3918302/?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_DCBrand">NBC4 Washington</a>.“We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well,” Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz told the TV station. “And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories.”In response to the shooting, the museum said in a statement it is “deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless violence.”Israeli diplomats have a history of being targeted by violence, both by state-backed assailants and Palestinian militants over the decades of the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict that grew out of the founding of Israel in 1948. The Palestinians seek Gaza and the West Bank for a future state, with east Jerusalem as its capital — lands Israel captured in the 1967 war. However, the peace process between the sides has been stalled for years.___

Woman killed in terrorist shooting in D.C. was from Kansas 

&nbsp;TANEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 5a.m. Wednesday in Taney County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chrysler 200 driven by a 74-year-old Branson woman was northbound on U. S. 65 near Branson Hills Parkway.

The car rear-ended a bicycle ridden by a 68-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The driver of the car was properly restrained and not injured. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

&nbsp;TANEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 5a.m. Wednesday in Taney County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chrysler 200 driven by a 74-year-old Branson woman was northbound on U. S. 65 near Branson Hills Parkway.The car rear-ended a bicycle ridden by a 68-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The driver of the car was properly restrained and not injured. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Bicyclist from Kansas City struck by car and killed

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package</a>, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-21-2025">President Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;priority bill to approval Thursday.

With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trumps-big-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-20a4cce877bdb411056578139e405986">last-minute concessions</a>&nbsp;and stark warnings from Trump, the Republican holdouts largely dropped their opposition to salvage the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">“One Big Beautiful Bill”</a>&nbsp;that's central to the GOP agenda. The House launched debate before midnight and by dawn the vote was called, 215-214, with Democrats staunchly opposed. It next goes to the Senate. The GOP members of the Kansas House delegation voted for the measure. Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted against it.

“To put it simply, this bill gets Americans back to winning again," said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Johnson, R-La</a>.

The outcome caps an intense time on Capitol Hill, with days of private negotiations and public committee hearings, many happening back-to-back, around-the-clock. Republicans insisted their sprawling 1,000-page-plus package was what voters sent them to Congress — and Trump to the White House — to accomplish. They believe it will be “rocket fuel,” as one put it during debate, for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-moodys-trump-china-aff14c914fa270f72bc6ddac9f82e8fd">uneasy U.S. economy</a>.

Trump himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-tax-cuts-trump-johnson-ebc172c76ac51434e9bfa28d867bd9a0">demanded action</a>, visiting House Republicans at Tuesday's conference meeting and hosting GOP leaders and the holdouts for a lengthy session Wednesday at the White House. Before the vote, the administration warned in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-21-2025#00000196-f418-da7f-a7bf-f5797af80000">pointed statement</a>&nbsp;that “failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal.”

Central to the package is the GOP's commitment to extending some $4.5 trillion in tax breaks they engineered during Trump’s first term in 2017, while temporarily adding new ones he campaigned on during his 2024 campaign, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-on-tips-things-to-know-budget-bill-02b9d99dbe17cef93a81bc0cbb2cffcb">no taxes on tips</a>, overtime pay, car loan interest and others.

To make up for some of the lost tax revenue, the Republicans focused on changes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and the food stamps program, largely by imposing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">work requirements</a>&nbsp;on many of those receiving benefits. There's also a massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-budget-reconciliation-clean-energy-pollution-trump-f8638d3c44e95976b3bf756bc483a8f6">rollback of green energy tax breaks</a>&nbsp;from the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.

Additionally, the package tacks on $350 billion in new spending, with about $150 billion going to the Pentagon, including for the president’s new “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-dome-missile-defense-trump-16cb94047bfdd7c2c55c5e099e40f74f">Golden Dome” defense shield</a>, and the rest for Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deportation-immigration-south-sudan-department-of-homeland-security-300e8c704402e2cb3c920d251b7fa876">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;and border security agenda.

All told, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 8.6 million fewer people would have health care coverage and 3 million less people a month would have SNAP food stamps benefits with the proposed changes.

The CBO said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">changes to Medicaid</a>, food stamps and other services would tally $1 trillion in reduced spending. The lowest-income households in the U.S. would see their resources drop, while the highest ones would see a boost, it said.

House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York read letters from Americans describing the way the program cuts would hurt them. "This is one big ugly bill,” he said.

As the minority, without the votes to stop Trump's package, Democrats instead offered up impassioned speeches and procedural moves to stall its advance. As soon as the House floor reopened for debate, the Democrats forced a vote to adjourn. It failed.

In “the dark of night they want to pass this GOP tax scam,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.

Other Democrats called it a “big, bad bill” or a “big, broken promise.”

Pulling the package together and pushing it to passage has been an enormous political lift for Johnson, with few votes to spare from his slim GOP majority whose rank-and-file Republicans have conflicting priorities of their own.

Conservatives, particularly from the Freedom Caucus, held out for steeper spending cuts to defray costs piling onto the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-moodys-trump-china-aff14c914fa270f72bc6ddac9f82e8fd">nation's $36 trillion debt</a>.

At the same time, more moderate and centrist GOP lawmakers were wary of the changes to Medicaid that could result in lost health care for their constituents. And some worried the phaseout of the renewable energy tax breaks will impede businesses using them to invest in green energy projects in many states.

One big problem had been the costly deal with GOP lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states to quadruple the $10,000 deduction for state and local taxes, called SALT, to $40,000 for incomes up to $500,000, which was included in the final product.

For every faction Johnson tried to satisfy, another would roar in opposition.

Late in the night, GOP leaders unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trumps-big-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-20a4cce877bdb411056578139e405986">42-page amendment</a>&nbsp;with a number of revisions.

The changes included speedier implementation of the Medicaid work requirements, which will begin in December 2026, rather than January 2029, and a faster roll back of the production tax credits for clean electricity projects, both sought by the conservatives.

Also tucked into the final version were some unexpected additions — including a $12 billion fund for the Department of Homeland Security to reimburse states that help federal officials with deportations and border security.

And in a nod to Trump's influence, the Republicans renamed a proposed new children’s savings program after the president, changing it from MAGA accounts — money account for growth and advancement — to simply “Trump” accounts.

Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., said Americans shouldn’t believe the dire predictions from Democrats about the impact of the bill. “We can unlock the ‘Golden Age’ of America,” she said, echoing the president’s own words.

By early morning hours, the chief holdouts appeared to be falling in line. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said they “got some improvements.”

But two Republicans voted against the package, including Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a deficit watcher who had been publicly criticized by Trump, remained unmoved. “This bill is a debt bomb ticking,” he warned.

And Rep. Andy Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus who wanted more time, voted present. Some others did not vote.

Final analysis of the overall package's costs and economic impacts are still being assessed.

Along with extending existing tax breaks, it would increase the standard income tax deduction, to $32,000 for joint filers, and boost the child tax credit to $2,500. There would be an enhanced deduction, of $4,000, for older adults of certain income levels, to help defray taxes on Social Security income.

To cut spending, those seeking Medicaid health care, who are able-bodied adults without dependents, would need to fulfill 80 hours a month on a job or in other community activities.

Similarly, to receive food stamps through SNAP, those up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents, would need to meet the 80 hours a month work or community engagement requirements. Additionally, some parents of children older than 7 years old would need to fulfill the work requirements.

Republicans said they want to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal programs.

Associated Press writers Matt Brown and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package</a>, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-21-2025">President Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;priority bill to approval Thursday.With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trumps-big-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-20a4cce877bdb411056578139e405986">last-minute concessions</a>&nbsp;and stark warnings from Trump, the Republican holdouts largely dropped their opposition to salvage the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-beautiful-bill-trump-tax-cuts-medicaid-00ce1ff8a7b7fea7a894d38398748c6b">“One Big Beautiful Bill”</a>&nbsp;that's central to the GOP agenda. The House launched debate before midnight and by dawn the vote was called, 215-214, with Democrats staunchly opposed. It next goes to the Senate. The GOP members of the Kansas House delegation voted for the measure. Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted against it.“To put it simply, this bill gets Americans back to winning again," said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Johnson, R-La</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PASSED: THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT. House Republicans just passed this HISTORIC piece of legislation FOR YOU. <a href="https://t.co/keVGJstR6c">pic.twitter.com/keVGJstR6c</a>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1925505923822260229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">With our national debt at $36 trillion, our federal spending is unsustainable. Our One Big, Beautiful Bill CUTS the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion and LOWERS taxes for hardworking Kansans.&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1925356184313254287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My colleagues on the left are trying to deceive Americans about the One Big, Beautiful Bill. In reality, the bill will result in lower taxes, increased wages and stronger economic opportunities for Kansans and Americans at all income levels. <a href="https://t.co/EWmBktxDKC">pic.twitter.com/EWmBktxDKC</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1924970150622572866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">If Congress fails to extend <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>&#39; tax cuts, the average KS-02 family’s tax bill will increase by more than $1,100. That’s why Congressman Schmidt and his colleagues are working to ensure that doesn’t happen by passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. <a href="https://t.co/w6p7uC9dVg">pic.twitter.com/w6p7uC9dVg</a>&mdash; Rep. Derek Schmidt Press (@RepDerekSchmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt/status/1925391341225222424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement after voting against a partisan budget bill that raises costs on health care and groceries for hardworking families, all to benefit billionaires: <a href="https://t.co/QY7WZmlQY4">pic.twitter.com/QY7WZmlQY4</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1925513456716788165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The outcome caps an intense time on Capitol Hill, with days of private negotiations and public committee hearings, many happening back-to-back, around-the-clock. Republicans insisted their sprawling 1,000-page-plus package was what voters sent them to Congress — and Trump to the White House — to accomplish. They believe it will be “rocket fuel,” as one put it during debate, for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-moodys-trump-china-aff14c914fa270f72bc6ddac9f82e8fd">uneasy U.S. economy</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Well done to my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> on passing One Big Beautiful Bill through the House. Now it’s the Senate’s job to deliver for America.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1925524357025042703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PASSED: ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT <a href="https://t.co/AiE3w1eo2p">pic.twitter.com/AiE3w1eo2p</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1925508279309869300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-tax-cuts-trump-johnson-ebc172c76ac51434e9bfa28d867bd9a0">demanded action</a>, visiting House Republicans at Tuesday's conference meeting and hosting GOP leaders and the holdouts for a lengthy session Wednesday at the White House. Before the vote, the administration warned in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-21-2025#00000196-f418-da7f-a7bf-f5797af80000">pointed statement</a>&nbsp;that “failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal.”Central to the package is the GOP's commitment to extending some $4.5 trillion in tax breaks they engineered during Trump’s first term in 2017, while temporarily adding new ones he campaigned on during his 2024 campaign, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-tax-on-tips-things-to-know-budget-bill-02b9d99dbe17cef93a81bc0cbb2cffcb">no taxes on tips</a>, overtime pay, car loan interest and others.To make up for some of the lost tax revenue, the Republicans focused on changes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and the food stamps program, largely by imposing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">work requirements</a>&nbsp;on many of those receiving benefits. There's also a massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-budget-reconciliation-clean-energy-pollution-trump-f8638d3c44e95976b3bf756bc483a8f6">rollback of green energy tax breaks</a>&nbsp;from the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.Additionally, the package tacks on $350 billion in new spending, with about $150 billion going to the Pentagon, including for the president’s new “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-dome-missile-defense-trump-16cb94047bfdd7c2c55c5e099e40f74f">Golden Dome” defense shield</a>, and the rest for Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deportation-immigration-south-sudan-department-of-homeland-security-300e8c704402e2cb3c920d251b7fa876">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;and border security agenda.All told, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 8.6 million fewer people would have health care coverage and 3 million less people a month would have SNAP food stamps benefits with the proposed changes.The CBO said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-trump-tax-cuts-bill-1e2b12a91a3d12ceb0420ce7053de58e">changes to Medicaid</a>, food stamps and other services would tally $1 trillion in reduced spending. The lowest-income households in the U.S. would see their resources drop, while the highest ones would see a boost, it said.House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York read letters from Americans describing the way the program cuts would hurt them. "This is one big ugly bill,” he said.As the minority, without the votes to stop Trump's package, Democrats instead offered up impassioned speeches and procedural moves to stall its advance. As soon as the House floor reopened for debate, the Democrats forced a vote to adjourn. It failed.In “the dark of night they want to pass this GOP tax scam,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.Other Democrats called it a “big, bad bill” or a “big, broken promise.”Pulling the package together and pushing it to passage has been an enormous political lift for Johnson, with few votes to spare from his slim GOP majority whose rank-and-file Republicans have conflicting priorities of their own.Conservatives, particularly from the Freedom Caucus, held out for steeper spending cuts to defray costs piling onto the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-moodys-trump-china-aff14c914fa270f72bc6ddac9f82e8fd">nation's $36 trillion debt</a>.At the same time, more moderate and centrist GOP lawmakers were wary of the changes to Medicaid that could result in lost health care for their constituents. And some worried the phaseout of the renewable energy tax breaks will impede businesses using them to invest in green energy projects in many states.One big problem had been the costly deal with GOP lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states to quadruple the $10,000 deduction for state and local taxes, called SALT, to $40,000 for incomes up to $500,000, which was included in the final product.For every faction Johnson tried to satisfy, another would roar in opposition.Late in the night, GOP leaders unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trumps-big-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-20a4cce877bdb411056578139e405986">42-page amendment</a>&nbsp;with a number of revisions.The changes included speedier implementation of the Medicaid work requirements, which will begin in December 2026, rather than January 2029, and a faster roll back of the production tax credits for clean electricity projects, both sought by the conservatives.Also tucked into the final version were some unexpected additions — including a $12 billion fund for the Department of Homeland Security to reimburse states that help federal officials with deportations and border security.And in a nod to Trump's influence, the Republicans renamed a proposed new children’s savings program after the president, changing it from MAGA accounts — money account for growth and advancement — to simply “Trump” accounts.Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., said Americans shouldn’t believe the dire predictions from Democrats about the impact of the bill. “We can unlock the ‘Golden Age’ of America,” she said, echoing the president’s own words.By early morning hours, the chief holdouts appeared to be falling in line. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said they “got some improvements.”But two Republicans voted against the package, including Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a deficit watcher who had been publicly criticized by Trump, remained unmoved. “This bill is a debt bomb ticking,” he warned.And Rep. Andy Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus who wanted more time, voted present. Some others did not vote.Final analysis of the overall package's costs and economic impacts are still being assessed.Along with extending existing tax breaks, it would increase the standard income tax deduction, to $32,000 for joint filers, and boost the child tax credit to $2,500. There would be an enhanced deduction, of $4,000, for older adults of certain income levels, to help defray taxes on Social Security income.To cut spending, those seeking Medicaid health care, who are able-bodied adults without dependents, would need to fulfill 80 hours a month on a job or in other community activities.Similarly, to receive food stamps through SNAP, those up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents, would need to meet the 80 hours a month work or community engagement requirements. Additionally, some parents of children older than 7 years old would need to fulfill the work requirements.Republicans said they want to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal programs.___Associated Press writers Matt Brown and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

Kan. lawmakers help House pass Trump's big bill of tax breaks, program cuts

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A man who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-church-fire-arson-71c1358e3da351bf8ee096c6620bcf2c">admitted in federal court</a>&nbsp;to setting the fire that destroyed an eastern Missouri church has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison and ordered to pay the church nearly $7 million.

The sentence for Christopher Scott Pritchard, 49, was imposed Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-church-fire-arson-71c1358e3da351bf8ee096c6620bcf2c">the April 2021 fire</a>&nbsp;at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints building in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, about 115 miles southeast of St. Louis. Pritchard pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of arson and another felony count of arson to a building used in interstate commerce.

The federal public defender representing Pritchard declined comment Wednesday.

The interstate commerce charge came with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and the judge ordered Pritchard to serve nine years and three months. Prosecutors dropped two other felony charges involving damage to religious property.

Authorities have said that two days before the fire, Pritchard threatened to assault a bishop and “burn the church down.” Officers found more than $1,000 in items belonging to the church in Pritchard’s backpack, including a laptop, tools and 21 apples, and he smelled like smoke, police said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734642561368.png" alt="File photo of the damage courtesy KFVS" />
 <figcaption>File photo of the damage courtesy KFVS</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A man who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-church-fire-arson-71c1358e3da351bf8ee096c6620bcf2c">admitted in federal court</a>&nbsp;to setting the fire that destroyed an eastern Missouri church has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison and ordered to pay the church nearly $7 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618868869894.png" alt="Pritchard -Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Pritchard -Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The sentence for Christopher Scott Pritchard, 49, was imposed Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-church-fire-arson-71c1358e3da351bf8ee096c6620bcf2c">the April 2021 fire</a>&nbsp;at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints building in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, about 115 miles southeast of St. Louis. Pritchard pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of arson and another felony count of arson to a building used in interstate commerce.The federal public defender representing Pritchard declined comment Wednesday.The interstate commerce charge came with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and the judge ordered Pritchard to serve nine years and three months. Prosecutors dropped two other felony charges involving damage to religious property.Authorities have said that two days before the fire, Pritchard threatened to assault a bishop and “burn the church down.” Officers found more than $1,000 in items belonging to the church in Pritchard’s backpack, including a laptop, tools and 21 apples, and he smelled like smoke, police said.

Prison for man who admitted he burned down a Missouri church 

WASHINGTON (AP) Republicans, led by Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, have blocked a vote on legislation by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that would ban the U.S. from using a foreign plane as Air Force One.

Schumer went to the floor to ask for a vote on his bill the same day that the Defense Department accepted a $400 million plane from Qatar for Trump to use as Air Force One. Schumer said it is “outrageous” that the Trump administration accepted the plane.

“This gift screams national security risk,” Schumer said.

&nbsp;Marshall objected, blocking a vote. He did not offer an explanation for his objection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746987808468.png" alt="President Trump took a tour of the jet from Qatar in February -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump took a tour of the jet from Qatar in February -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) Republicans, led by Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, have blocked a vote on legislation by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that would ban the U.S. from using a foreign plane as Air Force One.Schumer went to the floor to ask for a vote on his bill the same day that the Defense Department accepted a $400 million plane from Qatar for Trump to use as Air Force One. Schumer said it is “outrageous” that the Trump administration accepted the plane.“This gift screams national security risk,” Schumer said.&nbsp;Marshall objected, blocking a vote. He did not offer an explanation for his objection.

Kan. U.S. Senator blocks vote on bill to ban use of foreign plane as Air Force One

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement continue their search for a suspect wanted in connection with the December 2024&nbsp;shooting that left two teens dead.

The suspect identified as 19-year-0old Terrell Simpson is described as&nbsp; 5-foot'10, 135 pounds with Black hair and Brown eyes.

He was&nbsp;charged in Jackson County&nbsp;with two counts of accessory to first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action.

KCPD is asking anyone with information to contact the Greater KC Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. The award is up to $25,000 for any information that leads to an arrest in this case and you can remain 100% anonymous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747874898831.png" alt="Simpson photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Simpson photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement continue their search for a suspect wanted in connection with the December 2024&nbsp;shooting that left two teens dead.The suspect identified as 19-year-0old Terrell Simpson is described as&nbsp; 5-foot'10, 135 pounds with Black hair and Brown eyes.He was&nbsp;charged in Jackson County&nbsp;with two counts of accessory to first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action.KCPD is asking anyone with information to contact the Greater KC Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. The award is up to $25,000 for any information that leads to an arrest in this case and you can remain 100% anonymous.

Search continues for suspect in KC double homicide

COWLEY COUNTY —The Cowley County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to search for missing 81-year-old Jerry McConnell. Her car was located in rural Cowley County, Kansas. 

 The search area is a large ranch and the majority of it has been searched, either on foot or by air.  The Sheriff’s Office is requesting volunteers to assist with a full grid-search on Thursday, May 22nd, at 10:00 am. 

The ranch is located in the 4000 block of 327th Road and parking will be difficult and mainly on the dirt road.  The area to be searched does have rough terrain. We will have a check in point and you will be put into groups and given instructions.&nbsp;

This is private property and we have set some rules that all volunteers must follow.&nbsp;

I have read that several people want to bring horses, drones ect.&nbsp; This area has been extensively searched by helicopters, drones, horses, side by sides, four wheelers, trackers, specialized dog teams, and water rescue units.&nbsp; Please follow the following rules.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement searching for a missing 81-year-old woman have located her vehicle.

Late Tuesday, the Cowley County Sheriff's office in south central Kansas contacted Overland Park Police to report they had found Jerry McConnell's 2009 Honda Accord., according to Officer John Lacy. Authorities continue to search that area for her.

On Saturday, the Overland Park Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for McConnell of Overland Park.

McConnell was last seen on Wednesday afternoon in Harrisonville, Missouri and was driving to her residence in Overland Park, Kansas. 

McConnell was believed to be driving a grey 2009 Honda Accord bearing Texas license plate RFP836. McConnell also may have been near Severy, Kansas on May 15.

McConnell is a white female who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blue eyes and gray hair. If you see Jerry McConnell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Overland Park Police Department at (913)-895-6300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747502608195.png" alt="photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —The Cowley County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to search for missing 81-year-old Jerry McConnell. Her car was located in rural Cowley County, Kansas. The search area is a large ranch and the majority of it has been searched, either on foot or by air. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting volunteers to assist with a full grid-search on Thursday, May 22nd, at 10:00 am. The ranch is located in the 4000 block of 327th Road and parking will be difficult and mainly on the dirt road. The area to be searched does have rough terrain. We will have a check in point and you will be put into groups and given instructions.&nbsp;This is private property and we have set some rules that all volunteers must follow.&nbsp;I have read that several people want to bring horses, drones ect.&nbsp; This area has been extensively searched by helicopters, drones, horses, side by sides, four wheelers, trackers, specialized dog teams, and water rescue units.&nbsp; Please follow the following rules.<ol>
 <li>A staging area has been set up at the Kansas Department of Transportation strip just west of 303rd&nbsp;Road on the north side of US 160, you will need to park there and then ride to the search area by bus.</li><li>We will turn any non-first responders around and direct them to the staging area described in number 1. if volunteers try to drive to the ranch on their own.</li><li>This is strictly a walking search, so no horses side by sides or four wheelers on the property</li><li>Once you are transported to the ranch you will be required to check in and give your personal information</li><li>Bring your own water, snacks, sunscreen and bug repellent.</li><li>Please take your trash with you</li><li>Any gate that is opened must be closed behind you.&nbsp; These properties have cattle on them so please do not try to have contact or try to pet the cattle</li><li>The time to meet at the KDOT strip is 10:00 am.&nbsp; There is no way to gauge how many volunteers we will have, and although we are grateful for their service we may have to limit the numbers to a controllable number.</li><li>Please be patient</li><li>The landowners have requested that the media not come onto the ranch and video, again this is private property</li><li>Lastly, when you are assigned, an area please search only that area.&nbsp; All outbuildings and residences, tank batteries have already been searched by first responders and are clear</li>
 </ol>-----------JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement searching for a missing 81-year-old woman have located her vehicle.Late Tuesday, the Cowley County Sheriff's office in south central Kansas contacted Overland Park Police to report they had found Jerry McConnell's 2009 Honda Accord., according to Officer John Lacy. Authorities continue to search that area for her.On Saturday, the Overland Park Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue a statewide Silver Alert for McConnell of Overland Park.McConnell was last seen on Wednesday afternoon in Harrisonville, Missouri and was driving to her residence in Overland Park, Kansas. McConnell was believed to be driving a grey 2009 Honda Accord bearing Texas license plate RFP836. McConnell also may have been near Severy, Kansas on May 15.McConnell is a white female who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has blue eyes and gray hair. If you see Jerry McConnell, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Overland Park Police Department at (913)-895-6300.

Silver Alert: Sheriff needs volunteers in search for Kansas woman

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington</a>&nbsp;were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">“Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested</a>, police said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.

They were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/mayor-attorney-general-condemn-deadly-shooting-incident-outside-jewish-museum-in-washington-dc-32607e74992e4bbba64e83e683c13699">at a news conference.</a>

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said.

When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said. She said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-photos-9bb0f101b642c6b74ee24c08001878b3">The stunning attack</a>&nbsp;prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security. The shooting comes as Israel has launched another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in a war with Hamas that has heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally.

Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;’s office said Thursday that he was “shocked” by the “horrific, antisemitic” shooting.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington</a>&nbsp;were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">“Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested</a>, police said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!” —President Donald J. Trump <a href="https://t.co/Z30bjAQOpZ">pic.twitter.com/Z30bjAQOpZ</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1925405865382703451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.They were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/mayor-attorney-general-condemn-deadly-shooting-incident-outside-jewish-museum-in-washington-dc-32607e74992e4bbba64e83e683c13699">at a news conference.</a>The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said.When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said. She said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-washington-jewish-museum-shooting-photos-9bb0f101b642c6b74ee24c08001878b3">The stunning attack</a>&nbsp;prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security. The shooting comes as Israel has launched another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in a war with Hamas that has heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally.“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Donald Trump posted on social media early Thursday. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA."<h2>Israel's reaction</h2>Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;’s office said Thursday that he was “shocked” by the “horrific, antisemitic” shooting.“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel,” he said in a statement.Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said the two people killed were a young couple about to be engaged, saying the man had purchased a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem.Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio that the woman killed was an American employee of the embassy and the man was Israeli.Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was at the scene with former judge Jeanine Pirro, who serves as the U.S. attorney in Washington and whose office would prosecute the case.The statement from Netanyahu’s office said he spoke to Bondi, who told him Trump was “involved in managing the incident” and the U.S. would bring the perpetrator to justice.It was not immediately clear whether Rodriguez had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A telephone number listed in public records rang unanswered.Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, wrote in a post on social media that “early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.”<h2>Israel's campaign in Gaza</h2>The influential pan-Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera aired on a loop what appeared to be mobile phone footage of the alleged gunman, wearing a suit jacket and slacks, being pulled away after the shooting, his hands behind his back.The war in the Gaza Strip began with the Palestinian militant group Hamas coming out of Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, to kill 1,200 people and take some 250 hostages back to the coastal enclave.In the time since, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians. The fighting has displaced 90% of the territory’s roughly 2 million population,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-hostages-05-21-2025-11444e8b684b983dbb64daa5854b7b14">sparked a hunger crisis</a>&nbsp;and obliterated vast swaths of Gaza’s urban landscape.<h2>‘In cold blood’</h2>The violence occurred following the American Jewish Committee's annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum."This is a shocking act of violence and our community is holding each other tighter tonight," Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee’s chief executive, said in a statement early Thursday. “At this painful moment, we mourn with the victims’ families, loved ones, and all of Israel. May their memories be for a blessing."Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher were inside the museum when they heard gunshots and a man came inside looking distressed, they said. Kalin said people came to his aid and brought him water, thinking he needed help, without realizing he was the suspect. When police arrived, he pulled out a red keffiyeh and repeatedly yelled, “Free Palestine,’” Kalin said.“This event was about humanitarian aid,” Kalin said. “How can we actually help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? How can we bring together Muslims and Jews and Christians to work together to actually help innocent people? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was one of the local nonprofits in Washington awarded funding from a $500,000 grant program to increase its security. The museum’s leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-united-states-jews-donald-trump-2c2db56fd4d994cbabfde037cb107af8">were concerned because it is a Jewish organization</a>&nbsp;and due to its new LGBTQ exhibit, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/capital-jewish-museum-receives-dc-grant-amid-security-concerns-for-lgbtq-exhibit/3918302/?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_DCBrand">NBC4 Washington</a>.“We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well,” Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz told the TV station. “And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories.”In response to the shooting, the museum said in a statement that they are “deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless violence outside the Museum this evening.”The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington CEO Gil Preuss said in a statement that he was horrified by the shooting and mourned the loss of the two people killed.“Our hearts are with their families and loved ones, and with all of those who are impacted by this tragic act of antisemitic violence,” he said.Israeli diplomats in the past have been targeted by violence, both by state-backed assailants and Palestinian militants over the decades of the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict that grew out of the founding of Israel in 1948. The Palestinians seek Gaza and the West Bank for a future state, with east Jerusalem as its capital — lands Israel captured in the 1967 war. However, the peace process between the sides has been stalled for years.___