JOHNSON COUNTY —Lightning may be responsible for a house fire in Johnson County.

Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday, firefighters from Olathe and Lenexa battled a house fire at 2 Pasadena Drive, according to a social media report from Olathe Fire Department. 

Neighbors reported they heard a “lightning crack” and then saw flames from the roof of the home.

Two people were displaced. The damage is significant. Investigators are&nbsp; working to confirm the cause. The Red Cross is assisting. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743596221914.png" alt="Photo from Olathe Fire Dept. video" />
 <figcaption>Photo from Olathe Fire Dept. video</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Lightning may be responsible for a house fire in Johnson County.Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday, firefighters from Olathe and Lenexa battled a house fire at 2 Pasadena Drive, according to a social media report from Olathe Fire Department. Neighbors reported they heard a “lightning crack” and then saw flames from the roof of the home.Two people were displaced. The damage is significant. Investigators are&nbsp; working to confirm the cause. The Red Cross is assisting. There were no injuries reported.

Lightning may have started Kansas house fire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">the Houthis</a>&nbsp;saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c">at least six stealth B-2 Spirit bombers</a>&nbsp;now stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a highly unusual deployment amid the Yemen campaign and tensions with Iran.

The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">has killed at least 65 people</a>, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.

The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-press-secretary-4c550e04334e87d2075dc6bbe2e244bd">Karoline Leavitt</a>&nbsp;put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.

“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”

The Houthis haven’t acknowledged the loss of any of its leadership so far — and the U.S. hasn’t identified any official by name. However, messages released by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">the leak of a Signal conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump administration officials and their public comments suggest a leader in the rebels’ missile forces had been targeted.

Overnight, a likely U.S. airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeida governorate’s Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the rebels said.

The rebels say they’ve continued to launch attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea, namely the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which is carrying out the majority of the strikes on the Houthis. No warship has been struck yet, but the U.S. Navy has described the Houthi fire as the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-yemen-houthis-israel-war-7a9997f9d84ac669fae69ecf819913fb">intense combat</a>&nbsp;its sailors have faced since World War II.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, now in Asia, is on its way to the Middle East to back up the Truman. Early Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that “additional squadrons and other air assets” would be deployed to the region, without elaborating.

More than 300 airmen and several A-10 Thunderbolt IIs have deployed into the Middle East as well to support the mission from the Idaho Air National Guard. The troops, from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing out of Boise, fly the aircraft known as the Warthog. The U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees Mideast operations, posted an image Wednesday of two A-10s flying in the region.

Satellite photos taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP showed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers deployed to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The deployment represents nearly a third of all the B-2 bombers in Washington’s arsenal. It’s also highly unusual to see that many at one base abroad. Typically, so-called show of force missions involving the B-2 have seen two or three of the aircraft conduct operations in foreign territory.

The B-2, which first saw action in 1999 in the Kosovo War, is rarely used by the U.S. military in combat, because each aircraft is worth around $1 billion. It has dropped bombs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as well. The bombers are based at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri and typically conduct long-range strikes from there.

The U.S. has used the B-2 in Yemen last year to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-airstrikes-yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-99721f7f952d66d6da27e24dc3c189c3">underground Houthi bases</a>. The B-2 likely would need to be used if Washington ever tried to target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-us-penetrator-bomb-c623a3e172298a244e47d5bf404fc55b">Iran’s underground nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;as well.

The Houthis on Tuesday said that they shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-mq9-shot-down-israel-hamas-war-us-airstrikes-6bd7764ba19e84d2dddac0d3c762459a">another American MQ-9 drone</a>&nbsp;over the country.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An AP review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump appears&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3WJ-C2gpDA" target="_blank">more extensive</a>&nbsp;than those under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.

The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two</a>&nbsp;of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.

The attacks greatly raised the profile of the Houthis, who faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting dissent and aid workers in Yemen amid a decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743644959974.png" alt="This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows six B-2 stealth bombers parked at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia on April 2, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows six B-2 stealth bombers parked at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia on April 2, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">the Houthis</a>&nbsp;saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c">at least six stealth B-2 Spirit bombers</a>&nbsp;now stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a highly unusual deployment amid the Yemen campaign and tensions with Iran.The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">has killed at least 65 people</a>, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-press-secretary-4c550e04334e87d2075dc6bbe2e244bd">Karoline Leavitt</a>&nbsp;put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”The Houthis haven’t acknowledged the loss of any of its leadership so far — and the U.S. hasn’t identified any official by name. However, messages released by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">the leak of a Signal conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump administration officials and their public comments suggest a leader in the rebels’ missile forces had been targeted.<h2>Fatal strike reportedly targets Hodeida</h2>Overnight, a likely U.S. airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeida governorate’s Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the rebels said.The rebels say they’ve continued to launch attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea, namely the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which is carrying out the majority of the strikes on the Houthis. No warship has been struck yet, but the U.S. Navy has described the Houthi fire as the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-yemen-houthis-israel-war-7a9997f9d84ac669fae69ecf819913fb">intense combat</a>&nbsp;its sailors have faced since World War II.The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, now in Asia, is on its way to the Middle East to back up the Truman. Early Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that “additional squadrons and other air assets” would be deployed to the region, without elaborating.More than 300 airmen and several A-10 Thunderbolt IIs have deployed into the Middle East as well to support the mission from the Idaho Air National Guard. The troops, from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing out of Boise, fly the aircraft known as the Warthog. The U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees Mideast operations, posted an image Wednesday of two A-10s flying in the region.<h2>More B-2s seen at Diego Garcia</h2>Satellite photos taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP showed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers deployed to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.The deployment represents nearly a third of all the B-2 bombers in Washington’s arsenal. It’s also highly unusual to see that many at one base abroad. Typically, so-called show of force missions involving the B-2 have seen two or three of the aircraft conduct operations in foreign territory.The B-2, which first saw action in 1999 in the Kosovo War, is rarely used by the U.S. military in combat, because each aircraft is worth around $1 billion. It has dropped bombs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as well. The bombers are based at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri and typically conduct long-range strikes from there.The U.S. has used the B-2 in Yemen last year to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-airstrikes-yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-99721f7f952d66d6da27e24dc3c189c3">underground Houthi bases</a>. The B-2 likely would need to be used if Washington ever tried to target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-us-penetrator-bomb-c623a3e172298a244e47d5bf404fc55b">Iran’s underground nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;as well.The Houthis on Tuesday said that they shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-mq9-shot-down-israel-hamas-war-us-airstrikes-6bd7764ba19e84d2dddac0d3c762459a">another American MQ-9 drone</a>&nbsp;over the country.<h2>Intense US bombings began on March 15</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An AP review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump appears&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3WJ-C2gpDA" target="_blank">more extensive</a>&nbsp;than those under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two</a>&nbsp;of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.The attacks greatly raised the profile of the Houthis, who faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting dissent and aid workers in Yemen amid a decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

More B-2 bombers seen at US base in striking distance of Yemen, Iran

FINNEY COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of vehicular homicide for the death of a southwest Kansas teen in 2023 has been sentenced.

Craig William Potts, 37, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 18 months supervised probation, according to the Finney County Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, a class A person misdemeanor.

The sentence as described by Honorable Judge Rebecca Faurot, ” The defendant shall serve 12 months in the Finney County Jail suspended for the duration of supervised probation with Court Services. Supervised probation is for 18 months; standard conditions of probation apply. The defendant will serve 30 days in jail as a condition his probation. Jail time may be served in two 15-day blocks within three months. The defendant is to pay court costs and probation fees. The defendant is ordered to immediately surrender his CDL. Due to an ongoing civil suit, all restitution shall be determined by the presiding civil court.”

Just after 4p.m. on&nbsp; March 13, 2023, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Potts was eastbound on U.S. 50 just east of North Campus Drive.&nbsp;

The semi traveled left of center and collided head-on with a westbound 2013 Fiat 500 driven by Cassandra K.&nbsp;Linder,&nbsp; 16, Garden City. Both vehicles came to rest north of the roadway.

EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Linder was pronounced deceased. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743605861022.png" alt="Potts photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Potts photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of vehicular homicide for the death of a southwest Kansas teen in 2023 has been sentenced.Craig William Potts, 37, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 18 months supervised probation, according to the Finney County Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, a class A person misdemeanor.The sentence as described by Honorable Judge Rebecca Faurot, ” The defendant shall serve 12 months in the Finney County Jail suspended for the duration of supervised probation with Court Services. Supervised probation is for 18 months; standard conditions of probation apply. The defendant will serve 30 days in jail as a condition his probation. Jail time may be served in two 15-day blocks within three months. The defendant is to pay court costs and probation fees. The defendant is ordered to immediately surrender his CDL. Due to an ongoing civil suit, all restitution shall be determined by the presiding civil court.”Just after 4p.m. on&nbsp; March 13, 2023, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Potts was eastbound on U.S. 50 just east of North Campus Drive.&nbsp;The semi traveled left of center and collided head-on with a westbound 2013 Fiat 500 driven by Cassandra K.&nbsp;Linder,&nbsp; 16, Garden City. Both vehicles came to rest north of the roadway.EMS transported both drivers to St. Catherine Hospital where Linder was pronounced deceased. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Jail time for driver in crash that killed 16-year-old in SW Kansas

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces several felony charges in connection with a fatal shooting that took place near Blue Valley Park, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2558/Carter-Complaint-Red">Damien Carter, 38,&nbsp; faces</a>&nbsp;2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2559/Carter-PC-red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to East 29th Street near Blue Valley Park on a shooting. Police located the female victim suffering from gunshot wounds in the front yard of a residence. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Video surveillance captured a light tan/silver Chevrolet Tahoe arriving and parking in front of the residence. The driver, later identified as Carter, exits the vehicle with a handgun. The victim walks out of the residence toward him and the defendant points the handgun in the direction of the victim’s head and begins to fire. The victim falls to the ground and the suspect continues firing as she is laying on the ground. Carter gets back into his vehicle and drives away.&nbsp;

Carter is being held in custody with no bond.&nbsp;

*Charges are only accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or pleads guilty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743535808360.png" alt="Carter photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Carter photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces several felony charges in connection with a fatal shooting that took place near Blue Valley Park, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2558/Carter-Complaint-Red">Damien Carter, 38,&nbsp; faces</a>&nbsp;2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2559/Carter-PC-red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to East 29th Street near Blue Valley Park on a shooting. Police located the female victim suffering from gunshot wounds in the front yard of a residence. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Video surveillance captured a light tan/silver Chevrolet Tahoe arriving and parking in front of the residence. The driver, later identified as Carter, exits the vehicle with a handgun. The victim walks out of the residence toward him and the defendant points the handgun in the direction of the victim’s head and begins to fire. The victim falls to the ground and the suspect continues firing as she is laying on the ground. Carter gets back into his vehicle and drives away.&nbsp;Carter is being held in custody with no bond.&nbsp;*Charges are only accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or pleads guilty.

KC man accused in woman's violent murder outside her home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday in a case over whether states should be to able cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood in arguments that come amid a wider push from abortion opponents to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-trump-planned-parenthood-supreme-court-c512ec676b99d521d240bedeb7f85574">defund the nation’s largest abortion provider</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1275">Click here to</a> listen to the oral argument

Low-income patients who go there for things like contraception, cancer screenings and pregnancy testing could see their care upended if the court sides with South Carolina leaders who say no public money should go the organization.

The court is considering a legal question that could have wider effects: Whether Medicaid patients can continue to sue over the right to choose their own qualified provider.

South Carolina says those lawsuits aren’t allowed and barring them would save public money in legal fees. Some conservatives appeared open to that argument. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-justice-kavanaugh-roske-threat-93dc0806da374b53126120d90bfa77e1">Brett Kavanaugh</a>&nbsp;said there has been confusion over the question in lower courts. “One of my goals coming out of this will be to provide that clarity,” Kavanaugh said.

The state says people could go through an administrative appeal process if denied coverage, though justices like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-birthright-citizenship-0787cdf8bd36b964c7974ed032717ed4">Amy Coney Barrett</a>&nbsp;raised questions about whether that would work for low-income patients. “That’s the beneficiary taking the risk, going to the provider she wants to see, and then potentially having to pay out of pocket, right?”

Planned Parenthood argues Congress clearly wanted people to be able to make their own “intensely personal” decisions about which doctor to visit, and lawsuits are the only real way that right has been enforced.

Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;agreed that patients do have the right to choose their doctor under the law, and suggested that blocking them from suing would be a sea change. “This is kind of changing the rules midstream, isn’t it?” Kagan said.

People on both sides of the issue gathered outside the court for demonstrations that included a brass band before arguments unfolded.

The case started in 2018, before the court’s decision that overturned the nationwide right to abortion. South Carolina has since banned it after around six weeks’ gestation.

South Carolina’s move to cut off Medicaid funding was blocked in court following a lawsuit from from Medicaid patient Julie Edwards, who wanted to keep going to Planned Parenthood for birth control she needed because her diabetes could make it dangerous for her to carry a pregnancy to term, according to court papers. The state eventually appealed to the Supreme Court.

Federal law prohibits Medicaid money from being used for abortions, with very limited exceptions, but patients often go there for other services because it can be tough to find doctors who accept the publicly funded insurance program and can schedule appointments quickly.

Other conservative states have also moved to cut Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program, and more would likely follow if South Carolina prevails. Attorneys for the state say patients can visit other health centers for care.

About one-quarter of everyone in the U.S. is enrolled in the program, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/american-cancer-society">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;has said that losing the ability to sue would hurt their access to care, especially in rural areas.

In South Carolina, $90,000 in Medicaid funding goes to Planned Parenthood every year — a tiny fraction of a percentage point of the state’s total Medicaid spending.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday in a case over whether states should be to able cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood in arguments that come amid a wider push from abortion opponents to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-trump-planned-parenthood-supreme-court-c512ec676b99d521d240bedeb7f85574">defund the nation’s largest abortion provider</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1275">Click here to</a> listen to the oral argumentLow-income patients who go there for things like contraception, cancer screenings and pregnancy testing could see their care upended if the court sides with South Carolina leaders who say no public money should go the organization.The court is considering a legal question that could have wider effects: Whether Medicaid patients can continue to sue over the right to choose their own qualified provider.South Carolina says those lawsuits aren’t allowed and barring them would save public money in legal fees. Some conservatives appeared open to that argument. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-justice-kavanaugh-roske-threat-93dc0806da374b53126120d90bfa77e1">Brett Kavanaugh</a>&nbsp;said there has been confusion over the question in lower courts. “One of my goals coming out of this will be to provide that clarity,” Kavanaugh said.The state says people could go through an administrative appeal process if denied coverage, though justices like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-birthright-citizenship-0787cdf8bd36b964c7974ed032717ed4">Amy Coney Barrett</a>&nbsp;raised questions about whether that would work for low-income patients. “That’s the beneficiary taking the risk, going to the provider she wants to see, and then potentially having to pay out of pocket, right?”Planned Parenthood argues Congress clearly wanted people to be able to make their own “intensely personal” decisions about which doctor to visit, and lawsuits are the only real way that right has been enforced.Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;agreed that patients do have the right to choose their doctor under the law, and suggested that blocking them from suing would be a sea change. “This is kind of changing the rules midstream, isn’t it?” Kagan said.People on both sides of the issue gathered outside the court for demonstrations that included a brass band before arguments unfolded.The case started in 2018, before the court’s decision that overturned the nationwide right to abortion. South Carolina has since banned it after around six weeks’ gestation.South Carolina’s move to cut off Medicaid funding was blocked in court following a lawsuit from from Medicaid patient Julie Edwards, who wanted to keep going to Planned Parenthood for birth control she needed because her diabetes could make it dangerous for her to carry a pregnancy to term, according to court papers. The state eventually appealed to the Supreme Court.Federal law prohibits Medicaid money from being used for abortions, with very limited exceptions, but patients often go there for other services because it can be tough to find doctors who accept the publicly funded insurance program and can schedule appointments quickly.Other conservative states have also moved to cut Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program, and more would likely follow if South Carolina prevails. Attorneys for the state say patients can visit other health centers for care.About one-quarter of everyone in the U.S. is enrolled in the program, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/american-cancer-society">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;has said that losing the ability to sue would hurt their access to care, especially in rural areas.In South Carolina, $90,000 in Medicaid funding goes to Planned Parenthood every year — a tiny fraction of a percentage point of the state’s total Medicaid spending.

🎧Supreme Court divided over whether states can cut off Planned Parenthood funding

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced plans for sweeping tariffs Wednesday, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations.

The aggressive rhetoric came as Trump showed a willingness to dismantle a global economic system that the United States helped to build after World War II. Trump held up a chart while speaking, showing the United States would charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan.

“Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” Trump said in remarks at the White House. “But it is not going to happen anymore.”

The president has promised that factory jobs will return back to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk causing a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes on autos, clothes and other goods.

The tariffs are expected to follow similar recent announcements of 25% taxes on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autos-tariffs-trump-tax-imports-ford-gm-e53823ef7bbb7b3c46d11eca90aaa638">auto imports</a>; levies against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-643086a6dc7ff716d876b3c83e3255b0">China, Canada and Mexico;</a>&nbsp;and expanded trade penalties on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-aluminum-steel-e5a6295577275045db3484b71c979bfb">steel and aluminum</a>. Trump has also imposed tariffs on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-venezuela-oil-gas-tax-9197d606dea29caed6a7a79dd358d26a">countries that import oil from Venezuela</a>&nbsp;and he plans separate import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.

None of the warning signs about a falling stock market or consumer sentiment turning morose has caused the administration to publicly second-guess its strategy.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has suggested the new tariffs would raise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-tariffs-liberation-day-import-taxes-118d73f50e5133ef3d9598aed6661a6c">$600 billion annually</a>, which would be the largest tax increase since World War II. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers the tariffs would be capped and could be negotiated downward by other countries, according to the office of Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.

Importers would likely pass along some of the cost of the taxes on to consumers. The Budget Lab at Yale University estimates that a 20% universal tariff would cost the average household an additional $3,400 to $4,200.

The Republican administration's premise is that manufacturers will quickly increase domestic production and create factory jobs.

Based on the possibility of broad 20% tariffs that have been floated by some White House aides, most analyses see an economy tarnished by higher prices and stagnation. U.S. economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, would be roughly a percentage point lower, and clothing, oil, automobiles, housing, groceries and even insurance would cost more, the Budget Lab analysis found.

Trump would be applying these tariffs on his own; he has ways of doing so without congressional approval. That makes it easy for Democratic lawmakers and policymakers to criticize the administration if the uncertainty expressed by businesses and declining consumer sentiment are signs of trouble to come.

Heather Boushey, a member of the Biden White House's Council of Economic Advisers, noted that the less aggressive tariffs Trump imposed during his first term failed to stir the manufacturing renaissance he promised voters.

“We are not seeing indications of the boom that the president promised," Boushey said. “It's a failed strategy.”

Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said the tariffs are “part of the chaos and dysfunction” being generated across the Trump administration. The chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stressed that Trump should not have the sole authority to raise taxes as he intends without getting lawmakers' approval, saying that Republicans so far have been “blindly loyal.”

“The president shouldn’t be able to do that," DelBene said. "This is a massive tax increase on American families, and it’s without a vote in Congress ... President Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would lower costs on day one. Now he says he doesn’t care if prices go up — he’s broken his promise.”

Even Republicans who trust Trump's instincts have acknowledged that the tariffs could disrupt an economy with an otherwise healthy 4.1 % unemployment rate.

“We’ll see how it all develops,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “It may be rocky in the beginning. But I think that this will make sense for Americans and help all Americans.”

Longtime trading partners are preparing their own countermeasures. Canada has imposed some in response to the 25% tariffs that Trump tied to the trafficking of fentanyl. The European Union, in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, put taxes on 26 billion euros' worth ($28 billion) of U.S. goods, including on bourbon, which prompted Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on European alcohol.

Many allies feel they have been reluctantly drawn into a confrontation by Trump, who routinely says America's friends and foes have essentially ripped off the United States with a mix of tariffs and other trade barriers.

The flip side is that Americans also have the incomes to choose to buy designer gowns by French fashion houses and autos from German manufacturers, whereas&nbsp;<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true">World Bank data</a>&nbsp;show the EU has lower incomes per capita than the U.S.

“Europe has not started this confrontation,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We do not necessarily want to retaliate but, if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it.”

Italy’s premier, Giorgia Meloni, on Wednesday reiterated her call to avoid an EU-US trade war, saying it would harm both sides and would have “heavy” consequences for her country's economy.

Because Trump has hyped his tariffs without providing specifics, he has provided a deeper sense of uncertainty for the world, a sign that the economic slowdown could possibly extend beyond U.S. borders to other nations that would see one person to blame.

Ray Sparnaay, general manager of JE Fixture &amp; Tool, a Canadian tool and die business that sits across the Detroit River, said the uncertainty has crushed his company's ability to make plans.

“There’s going to be tariffs implemented. We just don’t know at this point,” he said Monday. “That’s one of the biggest problems we’ve had probably the last — well, since November — is the uncertainty. It’s basically slowed all of our quoting processes, business that we hope to secure has been stalled.”

Leavitt is among three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743626000304.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced plans for sweeping tariffs Wednesday, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump: &quot;Effective at midnight, we will impose a 25% tariff on all foreign-made automobiles.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Foh06KH9Wg">pic.twitter.com/Foh06KH9Wg</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907538646590189948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;With today&#39;s actions, we&#39;re also standing up for our great farmers and ranchers who are brutalized by nations all over the world. Canada imposes a 250-300% tariff on many of our dairy products... Australia bans American beef. Yet, we imported $3B of Australian beef just… <a href="https://t.co/6xG6b4IKFw">pic.twitter.com/6xG6b4IKFw</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907531382555029592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: The United States can no longer produce enough antibiotics to treat our sick. We import virtually all of our computers, phones, televisions, and electronics. A single shipyard in China now produces more ships in one year than all the American shipyards combined. Chronic… <a href="https://t.co/CVR7VhBaYY">pic.twitter.com/CVR7VhBaYY</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532241925722350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The aggressive rhetoric came as Trump showed a willingness to dismantle a global economic system that the United States helped to build after World War II. Trump held up a chart while speaking, showing the United States would charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Foreign nations will finally be asked to pay for the privilege of access to our market — the biggest market in the world.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GPbf7oITnX">pic.twitter.com/GPbf7oITnX</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532847704924329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” Trump said in remarks at the White House. “But it is not going to happen anymore.”The president has promised that factory jobs will return back to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk causing a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes on autos, clothes and other goods.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743627655900.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743627683399.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743627708366.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The tariffs are expected to follow similar recent announcements of 25% taxes on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autos-tariffs-trump-tax-imports-ford-gm-e53823ef7bbb7b3c46d11eca90aaa638">auto imports</a>; levies against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-643086a6dc7ff716d876b3c83e3255b0">China, Canada and Mexico;</a>&nbsp;and expanded trade penalties on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-aluminum-steel-e5a6295577275045db3484b71c979bfb">steel and aluminum</a>. Trump has also imposed tariffs on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-venezuela-oil-gas-tax-9197d606dea29caed6a7a79dd358d26a">countries that import oil from Venezuela</a>&nbsp;and he plans separate import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.None of the warning signs about a falling stock market or consumer sentiment turning morose has caused the administration to publicly second-guess its strategy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> lists some of the investments pouring into the United States under his leadership MAKE AMERICA WEALTHY AGAIN! 🔥🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/gTe8IfWNRQ">pic.twitter.com/gTe8IfWNRQ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907535556436766950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has suggested the new tariffs would raise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-tariffs-liberation-day-import-taxes-118d73f50e5133ef3d9598aed6661a6c">$600 billion annually</a>, which would be the largest tax increase since World War II. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers the tariffs would be capped and could be negotiated downward by other countries, according to the office of Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.Importers would likely pass along some of the cost of the taxes on to consumers. The Budget Lab at Yale University estimates that a 20% universal tariff would cost the average household an additional $3,400 to $4,200.The Republican administration's premise is that manufacturers will quickly increase domestic production and create factory jobs.Based on the possibility of broad 20% tariffs that have been floated by some White House aides, most analyses see an economy tarnished by higher prices and stagnation. U.S. economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, would be roughly a percentage point lower, and clothing, oil, automobiles, housing, groceries and even insurance would cost more, the Budget Lab analysis found.Trump would be applying these tariffs on his own; he has ways of doing so without congressional approval. That makes it easy for Democratic lawmakers and policymakers to criticize the administration if the uncertainty expressed by businesses and declining consumer sentiment are signs of trouble to come.Heather Boushey, a member of the Biden White House's Council of Economic Advisers, noted that the less aggressive tariffs Trump imposed during his first term failed to stir the manufacturing renaissance he promised voters.“We are not seeing indications of the boom that the president promised," Boushey said. “It's a failed strategy.”Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said the tariffs are “part of the chaos and dysfunction” being generated across the Trump administration. The chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stressed that Trump should not have the sole authority to raise taxes as he intends without getting lawmakers' approval, saying that Republicans so far have been “blindly loyal.”“The president shouldn’t be able to do that," DelBene said. "This is a massive tax increase on American families, and it’s without a vote in Congress ... President Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would lower costs on day one. Now he says he doesn’t care if prices go up — he’s broken his promise.”Even Republicans who trust Trump's instincts have acknowledged that the tariffs could disrupt an economy with an otherwise healthy 4.1 % unemployment rate.“We’ll see how it all develops,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “It may be rocky in the beginning. But I think that this will make sense for Americans and help all Americans.”Longtime trading partners are preparing their own countermeasures. Canada has imposed some in response to the 25% tariffs that Trump tied to the trafficking of fentanyl. The European Union, in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, put taxes on 26 billion euros' worth ($28 billion) of U.S. goods, including on bourbon, which prompted Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on European alcohol.Many allies feel they have been reluctantly drawn into a confrontation by Trump, who routinely says America's friends and foes have essentially ripped off the United States with a mix of tariffs and other trade barriers.The flip side is that Americans also have the incomes to choose to buy designer gowns by French fashion houses and autos from German manufacturers, whereas&nbsp;<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true">World Bank data</a>&nbsp;show the EU has lower incomes per capita than the U.S.“Europe has not started this confrontation,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We do not necessarily want to retaliate but, if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it.”Italy’s premier, Giorgia Meloni, on Wednesday reiterated her call to avoid an EU-US trade war, saying it would harm both sides and would have “heavy” consequences for her country's economy.Because Trump has hyped his tariffs without providing specifics, he has provided a deeper sense of uncertainty for the world, a sign that the economic slowdown could possibly extend beyond U.S. borders to other nations that would see one person to blame.Ray Sparnaay, general manager of JE Fixture &amp; Tool, a Canadian tool and die business that sits across the Detroit River, said the uncertainty has crushed his company's ability to make plans.“There’s going to be tariffs implemented. We just don’t know at this point,” he said Monday. “That’s one of the biggest problems we’ve had probably the last — well, since November — is the uncertainty. It’s basically slowed all of our quoting processes, business that we hope to secure has been stalled.”Leavitt is among three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

See the full list of Trump’s just announced reciprocal tariffs

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged identity theft and have made an arrest.

Just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report for forgery, attempted unlawful obtaining a prescription drug and identity theft in the 500 block of 3rd Pl in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity re port,

&nbsp;A 30-year-old woman and a 50-year-old woman were reported a 35-year-old woman used the victim’s information to attempt to obtain a prescription drug. 

Marijke Torres, 35, of Manhattan was arrested on requested charges of attempted unlawful obtaining a prescription drug, forgery and 3 counts of identity theft. Torres was issued a total bond of $14,000 and is no longer in custody, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged identity theft and have made an arrest.Just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday, officers filed a report for forgery, attempted unlawful obtaining a prescription drug and identity theft in the 500 block of 3rd Pl in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity re port,&nbsp;A 30-year-old woman and a 50-year-old woman were reported a 35-year-old woman used the victim’s information to attempt to obtain a prescription drug. Marijke Torres, 35, of Manhattan was arrested on requested charges of attempted unlawful obtaining a prescription drug, forgery and 3 counts of identity theft. Torres was issued a total bond of $14,000 and is no longer in custody, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas woman accused of forgery, ID theft

WASHINGTON (AP) —Amazon has put in a bid to buy TikTok — an 11th hour pitch that comes as a U.S. ban on the platform is set to take effect Saturday, a Trump administration official said Wednesday.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the Amazon bid was made in an offer letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The New York Times first reported on the bid earlier Wednesday.

On Inauguration Day, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-executive-order-trump-0bbae2d2d6f102944f41bb75ad40ce69">gave the platform a reprieve</a>, barreling past a law that was passed by Congress and upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court that said the ban was necessary for national security.

Under the law, TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance is required to sell the platform to an approved buyer or take it offline in the U.S.

Trump has suggested he could further extend the pause on the ban, but he has also said he expects a deal to be struck by Saturday.

By Aamer MadhaniWASHINGTON (AP) —Amazon has put in a bid to buy TikTok — an 11th hour pitch that comes as a U.S. ban on the platform is set to take effect Saturday, a Trump administration official said Wednesday.The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the Amazon bid was made in an offer letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.The New York Times first reported on the bid earlier Wednesday.On Inauguration Day, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-executive-order-trump-0bbae2d2d6f102944f41bb75ad40ce69">gave the platform a reprieve</a>, barreling past a law that was passed by Congress and upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court that said the ban was necessary for national security.Under the law, TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance is required to sell the platform to an approved buyer or take it offline in the U.S.Trump has suggested he could further extend the pause on the ban, but he has also said he expects a deal to be struck by Saturday.

Amazon wants to buy TikTok

WASHINGTON (AP) — The problems for Head Start began days after President Donald Trump took office.

Trump’s administration announced it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-grants-pause-freeze-e5f512ae6f1212f621d5fa9bbec95e08">freeze federal grants</a>&nbsp;— the primary funding for the early education program that serves more than half a million low-income children. Then came glitches with the funding website that forced nearly two dozen Head Start centers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-blackouts-trump-6e7655e56c0b451092411e7fdd1def2e">close temporarily</a>.

Even after the funding freeze was aborted — and the website was restored — those who run the programs remained on edge. On Tuesday, the administration gave them another reason to worry:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-ec4d7731695e4204970c7eab953b2289">mass layoffs</a>.

Scores of government employees who help administer Head Start, which is federally funded but run by schools and nonprofits, have been put on leave. Preschool operators say they have received no communication from the Office of Head Start and don’t know who to turn to if they have questions about grants or need the office to sign off on equipment expenditures.

They fear the program, which serves some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/this-preschool-in-alaska-changed-lives-for-parents-and-kids-alike-why-did-it-have-to-close/" target="_blank">nation’s neediest kids and families</a>, could fall victim to the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts.

Head Start was started six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. While the early childhood program has enjoyed bipartisan support since then, some Republicans have emphasized its shortcomings and criticized efforts to increase funding. And Project 2025, the policy blueprint created by the conservative Heritage Foundation, called for eliminating Head Start altogether.

Joel Ryan, head of the Washington State Association of Head Start, said he is worried the administration is slowly dismantling the program without outright eliminating it. “It doesn’t have to be from an act of Congress,” Ryan said. “You can kneecap programs simply by cutting significant numbers of their workforce.”

Head Start operates in all 50 states, helping families who are homeless or are in poverty. Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care rely on it when they work or go to school. Supporters say that underscores the importance of Head Start to the economy and at-risk children alike.

At least five of the 12 regional offices for Head Start were closed Tuesday as part of layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the National Head Start Association. While individual preschools’ funding remains unchanged, the association’s statement said the cuts happened without a “clear plan for how the administration intends on supporting Head Start.”

Some worry Head Start will become partisan.

“What I don’t want Head Start to be is a political football,” said Rhett Cecil, executive director of the Indiana Head Start Association. “Because a Republican household, a Democratic household, a libertarian household could be a Head Start household.”

In mid-March, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose department oversees Head Start, visited a Head Start in Alexandria, Virginia, praising the program and its staff.

“I had a very inspiring tour,” Kennedy said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hhsgov/reel/DHZvNP0MQEF/" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;on his department’s Instagram account. “They’re getting the kind of education socialization and education that they need.”

Still, advocates worry the GOP’s efforts to slash the federal budget will ensnare programs like Head Start.

Already, the staff layoffs have caused concerns. Head Start preschools in Washington state had been awaiting approval to replace downed fencing around a playground and to purchase a refrigerator for a center. Ryan said he fears some operators will lose funding because grant applications won’t get processed.

The preschools are deeply reliant on federal money. During the brief hold on federal grants, no program was impacted more immediately. Unable to make payroll the day of the freeze, several Head Start centers temporarily closed — cutting off child care for low-income families, for whom a day without work is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daycare-child-care-college-degree-moms-ac72f1227844eae0281305835e07273b">often a day without pay</a>.

The news about the funding freeze emerged in January as Head Start leaders from across the country were together at the Capital Hilton, a few blocks away from the White House, preparing to meet with Congress members. Gathered in a conference room, many leaders simultaneously realized they were locked out of their funds.

“You could almost feel ... the wave of panic all over the room when I think we all realized at the same time that everyone was locked out of that payment management system,” said Chanda Hillman, executive director of Early Flowers Learning. The group operates 17 Head Start campuses in rural parts of southwestern Michigan.

A few hours later, Hillman had to make the call: She would shut down the Early Flowers Learning campuses.

Kahli Lorenz, whose daughter attends Early Flowers, had traveled with Hillman to D.C. as part of a parent advisory council. She had been reeling at the possibility her daughter would have no place to go the following day — or that her beloved preschool would close. So when Lorenz heard Hillman make the announcement, she fell apart.

Both she and her husband work — and she was out of town. Without Head Start the next day, he would miss half of his shift — and half of his pay — at the factory where he works. But she thought of all of her daughter’s classmates, and all the parents like her who might not be able to work without Head Start.

“That meant all of the families were not going to have anywhere to have their kids,” she said.

Halfway across the country, Cecil of the Indiana Head Start Association learned about the reported freeze from a Head Start director, and immediately began to fret. The closure of Head Start centers across the state would leave families in a pinch. But he also worried about those who would be furloughed — Head Start is Indiana’s 78th largest employer with nearly 4,000 staff.

Not long after came another confusing piece of news: Head Start was never supposed to be a part of the funding freeze. So why, Head Start directors wondered, had they been shut out of the funding portal? Asked about the pause, the Department of Health and Human Services responded with an automatic message that said it was freezing all communication.

Even after the freeze was aborted and the Head Start portal was supposed to be fixed, many centers discovered they still could not access their funds. A week later, at least 45 grant recipients across the country were still locked out, and many were on the verge of closure. In Waukesha, Wisconsin, Head Start programs shut their doors and furloughed most of their staff. The programs would not reopen until the following week when their leaders could access the funds.

Unable to make payroll, two Head Start centers that served rural communities in western New York shut their doors, laying off 84 employees and leaving the families of more than 200 children without care. They would not reopen until Feb. 10, when they were finally able to draw down funds.

Head Start leaders said members of Congress from both parties were in touch during the crisis, working to get them answers.

For Hillman, it raised hope that Head Start will continue to enjoy bipartisan support — even if some conservatives oppose it.

Cheyanne Mumphrey contributed reporting from Phoenix, Arizona.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Five regional offices for Head Start were closed Tuesday as part of a workforce reduction at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the National Head Start Association.

Head Start is a preschool program that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/this-preschool-in-alaska-changed-lives-for-parents-and-kids-alike-why-did-it-have-to-close/">serves some of the nation’s neediest families</a>&nbsp;and children. Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care often rely on the program when they go to work or school.

The association’s statement said the move was taken without a “clear plan for how the administration intends on supporting Head Start.”

The Office of Head Start had 12 regional offices to provide oversight and support administration of grants. It was not immediately clear which regional offices were closed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The problems for Head Start began days after President Donald Trump took office.Trump’s administration announced it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-grants-pause-freeze-e5f512ae6f1212f621d5fa9bbec95e08">freeze federal grants</a>&nbsp;— the primary funding for the early education program that serves more than half a million low-income children. Then came glitches with the funding website that forced nearly two dozen Head Start centers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-blackouts-trump-6e7655e56c0b451092411e7fdd1def2e">close temporarily</a>.Even after the funding freeze was aborted — and the website was restored — those who run the programs remained on edge. On Tuesday, the administration gave them another reason to worry:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-ec4d7731695e4204970c7eab953b2289">mass layoffs</a>.Scores of government employees who help administer Head Start, which is federally funded but run by schools and nonprofits, have been put on leave. Preschool operators say they have received no communication from the Office of Head Start and don’t know who to turn to if they have questions about grants or need the office to sign off on equipment expenditures.They fear the program, which serves some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/this-preschool-in-alaska-changed-lives-for-parents-and-kids-alike-why-did-it-have-to-close/" target="_blank">nation’s neediest kids and families</a>, could fall victim to the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts.Head Start was started six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. While the early childhood program has enjoyed bipartisan support since then, some Republicans have emphasized its shortcomings and criticized efforts to increase funding. And Project 2025, the policy blueprint created by the conservative Heritage Foundation, called for eliminating Head Start altogether.Joel Ryan, head of the Washington State Association of Head Start, said he is worried the administration is slowly dismantling the program without outright eliminating it. “It doesn’t have to be from an act of Congress,” Ryan said. “You can kneecap programs simply by cutting significant numbers of their workforce.”<h2>Preschools say they need federal staff</h2>Head Start operates in all 50 states, helping families who are homeless or are in poverty. Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care rely on it when they work or go to school. Supporters say that underscores the importance of Head Start to the economy and at-risk children alike.At least five of the 12 regional offices for Head Start were closed Tuesday as part of layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the National Head Start Association. While individual preschools’ funding remains unchanged, the association’s statement said the cuts happened without a “clear plan for how the administration intends on supporting Head Start.”Some worry Head Start will become partisan.“What I don’t want Head Start to be is a political football,” said Rhett Cecil, executive director of the Indiana Head Start Association. “Because a Republican household, a Democratic household, a libertarian household could be a Head Start household.”In mid-March, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose department oversees Head Start, visited a Head Start in Alexandria, Virginia, praising the program and its staff.“I had a very inspiring tour,” Kennedy said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hhsgov/reel/DHZvNP0MQEF/" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;on his department’s Instagram account. “They’re getting the kind of education socialization and education that they need.”Still, advocates worry the GOP’s efforts to slash the federal budget will ensnare programs like Head Start.Already, the staff layoffs have caused concerns. Head Start preschools in Washington state had been awaiting approval to replace downed fencing around a playground and to purchase a refrigerator for a center. Ryan said he fears some operators will lose funding because grant applications won’t get processed.<h2>Panic, then closures</h2>The preschools are deeply reliant on federal money. During the brief hold on federal grants, no program was impacted more immediately. Unable to make payroll the day of the freeze, several Head Start centers temporarily closed — cutting off child care for low-income families, for whom a day without work is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daycare-child-care-college-degree-moms-ac72f1227844eae0281305835e07273b">often a day without pay</a>.The news about the funding freeze emerged in January as Head Start leaders from across the country were together at the Capital Hilton, a few blocks away from the White House, preparing to meet with Congress members. Gathered in a conference room, many leaders simultaneously realized they were locked out of their funds.“You could almost feel ... the wave of panic all over the room when I think we all realized at the same time that everyone was locked out of that payment management system,” said Chanda Hillman, executive director of Early Flowers Learning. The group operates 17 Head Start campuses in rural parts of southwestern Michigan.A few hours later, Hillman had to make the call: She would shut down the Early Flowers Learning campuses.Kahli Lorenz, whose daughter attends Early Flowers, had traveled with Hillman to D.C. as part of a parent advisory council. She had been reeling at the possibility her daughter would have no place to go the following day — or that her beloved preschool would close. So when Lorenz heard Hillman make the announcement, she fell apart.Both she and her husband work — and she was out of town. Without Head Start the next day, he would miss half of his shift — and half of his pay — at the factory where he works. But she thought of all of her daughter’s classmates, and all the parents like her who might not be able to work without Head Start.“That meant all of the families were not going to have anywhere to have their kids,” she said.<h2>‘They cannot go to work’</h2>Halfway across the country, Cecil of the Indiana Head Start Association learned about the reported freeze from a Head Start director, and immediately began to fret. The closure of Head Start centers across the state would leave families in a pinch. But he also worried about those who would be furloughed — Head Start is Indiana’s 78th largest employer with nearly 4,000 staff.Not long after came another confusing piece of news: Head Start was never supposed to be a part of the funding freeze. So why, Head Start directors wondered, had they been shut out of the funding portal? Asked about the pause, the Department of Health and Human Services responded with an automatic message that said it was freezing all communication.Even after the freeze was aborted and the Head Start portal was supposed to be fixed, many centers discovered they still could not access their funds. A week later, at least 45 grant recipients across the country were still locked out, and many were on the verge of closure. In Waukesha, Wisconsin, Head Start programs shut their doors and furloughed most of their staff. The programs would not reopen until the following week when their leaders could access the funds.Unable to make payroll, two Head Start centers that served rural communities in western New York shut their doors, laying off 84 employees and leaving the families of more than 200 children without care. They would not reopen until Feb. 10, when they were finally able to draw down funds.Head Start leaders said members of Congress from both parties were in touch during the crisis, working to get them answers.For Hillman, it raised hope that Head Start will continue to enjoy bipartisan support — even if some conservatives oppose it.<h2>____</h2>Cheyanne Mumphrey contributed reporting from Phoenix, Arizona.WASHINGTON (AP) —Five regional offices for Head Start were closed Tuesday as part of a workforce reduction at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the National Head Start Association.Head Start is a preschool program that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/this-preschool-in-alaska-changed-lives-for-parents-and-kids-alike-why-did-it-have-to-close/">serves some of the nation’s neediest families</a>&nbsp;and children. Parents who otherwise would not be able to afford child care often rely on the program when they go to work or school.The association’s statement said the move was taken without a “clear plan for how the administration intends on supporting Head Start.”The Office of Head Start had 12 regional offices to provide oversight and support administration of grants. It was not immediately clear which regional offices were closed.

After layoffs and funding problems, future of Head Start in doubt

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported only one new case of measles over the past week in the state. This was in a child under the age of four, according to the the KDHE's online reportable infections disease web site

Kansas has 24 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. Since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.

The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said last week that cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

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.

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, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot 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 measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

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.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

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

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743609889238.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported only one new case of measles over the past week in the state. This was in a child under the age of four, according to the the KDHE's online reportable infections disease web siteKansas has 24 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743609969085.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. Since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said last week that cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.<h2>Do you need an MMR booster?</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.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, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.Getting another MMR shot 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 measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>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.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<h2>Why do vaccination rates matter?</h2>In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KDHE has good news on number of measles cases in the state

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– An Airman assigned to McConnell Air Force Base pleaded guilty to three specifications of domestic violence and was sentenced during a general court-martial at the base on Tuesday, according to a media release from the air base.

Tech. Sgt. Jacob Frye, 722nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, pleaded guilty to three violations of Article 128b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which describes acts of violence against an intimate partner.&nbsp;

The presiding military judge sentenced Frye to 12 months in confinement, a reprimand, and a reduction in rank to airman basic. He will be confined in a military facility, with location to be determined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743558923030.png" alt="Frye photo McConnell AFB" />
 <figcaption>Frye photo McConnell AFB</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– An Airman assigned to McConnell Air Force Base pleaded guilty to three specifications of domestic violence and was sentenced during a general court-martial at the base on Tuesday, according to a media release from the air base.Tech. Sgt. Jacob Frye, 722nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, pleaded guilty to three violations of Article 128b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which describes acts of violence against an intimate partner.&nbsp;The presiding military judge sentenced Frye to 12 months in confinement, a reprimand, and a reduction in rank to airman basic. He will be confined in a military facility, with location to be determined.

Court-Martial: Kan. airman admits to 3 instances of domestic violence

KEARNY COUNTY —Aviation and ground resources from Kansas Forest Service and surrounding areas assisted in fighting a wildfire in Kearny County on Tuesday. The fire started approximately 6 miles west of Lakin. and was rapidly moving north and east toward Highway 50. Wind gusts over 30 mph are made fighting the fire very difficult, according to a social media report from the Forest Service.&nbsp; U.S. 50 was temporarily closed in the area due to the smoke.&nbsp;

Fire crews were able to stop the spread of the fire but firefighters worked overnight to actively monitor hot spots. Significant heat still remains within the fire area, posing concerns due to the weather forecast for Wednesday. 

&nbsp;Air tankers dropped 59 loads—approximately 34,200 gallons of water fighting the fire, according to the Kansas Forest Service. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743595253093.png" alt="Photo Kansas Forest Service." />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Forest Service.</figcaption>
 </figure>KEARNY COUNTY —Aviation and ground resources from Kansas Forest Service and surrounding areas assisted in fighting a wildfire in Kearny County on Tuesday. The fire started approximately 6 miles west of Lakin. and was rapidly moving north and east toward Highway 50. Wind gusts over 30 mph are made fighting the fire very difficult, according to a social media report from the Forest Service.&nbsp; U.S. 50 was temporarily closed in the area due to the smoke.&nbsp;Fire crews were able to stop the spread of the fire but firefighters worked overnight to actively monitor hot spots. Significant heat still remains within the fire area, posing concerns due to the weather forecast for Wednesday. &nbsp;Air tankers dropped 59 loads—approximately 34,200 gallons of water fighting the fire, according to the Kansas Forest Service. There were no injuries reported.

Forest Service air tankers dropped 59 loads of water on SW Kansas fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says Wednesday will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTbmv2krDbM">“Liberation Day"</a>&nbsp;— a moment when he plans to roll out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-a9d714eea677488ef9397547d838dbd0">set of tariffs</a>&nbsp;that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods.

The details of Trump's next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes.

It is also possible that the tariffs are short-lived if Trump feels he can cut a deal after imposing them.

“I’m certainly open to it, if we can do something," Trump told reporters. "We’ll get something for it.”

At stake are family budgets, America's prominence as the world's leading financial power and the structure of the global economy.

Here's what you should know about the impending trade penalties:

He wants to announce import taxes, including “reciprocal” tariffs that would match the rates charged by other countries and account for other subsidies. Trump has talked about taxing the European Union, South Korea, Brazil and India, among other countries.

As he announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-auto-industry-tariffs-imports-prices-car-buyers-2315fed0a166d37b1a88c2d375d5553a">25% auto tariffs</a>&nbsp;last week, he alleged that America has been ripped off because it imports more goods than it exports.

“This is the beginning of Liberation Day in America,” Trump said. “We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they’ve been taking over the years. They’ve taken so much out of our country, friend and foe. And, frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe.”

In an interview Saturday with NBC News, Trump said it did not bother him if tariffs caused vehicle prices to rise because autos with more U.S. content could possibly be more competitively priced.

"I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars," Trump said. “I couldn’t care less because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars.”

Trump has also suggested that he will be flexible with his tariffs, saying he will treat other nations better than they treated the United States. But he still has plenty of other taxes coming on imports.

The Republican president plans to tax imported pharmaceutical drugs, copper and lumber. He has put forth a 25% tariff on any country that imports oil from Venezuela, even though the United States also does so. Imports from China are being charged an additional 20% tax because of its role in fentanyl production. Trump has imposed separate tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico for the stated reason of stopping drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Trump also expanded his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs to 25% on all imports.

Some aides suggest the tariffs are tools for negotiation on trade and border security; others say the revenues will help reduce the federal budget deficit. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says they will force other nations to show Trump “respect.”

Nothing good, according to most economists. They say the tariffs would get passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for autos, groceries, housing and other goods. Corporate profits could be lower and growth more sluggish. Trump maintains that more companies would open factories to avoid the taxes, though that process could take three years or more.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-art-laffer-auto-tariff-warning-ba62f55af070e40e9d6eddf5d8433ad1">Economist Art Laffer estimates</a>&nbsp;the tariffs on autos, if fully implemented, could increase per vehicle costs by $4,711, though he said he views Trump as a smart and savvy negotiator. The investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates the economy will grow this quarter at an annual rate of just 0.6%, down from a rate of 2.4% at the end of last year.

Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Ohio, said on Friday that tariffs could increase the median cost of a home by $21,000, making affordability more of an obstacle because building materials would cost more.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told “Fox News Sunday” that the auto tariffs would raise $100 billion annually and the other tariffs would bring in about $600 million per year, or about $6 trillion over 10 years. As a share of the economy, that would be the largest tax increase since World War II, according to Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested that tariffs would be a one-time price adjustment, rather than the start of an inflationary spiral. But Bessent's conclusion rests on tariffs being brief or contained, rather than leading other countries to retaliate with their own tariffs or seeping into other sectors of the economy.

“There is a chance tariffs on goods begin to filter through to the pricing of services,” said Samuel Rines, a strategist at WisdomTree. “Auto parts get move expensive, then auto repair gets more expensive, then auto insurance feels the pressure. While goods are the focus, tariffs could have a longer-term effect on inflation.”

How are other nations thinking about the new tariffs?

Most foreign leaders see the tariffs as destructive for the global economy, even if they are prepared to impose their own countermeasures.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Trump's tariff threats had ended the partnership between his country and the United States, even as the president on Friday talked about his phone call with Carney in relatively positive terms. Canada already has announced retaliatory tariffs.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the tariffs were “not coherent” and would mean "breaking value chains, creating inflation in the short term and destroying jobs. It’s not good for the American economy, nor for the European, Canadian or Mexican economies.” Yet Macron said his nation would defend itself with the goal of dismantling the tariffs.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has avoided the tit-for-tat responses on tariffs, but she sees it as critical to defend jobs in her country.

The Chinese government said Trump's tariffs would harm the global trading system and would not fix the economic challenges identified by Trump.

“There are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars, and no country’s development and prosperity are achieved through imposing tariffs,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.

Based off Trump's public statements, April 2 is at least the third “liberation day” that he has identified.

At a rally last year in Nevada, he said the day of the presidential election, Nov. 5, would be “Liberation Day in America.” He later gave his inauguration the same label, declaring in his address: “For American citizens, Jan. 20, 2025, is Liberation Day.”

His repeated designation of the term is a sign of just how much importance Trump places on tariffs, an obsession of his since the 1980s. Dozens of other countries recognize their own form of liberation days to recognize events such as overcoming Nazi Germany or the end of a previous political regime deemed oppressive.

Trump sees his tariffs as providing national redemption, but the slumping consumer confidence and stock market indicate that much of the public believes the U.S. economy will pay the price for his ambitions.

“I don’t see anything positive about Liberation Day," said Phillip Braun, a finance professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. “It’s going to hurt the U.S. economy. Other countries are going to retaliate.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742003336478.png" alt="File photo President Donald Trump -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Donald Trump -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says Wednesday will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTbmv2krDbM">“Liberation Day"</a>&nbsp;— a moment when he plans to roll out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-timeline-trade-war-trump-canada-mexico-china-a9d714eea677488ef9397547d838dbd0">set of tariffs</a>&nbsp;that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods.The details of Trump's next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes.It is also possible that the tariffs are short-lived if Trump feels he can cut a deal after imposing them.“I’m certainly open to it, if we can do something," Trump told reporters. "We’ll get something for it.”At stake are family budgets, America's prominence as the world's leading financial power and the structure of the global economy.Here's what you should know about the impending trade penalties:<h2>What exactly does Trump plan to do?</h2>He wants to announce import taxes, including “reciprocal” tariffs that would match the rates charged by other countries and account for other subsidies. Trump has talked about taxing the European Union, South Korea, Brazil and India, among other countries.As he announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-auto-industry-tariffs-imports-prices-car-buyers-2315fed0a166d37b1a88c2d375d5553a">25% auto tariffs</a>&nbsp;last week, he alleged that America has been ripped off because it imports more goods than it exports.“This is the beginning of Liberation Day in America,” Trump said. “We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they’ve been taking over the years. They’ve taken so much out of our country, friend and foe. And, frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe.”In an interview Saturday with NBC News, Trump said it did not bother him if tariffs caused vehicle prices to rise because autos with more U.S. content could possibly be more competitively priced."I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars," Trump said. “I couldn’t care less because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars.”Trump has also suggested that he will be flexible with his tariffs, saying he will treat other nations better than they treated the United States. But he still has plenty of other taxes coming on imports.The Republican president plans to tax imported pharmaceutical drugs, copper and lumber. He has put forth a 25% tariff on any country that imports oil from Venezuela, even though the United States also does so. Imports from China are being charged an additional 20% tax because of its role in fentanyl production. Trump has imposed separate tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico for the stated reason of stopping drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Trump also expanded his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs to 25% on all imports.Some aides suggest the tariffs are tools for negotiation on trade and border security; others say the revenues will help reduce the federal budget deficit. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says they will force other nations to show Trump “respect.”<h2>What could tariffs do to the US economy?</h2>Nothing good, according to most economists. They say the tariffs would get passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for autos, groceries, housing and other goods. Corporate profits could be lower and growth more sluggish. Trump maintains that more companies would open factories to avoid the taxes, though that process could take three years or more.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-art-laffer-auto-tariff-warning-ba62f55af070e40e9d6eddf5d8433ad1">Economist Art Laffer estimates</a>&nbsp;the tariffs on autos, if fully implemented, could increase per vehicle costs by $4,711, though he said he views Trump as a smart and savvy negotiator. The investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates the economy will grow this quarter at an annual rate of just 0.6%, down from a rate of 2.4% at the end of last year.Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Ohio, said on Friday that tariffs could increase the median cost of a home by $21,000, making affordability more of an obstacle because building materials would cost more.White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told “Fox News Sunday” that the auto tariffs would raise $100 billion annually and the other tariffs would bring in about $600 million per year, or about $6 trillion over 10 years. As a share of the economy, that would be the largest tax increase since World War II, according to Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested that tariffs would be a one-time price adjustment, rather than the start of an inflationary spiral. But Bessent's conclusion rests on tariffs being brief or contained, rather than leading other countries to retaliate with their own tariffs or seeping into other sectors of the economy.“There is a chance tariffs on goods begin to filter through to the pricing of services,” said Samuel Rines, a strategist at WisdomTree. “Auto parts get move expensive, then auto repair gets more expensive, then auto insurance feels the pressure. While goods are the focus, tariffs could have a longer-term effect on inflation.”<h2>How are other nations thinking about the new tariffs?</h2>Most foreign leaders see the tariffs as destructive for the global economy, even if they are prepared to impose their own countermeasures.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Trump's tariff threats had ended the partnership between his country and the United States, even as the president on Friday talked about his phone call with Carney in relatively positive terms. Canada already has announced retaliatory tariffs.French President Emmanuel Macron said the tariffs were “not coherent” and would mean "breaking value chains, creating inflation in the short term and destroying jobs. It’s not good for the American economy, nor for the European, Canadian or Mexican economies.” Yet Macron said his nation would defend itself with the goal of dismantling the tariffs.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has avoided the tit-for-tat responses on tariffs, but she sees it as critical to defend jobs in her country.The Chinese government said Trump's tariffs would harm the global trading system and would not fix the economic challenges identified by Trump.“There are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars, and no country’s development and prosperity are achieved through imposing tariffs,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.<h2>How did Trump land on it being called</h2><h2>‘Liberation Day’?</h2>Based off Trump's public statements, April 2 is at least the third “liberation day” that he has identified.At a rally last year in Nevada, he said the day of the presidential election, Nov. 5, would be “Liberation Day in America.” He later gave his inauguration the same label, declaring in his address: “For American citizens, Jan. 20, 2025, is Liberation Day.”His repeated designation of the term is a sign of just how much importance Trump places on tariffs, an obsession of his since the 1980s. Dozens of other countries recognize their own form of liberation days to recognize events such as overcoming Nazi Germany or the end of a previous political regime deemed oppressive.Trump sees his tariffs as providing national redemption, but the slumping consumer confidence and stock market indicate that much of the public believes the U.S. economy will pay the price for his ambitions.“I don’t see anything positive about Liberation Day," said Phillip Braun, a finance professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. “It’s going to hurt the U.S. economy. Other countries are going to retaliate.”