ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.

In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.

Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.

“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.

Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.

In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”

“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”

Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.

Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.

The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.

“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.

A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”

Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”

In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.

“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.

The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.

And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.

The main threat facing the pope is sepsis

Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday.

On Saturday, Francis developed a low platelet count, which remained low but stable Sunday. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections.

Francis also developed anemia and, during blood transfusions Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.

Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.

Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.

Francis’ recent reforms suggest he knew he was getting older and more fragile

Francis has taken several recent decisions that suggest he was well aware that he was getting old and frail.

Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-funeral-rites-francis-vatican-d8b24d48b743e4b6b11f565196741504">revised the funeral rites</a>&nbsp;that will be used after he dies, simplifying the rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements of the rites remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his funeral: In his home, in St. Peter’s Basilica and in the place of burial.

In December, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-pope-7b4c2e55b2f0d42436a6ec65182e489a">created 21 new cardinals</a>. All but one were under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect his successor. Their additions brought the overall number of voting-age cardinals to 140, well over the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several of the current electors are turning 80 this year, bringing the number down.

Earlier this month, once he was already sick, Francis decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">extend the five-year term of the current dean</a>&nbsp;of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, rather than make way for someone new. As depicted in the film “Conclave,” the dean of the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy, and is a crucial figure during the transition between one papacy and the next.

Francis also decided to extend the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.<h2>Prayers for pope at Vatican</h2>Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.<h2>The main threat facing the pope is sepsis</h2>Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday.On Saturday, Francis developed a low platelet count, which remained low but stable Sunday. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections.Francis also developed anemia and, during blood transfusions Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.<h2>Francis’ recent reforms suggest he knew he was getting older and more fragile</h2>Francis has taken several recent decisions that suggest he was well aware that he was getting old and frail.Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-funeral-rites-francis-vatican-d8b24d48b743e4b6b11f565196741504">revised the funeral rites</a>&nbsp;that will be used after he dies, simplifying the rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements of the rites remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his funeral: In his home, in St. Peter’s Basilica and in the place of burial.In December, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-pope-7b4c2e55b2f0d42436a6ec65182e489a">created 21 new cardinals</a>. All but one were under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect his successor. Their additions brought the overall number of voting-age cardinals to 140, well over the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several of the current electors are turning 80 this year, bringing the number down.Earlier this month, once he was already sick, Francis decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">extend the five-year term of the current dean</a>&nbsp;of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, rather than make way for someone new. As depicted in the film “Conclave,” the dean of the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy, and is a crucial figure during the transition between one papacy and the next.Francis also decided to extend the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis diagnosed with early kidney failure as prayers pour in

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer</a>

A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before — but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-trump-health-secretary-vote-5dbefeef0537dc241e6fb33b8f2a748b">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the newly confirmed health and human services secretary, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooke-rollins-agriculture-disaster-aid-trade-wars-22b7de08daf0d9b0268e72ee3a8c9816">Brooke Rollins</a>, the new agriculture secretary, have both signaled that they favor stripping such treats from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Kennedy has been most vocal, calling for the government to stop allowing the nearly $113 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans to use benefits to pay for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-can-make-america-healthy-again-rfk-jr-reforms-chronic-disease-crisis-a9b4b8c0">soda or processed foods</a>.”

“The one place that I would say that we need to really change policy is the SNAP program and food stamps and in school lunches,” Kennedy told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last week. “There, the federal government in many cases is paying for it. And we shouldn't be subsidizing people to eat poison.”

In one of her first interviews after being confirmed, Rollins said she looked forward to working with Kennedy on the issue.

“When a taxpayer is putting money into SNAP, are they OK with us using their tax dollars to feed really bad food and sugary drinks to children who perhaps need something more nutritious?” Rollins said. “These are all massive questions we're going to be asking and working on in the coming months and years.”

But removing certain foods from SNAP — known for years as food stamps — isn't as simple as it sounds.

The program is run by the USDA, not HHS, and is administered through individual states. It is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says SNAP benefits can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.

Excluding any foods would require Congress to change the law — or for states to get waivers that would let them restrict purchases, said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research group. Over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for bottled water, soda, chips, ice cream, decorated cakes and “luxury meats” like steak.

“None of those requests have ever been approved under either Republican or Democratic presidents,” Bergh said.

In the past, Agriculture Department officials rejected the waivers, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf">in a 2007 paper</a>&nbsp;that no clear standards exist to define foods “as good or bad, or healthy or not healthy.” In addition, the agency said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly. And they might not change recipients' food purchases or reduce conditions such as obesity.

Anti-hunger advocates point to research that shows SNAP recipients are no more likely than other low-income Americans to buy sugary drinks or snack foods. And they say that limiting food choices undermines the autonomy and dignity of people who receive, on average, about $187 per month — or about $6.16 per day, according to latest figures.

“This is just another way to cut benefits,” said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group. “It's like, how do we restrict people more? How do we stigmatize them more?”

Bills are pending in Congress and in several states to restrict SNAP benefits from paying for soda, candy and other items.

Rep. Josh Breechan, an Oklahoma Republican, sponsored the Healthy SNAP Act.

“If someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that’s up to them,” he said. “But what we’re saying is, ‘Don’t ask the taxpayer to pay for it and then also expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the resulting health consequences.’”

One SNAP recipient said she uses her monthly $291 benefit to buy necessities such as meat, oil, milk and coffee. Martina Santos, 66, of New York City, supplements those foods with fresh vegetables and fruits from a pantry run by the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, where she's also a volunteer. Because she has diabetes and other health conditions, she said she understands the importance of using the benefits only for nutritious options.

“For me, SNAP is to be used toward healthy food to get people to avoid all the disease they’re having around right now: obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure,” Santos said.

In Kansas and elsewhere, bills that would ban soft drinks and candy highlight some of the challenges of such changes.

Several pending bills seek to keep SNAP from paying for soft drinks, but they would continue to allow drinks containing milk, milk alternatives like soy or almond milk, or drinks with more than 50% vegetable or fruit juice. Candy is characterized as any unrefrigerated, flourless preparation of “sugar, honey or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops or pieces.”

By that definition, Kit Kat and Twix bars, which contain flour, wouldn't be banned. And juices that contain high amounts of sugar, but are more than half fruit juice by volume, would be allowed.

Such conundrums have stymied changes to the SNAP program for decades. But this moment could be different, said Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical officer of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank based in Washington, D.C.

The momentum behind Kennedy's “Make America Healthy Again” movement could spur a new focus on solutions to poor diets that account for leading risk factors for early disease and death.

“When we talk about the SNAP program, we have to remind people that the ‘N’ stands for nutrition,” Parekh said. “It's about time that both parties can come together and see what are the innovations here to improve diet quality and nutrition.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626184911218.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer</a>A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before — but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-trump-health-secretary-vote-5dbefeef0537dc241e6fb33b8f2a748b">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the newly confirmed health and human services secretary, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooke-rollins-agriculture-disaster-aid-trade-wars-22b7de08daf0d9b0268e72ee3a8c9816">Brooke Rollins</a>, the new agriculture secretary, have both signaled that they favor stripping such treats from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.Kennedy has been most vocal, calling for the government to stop allowing the nearly $113 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans to use benefits to pay for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-can-make-america-healthy-again-rfk-jr-reforms-chronic-disease-crisis-a9b4b8c0">soda or processed foods</a>.”“The one place that I would say that we need to really change policy is the SNAP program and food stamps and in school lunches,” Kennedy told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last week. “There, the federal government in many cases is paying for it. And we shouldn't be subsidizing people to eat poison.”In one of her first interviews after being confirmed, Rollins said she looked forward to working with Kennedy on the issue.“When a taxpayer is putting money into SNAP, are they OK with us using their tax dollars to feed really bad food and sugary drinks to children who perhaps need something more nutritious?” Rollins said. “These are all massive questions we're going to be asking and working on in the coming months and years.”But removing certain foods from SNAP — known for years as food stamps — isn't as simple as it sounds.The program is run by the USDA, not HHS, and is administered through individual states. It is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says SNAP benefits can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.Excluding any foods would require Congress to change the law — or for states to get waivers that would let them restrict purchases, said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research group. Over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for bottled water, soda, chips, ice cream, decorated cakes and “luxury meats” like steak.“None of those requests have ever been approved under either Republican or Democratic presidents,” Bergh said.In the past, Agriculture Department officials rejected the waivers, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf">in a 2007 paper</a>&nbsp;that no clear standards exist to define foods “as good or bad, or healthy or not healthy.” In addition, the agency said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly. And they might not change recipients' food purchases or reduce conditions such as obesity.Anti-hunger advocates point to research that shows SNAP recipients are no more likely than other low-income Americans to buy sugary drinks or snack foods. And they say that limiting food choices undermines the autonomy and dignity of people who receive, on average, about $187 per month — or about $6.16 per day, according to latest figures.“This is just another way to cut benefits,” said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group. “It's like, how do we restrict people more? How do we stigmatize them more?”Bills are pending in Congress and in several states to restrict SNAP benefits from paying for soda, candy and other items.Rep. Josh Breechan, an Oklahoma Republican, sponsored the Healthy SNAP Act.“If someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that’s up to them,” he said. “But what we’re saying is, ‘Don’t ask the taxpayer to pay for it and then also expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the resulting health consequences.’”One SNAP recipient said she uses her monthly $291 benefit to buy necessities such as meat, oil, milk and coffee. Martina Santos, 66, of New York City, supplements those foods with fresh vegetables and fruits from a pantry run by the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, where she's also a volunteer. Because she has diabetes and other health conditions, she said she understands the importance of using the benefits only for nutritious options.“For me, SNAP is to be used toward healthy food to get people to avoid all the disease they’re having around right now: obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure,” Santos said.In Kansas and elsewhere, bills that would ban soft drinks and candy highlight some of the challenges of such changes.Several pending bills seek to keep SNAP from paying for soft drinks, but they would continue to allow drinks containing milk, milk alternatives like soy or almond milk, or drinks with more than 50% vegetable or fruit juice. Candy is characterized as any unrefrigerated, flourless preparation of “sugar, honey or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops or pieces.”By that definition, Kit Kat and Twix bars, which contain flour, wouldn't be banned. And juices that contain high amounts of sugar, but are more than half fruit juice by volume, would be allowed.Such conundrums have stymied changes to the SNAP program for decades. But this moment could be different, said Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical officer of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank based in Washington, D.C.The momentum behind Kennedy's “Make America Healthy Again” movement could spur a new focus on solutions to poor diets that account for leading risk factors for early disease and death.“When we talk about the SNAP program, we have to remind people that the ‘N’ stands for nutrition,” Parekh said. “It's about time that both parties can come together and see what are the innovations here to improve diet quality and nutrition.”___

New HHS and Ag Secretaries may ban junk food from SNAP

WASHINGTON (AP) — An idea first proposed on social media has bubbled up to the White House and received President Donald Trump's enthusiastic endorsement: Take some of the savings from billionaire Elon Musk's drive to cut government spending and return it to taxpayers.

“I love it,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-dividend-85f3d001d082aebaefd397035b0b86a9">late Wednesday</a>&nbsp;on Air Force One, when asked about the proposal.

If Musk's target of $2 trillion in spending cuts is achieved by next year, supporters of the idea say that about one-fifth of those funds could be distributed to taxpaying households in checks of about $5,000.

But before you start planning for a windfall, budget experts say such huge savings — nearly one-third of the federal government's annual spending — are highly unlikely. And sending out a round of checks — similar to the stimulus payments distributed by Trump and then President Joe Biden during the pandemic — could fuel inflation, economists warn, though White House officials dismiss that concern.

With the annual budget deficit at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60843/html">$1.8 trillion last year</a>&nbsp;and Trump proposing extensive tax cuts, there will also be significant pressure to use all the savings to reduce that deficit, rather than pass on part of it.

James Fishback, founder of investment firm Azoria Partners which he launched at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, promoted the idea Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, prompting Musk to respond that he would “check with the president.” Fishback said there have also been “behind the scenes” conversations about the issue with White House officials.

Musk has estimated that his Department of Government Efficiency has cut $55 billion so far — a tiny fraction of the $6.8 trillion federal budget. But DOGE’s public statements so far haven't verified the presumed savings, and its claims that tens of millions of dead people are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7">fraudulently receiving Social Security</a>&nbsp;have been disproven.

Fishback supports having the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determine how much DOGE saved. If DOGE cuts $500 billion by July 2026, he said, then the checks would be $1,250, rather than $5,000.

“We uncovered enormous waste, fraud and abuse,” Fishback said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And we are going to make good and pay restitution and then rewrite the social contract between the taxpayer and the federal government.”

Fishback supports sending out checks, rather than using all the money to reduce the deficit, because it would encourage Americans to seek out wasteful government spending “in their communities, and report it to DOGE.”

OK, let’s slow down. According to the proposal, DOGE must first complete its work, slated to be done by July 2026. Once that happens, one-fifth of any savings could be distributed later that year to the roughly 79 million households that pay income taxes. About 40% of Americans don’t pay such taxes, so they wouldn’t get a check.

Color most economists and budget experts skeptical that its focus on “waste, fraud, and abuse” can actually reduce government spending by much. Budget-cutters from both parties have sought to eliminate “waste” — which doesn't have much of a political constituency — for decades, with little success in reducing the deficit.

One of the biggest moves by the Trump administration so far has been to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">fire tens of thousands of government workers</a>, but such changes aren't likely to produce big savings.

“Only a small share of total spending goes to federal employees,” said Douglas Elmendorf, former director of the Congressional Budget Office. “The big money is in federal benefits and in federal taxes and those are not in DOGE’s purview.”

In November, John DiIulio Jr., a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/musk-and-ramaswamy-meet-the-real-deep-state/">in an essay</a>&nbsp;for the Brookings Institution that "eliminating the entire federal civilian workforce would leave in place about 95% of all federal spending and the $34 trillion national debt.’’ DiIulio noted that government contractors and nonprofits that receive government funds now employ three times as many people as the federal government's 2.2 million employees.

It's also not clear how much in savings can be achieved without Congress codifying it in law.

“Firing someone doesn’t save money until Congress comes back and reduces the appropriation for that employee’s agency,” Elmendorf said. “If you fire somebody but leave the appropriation where it is, then ... that money can be spent on something else. So DOGE can’t really achieve savings until there’s legislative change as well.”

Wouldn't another round of government checks contribute to higher inflation?

Trump and his economists blame Biden's $1,400 stimulus checks, distributed in the spring of 2021, for fueling the worst spike in inflation in four decades. Yet they maintain that sending checks stemming from reduced government spending wouldn't boost inflation.

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House's National Economic Council, said Thursday that since the money would have been spent by the government anyway, having it spent by consumers would be a wash. Biden and Trump's stimulus checks during the pandemic were deficit-financed, which can be more inflationary.

But Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Yale Budget Lab, and an economist in the Biden White House, said that more government checks are “the last thing we need economically right now.”

The U.S. unemployment rate is now much lower than in 2021, Tedeschi said, which means that businesses could struggle to hire enough workers to meet the additional demand created by a round of checks. Worker shortages can push up prices.

Yet some Democrats agree with Hassett, but for different reasons.

"I can’t imagine they’d be inflationary because I can’t imagine they’d be big enough,’’ said Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

Kamarck, who worked with Vice President Al Gore to cut government waste in the Clinton administration, dismissed the DOGE dividend as “ridiculous."

“There’s no money there, and certainly not enough money to make a big contribution to taxpayers," she said. “The guy just says things," she added, referring to Musk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739452039262.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An idea first proposed on social media has bubbled up to the White House and received President Donald Trump's enthusiastic endorsement: Take some of the savings from billionaire Elon Musk's drive to cut government spending and return it to taxpayers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump: &quot;There&#39;s even under consideration a new concept where we give 20% of the DOGE savings to the American citizens and 20% goes to paying down debt, because the numbers are incredible Elon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hlaP6g5Qw0">pic.twitter.com/hlaP6g5Qw0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892359932910993799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I love it,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-dividend-85f3d001d082aebaefd397035b0b86a9">late Wednesday</a>&nbsp;on Air Force One, when asked about the proposal.If Musk's target of $2 trillion in spending cuts is achieved by next year, supporters of the idea say that about one-fifth of those funds could be distributed to taxpaying households in checks of about $5,000.But before you start planning for a windfall, budget experts say such huge savings — nearly one-third of the federal government's annual spending — are highly unlikely. And sending out a round of checks — similar to the stimulus payments distributed by Trump and then President Joe Biden during the pandemic — could fuel inflation, economists warn, though White House officials dismiss that concern.With the annual budget deficit at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60843/html">$1.8 trillion last year</a>&nbsp;and Trump proposing extensive tax cuts, there will also be significant pressure to use all the savings to reduce that deficit, rather than pass on part of it.Here's what to know about the proposal:<h2>Where is this coming from?</h2>James Fishback, founder of investment firm Azoria Partners which he launched at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, promoted the idea Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, prompting Musk to respond that he would “check with the president.” Fishback said there have also been “behind the scenes” conversations about the issue with White House officials.Musk has estimated that his Department of Government Efficiency has cut $55 billion so far — a tiny fraction of the $6.8 trillion federal budget. But DOGE’s public statements so far haven't verified the presumed savings, and its claims that tens of millions of dead people are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7">fraudulently receiving Social Security</a>&nbsp;have been disproven.Fishback supports having the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determine how much DOGE saved. If DOGE cuts $500 billion by July 2026, he said, then the checks would be $1,250, rather than $5,000.“We uncovered enormous waste, fraud and abuse,” Fishback said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And we are going to make good and pay restitution and then rewrite the social contract between the taxpayer and the federal government.”Fishback supports sending out checks, rather than using all the money to reduce the deficit, because it would encourage Americans to seek out wasteful government spending “in their communities, and report it to DOGE.”<h2>When am I going to get my check?</h2>OK, let’s slow down. According to the proposal, DOGE must first complete its work, slated to be done by July 2026. Once that happens, one-fifth of any savings could be distributed later that year to the roughly 79 million households that pay income taxes. About 40% of Americans don’t pay such taxes, so they wouldn’t get a check.<h2>How much can DOGE really save?</h2>Color most economists and budget experts skeptical that its focus on “waste, fraud, and abuse” can actually reduce government spending by much. Budget-cutters from both parties have sought to eliminate “waste” — which doesn't have much of a political constituency — for decades, with little success in reducing the deficit.One of the biggest moves by the Trump administration so far has been to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">fire tens of thousands of government workers</a>, but such changes aren't likely to produce big savings.“Only a small share of total spending goes to federal employees,” said Douglas Elmendorf, former director of the Congressional Budget Office. “The big money is in federal benefits and in federal taxes and those are not in DOGE’s purview.”In November, John DiIulio Jr., a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/musk-and-ramaswamy-meet-the-real-deep-state/">in an essay</a>&nbsp;for the Brookings Institution that "eliminating the entire federal civilian workforce would leave in place about 95% of all federal spending and the $34 trillion national debt.’’ DiIulio noted that government contractors and nonprofits that receive government funds now employ three times as many people as the federal government's 2.2 million employees.It's also not clear how much in savings can be achieved without Congress codifying it in law.“Firing someone doesn’t save money until Congress comes back and reduces the appropriation for that employee’s agency,” Elmendorf said. “If you fire somebody but leave the appropriation where it is, then ... that money can be spent on something else. So DOGE can’t really achieve savings until there’s legislative change as well.”<h2>Wouldn't another round of government checks contribute to higher inflation?</h2>Trump and his economists blame Biden's $1,400 stimulus checks, distributed in the spring of 2021, for fueling the worst spike in inflation in four decades. Yet they maintain that sending checks stemming from reduced government spending wouldn't boost inflation.Kevin Hassett, director of the White House's National Economic Council, said Thursday that since the money would have been spent by the government anyway, having it spent by consumers would be a wash. Biden and Trump's stimulus checks during the pandemic were deficit-financed, which can be more inflationary.But Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Yale Budget Lab, and an economist in the Biden White House, said that more government checks are “the last thing we need economically right now.”The U.S. unemployment rate is now much lower than in 2021, Tedeschi said, which means that businesses could struggle to hire enough workers to meet the additional demand created by a round of checks. Worker shortages can push up prices.Yet some Democrats agree with Hassett, but for different reasons."I can’t imagine they’d be inflationary because I can’t imagine they’d be big enough,’’ said Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.Kamarck, who worked with Vice President Al Gore to cut government waste in the Clinton administration, dismissed the DOGE dividend as “ridiculous."“There’s no money there, and certainly not enough money to make a big contribution to taxpayers," she said. “The guy just says things," she added, referring to Musk.

Could Trump really return DOGE savings to taxpayers?

KANSAS CITY —A firefighter with the Kansas City Fire Department was struck by a passing car while working a motor vehicle accident at 85th and Main just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins

The firefighter sustained significant injuries and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. The KCFD firefighter expected to make a full recovery, according to Hopkins. The original accident involved two vehicles and was a non-injury accident. The KCFD firefighter was directing traffic while the occupants were being evaluated. 

The driver who struck the KCFD member stopped and cooperated fully with police on the scene. The KCFD did not release the names of those involved.

KCFD would like to encourage all drivers to slow down and pay special attention when approaching flashing lights and accident scenes.

KANSAS CITY —A firefighter with the Kansas City Fire Department was struck by a passing car while working a motor vehicle accident at 85th and Main just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, according to Battalion Chief Michael HopkinsThe firefighter sustained significant injuries and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. The KCFD firefighter expected to make a full recovery, according to Hopkins. The original accident involved two vehicles and was a non-injury accident. The KCFD firefighter was directing traffic while the occupants were being evaluated. The driver who struck the KCFD member stopped and cooperated fully with police on the scene. The KCFD did not release the names of those involved.KCFD would like to encourage all drivers to slow down and pay special attention when approaching flashing lights and accident scenes.

KC firefighter working vehicle crash is struck by a passing car

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security last week announced a nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ad campaign warning illegal aliens to leave our country now or face deportation with the inability to return to the US.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media, "This campaign serves as a strong warning to criminal illegal aliens to not come to America. If they do, they will be hunted down and deported.

Thank you President Trump for securing our border and putting America first."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security last week announced a nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ad campaign warning illegal aliens to leave our country now or face deportation with the inability to return to the US.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨A MESSAGE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS🚨 &quot;We will hunt you down... you will be caught. You will be removed, and you will never return.&quot; –<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> <a href="https://t.co/Yeozwi3VS2">pic.twitter.com/Yeozwi3VS2</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1891897694827803009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media, "This campaign serves as a strong warning to criminal illegal aliens to not come to America. If they do, they will be hunted down and deported.

Thank you President Trump for securing our border and putting America first."

🎥New ad campaign warns illegal aliens 'we will hunt you down'

SEWARD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Seward County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Dodge Charger driven by&nbsp; Augustus J.&nbsp; Riley, 16, Liberal, was eastbound on Seward County Road 9 approximately three miles north of Liberal.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of U.S. 83 and Road 9 becoming airborne. 

The driver lost control of the car when it landed to the East of U.S. 83 on Road 9. The car entered a side skid, traveled into the south ditch, rolled an unknown number of times and struck a power pole.&nbsp;

Riley was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Horning Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SEWARD COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Seward County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Dodge Charger driven by&nbsp; Augustus J.&nbsp; Riley, 16, Liberal, was eastbound on Seward County Road 9 approximately three miles north of Liberal.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of U.S. 83 and Road 9 becoming airborne. The driver lost control of the car when it landed to the East of U.S. 83 on Road 9. The car entered a side skid, traveled into the south ditch, rolled an unknown number of times and struck a power pole.&nbsp;Riley was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Horning Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

16-year-old Kan. boy dies after rollover crash into power pole

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">New FBI Director Kash Patel</a>&nbsp;is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said Saturday.

Patel could be sworn in next week, the official said, putting Patel in charge of two of the Justice Department’s largest agencies in an unusual arrangement that raises questions about the future of the bureau that has long drawn the ire of conservatives.

The Justice Department official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move before it’s announced publicly. White House officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.

ATF is a separate agency with about 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, it’s in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.

The move was first reported Saturday by ABC News.

The news comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the ATF’s top lawyer. Bondi said in a Fox News interview Friday that she fired chief counsel Pamela Hicks because the agency was “targeting gun owners.” Hicks, who spent more than 20 years as a Justice Department lawyer, said in a social media post that being ATF chief counsel was the “highest honor” of her career.

Conservatives have long railed against ATF over its role in regulating firearms and have suggested shuttering the agency. Under the Biden administration, the ATF advanced new regulations aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">cracking down on ghost guns</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">requiring thousands more firearms dealers to run background checks</a>&nbsp;on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores.

In an executive order earlier this month, President Donald Trump directed the attorney general to review all actions taken by the Biden administration around firearms “to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”

Gun safety groups have raised alarm about putting Patel in charge of the FBI, with gun control group Brady calling him a “known gun rights extremist.” Gun Owners of America, a gun rights group, called his confirmation as FBI director “a major victory for gun owners and constitutional rights advocates nationwide.”

The last confirmed ATF director was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-gun-violence-atf-dettelbach-12c3ed0f8d8826b6d13dd88bf185f4e9">Steve Dettelbach</a>, a former federal prosecutor, who led the agency from July 2022 until last month. He was the first confirmed director since 2015 as both Republican and Democratic administrations failed to get nominees through the politically fraught process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740279531054.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">New FBI Director Kash Patel</a>&nbsp;is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said Saturday.Patel could be sworn in next week, the official said, putting Patel in charge of two of the Justice Department’s largest agencies in an unusual arrangement that raises questions about the future of the bureau that has long drawn the ire of conservatives.The Justice Department official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move before it’s announced publicly. White House officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737910381416.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Patel in December -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Patel in December -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.ATF is a separate agency with about 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, it’s in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.The move was first reported Saturday by ABC News.The news comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the ATF’s top lawyer. Bondi said in a Fox News interview Friday that she fired chief counsel Pamela Hicks because the agency was “targeting gun owners.” Hicks, who spent more than 20 years as a Justice Department lawyer, said in a social media post that being ATF chief counsel was the “highest honor” of her career.Conservatives have long railed against ATF over its role in regulating firearms and have suggested shuttering the agency. Under the Biden administration, the ATF advanced new regulations aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">cracking down on ghost guns</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">requiring thousands more firearms dealers to run background checks</a>&nbsp;on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores.In an executive order earlier this month, President Donald Trump directed the attorney general to review all actions taken by the Biden administration around firearms “to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”Gun safety groups have raised alarm about putting Patel in charge of the FBI, with gun control group Brady calling him a “known gun rights extremist.” Gun Owners of America, a gun rights group, called his confirmation as FBI director “a major victory for gun owners and constitutional rights advocates nationwide.”The last confirmed ATF director was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-gun-violence-atf-dettelbach-12c3ed0f8d8826b6d13dd88bf185f4e9">Steve Dettelbach</a>, a former federal prosecutor, who led the agency from July 2022 until last month. He was the first confirmed director since 2015 as both Republican and Democratic administrations failed to get nominees through the politically fraught process.

New FBI Director will also be named acting head of the ATF, official says

KANSAS CITY —Two people died in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Kansas.

A Chevrolet Tahoe was eastbound on NE Cookingham Road at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchins. Just east of NE Reinking Road, the driver of the SUV failed to negotiate the curvature of the roadway. The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the left down the grassy embankment and continued&nbsp; eastbound along the embankment. 

The SUV struck a roadway sign, several small trees and then struck a large tree and caught on fire. The entire vehicle was engulfed in flames

The driver and front seat passenger were both declared deceased at the scene, according to Becchina. The rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; These are fatalities # 6 and 7 for 2025 compared to #17 at this time last year, according to Becchina.&nbsp; The names of the victims have not been released.

KANSAS CITY —Two people died in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Kansas.A Chevrolet Tahoe was eastbound on NE Cookingham Road at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchins. Just east of NE Reinking Road, the driver of the SUV failed to negotiate the curvature of the roadway. The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the left down the grassy embankment and continued&nbsp; eastbound along the embankment. The SUV struck a roadway sign, several small trees and then struck a large tree and caught on fire. The entire vehicle was engulfed in flamesThe driver and front seat passenger were both declared deceased at the scene, according to Becchina. The rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp; These are fatalities # 6 and 7 for 2025 compared to #17 at this time last year, according to Becchina.&nbsp; The names of the victims have not been released.

KCPD: 2 dead after SUV crash and fire

Detroit (AP) —Ford is recalling about 240,000 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs due to a problem with seat belt anchors that were improperly secured.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the defective seat belt assemblies.

The Explorers and Aviators in question are model years 2020 and 2021. The recall includes about 216,000 Explorers and 24,000 Aviators.

Owners of the vehicles in question are expected to be notified by Ford in late March and will be instructed to take their vehicles into a Ford or Lincoln dealer for inspection. If the anchor bolts are found to be improperly secured, the components will be replaced for free.

Owners can contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332 with a recall number of 25S09.

They can also contact the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go online to nhtsa.gov.

Detroit (AP) —Ford is recalling about 240,000 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs due to a problem with seat belt anchors that were improperly secured.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the defective seat belt assemblies.The Explorers and Aviators in question are model years 2020 and 2021. The recall includes about 216,000 Explorers and 24,000 Aviators.Owners of the vehicles in question are expected to be notified by Ford in late March and will be instructed to take their vehicles into a Ford or Lincoln dealer for inspection. If the anchor bolts are found to be improperly secured, the components will be replaced for free.Owners can contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332 with a recall number of 25S09.They can also contact the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go online to nhtsa.gov.

Ford recalls SUVs due to faulty seat belt assembly

NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been given little more than 48 hours to explain what they accomplished over the last week, sparking confusion across key agencies as billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;expands his crusade to slash the size of federal government.

Musk, who serves as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;cost-cutting chief, telegraphed the extraordinary request on his social media network on Saturday.

“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk posted on X, which he owns. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Shortly afterward, federal employees — including some judges, court staff and federal prison officials — received a three-line email with this instruction: “Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager."

The deadline to reply was listed as Monday at 11:59 p.m., although the email did not include Musk's social media threat about those who fail to respond.

The latest unusual directive from Musk's team injects a new sense of chaos across beleaguered multiple agencies, including the National Weather Service, the State Department and the federal court system, as senior officials worked to verify the message's authenticity Saturday night and in some cases, instructed their employees not to respond.

Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or offered a buyout — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s administration</a>&nbsp;as the White House and Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force” and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.

There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">The Associated Press has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington. The cuts include thousands at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service and the National Parks Service, among others.

Labor union leaders quickly condemned the ultimatum and threatened legal action.

AFGE President Everett Kelley called the new order an example of Trump and Musk's “utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”

“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life," Kelley said. “AFGE will challenge any unlawful terminations of our members and federal employees across the country.”

Musk on Friday celebrated his new role at a gathering of conservatives by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-chainsaw-trump-doge-6568e9e0cfc42ad6cdcfd58a409eb312">waving a giant chainsaw</a>&nbsp;in the air. He called it “the chainsaw for bureaucracy” and said, “Waste is pretty much everywhere” in the federal government.

McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson at the Office of Personnel Management, confirmed Musk's directive and said that individual agencies would "determine any next steps.”

What happens if an employee is on leave or vacation? Again, she said individual agencies would determine how to proceed.

In a message to employees on Saturday night, federal court officials instructed recipients not to respond.

“We understand that some judges and judiciary staff have received an email ... directing the recipient to reply with 5 accomplishments from the prior week. Please be advised that this email did not originate from the Judiciary or the Administrative Office and we suggest that no action be taken," officials wrote.

Judges around the country got emails from Musk's team in late January, apparently by mistake, U.S. District Judge Randolph Daniel Moss said earlier this month. Moss said he’d also gotten a message and ignored it.

The National Weather Service leadership acknowledged some confusion in a message to its employees late Saturday as well.

“Within the last few hours, some of us — potentially all of us -- received an email message titled ‘What did you do last week?’ Until such time as we can verify that the message that was received at or around 4:46pm ET is authentic, please do not respond.”

National Weather Service leadership continued: "Thank you all for your continued support and dedication ensuring public safety and the national security of our country.”

Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein, Chris Megerian, Matthew Lee, Lindsay Whitehurst, Michael Sisak and Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740104356573.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been given little more than 48 hours to explain what they accomplished over the last week, sparking confusion across key agencies as billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;expands his crusade to slash the size of federal government.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740270477857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Musk, who serves as President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;cost-cutting chief, telegraphed the extraordinary request on his social media network on Saturday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740324839366.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/SilB4gbF0O">pic.twitter.com/SilB4gbF0O</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893665635407675670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Consistent with President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk posted on X, which he owns. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”Shortly afterward, federal employees — including some judges, court staff and federal prison officials — received a three-line email with this instruction: “Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager."The deadline to reply was listed as Monday at 11:59 p.m., although the email did not include Musk's social media threat about those who fail to respond.The latest unusual directive from Musk's team injects a new sense of chaos across beleaguered multiple agencies, including the National Weather Service, the State Department and the federal court system, as senior officials worked to verify the message's authenticity Saturday night and in some cases, instructed their employees not to respond.Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or offered a buyout — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s administration</a>&nbsp;as the White House and Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force” and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">The Associated Press has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington. The cuts include thousands at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service and the National Parks Service, among others.Labor union leaders quickly condemned the ultimatum and threatened legal action.AFGE President Everett Kelley called the new order an example of Trump and Musk's “utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life," Kelley said. “AFGE will challenge any unlawful terminations of our members and federal employees across the country.”Musk on Friday celebrated his new role at a gathering of conservatives by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-chainsaw-trump-doge-6568e9e0cfc42ad6cdcfd58a409eb312">waving a giant chainsaw</a>&nbsp;in the air. He called it “the chainsaw for bureaucracy” and said, “Waste is pretty much everywhere” in the federal government.McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson at the Office of Personnel Management, confirmed Musk's directive and said that individual agencies would "determine any next steps.”What happens if an employee is on leave or vacation? Again, she said individual agencies would determine how to proceed.In a message to employees on Saturday night, federal court officials instructed recipients not to respond.“We understand that some judges and judiciary staff have received an email ... directing the recipient to reply with 5 accomplishments from the prior week. Please be advised that this email did not originate from the Judiciary or the Administrative Office and we suggest that no action be taken," officials wrote.Judges around the country got emails from Musk's team in late January, apparently by mistake, U.S. District Judge Randolph Daniel Moss said earlier this month. Moss said he’d also gotten a message and ignored it.The National Weather Service leadership acknowledged some confusion in a message to its employees late Saturday as well.“Within the last few hours, some of us — potentially all of us -- received an email message titled ‘What did you do last week?’ Until such time as we can verify that the message that was received at or around 4:46pm ET is authentic, please do not respond.”National Weather Service leadership continued: "Thank you all for your continued support and dedication ensuring public safety and the national security of our country.”___Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein, Chris Megerian, Matthew Lee, Lindsay Whitehurst, Michael Sisak and Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.

Read the email: Musk gives federal workers 48 hours to explain what they did last week

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon found guilty in a fatal shooting that occurred just days after his release from prison is going back to prison for the rest of his life.

&nbsp;This week, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 38-year-old Jeremy Miles of Wichita to life without parole eligibility for 586 months for first-degree murder and 19 months for criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In October, a jury found Miles guilty of the killing that occurred in August of 2023.

Just before 11a.m. Aug. 30, 2023, police were dispatched to a reported shooting at an apartment complex in the 2000 block of S. Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;

First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;69-year-old James Gibson of Wichita with gunshot wounds inside an apartment. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police&nbsp; arrested&nbsp;Miles for the crime. He has three previous convictions for aggravated robbery and one for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and had been placed on In-State Post Release just a week before the murder, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693488696173.png" alt="Miles-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Miles-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas felon found guilty in a fatal shooting that occurred just days after his release from prison is going back to prison for the rest of his life.&nbsp;This week, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 38-year-old Jeremy Miles of Wichita to life without parole eligibility for 586 months for first-degree murder and 19 months for criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In October, a jury found Miles guilty of the killing that occurred in August of 2023.Just before 11a.m. Aug. 30, 2023, police were dispatched to a reported shooting at an apartment complex in the 2000 block of S. Seneca in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740065155471.png" alt="Miles photo Kansas Dept. of Correction" />
 <figcaption>Miles photo Kansas Dept. of Correction</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;69-year-old James Gibson of Wichita with gunshot wounds inside an apartment. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police&nbsp; arrested&nbsp;Miles for the crime. He has three previous convictions for aggravated robbery and one for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and had been placed on In-State Post Release just a week before the murder, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas felon killed man a week after release from prison

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old pope, who remains conscious, received “high flows” of oxygen to help him breathe. He also received blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting, the Vatican said in a late update.

“The Holy Father’s condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday (Friday), the pope is not out of danger,” the statement said. It was the first time “critical” had been used in a written statement to describe Francis' condition since he was hospitalized Feb. 14.

The statement also said that the pontiff “continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday." Doctors declined to offer a prognosis, saying it was “reserved.”

Doctors have said Francis' condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease.

They have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">onset of sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking, the pope’s medical team said in their first in-depth update on the pope’s condition.

Saturday's blood tests showed that he had developed a low platelet count, a condition called platelopenia or thrombocytopenia. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it. Saturday's update marked the first time the Vatican has referred to Francis suffering an “asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the application of oxygen at high flows.”

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said Friday the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.

“Sepsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,” Alfieri told a news conference Friday at Gemelli. “The English say ‘knock on wood,’ we say ‘touch iron.’ Everyone touch what they want,” he said as he tapped the microphone. “But this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.”

“He knows he's in danger,” Alfieri added. “And he told us to convey that.”

Meanwhile, the Vatican hierarchy went on the defensive to tamp down rumors and speculation that Francis might decide to resign. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Francis has said that he has written a letter of resignation that would be invoked if he were medically incapable of making such a decision. The pope remains fully conscious, alert, eating and working.

The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, gave a rare interview to Corriere della Sera to respond to speculation and rumors about a possible resignation. It came after the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report that said Parolin and the pope’s chief canonist had visited Francis in the hospital in secret. Given the canonical requirements to make a resignation legitimate, the implications of such a meeting were significant, but the Vatican flat-out denied that any such meeting occurred.

Parolin said such speculation seemed “useless” when what really mattered was the health of Francis, his recovery and return to the Vatican.

“On the other hand, I think it is quite normal that in these situations uncontrolled rumors can spread or some misplaced comment is uttered. It is certainly not the first time it has happened,” Parolin was quoted as saying. “However, I don’t think there is any particular movement, and so far I haven’t heard anything like that.”

Deacons, meanwhile, were gathering at the Vatican for their special Holy Year weekend. Francis got sick at the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-jubilee-holy-year-pope-rome-c8ee2a3d8008107fa7277bb84e2f87ac">Vatican’s Holy Year</a>, the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism. This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood.

In his place, the Holy Year organizer will celebrate Sunday’s Mass, the Vatican said. And for the second consecutive weekend, Francis will skip his traditional Sunday noon blessing, which he could have delivered from Gemelli if he were up to it.

“Look, even though he's not (physically) here, we know he's here,” said Luis Arnaldo López Quirindongo, a deacon from Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was at the Vatican on Saturday for the Jubilee celebration. “He's recovering, but he's in our hearts and is accompanying us, because our prayers and his go together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican said.The 88-year-old pope, who remains conscious, received “high flows” of oxygen to help him breathe. He also received blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting, the Vatican said in a late update.“The Holy Father’s condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday (Friday), the pope is not out of danger,” the statement said. It was the first time “critical” had been used in a written statement to describe Francis' condition since he was hospitalized Feb. 14.The statement also said that the pontiff “continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday." Doctors declined to offer a prognosis, saying it was “reserved.”Doctors have said Francis' condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease.They have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">onset of sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking, the pope’s medical team said in their first in-depth update on the pope’s condition.Saturday's blood tests showed that he had developed a low platelet count, a condition called platelopenia or thrombocytopenia. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it. Saturday's update marked the first time the Vatican has referred to Francis suffering an “asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the application of oxygen at high flows.”Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said Friday the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.“Sepsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,” Alfieri told a news conference Friday at Gemelli. “The English say ‘knock on wood,’ we say ‘touch iron.’ Everyone touch what they want,” he said as he tapped the microphone. “But this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.”“He knows he's in danger,” Alfieri added. “And he told us to convey that.”Meanwhile, the Vatican hierarchy went on the defensive to tamp down rumors and speculation that Francis might decide to resign. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Francis has said that he has written a letter of resignation that would be invoked if he were medically incapable of making such a decision. The pope remains fully conscious, alert, eating and working.The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, gave a rare interview to Corriere della Sera to respond to speculation and rumors about a possible resignation. It came after the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report that said Parolin and the pope’s chief canonist had visited Francis in the hospital in secret. Given the canonical requirements to make a resignation legitimate, the implications of such a meeting were significant, but the Vatican flat-out denied that any such meeting occurred.Parolin said such speculation seemed “useless” when what really mattered was the health of Francis, his recovery and return to the Vatican.“On the other hand, I think it is quite normal that in these situations uncontrolled rumors can spread or some misplaced comment is uttered. It is certainly not the first time it has happened,” Parolin was quoted as saying. “However, I don’t think there is any particular movement, and so far I haven’t heard anything like that.”Deacons, meanwhile, were gathering at the Vatican for their special Holy Year weekend. Francis got sick at the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-jubilee-holy-year-pope-rome-c8ee2a3d8008107fa7277bb84e2f87ac">Vatican’s Holy Year</a>, the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism. This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood.In his place, the Holy Year organizer will celebrate Sunday’s Mass, the Vatican said. And for the second consecutive weekend, Francis will skip his traditional Sunday noon blessing, which he could have delivered from Gemelli if he were up to it.“Look, even though he's not (physically) here, we know he's here,” said Luis Arnaldo López Quirindongo, a deacon from Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was at the Vatican on Saturday for the Jubilee celebration. “He's recovering, but he's in our hearts and is accompanying us, because our prayers and his go together.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis is in critical condition after respiratory crisis

At 4p.m. Saturday Hutchinson Fire Chief Steve Beer provided an update.

Shortly before 9:30 Saturday, fire crews were called to Steffens
Auto Parts, near Avenue E and Main Street,  on the report of a natural gas odor. Officials say that the initial units
to the scene witnessed the building exploding. 

Crews say that the occupants in the structure were out of
the building. 

The fire was being fed by a 10-inch natural gas line. Officials
say that the body of the fire is under control, but the street caught fire due to the gas leak.&nbsp; 

Hutchinson Fire Department crews were forced to take a
defensive stance and used unmanned water streams to fight the fire.&nbsp; 

Mayor Stacy Goss said that all the City of Hutchinson fire
crews are deployed along with crews from Reno County Fire District Number 3,
Buhler and South Hutchinson fire departments. 

The area between Avenue A and Frank Hart Crossing and Popular
Street and Adams Street are currently under an evacuation.&nbsp; 

There has been an evacuation and warming center set up at
the Salvation which is located at 700 North Walnut. 

Kansas Gas and Evergy have crews on the scene monitoring the
evacuated buildings. Kansas Gas released a statement to Hutch Post:

“Our crews have responded to 428 S. Main in Hutchinson,
Kansas and are working with the Hutchison Fire Department and local emergency
responders. More information will be released once officials have completed
their investigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The primary concern of Kansas Gas Service is safety. As a
precautionary measure, the area around the location is being isolated and
secured.&nbsp;

Officials told member of the community, if you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately then
call 911 and our Emergency Line 888-482-4950. Do not use any electrical
equipment such as phones, garage doors, or light switches until you are a safe
distance away from the odor.”

Check the Post for additional information as it becomes available. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740255614106.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department " />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department </figcaption>
 </figure>At 4p.m. Saturday Hutchinson Fire Chief Steve Beer provided an update.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHutchinsonFireDept%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0V9fN3uxRBABUbmwp4EuBNz4m369n4epbxmGBdcdyK3Lz85oheuEMzTfuRseBejMZl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="997" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Shortly before 9:30 Saturday, fire crews were called to Steffens
Auto Parts, near Avenue E and Main Street, on the report of a natural gas odor. Officials say that the initial units
to the scene witnessed the building exploding. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740258355524.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Crews say that the occupants in the structure were out of
the building. The fire was being fed by a 10-inch natural gas line. Officials
say that the body of the fire is under control, but the street caught fire due to the gas leak.&nbsp; Hutchinson Fire Department crews were forced to take a
defensive stance and used unmanned water streams to fight the fire.&nbsp; Mayor Stacy Goss said that all the City of Hutchinson fire
crews are deployed along with crews from Reno County Fire District Number 3,
Buhler and South Hutchinson fire departments. <div><iframe title="Mayor Fire Presser" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=s9ejx-1811a48-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>The area between Avenue A and Frank Hart Crossing and Popular
Street and Adams Street are currently under an evacuation.&nbsp; There has been an evacuation and warming center set up at
the Salvation which is located at 700 North Walnut. Kansas Gas and Evergy have crews on the scene monitoring the
evacuated buildings. Kansas Gas released a statement to Hutch Post:“Our crews have responded to 428 S. Main in Hutchinson,
Kansas and are working with the Hutchison Fire Department and local emergency
responders. More information will be released once officials have completed
their investigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The primary concern of Kansas Gas Service is safety. As a
precautionary measure, the area around the location is being isolated and
secured.&nbsp;Officials told member of the community, if you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately then
call 911 and our Emergency Line 888-482-4950. Do not use any electrical
equipment such as phones, garage doors, or light switches until you are a safe
distance away from the odor.”Check the Post for additional information as it becomes available.

Fire evacuation order in Hutchinson after gas leak, building explosion

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in January as rising mortgage rates and prices put off many would-be homebuyers despite a wider selection of properties on the market.

Sales fell 4.9% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.

Sales rose 2% compared with January last year, marking the fourth straight annual increase. The latest home sales, however, fell short of the 4.11 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 19th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 4.8% in January from a year earlier to $396,900.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714414768839.jpeg" alt="(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)" />
 <figcaption>(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY ALEX VEIGALOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in January as rising mortgage rates and prices put off many would-be homebuyers despite a wider selection of properties on the market.Sales fell 4.9% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.Sales rose 2% compared with January last year, marking the fourth straight annual increase. The latest home sales, however, fell short of the 4.11 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 19th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 4.8% in January from a year earlier to $396,900.“Mortgage rates have refused to budge for several months despite multiple rounds of short-term interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “When combined with elevated home prices, housing affordability remains a major challenge.”The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-b7645724538b7a860c1d739e8b05380d">lowest level in nearly 30 years</a>.The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, but has been mostly hovering around 7% this year. That’s more than double the 2.65% record low the average rate hit a little over four years ago.Rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have kept many prospective home shoppers on the sidelines, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 28% of all homes sold last month, matching the share in January 2024, but down from 31% in December. The annual share of first-time buyers fell last year to a record-low 24%. It’s been 40% historically.Home shoppers who could afford to buy at current mortgage rates or pay all-cash to sidestep financing altogether had more homes to choose from last month.There were 1.18 million unsold homes at the end of last month, up 3.5% from December and up 16.8% from January last year, NAR said.That translates to a 3.5-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 3.2-month pace in December and a 3-month pace at the end of January last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.One reason the inventory of homes for sale has been rising is properties are taking longer to sell.Homes typically remained on the market for 41 days in January before selling — the longest since before the pandemic. In December, homes were typically on the market 35 days before they sold.Despite the improved inventory, sellers still generally have the edge over buyers.Some 15% of homes purchased last month sold for above their list price. And, on average, homes received 2.6 offers last month, Yun said.Mortgage rates are not expected to come down significantly in the first half of the year, but slight dips could prompt some eager buyers to act, taking advantage of the growing number of homes on the market.”Also make note of this, as I did in the Mortgage Rates story:&nbsp;However, as rates remain stubbornly stuck close to 7%, prospective homebuyers remain hesitant. The Mortgage Bankers Association released data&nbsp; showing that mortgage applications declined by 6.6% this week, falling to their lowest level of the year.