WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it still expects to cut rates twice this year, though it said the outlook is more uncertain.

The Fed also now expects the economy to grow more slowly this year and next than it did three months ago, according to a set of quarterly economic projections also released Wednesday. It also expects the unemployment rate to tick higher, to 4.4%, by the end of this year. Policymakers also expect inflation will pick up slightly this year, to 2.7% from its current level of 2.5%. Both are above the central bank’s 2% target.

“Uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased,” the Fed said in a statement released after its two-day meeting.

The projections underscore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jerome-powell-stagflation-52113a78265b5316b3f378cab5563dca">tight spot</a>&nbsp;the Fed may find itself in this year: Higher inflation typically would lead the Fed to keep its key rate elevated, or even raise rates. On the other hand, slower growth and higher unemployment would often cause the Fed to cut rates to spur more borrowing and spending and lift the economy.

It is the second meeting in a row that the Fed has kept its interest rate at about 4.3% as the central bank has moved to the sidelines as it evaluates the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on the economy. Economists forecast that tariffs will likely push up inflation, at least temporarily. But other policies, such as deregulation, could lower costs and cool inflation.

At a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell said that there were signs the tariffs imposed so far may have pushed up the cost of imported goods. Inflation had been heading back to the Fed's 2% goal, but that may now take longer with the tariffs, he said.

“I do think with the arrival of tariff inflation, further progress is probably delayed,” Powell said.

Powell acknowledged that many surveys of businesses and consumers have showed rising concern about the economic outlook. Yet he noted that the unemployment rate remains low and the economy is still expanding.

“We do understand that sentiment has fallen off pretty sharply but economic activity has not yet," Powell said. “The economy seems to be healthy.”

The Fed also said it would slow the rate at which it is reducing its Treasury holdings, which grew massively during and after the pandemic. Previously it had allowed $25 billion of Treasurys to mature each month without reinvesting the proceeds. Now it will allow only $5 billion to mature each month.

In effect, the Fed will be reinvesting more of the expiring bonds into new securities, which should keep interest rates on long-term Treasurys lower than they would have been otherwise. Powell characterized the change as a technical one and not related to its interest-rate policies. Yields fell slightly in Treasury markets.

Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller voted against the decision to slow the Treasury purchases. The Fed is still allowing $35 billion of mortgage-backed securities to mature each month.

So far, growth appears to be slowing in the first three months of the year but the impact of tariffs on inflation hasn’t yet materialized. But economists at Goldman Sachs forecast that the import taxes will push inflation to 3% by the end of this year.

Fed officials are closely watching measures of Americans’ inflation expectations, which spiked in one survey released just last week. Inflation expectations — essentially a measure of how worried people are that inflation will get worse — are important to the Fed because they can be self-fulfilling. If people expect higher inflation, they may take steps, such as accelerating purchases, that can push prices higher.

Retailers of both high-end and lower-cost goods&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-sales-retail-7347cc7d0b8bec163fac1a89ed013c4f">have warned</a>&nbsp;that consumers are turning more cautious as they expect prices to rise because of tariffs. Retail sales rose modestly last month after a sharp fall in January. Homebuilders and contractors expect that home construction and renovations will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-home-improvement-housing-market-home-construction-ae55bcae89a8ad78814c3dbce69e435f">get more expensive</a>.

Many economists have sharply reduced their forecasts for growth this year, with Barclays, a bank, now forecasting growth of just 0.7%, down from 2.5% in 2024. And economists at Goldman Sachs now expect inflation — excluding the volatile food and energy categories — will tick higher to 3% by the end of this year, up from its current level of 2.6%.

AP Business Writer Alex Veiga in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it still expects to cut rates twice this year, though it said the outlook is more uncertain.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Fed Chair Jerome Powell announces national interest rates will remain unchanged at 4.25% - 4.50%: &quot;Surveys of households and businesses point to heightened uncertainty about the economic outlook.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/n46lR5ADfC">pic.twitter.com/n46lR5ADfC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1902433455293579405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed also now expects the economy to grow more slowly this year and next than it did three months ago, according to a set of quarterly economic projections also released Wednesday. It also expects the unemployment rate to tick higher, to 4.4%, by the end of this year. Policymakers also expect inflation will pick up slightly this year, to 2.7% from its current level of 2.5%. Both are above the central bank’s 2% target.“Uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased,” the Fed said in a statement released after its two-day meeting.The projections underscore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jerome-powell-stagflation-52113a78265b5316b3f378cab5563dca">tight spot</a>&nbsp;the Fed may find itself in this year: Higher inflation typically would lead the Fed to keep its key rate elevated, or even raise rates. On the other hand, slower growth and higher unemployment would often cause the Fed to cut rates to spur more borrowing and spending and lift the economy.It is the second meeting in a row that the Fed has kept its interest rate at about 4.3% as the central bank has moved to the sidelines as it evaluates the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on the economy. Economists forecast that tariffs will likely push up inflation, at least temporarily. But other policies, such as deregulation, could lower costs and cool inflation.At a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell said that there were signs the tariffs imposed so far may have pushed up the cost of imported goods. Inflation had been heading back to the Fed's 2% goal, but that may now take longer with the tariffs, he said.“I do think with the arrival of tariff inflation, further progress is probably delayed,” Powell said.Powell acknowledged that many surveys of businesses and consumers have showed rising concern about the economic outlook. Yet he noted that the unemployment rate remains low and the economy is still expanding.“We do understand that sentiment has fallen off pretty sharply but economic activity has not yet," Powell said. “The economy seems to be healthy.”The Fed also said it would slow the rate at which it is reducing its Treasury holdings, which grew massively during and after the pandemic. Previously it had allowed $25 billion of Treasurys to mature each month without reinvesting the proceeds. Now it will allow only $5 billion to mature each month.In effect, the Fed will be reinvesting more of the expiring bonds into new securities, which should keep interest rates on long-term Treasurys lower than they would have been otherwise. Powell characterized the change as a technical one and not related to its interest-rate policies. Yields fell slightly in Treasury markets.Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller voted against the decision to slow the Treasury purchases. The Fed is still allowing $35 billion of mortgage-backed securities to mature each month.So far, growth appears to be slowing in the first three months of the year but the impact of tariffs on inflation hasn’t yet materialized. But economists at Goldman Sachs forecast that the import taxes will push inflation to 3% by the end of this year.Fed officials are closely watching measures of Americans’ inflation expectations, which spiked in one survey released just last week. Inflation expectations — essentially a measure of how worried people are that inflation will get worse — are important to the Fed because they can be self-fulfilling. If people expect higher inflation, they may take steps, such as accelerating purchases, that can push prices higher.Retailers of both high-end and lower-cost goods&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-sales-retail-7347cc7d0b8bec163fac1a89ed013c4f">have warned</a>&nbsp;that consumers are turning more cautious as they expect prices to rise because of tariffs. Retail sales rose modestly last month after a sharp fall in January. Homebuilders and contractors expect that home construction and renovations will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-home-improvement-housing-market-home-construction-ae55bcae89a8ad78814c3dbce69e435f">get more expensive</a>.Many economists have sharply reduced their forecasts for growth this year, with Barclays, a bank, now forecasting growth of just 0.7%, down from 2.5% in 2024. And economists at Goldman Sachs now expect inflation — excluding the volatile food and energy categories — will tick higher to 3% by the end of this year, up from its current level of 2.6%.___AP Business Writer Alex Veiga in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

🎥No good news for borrowers as economic concerns loom

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">planned satanic black mass</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas capitol has spurred policy changes, allegations of theft and religious debates as state leaders scramble to address&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/16/afraid-of-letting-satan-loose-in-the-kansas-statehouse-then-check-your-religion-at-the-door-too/">First Amendment concerns</a>&nbsp;with blocking satanists from their demonstration.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly censured the black mass in a statement March 12 and said participants weren’t allowed to demonstrate inside the capitol building.

Catholic organizations circulated petitions and urged legislators to step in.

Rumors swirled among Statehouse circles that the Satanic Grotto’s president had stolen materials used in the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist — an accusation bolstered by an archbishop’s lawsuit against the group’s leader.

Legislative leaders went a step further Tuesday and modified the Capitol’s building and grounds policies to change assembly rights for anyone who wants to demonstrate at the Statehouse — not just the Satanic Grotto.

The policy changes add three contingencies to the public’s use of common areas in the Statehouse and capitol grounds:

The Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of Republican and Democratic leadership, passed the changes unanimously at a meeting Tuesday following a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The legislative leaders called on the governor to use the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the black mass from occurring as scheduled on March 28.&nbsp;

“The Governor’s Office is reviewing actions from the Legislative Coordinating Council,” said Grace Hoge, a spokesperson for the governor.

Senate President Ty Masterson acknowledged in a statement that the First Amendment protects assembly and speech, including offensive speech.

“However, the First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,” he said. “Recent statements from an organization — which pledged to engage in such conduct — necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.”

Masterson was referring to alleged criminal conduct in a civil lawsuit against Michael Stewart, the president of the Satanic Grotto. Masterson also said lawmakers sent to the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation writings from Satanic Grotto members threatening legislators. It is unclear how current those writings were.

In a 44-page complaint filed Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann alleged that members of the Satanic Grotto, including Stewart and the Grotto’s vice president, stole consecrated hosts to use during the black mass. The allegation was based on phone conversations and posts on Reddit linked to Stewart’s username, “xsimon666x.”&nbsp;

In an interview Tuesday, Stewart denied the allegations and added that no one asked what consecration means to him.

“I find it very entertaining that he is convinced that I have Jesus trapped in a cracker and he would take it to court,” Stewart said.

He said his religion contains its own consecration rituals and that the Catholic Church has made “a lot of assumptions” about his religion. The satanic ritual of a black mass intentionally upends and mocks the ritual of a Catholic mass, often including a consecrated host. The Satanic Grotto is a nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with the recognized religion, the Satanic Temple.

Naumann, who plans at the same time as the planned black mass to preside over a holy hour and Catholic mass at the Assumption Church across the street from the Statehouse, said in the lawsuit the performance of a black mass directly harms the Catholic Church and Catholics across Kansas and the country.

“It is the conviction of the Catholic Church presented in its doctrinal teachings that the Consecrated Hosts and Wine are in fact the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present under the form of bread and wine,” the lawsuit read.

Catholic teachings outline specific rituals for the handling of sacramental objects. The suit alleges Stewart and his vice president aren’t qualified to handle such objects.

Naumann provided no evidence to show that archdiocesan property had been stolen.&nbsp;

Stewart said he “would think this whole thing was hilarious” if it weren’t for the Legislature changing state policy to address a single event.

“I think it’s because they’re afraid,” Stewart said.

Naumann demanded the lawsuit be resolved through a civil jury trial. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. No criminal charges had been filed against Stewart or other members of the Satanic Grotto as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.&nbsp;

The Satanic Grotto has changed its plans in response to Kelly’s decree and intends to demonstrate outside, as she prescribed, with the expectation that Catholic groups will be there to counter-protest. Stewart initially promised to enter the building, defying the governor in “a peaceful act of civil disobedience.”

Even with the policy changes, the lawsuit, which Stewart expects will be thrown out, and a statement from legislators condemning the event, Stewart is resolute.&nbsp;

“I will go to the capitol on March 28,” he said.

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held an impromptu hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which denounces the planned event as “a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill.”

The hearing, which only included testimony from the resolution’s supporters, also provoked discussions over legislators’ religious beliefs and whether lawmakers were considering First Amendment protections.

Rep. Dan Osman, an Overland Park Democrat, attributed the proponent-only testimony to the fact that the committee met outside of its scheduled time and parties were given less than 24 hours of notice to participate. He wanted to discuss the resolution at a later date, but a majority of committee members voted to advance it.&nbsp;

Osman called the resolution “shortsighted” because no one knows what will happen on March 28.

Other legislators questioned why they were spending time and resources to give the Satanic Grotto attention. Some supported the resolution as a way to stand up to the planned black mass and what some saw as anti-Catholic bigotry. Others voted against it to avoid treating one religion differently than others.

The resolution is not law and has no legal teeth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742388611692.png" alt="Michael Stewart, pictured here on March 14, 2025, is the president of the Satanic Grotto and the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City, Kansas, archbishop. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Michael Stewart, pictured here on March 14, 2025, is the president of the Satanic Grotto and the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City, Kansas, archbishop. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">planned satanic black mass</a>&nbsp;at the Kansas capitol has spurred policy changes, allegations of theft and religious debates as state leaders scramble to address&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/16/afraid-of-letting-satan-loose-in-the-kansas-statehouse-then-check-your-religion-at-the-door-too/">First Amendment concerns</a>&nbsp;with blocking satanists from their demonstration.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly censured the black mass in a statement March 12 and said participants weren’t allowed to demonstrate inside the capitol building.Catholic organizations circulated petitions and urged legislators to step in.Rumors swirled among Statehouse circles that the Satanic Grotto’s president had stolen materials used in the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist — an accusation bolstered by an archbishop’s lawsuit against the group’s leader.But the satanist group hasn’t budged.Legislative leaders went a step further Tuesday and modified the Capitol’s building and grounds policies to change assembly rights for anyone who wants to demonstrate at the Statehouse — not just the Satanic Grotto.The policy changes add three contingencies to the public’s use of common areas in the Statehouse and capitol grounds:<ul>
 <li>Organizations and individuals will not be permitted to “meet or gather when participation is limited or restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, cultural heritage or national origin or ancestry.”</li><li>People cannot gather if an individual has made a threat verified by state law enforcement “against the governor, a member of the Legislature or other public official.”</li><li>People cannot gather if a group or member of a group “has stated explicitly that the meeting or gathering will involve a violation of law.”</li>
 </ul>The Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of Republican and Democratic leadership, passed the changes unanimously at a meeting Tuesday following a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The legislative leaders called on the governor to use the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the black mass from occurring as scheduled on March 28.&nbsp;“The Governor’s Office is reviewing actions from the Legislative Coordinating Council,” said Grace Hoge, a spokesperson for the governor.Senate President Ty Masterson acknowledged in a statement that the First Amendment protects assembly and speech, including offensive speech.“However, the First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,” he said. “Recent statements from an organization — which pledged to engage in such conduct — necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.”Masterson was referring to alleged criminal conduct in a civil lawsuit against Michael Stewart, the president of the Satanic Grotto. Masterson also said lawmakers sent to the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation writings from Satanic Grotto members threatening legislators. It is unclear how current those writings were.In a 44-page complaint filed Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann alleged that members of the Satanic Grotto, including Stewart and the Grotto’s vice president, stole consecrated hosts to use during the black mass. The allegation was based on phone conversations and posts on Reddit linked to Stewart’s username, “xsimon666x.”&nbsp;In an interview Tuesday, Stewart denied the allegations and added that no one asked what consecration means to him.“I find it very entertaining that he is convinced that I have Jesus trapped in a cracker and he would take it to court,” Stewart said.He said his religion contains its own consecration rituals and that the Catholic Church has made “a lot of assumptions” about his religion. The satanic ritual of a black mass intentionally upends and mocks the ritual of a Catholic mass, often including a consecrated host. The Satanic Grotto is a nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with the recognized religion, the Satanic Temple.Naumann, who plans at the same time as the planned black mass to preside over a holy hour and Catholic mass at the Assumption Church across the street from the Statehouse, said in the lawsuit the performance of a black mass directly harms the Catholic Church and Catholics across Kansas and the country.“It is the conviction of the Catholic Church presented in its doctrinal teachings that the Consecrated Hosts and Wine are in fact the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present under the form of bread and wine,” the lawsuit read.Catholic teachings outline specific rituals for the handling of sacramental objects. The suit alleges Stewart and his vice president aren’t qualified to handle such objects.Naumann provided no evidence to show that archdiocesan property had been stolen.&nbsp;Stewart said he “would think this whole thing was hilarious” if it weren’t for the Legislature changing state policy to address a single event.“I think it’s because they’re afraid,” Stewart said.Naumann demanded the lawsuit be resolved through a civil jury trial. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. No criminal charges had been filed against Stewart or other members of the Satanic Grotto as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.&nbsp;The Satanic Grotto has changed its plans in response to Kelly’s decree and intends to demonstrate outside, as she prescribed, with the expectation that Catholic groups will be there to counter-protest. Stewart initially promised to enter the building, defying the governor in “a peaceful act of civil disobedience.”Even with the policy changes, the lawsuit, which Stewart expects will be thrown out, and a statement from legislators condemning the event, Stewart is resolute.&nbsp;“I will go to the capitol on March 28,” he said.The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held an impromptu hearing Tuesday on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which denounces the planned event as “a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill.”The hearing, which only included testimony from the resolution’s supporters, also provoked discussions over legislators’ religious beliefs and whether lawmakers were considering First Amendment protections.Rep. Dan Osman, an Overland Park Democrat, attributed the proponent-only testimony to the fact that the committee met outside of its scheduled time and parties were given less than 24 hours of notice to participate. He wanted to discuss the resolution at a later date, but a majority of committee members voted to advance it.&nbsp;Osman called the resolution “shortsighted” because no one knows what will happen on March 28.Other legislators questioned why they were spending time and resources to give the Satanic Grotto attention. Some supported the resolution as a way to stand up to the planned black mass and what some saw as anti-Catholic bigotry. Others voted against it to avoid treating one religion differently than others.The resolution is not law and has no legal teeth.

Kansas legislators, archbishop take action against satanists and their planned black mass

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the 3400 block of Harrison Street on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

First responders located two shooting victims unresponsive in the street.

Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over treatment. EMS transported both victims to the hospital where they were both men were pronounced deceased.

There is no suspect information at this time as detectives work to determine the events leading up to the shooting.

Detectives are also canvassing for witnesses and crime scene investigators are processing the scene for evidence.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the 3400 block of Harrison Street on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.First responders located two shooting victims unresponsive in the street.Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over treatment. EMS transported both victims to the hospital where they were both men were pronounced deceased.There is no suspect information at this time as detectives work to determine the events leading up to the shooting.Detectives are also canvassing for witnesses and crime scene investigators are processing the scene for evidence.

Double-homicide: Police found 2 shooting victims on KC street

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">Measles outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to nearly 320 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.

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

As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its count of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. surpassed 2024. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since last week, bringing the total to 279 across 11 counties — most in West Texas. Two more people were hospitalized, for a total of 36.

New Mexico health officials announced three new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 38. Most of the cases are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and the other cases are in Eddy County.

Oklahoma's state health department reported two probable cases of measles last week, saying they are “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;last month, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;last week.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">three clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

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

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

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

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

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740583865667.png" alt="A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">Measles outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to nearly 320 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its count of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. surpassed 2024. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since last week, bringing the total to 279 across 11 counties — most in West Texas. Two more people were hospitalized, for a total of 36.New Mexico health officials announced three new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 38. Most of the cases are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and the other cases are in Eddy County.Oklahoma's state health department reported two probable cases of measles last week, saying they are “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;last month, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;last week.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">three clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.<h2>Do you need an MMR booster?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<h2>Why do vaccination rates matter?</h2>In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>___AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Measles outbreak grows; more states reporting cases

WICHITA, KS —A suspect accused in a Kansas cold case killing made his first court appearance in the case Monday.

Pedro Morones, Jr., 31 of Wichita, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and three counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 1:30a..m. March 29, 2021, police responded to a report of a walk-in shooting victim at a local hospital in Wichita, according to Police Captain Aaron Moses.&nbsp; The victim, 21-year-old Abram Galvan, had been shot once and later died from his injuries.

Investigators determined the shooting was linked to a shots-fired incident reported near 19th and Jackson in Wichita around the same time.

Since that day, WPD Homicide Investigators have worked tirelessly to seek justice for Abram and his loved ones. Their efforts included following up on leads, analyzing forensic and electronic evidence, collaborating with media to encourage witnesses to come forward, and featuring the case on Wichita Police Department's Cold Case Homicide website.

In early 2025, new information emerged, leading investigators to identify a potential suspect. On Wednesday with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Office, Wichita Police investigators peacefully arrested Morones.

He is now scheduled for a preliminary-status hearing on March 27.  His bond is one-million-500 thousand dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741866222570.png" alt="Morones photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Morones photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KS —A suspect accused in a Kansas cold case killing made his first court appearance in the case Monday.Pedro Morones, Jr., 31 of Wichita, is charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and three counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 1:30a..m. March 29, 2021, police responded to a report of a walk-in shooting victim at a local hospital in Wichita, according to Police Captain Aaron Moses.&nbsp; The victim, 21-year-old Abram Galvan, had been shot once and later died from his injuries.Investigators determined the shooting was linked to a shots-fired incident reported near 19th and Jackson in Wichita around the same time.Since that day, WPD Homicide Investigators have worked tirelessly to seek justice for Abram and his loved ones. Their efforts included following up on leads, analyzing forensic and electronic evidence, collaborating with media to encourage witnesses to come forward, and featuring the case on Wichita Police Department's Cold Case Homicide website.In early 2025, new information emerged, leading investigators to identify a potential suspect. On Wednesday with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Office, Wichita Police investigators peacefully arrested Morones.He is now scheduled for a preliminary-status hearing on March 27. His bond is one-million-500 thousand dollars, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect charged in Kansas cold-case killing

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development likely violated the Constitution and blocked billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from further cuts to the agency.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">Trump administration</a>&nbsp;to restore email and computer access to all employees of USAID, including those who were placed on administrative leave.

The lawsuit singled out Musk as a defendant covered by the preliminary injunction, arguing that he was wielding power the Constitution reserves only for those who win elections or are confirmed by the Senate.

The order comes in a lawsuit filed by attorneys for USAID employees and contractors.

Chuang said the evidence suggests that Musk made decisions to shut down USAID’s headquarters and website despite the administration’s claim that he was merely President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-violence-prevention-office-1ed9d79dbdb5b61a4ed30cff77071d56">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;advisor. Musk’s public statements and social media posts demonstrate that he has “firm control over DOGE,” the judge concluded.

The judge acknowledged that it’s unlikely that USAID is no longer capable of performing some of its statutorily required functions.

“Taken together, these facts support the conclusion that USAID has been effectively eliminated,” Chuang wrote.

In February, the Trump administration placed all but a fraction of USAID’s worldwide staff on leave and notified at least 1,600 of its U.S.-based staffers they were being fired. The effort to gut the six-decade-old aid agency was part of a broader push to eradicate the foreign aid agency and most of its humanitarian and development programs abroad.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;on Inauguration Day issued an executive order directing a freeze of foreign assistance funding and a review of all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-cuts-hunger-sickness-288b1d3f80d85ad749a6d758a778a5b2">U.S. aid and development work abroad</a>. Trump charged that much of foreign assistance was wasteful and advanced a liberal agenda.

The White House and DOGE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738896794184.jpeg" alt="File photo Democrat members of Congress protest outside USAID headquarters in DC" />
 <figcaption>File photo Democrat members of Congress protest outside USAID headquarters in DC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development likely violated the Constitution and blocked billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from further cuts to the agency.U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">Trump administration</a>&nbsp;to restore email and computer access to all employees of USAID, including those who were placed on administrative leave.The lawsuit singled out Musk as a defendant covered by the preliminary injunction, arguing that he was wielding power the Constitution reserves only for those who win elections or are confirmed by the Senate.The order comes in a lawsuit filed by attorneys for USAID employees and contractors.Chuang said the evidence suggests that Musk made decisions to shut down USAID’s headquarters and website despite the administration’s claim that he was merely President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-violence-prevention-office-1ed9d79dbdb5b61a4ed30cff77071d56">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;advisor. Musk’s public statements and social media posts demonstrate that he has “firm control over DOGE,” the judge concluded.The judge acknowledged that it’s unlikely that USAID is no longer capable of performing some of its statutorily required functions.“Taken together, these facts support the conclusion that USAID has been effectively eliminated,” Chuang wrote.In February, the Trump administration placed all but a fraction of USAID’s worldwide staff on leave and notified at least 1,600 of its U.S.-based staffers they were being fired. The effort to gut the six-decade-old aid agency was part of a broader push to eradicate the foreign aid agency and most of its humanitarian and development programs abroad.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;on Inauguration Day issued an executive order directing a freeze of foreign assistance funding and a review of all&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-cuts-hunger-sickness-288b1d3f80d85ad749a6d758a778a5b2">U.S. aid and development work abroad</a>. Trump charged that much of foreign assistance was wasteful and advanced a liberal agenda.The White House and DOGE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Judge rules DOGE's USAID dismantling likely violates the Constitution

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, the Kansas City police department helicopter was following a vehicle which fled from law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri, according to a media release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.&nbsp; With information provided by the helicopter, KCPD officers on the ground contacted the suspect vehicle in a parking lot in 1600 block of Jefferson Street just west of the downtown loop of Interstate 35 and Interstate 670.

Officers exited their vehicle and began giving the driver commands. The driver drove his vehicle in the direction of the officers and struck the patrol car. One officer fired his duty weapon at the driver striking him.&nbsp; As the suspect vehicle stopped, the driver was taken into custody and later transported to a local hospital for treatment.&nbsp; The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the shooting investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742379426063.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, the Kansas City police department helicopter was following a vehicle which fled from law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri, according to a media release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.&nbsp; With information provided by the helicopter, KCPD officers on the ground contacted the suspect vehicle in a parking lot in 1600 block of Jefferson Street just west of the downtown loop of Interstate 35 and Interstate 670.Officers exited their vehicle and began giving the driver commands. The driver drove his vehicle in the direction of the officers and struck the patrol car. One officer fired his duty weapon at the driver striking him.&nbsp; As the suspect vehicle stopped, the driver was taken into custody and later transported to a local hospital for treatment.&nbsp; The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the shooting investigation.

Officer shot driver who rammed KCPD vehicle

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Senate President Ty Masterson celebrated passage Monday of two more bills that would reshape Kansas elections.

The latest legislation to be endorsed by both the House and Senate would ban the use of ranked-choice voting in Kansas and restrict funding for election-related activities, such as voter registration efforts.

The Legislature now has sent three election bills to the governor’s desk. The other one would narrow the window for advance ballots to arrive at county election offices.

“Over the past several years, Kansas Republicans have taken several common-sense steps to ensure that our elections are safe and secure, and these three bills further accomplish that goal,” Masterson said in a statement. “I encourage the governor to sign all three and join us in making our election laws a model for the nation.”

Gov. Laura Kelly could sign the bills, let them become law without her signature, or use her veto pen. The Legislature could override a veto with two-thirds support in both chambers — 84 House members and 27 senators.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>, which the House passed 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed 30-10 on March 6, would end the three-day grace period for advance ballots. Currently, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday. The law would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Based on last year’s numbers, the change could result in more than 2,000 ballots being disqualified statewide in a general election.

The House passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb5/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 5</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb6/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 6</a>&nbsp;by 86-37 margins on March 13.

SB 5, which the Senate passed 32-8 on Monday, would prohibit election officials from accepting funds for election expenses from any source not authorized by the Legislature.

The bill requires federal election funding only be used for purposes authorized by Congress. The law would explicitly prohibit the use of federal funding for election-related activities that include voter registration and voter assistance.

SB 6, which the Senate passed 30-10 on Monday, would prohibit any form of ranked-choice voting methods in federal, state, county or municipal elections.

The method gives voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference, and if the first choice doesn’t have the votes to win, the ballot counts for the next choice.&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/28/out-of-state-advocates-support-kansas-ranked-choice-voting-ban/">has not used ranked choice voting</a>&nbsp;in official state-run or county-run elections. It was last used in the state during the 2020 party-run Democratic presidential primary.

Other election-related bills and proposed constitutional amendments are still working their way through the Legislature.

They include&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">a change to the way Kansas Supreme Court justices are selected</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/" target="_blank">Senate Resolution 1611</a>&nbsp;and expanding or eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/17/kansas-gop-activist-democrat-legislator-find-common-ground-in-opposition-to-campaign-finance-bills/">campaign finance spending limits</a>.

The potential combination of electing state Supreme Court justices, gerrymandering and excessive spending on campaigns would mean Kansans can’t truly pick their candidates, said Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light Civic Action.

The result is an “incredible amount of control” over the state, he said.

The underlying intent of the campaign finance bill, which was forwarded to the governor Friday, is to “make parties more powerful than PACs,” said Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican and chair of the House elections committee.

“I don’t know about you, but as I’ve, you know, gone around talking to my constituents and folks around the state about campaign finance, the constant refrain that I hear from Kansans is that we need to get PAC money out of politics,” Proctor said during floor debate in early March.

Topeka Democrat Rep. Kirk Haskins said during the bill’s debate on the House floor that the shift in campaign contributions would have “major impacts on politics in Kansas as we know it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742327830508.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson speaks at a Jan. 28, 2025, rally of private school kids at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson speaks at a Jan. 28, 2025, rally of private school kids at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Senate President Ty Masterson celebrated passage Monday of two more bills that would reshape Kansas elections.The latest legislation to be endorsed by both the House and Senate would ban the use of ranked-choice voting in Kansas and restrict funding for election-related activities, such as voter registration efforts.The Legislature now has sent three election bills to the governor’s desk. The other one would narrow the window for advance ballots to arrive at county election offices.“Over the past several years, Kansas Republicans have taken several common-sense steps to ensure that our elections are safe and secure, and these three bills further accomplish that goal,” Masterson said in a statement. “I encourage the governor to sign all three and join us in making our election laws a model for the nation.”Gov. Laura Kelly could sign the bills, let them become law without her signature, or use her veto pen. The Legislature could override a veto with two-thirds support in both chambers — 84 House members and 27 senators.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>, which the House passed 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed 30-10 on March 6, would end the three-day grace period for advance ballots. Currently, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday. The law would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.Based on last year’s numbers, the change could result in more than 2,000 ballots being disqualified statewide in a general election.The House passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb5/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 5</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb6/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 6</a>&nbsp;by 86-37 margins on March 13.SB 5, which the Senate passed 32-8 on Monday, would prohibit election officials from accepting funds for election expenses from any source not authorized by the Legislature.The bill requires federal election funding only be used for purposes authorized by Congress. The law would explicitly prohibit the use of federal funding for election-related activities that include voter registration and voter assistance.SB 6, which the Senate passed 30-10 on Monday, would prohibit any form of ranked-choice voting methods in federal, state, county or municipal elections.The method gives voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference, and if the first choice doesn’t have the votes to win, the ballot counts for the next choice.&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/28/out-of-state-advocates-support-kansas-ranked-choice-voting-ban/">has not used ranked choice voting</a>&nbsp;in official state-run or county-run elections. It was last used in the state during the 2020 party-run Democratic presidential primary.Other election-related bills and proposed constitutional amendments are still working their way through the Legislature.They include&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">a change to the way Kansas Supreme Court justices are selected</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/" target="_blank">Senate Resolution 1611</a>&nbsp;and expanding or eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/17/kansas-gop-activist-democrat-legislator-find-common-ground-in-opposition-to-campaign-finance-bills/">campaign finance spending limits</a>.The potential combination of electing state Supreme Court justices, gerrymandering and excessive spending on campaigns would mean Kansans can’t truly pick their candidates, said Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light Civic Action.The result is an “incredible amount of control” over the state, he said.The underlying intent of the campaign finance bill, which was forwarded to the governor Friday, is to “make parties more powerful than PACs,” said Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican and chair of the House elections committee.“I don’t know about you, but as I’ve, you know, gone around talking to my constituents and folks around the state about campaign finance, the constant refrain that I hear from Kansans is that we need to get PAC money out of politics,” Proctor said during floor debate in early March.Topeka Democrat Rep. Kirk Haskins said during the bill’s debate on the House floor that the shift in campaign contributions would have “major impacts on politics in Kansas as we know it.”

Kan. Senate adds to potential makeover of state elections with passage of two more bills

KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief.

The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742305766866.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The cause of a fire at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City is under investigation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">FBI Kansas City has released the following statement alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/ATFKansasCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ATFKansasCity</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kcpolice</a> regarding an overnight incident in South Kansas City. <a href="https://t.co/M2SZS6iWeQ">pic.twitter.com/M2SZS6iWeQ</a>&mdash; FBI Kansas City (@FBIKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIKansasCity/status/1902048654795432263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 11p.m. Monday, Kansas City Missouri Fire crews responded to a reported fire at the Tesla car lot, 10111 Stateline Avenue, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews found two Tesla Cyber Trucks on fire. KCFD sent an additional company for additional water and a Battalion Chief.The fire was brought under control and the vehicles were covered with a fire blanket to prevent reignition.

Cybertruck fires at KC Tesla dealership under federal investigation 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>.

This weekend’s strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">killed at least 53 people</a>, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran, as well.

Here’s what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:

Why did the U.S. launch the new airstrikes?

The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis’ profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-un-war-israel-hamas-099c777c457b49c8362d590afc32a537">crackdowns on dissent and aid workers</a>.

Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism.” He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt’s Suez Canal.

“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective,” Trump said.

Didn’t the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?

Under former President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis</a>&nbsp;starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.

U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn’t go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen’s stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country’s exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend’s strikes and public remarks made by officials.

“We’re doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. “That’s the mission here, and it will continue until that’s carried out.”

Rubio added: “Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-airstrikes-sanaa-israel-hamas-war-8f73755ccc47a34261cc041658403b4d">Israel also launched its own airstrikes on Houthi-held sites</a>, including the port city of Hodeida, over the rebels’ missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.

What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?

The Houthis said last week they’ll again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">target “Israeli” ships traveling through Mideast waterways</a>&nbsp;like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.

However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-united-arab-emirates-saudi-arabia-yemen-a0673736ceddfd5f498deb16a4254d64">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-media-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-a507ac70e7d4739afd535f0f9477e7fc">the UAE</a>, two countries deeply involved in Yemen’s war since 2015.

“Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict,” analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.

Gulf Arab countries “will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.”

Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.

Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-united-states-government-middle-east-65b99a04a99d2504fd1123fc8e4300cc">physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran</a>. That’s likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.

The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance.” Others like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">Lebanon’s Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Palestinian militant group Hamas</a>&nbsp;have been decimated by Israel after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-inquiry-gaza-34988076bd5283686cb80678aff799ad">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas</a>&nbsp;that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war of attrition in the Gaza Strip</a>. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">a drone attack</a>&nbsp;that killed three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">American troops</a>&nbsp;and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.

While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions — while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.

“We have always declared — and we declare again today — that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy,” Salami said.

Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis “will be on the table too” as possible targets for attack.

Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday officials continue to review the letter and will respond “after investigations are completed.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. The Houthis also operate a political office in the sultanate.

The attacks on the Houthis are “a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program,” the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742347497679.png" alt="Image U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has launched a new campaign of intense airstrikes targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CENTCOM continuous operations against Iran-back Houthi terrorists…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/ppggVK1Jgg">pic.twitter.com/ppggVK1Jgg</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1902145041063178333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This weekend’s strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">killed at least 53 people</a>, including children, and wounded others. The campaign is likely to continue, part of a wider pressure campaign by Trump now targeting the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran, as well.Here’s what to know about the U.S. strikes and what could happen next:<h2>Why did the U.S. launch the new airstrikes?</h2>The Houthi rebels attacked over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two vessels</a>&nbsp;and killing four sailors, from November 2023 until January this year. Their leadership described the attacks as aiming to end the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The campaign also greatly raised the Houthis’ profile in the wider Arab world and tamped down on public criticism against their human rights abuses and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-un-war-israel-hamas-099c777c457b49c8362d590afc32a537">crackdowns on dissent and aid workers</a>.Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, said his administration targeted the Houthis over their “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism.” He noted the disruption Houthi attacks have caused through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key waterways for energy and cargo shipments between Asia and Europe through Egypt’s Suez Canal.“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective,” Trump said.<h2>Didn’t the U.S. already target the Houthis with airstrikes?</h2>Under former President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the U.S. and the United Kingdom began a series of airstrikes against the Houthis</a>&nbsp;starting in January 2024. A December report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies said the U.S. and its partners struck the Houthis over 260 times up to that point.U.S. military officials during that period acknowledged having a far-wider target list for possible strikes. While the Biden administration didn’t go too far into explaining its targeting, analysts believe officials largely were trying to avoid civilian casualties and not rekindle Yemen’s stalemated war, which pits the Houthis and their allies against the country’s exiled government and their local and international allies, like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The Trump administration, however, appears willing to go after more targets, based on the weekend’s strikes and public remarks made by officials.“We’re doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday. “That’s the mission here, and it will continue until that’s carried out.”Rubio added: “Some of the key people involved in those missile launches are no longer with us, and I can tell you that some of the facilities that they used are no longer existing, and that will continue.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-airstrikes-sanaa-israel-hamas-war-8f73755ccc47a34261cc041658403b4d">Israel also launched its own airstrikes on Houthi-held sites</a>, including the port city of Hodeida, over the rebels’ missile and drone attacks targeting Israel.<h2>What could the new U.S. strikes mean for the wider Mideast?</h2>In two words: More attacks.The Houthis said last week they’ll again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">target “Israeli” ships traveling through Mideast waterways</a>&nbsp;like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, because of Israel’s blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. No rebel attack targeting commercial shipping has been reported as of Monday morning.However, the new U.S. campaign likely could inspire Houthi attacks at sea or on land beyond American warships. The rebels previously targeted oil infrastructure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-united-arab-emirates-saudi-arabia-yemen-a0673736ceddfd5f498deb16a4254d64">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-media-dubai-united-arab-emirates-abu-dhabi-a507ac70e7d4739afd535f0f9477e7fc">the UAE</a>, two countries deeply involved in Yemen’s war since 2015.“Although the U.S. has been striking at Houthi targets for over a year, the scope and scale of this new campaign, including the targeting of senior Houthi figures, marks a significant escalation in the conflict,” analysts at the Eurasia Group said Monday.Gulf Arab countries “will distance themselves from ongoing hostilities but now face threats to their major oil infrastructure. The Houthis will want to hit President Donald Trump where it hurts, oil prices.”Meanwhile, the Houthis likely will expand their possible targets for ship attacks, meaning shippers will continue to stay out of the region, said Jakob P. Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners.<h2>Where are the Iranians in all of this?</h2>Iran long has armed the Houthis, who are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. Tehran routinely denies arming the rebels, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-united-states-government-middle-east-65b99a04a99d2504fd1123fc8e4300cc">physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tying the weapons back to Iran</a>. That’s likely because Tehran wants to avoid sanctions for violating a United Nations arms embargo on the Houthis.The Houthis now form the strongest group within Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance.” Others like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">Lebanon’s Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-lebanon-hezbollah-news-10-17-2024-d12ca71945313e601cf10876072f4182">Palestinian militant group Hamas</a>&nbsp;have been decimated by Israel after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-inquiry-gaza-34988076bd5283686cb80678aff799ad">the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas</a>&nbsp;that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war of attrition in the Gaza Strip</a>. Allied Shiite militias in Iraq largely have kept their heads down since the U.S. launched retaliatory attacks last year over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">a drone attack</a>&nbsp;that killed three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">American troops</a>&nbsp;and injured at least 34 others at a military base in Jordan.While Iranian state television aired footage of civilian casualties from the weekend strikes in Yemen, top political leaders stayed away from suggestion Tehran itself would get involved in the fight. Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami notably underscored the Houthis made their own decisions — while not offering any warning over what would happen if the strikes killed any members of the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, who are believed to actively support the rebels on the ground.“We have always declared — and we declare again today — that the Yemenis are an independent and free nation in their own land, with an independent national policy,” Salami said.Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz, speaking to ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, warned Guard officials training the Houthis “will be on the table too” as possible targets for attack.Meanwhile, Iran is still trying to determine how to respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">a letter from Trump aiming to restart negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday officials continue to review the letter and will respond “after investigations are completed.”Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately traveled Sunday to Oman, which long has been an interlocutor between Tehran and the West. The Houthis also operate a political office in the sultanate.The attacks on the Houthis are “a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in his insistence that Iran return to the negotiating table to deal with its nuclear program,” the New York-based Soufan Center said in an analysis Monday.

U.S. airstrikes continue against Iran-backed terrorists

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City area man faces felony charges in connection with an attempted kidnapping, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2546/KEITH-COMPLAINT-REDACTED">Jeromy Keith, 47, Independence, Mo., faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Attempted Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2547/keithjeromy---pc-statement">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to a disturbance call where victims reported Keith had threatened to kidnap his wife and murder another person. Officers later arrested Keith and an individual who was with him, and discovered packing tape, a mask, a container of bleach, detergent, a striking baton, and a specialized view camera in their vehicle.&nbsp;

Witnesses told police they overheard the defendant planning to pay someone to help kidnap his wife and murder another victim.&nbsp;

Officers were told Keith had a history of domestic abuse, causing his wife to often relocate to avoid him. Keith had also been sending threatening messages to his wife, which made her fear for her safety.&nbsp;

Keith is being held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742232326673.png" alt="Keith photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Keith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City area man faces felony charges in connection with an attempted kidnapping, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2546/KEITH-COMPLAINT-REDACTED">Jeromy Keith, 47, Independence, Mo., faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Attempted Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2547/keithjeromy---pc-statement">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to a disturbance call where victims reported Keith had threatened to kidnap his wife and murder another person. Officers later arrested Keith and an individual who was with him, and discovered packing tape, a mask, a container of bleach, detergent, a striking baton, and a specialized view camera in their vehicle.&nbsp;Witnesses told police they overheard the defendant planning to pay someone to help kidnap his wife and murder another victim.&nbsp;Officers were told Keith had a history of domestic abuse, causing his wife to often relocate to avoid him. Keith had also been sending threatening messages to his wife, which made her fear for her safety.&nbsp;Keith is being held on a $200,000 bond.&nbsp;

Prosecutor: KC area man planned to pay for his wife's kidnapping

DALLAS (AP) — Previously classified documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;were released Tuesday following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">an order by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shortly after he took office.

<a href="https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/available-online">Click here to read the files</a> from the National Archives

The documents were posted on the website of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The vast majority of the National Archives' collection of over 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.

Trump told reporters Monday that has administration will be releasing 80,000 files, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of pages of records that have already been made public.

“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kennedy-center-559bf5254b99f938dc156b60c9a495e7">while visiting</a>&nbsp;the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Researchers have estimated that 3,000 records or so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">hadn't been released</a>, either in whole or in part. And last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-fbi-trump-newly-discovered-files-0bd8ad5569f5fa3ed92b8ee9b795c9e7#">the FBI said</a>&nbsp;that it had discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination.

Many who have studied what’s been released so far by the government say the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations from the newly released documents, but there is still intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it.

Trump's January order directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release the records.

Kennedy was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">visit to Dallas</a>. As his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository</a>&nbsp;building. Police arrested 24-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/national-national-general-news-808c313725d849fd884794fe49b6fd39">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>, who had positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.

A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate, concluded that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that didn’t quell a web of alternative theories over the decades.

In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017</a>, barring any exemptions designated by the president.

Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had said that he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;during President Joe Biden’s administration, some remained unseen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700660678254.png" alt="FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Previously classified documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">1963 assassination</a>&nbsp;of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;were released Tuesday following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-files-trump-release-381cd547e10e4f41d27a8e020bb6a435">an order by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;shortly after he took office.<a href="https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/available-online">Click here to read the files</a> from the National ArchivesThe documents were posted on the website of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The vast majority of the National Archives' collection of over 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.Trump told reporters Monday that has administration will be releasing 80,000 files, though it’s not clear how many of those are among the millions of pages of records that have already been made public.“We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-kennedy-center-559bf5254b99f938dc156b60c9a495e7">while visiting</a>&nbsp;the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742345702324.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Researchers have estimated that 3,000 records or so&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">hadn't been released</a>, either in whole or in part. And last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-fbi-trump-newly-discovered-files-0bd8ad5569f5fa3ed92b8ee9b795c9e7#">the FBI said</a>&nbsp;that it had discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination.Many who have studied what’s been released so far by the government say the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations from the newly released documents, but there is still intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it.Trump's January order directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release the records.Kennedy was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">visit to Dallas</a>. As his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository</a>&nbsp;building. Police arrested 24-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/national-national-general-news-808c313725d849fd884794fe49b6fd39">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>, who had positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate, concluded that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that didn’t quell a web of alternative theories over the decades.In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017</a>, barring any exemptions designated by the president.Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had said that he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;during President Joe Biden’s administration, some remained unseen.

Read the new JFK assassination files just released

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a television reporter last month while he was on assignment to cover the Super Bowl in New Orleans, authorities said Tuesday.

Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo based in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Feb. 5 in his hotel room in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner. The next day, police arrested Danette Colbert, 48, on charges that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-telemundo-reporter-death-adan-manzano-590192fafbbc6401682e813402801e94">stolen Manzano's cellphone</a>&nbsp;and bank cards.

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told a news conference streamed online Tuesday that a charge of second-degree murder had been added against Colbert, who remained jailed since her arrest last month. He said a suspected accomplice had been arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on theft and fraud charges.

The decision to charge Colbert in Manzano's death was made despite preliminary autopsy results being inconclusive as to whether he was killed or died accidentally.

An attorney for Colbert, Stavros Panagoulopoulos, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Tuesday. He said last month that police were making “assumptions and guesses” to link Colbert to Manzano’s death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738973498909.png" alt="Adan Manzano courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Adan Manzano courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a television reporter last month while he was on assignment to cover the Super Bowl in New Orleans, authorities said Tuesday.Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old reporter and anchor for Telemundo based in Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Feb. 5 in his hotel room in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner. The next day, police arrested Danette Colbert, 48, on charges that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-telemundo-reporter-death-adan-manzano-590192fafbbc6401682e813402801e94">stolen Manzano's cellphone</a>&nbsp;and bank cards.Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told a news conference streamed online Tuesday that a charge of second-degree murder had been added against Colbert, who remained jailed since her arrest last month. He said a suspected accomplice had been arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on theft and fraud charges.The decision to charge Colbert in Manzano's death was made despite preliminary autopsy results being inconclusive as to whether he was killed or died accidentally.An attorney for Colbert, Stavros Panagoulopoulos, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Tuesday. He said last month that police were making “assumptions and guesses” to link Colbert to Manzano’s death.Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson Parish coroner, told reporters that the autopsy found Manzano died from “positional asphyxia” as he was lying facedown on a pillow and unable to breathe after ingesting a combination of alcohol&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-reporter-death-drug-telemundo-2e63ce04cbe526ae6856559b20c92913">and the depressant Xanax.</a>“Both of them are central nervous system depressants, and when you add them up they're really bad,” the coroner said, adding: “One of the dangers is you end up in a position where you are obstructing your ability to breathe.”Conley said he was “very confident” authorities have enough evidence to successfully prosecute Colbert for murder, though he declined to discuss specifics of their case.Police have previously said security video from the hotel where Manzano was staying showed him and Colbert entering his room together the day of his death. Footage showed Colbert leaving without him about an hour later. Authorities have said Colbert later used Manzano’s credit card to make a purchase at a New Orleans gas station and several stores in the area.Police have also said Manzano's medical records showed no prescriptions for Xanax or other depressants, and that they recovered the drug from Colbert's home.“Look, there's a lot of pieces in this puzzle,” the police chief said. “We recognize it's going to be a circumstantial case.”As for the man charged with theft and fraud alongside Colbert, Conley said only that police had found “correspondence and information where they were going back and forth. So we think they were working hand-in-hand in concert with each other.”Last year, a Louisiana jury found Colbert guilty of theft and fraud charges in an unrelated case.In 2022, Colbert was twice arrested in Las Vegas on felony charges of grand larceny and administering a drug to aid in a felony crime, court records show. In both cases, she was accused of drugging men in their hotel rooms and stealing from them. The charges were dismissed because the victims did not want to testify in court, Colbert’s attorney for those cases, Daniel Lippmann, told The Associated Press.