KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a Kansas City area house fire on Monday.

Just after 12:30a.m., crews were dispatched to a house fire on N. Cottage Avenue in Independence, according to a social media report.

  First arriving companies reported moderate smoke showing from the back of the home and went on an aggressive interior fire attack.  During the primary search, firefighters found a woman and removed her from the residence. 

 She was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.  The fire was extinguished, and the origin and cause are under investigation by IFD and the Missouri Fire Marshals Office.

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a Kansas City area house fire on Monday.Just after 12:30a.m., crews were dispatched to a house fire on N. Cottage Avenue in Independence, according to a social media report. First arriving companies reported moderate smoke showing from the back of the home and went on an aggressive interior fire attack. During the primary search, firefighters found a woman and removed her from the residence. She was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The fire was extinguished, and the origin and cause are under investigation by IFD and the Missouri Fire Marshals Office.

Woman critically injured in KC area house fire

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend incident in southwest Kansas.

Just before 11p.m. April 5, to the north part of Garden City where a suspect with a firearm was refusing to let a victim leave a residence, according to a media release.

When Officers arrived, they made contact with Marc Guitron, 24, and the victim who had injuries. Officers learned the individuals were involved in a fight, and Guitron had pointed a firearm at the victim before hitting them in the face with it, took their phone, and refused to let them leave. 

Guitron was found to have the firearm on him and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Kidnapping, Battery LEO, and Interference LEO.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692981398343.png" alt="Guitron from an August 2023 arrest in Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Guitron from an August 2023 arrest in Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend incident in southwest Kansas.Just before 11p.m. April 5, to the north part of Garden City where a suspect with a firearm was refusing to let a victim leave a residence, according to a media release.When Officers arrived, they made contact with Marc Guitron, 24, and the victim who had injuries. Officers learned the individuals were involved in a fight, and Guitron had pointed a firearm at the victim before hitting them in the face with it, took their phone, and refused to let them leave. Guitron was found to have the firearm on him and was taken into custody. He is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Kidnapping, Battery LEO, and Interference LEO.

Sheriff: SW Kansas man accused of kidnapping, assault

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest in March.

On April 3, Justin D. Metz, 42, Leavenworth, was charged with aggravated internet trading in child pornography according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

He remains in the Atchison County Jail. This charge is the result of an on-going investigation by Atchison Police following the March 16th arrest of Metz for rape, kidnapping, aggravated sexual battery, and theft. 

On March 9th police began an investigation that focused on crimes committed against a 32-year-old woman that occurred at the Walmart store at 1920 U.S.73.in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The victim had reported that on the late afternoon of March 9th as she was leaving the store she was approached by a man who identified himself as being an asset protection officer with Walmart.

The man escorted her to a restroom at the back of of the store where he sexually assaulted her. It was quickly determined that the suspect was not working for Walmart. The investigation continued and on at around 4p.m. Sunday, police were notified that the suspect was back at Walmart, walking around the store.

Officers located&nbsp; 42-year-old Justin Metz inside the store and took him into custody on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, and sexual battery.

Bond on the latest charge was set at $2,000,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742227712683.png" alt="Metz photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Metz photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest in March.On April 3, Justin D. Metz, 42, Leavenworth, was charged with aggravated internet trading in child pornography according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.He remains in the Atchison County Jail. This charge is the result of an on-going investigation by Atchison Police following the March 16th arrest of Metz for rape, kidnapping, aggravated sexual battery, and theft. On March 9th police began an investigation that focused on crimes committed against a 32-year-old woman that occurred at the Walmart store at 1920 U.S.73.in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The victim had reported that on the late afternoon of March 9th as she was leaving the store she was approached by a man who identified himself as being an asset protection officer with Walmart.The man escorted her to a restroom at the back of of the store where he sexually assaulted her. It was quickly determined that the suspect was not working for Walmart. The investigation continued and on at around 4p.m. Sunday, police were notified that the suspect was back at Walmart, walking around the store.Officers located&nbsp; 42-year-old Justin Metz inside the store and took him into custody on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, and sexual battery.Bond on the latest charge was set at $2,000,000.

Kan. man jailed for alleged rape of shopper faces new charge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday allowed the Trump administration to use an 18th century&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">wartime law</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">deport Venezuelan migrants</a>, but said they must get a court hearing before they are taken from the United States.

In a bitterly divided 5-4 decision, the court said the administration must give Venezuelans who it claims are gang members “reasonable time” to go to court.

But the conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.

In dissent, the three liberal justices said the administration has sought to avoid judicial review in this case and the court “now rewards the government for its behavior.” Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined portions of the dissent.

The justices acted on the administration’s emergency appeal after the federal appeals court in Washington left in place an order temporarily prohibiting deportations of the migrants accused of being gang members under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744068208069.png" alt="Image from video provided by U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>Image from video provided by U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday allowed the Trump administration to use an 18th century&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">wartime law</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">deport Venezuelan migrants</a>, but said they must get a court hearing before they are taken from the United States.In a bitterly divided 5-4 decision, the court said the administration must give Venezuelans who it claims are gang members “reasonable time” to go to court.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump was proven RIGHT once again! SCOTUS confirms our Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump has the power to stop the invasion of our country by terrorists using war time powers. LEAVE NOW or we will arrest you, lock you up and deport you. <a href="https://t.co/irLTSEo0GF">pic.twitter.com/irLTSEo0GF</a>&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1909384333263298865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But the conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.In dissent, the three liberal justices said the administration has sought to avoid judicial review in this case and the court “now rewards the government for its behavior.” Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined portions of the dissent.The justices acted on the administration’s emergency appeal after the federal appeals court in Washington left in place an order temporarily prohibiting deportations of the migrants accused of being gang members under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act.

U.S. Supreme Court backs Trump on deportations under 1798 law

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide last month in Kansas City, Missouri have identified a possible suspecxt.

Just after 8:30p.m. March 28, patrol officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. 

First responders found a man, later identified as 53-year-old Chad&nbsp;Doberstein lying in the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics responded and pronounced him deceased.  Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

Detectives have identified as subject of interest in the case, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina and the case is progressing as detectives work collaboratively with prosecutors

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a homicide last month in Kansas City, Missouri have identified a possible suspecxt.Just after 8:30p.m. March 28, patrol officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Park in Kansas City on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. First responders found a man, later identified as 53-year-old Chad&nbsp;Doberstein lying in the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics responded and pronounced him deceased. Police have not reported an arrest in this case.Detectives have identified as subject of interest in the case, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina and the case is progressing as detectives work collaboratively with prosecutors

Police ID suspect in murder of 53-year-old Kansas City man

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks careened through a manic Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;threatened to crank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">his tariffs</a>&nbsp;higher, despite a stunning display showing how dearly Wall Street wants him to do the opposite.

The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.2% at the end of a day full of heart-racing reversals as battered financial markets try to figure out what Trump’s ultimate goal is for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-china-trade-4e130e740f3955feccec226d6c0084d9">trade war</a>. If it’s to get other countries to agree to trade deals, he could lower his tariffs and avoid a possible recession. But if it’s to remake the economy and stick with tariffs for the long haul, stock prices may need to fall further.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 349 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by 0.1%.

All three indexes started the day sharply lower, and the Dow plunged as many as 1,700 points following even worse losses elsewhere in the world. But it suddenly surged to a gain of nearly 900 points in the late morning. The S&amp;P 500, meanwhile, went from a loss of 4.7% to a leap of 3.4%, which would have been its biggest jump in years.

The sudden rise followed a false rumor that Trump was considering a 90-day pause on his tariffs, one that a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909254710361575428">White House account on X</a>&nbsp;quickly labeled as “fake news.” That a rumor could move trillions of dollars’ worth of investments shows how much investors are hoping to see signs that Trump may let up on tariffs.

Stocks quickly turned back down, and shortly afterward, Trump dug in further and said he may&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">raise tariffs more against China</a>&nbsp;after the world’s second-largest economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariff-trade-trump-earths-02cd23e913649f32985f075058e787c4">retaliated last week</a>&nbsp;with its own set of tariffs on U.S. products.

It’s a slap in the face to Wall Street, not just because of the sharp losses it’s taken, but because it suggests Trump may not be moved by its pain. Many professional investors had long thought that a president who used to crow about records reached under his watch would pull back on policies if they sent the Dow reeling.

On Sunday Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-recession-financial-markets-negotiations-retaliation-860760cdc1aa2cc58853c9aab987e36d">wasn’t concerned about a sell-off</a>&nbsp;and that “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.”

Trump has given several reasons for his stiff tariffs, including to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, which is a process that could take years. Trump on Sunday said he wanted to bring down the numbers for how much more the United States imports from other countries versus how much it sends to them.

Indexes nevertheless did keep swinging between losses and gains Monday after Trump’s latest tariff threat, in part because hope still remains in markets that negotiations may still come.

“We’re not calling the all-clear at all, but when you have this type of volatility in the market, of course you’re going to have back and forth” in markets not just day to day but also hour to hour, said Nate Thooft, a senior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management.

“We’re all waiting for the next bit of information,” he said. “Literally a Truth Social tweet or an announcement of some sort about real negotiations could dramatically move this market. This is the world we live in right now.”

All that seemed certain Monday was the financial pain hammering investments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mideast-stock-markets-546a2d4a86138458987131c5c347151f">around the world</a>&nbsp;for a third day after Trump announced tariffs in his “Liberation Day.”

Stocks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tariffs-trade-trump-5dd928eabb83b9cc560e1d6971f52e7f">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;plunged 13.2% for their worst day since 1997. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil dipped below $60 during the morning for the first time since 2021, hurt by worries that a global economy weakened by trade barriers will burn less fuel.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-reserve-trump-crypto-sacks-5c91a1ab3dab9a8c86d4bc42b8db3f8f">Bitcoin</a>&nbsp;sank below $79,000, down from its record above $100,000 set in January, after holding steadier than other markets last week.

Trump’s tariffs are an attack on the globalization that’s remade the world’s economy, which helped bring down prices for products on the shelves of U.S. stores but also caused production jobs to leave for other countries.

It also adds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">pressure on the Federal Reserve</a>. Investors have become nearly conditioned to expect the central bank to swoop in as a hero by slashing interest rates to protect the economy during every downturn. But the Fed may have less freedom to act this time around because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-consumer-spending-tariffs-c8be092ecf06a81ad79c4c8f921c7cbe">inflation</a>&nbsp;remains higher than the Fed would like. And while lower interest rates can goose the economy, they can also put upward pressure on inflation.

“The recent tariffs will likely increase inflation and are causing many to consider a greater probability of a recession,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, one of the most influential executives on Wall Street, wrote in his annual letter to shareholders Monday. “Whether or not the menu of tariffs causes a recession remains in question, but it will slow down growth.”

In the bond market, Treasury yields rallied to recover some of their sharp drops from earlier weeks. Some of the big move may have been because of reduced expectations for cuts to interest rates by the Fed. Some analysts also said it could be due to investors outside of the United States wanting to pare their U.S. investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.20% from 4.01% late Friday.

Earlier in the day, the S&amp;P 500 briefly fell more than 20% below its record set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">less than two months ago</a>. If it finishes a day below that bar, it would be a big enough drop that Wall Street has a name for it. A “bear market” signifies a downturn that’s moved beyond a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-tariffs-1c8e59d6f2661c6e3c6aeda8ab07a583">run-of-the-mill 10% drop</a>, which happens every year or so, and has graduated into something more vicious.

The S&amp;P 500, which sits at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dow-jones-industrial-average-record-rally-22aaf53da73b4550af35e7c40cf30214#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,good%20year%20for%20Wall%20Street.">heart of many investors’ 401(k) accounts</a>, is coming off its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-d86db525c370e9da834e6dfb76e23b86">worst week since COVID</a>&nbsp;began crashing the global economy in March 2020.

All told, the index fell 11.83 points Monday to 5,062.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 349.26 to 37,965.60, and the Nasdaq composite added 15.48 to 15,603.26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File (AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File (AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks careened through a manic Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;threatened to crank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">his tariffs</a>&nbsp;higher, despite a stunning display showing how dearly Wall Street wants him to do the opposite.The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.2% at the end of a day full of heart-racing reversals as battered financial markets try to figure out what Trump’s ultimate goal is for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-china-trade-4e130e740f3955feccec226d6c0084d9">trade war</a>. If it’s to get other countries to agree to trade deals, he could lower his tariffs and avoid a possible recession. But if it’s to remake the economy and stick with tariffs for the long haul, stock prices may need to fall further.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 349 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by 0.1%.All three indexes started the day sharply lower, and the Dow plunged as many as 1,700 points following even worse losses elsewhere in the world. But it suddenly surged to a gain of nearly 900 points in the late morning. The S&amp;P 500, meanwhile, went from a loss of 4.7% to a leap of 3.4%, which would have been its biggest jump in years.The sudden rise followed a false rumor that Trump was considering a 90-day pause on his tariffs, one that a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909254710361575428">White House account on X</a>&nbsp;quickly labeled as “fake news.” That a rumor could move trillions of dollars’ worth of investments shows how much investors are hoping to see signs that Trump may let up on tariffs.Stocks quickly turned back down, and shortly afterward, Trump dug in further and said he may&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">raise tariffs more against China</a>&nbsp;after the world’s second-largest economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariff-trade-trump-earths-02cd23e913649f32985f075058e787c4">retaliated last week</a>&nbsp;with its own set of tariffs on U.S. products.It’s a slap in the face to Wall Street, not just because of the sharp losses it’s taken, but because it suggests Trump may not be moved by its pain. Many professional investors had long thought that a president who used to crow about records reached under his watch would pull back on policies if they sent the Dow reeling.On Sunday Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-recession-financial-markets-negotiations-retaliation-860760cdc1aa2cc58853c9aab987e36d">wasn’t concerned about a sell-off</a>&nbsp;and that “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.”Trump has given several reasons for his stiff tariffs, including to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, which is a process that could take years. Trump on Sunday said he wanted to bring down the numbers for how much more the United States imports from other countries versus how much it sends to them.Indexes nevertheless did keep swinging between losses and gains Monday after Trump’s latest tariff threat, in part because hope still remains in markets that negotiations may still come.“We’re not calling the all-clear at all, but when you have this type of volatility in the market, of course you’re going to have back and forth” in markets not just day to day but also hour to hour, said Nate Thooft, a senior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management.“We’re all waiting for the next bit of information,” he said. “Literally a Truth Social tweet or an announcement of some sort about real negotiations could dramatically move this market. This is the world we live in right now.”All that seemed certain Monday was the financial pain hammering investments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mideast-stock-markets-546a2d4a86138458987131c5c347151f">around the world</a>&nbsp;for a third day after Trump announced tariffs in his “Liberation Day.”Stocks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tariffs-trade-trump-5dd928eabb83b9cc560e1d6971f52e7f">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;plunged 13.2% for their worst day since 1997. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil dipped below $60 during the morning for the first time since 2021, hurt by worries that a global economy weakened by trade barriers will burn less fuel.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-reserve-trump-crypto-sacks-5c91a1ab3dab9a8c86d4bc42b8db3f8f">Bitcoin</a>&nbsp;sank below $79,000, down from its record above $100,000 set in January, after holding steadier than other markets last week.Trump’s tariffs are an attack on the globalization that’s remade the world’s economy, which helped bring down prices for products on the shelves of U.S. stores but also caused production jobs to leave for other countries.It also adds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">pressure on the Federal Reserve</a>. Investors have become nearly conditioned to expect the central bank to swoop in as a hero by slashing interest rates to protect the economy during every downturn. But the Fed may have less freedom to act this time around because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-consumer-spending-tariffs-c8be092ecf06a81ad79c4c8f921c7cbe">inflation</a>&nbsp;remains higher than the Fed would like. And while lower interest rates can goose the economy, they can also put upward pressure on inflation.“The recent tariffs will likely increase inflation and are causing many to consider a greater probability of a recession,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, one of the most influential executives on Wall Street, wrote in his annual letter to shareholders Monday. “Whether or not the menu of tariffs causes a recession remains in question, but it will slow down growth.”In the bond market, Treasury yields rallied to recover some of their sharp drops from earlier weeks. Some of the big move may have been because of reduced expectations for cuts to interest rates by the Fed. Some analysts also said it could be due to investors outside of the United States wanting to pare their U.S. investments.The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.20% from 4.01% late Friday.Earlier in the day, the S&amp;P 500 briefly fell more than 20% below its record set&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">less than two months ago</a>. If it finishes a day below that bar, it would be a big enough drop that Wall Street has a name for it. A “bear market” signifies a downturn that’s moved beyond a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-tariffs-1c8e59d6f2661c6e3c6aeda8ab07a583">run-of-the-mill 10% drop</a>, which happens every year or so, and has graduated into something more vicious.The S&amp;P 500, which sits at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dow-jones-industrial-average-record-rally-22aaf53da73b4550af35e7c40cf30214#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,good%20year%20for%20Wall%20Street.">heart of many investors’ 401(k) accounts</a>, is coming off its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-d86db525c370e9da834e6dfb76e23b86">worst week since COVID</a>&nbsp;began crashing the global economy in March 2020.All told, the index fell 11.83 points Monday to 5,062.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 349.26 to 37,965.60, and the Nasdaq composite added 15.48 to 15,603.26.___

US stocks careen through a manic day following Trump's latest tariff threat

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend accident that occurred just before 1:30a.m. Saturday in Shawnee County have identified the victim as 33-year-old Tramayne N. Smith of Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

A&nbsp; vehicle driven by Smith was traveling on a portion of Interstate 70 that was blocked off and under construction. The vehicle traveled off the Interstate overpass near 2nd and S. Kansas Avenue.

Medical personnel pronounced Smith deceased on scene. No other vehicles were involved, and Smith was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend accident that occurred just before 1:30a.m. Saturday in Shawnee County have identified the victim as 33-year-old Tramayne N. Smith of Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.A&nbsp; vehicle driven by Smith was traveling on a portion of Interstate 70 that was blocked off and under construction. The vehicle traveled off the Interstate overpass near 2nd and S. Kansas Avenue.Medical personnel pronounced Smith deceased on scene. No other vehicles were involved, and Smith was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Police ID driver who died after car traveled off I-70 overpass

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. will hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program, while warning Tehran it would be in “great danger” if the talks aren’t successful.

The president, in comments to reporters after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the talks will start Saturday. He insisted Tehran can’t get nuclear weapons.

“We’re dealing with them directly and maybe a deal is going to be made,” Trump said. He added that “doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious.”

Asked if he would commit to military action against Iran should his negotiators be unable to come to terms with Tehran, Trump responded that “Iran is going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it.”

“If the talks aren’t successful, I think it’s going to be a very bad day for Iran,” Trump said.

Trump during his first White House term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">withdrew the U.S.</a>&nbsp;from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration.

Netanyahu says he supports Trump’s diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement with Iran, adding that Israel and the U.S. share the same goal of ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.

The Israeli leader, known for his hawkish views on Iran and past calls for military pressure, said he would welcome a diplomatic agreement along the lines of Libya’s deal with the international community in 2003.

“I think that would be a good thing,” he said. “But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”

Trump said the talks would happen “at almost the highest level,” but declined to say where the negotiations would take place or who he was dispatching for the sensitive diplomacy.

He announced plans for the surprise engagement as Netanyahu made a hastily arranged visit to the White House — his second in just over two months — to discuss the tariffs Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">unleashed on countries around the world</a>, Iran’s nuclear program and the Israel-Hamas war.

In withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility.

The agreement, which also included Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran.

“I think it’ll be, different and maybe a lot stronger,” Trump said on how a new deal might be different from the one negotiated by Obama officials.

Trump and Netanyahu said they also discussed tensions with Iran, Israel-Turkey ties and the International Criminal Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-israel-hamas-warrants-netanyahu-palestinian-arrest-73c854d072e0a1a41b19b2cb2cdd07fa">issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli leader</a>&nbsp;last year. Trump in February signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-icc-sanctions-israel-order-01beee050ae84d0d9eae66d00bc8ead9">executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC</a>&nbsp;over its investigations of Israel.

Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump held a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. All three leaders have been key interlocutors in efforts to tamp down tensions in the Middle East and bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

The prime minister soon after arriving in Washington on Sunday evening met with senior Trump administration officials, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer, to discuss the tariffs. And Netanyahu met on Monday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, ahead of his sit down with the president.

On tariffs, Netanyahu said he assured Trump that his government would move to erase United States trade deficit.

“We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States,” Netanyahu said “We intend to do it very quickly.”

Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations, said he expected Trump to use the tariffs as leverage to force concessions from Netanyahu.

In Israel’s case, those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mideast-stock-markets-546a2d4a86138458987131c5c347151f">concessions might not be economic</a>. Trump may pressure Netanyahu to move toward ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;— at the very least through some interim truce with Hamas that would pause the fighting and free more hostages.

Gilboa said Trump is hoping to return from his first overseas trip — expected next month to Saudi Arabia — with some movement on a deal to normalize relations with Israel, which would likely require significant Israeli concessions on Gaza.

If he does manage to move toward bolstering ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, that would act as a regional diplomatic counterweight to pressure Iran, against which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-rejects-direct-negotiations-trump-letter-us-c414743a567c574b6f48f64a2e889f31">Trump has threatened new sanctions</a>&nbsp;and suggested military action over its nuclear program.

In a preemptive move last week, Israel announced that it was removing all tariffs on goods from the U.S., mostly on imported food and agricultural products, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.

But the tactic failed, and with a 17% rate, Israel was just one of dozens of countries that were slapped with tariffs on Trump’s so-called Liberation Day last week.

Although Israel is a tiny market for U.S. products, the United States is a key trade partner of Israel. Much of that trade is for high-tech services, which are not directly affected by the tariffs, but key Israeli industries could be impacted.

The Manufacturers Association of Israel estimates that the tariffs will cost Israel about $3 billion in exports each year and lead to the loss of 26,000 jobs in industries that include biotechnology, chemicals, plastics and electronics. The World Bank says Israel’s gross domestic product, a measure of economic output, is over $500 billion a year.

“The damage won’t stop at exports,” said Ron Tomer, the group’s president. “It will scare investors, encourage companies to leave Israel and undermine our image as a global center of innovation.” He called on the government to work urgently to protect the economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. will hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program, while warning Tehran it would be in “great danger” if the talks aren’t successful.The president, in comments to reporters after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the talks will start Saturday. He insisted Tehran can’t get nuclear weapons.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;We&#39;re having direct talks with Iran,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>. &quot;I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/I8QdtR3h1S">pic.twitter.com/I8QdtR3h1S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909326940785307992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’re dealing with them directly and maybe a deal is going to be made,” Trump said. He added that “doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious.”Asked if he would commit to military action against Iran should his negotiators be unable to come to terms with Tehran, Trump responded that “Iran is going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it.”“If the talks aren’t successful, I think it’s going to be a very bad day for Iran,” Trump said.Trump during his first White House term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">withdrew the U.S.</a>&nbsp;from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration.Netanyahu says he supports Trump’s diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement with Iran, adding that Israel and the U.S. share the same goal of ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.The Israeli leader, known for his hawkish views on Iran and past calls for military pressure, said he would welcome a diplomatic agreement along the lines of Libya’s deal with the international community in 2003.“I think that would be a good thing,” he said. “But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”Trump said the talks would happen “at almost the highest level,” but declined to say where the negotiations would take place or who he was dispatching for the sensitive diplomacy.He announced plans for the surprise engagement as Netanyahu made a hastily arranged visit to the White House — his second in just over two months — to discuss the tariffs Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-52a00ea2bb92a067ee72343941b02cd4">unleashed on countries around the world</a>, Iran’s nuclear program and the Israel-Hamas war.In withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump declared he was making the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility.The agreement, which also included Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, had lifted most U.S. and international economic sanctions against Iran.“I think it’ll be, different and maybe a lot stronger,” Trump said on how a new deal might be different from the one negotiated by Obama officials.Trump and Netanyahu said they also discussed tensions with Iran, Israel-Turkey ties and the International Criminal Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-israel-hamas-warrants-netanyahu-palestinian-arrest-73c854d072e0a1a41b19b2cb2cdd07fa">issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli leader</a>&nbsp;last year. Trump in February signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-icc-sanctions-israel-order-01beee050ae84d0d9eae66d00bc8ead9">executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC</a>&nbsp;over its investigations of Israel.Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump held a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. All three leaders have been key interlocutors in efforts to tamp down tensions in the Middle East and bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war.The prime minister soon after arriving in Washington on Sunday evening met with senior Trump administration officials, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer, to discuss the tariffs. And Netanyahu met on Monday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, ahead of his sit down with the president.On tariffs, Netanyahu said he assured Trump that his government would move to erase United States trade deficit.“We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States,” Netanyahu said “We intend to do it very quickly.”Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations, said he expected Trump to use the tariffs as leverage to force concessions from Netanyahu.In Israel’s case, those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mideast-stock-markets-546a2d4a86138458987131c5c347151f">concessions might not be economic</a>. Trump may pressure Netanyahu to move toward ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;— at the very least through some interim truce with Hamas that would pause the fighting and free more hostages.Gilboa said Trump is hoping to return from his first overseas trip — expected next month to Saudi Arabia — with some movement on a deal to normalize relations with Israel, which would likely require significant Israeli concessions on Gaza.If he does manage to move toward bolstering ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, that would act as a regional diplomatic counterweight to pressure Iran, against which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-rejects-direct-negotiations-trump-letter-us-c414743a567c574b6f48f64a2e889f31">Trump has threatened new sanctions</a>&nbsp;and suggested military action over its nuclear program.In a preemptive move last week, Israel announced that it was removing all tariffs on goods from the U.S., mostly on imported food and agricultural products, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.But the tactic failed, and with a 17% rate, Israel was just one of dozens of countries that were slapped with tariffs on Trump’s so-called Liberation Day last week.Although Israel is a tiny market for U.S. products, the United States is a key trade partner of Israel. Much of that trade is for high-tech services, which are not directly affected by the tariffs, but key Israeli industries could be impacted.The Manufacturers Association of Israel estimates that the tariffs will cost Israel about $3 billion in exports each year and lead to the loss of 26,000 jobs in industries that include biotechnology, chemicals, plastics and electronics. The World Bank says Israel’s gross domestic product, a measure of economic output, is over $500 billion a year.“The damage won’t stop at exports,” said Ron Tomer, the group’s president. “It will scare investors, encourage companies to leave Israel and undermine our image as a global center of innovation.” He called on the government to work urgently to protect the economy.

🎥Trump: US will hold direct talks with Iran on nuclear weapons

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players are going to have a shot at more billion-dollar jackpots and slightly better odds under new Mega Millions rules that go into effect with Tuesday’s drawing.

But the improvements come at a cost — literally: Players will have to shell out $5 per ticket, more than double the previous price. On the other hand, the jackpots are expected to grow much bigger — and at a faster rate — and officials believe sales will rise as people are stopped in their tracks by massive prizes.

“People really want big jackpots,” said Joshua Johnston, the Washington state lottery director who heads the Mega Millions game. “We expect to see a sales lift on this.”

The biggest change is the ticket price hike from $2 to $5. Lottery officials expect that jump to increase revenue from the twice-weekly game, enabling them to lower the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 303 million to 1 in 290 million.

The higher ticket price also means the jackpot can start at $50 million, rather than the previous $20 million, and the grand prize is expected to grow more quickly. Each time there isn’t a big winner, the jackpot will jump to a larger mark. Officials expect it will more frequently top the $1 billion threshold that draws extra attention — and bigger sales.

Under the new rules, prizes for tickets not matching all six numbers also will increase, with smaller winners now guaranteed at least $10. Each ticket also will include a randomly assigned multiplier that can increase the prize by up to 10 times, a previous add-on feature that cost an extra $1. The multiplier doesn’t apply to a jackpot.

Yes, but it’s still incredibly unlikely: Odds of 1 in 290 million are still mind-bogglingly hard to beat. And that’s true if you buy one ticket or 100.

“When we hear 1 in 290 million, we don’t have a sense of what that means. We have a greater sense of the fact that there will be a winning number,” said Tim Chartier, a mathematics and computer science professor at Davidson College. “And it’s true that it’s possible, but the issue is the extreme improbability of it.”

How improbable? The chance of hitting a jackpot, even under the new rules, is akin to choosing one single second over a nine-year span, according to Chartier. He said he’s never been willing to risk even a couple bucks on those odds.

The new rules have two main goals: to address what the industry calls “jackpot fatigue” and to differentiate Mega Millions from Powerball, the other lottery draw game played across the country.

Jackpot fatigue is the phenomenon under which prizes must grow to enormous amounts before most players will take note and buy a few tickets. These days, a $300 million prize that once drew lines at mini-marts barely registers.

With the new rules, officials expect those average winning jackpots to climb from about $450 million to $800 million, Johnston said. And they believe that even lottery fatigue is no match for the more frequent billion-dollar prize.

“When you get to a billion people are like, ‘Whoa, that’s a whole lot of money,’” Johnston said.

Lottery officials said there is a clear correlation between bigger jackpots and higher sales but Sandie Yeaman, of Omaha, Nebraska, expressed puzzlement at the connection.

“I’d be satisfied with $1 million, and so would others,” she said. “One person winning $50 million is ridiculous.”

Mega Millions will be the country’s most expensive lottery draw game, where random numbers are selected to determine a winner.

Still, that price is far less than scratch tickets offered by some states. In Texas, for example, some scratch tickets cost $100 each.

Outside the U.S., the El Gordo Christmas lottery in Spain limits the number of tickets sold and charges 20 euros for a partial ticket and 200 euros for a full ticket.

The higher Mega Millions price left Saeedith Williams of East Point, Georgia, unsure if he’ll keep buying several tickets a week. “Maybe I’ll buy one ticket a week now that it’s $5 a ticket,” he said.

After the new rules are implemented, the two lottery games that once were remarkably similar now will have some key differences.

The biggest contrast will be the cost, as Powerball will stick with its $2 tickets — $3 in Idaho and Montana where they require a special prize bundle.

With that smaller ticket price will come smaller minimal prizes, starting at $4, or less than half the lowest Mega Millions prize. But Powerball players will still be able to pay an extra dollar for “Power Play,” a random multiplier that, as in Mega Millions, can increase all but the grand prize.

Powerball drawings will continue to be three times a week — Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights — while Mega Millions will hold drawings on Tuesday and Friday.

The changes will bring the two games’ jackpot odds a little closer, with Powerball jackpot odds of 1 in 292.2 million just a bit worse than the new Mega Millions odds.

Remind me, what’s the point of all this?

For players, it’s a chance to spend a little money on a dream of incredible riches while acknowledging the reality that it almost certainly won’t happen.

For the 45 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands where Mega Millions is played, the game raises money for a variety of services, such as education scholarships. Local lottery agencies run the game in each jurisdiction and decisions about how the profits are divvied up are written into state law.

AP writer Margery A. Beck contributed to this story from Omaha, Nebraska.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players are going to have a shot at more billion-dollar jackpots and slightly better odds under new Mega Millions rules that go into effect with Tuesday’s drawing.But the improvements come at a cost — literally: Players will have to shell out $5 per ticket, more than double the previous price. On the other hand, the jackpots are expected to grow much bigger — and at a faster rate — and officials believe sales will rise as people are stopped in their tracks by massive prizes.“People really want big jackpots,” said Joshua Johnston, the Washington state lottery director who heads the Mega Millions game. “We expect to see a sales lift on this.”<h2>HOW IS MEGA MILLIONS CHANGING?</h2>The biggest change is the ticket price hike from $2 to $5. Lottery officials expect that jump to increase revenue from the twice-weekly game, enabling them to lower the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 303 million to 1 in 290 million.The higher ticket price also means the jackpot can start at $50 million, rather than the previous $20 million, and the grand prize is expected to grow more quickly. Each time there isn’t a big winner, the jackpot will jump to a larger mark. Officials expect it will more frequently top the $1 billion threshold that draws extra attention — and bigger sales.Under the new rules, prizes for tickets not matching all six numbers also will increase, with smaller winners now guaranteed at least $10. Each ticket also will include a randomly assigned multiplier that can increase the prize by up to 10 times, a previous add-on feature that cost an extra $1. The multiplier doesn’t apply to a jackpot.<h2>WILL THIS MAKE WINNING A JACKPOT EASIER?</h2>Yes, but it’s still incredibly unlikely: Odds of 1 in 290 million are still mind-bogglingly hard to beat. And that’s true if you buy one ticket or 100.“When we hear 1 in 290 million, we don’t have a sense of what that means. We have a greater sense of the fact that there will be a winning number,” said Tim Chartier, a mathematics and computer science professor at Davidson College. “And it’s true that it’s possible, but the issue is the extreme improbability of it.”How improbable? The chance of hitting a jackpot, even under the new rules, is akin to choosing one single second over a nine-year span, according to Chartier. He said he’s never been willing to risk even a couple bucks on those odds.<h2>WHY IS THE GAME CHANGING?</h2>The new rules have two main goals: to address what the industry calls “jackpot fatigue” and to differentiate Mega Millions from Powerball, the other lottery draw game played across the country.Jackpot fatigue is the phenomenon under which prizes must grow to enormous amounts before most players will take note and buy a few tickets. These days, a $300 million prize that once drew lines at mini-marts barely registers.With the new rules, officials expect those average winning jackpots to climb from about $450 million to $800 million, Johnston said. And they believe that even lottery fatigue is no match for the more frequent billion-dollar prize.“When you get to a billion people are like, ‘Whoa, that’s a whole lot of money,’” Johnston said.ADVERTISEMENTLottery officials said there is a clear correlation between bigger jackpots and higher sales but Sandie Yeaman, of Omaha, Nebraska, expressed puzzlement at the connection.“I’d be satisfied with $1 million, and so would others,” she said. “One person winning $50 million is ridiculous.”<h2>HOW RARE IS A $5 TICKET PRICE?</h2>Mega Millions will be the country’s most expensive lottery draw game, where random numbers are selected to determine a winner.Still, that price is far less than scratch tickets offered by some states. In Texas, for example, some scratch tickets cost $100 each.Outside the U.S., the El Gordo Christmas lottery in Spain limits the number of tickets sold and charges 20 euros for a partial ticket and 200 euros for a full ticket.The higher Mega Millions price left Saeedith Williams of East Point, Georgia, unsure if he’ll keep buying several tickets a week. “Maybe I’ll buy one ticket a week now that it’s $5 a ticket,” he said.<h2>WHAT ABOUT POWERBALL?</h2>After the new rules are implemented, the two lottery games that once were remarkably similar now will have some key differences.The biggest contrast will be the cost, as Powerball will stick with its $2 tickets — $3 in Idaho and Montana where they require a special prize bundle.With that smaller ticket price will come smaller minimal prizes, starting at $4, or less than half the lowest Mega Millions prize. But Powerball players will still be able to pay an extra dollar for “Power Play,” a random multiplier that, as in Mega Millions, can increase all but the grand prize.Powerball drawings will continue to be three times a week — Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights — while Mega Millions will hold drawings on Tuesday and Friday.The changes will bring the two games’ jackpot odds a little closer, with Powerball jackpot odds of 1 in 292.2 million just a bit worse than the new Mega Millions odds.<h2>Remind me, what’s the point of all this?</h2>For players, it’s a chance to spend a little money on a dream of incredible riches while acknowledging the reality that it almost certainly won’t happen.For the 45 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands where Mega Millions is played, the game raises money for a variety of services, such as education scholarships. Local lottery agencies run the game in each jurisdiction and decisions about how the profits are divvied up are written into state law.<h2>___</h2>AP writer Margery A. Beck contributed to this story from Omaha, Nebraska.

Big changes coming to Mega Millions lottery 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a brutal beating that sent a man to the hospital.

Just before 11:00 p.m. Friday, police responded to the 600 Block of North Kansas, on a report of a person on the ground who had been battered, according to Topeka. Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

Officers located a man with life-threatening injuries caused by blunt force trauma. American Medical Response transported the victim to an area hospital.

As a result of the investigation Xavian M. Locke, 25, of Topeka was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 1st degree, Kidnapping; in the flight or commission of any crime and Aggravated battery; knowingly use weapon to cause great bodily harm/disfigure/death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743863768095.png" alt="Locke-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Locke-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a brutal beating that sent a man to the hospital.Just before 11:00 p.m. Friday, police responded to the 600 Block of North Kansas, on a report of a person on the ground who had been battered, according to Topeka. Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.Officers located a man with life-threatening injuries caused by blunt force trauma. American Medical Response transported the victim to an area hospital.As a result of the investigation Xavian M. Locke, 25, of Topeka was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Attempted Murder in the 1st degree, Kidnapping; in the flight or commission of any crime and Aggravated battery; knowingly use weapon to cause great bodily harm/disfigure/death.

Kansas man found beaten, left on the ground

Top elections job to be open due to Scott Schwab’s plan to run for governor

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Pat Proctor, a retired U.S. Army officer who entered the Kansas Legislature in 2020, launched a campaign for the Republican nomination for secretary of state.

Proctor, of Leavenworth, serves as chairman of the Kansas House elections committee. If elected in November 2026, he would become the state’s top election administrator. The position would be open assuming Secretary of State Scott Schwab continued with a plan to seek the GOP nomination for governor.

Proctor has been among the Legislature’s advocates for election reform bills associated with President Donald Trump’s unproven assertion his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden was fraudulent. Schwab has generally welcomed modernization of state election law, but maintained Kansas elections were fair and secure.

Proctor, 53, announced his candidacy Thursday during an event at a restaurant in Leavenworth.

“Voter confidence that the results of our elections reflect their will is at the core of our form of government and our way of life,” Proctor said. “The best way to restore that confidence is to increase transparency and ensure that only citizens vote in Kansas’ elections.”

Proctor said he played a role in the process of making Kansas “the gold standard for safe and secure elections,” and would continue that work as secretary of state.

During the 2025 legislation session, he supported a bill eliminating the state’s three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill, because she felt it was important to count ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrived up to three days late through the U.S. Postal Service. Proctor was part of the House supermajority that voted to override the Democratic governor.

The voting rights organization&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">Loud Light Civic Action recently released video of a private Zoom meeting</a>&nbsp;last year in which Proctor vowed to push through a bill dropping the three-day grace period.

On the same call organized by House Majority Leader Chris Croft with Johnson County Republicans and invite-only guests, Proctor said he would prefer Kansas ended the practice of advance voting.

Proctor has taken a central role among Republicans as the Legislature worked to limit authority of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to engage in inquiries of campaign finance violations and election misconduct. That legislative push coincided with the commission’s complex investigation of Republican legislators and campaign workers.

He endorsed Senate Bill 105, which became law without the Kelly’s signature, requiring a Kansas governor to appoint a person to fill vacancies in the offices of U.S. senator, state treasurer and commissioner of insurance from a&nbsp;list of names recommended by the Legislature. The power grab by the Legislature was crafted to prevent Kelly from appointing a Democrat to a vacancy after resignation of a Republican.

Proctor said Kelly unexpectedly signed Senate Bill 6 to forbid the state to take part in ranked-choice voting, which would allow voters to list their candidate preferences in order on the ballot. The process involved tabulating votes in multiple rounds with the elimination of the lowest vote-receiving candidate after each round until a candidate received a majority.

“I am pleasantly surprised that the governor signed SB6, a bill I carried to passage on the House floor to ban ranked-choice voting, into law,” Proctor said. “Nothing is more corrosive to voter confidence than a voting method that requires a two-page explainer to explain to voters.”

In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Proctor was criticized</a>&nbsp;by a Leavenworth family for publishing without permission in his political newsletter a photograph of an elementary school student’s drawing of a rainbow flag. Proctor alleged the drawing was evidence educators in schools were indoctrinating children on LGBTQ politics. Proctor asserted the artwork was part of a “radical, woke agenda.”

Proctor retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel following 25 years of military service that coincided with wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In Afghanistan, he was a planning chief for the transition of that war to security forces ahead of the withdrawal of most American forces. During 2009, he deployed to Iraq as an operations officer for an infantry battalion. He worked in Iraq in 2007 on a strategic communication plan for a U.S. troop surge.

He wrote the 2020 book “Lessons Unlearned: The U.S. Army’s Role in Creating the Forever Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

While serving in the Legislature, Proctor has taught at Wichita State University. He received a doctorate in history from Kansas State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744033378913.jpeg" alt=" Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth, said he would seek the Republican Party’s nomination in 2026 for secretary of state. The job would be vacant assuming Secretary of State Scott Schwab runs for the GOP nomination for governor. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth, said he would seek the Republican Party’s nomination in 2026 for secretary of state. The job would be vacant assuming Secretary of State Scott Schwab runs for the GOP nomination for governor. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Top elections job to be open due to Scott Schwab’s plan to run for governor</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Pat Proctor, a retired U.S. Army officer who entered the Kansas Legislature in 2020, launched a campaign for the Republican nomination for secretary of state.Proctor, of Leavenworth, serves as chairman of the Kansas House elections committee. If elected in November 2026, he would become the state’s top election administrator. The position would be open assuming Secretary of State Scott Schwab continued with a plan to seek the GOP nomination for governor.Proctor has been among the Legislature’s advocates for election reform bills associated with President Donald Trump’s unproven assertion his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden was fraudulent. Schwab has generally welcomed modernization of state election law, but maintained Kansas elections were fair and secure.Proctor, 53, announced his candidacy Thursday during an event at a restaurant in Leavenworth.“Voter confidence that the results of our elections reflect their will is at the core of our form of government and our way of life,” Proctor said. “The best way to restore that confidence is to increase transparency and ensure that only citizens vote in Kansas’ elections.”Proctor said he played a role in the process of making Kansas “the gold standard for safe and secure elections,” and would continue that work as secretary of state.During the 2025 legislation session, he supported a bill eliminating the state’s three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill, because she felt it was important to count ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrived up to three days late through the U.S. Postal Service. Proctor was part of the House supermajority that voted to override the Democratic governor.The voting rights organization&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">Loud Light Civic Action recently released video of a private Zoom meeting</a>&nbsp;last year in which Proctor vowed to push through a bill dropping the three-day grace period.On the same call organized by House Majority Leader Chris Croft with Johnson County Republicans and invite-only guests, Proctor said he would prefer Kansas ended the practice of advance voting.Proctor has taken a central role among Republicans as the Legislature worked to limit authority of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to engage in inquiries of campaign finance violations and election misconduct. That legislative push coincided with the commission’s complex investigation of Republican legislators and campaign workers.He endorsed Senate Bill 105, which became law without the Kelly’s signature, requiring a Kansas governor to appoint a person to fill vacancies in the offices of U.S. senator, state treasurer and commissioner of insurance from a&nbsp;list of names recommended by the Legislature. The power grab by the Legislature was crafted to prevent Kelly from appointing a Democrat to a vacancy after resignation of a Republican.Proctor said Kelly unexpectedly signed Senate Bill 6 to forbid the state to take part in ranked-choice voting, which would allow voters to list their candidate preferences in order on the ballot. The process involved tabulating votes in multiple rounds with the elimination of the lowest vote-receiving candidate after each round until a candidate received a majority.“I am pleasantly surprised that the governor signed SB6, a bill I carried to passage on the House floor to ban ranked-choice voting, into law,” Proctor said. “Nothing is more corrosive to voter confidence than a voting method that requires a two-page explainer to explain to voters.”In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Proctor was criticized</a>&nbsp;by a Leavenworth family for publishing without permission in his political newsletter a photograph of an elementary school student’s drawing of a rainbow flag. Proctor alleged the drawing was evidence educators in schools were indoctrinating children on LGBTQ politics. Proctor asserted the artwork was part of a “radical, woke agenda.”Proctor retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel following 25 years of military service that coincided with wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.In Afghanistan, he was a planning chief for the transition of that war to security forces ahead of the withdrawal of most American forces. During 2009, he deployed to Iraq as an operations officer for an infantry battalion. He worked in Iraq in 2007 on a strategic communication plan for a U.S. troop surge.He wrote the 2020 book “Lessons Unlearned: The U.S. Army’s Role in Creating the Forever Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”While serving in the Legislature, Proctor has taught at Wichita State University. He received a doctorate in history from Kansas State University.

Leavenworth House member first Republican to declare as 2026 candidate for secretary of state

SMITH COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal fire in Smith County have yet to release additional information in the case.

Just after 5a.m. March 25, first responders were alerted to a fire at the Home on the Rang Lodging Motel on East Highway 36 in Smith Center, according to Sheriff Travis Conway.

First responders pulled a unresponsive person from the structure who was pronounced dead at the scene. The Smith County Sheriff'f office, investigators from the Kansas State Fire Marshal and a K9 from Sedgwick County Fire are working together to investigate.&nbsp; No foul play is suspected.&nbsp; Despite repeated requests, authorities have not released the name of the victim, the cause of the fire or a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742953737241.png" alt="Photo Kansas Fire Marshal&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Fire Marshal&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SMITH COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal fire in Smith County have yet to release additional information in the case.Just after 5a.m. March 25, first responders were alerted to a fire at the Home on the Rang Lodging Motel on East Highway 36 in Smith Center, according to Sheriff Travis Conway.First responders pulled a unresponsive person from the structure who was pronounced dead at the scene. The Smith County Sheriff'f office, investigators from the Kansas State Fire Marshal and a K9 from Sedgwick County Fire are working together to investigate.&nbsp; No foul play is suspected.&nbsp; Despite repeated requests, authorities have not released the name of the victim, the cause of the fire or a damage estimate.

Cause of fatal Kansas motel fire still under investigation

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%20and%20AMANDA%20SEITZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI and AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press</a>

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-robert-kennedy-vaccines-measles-steak-shake-9c970a1f6bdfd6ac4b4160480e996ac0">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;visited the epicenter of Texas' still-growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles outbreak</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, the same day a funeral was held for a second young child who was not vaccinated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">died from a measles-related illness</a>.

Kennedy said in a social media post that he was working to “control the outbreak" and went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Gaines County</a>&nbsp;to comfort the families who have buried two young children. He was seen late Sunday afternoon outside of a Mennonite church where the funeral services were held, but he did not attend a nearby news conference held by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the outbreak.

Seminole is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/">epicenter of the outbreak,</a>&nbsp;which started in late January and continues to swell — with nearly 500 cases in Texas alone, plus cases from the outbreak believed to have spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mexico.

The second young child died Thursday from "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure,” and did not have underlying health conditions, the Texas State Department of State Health Services said Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/texas-announces-second-death-measles-outbreak">in a news release</a>. Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Health System in Lubbock, said that the child was “receiving treatment for complications of measles while hospitalized.”

This is the third known measles-related death tied to this outbreak. One was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">another elementary school-aged child</a>&nbsp;in Texas and the other was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">an adult in New Mexico</a>; neither were vaccinated.

It's Kennedy's first visit to the area as health secretary, where he said he met with families of both the 6- and 8-year-old children who died. He said he “developed bonds” with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-vaccinations-mennonites-4880035d6fd53cc029b531f5adda95ad">Mennonite community in West Texas</a>&nbsp;in which the virus is mostly spreading.

Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate before ascending to the role of nation’s top health secretary earlier this year, has resisted urging widespread vaccinations as the measles outbreak has worsened under his watch. On Sunday, however, he said in a lengthy statement posted on X that it was “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles."

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has been used safely for more than 60 years and is 97% effective against measles after two doses.

Dr. Manisha Patel, CDC incident manager, said in a Sunday news conference that the MMR vaccine is the best way to protect against measles. She also told parents in Gaines County that it was important not to “delay care” for a child who is sick with measles.

“Call your doctor and make sure you’re talking to a health care professional who can guide you on those next steps," Patel said.

CDC teams arrived in early March, Patel said. But Kennedy's social media post noted that CDC employees have been “redeployed,” and the nation’s public health agency never relayed it had pulled back. Neither the CDC nor the state health department included the death in their measles reports issued Friday, but the CDC acknowledged it when asked Sunday.

The number of cases in Texas shot up by 81 between March 28 and April 4, and 16 more people were hospitalized. Nationwide, the U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.

Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy from Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-confirmation-vaccines-health-kennedy-cassidy-248bfb16aa3a2a117efa54a2a3be920e">a liver doctor</a>&nbsp;whose vote helped cinch Kennedy’s confirmation, called Sunday for stronger messaging from health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1908903799701303633">in a post on X</a>.

“Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles,” he wrote. “Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.”

Cassidy has requested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-samoa-measles-kennedy-vaccines-pacific-42a9cb583c71f165699b16710884c474">Kennedy</a>&nbsp;to appear before his health committee Thursday, although Kennedy has not publicly confirmed whether he will attend.

A CDC spokesperson noted the efficacy of the measles vaccine Sunday but stopped short of calling on people to get it. Departing from long-standing public health messaging around vaccination, the spokesperson called the decision a “personal one” and encouraged people to talk with their doctor. People “should be informed about the potential risks and benefits associated with vaccines," the spokesperson added.

Misinformation about how to prevent and treat measles is hindering a robust public health response, including claims about vitamin A supplements that have been pushed by Kennedy and holistic medicine supporters despite doctors’ warnings that it should be given under a physician's orders and that too much can be dangerous.

Doctors at Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, where the first measles death occurred, say they've treated fewer than 10 children for liver issues from vitamin A toxicity, which they found when running routine lab tests on children who are not fully vaccinated and have measles. Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer, said the patients reported using vitamin A to treat and prevent the virus.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vaccine-chief-peter-marks-resign-rfk-kennedy-7743be11cec4e4e22c50c2ddbcb6bcd8">Dr. Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration’s former vaccine chief</a>, said responsibility for the death rests with Kennedy and his staff. Marks was forced out of the FDA after disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine safety.

“This is the epitome of an absolute needless death,” Marks told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday. “These kids should get vaccinated — that’s how you prevent people from dying of measles.”

Marks also said he recently warned U.S. senators that more deaths would occur if the administration didn’t mount a more aggressive response to the outbreak.

Experts and local health officials expect the outbreak to go on for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">several more months</a>&nbsp;if not a year. In West Texas, the vast majority of cases are in unvaccinated people and children younger than 17.

With several states facing outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable disease — and declining childhood vaccination rates nationwide — some worry that measles may cost the U.S. its status as having eliminated the disease.

Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html">according to the CDC</a>. The first shot is recommended for children ages 12 to 15 months, and the second for ages 4 to 6 years.

Seitz reported from Washington. Photojournalist Annie Rice in Seminole, Texas, and AP reporter Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743980668440.png" alt="Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, arrives at Reinlander Mennonite Church after a second measles death, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)" />
 <figcaption>Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, arrives at Reinlander Mennonite Church after a second measles death, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%20and%20AMANDA%20SEITZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI and AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press</a>U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-robert-kennedy-vaccines-measles-steak-shake-9c970a1f6bdfd6ac4b4160480e996ac0">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;visited the epicenter of Texas' still-growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles outbreak</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, the same day a funeral was held for a second young child who was not vaccinated and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">died from a measles-related illness</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In Seminole, Texas, with Jake and Tina Fehr whose 2-year-old daughter, Helena was just discharged after three weeks in the ICU, Peter and Eva Fehr whose daughter, Kayley, 6, passed in February, and Pete and Eva Hildebrand whose daughter, Daisy, 8, we buried this afternoon. I also… <a href="https://t.co/BjErlRkCJX">pic.twitter.com/BjErlRkCJX</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1909049021211263268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I came to­ Gaines County, Texas, today to comfort the Hildebrand family after the loss of their 8-year-old daughter Daisy. I got to know the family of 6-year-old Kayley Fehr after she passed away in February. I also developed bonds with and deep affection for other members of…&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1908967854394982414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kennedy said in a social media post that he was working to “control the outbreak" and went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Gaines County</a>&nbsp;to comfort the families who have buried two young children. He was seen late Sunday afternoon outside of a Mennonite church where the funeral services were held, but he did not attend a nearby news conference held by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the outbreak.Seminole is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/">epicenter of the outbreak,</a>&nbsp;which started in late January and continues to swell — with nearly 500 cases in Texas alone, plus cases from the outbreak believed to have spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mexico.The second young child died Thursday from "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure,” and did not have underlying health conditions, the Texas State Department of State Health Services said Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/texas-announces-second-death-measles-outbreak">in a news release</a>. Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Health System in Lubbock, said that the child was “receiving treatment for complications of measles while hospitalized.”This is the third known measles-related death tied to this outbreak. One was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">another elementary school-aged child</a>&nbsp;in Texas and the other was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">an adult in New Mexico</a>; neither were vaccinated.It's Kennedy's first visit to the area as health secretary, where he said he met with families of both the 6- and 8-year-old children who died. He said he “developed bonds” with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-vaccinations-mennonites-4880035d6fd53cc029b531f5adda95ad">Mennonite community in West Texas</a>&nbsp;in which the virus is mostly spreading.Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate before ascending to the role of nation’s top health secretary earlier this year, has resisted urging widespread vaccinations as the measles outbreak has worsened under his watch. On Sunday, however, he said in a lengthy statement posted on X that it was “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744031234394.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has been used safely for more than 60 years and is 97% effective against measles after two doses.Dr. Manisha Patel, CDC incident manager, said in a Sunday news conference that the MMR vaccine is the best way to protect against measles. She also told parents in Gaines County that it was important not to “delay care” for a child who is sick with measles.“Call your doctor and make sure you’re talking to a health care professional who can guide you on those next steps," Patel said.CDC teams arrived in early March, Patel said. But Kennedy's social media post noted that CDC employees have been “redeployed,” and the nation’s public health agency never relayed it had pulled back. Neither the CDC nor the state health department included the death in their measles reports issued Friday, but the CDC acknowledged it when asked Sunday.The number of cases in Texas shot up by 81 between March 28 and April 4, and 16 more people were hospitalized. Nationwide, the U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy from Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-confirmation-vaccines-health-kennedy-cassidy-248bfb16aa3a2a117efa54a2a3be920e">a liver doctor</a>&nbsp;whose vote helped cinch Kennedy’s confirmation, called Sunday for stronger messaging from health officials&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1908903799701303633">in a post on X</a>.“Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles,” he wrote. “Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.”Cassidy has requested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-samoa-measles-kennedy-vaccines-pacific-42a9cb583c71f165699b16710884c474">Kennedy</a>&nbsp;to appear before his health committee Thursday, although Kennedy has not publicly confirmed whether he will attend.A CDC spokesperson noted the efficacy of the measles vaccine Sunday but stopped short of calling on people to get it. Departing from long-standing public health messaging around vaccination, the spokesperson called the decision a “personal one” and encouraged people to talk with their doctor. People “should be informed about the potential risks and benefits associated with vaccines," the spokesperson added.Misinformation about how to prevent and treat measles is hindering a robust public health response, including claims about vitamin A supplements that have been pushed by Kennedy and holistic medicine supporters despite doctors’ warnings that it should be given under a physician's orders and that too much can be dangerous.Doctors at Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, where the first measles death occurred, say they've treated fewer than 10 children for liver issues from vitamin A toxicity, which they found when running routine lab tests on children who are not fully vaccinated and have measles. Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer, said the patients reported using vitamin A to treat and prevent the virus.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vaccine-chief-peter-marks-resign-rfk-kennedy-7743be11cec4e4e22c50c2ddbcb6bcd8">Dr. Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration’s former vaccine chief</a>, said responsibility for the death rests with Kennedy and his staff. Marks was forced out of the FDA after disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine safety.“This is the epitome of an absolute needless death,” Marks told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday. “These kids should get vaccinated — that’s how you prevent people from dying of measles.”Marks also said he recently warned U.S. senators that more deaths would occur if the administration didn’t mount a more aggressive response to the outbreak.Experts and local health officials expect the outbreak to go on for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">several more months</a>&nbsp;if not a year. In West Texas, the vast majority of cases are in unvaccinated people and children younger than 17.With several states facing outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable disease — and declining childhood vaccination rates nationwide — some worry that measles may cost the U.S. its status as having eliminated the disease.Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html">according to the CDC</a>. The first shot is recommended for children ages 12 to 15 months, and the second for ages 4 to 6 years.___Seitz reported from Washington. Photojournalist Annie Rice in Seminole, Texas, and AP reporter Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.

RFK Jr. issues new statement on measles outbreak

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 34-year-old Jeanette M. Johnson, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just after 9a.m. Friday, Police were dispatched to a shooting in the 6300 block of E. 102 Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri.

Neighbors in the area heard the sound of shots and looked outside and saw a victim down in the street. On arrival officers located Johnson down in the street near a vehicle in front of a residence. Officers called for EMS who responded and transported her to the hospital for treatment. At the hospital, medical staff pronounced her deceased. 

Preliminary information indicates that the victim was in front of the residence near a vehicle when she had an interaction with an unknown suspect(s) in the street that led to shots being fired striking her.

Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743787952762.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte"" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte"</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 34-year-old Jeanette M. Johnson, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just after 9a.m. Friday, Police were dispatched to a shooting in the 6300 block of E. 102 Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri.Neighbors in the area heard the sound of shots and looked outside and saw a victim down in the street. On arrival officers located Johnson down in the street near a vehicle in front of a residence. Officers called for EMS who responded and transported her to the hospital for treatment. At the hospital, medical staff pronounced her deceased. Preliminary information indicates that the victim was in front of the residence near a vehicle when she had an interaction with an unknown suspect(s) in the street that led to shots being fired striking her.Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

Homicide: Police ID woman found on KC street

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in for a double murder is due back in court Monday.

In December, Judge Shawn Elliot charged 15-year-old Elias Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Monday morning, Judge Christopher Magana will decide whether there is enough evidence for the trial to continue, according to the district attorney's office.

In January 2024, police responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested Cerda, who was 14 at the time. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734098604588.png" alt="Cerda photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cerda photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in for a double murder is due back in court Monday.In December, Judge Shawn Elliot charged 15-year-old Elias Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Monday morning, Judge Christopher Magana will decide whether there is enough evidence for the trial to continue, according to the district attorney's office.In January 2024, police responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested Cerda, who was 14 at the time. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.