VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was thankful that he was able to greet throngs of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">a day before he died</a>, though he initially had some doubts given his poor health, Vatican News reported Tuesday.

The Argentine pontiff, who had been recovering after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">died Monday at age 88</a>. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile.

Francis initially had doubts about the ride, Vatican News reported. “Do you think I can manage it?’’ the pope asked Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal health care assistant, according to the news agency.

The pope was reassured, and he stopped to reach out to people, especially children, as he was driven through the crowd of 50,000 — the first time since his release from the hospital that he had mixed with the faithful at large. Afterward, Francis told Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” Vatican News said.

The pope showed the first signs of illness round 5:30 a.m. the next day and fell into a coma an hour later, Vatican News reported.

His Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a fitting bookend to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-key-dates-0d33f7c8adca4c22a8e9bebeb5d3cdcc">12-year papacy</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-career-highlights-589cbd4ffd574d6c9c2674add1b564c9">sought to shake up the church</a>&nbsp;and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.

Francis’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">funeral will be held Saturday</a>&nbsp;at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.

He will lie in state starting Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff.

According to current norms, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to choose Francis’ successor</a>&nbsp;must begin between May 5 and 10.

“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.

While the ordinary faithful will have an opportunity to pay their respects beginning Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening. Speaking to reporters after she paid her respects, Becquart marveled at Francis’ final Easter salute to his flock. “He really walked with his people,” she said.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was specifically Francis’ effort to promote the role of women in the church that will be one of his greatest legacies. Ravasi noted that Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s, as is typical for popes.

“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Ravasi, the Vatican’s former culture minister as he arrived for Tuesday’s first meeting of cardinals charting the next steps. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”

The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in red vestments and his bishop’s miter in a wooden casket, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.

In his final will, Francis said he wanted to be buried at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">St. Mary Major Basilica</a>, which is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before it one last time.

Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half-staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the camerlengo, who takes charge of the Vatican after a pope’s death. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">the pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.

World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-reaction-78ef38471b2560d74a1e25cbd31cbc7e">praised Francis</a>&nbsp;for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.

“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”

In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Pope Francis was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.

“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">as camerlengo</a>&nbsp;had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.

Francis chose not to live in the palace, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was underway Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.

In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.

Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.

“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting (his hands) dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”

After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">the conclave</a>.

To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.

Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745316464619.jpeg" alt="A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)" />
 <figcaption>A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was thankful that he was able to greet throngs of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">a day before he died</a>, though he initially had some doubts given his poor health, Vatican News reported Tuesday.The Argentine pontiff, who had been recovering after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">died Monday at age 88</a>. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile.Francis initially had doubts about the ride, Vatican News reported. “Do you think I can manage it?’’ the pope asked Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal health care assistant, according to the news agency.The pope was reassured, and he stopped to reach out to people, especially children, as he was driven through the crowd of 50,000 — the first time since his release from the hospital that he had mixed with the faithful at large. Afterward, Francis told Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” Vatican News said.The pope showed the first signs of illness round 5:30 a.m. the next day and fell into a coma an hour later, Vatican News reported.His Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a fitting bookend to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-key-dates-0d33f7c8adca4c22a8e9bebeb5d3cdcc">12-year papacy</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-career-highlights-589cbd4ffd574d6c9c2674add1b564c9">sought to shake up the church</a>&nbsp;and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.<h2>Funeral set for Saturday</h2>Francis’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">funeral will be held Saturday</a>&nbsp;at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.He will lie in state starting Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff.According to current norms, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to choose Francis’ successor</a>&nbsp;must begin between May 5 and 10.<h2>Vatican officials remember Francis</h2>“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.While the ordinary faithful will have an opportunity to pay their respects beginning Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening. Speaking to reporters after she paid her respects, Becquart marveled at Francis’ final Easter salute to his flock. “He really walked with his people,” she said.Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was specifically Francis’ effort to promote the role of women in the church that will be one of his greatest legacies. Ravasi noted that Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s, as is typical for popes.“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Ravasi, the Vatican’s former culture minister as he arrived for Tuesday’s first meeting of cardinals charting the next steps. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in red vestments and his bishop’s miter in a wooden casket, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.In his final will, Francis said he wanted to be buried at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">St. Mary Major Basilica</a>, which is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before it one last time.<h2>The world reacts</h2>Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half-staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the camerlengo, who takes charge of the Vatican after a pope’s death. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">the pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-reaction-78ef38471b2560d74a1e25cbd31cbc7e">praised Francis</a>&nbsp;for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Pope Francis was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.<h2>Viewing the pope’s coffin</h2>The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">as camerlengo</a>&nbsp;had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.Francis chose not to live in the palace, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was underway Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting (his hands) dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”<h2>Choosing the next pope</h2>After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">the conclave</a>.To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis' final hours; thankful he greeted crowd in the Square

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a> to the complete oral argument

The court seemed likely to find that the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.

The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.

“I'm surprised this is the hill to die on in terms of not respecting religious liberty,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, citing the county's diverse population and Maryland's history as a haven for Catholics.

The county school board introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity.

Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.

The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.

Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.

In “Prince and Knight,” two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.

“Love, Violet” deals with a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. “Born Ready” is the story of a transgender boy’s decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. “Intersection Allies” describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.

Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.

The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.” Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.

A decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-297.html">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a>&nbsp;is expected by early summer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.

The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the conservative-led court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.

The Montgomery County public schools, in suburban Washington, D.C., introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diverse population.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745333128428.png" alt="FILE A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Oct. 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)" />
 <figcaption>FILE A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Oct. 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Alan Schoenfeld: &quot;Pride Puppy was the book that was used for the pre-kindergarten curriculum. That&#39;s no longer in the curriculum.&quot; Justice Gorsuch: &quot;That&#39;s the one where they&#39;re supposed to look for the leather and things - bondage - - things like that. Schoenfeld: &quot;It&#39;s not… <a href="https://t.co/gQa86JaF0y">pic.twitter.com/gQa86JaF0y</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1914755396885209158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a> to the complete oral argumentThe court seemed likely to find that the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.“I'm surprised this is the hill to die on in terms of not respecting religious liberty,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, citing the county's diverse population and Maryland's history as a haven for Catholics.The county school board introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity.Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.In “Prince and Knight,” two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.“Love, Violet” deals with a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. “Born Ready” is the story of a transgender boy’s decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. “Intersection Allies” describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.” Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.A decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-297.html">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a>&nbsp;is expected by early summer.-------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the conservative-led court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.The Montgomery County public schools, in suburban Washington, D.C., introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diverse population.Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.In “Prince and Knight,” two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.“Love, Violet” deals with a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. “Born Ready” is the story of a transgender boy’s decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. “Intersection Allies” describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.” Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.A decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-297.html">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a>&nbsp;is expected by early summer.

🎧Court signals support for parents who object to LGBTQ books in schools

SEDGWICK COUNTY — An inmate accused in an attack on a Kansas jail deputy faces additional charges.

On Friday, 21-year-old James&nbsp;Chavez of Wichita, was charged with aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On April 14, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy suffered serious burns after an inmate identified as Chavez launched a targeted attack inside the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

The incident happened while the deputy was speaking with inmates in a housing pod.&nbsp; Chavez obtained a pot of boiling water and threw it on the deputy, causing second and third-degree burns to the back part of his body.

Sedgwick County EMS transported the deputy to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit. The 30-year-old deputy who has served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly two years is expected to fully recover and ihospitalized.s no longer&nbsp;

Chavez was originally booked into the detention facility in March 2024 on pending juvenile charges and later faced an additional charge for trafficking contraband into a correctional facility He has had 39 documented disciplinary incidents since entering the facility.

Inmates have traditionally had access to hot water for preparing coffee, tea, and food items like Ramen noodles.&nbsp; After reviewing the policy, the Sheriff’s Office removed this privilege.&nbsp;

“Our office remains committed to the safety of our employees,” Sheriff Jeff Easter said.&nbsp; Chavez remains in custody on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court April 24, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744743778023.png" alt="Chavez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Chavez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — An inmate accused in an attack on a Kansas jail deputy faces additional charges.On Friday, 21-year-old James&nbsp;Chavez of Wichita, was charged with aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On April 14, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy suffered serious burns after an inmate identified as Chavez launched a targeted attack inside the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.The incident happened while the deputy was speaking with inmates in a housing pod.&nbsp; Chavez obtained a pot of boiling water and threw it on the deputy, causing second and third-degree burns to the back part of his body.Sedgwick County EMS transported the deputy to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit. The 30-year-old deputy who has served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly two years is expected to fully recover and ihospitalized.s no longer&nbsp;Chavez was originally booked into the detention facility in March 2024 on pending juvenile charges and later faced an additional charge for trafficking contraband into a correctional facility He has had 39 documented disciplinary incidents since entering the facility.Inmates have traditionally had access to hot water for preparing coffee, tea, and food items like Ramen noodles.&nbsp; After reviewing the policy, the Sheriff’s Office removed this privilege.&nbsp;“Our office remains committed to the safety of our employees,” Sheriff Jeff Easter said.&nbsp; Chavez remains in custody on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court April 24, according to the district attorney's office.

New charges in boiling water attack on Kan. deputy

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals have taken their first decisions following the death of Pope Francis, setting Saturday as the date for his funeral and allowing ordinary faithful to begin paying their final respects starting Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter’s Basilica.

The cardinals met for the first time Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world grieving history’s first Latin American pope.

The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend Saturday’s funeral Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.

Francis died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke that put him in a coma and led his heart to fail. He had been recovering in his apartment after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and making what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile, looping around St. Peter’s Square.

In retrospect, his Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a perfect bookend to a 12-year papacy that sought to shake up the church and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.

“He gave himself to the end,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops’ conference and considered a possible contender to be next pope. “To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone.”

The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in the wooden casket, in red vestments and his bishop’s miter, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.

In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day hospital stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before the Madonna for the last time.

Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the Vatican camerlengo. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">Argentine pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.

In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Papa Francisco was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.

“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who is Muslim. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and has around 30 million Catholics, representing about 14% of the total population.

Francis chose not to live in the palace, though, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was being held Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.

Once in St. Peter’s, his coffin will not be put on an elevated bier but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.

“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”

To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15-20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.

The one who has secured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/next-pope-contenders-list-101d68d61be2401a85310e34b45371a9">two-thirds of the votes</a>&nbsp;wins. If he accepts, his election is announced by a cardinal from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica who tells the world “Habemus Papam,” Latin for “We have a pope.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745316464619.jpeg" alt="A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)" />
 <figcaption>A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals have taken their first decisions following the death of Pope Francis, setting Saturday as the date for his funeral and allowing ordinary faithful to begin paying their final respects starting Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter’s Basilica.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745322565144.png" alt="The late Pope Francis' body lies in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta-photo Vatican News Service" />
 <figcaption>The late Pope Francis' body lies in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta-photo Vatican News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>The cardinals met for the first time Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world grieving history’s first Latin American pope.The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend Saturday’s funeral Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.Francis died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke that put him in a coma and led his heart to fail. He had been recovering in his apartment after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and making what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile, looping around St. Peter’s Square.In retrospect, his Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a perfect bookend to a 12-year papacy that sought to shake up the church and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.“He gave himself to the end,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops’ conference and considered a possible contender to be next pope. “To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone.”The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in the wooden casket, in red vestments and his bishop’s miter, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day hospital stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before the Madonna for the last time.<h2>The world reacts</h2>Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the Vatican camerlengo. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">Argentine pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-reaction-78ef38471b2560d74a1e25cbd31cbc7e">praised Francis</a>&nbsp;for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Papa Francisco was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who is Muslim. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and has around 30 million Catholics, representing about 14% of the total population.<h2>Viewing the pope’s coffin</h2>The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">as camerlengo</a>&nbsp;had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.Francis chose not to live in the palace, though, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was being held Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.Once in St. Peter’s, his coffin will not be put on an elevated bier but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”<h2>Choosing the next pope</h2>After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">the conclave</a>.To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15-20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.The one who has secured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/next-pope-contenders-list-101d68d61be2401a85310e34b45371a9">two-thirds of the votes</a>&nbsp;wins. If he accepts, his election is announced by a cardinal from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica who tells the world “Habemus Papam,” Latin for “We have a pope.”___

Cardinals set date for Pope Francis’ funeral, public viewing 

By NATE KING Salina Post

A 23-year-old Salina man was arrested Sunday evening after allegedly threatening a man with a knife during a disturbance at a residence.

According to Salina Police Captain James Feldman, the incident began around 7 p.m. on April 20 when a 45-year-old man approached an officer in the 400 block of Montrose Street and reported a disturbance nearby.

Officers responded to the residence and found that Rodolfo Giner Manjarrez, a resident at the location, had been heavily intoxicated and was arguing with multiple people inside the home. During the altercation, Manjarrez allegedly pushed a 52-year-old resident and, when the 45-year-old man intervened, retrieved a knife and threatened him.

The 45-year-old man left the residence and contacted police. Officers then made contact with Manjarrez, who was taken into custody without incident. A knife was recovered at the scene.

While being escorted from the residence, Manjarrez reportedly made additional threats toward others in the home.

He was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal threat, and domestic battery.

By NATE KING Salina PostA 23-year-old Salina man was arrested Sunday evening after allegedly threatening a man with a knife during a disturbance at a residence.According to Salina Police Captain James Feldman, the incident began around 7 p.m. on April 20 when a 45-year-old man approached an officer in the 400 block of Montrose Street and reported a disturbance nearby.Officers responded to the residence and found that Rodolfo Giner Manjarrez, a resident at the location, had been heavily intoxicated and was arguing with multiple people inside the home. During the altercation, Manjarrez allegedly pushed a 52-year-old resident and, when the 45-year-old man intervened, retrieved a knife and threatened him.The 45-year-old man left the residence and contacted police. Officers then made contact with Manjarrez, who was taken into custody without incident. A knife was recovered at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745239080478.jpeg" alt="Giner Manjarrez,Rodolfo" />
 <figcaption>Giner Manjarrez,Rodolfo</figcaption>
 </figure>While being escorted from the residence, Manjarrez reportedly made additional threats toward others in the home.He was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal threat, and domestic battery.

SPD arrests Salina man accused of threatening resident with knife

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a violent attack on a woman is due in court in Johnson County Monday.

Just before 11p.m. April 17,&nbsp; police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

First responders discovered a 23-year-old woman suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a nearby hospital and was expected to survive.

Police later ilocated a 19-year-old man identified according to online booking records as Jesus Anaya of Olathe, and took him into custody. He is being held on a $250,000 bond requested charges of aggravated battery with great bodily harm. He first appearance before a judge is scheduled to face a judge at 1:30p.m. Monday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745194472423.png" alt="Anaya photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Anaya photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a violent attack on a woman is due in court in Johnson County Monday.Just before 11p.m. April 17,&nbsp; police were dispatched to an armed disturbance in the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road in Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.First responders discovered a 23-year-old woman suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a nearby hospital and was expected to survive.Police later ilocated a 19-year-old man identified according to online booking records as Jesus Anaya of Olathe, and took him into custody. He is being held on a $250,000 bond requested charges of aggravated battery with great bodily harm. He first appearance before a judge is scheduled to face a judge at 1:30p.m. Monday, according to online jail records.

Kansas teen to face a judge for allegedly shooting woman

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop. Just after 3a.m. April 17,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 142nd Road on U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the encounter, deputies arrested 54-year-old Frederick Daniel Anguish, of Topeka. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, distribute certain stimulants, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle without an interlock device and driving while suspended.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745026568303.png" alt="Anguish photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Anguish photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop. Just after 3a.m. April 17,&nbsp; a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 142nd Road on U.S. Highway 75 for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the encounter, deputies arrested 54-year-old Frederick Daniel Anguish, of Topeka. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, distribute certain stimulants, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle without an interlock device and driving while suspended.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of selling illegal drugs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Two people were killed and six others were injured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-state-university-shooting-c9a33f571466ce1ab1045dafebb30b82">when a gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;at Florida State University, sending students fleeing from the student union and putting the Tallahassee, Florida, campus under lockdown.

Authorities have identified the shooter as Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old Florida State student who is the stepson of a sheriff’s deputy. He began firing with his stepmother’s former service weapon before he was shot and wounded by officers when he refused to comply with commands, investigators said.

Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-campus-university-shootings-america-0a9229257e46f4c9ff7a1440bef8ded1">shooting</a>, which began around lunchtime Thursday just outside the student union.

Officials have also not identified the victims who died. A family member said that university employee Robert Morales was one of those who were killed. Attorneys for the family of the second victim identified him as Tiru Chabba, a food service vendor executive. Here is what we know about Morales and Chabba.

Robert Morales was a university dining coordinator who had worked at Florida State since 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile.

“Today we lost my younger Brother, he was one of the victims killed at FSU,” Ricardo Morales Jr. posted on social media late Thursday. “He loved his job at FSU and his beautiful Wife and Daughter. I’m glad you were in my life.”

Morales had studied criminology at the school in the early 1990s, according to the LinkedIn profile.

The profile also said he was CEO of Black Bean Food Group, though state records show that the business was dissolved a decade ago.

Morales developed innovative menus, especially Cuban food, and was a former assistant football coach at nearby Leon High School, Kyle Clark, a senior vice president at FSU, said Friday afternoon at a vigil.

“He didn’t just do a job. He lived the job,” Clark said. “He was a stellar person."

The Morales brothers' father, Ricardo Morales, was a Cuban exile turned CIA operative in South Florida with the nickname “Monkey.” Ricardo Morales Jr. describes his father's work as a contract agent for the CIA in the forthcoming book, “Monkey Morales: The True Story of a Mythic Cuban Exile, Assassin, CIA Operative, FBI Informant, Smuggler, and Dad,” which is expected to be published later this year.

“Dubbed ‘The Monkey’ for his disruptive and unpredictable escapades, Morales grabbed headlines for decades as tales of his bombings, arrests, assassination attempts (both those he executed and those he suffered), and testimony constructed a real-life spy adventure unlike anything brought to page or screen,” reads promotional material from publisher Simon &amp; Schuster.

The elder Morales was fatally shot in a bar brawl in 1982 at the age of 43.

Tiru Chabba was working for food service vendor Aramark when he was killed on the Florida State campus, said Michael Wukela, a spokesperson for attorneys hired by the family.

A LinkedIn profile listed Chabba as a regional vice president of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality who had worked for the company for more than two decades. The 45-year-old Greenville, South Carolina, resident was a married father of two children who had earned an MBA from The Citadel in South Carolina.

"Tiru Chabba’s family is going through the unimaginable now,” Bakari Sellers, one of the attorneys hired by the family, said in a statement. “Instead of hiding Easter eggs and visiting with friends and family, they’re living a nightmare where this loving father and devoted husband was stolen from them in an act of senseless and preventable violence.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744916940669.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation at FSU -photo courtesy WCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation at FSU -photo courtesy WCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Two people were killed and six others were injured&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-state-university-shooting-c9a33f571466ce1ab1045dafebb30b82">when a gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;at Florida State University, sending students fleeing from the student union and putting the Tallahassee, Florida, campus under lockdown.Authorities have identified the shooter as Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old Florida State student who is the stepson of a sheriff’s deputy. He began firing with his stepmother’s former service weapon before he was shot and wounded by officers when he refused to comply with commands, investigators said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745026211201.png" alt="This undated photo provided by the Strom Law Firm on Friday, April 18, 2025, shows Tiru Chaba, one of the people fatally shot on Florida State University campus. (Strom Law Firm via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This undated photo provided by the Strom Law Firm on Friday, April 18, 2025, shows Tiru Chaba, one of the people fatally shot on Florida State University campus. (Strom Law Firm via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-campus-university-shootings-america-0a9229257e46f4c9ff7a1440bef8ded1">shooting</a>, which began around lunchtime Thursday just outside the student union.Officials have also not identified the victims who died. A family member said that university employee Robert Morales was one of those who were killed. Attorneys for the family of the second victim identified him as Tiru Chabba, a food service vendor executive. Here is what we know about Morales and Chabba.<h2>Robert Morales</h2>Robert Morales was a university dining coordinator who had worked at Florida State since 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile.“Today we lost my younger Brother, he was one of the victims killed at FSU,” Ricardo Morales Jr. posted on social media late Thursday. “He loved his job at FSU and his beautiful Wife and Daughter. I’m glad you were in my life.”Morales had studied criminology at the school in the early 1990s, according to the LinkedIn profile.The profile also said he was CEO of Black Bean Food Group, though state records show that the business was dissolved a decade ago.Morales developed innovative menus, especially Cuban food, and was a former assistant football coach at nearby Leon High School, Kyle Clark, a senior vice president at FSU, said Friday afternoon at a vigil.“He didn’t just do a job. He lived the job,” Clark said. “He was a stellar person."The Morales brothers' father, Ricardo Morales, was a Cuban exile turned CIA operative in South Florida with the nickname “Monkey.” Ricardo Morales Jr. describes his father's work as a contract agent for the CIA in the forthcoming book, “Monkey Morales: The True Story of a Mythic Cuban Exile, Assassin, CIA Operative, FBI Informant, Smuggler, and Dad,” which is expected to be published later this year.“Dubbed ‘The Monkey’ for his disruptive and unpredictable escapades, Morales grabbed headlines for decades as tales of his bombings, arrests, assassination attempts (both those he executed and those he suffered), and testimony constructed a real-life spy adventure unlike anything brought to page or screen,” reads promotional material from publisher Simon &amp; Schuster.The elder Morales was fatally shot in a bar brawl in 1982 at the age of 43.<h2>Tiru Chabba</h2>Tiru Chabba was working for food service vendor Aramark when he was killed on the Florida State campus, said Michael Wukela, a spokesperson for attorneys hired by the family.A LinkedIn profile listed Chabba as a regional vice president of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality who had worked for the company for more than two decades. The 45-year-old Greenville, South Carolina, resident was a married father of two children who had earned an MBA from The Citadel in South Carolina."Tiru Chabba’s family is going through the unimaginable now,” Bakari Sellers, one of the attorneys hired by the family, said in a statement. “Instead of hiding Easter eggs and visiting with friends and family, they’re living a nightmare where this loving father and devoted husband was stolen from them in an act of senseless and preventable violence.”___

Details on the victims who died in shooting at Florida State University

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop on a bicycle.

Just after 11:30 p.m. April 15, , a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist near NW Taylor Street and NW Lyman Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, the deputy found illegal drugs and arrested 49-year-old Donald W. St Clair of Topeka. He was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department on&nbsp;charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana and the bicycle was not equipped with lamp when in use at night

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744897598539.png" alt="St. Clair photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>St. Clair photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop on a bicycle.Just after 11:30 p.m. April 15, , a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist near NW Taylor Street and NW Lyman Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, the deputy found illegal drugs and arrested 49-year-old Donald W. St Clair of Topeka. He was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department on&nbsp;charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana and the bicycle was not equipped with lamp when in use at night

Kansas bicyclist caught transporting illegal drugs

Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum

The 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills is the only historic flour mill of its kind in the Midwest that can still operate, and there’s exactly one day every year that it roars back to life for visitors to experience.

This year, that is Saturday, May 3, during the annual Millfest celebration at the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum in Lindsborg, Kan.

The main attraction is four stories of beautiful machinery in the 127-year-old mill dramatically reawakening into motion. Guided tours are available of this mechanical work of art in wood, steel and leather throughout the day

Adam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director, said he loves the diverse sensory experience every Millfest.

“It really is an unforgettable opportunity to see history in action and up close,” Pracht said. “The floors shake and rumble, you hear the rattle of gears and belts, and you can even smell the old wheat dust and oil on the air. I feel like I have time traveled to a moment out of the 19th century walking through these floors during Millfest.”

Tours run 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and cost $10 per person during Millfest, but all other museum attractions will be available by-donation. For safety reasons, tours are restricted to those 13 years old or older; but when the mill shuts down for the day at 4:45 p.m. it will be available to families with children ages 12 and younger to take a free mill tour.

For Aubrey Wheeler, Executive Director, this will be her first Millfest since she started in the chief position in August 2025. She said she is most excited for the Millfest activities and attractions beyond the Old Mill tours.

“I’ve heard so much about the Millfest, I can’t wait to see it all first-hand,” Wheeler said. “I especially am going to enjoy the front-porch music performances and interacting with baby goats!”

Music entertainment will be available on the museum front porch starting at 10 a.m. and running through 3:30 p.m. Local group the Front Porch Pickers will take the porch stage at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., while Lindsborg musician Nile Johnson returns after a hiatus in 2024 to perform at noon.

Then at 2 p.m. - new to Millfest - the Randy Baldwin Band from Salina will perform original songs and covers from the ’70s through the ’90s.

Guests can enjoy other museum activities throughout the day included in the “by-donation” admission. New this year, Millfest will include an antique tractor show sponsored by the International Harvester Collector Club (Kansas Chapter 3), and beautiful (FREE!) face painting from “Just Face It” out of Wichita from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

In the historic one-room schoolhouse, guests can decorate their own Dala Horse – a traditional Swedish symbol and the most notable symbol of Lindsborg – as long as supplies last. Traditional stick-and-hoop races and Kubb – a popular Swedish lawn game – will be on the common area lawn of Heritage Square.

When guests want to participate themselves in the celebration, they can join Lindsborg Folksdanslag at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Heritage Square green maypole (or, if the day is toasty – wherever on the square there’s some quality shade.) Join the group in traditional Swedish dance, or just sit back to watch and enjoy.

A quilt show from the McPherson Quilt Guild will be among the day’s free demonstrations, as well as vendors with handmade items for sale. Watch real blacksmithing in action, talk with representatives of The Land Institute about perennial grains and agriculture, purchase a wide variety of original artwork, see hand woodcarving from Salina Woodcarvers, and more!

When it’s time for lunch, guests can purchase burgers, street tacos and sandwiches from Paradise Eats on the main museum lawn. Several vendors will be providing more snack-like food fare, including kettle corn, baked goods, and snow cones. The museum gift shop also includes a variety of snacks, toys, books, and limited-edition collectibles to remember an unforgettable day.

Also, just off the gift shop, guests can bid on some exciting silent auction items to help support the museum’s mission – everything from artwork to gift cards (Smoky Valley Winery and Trollslända Toy Store) to baked goods to a Lenovo computer tablet! Bidding will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Finally, Millfest will also be the official opening weekend for a new temporary mini-exhibition in the main gallery of the museum. “Midwest on Ice: Fossils from the Pleistocene Prairie” includes two display cases with fossils from the “Ice Age” Pleistocene Epoch of 2.6 million years ago. The sample fossil specimens will be accompanied by fascinating information on American Midwest megafauna including the woolly mammoth, American mastodon, and ancient camel.

Lenora Lynam, Collections Manager, has helped organize and lead Millfest for decades, and said it is a rare and engaging experience. At one point, there were more than 400 small community flour mills operating in Kansas alone; today the Smoky Valley Roller Mill is the last one standing and running.

“It is always a lot of work,” she said, “But it’s all worth it to see the community come out to support local Smoky Valley history and experience the past firsthand from more than 125 years ago.”

Significant sponsorship for Millfest has been provided by:

· TACOL Thrift Shop – Lindsborg, Kansas

· Dauer Welding and Machine – Lindsborg, Kansas

· Farmers State Bank – Lindsborg, Kansas

· Pestinger Heating and AC – Lindsborg, Kansas

· Plumer Landscaping and Lindsborg Greenhouse – Lindsborg, Kansas

The museum thanks these businesses and organizations for their generosity and support of local history!

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3 Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum 120 E. Mill St., Lindsborg

$10 / person tours of the Old Mill in operation (ages 13+). Admission by donation to all other museum attractions.

Food available for purchase on museum grounds from Paradise Eats (burgers, street tacos, and sandwiches) as well as snack treats from Pop’s Kettle Corn, Lyn’s Bakery and Kona Ice.

Confirmed arts and crafts vendors and demonstrators:

· Alpaca fiber “make and take” craft by Jennifer Ebling

· Goat Milk Soap &amp; Lotion by Wind River Farms (Angela Price)

· Greenwood Spoon &amp; Bowl Carving by Jerry &amp; Ruperta Hammerton

· Jewelry, Leather, and Etc. by Sylvia Cotacachi

· Origami Models and Jewelry by Eian Pracht

The Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744981182523.jpeg" alt="Live music performance takes place during Millfest on the front porch of the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum – right beside the 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills" />
 <figcaption>Live music performance takes place during Millfest on the front porch of the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum – right beside the 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills</figcaption>
 </figure>Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage MuseumThe 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills is the only historic flour mill of its kind in the Midwest that can still operate, and there’s exactly one day every year that it roars back to life for visitors to experience.This year, that is Saturday, May 3, during the annual Millfest celebration at the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum in Lindsborg, Kan.The main attraction is four stories of beautiful machinery in the 127-year-old mill dramatically reawakening into motion. Guided tours are available of this mechanical work of art in wood, steel and leather throughout the dayAdam Pracht, Marketing and Communications Director, said he loves the diverse sensory experience every Millfest.“It really is an unforgettable opportunity to see history in action and up close,” Pracht said. “The floors shake and rumble, you hear the rattle of gears and belts, and you can even smell the old wheat dust and oil on the air. I feel like I have time traveled to a moment out of the 19th century walking through these floors during Millfest.”Tours run 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and cost $10 per person during Millfest, but all other museum attractions will be available by-donation. For safety reasons, tours are restricted to those 13 years old or older; but when the mill shuts down for the day at 4:45 p.m. it will be available to families with children ages 12 and younger to take a free mill tour.For Aubrey Wheeler, Executive Director, this will be her first Millfest since she started in the chief position in August 2025. She said she is most excited for the Millfest activities and attractions beyond the Old Mill tours.“I’ve heard so much about the Millfest, I can’t wait to see it all first-hand,” Wheeler said. “I especially am going to enjoy the front-porch music performances and interacting with baby goats!”Music entertainment will be available on the museum front porch starting at 10 a.m. and running through 3:30 p.m. Local group the Front Porch Pickers will take the porch stage at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., while Lindsborg musician Nile Johnson returns after a hiatus in 2024 to perform at noon.Then at 2 p.m. - new to Millfest - the Randy Baldwin Band from Salina will perform original songs and covers from the ’70s through the ’90s.Guests can enjoy other museum activities throughout the day included in the “by-donation” admission. New this year, Millfest will include an antique tractor show sponsored by the International Harvester Collector Club (Kansas Chapter 3), and beautiful (FREE!) face painting from “Just Face It” out of Wichita from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.In the historic one-room schoolhouse, guests can decorate their own Dala Horse – a traditional Swedish symbol and the most notable symbol of Lindsborg – as long as supplies last. Traditional stick-and-hoop races and Kubb – a popular Swedish lawn game – will be on the common area lawn of Heritage Square.When guests want to participate themselves in the celebration, they can join Lindsborg Folksdanslag at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Heritage Square green maypole (or, if the day is toasty – wherever on the square there’s some quality shade.) Join the group in traditional Swedish dance, or just sit back to watch and enjoy.A quilt show from the McPherson Quilt Guild will be among the day’s free demonstrations, as well as vendors with handmade items for sale. Watch real blacksmithing in action, talk with representatives of The Land Institute about perennial grains and agriculture, purchase a wide variety of original artwork, see hand woodcarving from Salina Woodcarvers, and more!When it’s time for lunch, guests can purchase burgers, street tacos and sandwiches from Paradise Eats on the main museum lawn. Several vendors will be providing more snack-like food fare, including kettle corn, baked goods, and snow cones. The museum gift shop also includes a variety of snacks, toys, books, and limited-edition collectibles to remember an unforgettable day.Also, just off the gift shop, guests can bid on some exciting silent auction items to help support the museum’s mission – everything from artwork to gift cards (Smoky Valley Winery and Trollslända Toy Store) to baked goods to a Lenovo computer tablet! Bidding will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Finally, Millfest will also be the official opening weekend for a new temporary mini-exhibition in the main gallery of the museum. “Midwest on Ice: Fossils from the Pleistocene Prairie” includes two display cases with fossils from the “Ice Age” Pleistocene Epoch of 2.6 million years ago. The sample fossil specimens will be accompanied by fascinating information on American Midwest megafauna including the woolly mammoth, American mastodon, and ancient camel.Lenora Lynam, Collections Manager, has helped organize and lead Millfest for decades, and said it is a rare and engaging experience. At one point, there were more than 400 small community flour mills operating in Kansas alone; today the Smoky Valley Roller Mill is the last one standing and running.“It is always a lot of work,” she said, “But it’s all worth it to see the community come out to support local Smoky Valley history and experience the past firsthand from more than 125 years ago.”Significant sponsorship for Millfest has been provided by:· Grain Craft – McPherson, Kansas· Kansas Wheat – Manhattan, Kansas· Radio Kansas – Hutchinson, Kansas· CKA Consulting – Topeka, Kansas· TACOL Thrift Shop – Lindsborg, Kansas· Ardent Mills – Denver, Colorado· Bank of Tescott – Lindsborg, Kansas· CHS Refinery – McPherson, Kansas· Dauer Welding and Machine – Lindsborg, Kansas· Farmers State Bank – Lindsborg, Kansas· Pestinger Heating and AC – Lindsborg, Kansas· Plumer Landscaping and Lindsborg Greenhouse – Lindsborg, Kansas· An anonymous donorThe museum thanks these businesses and organizations for their generosity and support of local history!<h2>Millfest 2025</h2>9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3 Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum 120 E. Mill St., Lindsborg$10 / person tours of the Old Mill in operation (ages 13+). Admission by donation to all other museum attractions.Food available for purchase on museum grounds from Paradise Eats (burgers, street tacos, and sandwiches) as well as snack treats from Pop’s Kettle Corn, Lyn’s Bakery and Kona Ice.Confirmed arts and crafts vendors and demonstrators:· Alpaca fiber “make and take” craft by Jennifer Ebling· Art Prints by Acacia Pracht· Basketweaving by Janie Tubbs· Blacksmithing by Josh Womelsdorf· Crocheted Animals by Eddie Mckoy· Goat Milk Soap &amp; Lotion by Wind River Farms (Angela Price)· Greenwood Spoon &amp; Bowl Carving by Jerry &amp; Ruperta Hammerton· Jewelry, Leather, and Etc. by Sylvia Cotacachi· The Land Institute· Origami Models and Jewelry by Eian Pracht· Scentsy Fragrances by Jeanie Murphy· Quilt Show by McPherson Quilt GuildThe Lindsborg Old Mill &amp; Swedish Heritage Museum

Lindsborg museum celebrates rare Kansas experience at Millfest on May 3

Nearing a half century since he co-founded <a href="https://landinstitute.org/">The Land Institute</a> southeast of Salina, Wes Jackson remains staunchly hinged to a “long view” of reducing climate change.

Despite being decades from mission accomplished, a celebration looms later this month in downtown Salina, with the world premiere of a documentary, “Prairie Prophecy,” starring Jackson.

A red carpet event is planned April 26 at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts that includes the 90-minute feature film, meeting the cast, Executive Producer and Director Michael Johnson, and the inspiration himself, in the flesh.

It’s part of&nbsp;Kernza®&nbsp;for Kansas 2.0: Wes Weekend.

Soil’s grand guardian is set on using perennial polycultures and natural systems agriculture to mimic the prairie, reduce or eliminate tillage, and slash carbon emissions.

“Wes Jackson, one of the most important environmentalists of the 20th and 21st centuries, spent his life pioneering a bold new approach to agriculture that challenges humanity to rethink its relationship with the Earth,” according to the film’s promotion on the Stiefel Theatre website.

But as the seasoned Kansas Wesleyan University Coyote admits, his unwavering mission requires much attention.&nbsp;

“When I first published on this, I said, ‘This is gonna take 50 to 100 years,’ and we’re not yet at 50. Most people’s time frame isn’t until the next election,” Jackson lectured during a March phone interview.

He was in a humble, relaxed, and jovial mood, showing more interest in other topics than his own storied career.

Regardless of this journey’s stage, promoters have determined it’s time to train a few hundred thousand more lumens on Jackson’s lifelong pursuits as dirt’s Dalai Lama.

The still dedicated and learned 88-year-old entrepreneur, Darwinist philosopher and PhD in genetics, chuckled at the notion that a red carpet will pave the way to the 90-minute film in downtown Salina.

Jackson is interested in the to-do list, but would prefer others with vital roles take a stroll on such a hallowed crimson walkway — from the Watson Room into the Stiefel lobby.

“There are many extraordinary people involved in the long view. Those are the ones who oughta be walking on the red carpet,” he said, “if there is a red carpet.”

Jackson confirmed viewing a “rough cut” of the documentary, but won’t yet offer an opinion.

“For now, I refuse to comment. It’s like somebody asking ‘What do you think of your kids?’ I want to know what other people think,” he said. “I don’t know what my opinion is until I’ve talked to my friends. Time has to pass before you know whether it’s good or not.”

Jackson announced his attire at the premiere will be “something between a tuxedo and bib overalls.”

While more accolades await Jackson for his life’s work, he’s still hard at it, perfecting the planet through inspiration to return to Nature’s intentions; maybe more with brain than brawn these days.

After years of work on “Prairie Prophecy,” Johnson remembers the 80-plus year-old intellectual showing off his rugged abilities during filming.

“He would stray off camera, pick up a hay bale and toss it, but we weren’t quick enough to capture it,” Johnson said. “I tried to keep my 60-something-year-old body in step with him. Even the Energizer bunny looks lazy next to this guy.”

Among Jackson’s “most impressive” traits to some is the way he communicates.

“He’ll break into song, Shakespeare, scripture or a poem,” Johnson said.

Jackson is proud to remind listeners of his memorization of every book in the Bible and all United States presidents through the Truman administration.

Earth’s future is constantly in his crosshairs. Prairie Prophecy Executive Producer and Producer Kelly Sallaway’s favorite Jackson quote drives that philosophy home: “If you are working on something you can finish in your lifetime, you’re not thinking big enough.”&nbsp;

The feature-length movie is a major happening during a weekend jammed with attractions, beginning April 25 with tours at The Land Institute, Kansas Wesleyan University’s Heartland Rift Community Resilience Hub next door, and Quail Creek Family Farms a few miles north; a film and other events from downtown Minneapolis, KS, and the next evening in the heart of Salina.

A free screening of the short movie “Beer Saves the World!” courtesy of Perennial Films, will be shown Friday night at “The Farm &amp; The Odd Fellows” coffee cafe, brew pub and event center in Minneapolis, the Ottawa County seat.

There is much to celebrate, now that&nbsp;Kernza®, a perennial wheatgrass, has made some necessary strides toward joining the mainstream of feeding folks; claiming space on a growing number of menus in homes, restaurants, and breweries.

It was a natural for “Prairie Prophecy” to premiere in Salina, said Sallaway, of Scottsdale, AZ.

The film is co-promoted by The Land Institute, Sustain-A-Grain, a major promoter, distributor and developer of&nbsp;Kernza® products,&nbsp;Kansas Wesleyan University and San Diego-based Perennial Films, which specializes in environmental documentaries.

“Prairie Prophecy” is “about the life and life’s work of Wes Jackson,” according to the Stiefel Theatre website.

“He deserves a movie,” said Sallaway, who wonders if Jackson shares DNA with Albert Einstein and Will Rogers.

“Wes is definitely a character,” she said.

Jackson superlatives are splattered like spring bugs on windshields when admirers expound on his wisdom and prowess. “Prairie Prophecy” is one more fine example.

“It is truly a love letter from Micheal Johnson to Wes Jackson,” said Tammy Kimbler, chief communications officer for The Land Institute.

“In a gracious way, it really personifies what Wes means to many generations of people whom he inspired,” she said.

There are many stars in the effort to carry the story forward, but the deep roots lead back to the burly bespectacled Kansas thinker.

“What’s so cool about the Wes Jackson documentary is that it’s really a bridge to the origin of The Land Institute, to the movement that was inspired, but also the future,” Kimbler said. “This is an amazing passing of the torch to a whole new generation.”

Those include Sustain-A-Grain, a key distributor and marketer, KWU, “new iterations of the Land Institute,” she said, and many others in Kansas and around the world, where all sorts of perennial crops are being developed and studied.

“It’s a fabulous affectionate collage of Wes’s most impactful ideas, about reconciling the human economy with nature’s economy. Those are the foundations of The Land Institute,” said Rachel Stroer, president of the nonprofit research center at 2440 E. Water Well Road.&nbsp;

“It’s nice to have that memorialized in this film,” she said.

Another goal of “Prairie Prophecy,” Johnson said, “is to&nbsp;