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

TOPEKA — Senate Republicans are taking an effort to make the Kansas Supreme Court an elected office, dismantling a decades-old merit-based nomination system for justices that voters put in place after a notorious scandal.

The move is largely a response to a high court decision establishing the right to terminate a pregnancy and three decades of court-imposed compliance with a constitutional mandate to provide suitable funding for public schools.

If adopted with two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and House,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1611</a>&nbsp;would place a loaded question before voters on the 2026 general election ballot. The question would ask voters to replace the current nominating commission, “whose membership consists of a majority of lawyers,” with direct election of justices. The seven justice seats would be divided among the 2028, 2030 and 2032 elections, and terms would last six years.

Republicans and special interest groups that align with Republicans favor the change, which they say would shift power from an elitist organization to the people. Opponents raise concerns about reshaping the court through partisan politics and the dark money that dominates political campaigns.

“It’s putting politics where they belong,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican. “They’re going to tell you, ‘Oh, it’s putting politics in the system.’ Politics are in the system. That’s the worst kind of politics. It’s veiled. It’s in the black box, you know, behind the closed door.”

Under the current system, the&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/Judges/Become-a-Judge/Supreme-Court-Nominating-Commission" target="_blank">Supreme Court Nominating Commission</a>&nbsp;reviews applications for a vacancy and sends three finalists to the governor, who makes the appointment from those three finalists.

The commission members include one lawyer and one nonlawyer from each of the state’s four congressional districts, plus an additional lawyer who serves as chair. Kansas Bar Association members elect the lawyers who serve on the commission, and the governor appoints the nonlawyers.

The commission considers experience, education, ethics, temperament, community service, impartiality and respect of colleagues when selecting the three nominees to send to the governor.

Each justice faces a retention vote in the next general election after appointment, and again every six years.

The system was put in place following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/kansas-stories/people/tv-the-triple-play-and-the-man-from-dodge" target="_blank">a 1950s political scandal known as “the triple play.”</a>

Gov. Fred Hall, viewed as liberal Republican for the era, was defeated in the 1956 primary after a single two-year term. Democrat George Docking won in the general election.

Chief Justice Bill Smith, a supporter of Hall who was prepared to retire, decided to step down before Docking took office so that Hall could resign and take his seat. Smith and Hall resigned on the same day, allowing Lt. Gov. John McCuish to be sworn in as governor and appoint Hall to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

Hall resigned from the court the following year so he could run again for governor, but again lost in the GOP primary.

During the 1957 session, the Legislature passed a constitutional amendment that established the current merit-based system. About 70% of voters approved the constitutional amendment in 1958.

In recent years, Republicans scrutinized the system in frustration over Kansas Supreme Court decisions that require the Legislature to adequately and equitably fund public schools. The 2019 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion, and voters’ rejection of a constitutional amendment on abortion in 2022, fueled renewed interest in abolishing the merit-based system for nominating Supreme Court justices.

But Republicans haven’t been able to agree on whether to support the election of justices or adopt the federal model, where high court appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

In a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, attorney Josh Ney noted that no Supreme Court justice in the past 22 years had retired while a Republican was governor. Democratic governors have selected all but one of the justices during that period, with&nbsp;Republican Gov. Sam Brownback appointing his chief counsel, Caleb Steagall, to the court to fill a vacancy by a justice who was appointed to a federal court seat.

“We have traded the triple play for systemic double plays,” Ney said.

Fred Logan, who appeared before the committee on behalf of the Kansas Bar Association, said Kansas voters “knew exactly what they were doing in 1958 when they installed the merit selection process.”

He pointed to the fact that no justice has lost a retention vote as evidence that the process works.

Blake Shuart, an attorney with the Wichita-based Hutton Law Firm, said lawyers in the state want to protect a system that has served their clients well, win or lose.

In the past year, Shuart said, the Kansas Supreme Court has issued decisions on 31 criminal cases, seven attorney discipline matters, three individuals who were seeking compensation for wrongful conviction, and cases dealing with parentage, tax valuations, a zoning code, a gambling license, a public nuisance issue between two farmers, and other matters.

“This is not a day in, day out job by our justices to press the lever on state politics, decide elections, school funding, reproductive rights, or any other things,” Shuart said. “Those cases do come around every so often, but what they do every day, week and month of the year, is roll up their sleeves, read briefs, learn cases, ask good questions, listen to good lawyers, argue, deliberate, decide cases fairly based on even-handed application of the facts to the law, and then they sit down and have to write a long opinion.”

Rashane Hamby, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the proposed resolution would inject politics into the courts and erode public trust in the judiciary.

The change would threaten the rule of law, weaken separation of powers, and allow special interests to influence the highest court.

“The Supreme Court should not be for sale to the highest bidder,” Hamby said. “If this passes, it will be a radical departure from Kansas’ longstanding commitment to judicial independence.”

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, said justices in the past have run TV ads supporting a retention vote, which means money is already a factor. The ads she referenced were actually paid for and produced by entities that support the justices, not the justices themselves.

Logan, who has practiced law for 48 years, told Tyson the limited ads she had seen would be amplified with “huge sums of money” if justices were elected.

“Let’s not kid ourselves,” Logan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740601607106.jpeg" alt=" Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert delivers her State of the Judiciary speech on Jan. 15, 2025, in the House Chamber. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, left, and Senate President Ty Masterson listen to her speech. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert delivers her State of the Judiciary speech on Jan. 15, 2025, in the House Chamber. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, left, and Senate President Ty Masterson listen to her speech. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Senate Republicans are taking an effort to make the Kansas Supreme Court an elected office, dismantling a decades-old merit-based nomination system for justices that voters put in place after a notorious scandal.The move is largely a response to a high court decision establishing the right to terminate a pregnancy and three decades of court-imposed compliance with a constitutional mandate to provide suitable funding for public schools.If adopted with two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and House,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1611/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1611</a>&nbsp;would place a loaded question before voters on the 2026 general election ballot. The question would ask voters to replace the current nominating commission, “whose membership consists of a majority of lawyers,” with direct election of justices. The seven justice seats would be divided among the 2028, 2030 and 2032 elections, and terms would last six years.Republicans and special interest groups that align with Republicans favor the change, which they say would shift power from an elitist organization to the people. Opponents raise concerns about reshaping the court through partisan politics and the dark money that dominates political campaigns.“It’s putting politics where they belong,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican. “They’re going to tell you, ‘Oh, it’s putting politics in the system.’ Politics are in the system. That’s the worst kind of politics. It’s veiled. It’s in the black box, you know, behind the closed door.”Under the current system, the&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/Judges/Become-a-Judge/Supreme-Court-Nominating-Commission" target="_blank">Supreme Court Nominating Commission</a>&nbsp;reviews applications for a vacancy and sends three finalists to the governor, who makes the appointment from those three finalists.The commission members include one lawyer and one nonlawyer from each of the state’s four congressional districts, plus an additional lawyer who serves as chair. Kansas Bar Association members elect the lawyers who serve on the commission, and the governor appoints the nonlawyers.The commission considers experience, education, ethics, temperament, community service, impartiality and respect of colleagues when selecting the three nominees to send to the governor.Each justice faces a retention vote in the next general election after appointment, and again every six years.<h2>The triple play</h2>The system was put in place following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/kansas-stories/people/tv-the-triple-play-and-the-man-from-dodge" target="_blank">a 1950s political scandal known as “the triple play.”</a>Gov. Fred Hall, viewed as liberal Republican for the era, was defeated in the 1956 primary after a single two-year term. Democrat George Docking won in the general election.Chief Justice Bill Smith, a supporter of Hall who was prepared to retire, decided to step down before Docking took office so that Hall could resign and take his seat. Smith and Hall resigned on the same day, allowing Lt. Gov. John McCuish to be sworn in as governor and appoint Hall to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.Hall resigned from the court the following year so he could run again for governor, but again lost in the GOP primary.During the 1957 session, the Legislature passed a constitutional amendment that established the current merit-based system. About 70% of voters approved the constitutional amendment in 1958.In recent years, Republicans scrutinized the system in frustration over Kansas Supreme Court decisions that require the Legislature to adequately and equitably fund public schools. The 2019 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion, and voters’ rejection of a constitutional amendment on abortion in 2022, fueled renewed interest in abolishing the merit-based system for nominating Supreme Court justices.But Republicans haven’t been able to agree on whether to support the election of justices or adopt the federal model, where high court appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.In a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, attorney Josh Ney noted that no Supreme Court justice in the past 22 years had retired while a Republican was governor. Democratic governors have selected all but one of the justices during that period, with&nbsp;Republican Gov. Sam Brownback appointing his chief counsel, Caleb Steagall, to the court to fill a vacancy by a justice who was appointed to a federal court seat.“We have traded the triple play for systemic double plays,” Ney said.<h2>The opposition</h2>Fred Logan, who appeared before the committee on behalf of the Kansas Bar Association, said Kansas voters “knew exactly what they were doing in 1958 when they installed the merit selection process.”He pointed to the fact that no justice has lost a retention vote as evidence that the process works.“I trust Kansas voters,” Logan said.Blake Shuart, an attorney with the Wichita-based Hutton Law Firm, said lawyers in the state want to protect a system that has served their clients well, win or lose.In the past year, Shuart said, the Kansas Supreme Court has issued decisions on 31 criminal cases, seven attorney discipline matters, three individuals who were seeking compensation for wrongful conviction, and cases dealing with parentage, tax valuations, a zoning code, a gambling license, a public nuisance issue between two farmers, and other matters.“This is not a day in, day out job by our justices to press the lever on state politics, decide elections, school funding, reproductive rights, or any other things,” Shuart said. “Those cases do come around every so often, but what they do every day, week and month of the year, is roll up their sleeves, read briefs, learn cases, ask good questions, listen to good lawyers, argue, deliberate, decide cases fairly based on even-handed application of the facts to the law, and then they sit down and have to write a long opinion.”Rashane Hamby, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the proposed resolution would inject politics into the courts and erode public trust in the judiciary.The change would threaten the rule of law, weaken separation of powers, and allow special interests to influence the highest court.“The Supreme Court should not be for sale to the highest bidder,” Hamby said. “If this passes, it will be a radical departure from Kansas’ longstanding commitment to judicial independence.”Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, said justices in the past have run TV ads supporting a retention vote, which means money is already a factor. The ads she referenced were actually paid for and produced by entities that support the justices, not the justices themselves.Logan, who has practiced law for 48 years, told Tyson the limited ads she had seen would be amplified with “huge sums of money” if justices were elected.“Let’s not kid ourselves,” Logan said.

Kan. Senate Republicans take up plan to rewrite constitution to elect Supreme Court justices

WASHINGTON (AP) —Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins rolled out the five-part plan Wednesday but acknowledged it could take some time before consumers see an effect at the checkout counter.

The plan calls for $500 million investment to help farmers bolster biosecurity measures, $400 million in aid for farmers whose flocks have been impacted by avian flu, $100 million to research and potentially develop vaccines and therapeutics for U.S. chicken flocks and explore rolling back what the administration sees as restrictive animal welfare rules in some states.

The administration is also in talks to import about 70 million to 100 million eggs from other countries in the coming months, Rollins said.

Rollins said the administration is anticipating egg prices could still further climb heading toward the Easter holiday, a time when demand has been historically high.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740583336203.png" alt="Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins -image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins -image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins rolled out the five-part plan Wednesday but acknowledged it could take some time before consumers see an effect at the checkout counter.The plan calls for $500 million investment to help farmers bolster biosecurity measures, $400 million in aid for farmers whose flocks have been impacted by avian flu, $100 million to research and potentially develop vaccines and therapeutics for U.S. chicken flocks and explore rolling back what the administration sees as restrictive animal welfare rules in some states.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">&quot;I&#39;ve got a fancy handy dandy chart. Let me grab that. Perfect. Alright, ya&#39;ll want to talk eggs? Let&#39;s do it!&quot; -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins <a href="https://t.co/qNh29iLM35">pic.twitter.com/qNh29iLM35</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1894761239101763628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">&quot;The average dozen eggs in California is $9.58. And it&#39;s five dollars around the country. &quot; Prop 12 &quot;really caused prices to go up. And it didn&#39;t just affect California. It affects the rest of the country.&quot; -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins <a href="https://t.co/5HNTr8vJz0">pic.twitter.com/5HNTr8vJz0</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1894763992763036140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The administration is also in talks to import about 70 million to 100 million eggs from other countries in the coming months, Rollins said.Rollins said the administration is anticipating egg prices could still further climb heading toward the Easter holiday, a time when demand has been historically high.

🎥New Ag Secretary has a plan to combat surging egg prices

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent attack on a juvenile.

Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to 811 E. Iron Avenue in Salina for a report of a battery, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman. First responders made contact with two 11-year-old boys and a 12-year-old boy.

The juveniles reported they had been playing basketball with a man later identified as 21-year-old River Norberg. During the game, an exchange of “trash talk” escalated, and Norberg allegedly tackled one of the 11-year-olds, putting him in a chokehold that restricted his breathing. 

A 12-year-old boy intervened and pulled Norberg off the victim, but Norberg allegedly attacked the 11-year-old again, placing him in another chokehold.

The 11-year-old also sustained a scratch above his right eye and reported that Norberg struck him several times on the top of his head. The other two juveniles managed to pull Norberg off the victim before he fled the scene, according Feldman.

Officers located Norberg several blocks away and took him into custody without incident. He was booked into jail on a requested charge of aggravated battery. The juveniles were released to their parents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740592416432.png" alt="Nordberg-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Nordberg-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent attack on a juvenile.Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to 811 E. Iron Avenue in Salina for a report of a battery, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman. First responders made contact with two 11-year-old boys and a 12-year-old boy.The juveniles reported they had been playing basketball with a man later identified as 21-year-old River Norberg. During the game, an exchange of “trash talk” escalated, and Norberg allegedly tackled one of the 11-year-olds, putting him in a chokehold that restricted his breathing. A 12-year-old boy intervened and pulled Norberg off the victim, but Norberg allegedly attacked the 11-year-old again, placing him in another chokehold.The 11-year-old also sustained a scratch above his right eye and reported that Norberg struck him several times on the top of his head. The other two juveniles managed to pull Norberg off the victim before he fled the scene, according Feldman.Officers located Norberg several blocks away and took him into custody without incident. He was booked into jail on a requested charge of aggravated battery. The juveniles were released to their parents.

Kansas man accused of assault of juvenile at playground

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Voters in Wichita USD 259, the state's largest school district, voted against a $450 million bond issue on Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Sedgwick County Election office released updated vote totals.

The district hoped to use the money to provide updated career   training facilities, reduce costs by retiring old buildings and "strengthen schools and the city for the future."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740537506178.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Voters in Wichita USD 259, the state's largest school district, voted against a $450 million bond issue on Tuesday.On Wednesday afternoon, the Sedgwick County Election office released updated vote totals.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740603285007.png" alt="-Unofficial results from the Sedgwick County Election office" />
 <figcaption>-Unofficial results from the Sedgwick County Election office</figcaption>
 </figure>The district hoped to use the money to provide updated career training facilities, reduce costs by retiring old buildings and "strengthen schools and the city for the future."

New vote total: Largest school district in Kan. rejects $450 million bond issue

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A child who was not vaccinated has died from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">measles in West Texas</a>, the first death in an outbreak that began late last month and the first from measles in the U.S. since 2015.

The death was a “school-aged child who was not vaccinated” and had been hospitalized last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday in a statement.

Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center spokesperson Melissa Whitfield first confirmed the death, which happened overnight, to The Associated Press on Wednesday morning.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mmr-vaccine-homeschooling-b29d08d53cf26704968e8c00dfa712ba">measles outbreak</a>&nbsp;in rural West Texas has grown to 124 cases across nine counties, which state health officials have said is Texas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mmr-vaccine-homeschooling-b29d08d53cf26704968e8c00dfa712ba">largest in nearly 30 years</a>. There are also nine cases in eastern New Mexico.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed this is the first measles death in the country since 2015. Measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019, and there was a rise in cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

The outbreak is largely spreading in the Mennonite community in West Texas, where small towns are separated by vast stretches of oil rig-dotted open land but connected due to people traveling between towns for work, church, grocery shopping and other errands.

Texas health department data shows the vast majority of cases in the area are among people younger than 18. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — which is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe cases — is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old for the first shot, with the second coming between 4 and 6 years old.

The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide. But the measles cases in West Texas have been concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community, state health department spokesperson Lara Anton has said, especially among families who attend small private religious schools or are homeschooled.

Gaines County, which has 80 cases, has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year.

Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">new federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;said a panel would investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles and other dangerous diseases.

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#:~:text=Measles%20is%20one%20of%20the,breathes%2C%20coughs%2C%20or%20sneezes.">according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>&nbsp;Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is providing “technical assistance, laboratory support and vaccines as needed” to West Texas, the agency told the AP, but the state health department is taking the lead in the outbreak investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740586421445.png" alt="Image Texas Dept. of Health Services" />
 <figcaption>Image Texas Dept. of Health Services</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A child who was not vaccinated has died from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">measles in West Texas</a>, the first death in an outbreak that began late last month and the first from measles in the U.S. since 2015.The death was a “school-aged child who was not vaccinated” and had been hospitalized last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday in a statement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740583865667.png" alt="A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center spokesperson Melissa Whitfield first confirmed the death, which happened overnight, to The Associated Press on Wednesday morning.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mmr-vaccine-homeschooling-b29d08d53cf26704968e8c00dfa712ba">measles outbreak</a>&nbsp;in rural West Texas has grown to 124 cases across nine counties, which state health officials have said is Texas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mmr-vaccine-homeschooling-b29d08d53cf26704968e8c00dfa712ba">largest in nearly 30 years</a>. There are also nine cases in eastern New Mexico.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed this is the first measles death in the country since 2015. Measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019, and there was a rise in cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>The outbreak is largely spreading in the Mennonite community in West Texas, where small towns are separated by vast stretches of oil rig-dotted open land but connected due to people traveling between towns for work, church, grocery shopping and other errands.Texas health department data shows the vast majority of cases in the area are among people younger than 18. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — which is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe cases — is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old for the first shot, with the second coming between 4 and 6 years old.The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide. But the measles cases in West Texas have been concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community, state health department spokesperson Lara Anton has said, especially among families who attend small private religious schools or are homeschooled.Gaines County, which has 80 cases, has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year.Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">new federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;said a panel would investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles and other dangerous diseases.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#:~:text=Measles%20is%20one%20of%20the,breathes%2C%20coughs%2C%20or%20sneezes.">according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>&nbsp;Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740586551644.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is providing “technical assistance, laboratory support and vaccines as needed” to West Texas, the agency told the AP, but the state health department is taking the lead in the outbreak investigation.

Unvaccinated child has died in the Texas measles outbreak

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

Just before 5:30a.m. February 7, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary in progress at Brooks Yamaha, in the 8000 block of East Highway 24,  Manhattan, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, according to a media release.

 Deputies arrived on scene and were able to determine that several subjects in a U-Haul truck had gained entry to the building and stolen multiple motorcycles before fleeing the area a few minutes later.

      The U-Haul truck was located in Wabaunsee County later that morning and following a pursuit by the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office, the U-Haul was abandoned and the driver fled on foot. 

Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office Detective’s responded to the scene and it was determined that the U-Haul had been stolen out of Kansas City. 

The stolen U-Haul and stolen motorcycles were recovered and later returned to their respective owners. Several hours later the driver was apprehended at a private residence in Shawnee County. 

 The driver was arrested by the Kansas Highway Patrol and transported to the Wabaunsee County Jail on local charges. Pottawatomie County Sheriff Office Detectives responded to the Wabaunsee County Jail and interviewed the driver, identified as Omar Ocampo Jr., 23, of Kansas City, Missouri, and were able to determine probable cause for an arrest to be made. 

     On February 14, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office Detective’s picked up Ocampo from the Wabaunsee County Jail and transported him to the Pottawatomie County Jail on charges of Burglary, theft and criminal damage to property. 

Ocampo is being held on a bond of $100,000. 

Anyone with information on our case is asked to contact Sgt. Young or Detective Butler at the Sheriff’s Office at 785-457-3353 reference case number 2025-0748, or leave a tip on our Crime-Stoppers link at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ptsheriff.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1zvgWpDvPacP1dlQCbuek075gLZaYqWsXu3JS5EUQcIYpYCSLk20Ev3YI_aem_mPbekqwOYHHHbi0tJLKXhA&amp;h=AT3QfEfpM5o0_vr-8leyJezK-Urc8lB1pKs7kybVlgxN3aU4pLcIorJcfBSt-KJz2uQ_1LwEp8HJfiZ4_wN1aARKU2-oVU4yZPjjqxRd4tiBDNSgQdq96rXo-IN3Rnv9U9qIRcc&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT18Nu4XtL53d-6sImMUFnzjnYCuy6JGDASY-zaGAK37I8t3Kfasg2-5GeGrr9qUYd4Q3Xw3FscC1CmtGonTGs6IAVu5YgfNmkFTPObSRK3cLrhr8qzSAbscrCxVqbmclaKUL5crxPkSLraarlmhzje9ncu2s7btoHt_tkbgaOhjxnen_WjvalVuvleoDYWm6GE9vIXG6s9xDt9VNvmucJKQu70" target="_blank">www.ptsheriff.com.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740576851093.png" alt="Ocampo photo Pottawatomie Co." />
 <figcaption>Ocampo photo Pottawatomie Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.Just before 5:30a.m. February 7, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary in progress at Brooks Yamaha, in the 8000 block of East Highway 24, Manhattan, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740582077468.png" alt="photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure> Deputies arrived on scene and were able to determine that several subjects in a U-Haul truck had gained entry to the building and stolen multiple motorcycles before fleeing the area a few minutes later. The U-Haul truck was located in Wabaunsee County later that morning and following a pursuit by the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office, the U-Haul was abandoned and the driver fled on foot. Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office Detective’s responded to the scene and it was determined that the U-Haul had been stolen out of Kansas City. The stolen U-Haul and stolen motorcycles were recovered and later returned to their respective owners. Several hours later the driver was apprehended at a private residence in Shawnee County. The driver was arrested by the Kansas Highway Patrol and transported to the Wabaunsee County Jail on local charges. Pottawatomie County Sheriff Office Detectives responded to the Wabaunsee County Jail and interviewed the driver, identified as Omar Ocampo Jr., 23, of Kansas City, Missouri, and were able to determine probable cause for an arrest to be made. On February 14, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office Detective’s picked up Ocampo from the Wabaunsee County Jail and transported him to the Pottawatomie County Jail on charges of Burglary, theft and criminal damage to property. Ocampo is being held on a bond of $100,000. Anyone with information on our case is asked to contact Sgt. Young or Detective Butler at the Sheriff’s Office at 785-457-3353 reference case number 2025-0748, or leave a tip on our Crime-Stoppers link at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ptsheriff.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1zvgWpDvPacP1dlQCbuek075gLZaYqWsXu3JS5EUQcIYpYCSLk20Ev3YI_aem_mPbekqwOYHHHbi0tJLKXhA&amp;h=AT3QfEfpM5o0_vr-8leyJezK-Urc8lB1pKs7kybVlgxN3aU4pLcIorJcfBSt-KJz2uQ_1LwEp8HJfiZ4_wN1aARKU2-oVU4yZPjjqxRd4tiBDNSgQdq96rXo-IN3Rnv9U9qIRcc&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT18Nu4XtL53d-6sImMUFnzjnYCuy6JGDASY-zaGAK37I8t3Kfasg2-5GeGrr9qUYd4Q3Xw3FscC1CmtGonTGs6IAVu5YgfNmkFTPObSRK3cLrhr8qzSAbscrCxVqbmclaKUL5crxPkSLraarlmhzje9ncu2s7btoHt_tkbgaOhjxnen_WjvalVuvleoDYWm6GE9vIXG6s9xDt9VNvmucJKQu70" target="_blank">www.ptsheriff.com.</a>

Kansas burglary suspect who ran from stolen U-Haul is jailed on $100K bond

LONDON (AP) — Apple is fixing a bug within the dictation feature on some iPhones that briefly suggests the word “Trump” when a word with an R consonant is spoken, including “racist.”

The company is responding to the controversy after some iPhone owners posted videos on social media this week to detail how the glitch works.

When users activated the dictation feature and said the word “racist,” the word “Trump” appears in the text window before quickly being replaced by the correct word, according to various videos posted online.

“We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The company said that the speech recognition models that power the voice-to-text feature might show words with some phonetic overlap.

It also said that other words that have an “r” consonant were also erroneously triggering the bug. The Associated Press could not duplicate the problem on Wednesday, a day after it emerged.

This week the company announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">plan to invest more than $500 billion</a>&nbsp;and hire 20,000 people in the United States over the next four years as well as build a new factory in Texas, amid Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on imports. Separately, Apple shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-dei-shareholder-proposal-annual-meeting-96637c8d4fa3d5e2a73dc59a59c2485b">rebuffed an attempt</a>&nbsp;to pressure the company into joining Trump’s push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740578182045.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Apple is fixing a bug within the dictation feature on some iPhones that briefly suggests the word “Trump” when a word with an R consonant is spoken, including “racist.”The company is responding to the controversy after some iPhone owners posted videos on social media this week to detail how the glitch works.When users activated the dictation feature and said the word “racist,” the word “Trump” appears in the text window before quickly being replaced by the correct word, according to various videos posted online.“We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday.The company said that the speech recognition models that power the voice-to-text feature might show words with some phonetic overlap.It also said that other words that have an “r” consonant were also erroneously triggering the bug. The Associated Press could not duplicate the problem on Wednesday, a day after it emerged.This week the company announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">plan to invest more than $500 billion</a>&nbsp;and hire 20,000 people in the United States over the next four years as well as build a new factory in Texas, amid Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on imports. Separately, Apple shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-dei-shareholder-proposal-annual-meeting-96637c8d4fa3d5e2a73dc59a59c2485b">rebuffed an attempt</a>&nbsp;to pressure the company into joining Trump’s push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.

Apple to fix iPhone dictation bug that replaces word ‘racist’ with ‘Trump’

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a robbery have a suspect in custody.

On Tuesday night, police in Overland Park&nbsp;responded to an armed robbery at a business in the 7400 block of Shawnee Mission Parkway, according to a social media report.

Police located a suspect and officers engaged in a vehicle pursuit that traveled into Missouri.  The suspect was taken into custody in Lee's Summit.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or possible charges.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a robbery have a suspect in custody.On Tuesday night, police in Overland Park&nbsp;responded to an armed robbery at a business in the 7400 block of Shawnee Mission Parkway, according to a social media report.Police located a suspect and officers engaged in a vehicle pursuit that traveled into Missouri. The suspect was taken into custody in Lee's Summit.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect or possible charges.

Kansas armed robbery suspect caught after high-speed chase

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a push from President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-milei-melania-87b81b22e066617beafc6d5f08b2622d">Donald Trump</a>, House Republicans sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-budget-blueprint-trump-tax-cuts-ff2bddf31f4e7cb0928139072392a091">a GOP budget blueprint</a>&nbsp;to passage Tuesday, a step toward delivering his “big, beautiful bill” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-democrats-doge-ukraine-2d107f2e28c02b35cc74f876a4d946e0">opposition from Democrats</a>&nbsp;and discomfort among Republicans.

House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;had almost no votes to spare in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-results-mike-johnson-5103c8b5c0ef03a1e61a1c0f9ca3dd4f">bare-bones GOP majority</a>&nbsp;and fought on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — to advance the party’s signature legislative package. Trump made calls to wayward GOP lawmakers and invited Republicans to the White House.

The vote was 217-215, with a single Republican and all Democrats including Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids opposed.&nbsp;GOP members of the Kansas House delegation voted for the measure and the outcome was in jeopardy until the gavel.

“On a vote like this, you’re always going to have people you’re talking to all the way through the close of the vote,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the roll call.

“We got it done,” the speaker said afterward

“On a vote like this, you’re always going to have people you’re talking to all the way through the close of the vote,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the roll call. “It’s that tight.”

Passage of the package is crucial to kickstarting the process. Trump wants the Republicans who control Congress to approve a massive bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-jobs-act-trump-treasury-agenda-f4031196e0d69d0a1630e3b06b6d3cd7">extend tax breaks</a>, which he secured during his first term but are expiring later this year, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">cutting spending</a>&nbsp;across federal programs and services.

Next steps are long and cumbersome before anything can become law — weeks of committee hearings to draft the details and send the House version to the Senate, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-trump-tax-cuts-deportations-48f6565ccb0fd6002734dbb5c3c3ffb7">Republicans passed their own scaled-back version</a>. And more big votes are ahead, including an unrelated deal to prevent a government shutdown when federal funding expires March 14. Those talks are also underway.

It's all unfolding amid emerging backlash to what's happening elsewhere as billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk is tearing through federal agencies with his Department of Government Efficiency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-57671a76f22d5398a3c794e29e350082">firing thousands of workers</a>&nbsp;nationwide, and angry voters are starting to confront lawmakers at town hall meetings back home.

Democrats during an afternoon debate decried the package as a “betrayal” to Americans, a “blueprint for American decline” and simply a “Republican rip-off.”

“Our very way of life as a country is under assault,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on the steps of the Capitol.

Flanked by Americans who said they would be hurt by cuts to Medicaid and other social programs, the Democrats booed the GOP budget blueprint. But as the minority party, they don't have the votes to stop it.

Slashing government is not always popular at home

Even as they press ahead, Republicans are running into a familiar problem: Slashing federal spending is typically easier said than done. With cuts to the Pentagon and other programs largely off limits, much of the other government outlays go for health care, food stamps, student loans and programs relied on by their constituents.

Several Republican lawmakers worry that scope of the cuts being eyed — particularly some $880 billion to the committee that handles health care spending, including Medicaid, for example, or $230 billion to the agriculture committee that funds food stamps — will be too harmful to their constituents back home.

GOP leaders insist Medicaid is not specifically listed in the initial 60-page budget framework, which is true. Johnson and his leadership team also told lawmakers they would have plenty of time to debate the details as they shape the final package.

But lawmakers wanted assurances the health care program and others will be protected as the plans are developed and merged with the Senate in the weeks to come.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">Mike Lawler</a>, R-N.Y., said Trump has promised he would not allow Medicaid to be cut.

“The president was clear about that. I was clear about that," Lawler said. “We will work through this, but the objective today is to begin the process.”

At the same time, GOP deficit hawks are withholding support until they are convinced it won't add to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbo-budget-outlook-treasury-26b1fc8a13af4537b72660c4a478dd97">nation's $36 trillion debt load</a>. They warn it will pile onto debt because the cost of the tax breaks — at least $4.5 trillion over the decade outweighs the $2 trillion in spending cuts to government programs.

Trump was set to met with several Republicans Tuesday at the White House, including Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz. who joined a group of GOP lawmakers from the Congressional Hispanic Conference raising concerns about protecting Medicaid, food stamps and Pell grants for college.

“While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Trump's</a>&nbsp;agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation,” wrote Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and several others GOP lawmakers from the Hispanic Conference.

Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives">the House</a>&nbsp;and the Senate vow to keep fighting the whole process. “This is not what people want,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a rules debate ahead of planned votes.

“We all know that trickle-down economics,” he said about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax breaks</a>&nbsp;that flowed mainly to the wealthy, “don’t work.”

Trump has signaled a preference for “big” bill but also appears to enjoy a competition between the House and the Senate, lawmakers said, as he pits the Republicans against each other to see which version will emerge.

Senate Republicans, wary that Johnson can lift his bill over the finish line, launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-trump-tax-cuts-deportations-48f6565ccb0fd6002734dbb5c3c3ffb7">their own $340 billion package</a>&nbsp;last week. It’s focused on sending Trump money his administration needs for its deportation and border security agenda now, with plans to tackle the tax cuts separately later this year.

“I’m holding my breath. I’m crossing my fingers," said Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ernst-tillis-cassidy-cornyn-graham-musk-9a70ea4d8f1f75d5f3f62689da430b50">John Cornyn</a>, R-Texas, who said he is rooting for the House's approach as the better option. "I think a one-shot is their best opportunity.”

Johnson, whose party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">lost seats</a>&nbsp;in last November’s election, commands&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-results-mike-johnson-5103c8b5c0ef03a1e61a1c0f9ca3dd4f">one of the thinnest majorities</a>&nbsp;in modern history, which means he must keep almost every Republican in line or risk losing the vote.

The budget is being compiled during a lengthy process that first sends instructions to the various House and Senate committees, which will then have several weeks to devise more detailed plans for additional debate and votes.

Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, said with economic growth assumptions, from 1.8% as projected by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to 2.6% as projected by House Republicans, the package would generate about $2.6 trillion in savings over 10 years and would ensure the plan helps reduce the deficit.

Some fiscal advocacy groups view the GOP’s economic projections as overly optimistic.

Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam and Stephen Groves contributed reporting.

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives">https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740533392238.png" alt="Counting votes on the House floor Tuesday evening-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Counting votes on the House floor Tuesday evening-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With a push from President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-trump-milei-melania-87b81b22e066617beafc6d5f08b2622d">Donald Trump</a>, House Republicans sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-budget-blueprint-trump-tax-cuts-ff2bddf31f4e7cb0928139072392a091">a GOP budget blueprint</a>&nbsp;to passage Tuesday, a step toward delivering his “big, beautiful bill” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-democrats-doge-ukraine-2d107f2e28c02b35cc74f876a4d946e0">opposition from Democrats</a>&nbsp;and discomfort among Republicans.House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;had almost no votes to spare in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-results-mike-johnson-5103c8b5c0ef03a1e61a1c0f9ca3dd4f">bare-bones GOP majority</a>&nbsp;and fought on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — to advance the party’s signature legislative package. Trump made calls to wayward GOP lawmakers and invited Republicans to the White House.The vote was 217-215, with a single Republican and all Democrats including Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids opposed.&nbsp;GOP members of the Kansas House delegation voted for the measure and the outcome was in jeopardy until the gavel.“On a vote like this, you’re always going to have people you’re talking to all the way through the close of the vote,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the roll call.“We got it done,” the speaker said afterward<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> following budget resolution vote: &quot;We got it done...This is the first important step...we have a lot of hard work ahead of us...Lot of work yet to be done, but we&#39;re going to celebrate tonight. We&#39;ll roll up our sleeves and get right back at it in the morning.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/B0XO7A3WcH">pic.twitter.com/B0XO7A3WcH</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1894562651625103613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“On a vote like this, you’re always going to have people you’re talking to all the way through the close of the vote,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the roll call. “It’s that tight.”Passage of the package is crucial to kickstarting the process. Trump wants the Republicans who control Congress to approve a massive bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-jobs-act-trump-treasury-agenda-f4031196e0d69d0a1630e3b06b6d3cd7">extend tax breaks</a>, which he secured during his first term but are expiring later this year, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">cutting spending</a>&nbsp;across federal programs and services.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Today I was proud to speak in support of and vote for the House budget resolution. Passing this bill is a critical first step that enables us to restore and secure our nation, both physically and financially, and extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to avoid a $2,200 tax increase in… <a href="https://t.co/W3xTJfeSoS">pic.twitter.com/W3xTJfeSoS</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1894564780943237565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I voted to unlock the budget reconciliation process and advance President Trump&#39;s full agenda in the U.S. House of Representatives. My full statement👇 <a href="https://t.co/SdWuIXAAVR">pic.twitter.com/SdWuIXAAVR</a>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1894578575732244812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Congressman Schmidt&#39;s statement on House passage of the Budget resolution: &quot;Kansans sent President Trump and a Republican Congress to Washington to get America back on the right track after decades of unaffordable spending and four years of failed Biden policies. The budget…&mdash; Rep. Derek Schmidt Press (@RepDerekSchmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt/status/1894575848407048266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Tonight&#39;s partisan budget is nothing more than a giveaway to billionaires and big corporations at the expense of hard working Kansans. I voted NO. It guts Medicaid, spikes health care costs, and makes groceries more expensive for families — all while adding trillions to the…&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1894559528122728566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Next steps are long and cumbersome before anything can become law — weeks of committee hearings to draft the details and send the House version to the Senate, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-trump-tax-cuts-deportations-48f6565ccb0fd6002734dbb5c3c3ffb7">Republicans passed their own scaled-back version</a>. And more big votes are ahead, including an unrelated deal to prevent a government shutdown when federal funding expires March 14. Those talks are also underway.It's all unfolding amid emerging backlash to what's happening elsewhere as billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk is tearing through federal agencies with his Department of Government Efficiency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-57671a76f22d5398a3c794e29e350082">firing thousands of workers</a>&nbsp;nationwide, and angry voters are starting to confront lawmakers at town hall meetings back home.Democrats during an afternoon debate decried the package as a “betrayal” to Americans, a “blueprint for American decline” and simply a “Republican rip-off.”“Our very way of life as a country is under assault,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on the steps of the Capitol.Flanked by Americans who said they would be hurt by cuts to Medicaid and other social programs, the Democrats booed the GOP budget blueprint. But as the minority party, they don't have the votes to stop it.<h2>Slashing government is not always popular at home</h2>Even as they press ahead, Republicans are running into a familiar problem: Slashing federal spending is typically easier said than done. With cuts to the Pentagon and other programs largely off limits, much of the other government outlays go for health care, food stamps, student loans and programs relied on by their constituents.Several Republican lawmakers worry that scope of the cuts being eyed — particularly some $880 billion to the committee that handles health care spending, including Medicaid, for example, or $230 billion to the agriculture committee that funds food stamps — will be too harmful to their constituents back home.GOP leaders insist Medicaid is not specifically listed in the initial 60-page budget framework, which is true. Johnson and his leadership team also told lawmakers they would have plenty of time to debate the details as they shape the final package.But lawmakers wanted assurances the health care program and others will be protected as the plans are developed and merged with the Senate in the weeks to come.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">Mike Lawler</a>, R-N.Y., said Trump has promised he would not allow Medicaid to be cut.“The president was clear about that. I was clear about that," Lawler said. “We will work through this, but the objective today is to begin the process.”At the same time, GOP deficit hawks are withholding support until they are convinced it won't add to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbo-budget-outlook-treasury-26b1fc8a13af4537b72660c4a478dd97">nation's $36 trillion debt load</a>. They warn it will pile onto debt because the cost of the tax breaks — at least $4.5 trillion over the decade outweighs the $2 trillion in spending cuts to government programs.Trump was set to met with several Republicans Tuesday at the White House, including Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz. who joined a group of GOP lawmakers from the Congressional Hispanic Conference raising concerns about protecting Medicaid, food stamps and Pell grants for college.“While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Trump's</a>&nbsp;agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation,” wrote Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and several others GOP lawmakers from the Hispanic Conference.<h2>Democrats protest tax cuts for wealthy</h2>Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives">the House</a>&nbsp;and the Senate vow to keep fighting the whole process. “This is not what people want,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a rules debate ahead of planned votes.“We all know that trickle-down economics,” he said about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax breaks</a>&nbsp;that flowed mainly to the wealthy, “don’t work.”Trump has signaled a preference for “big” bill but also appears to enjoy a competition between the House and the Senate, lawmakers said, as he pits the Republicans against each other to see which version will emerge.Senate Republicans, wary that Johnson can lift his bill over the finish line, launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-trump-tax-cuts-deportations-48f6565ccb0fd6002734dbb5c3c3ffb7">their own $340 billion package</a>&nbsp;last week. It’s focused on sending Trump money his administration needs for its deportation and border security agenda now, with plans to tackle the tax cuts separately later this year.“I’m holding my breath. I’m crossing my fingers," said Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ernst-tillis-cassidy-cornyn-graham-musk-9a70ea4d8f1f75d5f3f62689da430b50">John Cornyn</a>, R-Texas, who said he is rooting for the House's approach as the better option. "I think a one-shot is their best opportunity.”<h2>The House GOP faces pitfalls ahead</h2>Johnson, whose party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">lost seats</a>&nbsp;in last November’s election, commands&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-results-mike-johnson-5103c8b5c0ef03a1e61a1c0f9ca3dd4f">one of the thinnest majorities</a>&nbsp;in modern history, which means he must keep almost every Republican in line or risk losing the vote.The budget is being compiled during a lengthy process that first sends instructions to the various House and Senate committees, which will then have several weeks to devise more detailed plans for additional debate and votes.Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, said with economic growth assumptions, from 1.8% as projected by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to 2.6% as projected by House Republicans, the package would generate about $2.6 trillion in savings over 10 years and would ensure the plan helps reduce the deficit.Some fiscal advocacy groups view the GOP’s economic projections as overly optimistic.___Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam and Stephen Groves contributed reporting.Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives">https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives</a>.

🎥Kan. lawmakers help House pass Trump's 'big beautiful budget bill' 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a deadly fire in Topeka.&nbsp;

Just before 5:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;firefighters from the Topeka Fire Department responded to a house fire at 435 SE California Avenue, according to Fire Marshal&nbsp;Alan Stahl.

 Upon arrival, crews found a single story house with smoke and flames. Crews extinguished the fire and during a search of the home they found the body of a man who was deceased. He&nbsp;has been identified as 34-year-old Daron Weather. His cause of death remains under investigation.

Fire officials have also not released an estimate of damage to the residence from the fire.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a deadly fire in Topeka.&nbsp;Just before 5:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;firefighters from the Topeka Fire Department responded to a house fire at 435 SE California Avenue, according to Fire Marshal&nbsp;Alan Stahl. Upon arrival, crews found a single story house with smoke and flames. Crews extinguished the fire and during a search of the home they found the body of a man who was deceased. He&nbsp;has been identified as 34-year-old Daron Weather. His cause of death remains under investigation.Fire officials have also not released an estimate of damage to the residence from the fire.

Fire Marshal IDs victim in deadly Kansas house fire

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 3700 block of St. John Avenue on a reported shooting, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival, no shooting victims were immediately located at the scene. While officers were speaking with bystanders in the area, they were notified a shooting victim arrived by a private vehicle at an area hospital. The victim was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. 

Further investigation revealed the incident may have occurred at a separate location near Sunrise Drive and Cliff Drive Place.

Just after 6a.m. detectives were notified by hospital staff the victim had been pronounced deceased. There is currently no preliminary information regarding what lead up to the shooting. A subject of interest has not been identified and no one is in custody at this time.Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility for the case.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the 3700 block of St. John Avenue on a reported shooting, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival, no shooting victims were immediately located at the scene. While officers were speaking with bystanders in the area, they were notified a shooting victim arrived by a private vehicle at an area hospital. The victim was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Further investigation revealed the incident may have occurred at a separate location near Sunrise Drive and Cliff Drive Place.Just after 6a.m. detectives were notified by hospital staff the victim had been pronounced deceased. There is currently no preliminary information regarding what lead up to the shooting. A subject of interest has not been identified and no one is in custody at this time.Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility for the case.&nbsp; Police have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Homicide: Shooting victim dies after arriving at KC hospital

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-83b690c6d47679c37ae10329369fd480">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;was sitting upright and receiving therapy for double pneumonia Wednesday, the Vatican said, as Argentines, Romans and others kept up the steady stream of prayers for his recovery. Francis remained in critical condition but the Holy See machinery ground on, with the announcement of new bishops and a new church fundraising initiative.

The Vatican said that it hoped to have information later in the day about the results of a CT scan taken Tuesday evening to check on the status of the complex lung infection that has kept the 88-year-old pope hospitalized since Feb. 14. Francis has chronic lung disease and was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital after a bout of bronchitis worsened.

The Vatican said the pope had a peaceful night and was up, sitting in his armchair on Wednesday receiving therapy. Doctors have said he isn't out of danger, but hasn't had any further respiratory crises since Saturday.

Francis has been working from his hospital room, and the daily grind of the Vatican bureaucracy has been continuing in his absence. On Wednesday the Vatican said Francis had appointed four new bishops and approved the creation of a new fundraising initiative to encourage donations to the Holy See, which has been enduring a financial crisis for years.

Francis likely approved the bishop appointments awhile back and the new norms for the fundraising entity were approved Feb. 11, before he was hospitalized. But the announcements made them official and suggested Francis was still very much in charge and governing.

Pilgrims descend on the hospital to be closer to Francis

If he were to look out the hospital window from the 10th floor, he might see that a steady stream of well-wishers are lighting candles and leaving him get-well cards at the statue of St. John Paul II near the Gemelli entrance. It has become something of a makeshift pilgrimage destination, especially for church groups in town for the Vatican’s Holy Year.

On Wednesday, Bishop Gerardo Villalonga from Menorca, Spain led a group of 50 pilgrims to the site, saying they wanted to be as close to him as possible.

“Because when a family has someone who is sick it is very important that they are surrounded, it is necessary that everyone is near to them, and all the people of God are close the pope,” he said.

Cardinal Re picked to lead prayer vigil on Wednesday

The dean of the College of Cardinals, meanwhile, was designated to lead the Vatican's prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday night, thrusting a key figure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">a future possible conclave</a>&nbsp;into the spotlight. Francis recently extended the term of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, keeping him in the important job rather than naming someone new.

As is now popularly known thanks to the Oscar-nominated film “Conclave,” the dean is a key point of reference for cardinals. He presides over a papal funeral and organizes the conclave to elect a new pope.

From 2000-2010, Re was prefect of the Vatican’s congregation for bishops, one of the most powerful and influential positions in the Holy See. Francis made him dean in 2020 and confirmed him in the job in January despite the expiration of his five-year term.

On Tuesday night, the faithful from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-prayers-health-0775b256a93dc3175efe8c48d2904aa0">Francis' homeland</a>&nbsp;gathered in the Argentine church of Rome for a special Mass presided over by Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, the pope’s vicar for Rome. Reina was also celebrating the lunchtime Mass on Wednesday at Gemelli to pray for Francis.

The rector of the Argentine church, the Rev. Fernando Laguna, said that he hoped the pope could feel the embrace of the community's prayer.

“I can’t go to Gemelli, because for him to recover he must be isolated,” he said. "I know that I hug him and that he hugs me when I pray. And now I would like to embrace the pope.”

Sister Nilda Trejo, an Argentine nun, said that she knew Francis' health has always been delicate, with problems breathing and speaking loudly, and that's why she always prayed for him.

“We knew that he often found it difficult,” she said. "In fact, you see that at the beginning of Mass, the microphone always has to be turned up because he has a bit of trouble. But he always spoke to the people. To the heart of the people.”

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was in critical but stable condition Tuesday, with his blood parameters remaining stable and no new respiratory crises, as he worked from the hospital while battling double pneumonia, the Vatican said.

The Vatican’s evening update said the 88-year-old pope underwent a follow-up CAT scan in Tuesday evening to check the lung infection. But it provided no details of what the scan showed, suggesting the results weren’t back yet. Doctors said regardless he hadn’t had any further respiratory crises, and that his prognosis remained guarded.

“In the morning, after receiving the Eucharist, he resumed work activities,” the Vatican statement said.

Earlier Tuesday, the Vatican had said that the pope was well enough to meet with the Vatican secretary of state to approve new decrees for possible saints. That suggested he was getting essential work done, firmly in charge and looking ahead despite being hospitalized in critical condition.

Decisions on saints and a formal meeting of cardinals

The Vatican's Tuesday noon bulletin contained a series of significant decisions, most importantly that Francis had met on Monday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican “substitute” or chief of staff. It was the first known time the pope had met with Parolin, who is essentially the Vatican prime minister, since his Feb. 14 hospitalization.

During the audience, Francis approved decrees for two new saints and five people for beatification — the first step toward possible sainthood. Francis also decided to convene a consistory, or a formal meeting of cardinals, to set the dates for the future canonizations.

Francis regularly approves decrees from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-6cd32c6a3f0b4e81ba2f6399e7d6b90c">Vatican's saint-making office</a>&nbsp;when he is at the Vatican, albeit during audiences with the head of the office, not Parolin. A consistory is a necessary ceremonial step in that saint-making process. It wasn't clear why there was such urgency to approve the decrees, when some of the new proposed saints have been waiting years if not decades for their causes to advance, though the signing showed the pope fully in charge.

No date was set for the meeting. But it was also at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">a banal consistory to set dates</a>&nbsp;for canonizations on Feb. 11, 2013, that Pope Benedict XVI announced, in Latin, that he would resign because he couldn't keep up with the rigors of the papacy. Francis has said he, too, would consider resigning after Benedict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">“opened the door”</a>&nbsp;and became the first pope in 600 years to retire.

Giovanna Chirri, the reporter for the Italian news agency ANSA who was covering the consistory that day and broke the story because she understood Latin, said that she didn't think Francis would follow in Benedict's footsteps, “even if some would want it.”

“I could be wrong, but I hope not,” she told The Associated Press. “As long as he's alive, the world and the church need him.”

Francis' English biographer, Austen Ivereigh, said that it was possible, and that all that matters is that Francis be “wholly free to make the right decision.”

“The pope has always said that the papacy is for life, and he has shown that there is no problem with a frail and elderly pope,” Ivereigh said. “But he has also said that should he ever have a long-term degenerative or debilitating condition which prevents him from fully carrying out the exercise of the papal ministry, he would consider resigning. And so would any pope.”

Francis has said that if he were to resign, he would live in Rome, outside the Vatican, and be called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-rome-argentina-6a3f9a4aa7d93b43b5788968e6155031">''emeritus bishop of Rome"</a>&nbsp;rather than emeritus pope given the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/benedict-xvi-vatican-the-two-popes-0abdff0c3f85289d91e4970d5f3aaa58">problems that occurred</a>&nbsp;with Benedict's experiment as a retired pope. Despite his best efforts, Benedict remained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-europe-italy-vatican-city-7ebcbd70ec601546fba793d4e60eeec4">a point of reference</a>&nbsp;for conservatives before he died in 2022, and his home inside the Vatican gardens something of a pilgrimage destination for the right.

Francis has also written a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-0d803e11f12d34d276e3ff295e695fb3">letter of resignation</a>, to be invoked if he became medically incapacitated.

Speculation about a possible resignation has swirled ever since Francis was hospitalized, but the Vatican hierarchy has tamped it down. Parolin himself told Corriere della Sera over the weekend that such speculation was “useless” and that what mattered was Francis' health.

In addition to the audience with Parolin, the Vatican released Francis' message for Lent, the period leading up to Easter, in yet another forward-looking sign. In a subsequent bulletin, Francis named a handful of new bishops for Brazil, a new archbishop for Vancouver and modified the law for the Vatican City State to create a new hierarchy.

Many if not all of these decisions were likely in the works for some time. But the Vatican has said that Francis has been doing some work in the hospital, including signing documents.

On Tuesday morning, the Vatican’s typically brief morning update said: “The pope slept well, all night.”

Doctors have said the condition of the Argentine pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and preexisting lung disease before the pneumonia set in.

Francis’ right-wing critics have been spreading dire rumors about his condition, but his allies have cheered him on and expressed hope that he will pull through. Many noted that from the very night of his election as pope, Francis had asked for the prayers of ordinary faithful, a request he repeats daily.

“I’m a witness of everything he did for the church, with a great love of Jesus,” Honduran Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga told La Repubblica. “Humanly speaking, I don’t think it’s time for him to go to Paradise.”

At Gemelli on a rainy Tuesday morning, ordinary Romans and visitors alike were also praying for the pope. Hoang Phuc Nguyen, who lives in Canada but was visiting Rome to participate in a Holy Year pilgrimage, took the time to come to Gemelli to say a special prayer for the pope at the statue of St. John Paul II outside the main entrance.

“We heard that he is in the hospital right now and we are very worried about his health,” Nguyen said. "He is our father and it is our responsibility to pray for him.”

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-83b690c6d47679c37ae10329369fd480">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;was sitting upright and receiving therapy for double pneumonia Wednesday, the Vatican said, as Argentines, Romans and others kept up the steady stream of prayers for his recovery. Francis remained in critical condition but the Holy See machinery ground on, with the announcement of new bishops and a new church fundraising initiative.The Vatican said that it hoped to have information later in the day about the results of a CT scan taken Tuesday evening to check on the status of the complex lung infection that has kept the 88-year-old pope hospitalized since Feb. 14. Francis has chronic lung disease and was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital after a bout of bronchitis worsened.The Vatican said the pope had a peaceful night and was up, sitting in his armchair on Wednesday receiving therapy. Doctors have said he isn't out of danger, but hasn't had any further respiratory crises since Saturday.Francis has been working from his hospital room, and the daily grind of the Vatican bureaucracy has been continuing in his absence. On Wednesday the Vatican said Francis had appointed four new bishops and approved the creation of a new fundraising initiative to encourage donations to the Holy See, which has been enduring a financial crisis for years.Francis likely approved the bishop appointments awhile back and the new norms for the fundraising entity were approved Feb. 11, before he was hospitalized. But the announcements made them official and suggested Francis was still very much in charge and governing.<h2>Pilgrims descend on the hospital to be closer to Francis</h2>If he were to look out the hospital window from the 10th floor, he might see that a steady stream of well-wishers are lighting candles and leaving him get-well cards at the statue of St. John Paul II near the Gemelli entrance. It has become something of a makeshift pilgrimage destination, especially for church groups in town for the Vatican’s Holy Year.On Wednesday, Bishop Gerardo Villalonga from Menorca, Spain led a group of 50 pilgrims to the site, saying they wanted to be as close to him as possible.“Because when a family has someone who is sick it is very important that they are surrounded, it is necessary that everyone is near to them, and all the people of God are close the pope,” he said.<h2>Cardinal Re picked to lead prayer vigil on Wednesday</h2>The dean of the College of Cardinals, meanwhile, was designated to lead the Vatican's prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday night, thrusting a key figure in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">a future possible conclave</a>&nbsp;into the spotlight. Francis recently extended the term of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, keeping him in the important job rather than naming someone new.As is now popularly known thanks to the Oscar-nominated film “Conclave,” the dean is a key point of reference for cardinals. He presides over a papal funeral and organizes the conclave to elect a new pope.From 2000-2010, Re was prefect of the Vatican’s congregation for bishops, one of the most powerful and influential positions in the Holy See. Francis made him dean in 2020 and confirmed him in the job in January despite the expiration of his five-year term.On Tuesday night, the faithful from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-prayers-health-0775b256a93dc3175efe8c48d2904aa0">Francis' homeland</a>&nbsp;gathered in the Argentine church of Rome for a special Mass presided over by Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, the pope’s vicar for Rome. Reina was also celebrating the lunchtime Mass on Wednesday at Gemelli to pray for Francis.The rector of the Argentine church, the Rev. Fernando Laguna, said that he hoped the pope could feel the embrace of the community's prayer.“I can’t go to Gemelli, because for him to recover he must be isolated,” he said. "I know that I hug him and that he hugs me when I pray. And now I would like to embrace the pope.”Sister Nilda Trejo, an Argentine nun, said that she knew Francis' health has always been delicate, with problems breathing and speaking loudly, and that's why she always prayed for him.“We knew that he often found it difficult,” she said. "In fact, you see that at the beginning of Mass, the microphone always has to be turned up because he has a bit of trouble. But he always spoke to the people. To the heart of the people.”--------------ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was in critical but stable condition Tuesday, with his blood parameters remaining stable and no new respiratory crises, as he worked from the hospital while battling double pneumonia, the Vatican said.The Vatican’s evening update said the 88-year-old pope underwent a follow-up CAT scan in Tuesday evening to check the lung infection. But it provided no details of what the scan showed, suggesting the results weren’t back yet. Doctors said regardless he hadn’t had any further respiratory crises, and that his prognosis remained guarded.“In the morning, after receiving the Eucharist, he resumed work activities,” the Vatican statement said.Earlier Tuesday, the Vatican had said that the pope was well enough to meet with the Vatican secretary of state to approve new decrees for possible saints. That suggested he was getting essential work done, firmly in charge and looking ahead despite being hospitalized in critical condition.<h2>Decisions on saints and a formal meeting of cardinals</h2>The Vatican's Tuesday noon bulletin contained a series of significant decisions, most importantly that Francis had met on Monday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican “substitute” or chief of staff. It was the first known time the pope had met with Parolin, who is essentially the Vatican prime minister, since his Feb. 14 hospitalization.During the audience, Francis approved decrees for two new saints and five people for beatification — the first step toward possible sainthood. Francis also decided to convene a consistory, or a formal meeting of cardinals, to set the dates for the future canonizations.Francis regularly approves decrees from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-6cd32c6a3f0b4e81ba2f6399e7d6b90c">Vatican's saint-making office</a>&nbsp;when he is at the Vatican, albeit during audiences with the head of the office, not Parolin. A consistory is a necessary ceremonial step in that saint-making process. It wasn't clear why there was such urgency to approve the decrees, when some of the new proposed saints have been waiting years if not decades for their causes to advance, though the signing showed the pope fully in charge.No date was set for the meeting. But it was also at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">a banal consistory to set dates</a>&nbsp;for canonizations on Feb. 11, 2013, that Pope Benedict XVI announced, in Latin, that he would resign because he couldn't keep up with the rigors of the papacy. Francis has said he, too, would consider resigning after Benedict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">“opened the door”</a>&nbsp;and became the first pope in 600 years to retire.Giovanna Chirri, the reporter for the Italian news agency ANSA who was covering the consistory that day and broke the story because she understood Latin, said that she didn't think Francis would follow in Benedict's footsteps, “even if some would want it.”“I could be wrong, but I hope not,” she told The Associated Press. “As long as he's alive, the world and the church need him.”Francis' English biographer, Austen Ivereigh, said that it was possible, and that all that matters is that Francis be “wholly free to make the right decision.”“The pope has always said that the papacy is for life, and he has shown that there is no problem with a frail and elderly pope,” Ivereigh said. “But he has also said that should he ever have a long-term degenerative or debilitating condition which prevents him from fully carrying out the exercise of the papal ministry, he would consider resigning. And so would any pope.”<h2>Francis' ideas about resignation</h2>Francis has said that if he were to resign, he would live in Rome, outside the Vatican, and be called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-rome-argentina-6a3f9a4aa7d93b43b5788968e6155031">''emeritus bishop of Rome"</a>&nbsp;rather than emeritus pope given the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/benedict-xvi-vatican-the-two-popes-0abdff0c3f85289d91e4970d5f3aaa58">problems that occurred</a>&nbsp;with Benedict's experiment as a retired pope. Despite his best efforts, Benedict remained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-europe-italy-vatican-city-7ebcbd70ec601546fba793d4e60eeec4">a point of reference</a>&nbsp;for conservatives before he died in 2022, and his home inside the Vatican gardens something of a pilgrimage destination for the right.Francis has also written a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-0d803e11f12d34d276e3ff295e695fb3">letter of resignation</a>, to be invoked if he became medically incapacitated.Speculation about a possible resignation has swirled ever since Francis was hospitalized, but the Vatican hierarchy has tamped it down. Parolin himself told Corriere della Sera over the weekend that such speculation was “useless” and that what mattered was Francis' health.In addition to the audience with Parolin, the Vatican released Francis' message for Lent, the period leading up to Easter, in yet another forward-looking sign. In a subsequent bulletin, Francis named a handful of new bishops for Brazil, a new archbishop for Vancouver and modified the law for the Vatican City State to create a new hierarchy.Many if not all of these decisions were likely in the works for some time. But the Vatican has said that Francis has been doing some work in the hospital, including signing documents.<h2>The pope slept well</h2>On Tuesday morning, the Vatican’s typically brief morning update said: “The pope slept well, all night.”Doctors have said the condition of the Argentine pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and preexisting lung disease before the pneumonia set in.<h2>Allies and ordinary faithful hopeful</h2>Francis’ right-wing critics have been spreading dire rumors about his condition, but his allies have cheered him on and expressed hope that he will pull through. Many noted that from the very night of his election as pope, Francis had asked for the prayers of ordinary faithful, a request he repeats daily.“I’m a witness of everything he did for the church, with a great love of Jesus,” Honduran Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga told La Repubblica. “Humanly speaking, I don’t think it’s time for him to go to Paradise.”At Gemelli on a rainy Tuesday morning, ordinary Romans and visitors alike were also praying for the pope. Hoang Phuc Nguyen, who lives in Canada but was visiting Rome to participate in a Holy Year pilgrimage, took the time to come to Gemelli to say a special prayer for the pope at the statue of St. John Paul II outside the main entrance.“We heard that he is in the hospital right now and we are very worried about his health,” Nguyen said. "He is our father and it is our responsibility to pray for him.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis shows improvement as prayers for his recovery continue

ATCHISON COUNTY —Janice Buttron has been found and is safe according to the Atchison Police Department.

ATCHISON COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide silver alert for a missing Atchison woman.

The whereabouts of 77-year-old Janice Buttron are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI. Buttron was last seen around 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 25 missing from her home near S 8th Street and Spruce Street in Atchison.

 Buttron is on foot. Buttron is a white female who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing jeans, a long sleeve cream colored t-shirt, smiley face slippers, and wearing glasses. 

Buttron has a condition impairing memory.

If you see Janice Buttron, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office at 913-367-4323

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740567137249.png" alt="Buttron photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Buttron photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Janice Buttron has been found and is safe according to the Atchison Police Department.---------ATCHISON COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide silver alert for a missing Atchison woman.The whereabouts of 77-year-old Janice Buttron are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI. Buttron was last seen around 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 25 missing from her home near S 8th Street and Spruce Street in Atchison. Buttron is on foot. Buttron is a white female who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing jeans, a long sleeve cream colored t-shirt, smiley face slippers, and wearing glasses. Buttron has a condition impairing memory.If you see Janice Buttron, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office at 913-367-4323

Statewide Silver Alert canceled; missing Kan. woman is safe

KANSAS CITY—Prosecutors secured a guilty plea in the fatal wrong-way crash that occurred on 291 Highway near Sugar Creek, Missouri in 2022, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson/.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2516/2316-CR01585-01-Dominic-ConwayRedacted">Dominic Conway, 42,&nbsp; pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to Driving While Intoxicated and Involuntary Manslaughter in the 1st Degree. The defendant was also sentenced to the maximum sentence for the DWI charge—six months, and seven years on the involuntary manslaughter charge. The counts are running concurrently with one another.&nbsp;

According to court records, Sugar Creek police were called to the scene of a head-on crash on Missouri 291 Highway on Oct. 14, 2022. 

The victim. Independence, Mo. firefighter Harold "Gene" Eddins, Jr., was driving home after finishing his shift at the fire department when the crash occurred.&nbsp; He died at the scene of the crash.

The investigation determined Eddins was driving northbound on the highway when he encountered Conway's vehicle, which was driving the wrong-way on the divided, four-lane roadway. The two vehicles struck head-on. The defendant was impaired at the time of the crash, and his blood alcohol content was at least .490 when the crash occurred.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740521420729.png" alt="Conway photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Conway photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Prosecutors secured a guilty plea in the fatal wrong-way crash that occurred on 291 Highway near Sugar Creek, Missouri in 2022, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson/.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2516/2316-CR01585-01-Dominic-ConwayRedacted">Dominic Conway, 42,&nbsp; pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to Driving While Intoxicated and Involuntary Manslaughter in the 1st Degree. The defendant was also sentenced to the maximum sentence for the DWI charge—six months, and seven years on the involuntary manslaughter charge. The counts are running concurrently with one another.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740521548480.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, Sugar Creek police were called to the scene of a head-on crash on Missouri 291 Highway on Oct. 14, 2022. The victim. Independence, Mo. firefighter Harold "Gene" Eddins, Jr., was driving home after finishing his shift at the fire department when the crash occurred.&nbsp; He died at the scene of the crash.The investigation determined Eddins was driving northbound on the highway when he encountered Conway's vehicle, which was driving the wrong-way on the divided, four-lane roadway. The two vehicles struck head-on. The defendant was impaired at the time of the crash, and his blood alcohol content was at least .490 when the crash occurred.

Prison for wrong-way crash that killed KC area firefighter

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.

On Feb. 20, Jackson County Deputies and Detectives executed a search warrant on the residences of 405 W 5th Street and 407 W 5th Street in Soldier for illegal drugs or narcotics, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740361072786.png" alt="Kolterman photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Kolterman photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.On Feb. 20, Jackson County Deputies and Detectives executed a search warrant on the residences of 405 W 5th Street and 407 W 5th Street in Soldier for illegal drugs or narcotics, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the search deputies discovered illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and weapons. Christopher Kolterman, 52, of Soldier, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; &nbsp;possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.