Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.

O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education.

&nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.

O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. 

O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.

O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. 

"While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”

"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler."

"Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”

O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741707494446.png" alt="-Charlotte O'Hara" />
 <figcaption>-Charlotte O'Hara</figcaption>
 </figure>Charlotte O’Hara, announced Tuesday she will seek the&nbsp;Republican nomination&nbsp;for&nbsp;governor&nbsp;in 2026, according to a media release.O’Hara, a business woman and conservative Republican, stated in the release, she "is done with Kansas being the high tax point on the prairie. As Governor, she will focus on reining in state spending and ludicrous corporate welfare, ban DEI and get schools back to education. &nbsp;Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly's second term is nearing an end. Kelly is term-limited from running again in 2026. In January,&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ec164f8e-f8d7-4438-9c64-8f8ebaa1c7ea">Scott Schwab of Overland Park announced </a>his intention&nbsp;to run for governor.O’Hara has long fought corporate welfare/tax incentives, which increase property taxes for homeowners and small businesses, according to the media release from her campaign. O’Hara is a past Republican Party 3rd District Chairwoman and served in the Kansas House (2011-2012). She voted against Governor Brownback’s 7.5% increase in the 2012 General Fund budget and blew the whistle on Brownback’s acceptance of the federal Early Innovator Grant money to build the IT infrastructure for ObamaCare in Kansas.O’Hara (2021-2025) served as Johnson County Commissioner, District 3, "where she refused to capitulate to COVID masks and vaccine mandates." She tirelessly fought against Democrat controlled Johnson County Commission’s spending frenzy.O’Hara emphasized, “The hidden increase of taxes through inflation has become extraordinarily draconian, especially property taxes. "While Democrats along with Republicans support corporate welfare/tax incentives, the rest of us have to pay our property taxes in full with no shelter. This hits all of our budgets, but especially those on fixed incomes, whose disposable income shrinks with every tax increase.”"O’Hara was raised on a family farm in Bourbon County. There her strong faith, work ethic and common sense were honed. O’Hara added, “I’ve had the opportunity to succeed in many endeavors: general contractor and developer, public servant, substitute teacher and homeschooler.""Now, with my son, I co-own a small manufacturing company. I cannot stand silent and watch small businesses and homeowners be destroyed through high property taxes or watch our children drown in the sewer of WOKEism in our schools. It is time to have a proven conservative at the helm of our Republican super-majority.”O’Hara, mother of 5 and grandmother of seven, finds joy in cooking for her family, on horseback, writing poetry and playing her piano and guitar. She lives in Overland Park with her two Australian Shepherds, Harvey and Bear.

Former state representative announces run for Kan. governor

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 3p.m. March 9, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2025 Toyota Camry at Columbine Drive on U.S. Hwy 75, just north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, James Leroy Parr, 46, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741294954048.png" alt="Parr Photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Parr Photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 3p.m. March 9, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2025 Toyota Camry at Columbine Drive on U.S. Hwy 75, just north of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The driver, James Leroy Parr, 46, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

Sheriff: Kansas man was transporting meth, open container

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two individuals, one on multiple felony accusations after they barricaded themselves in a home in 100 block of S. 17th St. for six and a half hours over the weekend.

Shortly after 3a.m. March 8, KCKPD Special Operations Unit responded to the home to assist KHP in serving a warrant, according to a media release.

 Despite numerous commands,36-year-old Javier Silva, a resident of Kansas City, Kan. and 51-year-old Salvadore Contreras, Jr., a resident of the home, refused to exit.

At approximately 4:42a.m., Silva exited on his own and was taken into custody without incident. Then, at approximately 9:11a.m., Contreras, also exited and was taken into custody without further incident.

 In addition to the arrests, authorities confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs from the scene that tested positive for fentanyl .Both suspects are being held without bond in the Wyandotte County Jail. Silva is being held on a probation violation. Contreras, Jr. is being held on requested felony charges of distribution of stimulants; fleeing or attempting to elude/interference with a law enforcement officer; obstruct or resist in a felony case/interference with a law enforcement officer; and a traffic violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741486857253.png" alt="Silva-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Silva-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol arrested two individuals, one on multiple felony accusations after they barricaded themselves in a home in 100 block of S. 17th St. for six and a half hours over the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741486931910.png" alt="Contreras photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Contreras photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Shortly after 3a.m. March 8, KCKPD Special Operations Unit responded to the home to assist KHP in serving a warrant, according to a media release. Despite numerous commands,36-year-old Javier Silva, a resident of Kansas City, Kan. and 51-year-old Salvadore Contreras, Jr., a resident of the home, refused to exit.At approximately 4:42a.m., Silva exited on his own and was taken into custody without incident. Then, at approximately 9:11a.m., Contreras, also exited and was taken into custody without further incident. In addition to the arrests, authorities confiscated a significant amount of illegal drugs from the scene that tested positive for fentanyl .Both suspects are being held without bond in the Wyandotte County Jail. Silva is being held on a probation violation. Contreras, Jr. is being held on requested felony charges of distribution of stimulants; fleeing or attempting to elude/interference with a law enforcement officer; obstruct or resist in a felony case/interference with a law enforcement officer; and a traffic violation.

Suspected Kan. fentanyl dealer jailed after 6 hour standoff 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's attorney general is threatening to seize Chinese assets across the U.S. to collect $24.5 billion awarded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-covid-pandemic-china-lawsuit-5aa74153fff95173e8d9d44142fa809c">a lawsuit against China</a>&nbsp;stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts were skeptical Monday, with one saying, “Good luck with that.”

A full copy of the judgment can be read&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ago.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55bd24fd8f5e7d3dc227d1072&amp;id=03c11393ad&amp;e=fe147aceeb__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!BtTkoi2PNgoGBaMBQsQpWr5gzq6koN0OFVbnxR9nhfDDAyoep6eBlOXRIaV-ludjItDMaBzsj7lh_mc6ktr8sTxJYg$">here</a>.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that it does not recognize a U.S. federal judge's recent ruling siding with Missouri's claim that China hoarded personal protective equipment during the pandemic, harming the state and its residents. China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-lawsuits-ap-top-news-michael-brown-virus-outbreak-0d28f84369c35ebcd9184b3a48cad0a1">called the lawsuit “absurd”</a>&nbsp;when it was filed in 2020, during the early months of the pandemic, and it did not participate in a brief trial held in Missouri in January.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, hailed Friday's ruling from U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh as a “landmark victory” in efforts to hold China, its Communist Party and seven other government or scientific agencies responsible for the costs of the pandemic in the U.S. If China won't pay the award, the state will seize Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, Bailey said.

“Those assets are not required to be within Missouri and can be located anywhere in the United States,” Bailey said in a statement Monday. “While we have not partnered with other states on this particular suit, we encourage others to work to hold the Chinese government accountable and seek justice for victims."

International organizations typically negotiate such disagreements, or the federal government will take legal action on behalf of a state, said Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political scientist. He said a state acting on its own could be a problem because, "that can really complicate relationships between the countries.”

He added, “The prospects of money actually changing hands is very slim.”

Duncan Levin, a former federal and state prosecutor in New York City who's represented foreign nations in U.S. courts, described Bailey's comments as “press release talk.”

According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistics, Chinese interests owned about 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares) of farmland in Missouri at the end of 2023 — one-tenth of 1% of the state’s 44 million acres. Bailey said he will work with President Donald Trump’s administration to identify Chinese assets in the state.

But Levin said it's not clear that the Chinese government or the other defendants in the case — as opposed to Chinese individuals or companies — actually own anything in Missouri. He doubts Bailey has the authority to seize assets outside Missouri, and even claiming assets that can be seized could take time, he said.

“Good luck with that,” Levin said. “This is a lot of sort of tough talk that will highly likely fall apart in the details once they get into a courtroom."

The lawsuit was filed by Bailey's predecessor as attorney general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/domestic-news-domestic-news-general-news-63d743a7e29a6c03742319c4cb4fefa4">Eric Schmitt,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican like Bailey, who then won a U.S. Senate seat in 2022. Bailey was Republican Gov. Mike Parson's top attorney, and Parson appointed him attorney general when Schmitt left the office.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that its actions during the pandemic aren't subject to the jurisdiction of American courts. It also decried what it called “malicious abuse of lawsuits" and added, "Using frivolous lawsuits to smear and defame China and shift the blame will never succeed.”

“We ask the United States to return to rationality and correct its mistakes,” the statement said. “China has the right to take reciprocal countermeasures in accordance with international law to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests."

The ministry's statement wasn't more specific about the Chinese government's possible response, but Levin said it could impose sanctions on Missouri companies doing business in China or take action against them in the Chinese courts.

Nolette said, “What was surprising is just seeing such a large judgment coming down in a situation where that sort of authority is very much in question: whether a state has the sort of authority to sue and seek judgments from other countries."

Limbaugh, sitting in Cape Girardeau, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis along the Mississippi River,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-missouri-cape-girardeau-d21087f6aa9ed088de0f58a042b142ee">initially dismissed</a>&nbsp;the lawsuit, ruling in 2022 that Missouri couldn't sue China or the other defendants under a law that generally shields foreign nations from lawsuits in U.S. courts.

However, Missouri appealed, and an appeals court said one part of its lawsuit could proceed — alleging hoarding. When Chinese officials didn’t respond, Limbaugh accepted Missouri’s estimate of past and potential future damages of more than $8 billion, tripled it as federal law allows, and added 3.91% interest until it’s collected.

“We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including Missouri farmland,” Bailey said after the ruling.

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press Greater China News Director Emily Wang, in Beijing, and Associated Press writer Fu Ting in Washington, D.C., also contributed reporting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681466878038.png" alt="Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's attorney general is threatening to seize Chinese assets across the U.S. to collect $24.5 billion awarded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-covid-pandemic-china-lawsuit-5aa74153fff95173e8d9d44142fa809c">a lawsuit against China</a>&nbsp;stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts were skeptical Monday, with one saying, “Good luck with that.”A full copy of the judgment can be read&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ago.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=55bd24fd8f5e7d3dc227d1072&amp;id=03c11393ad&amp;e=fe147aceeb__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!BtTkoi2PNgoGBaMBQsQpWr5gzq6koN0OFVbnxR9nhfDDAyoep6eBlOXRIaV-ludjItDMaBzsj7lh_mc6ktr8sTxJYg$">here</a>.China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that it does not recognize a U.S. federal judge's recent ruling siding with Missouri's claim that China hoarded personal protective equipment during the pandemic, harming the state and its residents. China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-lawsuits-ap-top-news-michael-brown-virus-outbreak-0d28f84369c35ebcd9184b3a48cad0a1">called the lawsuit “absurd”</a>&nbsp;when it was filed in 2020, during the early months of the pandemic, and it did not participate in a brief trial held in Missouri in January.Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, hailed Friday's ruling from U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh as a “landmark victory” in efforts to hold China, its Communist Party and seven other government or scientific agencies responsible for the costs of the pandemic in the U.S. If China won't pay the award, the state will seize Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, Bailey said.“Those assets are not required to be within Missouri and can be located anywhere in the United States,” Bailey said in a statement Monday. “While we have not partnered with other states on this particular suit, we encourage others to work to hold the Chinese government accountable and seek justice for victims."International organizations typically negotiate such disagreements, or the federal government will take legal action on behalf of a state, said Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political scientist. He said a state acting on its own could be a problem because, "that can really complicate relationships between the countries.”He added, “The prospects of money actually changing hands is very slim.”Duncan Levin, a former federal and state prosecutor in New York City who's represented foreign nations in U.S. courts, described Bailey's comments as “press release talk.”According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistics, Chinese interests owned about 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares) of farmland in Missouri at the end of 2023 — one-tenth of 1% of the state’s 44 million acres. Bailey said he will work with President Donald Trump’s administration to identify Chinese assets in the state.But Levin said it's not clear that the Chinese government or the other defendants in the case — as opposed to Chinese individuals or companies — actually own anything in Missouri. He doubts Bailey has the authority to seize assets outside Missouri, and even claiming assets that can be seized could take time, he said.“Good luck with that,” Levin said. “This is a lot of sort of tough talk that will highly likely fall apart in the details once they get into a courtroom."The lawsuit was filed by Bailey's predecessor as attorney general,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/domestic-news-domestic-news-general-news-63d743a7e29a6c03742319c4cb4fefa4">Eric Schmitt,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican like Bailey, who then won a U.S. Senate seat in 2022. Bailey was Republican Gov. Mike Parson's top attorney, and Parson appointed him attorney general when Schmitt left the office.China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this week that its actions during the pandemic aren't subject to the jurisdiction of American courts. It also decried what it called “malicious abuse of lawsuits" and added, "Using frivolous lawsuits to smear and defame China and shift the blame will never succeed.”“We ask the United States to return to rationality and correct its mistakes,” the statement said. “China has the right to take reciprocal countermeasures in accordance with international law to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests."The ministry's statement wasn't more specific about the Chinese government's possible response, but Levin said it could impose sanctions on Missouri companies doing business in China or take action against them in the Chinese courts.Nolette said, “What was surprising is just seeing such a large judgment coming down in a situation where that sort of authority is very much in question: whether a state has the sort of authority to sue and seek judgments from other countries."Limbaugh, sitting in Cape Girardeau, about 120 miles (193 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis along the Mississippi River,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-missouri-cape-girardeau-d21087f6aa9ed088de0f58a042b142ee">initially dismissed</a>&nbsp;the lawsuit, ruling in 2022 that Missouri couldn't sue China or the other defendants under a law that generally shields foreign nations from lawsuits in U.S. courts.However, Missouri appealed, and an appeals court said one part of its lawsuit could proceed — alleging hoarding. When Chinese officials didn’t respond, Limbaugh accepted Missouri’s estimate of past and potential future damages of more than $8 billion, tripled it as federal law allows, and added 3.91% interest until it’s collected.“We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including Missouri farmland,” Bailey said after the ruling.___Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press Greater China News Director Emily Wang, in Beijing, and Associated Press writer Fu Ting in Washington, D.C., also contributed reporting.

Missouri plans to seize assets to make China pay a $24 billion judgment

JOHNSON COUNTY —Thanks to an observant driver, officers were alerted to a reported intoxicated wrong-way driver traveling dangerously with their lights off at night on March 8 around <a href="https://x.com/shawneeKSpolice/status/1899089660933992636?t=495">8:15</a> p.m. near Pflumm Road and Blackfish Parkway, according to a social media report from Shawnee, Kansas police.



Officers safely stopped the vehicle and took the suspect into custody before the driver could hurt themselves or anyone else. 

"Please always make a plan before drinking to have a safe ride home with a ride-share company or sober driver."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741617293633.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Thanks to an observant driver, officers were alerted to a reported intoxicated wrong-way driver traveling dangerously with their lights off at night on March 8 around <a href="https://x.com/shawneeKSpolice/status/1899089660933992636?t=495">8:15</a> p.m. near Pflumm Road and Blackfish Parkway, according to a social media report from Shawnee, Kansas police.

Officers safely stopped the vehicle and took the suspect into custody before the driver could hurt themselves or anyone else. "Please always make a plan before drinking to have a safe ride home with a ride-share company or sober driver."

Observant Kan. driver helps police catch intoxicated wrong-way driver

SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas woman is going to prison for&nbsp;a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.

On Monday, District Judge Eric Williams sentenced Autumn Metcalf, 34 of Wichita, to the Hard 50 which is life in prison with parole eligibility after 50 years, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. That sentence was for the charge of 1st&nbsp;degree murder.&nbsp;

Judge Williams also sentenced Metcalf to 61 months for the charge of solicitation to commit 1st&nbsp;degree murder.&nbsp; Judge ordered the sentences run consecutively which means if she is granted parole after 50 years, she must then serve the 61-month prison term.

In August, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III.

In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.

Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot. Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664314804304.png" alt="Metcalf photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Metcalf photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas woman is going to prison for&nbsp;a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.On Monday, District Judge Eric Williams sentenced Autumn Metcalf, 34 of Wichita, to the Hard 50 which is life in prison with parole eligibility after 50 years, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. That sentence was for the charge of 1st&nbsp;degree murder.&nbsp;Judge Williams also sentenced Metcalf to 61 months for the charge of solicitation to commit 1st&nbsp;degree murder.&nbsp; Judge ordered the sentences run consecutively which means if she is granted parole after 50 years, she must then serve the 61-month prison term.In August, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741601452354.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot. Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.

Life in prison for killing outside Kansas gentlemen's club

ELK COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a rural Kansas house fire.

Just before 10p.m. Sunday, rural tankers from Longton, Moline and Howard responded to a house fire in Longton to assist Longton Fire Department with water support.

Engines from Moline and Howard Fire Department also responded to assist. Upon arrival heavy flames were visible. An interior attack was attempted but crews had to withdraw due to structural compromise and undertook a defensive position. The dwelling was a complete loss.&nbsp; There are no reports of injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741657070685.png" alt="Photo courtesy Elk County Rural Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Elk County Rural Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>ELK COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a rural Kansas house fire.Just before 10p.m. Sunday, rural tankers from Longton, Moline and Howard responded to a house fire in Longton to assist Longton Fire Department with water support.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741657011987.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Engines from Moline and Howard Fire Department also responded to assist. Upon arrival heavy flames were visible. An interior attack was attempted but crews had to withdraw due to structural compromise and undertook a defensive position. The dwelling was a complete loss.&nbsp; There are no reports of injuries.

Rural Kansas home a total loss after fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate voted Monday to confirm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavezderemer-feaa4672efac644aa60722d3a3215df1">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>&nbsp;as U.S. labor secretary, a Cabinet position that puts her in charge of enforcing federally mandated worker rights and protections at a time when the White House is trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">eliminate thousands of government employees</a>.

Chavez-DeRemer will oversee the Department of Labor, one of several executive departments named&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-layoffs-government-data-13653c59c1f6fa0c5ae551f821faafb7">in lawsuits</a>&nbsp;challenging the authority of billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to order layoffs and access sensitive government data.

The Labor Department had nearly 16,000 full-time employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. Some of its vast responsibilities include reporting the U.S. unemployment rate, regulating workplace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/occupational-safety-and-health-administration">health and safety standards</a>, investigating minimum wage, child labor and overtime pay disputes, and applying laws on union organizing and unlawful terminations.

Several prominent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">labor unions</a>, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, endorsed Chavez-DeRemer's nomination. The former Republican congresswoman from Oregon is the daughter of a Teamster, and during her one term in the House earned a reputation as pro-labor.

The Senate voted to confirm Chavez-DeRemer 67-32, with 17 Democrats voting yes and three Republicans, Budd, McConnell and Paul voting no. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-cabinet-confirmation-tracker/">Senate has now confirmed all but one</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s picks for his Cabinet. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-labor-secretary-nominee-chavezderemer-senate-119a7e3dde1cb9553174d1bce37871c5">Committee on Health, Education, Labor &amp; Pensions</a>&nbsp;had voted 14-9 in favor of her nomination last week, with all Republicans except Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky giving Chavez-DeRemer their support. Three Democrats on the committee — Sens. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire — voted with the majority.

During her confirmation hearing before the committee, several Republican senators grilled Chavez-DeRemer about her decision to co-sponsor legislation that would have made it easier for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">workers to unionize</a>&nbsp;and penalized employers who stood in the way of organizing efforts.

She declined to explicitly state whether she still backed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, also known as the PRO Act.

Chavez-DeRemer explained she had signed on as a co-sponsor because she wanted a seat at the table to discuss important labor issues. Under further questioning, she walked back some of her support of the bill, saying that she supported state “right to work” laws, which allow employees to refuse to join a union in their workplace.

The PRO Act did not come up for a vote during her time in Congress, but the legislation was reintroduced in the House and Senate last week.

“As we speak, Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies are stealing the American dream away from working families, rigging every lever of society in favor of the billionaire class,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “That’s why we need the PRO Act, to empower hardworking Americans to bargain for better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions."

During her time in Congress Chavez-DeRemer also co-sponsored legislation which sought to protect public-sector workers from having their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-doge-lawsuit-data-protection-ab30a5f446914b93aff84188558c1416">Social Security</a>&nbsp;benefits docked because of government pension benefits. That bill also stalled because it didn't have enough Republican support.

Chavez-DeRemer walked a fine line&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/confirmation-hearing-labor-secretary-lori-chavezderemer-4516f1cf0ca590bc664b5577855dc96f">during her confirmation hearing</a>, attempting to appeal to both Democrats and Republicans. On the subject of whether the federal minimum wage was overdue for an increase, she said she recognized it hadn't been raised from $7.25 an hour since 2009 but that she would not want to “shock the economy.”

Some Democratic senators and workers’ rights advocates have questioned how much independence Chavez-DeRemer would have as President Donald Trump's labor secretary and where her allegiance would lie in an administration that has fired thousands of federal employees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741655381640.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Chavez-DeRemer in January-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Chavez-DeRemer in January-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate voted Monday to confirm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavezderemer-feaa4672efac644aa60722d3a3215df1">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>&nbsp;as U.S. labor secretary, a Cabinet position that puts her in charge of enforcing federally mandated worker rights and protections at a time when the White House is trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">eliminate thousands of government employees</a>.Chavez-DeRemer will oversee the Department of Labor, one of several executive departments named&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-layoffs-government-data-13653c59c1f6fa0c5ae551f821faafb7">in lawsuits</a>&nbsp;challenging the authority of billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to order layoffs and access sensitive government data.The Labor Department had nearly 16,000 full-time employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. Some of its vast responsibilities include reporting the U.S. unemployment rate, regulating workplace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/occupational-safety-and-health-administration">health and safety standards</a>, investigating minimum wage, child labor and overtime pay disputes, and applying laws on union organizing and unlawful terminations.Several prominent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">labor unions</a>, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, endorsed Chavez-DeRemer's nomination. The former Republican congresswoman from Oregon is the daughter of a Teamster, and during her one term in the House earned a reputation as pro-labor.The Senate voted to confirm Chavez-DeRemer 67-32, with 17 Democrats voting yes and three Republicans, Budd, McConnell and Paul voting no. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-cabinet-confirmation-tracker/">Senate has now confirmed all but one</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s picks for his Cabinet. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-labor-secretary-nominee-chavezderemer-senate-119a7e3dde1cb9553174d1bce37871c5">Committee on Health, Education, Labor &amp; Pensions</a>&nbsp;had voted 14-9 in favor of her nomination last week, with all Republicans except Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky giving Chavez-DeRemer their support. Three Democrats on the committee — Sens. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire — voted with the majority.During her confirmation hearing before the committee, several Republican senators grilled Chavez-DeRemer about her decision to co-sponsor legislation that would have made it easier for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">workers to unionize</a>&nbsp;and penalized employers who stood in the way of organizing efforts.She declined to explicitly state whether she still backed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, also known as the PRO Act.Chavez-DeRemer explained she had signed on as a co-sponsor because she wanted a seat at the table to discuss important labor issues. Under further questioning, she walked back some of her support of the bill, saying that she supported state “right to work” laws, which allow employees to refuse to join a union in their workplace.The PRO Act did not come up for a vote during her time in Congress, but the legislation was reintroduced in the House and Senate last week.“As we speak, Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies are stealing the American dream away from working families, rigging every lever of society in favor of the billionaire class,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “That’s why we need the PRO Act, to empower hardworking Americans to bargain for better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions."During her time in Congress Chavez-DeRemer also co-sponsored legislation which sought to protect public-sector workers from having their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-doge-lawsuit-data-protection-ab30a5f446914b93aff84188558c1416">Social Security</a>&nbsp;benefits docked because of government pension benefits. That bill also stalled because it didn't have enough Republican support.Chavez-DeRemer walked a fine line&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/confirmation-hearing-labor-secretary-lori-chavezderemer-4516f1cf0ca590bc664b5577855dc96f">during her confirmation hearing</a>, attempting to appeal to both Democrats and Republicans. On the subject of whether the federal minimum wage was overdue for an increase, she said she recognized it hadn't been raised from $7.25 an hour since 2009 but that she would not want to “shock the economy.”Some Democratic senators and workers’ rights advocates have questioned how much independence Chavez-DeRemer would have as President Donald Trump's labor secretary and where her allegiance would lie in an administration that has fired thousands of federal employees.

Moran, Marshall help Senate confirm Trump's labor secretary

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal hit and run pedestrian incident that occurred just after 3p.m. Monday in Kansas City.

The pedestrian was walking on the outside shoulder of eastbound Interstate 70 near the exit ramp to Paseo, According to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

An unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian and then&nbsp; left the area without stopping. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 This is fatality #11 in KCMO compared to #21 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. Police have not released the name of the&nbsp; victim or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal hit and run pedestrian incident that occurred just after 3p.m. Monday in Kansas City.The pedestrian was walking on the outside shoulder of eastbound Interstate 70 near the exit ramp to Paseo, According to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.An unknown vehicle struck the pedestrian and then&nbsp; left the area without stopping. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene. This is fatality #11 in KCMO compared to #21 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. Police have not released the name of the&nbsp; victim or additional details.

Hit-and-run: Pedestrian dies after struck by vehicle on I-70

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for his role in a drug related double-homicide.

On Friday,&nbsp;Judge Kevin Smith sentenced&nbsp; 45-year-old David Baeza of Wichita to 122 months in prison for two counts of voluntary manslaughter and for cocaine possession, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In January, Baeza pled guilty for his role in the the July 2022, shooting deaths&nbsp;of&nbsp; 29-year-old Gerardo Ruvalcaba-Ulloa and&nbsp; 43-year-old Saren Perez Negrete.

Just after 5 a.m. July 3, 2022, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;

During a search of the rural property, deputies found the bodies of&nbsp; Ruvalcaba-Ulloam and&nbsp; Negrete-Perez of California. deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;The shooting was drug-related, according to the district attorney's office.

At the scene, first responders also found Baeza on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.

Initially, Baeza and Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita were charged with attempted 1st degree murder in connection with the deaths.

Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, was also originally charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The other two suspects are awaiting sentencing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657051675461.png" alt="Baeza-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Baeza-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for his role in a drug related double-homicide.On Friday,&nbsp;Judge Kevin Smith sentenced&nbsp; 45-year-old David Baeza of Wichita to 122 months in prison for two counts of voluntary manslaughter and for cocaine possession, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In January, Baeza pled guilty for his role in the the July 2022, shooting deaths&nbsp;of&nbsp; 29-year-old Gerardo Ruvalcaba-Ulloa and&nbsp; 43-year-old Saren Perez Negrete.Just after 5 a.m. July 3, 2022, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;During a search of the rural property, deputies found the bodies of&nbsp; Ruvalcaba-Ulloam and&nbsp; Negrete-Perez of California. deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;The shooting was drug-related, according to the district attorney's office.At the scene, first responders also found Baeza on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.Initially, Baeza and Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita were charged with attempted 1st degree murder in connection with the deaths.Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, was also originally charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The other two suspects are awaiting sentencing.

Man wounded in rural Kansas double-homicide is going to prison

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 3:30p.m. Saturday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at U.S. 56 and Kansas 31 junction, near Osage City, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics. Jacob D. Stephenson, 40, of Pomona was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Driving while license revoked,&nbsp;&nbsp;No proof of insurance and Illegal registration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741558649445.png" alt="Stephenson" />
 <figcaption>Stephenson</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 3:30p.m. Saturday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at U.S. 56 and Kansas 31 junction, near Osage City, for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.During the stop, the deputy found illegal narcotics. Jacob D. Stephenson, 40, of Pomona was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Driving while license revoked,&nbsp;&nbsp;No proof of insurance and Illegal registration.

Kansas Sheriff's K9 unit found drugs during traffic stop

ROME (AP) — Doctors said Monday Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month, but have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment.

In a late update, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope remains stable and has consolidated improvements in recent days, as determined by blood tests and positive responses to drug treatments.

The Vatican said the doctors had lifted their previous “guarded” prognosis, meaning they determined he was no longer in imminent danger as a result of the original respiratory infection he arrived with on Feb. 14. But their caution remained.

“However, in view of the complexity of the clinical picture and the important infectious picture presented on admission, it will be necessary to continue medical drug therapy in a hospital setting for additional days,” according to the Vatican statement.

In a sign of his improved health,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Francis</a>&nbsp;followed the Vatican’s weeklong spiritual retreat via videoconference on Monday in both the morning and afternoon sessions.

As he did on Sunday, Francis participated in the retreat remotely from the Rome hospital where he is being treated. He could see and hear the Rev. Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the papal household, but the priests, bishops and cardinals gathered for the retreat in the Vatican auditorium could not see or hear him.

Pasolini is delivering a series of meditations this week on “The hope of eternal life,” a theme that was chosen well before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-hospital-pneumonia-explainer-dd041a6397cdbb11d1b69d5809615f37">Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14</a>&nbsp;with a complex lung infection.

The retreat, an annual gathering that kicks off the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/catholic-church-opens-lent-season-with-words-of-solidarity-for-pope-sidelined-with-pneumonia-be2cc33354e2450a81dd5ec996207b02">Catholic Church’s solemn Lenten season</a>&nbsp;leading to Easter, continues through the week. The Vatican has said Francis would participate “in spiritual communion” with the rest of the hierarchy, from afar.

Francis also resumed his physical and respiratory therapy at the Gemelli hospital, and rested and prayed inbetween. Francis has been using a nasal tube for supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night, therapy that he was continuing Monday.

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, had what was just a bad case of bronchitis when he was hospitalized last month. The infection progressed into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-bronchitis-hospital-757f28cabc6a84836168321fba798bae">complex respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.

Francis was still keeping his eye on things. The Vatican said he had been informed about the floods in his native Argentina and expressed his closeness to the affected population. In addition, a Vatican cardinal close to Francis spoke out Monday to refute some negative media reports that have circulated in his absence.

The Vatican development office released a letter written by Cardinal Michael Czerny to one of Francis' close friends, the Argentine social justice activist Juan Grabois. Grabois had travelled to Rome to pray for Francis at Gemelli hospital, and some Italian media reported last month that he had tried to forcibly get into Francis' 10th floor hospital suite, a claim he denied.

In the March 6 letter, Czerny told Grabois that Francis “knew of your presence in Rome and your daily vigils of prayer and spiritual solidarity at Gemelli Polyclinic and I'm sure this gave him a true comfort and support."

“Additionally, I know that you join me in strongly repudiating the unfounded versions that have circulated in some media about alleged inappropriate behavior in the hospital,” Czerny wrote.

The Vatican is always abuzz with rumor but has gone into overdrive with speculation about Francis’ health and talk of conclaves, even though Francis is very much alive and in charge. The fact that Czerny felt it necessary to defend one of Francis' friends suggested that the rumor and maneuvering in Francis' absence had crossed a line.

On Thursday, the Vatican will mark the 12th anniversary of Francis’ election, the first with the pope out of sight but still in charge. Francis was elected the 266th pope,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/pope-francis-is-introspective-and-self-critical-in-his-autobiography-at-least-about-his-youth/">the first Jesuit pope</a>&nbsp;and first from Latin America on March 13, 2013, following the resignation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI.</a>

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) — Doctors said Monday Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month, but have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment.In a late update, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope remains stable and has consolidated improvements in recent days, as determined by blood tests and positive responses to drug treatments.The Vatican said the doctors had lifted their previous “guarded” prognosis, meaning they determined he was no longer in imminent danger as a result of the original respiratory infection he arrived with on Feb. 14. But their caution remained.“However, in view of the complexity of the clinical picture and the important infectious picture presented on admission, it will be necessary to continue medical drug therapy in a hospital setting for additional days,” according to the Vatican statement.In a sign of his improved health,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Francis</a>&nbsp;followed the Vatican’s weeklong spiritual retreat via videoconference on Monday in both the morning and afternoon sessions.As he did on Sunday, Francis participated in the retreat remotely from the Rome hospital where he is being treated. He could see and hear the Rev. Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the papal household, but the priests, bishops and cardinals gathered for the retreat in the Vatican auditorium could not see or hear him.Pasolini is delivering a series of meditations this week on “The hope of eternal life,” a theme that was chosen well before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-hospital-pneumonia-explainer-dd041a6397cdbb11d1b69d5809615f37">Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14</a>&nbsp;with a complex lung infection.The retreat, an annual gathering that kicks off the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/catholic-church-opens-lent-season-with-words-of-solidarity-for-pope-sidelined-with-pneumonia-be2cc33354e2450a81dd5ec996207b02">Catholic Church’s solemn Lenten season</a>&nbsp;leading to Easter, continues through the week. The Vatican has said Francis would participate “in spiritual communion” with the rest of the hierarchy, from afar.Francis also resumed his physical and respiratory therapy at the Gemelli hospital, and rested and prayed inbetween. Francis has been using a nasal tube for supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night, therapy that he was continuing Monday.The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, had what was just a bad case of bronchitis when he was hospitalized last month. The infection progressed into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-bronchitis-hospital-757f28cabc6a84836168321fba798bae">complex respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.Francis was still keeping his eye on things. The Vatican said he had been informed about the floods in his native Argentina and expressed his closeness to the affected population. In addition, a Vatican cardinal close to Francis spoke out Monday to refute some negative media reports that have circulated in his absence.The Vatican development office released a letter written by Cardinal Michael Czerny to one of Francis' close friends, the Argentine social justice activist Juan Grabois. Grabois had travelled to Rome to pray for Francis at Gemelli hospital, and some Italian media reported last month that he had tried to forcibly get into Francis' 10th floor hospital suite, a claim he denied.In the March 6 letter, Czerny told Grabois that Francis “knew of your presence in Rome and your daily vigils of prayer and spiritual solidarity at Gemelli Polyclinic and I'm sure this gave him a true comfort and support."“Additionally, I know that you join me in strongly repudiating the unfounded versions that have circulated in some media about alleged inappropriate behavior in the hospital,” Czerny wrote.The Vatican is always abuzz with rumor but has gone into overdrive with speculation about Francis’ health and talk of conclaves, even though Francis is very much alive and in charge. The fact that Czerny felt it necessary to defend one of Francis' friends suggested that the rumor and maneuvering in Francis' absence had crossed a line.On Thursday, the Vatican will mark the 12th anniversary of Francis’ election, the first with the pope out of sight but still in charge. Francis was elected the 266th pope,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/pope-francis-is-introspective-and-self-critical-in-his-autobiography-at-least-about-his-youth/">the first Jesuit pope</a>&nbsp;and first from Latin America on March 13, 2013, following the resignation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI.</a>___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.

Doctors: Pope Francis health continues to improve, remains hospitalized

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a body found near the Little Arkansas River have released the name of the victim as&nbsp;48-year-old Christopher Zimbelman, according to Wichita Police Spokesman Brad Wright.&nbsp; Zimbelman&nbsp;was living in Wichita.

Just before 6:30p.m. March 6, a group of individual saw Zimbalin's body floating in the river&nbsp; near the 500 block of N. Nims Avenue.&nbsp; Police have not released a cause of death of additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a body found near the Little Arkansas River have released the name of the victim as&nbsp;48-year-old Christopher Zimbelman, according to Wichita Police Spokesman Brad Wright.&nbsp; Zimbelman&nbsp;was living in Wichita.Just before 6:30p.m. March 6, a group of individual saw Zimbalin's body floating in the river&nbsp; near the 500 block of N. Nims Avenue.&nbsp; Police have not released a cause of death of additional details.

Police ID body found in Kansas river

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tariffs-rates-jobs-bitcoin-d414257dbb4c9f45b0ad075e12c63451">sell-off</a>&nbsp;cut deeper on Monday as Wall Street questioned how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-business-uncertainty-canada-mexico-china-2b01e586faf99bae3438d289f48a1add">pain</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/535e22b2c7c62ce917afe12c19c60c75">will let the economy</a>&nbsp;endure through tariffs and other policies in order to get what he wants.

The S&amp;P 500 dropped 2.7% to drag it close to 9% below its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">all-time high</a>, which was set just last month. At one point, the S&amp;P 500 was down 3.6% and on track for its worst day since 2022. That’s when the highest inflation in generations was shredding budgets and raising worries about a possible recession that ultimately never came.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 890 points, or 2.1%, after paring an earlier loss of more than 1,100, while the Nasdaq composite skidded by 4%.

It was the worst day yet in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-stock-market-wall-street-volatility-a8bb85c802be802929bda213253c8178">scary stretch</a>&nbsp;where the S&amp;P 500 has swung more than 1%, up or down,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tariffs-rates-autos-1e09507d9731e30b315f91e6a178f7e9">seven times</a>&nbsp;in eight days because of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">on</a>&nbsp;-and-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-mexico-canada-bfed103a11a2a71d8353350f94c78814">off</a>&nbsp;-again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">tariffs</a>. The worry is that the whipsaw moves will either hurt the economy directly or create enough uncertainty to drive U.S. companies and consumers into an economy-freezing paralysis.

The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-earnings-economy-fed-cb7171a5bb3bc3d64c9247454d753d06">surveys showing increased pessimism</a>. And a widely followed collection of real-time&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow">indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta</a>&nbsp;suggests the U.S. economy may already be shrinking.

Asked over the weekend whether he was expecting a recession in 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-recession-economy-higher-prices-7f481abbaae500bf826445236b958e61">Trump told Fox News Channel</a>: “I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing.” He then added, “It takes a little time. It takes a little time.”

Trump says he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, among other reasons he’s given for tariffs. His Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also said the economy may go through a “detox” period as it weans off an addiction to spending by the government. The White House is trying to limit federal spending, while also cutting the federal workforce and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">increasing deportations</a>, which could hinder the job market.

The U.S. job market is still showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-jobs-unemployment-tariffs-immigrants-fed-eed80fafbb4ffb7edcb5b0cb8bb5fa14">stable hiring</a>&nbsp;at the moment, to be sure, and the economy ended last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-tariffs-trump-inflation-production-growth-86a09ee9948419d066c4b39959e32cd3">running at a solid rate</a>. But economists are marking down their forecasts for how the economy will perform this year.

At Goldman Sachs, for example, David Mericle cut his estimate for U.S. economic growth to 1.7% from 2.2% for the end of 2025 over the year before, largely because tariffs look like they’ll be bigger than he was previously forecasting.

He sees a one-in-five chance of a recession over the next year, raising it only slightly because “the White House has the option to pull back policy changes” if the risks to the economy “begin to look more serious.”

“There are always multiple forces at work in the market, but right now, almost all of them are taking a back seat to tariffs,” according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley.

Trump met on Monday with tech industry CEOs, but the event was closed to the news media. He remained silent about the sell-off through the day.

The worries hitting Wall Street have so far been hurting some of its biggest stars the most. Big Tech stocks and companies that rode the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;frenzy in recent years have slumped sharply.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-stock-ai-deepseek-wall-street-5ef5329d2a864f7f733f7e8984366238">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;fell another 5.1% Monday to bring its loss for the year so far to more than 20%. It’s a steep drop-off from its nearly 820% surge over 2023 and 2024.

Elon Musk’s Tesla fell 15.4% to deepen its loss for 2025 to 45%. After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">getting an initial post-election bump</a>&nbsp;on hopes that Musk’s close relationship with Trump would help the electric-vehicle company, the stock has slumped on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-tesla-boycott-showrooms-stock-european-sales-e6459a0207f1318a1110e3d15e89956c">worries that its brand has become intertwined</a>&nbsp;with Musk. Protests against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">the U.S. government’s efforts to cull its workforce</a>&nbsp;and other moves have targeted Tesla dealerships, for example.

Stocks of companies that depend on U.S. households feeling good enough about their finances to spend also fell sharply. Cruise-ship operator Carnival dropped 7.6%, and United Airlines lost 6.3%.

It’s not just stocks struggling. Investors are sending prices lower for all kinds of investments whose momentum had earlier seemed nearly impossible to stop at times, such as bitcoin. The cryptocurrency’s value has dropped below $80,000 from more than $106,000 in December.

Instead, investors have bid up U.S. Treasury bonds as they look for things whose prices can hold up better when the economy is under pressure. That has sent prices for Treasurys sharply higher, which in turn has sent down their yields.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury tumbled again to 4.22% from 4.32% late Friday. It’s been dropping since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, as worries about the economy have grown. That’s a major move for the bond market.

All the uncertainty, though, hasn’t shut down dealmaking on Wall Street. Redfin’s stock jumped 67.9% after Rocket said it would buy the digital real estate brokerage in an all-stock deal valuing it at $1.75 billion. Rocket’s stock sank 15.3%.

ServiceNow fell 7.9% after the AI platform company said it was buying AI-assistant maker Moveworks for $2.85 billion in cash and stock.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 155.64 points to 5,614.56. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 890.01 to 41,911.71, and the Nasdaq composite sank 727.90 to 17,468.32.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes largely fell following a mixed session in Asia.

Indexes fell 1.8% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-sluggish-ccnsumer-prices-827289e7eed88bbf062eb371632dc048">consumer prices</a>&nbsp;fell in February for the first time in 13 months. It’s the latest signal of weakness for the world’s second-largest economy, as persistent weak demand was compounded by the early timing of the Lunar New Year holiday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741607009427.png" alt="President Trump arrives back at the White House Sunday night-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump arrives back at the White House Sunday night-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tariffs-rates-jobs-bitcoin-d414257dbb4c9f45b0ad075e12c63451">sell-off</a>&nbsp;cut deeper on Monday as Wall Street questioned how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-business-uncertainty-canada-mexico-china-2b01e586faf99bae3438d289f48a1add">pain</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/535e22b2c7c62ce917afe12c19c60c75">will let the economy</a>&nbsp;endure through tariffs and other policies in order to get what he wants.The S&amp;P 500 dropped 2.7% to drag it close to 9% below its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">all-time high</a>, which was set just last month. At one point, the S&amp;P 500 was down 3.6% and on track for its worst day since 2022. That’s when the highest inflation in generations was shredding budgets and raising worries about a possible recession that ultimately never came.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 890 points, or 2.1%, after paring an earlier loss of more than 1,100, while the Nasdaq composite skidded by 4%.It was the worst day yet in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-stock-market-wall-street-volatility-a8bb85c802be802929bda213253c8178">scary stretch</a>&nbsp;where the S&amp;P 500 has swung more than 1%, up or down,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tariffs-rates-autos-1e09507d9731e30b315f91e6a178f7e9">seven times</a>&nbsp;in eight days because of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">on</a>&nbsp;-and-&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-mexico-canada-bfed103a11a2a71d8353350f94c78814">off</a>&nbsp;-again&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">tariffs</a>. The worry is that the whipsaw moves will either hurt the economy directly or create enough uncertainty to drive U.S. companies and consumers into an economy-freezing paralysis.The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-earnings-economy-fed-cb7171a5bb3bc3d64c9247454d753d06">surveys showing increased pessimism</a>. And a widely followed collection of real-time&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow">indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta</a>&nbsp;suggests the U.S. economy may already be shrinking.Asked over the weekend whether he was expecting a recession in 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-recession-economy-higher-prices-7f481abbaae500bf826445236b958e61">Trump told Fox News Channel</a>: “I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing.” He then added, “It takes a little time. It takes a little time.”Trump says he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, among other reasons he’s given for tariffs. His Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also said the economy may go through a “detox” period as it weans off an addiction to spending by the government. The White House is trying to limit federal spending, while also cutting the federal workforce and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">increasing deportations</a>, which could hinder the job market.The U.S. job market is still showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-jobs-unemployment-tariffs-immigrants-fed-eed80fafbb4ffb7edcb5b0cb8bb5fa14">stable hiring</a>&nbsp;at the moment, to be sure, and the economy ended last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-tariffs-trump-inflation-production-growth-86a09ee9948419d066c4b39959e32cd3">running at a solid rate</a>. But economists are marking down their forecasts for how the economy will perform this year.At Goldman Sachs, for example, David Mericle cut his estimate for U.S. economic growth to 1.7% from 2.2% for the end of 2025 over the year before, largely because tariffs look like they’ll be bigger than he was previously forecasting.He sees a one-in-five chance of a recession over the next year, raising it only slightly because “the White House has the option to pull back policy changes” if the risks to the economy “begin to look more serious.”“There are always multiple forces at work in the market, but right now, almost all of them are taking a back seat to tariffs,” according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley.Trump met on Monday with tech industry CEOs, but the event was closed to the news media. He remained silent about the sell-off through the day.The worries hitting Wall Street have so far been hurting some of its biggest stars the most. Big Tech stocks and companies that rode the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;frenzy in recent years have slumped sharply.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-stock-ai-deepseek-wall-street-5ef5329d2a864f7f733f7e8984366238">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;fell another 5.1% Monday to bring its loss for the year so far to more than 20%. It’s a steep drop-off from its nearly 820% surge over 2023 and 2024.Elon Musk’s Tesla fell 15.4% to deepen its loss for 2025 to 45%. After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">getting an initial post-election bump</a>&nbsp;on hopes that Musk’s close relationship with Trump would help the electric-vehicle company, the stock has slumped on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-tesla-boycott-showrooms-stock-european-sales-e6459a0207f1318a1110e3d15e89956c">worries that its brand has become intertwined</a>&nbsp;with Musk. Protests against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">the U.S. government’s efforts to cull its workforce</a>&nbsp;and other moves have targeted Tesla dealerships, for example.Stocks of companies that depend on U.S. households feeling good enough about their finances to spend also fell sharply. Cruise-ship operator Carnival dropped 7.6%, and United Airlines lost 6.3%.It’s not just stocks struggling. Investors are sending prices lower for all kinds of investments whose momentum had earlier seemed nearly impossible to stop at times, such as bitcoin. The cryptocurrency’s value has dropped below $80,000 from more than $106,000 in December.Instead, investors have bid up U.S. Treasury bonds as they look for things whose prices can hold up better when the economy is under pressure. That has sent prices for Treasurys sharply higher, which in turn has sent down their yields.The yield on the 10-year Treasury tumbled again to 4.22% from 4.32% late Friday. It’s been dropping since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, as worries about the economy have grown. That’s a major move for the bond market.All the uncertainty, though, hasn’t shut down dealmaking on Wall Street. Redfin’s stock jumped 67.9% after Rocket said it would buy the digital real estate brokerage in an all-stock deal valuing it at $1.75 billion. Rocket’s stock sank 15.3%.ServiceNow fell 7.9% after the AI platform company said it was buying AI-assistant maker Moveworks for $2.85 billion in cash and stock.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 155.64 points to 5,614.56. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 890.01 to 41,911.71, and the Nasdaq composite sank 727.90 to 17,468.32.In stock markets abroad, European indexes largely fell following a mixed session in Asia.Indexes fell 1.8% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-sluggish-ccnsumer-prices-827289e7eed88bbf062eb371632dc048">consumer prices</a>&nbsp;fell in February for the first time in 13 months. It’s the latest signal of weakness for the world’s second-largest economy, as persistent weak demand was compounded by the early timing of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Stocks' sell-off worsens: Wall Street wonders how much pain Trump will accept for the economy

SALINE COUNTY—A small earthquake shook portions of Saline County just after 2p.m. Monday. 

The 2.7 magnitude quake was centered approximately 1.2 miles west, northwest of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; There are no reports of damage or injury, according Saline County Sheriff's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741637406124.png" alt="Location of the quake-USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Location of the quake-USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—A small earthquake shook portions of Saline County just after 2p.m. Monday. The 2.7 magnitude quake was centered approximately 1.2 miles west, northwest of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; There are no reports of damage or injury, according Saline County Sheriff's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Small earthquake reported in north central Kansas

RENO COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Hutchinson.

Just before 4:30a.m. Monday, crews were dispatch to a house fire in the 400 block of East First Street in Hutchinson, according to a media release.

First responders found a two-story home with heavy smoke coming from the attic area. Crews made way to the second floor and began pulling ceiling and made fire attack to the attic where they encountered approximately 10 feet of flames. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The residents were outside when firefighters arrived, and the engine company rescued three dogs from the first floor and returned them to their owners.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741626111624.png" alt="Photos Hutchinson Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photos Hutchinson Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Hutchinson.Just before 4:30a.m. Monday, crews were dispatch to a house fire in the 400 block of East First Street in Hutchinson, according to a media release.First responders found a two-story home with heavy smoke coming from the attic area. Crews made way to the second floor and began pulling ceiling and made fire attack to the attic where they encountered approximately 10 feet of flames. &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741611255532.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The residents were outside when firefighters arrived, and the engine company rescued three dogs from the first floor and returned them to their owners.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries reported.

Firefighters rescue three pets from Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration has overhauled the <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory/cbphome">cellphone app</a> once used to let migrants apply for asylum, turning it into a system that allows people living illegally in the U.S. to announce they want to voluntarily leave.

The renamed app, now called CBP Home, is part of the administration’s campaign to encourage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-self-deportation-trump-0a8d8371cf7e22a5809db40ebbecf42d">“self-deportations,</a>&nbsp;″ touted as an easy and cost-effective way to nudge along Trump’s push to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">deport millions of immigrants</a>.

“The <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory/cbphome">app provides</a> illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences,” Pete Flores, the acting commissioner for U.S Customs and Border Protection, said in a statement.

Moments after Trump took office, the former app,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-cbp-one-border-app-652854b5f2a4e6ccd6ee2ccc729cbb55">CBP One, stopped allowing</a>&nbsp;migrants to apply for asylum, and tens of thousands of border appointments were canceled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741624392845.png" alt="Image U.S. Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration has overhauled the <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory/cbphome">cellphone app</a> once used to let migrants apply for asylum, turning it into a system that allows people living illegally in the U.S. to announce they want to voluntarily leave.The renamed app, now called CBP Home, is part of the administration’s campaign to encourage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-self-deportation-trump-0a8d8371cf7e22a5809db40ebbecf42d">“self-deportations,</a>&nbsp;″ touted as an easy and cost-effective way to nudge along Trump’s push to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">deport millions of immigrants</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today we&#39;re introducing the CBP Home app offering a new critical feature, Intent to Depart. This update complies with <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>&#39;s Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. More Info ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/SStp1ZGI8L">https://t.co/SStp1ZGI8L</a> <a href="https://t.co/yIJl2cdetj">pic.twitter.com/yIJl2cdetj</a>&mdash; CBP (@CBP) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBP/status/1899150187240591689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/about/mobile-apps-directory/cbphome">app provides</a> illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences,” Pete Flores, the acting commissioner for U.S Customs and Border Protection, said in a statement.Moments after Trump took office, the former app,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-cbp-one-border-app-652854b5f2a4e6ccd6ee2ccc729cbb55">CBP One, stopped allowing</a>&nbsp;migrants to apply for asylum, and tens of thousands of border appointments were canceled.

DHS  launches new app to encourage illegals to self-deport

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have made an arrest.

At approximately 9a.m. Saturday, Kansas City, Kansas Police were dispatched to a home in the 1000 block of Quindaro Blvd. to assist the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department in locating a homicide suspect from their city, according to a media release.

Just before 10a.m, the suspect, Justin J. Arbee, 25, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, exited the home and was taken into custody without incident. 

He is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on the homicide warrant from Kansas City, Missouri.

Arbee is accused of being involved in a Feb. 10, killing of 64-year-old Zulfiqar Ladhani, who was shot outside his store, Joe’s Liquor &amp; Convenience Store&nbsp;near the 8000 block of Hickman Mills Drive.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741486081919.png" alt="Arbee photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Arbee photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have made an arrest.At approximately 9a.m. Saturday, Kansas City, Kansas Police were dispatched to a home in the 1000 block of Quindaro Blvd. to assist the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department in locating a homicide suspect from their city, according to a media release.Just before 10a.m, the suspect, Justin J. Arbee, 25, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, exited the home and was taken into custody without incident. He is currently being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on the homicide warrant from Kansas City, Missouri.Arbee is accused of being involved in a Feb. 10, killing of 64-year-old Zulfiqar Ladhani, who was shot outside his store, Joe’s Liquor &amp; Convenience Store&nbsp;near the 8000 block of Hickman Mills Drive.Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).&nbsp;

Police capture wanted homicide suspect at Kansas home

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

The two-vehicle crash occurred near the intersecion of&nbsp;Maple and Osage, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp; First responders arrived at the crash scene and began rendering life saving measures to a 72-year-old man.

He was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the other driver, identified as a 29-year-old man, to an area hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;

The Wichita Police Department Critical Accident Team and Accident Follow-up Investigators responded to the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police have not released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741614690970.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.The two-vehicle crash occurred near the intersecion of&nbsp;Maple and Osage, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp; First responders arrived at the crash scene and began rendering life saving measures to a 72-year-old man.He was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the other driver, identified as a 29-year-old man, to an area hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;The Wichita Police Department Critical Accident Team and Accident Follow-up Investigators responded to the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police have not released the name of the victim.

One dead, one hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kan. crash

SALINA —Country music fans will have the chance to experience an intimate performance by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ladyamusic.com./">Lady A</a>&nbsp;this summer at the Stiefel Theatre. The Grammy-winning trio is set to take the stage for An Acoustic Evening on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the show start at $99 and will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. They can be purchased in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.

Built on rich vocal harmonies and a smooth fusion of country, rock, and pop, Lady A has become one of the most successful vocal groups in contemporary country music. With 10 No. 1 hits, over 18 million album units sold, and nearly 5 billion digital streams, the trio has left a lasting mark on the genre. Their 11-time platinum single Need You Now remains the highest-certified song by a country group.

Throughout their career, Lady A has won multiple ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, seven Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades. Fans can expect a night filled with heartfelt storytelling and some of their biggest hits.

For more information about the band, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ladyamusic.com/">www.ladyamusic.com</a>.

SALINA —Country music fans will have the chance to experience an intimate performance by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ladyamusic.com./">Lady A</a>&nbsp;this summer at the Stiefel Theatre. The Grammy-winning trio is set to take the stage for An Acoustic Evening on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m.Tickets for the show start at $99 and will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. They can be purchased in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741613156929.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Built on rich vocal harmonies and a smooth fusion of country, rock, and pop, Lady A has become one of the most successful vocal groups in contemporary country music. With 10 No. 1 hits, over 18 million album units sold, and nearly 5 billion digital streams, the trio has left a lasting mark on the genre. Their 11-time platinum single Need You Now remains the highest-certified song by a country group.Throughout their career, Lady A has won multiple ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, seven Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades. Fans can expect a night filled with heartfelt storytelling and some of their biggest hits.For more information about the band, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ladyamusic.com/">www.ladyamusic.com</a>.

Lady A to perform acoustic show in Salina

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, pushing ahead with a go-it-alone strategy that seems certain to spark a major confrontation with Democrats over the contours of government spending.

<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">Click here to read the full bill</a>

The 99-page bill would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming nondefense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and nondefense spending move in the same direction.

Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.

Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That's because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.

Crucially, the strategy has the backing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, who has shown an ability so far in his term to hold Republicans in line.

Trump praised the bill, writing on X that Republicans have to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”

“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's ‘financial house’ in order," he said.

House Republicans' leadership staff outlined the contours of the measure, saying it would allow for about $892.5 billion in defense spending and about $708 billion in nondefense spending. The defense spending is slightly above the prior year's level, but the nondefense spending, the aides said, was about $13 billion below last year.

The measure also will not include funding requested by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects around the country, often referred to as earmarks.

The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs are on auto pilot and are not regularly reviewed by Congress.

The top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, both issued statements blasting the legislation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, pushing ahead with a go-it-alone strategy that seems certain to spark a major confrontation with Democrats over the contours of government spending.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741465083055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">Click here to read the full bill</a>The 99-page bill would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming nondefense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and nondefense spending move in the same direction.Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741610108074.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That's because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.Crucially, the strategy has the backing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, who has shown an ability so far in his term to hold Republicans in line.Trump praised the bill, writing on X that Republicans have to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's ‘financial house’ in order," he said.House Republicans' leadership staff outlined the contours of the measure, saying it would allow for about $892.5 billion in defense spending and about $708 billion in nondefense spending. The defense spending is slightly above the prior year's level, but the nondefense spending, the aides said, was about $13 billion below last year.The measure also will not include funding requested by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects around the country, often referred to as earmarks.The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs are on auto pilot and are not regularly reviewed by Congress.The top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, both issued statements blasting the legislation.“I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution," DeLauro said.Murray said the legislation would “give Donald Trump and Elon Musk more power over federal spending — and more power to pick winners and losers, which threatens families in blue and red states alike.”Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the focus must be on preventing a shutdown because closures have negative consequences all across government.“They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to report to work with no certainty on when they will receive their next paycheck,” Collin said. "We cannot allow that to occur.”Trump's request for unity appears to be having an effect. Some conservatives who almost never vote for continuing resolutions expressed much openness to one last week.Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., says he has never voted for a continuing resolution, what lawmakers often call a CR, but he is on board with Johnson's effort. He says he has confidence in Trump and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, led by Elon Musk, to make a difference on the nation's debt.“I don't like CRs,” Norman said. “But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No.”“I freeze spending for six month to go identify more cuts? Somebody tell me how that's not a win in Washington,” added Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, another lawmaker who has often frequently voted against spending bills but supports the six-month continuing resolution.Republicans are also hoping that resolving this year's spending will allow them to devote their full attention to extending the individual tax cuts passed during Trump's first term and raising the nation's debt limit to avoid a catastrophic federal default.Democratic leaders are warning that the decision to move ahead without consulting them increases the prospects for a shutdown. One of their biggest concerns is the flexibility the legislation would give the Trump administration on spending.The Democratic leadership in both chambers has stressed that Republicans have the majority and are responsible for funding the government. But leaders also have been wary of saying how Democrats would vote on a continuing resolution.“We have to wait to see what their plan is,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “We've always believed the only solution is a bipartisan solution, no matter what.”House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said earlier this week that the Democratic caucus would meet and discuss the legislation at the “appropriate moment.” But he struck a more forceful tone Friday.Jeffries said Democrats are ready to negotiate a “meaningful, bipartisan spending agreement that puts working people first.” But he said the “partisan continuing resolution” threatens to cut funding for key programs, such as veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for low-income families.“That is not acceptable," Jeffries said.Trump has been meeting with House Republicans in an effort to win their votes on the legislation. Republicans have a 218-214 majority in the House, so if all lawmakers vote, they can afford only one defection if Democrats unite in opposition. The math gets even harder in the Senate, where at least seven Democrats would have to vote for the legislation to overcome a filibuster. And that's assuming all 53 Republicans vote for it.