MORTON COUNTY —Three new cases of measles have been confirmed in Morton County, linked to a previous case identified in Stevens County last week, according to a statement from the Morton County Health Department.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.

Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.

The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.

If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:

Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;

Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.

For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908329913.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>MORTON COUNTY —Three new cases of measles have been confirmed in Morton County, linked to a previous case identified in Stevens County last week, according to a statement from the Morton County Health Department.Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:<ul>
 <li>Consult with a health care provider to determine if post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended.</li><li>Exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the last time they were exposed unless symptoms develop.</li><li>If&nbsp;symptoms&nbsp;develop, individuals should notify their local health department and stay away from public areas until four days after the rash appeared.</li><li>Individuals seeking health care are advised to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know their symptoms and exposure concerns. This will help limit exposure within the healthcare setting.</li>
 </ul>Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

More measles cases reported in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration that Qatari negotiators helped broker, the State Department said Thursday.

George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-american-detainee-prisoner-exchange-e201170029067fbd8c9ef5861af0930e">the third American detainee</a>&nbsp;to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained the following year.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and praised Qatar for “steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts” that he said were “instrumental in securing George’s release.”

“George’s release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said. “It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.”

Glezmann was being accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump's administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had met with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Glezmann, 66, was in Afghanistan as a tourist at the time of his abduction and has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organization that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the “normalization" of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-milley-taliban-biden-620fd2ca8187389da38ddcf3f9466fbd">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;in 2021. Most countries still don’t recognize the Taliban’s rule.

Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the U.S.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmann’s release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

On Thursday, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Glezmann's release on “humanitarian grounds." In a statement, it said the “Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.”

President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-detainees-ryan-corbett-biden-trump-7a62e24dda83867f83386e08ff2e60df">an earlier proposal</a>&nbsp;that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and vanished in 2022.

The FBI and Habibi's family have said they believe Habibi was taken by Taliban forces, but the Taliban has denied holding him. Representatives for Habibi on Thursday cited what they said was “overwhelming evidence” that he was arrested by the Taliban after his home was searched by people identifying themselves as part of the Taliban's security service.

"We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the U.S. to move forward," one of Habibi’s brothers, Ahmad, said in a statement. “We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter, and elderly parents for 953 days.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742485943294.png" alt="In this handout photo released by Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George Glezmann, center, poses with Adam Boehler, second left, and Zalmay Khalilzad, second right, and Qatari diplomats in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, March 20, 2025, before departing to Doha, Qatar. (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this handout photo released by Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George Glezmann, center, poses with Adam Boehler, second left, and Zalmay Khalilzad, second right, and Qatari diplomats in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, March 20, 2025, before departing to Doha, Qatar. (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration that Qatari negotiators helped broker, the State Department said Thursday.George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-american-detainee-prisoner-exchange-e201170029067fbd8c9ef5861af0930e">the third American detainee</a>&nbsp;to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained the following year.In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and praised Qatar for “steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts” that he said were “instrumental in securing George’s release.”“George’s release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said. “It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.”Glezmann was being accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump's administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had met with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.Glezmann, 66, was in Afghanistan as a tourist at the time of his abduction and has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organization that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the “normalization" of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-milley-taliban-biden-620fd2ca8187389da38ddcf3f9466fbd">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;in 2021. Most countries still don’t recognize the Taliban’s rule.Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the U.S.Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmann’s release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.On Thursday, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Glezmann's release on “humanitarian grounds." In a statement, it said the “Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.”President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-detainees-ryan-corbett-biden-trump-7a62e24dda83867f83386e08ff2e60df">an earlier proposal</a>&nbsp;that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and vanished in 2022.The FBI and Habibi's family have said they believe Habibi was taken by Taliban forces, but the Taliban has denied holding him. Representatives for Habibi on Thursday cited what they said was “overwhelming evidence” that he was arrested by the Taliban after his home was searched by people identifying themselves as part of the Taliban's security service."We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the U.S. to move forward," one of Habibi’s brothers, Ahmad, said in a statement. “We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter, and elderly parents for 953 days.”

Taliban frees American abducted in Afghanistan 2 years ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives.

Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

And the White House says the department would not close completely right now. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon "to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."

Trump's action will make the department much smaller than it is today, but it will continue managing federal student loans and Pell grants, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. Other critical department duties such as enforcement of civil rights will remain, she said, but she did not say how they will be fulfilled.

"The great responsibility of education, educating our nation's students will return to the states," Leavitt told reporters.

Already, Trump's Republican administration has been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half, and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation's academic progress.

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

"This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said.

Democrats said the order will be fought in the courts and in Congress, and they urged Republicans to join them in opposition.

Trump's order is "dangerous and illegal" and will disproportionately hurt low-income students, students of color and those with disabilities, said Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

The department "was founded in part to guarantee the enforcement of students' civil rights," Scott said. "Champions of public school segregation objected, and campaigned for a return to 'states' rights.'"

Supporters of Trump's vision for education welcomed the order.

"No more bloated bureaucracy dictating what kids learn or stifling innovation with red tape," Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said on social media. "States, communities, and parents can take the reins — tailoring education to what actually works for their kids."

The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be "a better functioning" department.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.

Currently, much of the agency's work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, like school meals and support for homeless students. The agency also is key in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

States and districts already control local schools, including curriculum, but some conservatives have pushed to cut strings attached to federal money and provide it to states as "block grants" to be used at their discretion. Block granting has raised questions about vital funding sources including Title I, the largest source of federal money to America's K-12 schools. Families of children with disabilities have despaired over what could come of the federal department's work protecting their rights.

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents' groups demand more authority over their children's schooling.

In his platform, Trump promised to close the department "and send it back to the states, where it belongs." Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of "radicals, zealots and Marxists" who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.

Even as Trump moves to dismantle the department, he has leaned on it to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education money to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in women's sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a Democrat on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, dismissed Trump's claim that he's returning education to the states. She said he is actually "trying to exert ever more control over local schools and dictate what they can and cannot teach."

Even some of Trump's allies have questioned his power to close the agency without action from Congress, and there are doubts about its political popularity. The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

During Trump's first term, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agency's budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. That move was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.

Leavitt is one of three administration officials named in a lawsuit by The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump Signs Executive Order to Dismantle Department of Education <a href="https://t.co/sFLAgaskte">pic.twitter.com/sFLAgaskte</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1902823818319564838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.And the White House says the department would not close completely right now. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives.Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon "to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."Trump's action will make the department much smaller than it is today, but it will continue managing federal student loans and Pell grants, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. Other critical department duties such as enforcement of civil rights will remain, she said, but she did not say how they will be fulfilled."The great responsibility of education, educating our nation's students will return to the states," Leavitt told reporters.Already, Trump's Republican administration has been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half, and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation's academic progress.Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal."This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said.Democrats said the order will be fought in the courts and in Congress, and they urged Republicans to join them in opposition.Trump's order is "dangerous and illegal" and will disproportionately hurt low-income students, students of color and those with disabilities, said Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.The department "was founded in part to guarantee the enforcement of students' civil rights," Scott said. "Champions of public school segregation objected, and campaigned for a return to 'states' rights.'"Supporters of Trump's vision for education welcomed the order."No more bloated bureaucracy dictating what kids learn or stifling innovation with red tape," Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said on social media. "States, communities, and parents can take the reins — tailoring education to what actually works for their kids."The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be "a better functioning" department.The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.Currently, much of the agency's work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, like school meals and support for homeless students. The agency also is key in overseeing civil rights enforcement.States and districts already control local schools, including curriculum, but some conservatives have pushed to cut strings attached to federal money and provide it to states as "block grants" to be used at their discretion. Block granting has raised questions about vital funding sources including Title I, the largest source of federal money to America's K-12 schools. Families of children with disabilities have despaired over what could come of the federal department's work protecting their rights.Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents' groups demand more authority over their children's schooling.In his platform, Trump promised to close the department "and send it back to the states, where it belongs." Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of "radicals, zealots and Marxists" who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.Even as Trump moves to dismantle the department, he has leaned on it to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education money to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in women's sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a Democrat on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, dismissed Trump's claim that he's returning education to the states. She said he is actually "trying to exert ever more control over local schools and dictate what they can and cannot teach."Even some of Trump's allies have questioned his power to close the agency without action from Congress, and there are doubts about its political popularity. The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.During Trump's first term, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agency's budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. That move was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.Leavitt is one of three administration officials named in a lawsuit by The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.___The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

🎥Trump signs orders to dismantle the U.S. Education Department

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips">WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner abruptly resigned from his top post at the U.S. passenger railroad this week.

Wednesday’s announcement signaled that the leadership change came down to Amtrak maintaining support from U.S. President Donald Trump. In a statement, Gardner said he was stepping down “to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.”

A successor for Gardner was not immediately named.

Gardner’s departure also arrives just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/elon-musk-says-post-office-amtrak-should-be-privatized-2025-03-05/" target="_blank">floated</a>&nbsp;the idea of privatizing Amtrak, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-postal-service-doge-agreement-daf3bf54fa0718908791fcb368b4d9d8">U.S. Postal Service</a>, at a Morgan Stanley tech conference earlier this month.

Musk, who has been at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-lawsuits-9f6cb9e7f695ee3ad7fa97743a6bf2de">forefront of the Trump administration’s</a>&nbsp;aggressive push to downsize the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/business/musk-usps-amtrak-privatization/index.html" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;called Amtrak “kind of embarrassing” — while comparing the U.S. carrier to passenger rails seen in other countries, such as bullet trains in China.

When reached for comment on Thursday, the Transportation Department did not provide further details specific to Gardner’s resignation. A statement from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took aim at Amtrak’s Washington D.C. operations — calling on Amtrak’s leadership to “clean up Union Station” and “rid of our nation’s treasures of homelessness and crime.”

Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-passenger-railroad-amtrak-ceo-abruptly-steps-down-2025-03-19/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that Gardner was asked to step down at the request of Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-amtrak-7036ffa8c0c64118b9deed5a979d94e2">previously sought</a>&nbsp;to cut Amtrak’s budget in his first term.

When reached Thursday, Amtrak declined to comment on whether Gardner was asked to resign. But in Wednesday’s announcement, the Amtrak board stated that it looked forward to “working with President Trump and Secretary Duffy as we build the world-class passenger rail system this country deserves.”

Gardner first got his start with Amtrak as an intern back in the 90s. He later returned and worked at the rail service for the past 16 years, holding the title of CEO since January 2022.

Amtrak struggled during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — with the railroad seeing plummeting ridership as people across the country stopped traveling and stayed home. But passenger numbers have recently rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

For the 2024 fiscal year, Amtrak reported an all-time&nbsp;<a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2024/12/amtrak-sets-all-time-ridership-record-in-fiscal-year-2024/" target="_blank">ridership record</a>&nbsp;of 32.8 million customer trips. That’s up 15% from 2023 — and surpasses Amtrak’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-lifestyle-health-business-coronavirus-pandemic-d924a925609b179dfc6ec5e7f4f02e16">previous record</a>&nbsp;of 32.4 million passengers in 2019.

Ticket revenue for the 2024 fiscal year totaled $2.5 billion, a 9% jump from 2023. And Amtrak posted an adjusted operated loss of $705.2 million, also a 9% improvement year-over-year.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips">WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner abruptly resigned from his top post at the U.S. passenger railroad this week.Wednesday’s announcement signaled that the leadership change came down to Amtrak maintaining support from U.S. President Donald Trump. In a statement, Gardner said he was stepping down “to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.”A successor for Gardner was not immediately named.Gardner’s departure also arrives just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/elon-musk-says-post-office-amtrak-should-be-privatized-2025-03-05/" target="_blank">floated</a>&nbsp;the idea of privatizing Amtrak, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-postal-service-doge-agreement-daf3bf54fa0718908791fcb368b4d9d8">U.S. Postal Service</a>, at a Morgan Stanley tech conference earlier this month.Musk, who has been at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-lawsuits-9f6cb9e7f695ee3ad7fa97743a6bf2de">forefront of the Trump administration’s</a>&nbsp;aggressive push to downsize the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/business/musk-usps-amtrak-privatization/index.html" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;called Amtrak “kind of embarrassing” — while comparing the U.S. carrier to passenger rails seen in other countries, such as bullet trains in China.When reached for comment on Thursday, the Transportation Department did not provide further details specific to Gardner’s resignation. A statement from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took aim at Amtrak’s Washington D.C. operations — calling on Amtrak’s leadership to “clean up Union Station” and “rid of our nation’s treasures of homelessness and crime.”Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-passenger-railroad-amtrak-ceo-abruptly-steps-down-2025-03-19/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that Gardner was asked to step down at the request of Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-amtrak-7036ffa8c0c64118b9deed5a979d94e2">previously sought</a>&nbsp;to cut Amtrak’s budget in his first term.When reached Thursday, Amtrak declined to comment on whether Gardner was asked to resign. But in Wednesday’s announcement, the Amtrak board stated that it looked forward to “working with President Trump and Secretary Duffy as we build the world-class passenger rail system this country deserves.”Gardner first got his start with Amtrak as an intern back in the 90s. He later returned and worked at the rail service for the past 16 years, holding the title of CEO since January 2022.Amtrak struggled during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — with the railroad seeing plummeting ridership as people across the country stopped traveling and stayed home. But passenger numbers have recently rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.For the 2024 fiscal year, Amtrak reported an all-time&nbsp;<a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2024/12/amtrak-sets-all-time-ridership-record-in-fiscal-year-2024/" target="_blank">ridership record</a>&nbsp;of 32.8 million customer trips. That’s up 15% from 2023 — and surpasses Amtrak’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-lifestyle-health-business-coronavirus-pandemic-d924a925609b179dfc6ec5e7f4f02e16">previous record</a>&nbsp;of 32.4 million passengers in 2019.Ticket revenue for the 2024 fiscal year totaled $2.5 billion, a 9% jump from 2023. And Amtrak posted an adjusted operated loss of $705.2 million, also a 9% improvement year-over-year.

Amtrak CEO abruptly resigns from the nation’s passenger railroad

By NATE KING Salina Post

One person died in a house fire Thursday in Salina, according to Salina Fire Chief Shane Pearson.

Just before 4:30a.m. Thursday, Salina Fire emergency crews were dispatched to the blaze at 119 S. Columbia Street.&nbsp;

"There were extremely heavy fire conditions upon arrival,"&nbsp; Pearson said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Details about the age of the deceased or the number of occupants living at the residence have not been released.

By NATE KING Salina PostOne person died in a house fire Thursday in Salina, according to Salina Fire Chief Shane Pearson.Just before 4:30a.m. Thursday, Salina Fire emergency crews were dispatched to the blaze at 119 S. Columbia Street.&nbsp;"There were extremely heavy fire conditions upon arrival,"&nbsp; Pearson said.The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Details about the age of the deceased or the number of occupants living at the residence have not been released.

One dead after fire at Kansas home

MITCHELL COUNTY — Three small earthquakes shook north central Kansas over the past 24-hours.

Just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake northeast of Hope in rural Dickinson County.

At 3:47 a.m Thursday., the Kansas Geological Survey reported a quake one half mile east, northeast of Glen Elder with a preliminary magnitude 2.8.&nbsp; Four hours later, a quake with a magnitude 2.9&nbsp; shook one half mile west of Glen Elder, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.

There are no reports of any damage or injury, according to the Mitchell County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742491867827.png" alt="Red dots mark the location of the quakes on Thursday morning in Mitchell County-image Kansas Geological Survey" />
 <figcaption>Red dots mark the location of the quakes on Thursday morning in Mitchell County-image Kansas Geological Survey</figcaption>
 </figure>MITCHELL COUNTY — Three small earthquakes shook north central Kansas over the past 24-hours.Just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday, the Kansas Geological Survey reported a 2.3 magnitude quake northeast of Hope in rural Dickinson County.At 3:47 a.m Thursday., the Kansas Geological Survey reported a quake one half mile east, northeast of Glen Elder with a preliminary magnitude 2.8.&nbsp; Four hours later, a quake with a magnitude 2.9&nbsp; shook one half mile west of Glen Elder, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.There are no reports of any damage or injury, according to the Mitchell County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

3 small earthquakes reported in Kansas in past 24-hours

GRAND COUNTY, Colorado— A skier from Kansas died after he struck a tree at a Colorado resort on Tuesday.

Just before 11a.m. March 18,&nbsp;&nbsp;Winter Park Ski Patrol received reporting that a man struck a tree on the Lupin, an advanced trail at the Winter Park Ski resort, according to the Fraser Winter Park Police Department. Resort guests on the scene started CPR on the man later identified as 20-year-old Andrew McDonald of Shawnee, Kansas, according to Grand County Coroner's office.&nbsp; When the Ski Patrol arrived, they transported McDonald to Denver Health Winter Park Medical Center at the base of the resort.&nbsp; 

Despite resuscitation efforts, McDonald was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, according to police.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742488404695.png" alt="Image courtesy KKTV" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KKTV</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND COUNTY, Colorado— A skier from Kansas died after he struck a tree at a Colorado resort on Tuesday.Just before 11a.m. March 18,&nbsp;&nbsp;Winter Park Ski Patrol received reporting that a man struck a tree on the Lupin, an advanced trail at the Winter Park Ski resort, according to the Fraser Winter Park Police Department. Resort guests on the scene started CPR on the man later identified as 20-year-old Andrew McDonald of Shawnee, Kansas, according to Grand County Coroner's office.&nbsp; When the Ski Patrol arrived, they transported McDonald to Denver Health Winter Park Medical Center at the base of the resort.&nbsp; Despite resuscitation efforts, McDonald was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, according to police.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Skier from Kansas dies after striking a tree in Colorado

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

Early Wednesday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at a home in the 300 block of West 16 Avenue in Hutchinson, according to a media release from the Hutchinson Fire Department.

Crews found a small fire in the attic space of a single-story home.&nbsp; Crews were able to make entry into the attic and extinguish the fire with no issues.&nbsp; Smoke detectors alerted the occupants and they were able to escape&nbsp; Damage was contained to the attic and ceiling.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742471645225.jpeg" alt="Photo Hutchinson Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Hutchinson Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Hutchinson.Early Wednesday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at a home in the 300 block of West 16 Avenue in Hutchinson, according to a media release from the Hutchinson Fire Department.Crews found a small fire in the attic space of a single-story home.&nbsp; Crews were able to make entry into the attic and extinguish the fire with no issues.&nbsp; Smoke detectors alerted the occupants and they were able to escape&nbsp; Damage was contained to the attic and ceiling.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

Residents escape after attic fire in Kansas home

FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.

On March 16, detectives and officers with the Ottawa Police Department, in collaboration with detectives from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, executed a narcotics search warrant in the 900 block of South Cypress Street, according to a media release.

During the search, a significant amount of fentanyl and other illegal drugs were discovered. Additionally, a juvenile residing in the home was subsequently taken into protective custody by Ottawa Police officers.

The suspect in this case was already in custody on unrelated criminal charges. Reports regarding this incident have been submitted to the Franklin County Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Police did not release the name of the suspect.

FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.On March 16, detectives and officers with the Ottawa Police Department, in collaboration with detectives from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, executed a narcotics search warrant in the 900 block of South Cypress Street, according to a media release.During the search, a significant amount of fentanyl and other illegal drugs were discovered. Additionally, a juvenile residing in the home was subsequently taken into protective custody by Ottawa Police officers.The suspect in this case was already in custody on unrelated criminal charges. Reports regarding this incident have been submitted to the Franklin County Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Police did not release the name of the suspect.

Child placed in protective custody after fentanyl found at Kan. home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moving to fulfill a campaign promise, President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">shutdown of the Education Department</a>, an agency Republicans have talked about closing for decades.

The White House says Education Secretary Linda McMahon will be directed to facilitate the department's closure while "continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-secretary-linda-mcmahon-a49af0778fa7c50163619d1764f93c91">Eliminating the department</a>&nbsp;altogether would be a cumbersome task, which likely would require an act of Congress.

In the weeks since he took office, the Trump administration already has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">cut the department's staff in half</a>&nbsp;and overhauled much of the department’s work. Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ies-musk-doge-education-cuts-4461d7bdbe9d55c5a411d8465999b011">dozens of contracts</a>&nbsp;it dismissed as “woke” and wasteful. It gutted the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress.

The agency's main role is financial. Annually, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio. Closing the department would mean redistributing each of those duties to another agency. The Education Department also plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-suspension-special-education-adhd-3cda5e7b0e3080b0416bf879e190e849">disabilities</a>&nbsp;to low-income and homeless kids.

Indeed, federal education money is central to Trump's plans for colleges and schools. Trump has vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-critical-race-theory-antisemitism-college-protests-18136b8c8f5adb9c75c47907e020268a">cut off federal money</a>&nbsp;for schools and colleges that push "critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content" and to reward states and schools that end teacher tenure and support universal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-choice-trump-education-vouchers-c6ecc22879fe329da4acfac3aa7410e6">school choice programs</a>.

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. Colleges and universities are more reliant on it, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Here is a look at some of the department's key functions, and how Trump has said he might approach them.

The Education Department manages approximately $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for over 40 million borrowers. It also oversees the Pell Grant, which provides aid to students below a certain income threshold, and administers the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-loans-trump-federal-aid-pause-0bae211d87a63509b9abbba3b301552d">FAFSA</a>&nbsp;), which universities use to allocate financial aid.

President Joe Biden's administration made cancellation of student loans a signature effort of the department's work. Even though Biden’s initial attempt to cancel student loans was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-forgiveness-supreme-court-2d6eec61822b9e7a89ff59453d2486a5">overturned by the Supreme Court</a>, the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-debt-774b0ee69f911f68f646a066031ee604">forgave</a>&nbsp;over $175 billion for more than 4.8 million borrowers through a range of changes to programs it administers, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

The loan forgiveness efforts have faced Republican pushback, including litigation from several GOP-led states.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-trump-e6c96fc0cce04286a9a8a3abbd9d88e8">criticized</a>&nbsp;Biden's efforts to cancel debt as illegal and unfair, calling it a “total catastrophe” that “taunted young people.” Trump's plan for student debt is uncertain: He has not put out detailed plans.

Through its Office for Civil Rights, the Education Department conducts investigations and issues guidance on how civil rights laws should be applied, such as for LGBTQ+ students and students of color. The office also oversees a large data collection project that tracks disparities in resources, course access and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ferguson-black-lives-matter-school-discipline-suspension-d099aab519ff743dc2be04c6b6132144">discipline</a>&nbsp;for students of different racial and socioeconomic groups.

Trump has suggested a different interpretation of the office's civil rights role. Under his administration, the department has instructed the office to prioritize complaints of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-antisemitism-columbia-berkeley-1f7ad6abc1b4e40e59b67e639a29a6ec">antisemitism</a>&nbsp;above all else and has opened investigations into colleges and school sports leagues for allowing transgender athletes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volleyball-transgender-san-jose-state-politics-0e4da0292b4c5315e053e53c064d5a5c">compete on women’s teams</a>.

In his campaign platform, Trump said he would pursue civil rights cases to “stop schools from discriminating on the basis of race.” He has described diversity and equity policies in education as “explicit unlawful discrimination.” His administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-universities-investigated-f89dc9ec2a98897577ed0a6c446fae7b">launched investigations</a>&nbsp;of dozens of colleges for alleged racial discrimination.

Trump also has pledged to exclude&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-trump-title-ix-1b9d3a1d928ea78c21372da63600c6d1">transgender students</a>&nbsp;from Title IX protections, which affect school policies on students’ use of pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms. Originally passed in 1972, Title IX was first used as a women’s rights law. Last year, Biden’s administration said the law forbids discrimination based on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">gender identity and sexual orientation</a>, but a federal judge undid those protections.

While the Education Department does not directly accredit colleges and universities, it oversees the system by reviewing all federally recognized accrediting agencies. Institutions of higher education must be accredited to gain access to federal money for student financial aid.

Accreditation came under scrutiny from conservatives in 2022, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools questioned political interference at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-new-college-florida-woke-15d61ab52724dc447ba6d03238f7719e">Florida public colleges</a>&nbsp;and universities. Trump has said he would fire “radical left accreditors” and take applications for new accreditors that would uphold standards including “defending the American tradition” and removing “Marxist” diversity administrators.

Although the education secretary has the authority to terminate its relationship with individual accrediting agencies, it is an arduous process that has rarely been pursued. Under President Barack Obama, the department took steps to cancel accreditors for a now-defunct for-profit college chain, but the Trump administration blocked the move. The group, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, was terminated by the Biden administration in 2022.

Much of the Education Department's money for K-12 schools goes through large federal programs, such as Title I for low-income schools and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Those programs support services for students with disabilities, lower class sizes with additional teaching positions, and pay for social workers and other non-teaching roles in schools.

During his campaign, Trump called for shifting those functions to the states. He has not offered details on how the agency's core functions of sending federal money to local districts and schools would be handled.

The Heritage Foundation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/project-2025-trump-harris-election-heritage-foundation-9183cf4c36c293e11b59847189d26a87">Project 2025</a>, a sweeping proposal outlining a far-right vision for the country, offered a blueprint. It suggested sending oversight of programs for kids with disabilities and low-income children first to the Department of Health and Human Services, before eventually phasing out the funding and converting it to no-strings-attached grants to states.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741043570945.png" alt="File photo Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall with&nbsp; Education Secretary Linda McMahon" />
 <figcaption>File photo Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall with&nbsp; Education Secretary Linda McMahon</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Moving to fulfill a campaign promise, President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">shutdown of the Education Department</a>, an agency Republicans have talked about closing for decades.The White House says Education Secretary Linda McMahon will be directed to facilitate the department's closure while "continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-secretary-linda-mcmahon-a49af0778fa7c50163619d1764f93c91">Eliminating the department</a>&nbsp;altogether would be a cumbersome task, which likely would require an act of Congress.In the weeks since he took office, the Trump administration already has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">cut the department's staff in half</a>&nbsp;and overhauled much of the department’s work. Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has cut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ies-musk-doge-education-cuts-4461d7bdbe9d55c5a411d8465999b011">dozens of contracts</a>&nbsp;it dismissed as “woke” and wasteful. It gutted the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress.The agency's main role is financial. Annually, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio. Closing the department would mean redistributing each of those duties to another agency. The Education Department also plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-suspension-special-education-adhd-3cda5e7b0e3080b0416bf879e190e849">disabilities</a>&nbsp;to low-income and homeless kids.Indeed, federal education money is central to Trump's plans for colleges and schools. Trump has vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-critical-race-theory-antisemitism-college-protests-18136b8c8f5adb9c75c47907e020268a">cut off federal money</a>&nbsp;for schools and colleges that push "critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content" and to reward states and schools that end teacher tenure and support universal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-choice-trump-education-vouchers-c6ecc22879fe329da4acfac3aa7410e6">school choice programs</a>.Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. Colleges and universities are more reliant on it, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.Here is a look at some of the department's key functions, and how Trump has said he might approach them.<h2>Student loans and financial aid</h2>The Education Department manages approximately $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for over 40 million borrowers. It also oversees the Pell Grant, which provides aid to students below a certain income threshold, and administers the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-loans-trump-federal-aid-pause-0bae211d87a63509b9abbba3b301552d">FAFSA</a>&nbsp;), which universities use to allocate financial aid.President Joe Biden's administration made cancellation of student loans a signature effort of the department's work. Even though Biden’s initial attempt to cancel student loans was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-forgiveness-supreme-court-2d6eec61822b9e7a89ff59453d2486a5">overturned by the Supreme Court</a>, the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-debt-774b0ee69f911f68f646a066031ee604">forgave</a>&nbsp;over $175 billion for more than 4.8 million borrowers through a range of changes to programs it administers, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.The loan forgiveness efforts have faced Republican pushback, including litigation from several GOP-led states.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-trump-e6c96fc0cce04286a9a8a3abbd9d88e8">criticized</a>&nbsp;Biden's efforts to cancel debt as illegal and unfair, calling it a “total catastrophe” that “taunted young people.” Trump's plan for student debt is uncertain: He has not put out detailed plans.<h2>Civil rights enforcement</h2>Through its Office for Civil Rights, the Education Department conducts investigations and issues guidance on how civil rights laws should be applied, such as for LGBTQ+ students and students of color. The office also oversees a large data collection project that tracks disparities in resources, course access and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ferguson-black-lives-matter-school-discipline-suspension-d099aab519ff743dc2be04c6b6132144">discipline</a>&nbsp;for students of different racial and socioeconomic groups.Trump has suggested a different interpretation of the office's civil rights role. Under his administration, the department has instructed the office to prioritize complaints of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-antisemitism-columbia-berkeley-1f7ad6abc1b4e40e59b67e639a29a6ec">antisemitism</a>&nbsp;above all else and has opened investigations into colleges and school sports leagues for allowing transgender athletes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volleyball-transgender-san-jose-state-politics-0e4da0292b4c5315e053e53c064d5a5c">compete on women’s teams</a>.In his campaign platform, Trump said he would pursue civil rights cases to “stop schools from discriminating on the basis of race.” He has described diversity and equity policies in education as “explicit unlawful discrimination.” His administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-universities-investigated-f89dc9ec2a98897577ed0a6c446fae7b">launched investigations</a>&nbsp;of dozens of colleges for alleged racial discrimination.Trump also has pledged to exclude&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-trump-title-ix-1b9d3a1d928ea78c21372da63600c6d1">transgender students</a>&nbsp;from Title IX protections, which affect school policies on students’ use of pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms. Originally passed in 1972, Title IX was first used as a women’s rights law. Last year, Biden’s administration said the law forbids discrimination based on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">gender identity and sexual orientation</a>, but a federal judge undid those protections.<h2>College accreditation</h2>While the Education Department does not directly accredit colleges and universities, it oversees the system by reviewing all federally recognized accrediting agencies. Institutions of higher education must be accredited to gain access to federal money for student financial aid.Accreditation came under scrutiny from conservatives in 2022, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools questioned political interference at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-new-college-florida-woke-15d61ab52724dc447ba6d03238f7719e">Florida public colleges</a>&nbsp;and universities. Trump has said he would fire “radical left accreditors” and take applications for new accreditors that would uphold standards including “defending the American tradition” and removing “Marxist” diversity administrators.Although the education secretary has the authority to terminate its relationship with individual accrediting agencies, it is an arduous process that has rarely been pursued. Under President Barack Obama, the department took steps to cancel accreditors for a now-defunct for-profit college chain, but the Trump administration blocked the move. The group, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, was terminated by the Biden administration in 2022.<h2>Money for schools</h2>Much of the Education Department's money for K-12 schools goes through large federal programs, such as Title I for low-income schools and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Those programs support services for students with disabilities, lower class sizes with additional teaching positions, and pay for social workers and other non-teaching roles in schools.During his campaign, Trump called for shifting those functions to the states. He has not offered details on how the agency's core functions of sending federal money to local districts and schools would be handled.The Heritage Foundation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/project-2025-trump-harris-election-heritage-foundation-9183cf4c36c293e11b59847189d26a87">Project 2025</a>, a sweeping proposal outlining a far-right vision for the country, offered a blueprint. It suggested sending oversight of programs for kids with disabilities and low-income children first to the Department of Health and Human Services, before eventually phasing out the funding and converting it to no-strings-attached grants to states.___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

What Trump's plan to shutdown the Education Department does

NODAWAY COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement is investigating&nbsp; after a swatting call was reported on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, approximately 90 minutes north of Kansas City, on Wednesday.

According to the University, the school received a swatting call around 11:30 a.m. to its main phone line that threatened gun violence on the main campus.&nbsp; University Police Department officers searched and cleared facilities on campus. The University says no threat was found.

University Police, Maryville Police Department, and the Nodaway County Sheriff's Department are investigating the incident.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact University Police Chief Amanda Cullin at (660) 562-1254 or acullin@nwmissouri.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742471345360.png" alt="Photo Northwest Missouri State" />
 <figcaption>Photo Northwest Missouri State</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostNODAWAY COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement is investigating&nbsp; after a swatting call was reported on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, approximately 90 minutes north of Kansas City, on Wednesday.According to the University, the school received a swatting call around 11:30 a.m. to its main phone line that threatened gun violence on the main campus.&nbsp; University Police Department officers searched and cleared facilities on campus. The University says no threat was found.University Police, Maryville Police Department, and the Nodaway County Sheriff's Department are investigating the incident.Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact University Police Chief Amanda Cullin at (660) 562-1254 or acullin@nwmissouri.edu.

Law enforcement investigates swatting call on college campus

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a 7-year-old boy made her first court appearance on Wednesday.

&nbsp;Tasha Diane Dillard, 25, Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder and 7 counts of aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call of a shooting at an apartment in the 3700 block of E Ross Parkway, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The caller reported that someone had been shot and that a child was bleeding.

When officers arrived, they found 7-year-old Davion Gunter suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. Davion was transported to a local hospital, where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased.

At the scene, officers found seven other children and multiple adults. Wichita Police homicide investigators and the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit responded immediately, conducting interviews and gathered evidence.

As a result, police took Dillard into custody, and the children were placed in protective care. Dillard remains jailed on a&nbsp; bond of $500,000. Her next court date is March 31, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742206494454.png" alt="DILLARD photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>DILLARD photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas woman accused in the death of a 7-year-old boy made her first court appearance on Wednesday.&nbsp;Tasha Diane Dillard, 25, Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder and 7 counts of aggravated endangering a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call of a shooting at an apartment in the 3700 block of E Ross Parkway, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The caller reported that someone had been shot and that a child was bleeding.When officers arrived, they found 7-year-old Davion Gunter suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso. Davion was transported to a local hospital, where he was&nbsp; pronounced deceased.At the scene, officers found seven other children and multiple adults. Wichita Police homicide investigators and the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit responded immediately, conducting interviews and gathered evidence.As a result, police took Dillard into custody, and the children were placed in protective care. Dillard remains jailed on a&nbsp; bond of $500,000. Her next court date is March 31, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas woman accused in child's death appears before a judge

MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash in northeast Kansas. Just after 12:30P.M. Tuesday, police and fire and EMS crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a vehicle crash into the Safari Hair Salon in the 900 block of W. Amity Street in Louisburg, according to a media release.

The vehicle crashed into the building and struck two people inside.

Louisburg Police learned the pickup was westbound on Amity Street, traveled off the roadway east of Rogers Road onto the the south curbside and continued&nbsp; eastbound and struck the east wall of the building.

 The pickup continued through the building and struck the two occupants who were inside at a desk, before continuing through the western wall of the business, where they struck a parked car in the parking lot. 

The two victims, later identified as Drexel Firefighter Anthony Juarez and his wife Devin were transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center for treatment, according to the Drexel, Missouri Police Department. He was listed in critical condition.

Devin will recover from her injuries, according to police. Late Tuesday night, Anthony died from his many injuries, according to police.

EMS treated the driver of the pickup on scene for his minor injuries. Due to the serious nature of this accident, the Miami County Sheriff's Office provided their CHART and crash reconstruction team to assist in the investigation, and KDOT responded to help with traffic control as the two eastbound lanes of traffic had to be closed while crews were on scene. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742466512334.png" alt="Photo Louisburg Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Louisburg Police</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash in northeast Kansas. Just after 12:30P.M. Tuesday, police and fire and EMS crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a vehicle crash into the Safari Hair Salon in the 900 block of W. Amity Street in Louisburg, according to a media release.The vehicle crashed into the building and struck two people inside.Louisburg Police learned the pickup was westbound on Amity Street, traveled off the roadway east of Rogers Road onto the the south curbside and continued&nbsp; eastbound and struck the east wall of the building. The pickup continued through the building and struck the two occupants who were inside at a desk, before continuing through the western wall of the business, where they struck a parked car in the parking lot. The two victims, later identified as Drexel Firefighter Anthony Juarez and his wife Devin were transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center for treatment, according to the Drexel, Missouri Police Department. He was listed in critical condition.Devin will recover from her injuries, according to police. Late Tuesday night, Anthony died from his many injuries, according to police.EMS treated the driver of the pickup on scene for his minor injuries. Due to the serious nature of this accident, the Miami County Sheriff's Office provided their CHART and crash reconstruction team to assist in the investigation, and KDOT responded to help with traffic control as the two eastbound lanes of traffic had to be closed while crews were on scene. This crash is still under investigation.

Man dies after pickup crash into Kansas hair salon

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcemente investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City have identified the two victims as 72-year-old Juah R. Mubarek and 33-year-old Leander D. Wooden, Jr., according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the 3400 block of Harrison Street on a sound of shots call. First responders located Mubarek and Wooden, Jr. unresponsive in the street. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over treatment. EMS transported both victims to the hospital where they were both pronounced deceased.

Detectives continue to investigate. The public is reminded of the need for any information in this caseThey can call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcemente investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City have identified the two victims as 72-year-old Juah R. Mubarek and 33-year-old Leander D. Wooden, Jr., according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the 3400 block of Harrison Street on a sound of shots call. First responders located Mubarek and Wooden, Jr. unresponsive in the street. Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and took over treatment. EMS transported both victims to the hospital where they were both pronounced deceased.Detectives continue to investigate. The public is reminded of the need for any information in this caseThey can call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS

KCPD: 72-year-old among victims found shot in the street 

BENTON COUNTY —Since March 14, Water Patrol and Dive Team members have been diligently searching the Clear Creek Cove area of Truman Lake in Benton County for a missing boater, according to a Wednesday evening statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. As officers utilize all available resources to continue their search efforts, please avoid the area.

If you believe you have any information that will aid law enforcement in their search efforts, please call Troop A at 816-622-0800.

BENTON COUNTY —Since March 14, Water Patrol and Dive Team members have been diligently searching the Clear Creek Cove area of Truman Lake in Benton County for a missing boater, according to a Wednesday evening statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. As officers utilize all available resources to continue their search efforts, please avoid the area.If you believe you have any information that will aid law enforcement in their search efforts, please call Troop A at 816-622-0800.

Search continues for a missing boater in KC area lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-fraud-waste-doge-elon-musk-212e3089951f731fd3f83443e104b315">Social Security Administration's</a>&nbsp;plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients while simultaneously closing government offices has sparked a furor among lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who are worried that the government is placing unnecessary barriers in front of an already vulnerable population.

The new requirements will impact anyone who needs to verify their bank information with the agency, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify a child's information on the SSA website. They are intended to combat fraud and waste within the system, which President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-trump-ukraine-war-526c3976f1549400c7d5c27c18028ecb">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and officials in his administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7">have claimed</a>&nbsp;are widespread.

The agency announced Tuesday that, beginning March 31, those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process. They also announced recently that Social Security field offices across the country will be closing.

Of the 47 SSA field offices listed for closure on the Department of Government Efficiency website, 26 are slated for closure this year, with some taking effect as early as next month, according to an Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">analysis of the data</a>.

That change, in addition to the impending closure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">field offices</a>&nbsp;across the country, and a plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de">reduce the agency workforce</a>&nbsp;with mass layoffs, could result in massive delays to services, advocates say. Nancy LeaMond of the AARP said eliminating phone verification “will result in more headaches and longer wait times to resolve routine customer service needs."

Leamond, the AARP's chief advocacy and engagement officer, said the announcement “not only comes as a total surprise but is on an impractical fast-track.”

“SSA needs to be transparent about its service changes and seek input from the older Americans who will be affected. Because any delay in Social Security caused by this change can mean real economic hardship,” LeaMond said.

Agency leaders said Tuesday that the agency would begin training frontline employees and management about the new policy for the next two weeks.

Pushback from Democrats came quickly. A group of 62 House Democrats wrote Wednesday to the agency's acting commissioner, Leland Dudek, to express concern about how the changes could hurt older beneficiaries in remote areas and people with limited internet access.

“Requiring beneficiaries to seek assistance exclusively online, through artificial intelligence, or in person at SSA field offices would create additional barriers, particularly for those who live far from an office,” they wrote. “We strongly urge you to consider the individuals who may be harmed."

One Social Security recipient, 80-year-old Sandi Bachom of New York, said she was terrified by the change.

“What would happen if I didn’t get that check?" she said. "I don’t have any family. Everybody’s dead. There’s no one to take care of me.”

Bachom, a retired documentary filmmaker, credits Social Security with “saving my life” after losing a six-figure advertising job and falling on hard times.

Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman told The AP that the intention of the change is “stopping vulnerabilities to fraud.”

“We’re looking out for seniors by doing this,” Fields said.

In announcing the changes, Dudek said that the agency sees $100 million in direct deposit fraud every year. However, congressional testimony from an official with the SSA inspector general in May 2023 said that “from January 2013 through May 2018 fraudsters redirected $33.5 million in benefits intended for 20,878 beneficiaries" and made unauthorized direct deposit changes through the agency's website.

The agency distributes roughly $1.6 trillion in old-age and disability benefits annually.

The end of phone service identification could be dramatic for some recipients, including families with children who will be required to visit an SSA office, since children can’t open online accounts through the “my Social Security" online service.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, said "this will make it far harder for the American people to claim their earned benefits. It could even cause major delays, and ultimately collapse the system, by overwhelming the field offices.”

Altman, of the advocacy group, believes the administration's ultimate goal is to privatize the Social Security system.

Kentucky Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-governor-andy-beshear-4246dfac6009c265ea887b8c744efdcc">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;said he is concerned that “some of our oldest Kentuckians, who are living on a fixed income, who don’t have the resources to travel, have to travel hours to get basic questions answered.”

“Why? Because they don’t want them to do it, and they want to be able to kick them off. It’s not right," the Democrat said. “These are people who qualify and the federal government has an obligation to have enough offices, call-in or other resources to ultimately process the applications that are out there and answer the questions that people have.

“My concern is that what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-wildfire-firefighter-pay-firings-fe125ca00f74adbaf996aa23e5d7b408">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;is trying to do is break government, not fix it.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Musk’s</a>&nbsp;Department of Government Efficiency has embedded staffers in various agencies to look for ways to shrink the federal government. Musk has pushed debunked theories about Social Security and described the federal benefit programs as a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">Ponzi scheme</a>&nbsp;” rife with fraud.

Bachom, the New Yorker who depends on her monthly Social Security check arriving at the middle of the month, said people she knows were alarmed by what they have heard about steps the administration has taken.

“We’re all freaked out,” she said. “And we shouldn’t have to be freaked out at this age that somebody is going to rob us.”

Sedensky reported from New York. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian and Meg Kinnard in Washington and Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Ky., contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-fraud-waste-doge-elon-musk-212e3089951f731fd3f83443e104b315">Social Security Administration's</a>&nbsp;plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients while simultaneously closing government offices has sparked a furor among lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who are worried that the government is placing unnecessary barriers in front of an already vulnerable population.The new requirements will impact anyone who needs to verify their bank information with the agency, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify a child's information on the SSA website. They are intended to combat fraud and waste within the system, which President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-trump-ukraine-war-526c3976f1549400c7d5c27c18028ecb">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and officials in his administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7">have claimed</a>&nbsp;are widespread.The agency announced Tuesday that, beginning March 31, those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process. They also announced recently that Social Security field offices across the country will be closing.Of the 47 SSA field offices listed for closure on the Department of Government Efficiency website, 26 are slated for closure this year, with some taking effect as early as next month, according to an Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">analysis of the data</a>.That change, in addition to the impending closure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">field offices</a>&nbsp;across the country, and a plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de">reduce the agency workforce</a>&nbsp;with mass layoffs, could result in massive delays to services, advocates say. Nancy LeaMond of the AARP said eliminating phone verification “will result in more headaches and longer wait times to resolve routine customer service needs."Leamond, the AARP's chief advocacy and engagement officer, said the announcement “not only comes as a total surprise but is on an impractical fast-track.”“SSA needs to be transparent about its service changes and seek input from the older Americans who will be affected. Because any delay in Social Security caused by this change can mean real economic hardship,” LeaMond said.Agency leaders said Tuesday that the agency would begin training frontline employees and management about the new policy for the next two weeks.Pushback from Democrats came quickly. A group of 62 House Democrats wrote Wednesday to the agency's acting commissioner, Leland Dudek, to express concern about how the changes could hurt older beneficiaries in remote areas and people with limited internet access.“Requiring beneficiaries to seek assistance exclusively online, through artificial intelligence, or in person at SSA field offices would create additional barriers, particularly for those who live far from an office,” they wrote. “We strongly urge you to consider the individuals who may be harmed."One Social Security recipient, 80-year-old Sandi Bachom of New York, said she was terrified by the change.“What would happen if I didn’t get that check?" she said. "I don’t have any family. Everybody’s dead. There’s no one to take care of me.”Bachom, a retired documentary filmmaker, credits Social Security with “saving my life” after losing a six-figure advertising job and falling on hard times.Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman told The AP that the intention of the change is “stopping vulnerabilities to fraud.”“We’re looking out for seniors by doing this,” Fields said.In announcing the changes, Dudek said that the agency sees $100 million in direct deposit fraud every year. However, congressional testimony from an official with the SSA inspector general in May 2023 said that “from January 2013 through May 2018 fraudsters redirected $33.5 million in benefits intended for 20,878 beneficiaries" and made unauthorized direct deposit changes through the agency's website.The agency distributes roughly $1.6 trillion in old-age and disability benefits annually.The end of phone service identification could be dramatic for some recipients, including families with children who will be required to visit an SSA office, since children can’t open online accounts through the “my Social Security" online service.Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, said "this will make it far harder for the American people to claim their earned benefits. It could even cause major delays, and ultimately collapse the system, by overwhelming the field offices.”Altman, of the advocacy group, believes the administration's ultimate goal is to privatize the Social Security system.Kentucky Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-governor-andy-beshear-4246dfac6009c265ea887b8c744efdcc">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;said he is concerned that “some of our oldest Kentuckians, who are living on a fixed income, who don’t have the resources to travel, have to travel hours to get basic questions answered.”“Why? Because they don’t want them to do it, and they want to be able to kick them off. It’s not right," the Democrat said. “These are people who qualify and the federal government has an obligation to have enough offices, call-in or other resources to ultimately process the applications that are out there and answer the questions that people have.“My concern is that what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-wildfire-firefighter-pay-firings-fe125ca00f74adbaf996aa23e5d7b408">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;is trying to do is break government, not fix it.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Musk’s</a>&nbsp;Department of Government Efficiency has embedded staffers in various agencies to look for ways to shrink the federal government. Musk has pushed debunked theories about Social Security and described the federal benefit programs as a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-b21b74f56f30012a6450a629e7232a1a">Ponzi scheme</a>&nbsp;” rife with fraud.Bachom, the New Yorker who depends on her monthly Social Security check arriving at the middle of the month, said people she knows were alarmed by what they have heard about steps the administration has taken.“We’re all freaked out,” she said. “And we shouldn’t have to be freaked out at this age that somebody is going to rob us.”——Sedensky reported from New York. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian and Meg Kinnard in Washington and Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Ky., contributed to this report.

Social Security to require in-person ID checks for new and existing recipients

WICHITA, KAN. – A registered sex offender is going back to prison for 188 months after federal law enforcement officers discovered child sexual abuse materials at his home, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Scott Warren Vass, 57, of Arkansas City pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

In April 2023, while executing a search warrant at Vass’ home, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents seized multiple devices belonging to Vass containing child sexual abuse materials.

Further investigation revealed several of Vass’ Google accounts also contained sexually explicit depictions of minors under 12-years of age.

Vass has previous convictions in Montana for sexual assault in 1996 and has been registered as a sex offender in Kansas since 2023, according to the KBI Offender Registry.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742329184052.png" alt="Vass photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Vass photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A registered sex offender is going back to prison for 188 months after federal law enforcement officers discovered child sexual abuse materials at his home, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Scott Warren Vass, 57, of Arkansas City pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.In April 2023, while executing a search warrant at Vass’ home, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents seized multiple devices belonging to Vass containing child sexual abuse materials.Further investigation revealed several of Vass’ Google accounts also contained sexually explicit depictions of minors under 12-years of age.Vass has previous convictions in Montana for sexual assault in 1996 and has been registered as a sex offender in Kansas since 2023, according to the KBI Offender Registry.&nbsp;

Prison: Sex offender caught with child porn in his Kan. home

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Wednesday stepped up his rhetoric regarding Yemen’s Houthi rebels as the U.S. military launched more airstrikes against the group, warning they “will be completely be annihilated.”

Trump made the comment on his website Truth Social. He claimed, without offering evidence, Iranian military support to the rebels “has lessened” but said it needed to entirely stop.

“Let the Houthis fight it out themselves,” he wrote. “Tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians, and watch how it will get progressively worse — It’s not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated!”

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Wednesday stepped up his rhetoric regarding Yemen’s Houthi rebels as the U.S. military launched more airstrikes against the group, warning they “will be completely be annihilated.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CENTCOM forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/RkWsmDgEFR">pic.twitter.com/RkWsmDgEFR</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1902485573073260989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">U.S. Fighter aircraft shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way-attack drones with AGR-20 FALCO Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Laser Guided 2.75&quot; Rockets.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouthisAreTerrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouthisAreTerrorists</a> <a href="https://t.co/bDoVnKwotc">pic.twitter.com/bDoVnKwotc</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1902332718215577795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742464762710.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump made the comment on his website Truth Social. He claimed, without offering evidence, Iranian military support to the rebels “has lessened” but said it needed to entirely stop.“Let the Houthis fight it out themselves,” he wrote. “Tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians, and watch how it will get progressively worse — It’s not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated!”