RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.

Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.

Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186807284.png" alt="File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers" />
 <figcaption>File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186532436.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

Former Kansas State basketball star arrested at Manhattan airport

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

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.

Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.

The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.

That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.

Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.

So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.

By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.

“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”

Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.

Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.

That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.

This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.

On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.

The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.

That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.

The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.

“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.

Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.

Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.

“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.

“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739184858755.png" alt="Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)" />
 <figcaption>Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%20and%20ANDREW%20DALTON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE SKRETTA and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press</a>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”___

No on-field kisses for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at this Super Bowl

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 29-year-old Chavis Collins, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

Just after 1:00 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim, later identified as Collins, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, Collins dies of his injuries.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

This is the city’s 2nd homicide in two days.&nbsp; On Friday, police responded to a fatal shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.&nbsp;

First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. One was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 29-year-old Chavis Collins, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.Just after 1:00 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim, later identified as Collins, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, Collins dies of his injuries.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.This is the city’s 2nd homicide in two days.&nbsp; On Friday, police responded to a fatal shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.&nbsp;First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. One was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.

Police ID victim in 2nd homicide over two days in Topeka

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.

Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."

Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.

Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."

Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures.

"This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.

The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.

Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."

The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.

During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.

The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.

Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.

Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.

Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations.

"Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.

Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks.

"I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.

Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.

AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738891651773.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures."This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations."Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks."I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.___AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

Trump administration orders consumer protection agency to stop work

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for deliberately ramming his vehicle into a federal law enforcement officer who was attempting to take the passenger of the vehicle into custody.

According to court documents, Diego Almaguer, 19, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.

On February 23, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to a home in Kansas City, Kansas, to execute an arrest warrant. They watched the person they were seeking and Almaguer get into a vehicle that had been backed into the driveway with Almaguer in the driver’s seat. Agents pulled up in their law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights flashing. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, wearing a ballistic vest with police markings, positioned himself in front of the vehicle. Almaguer struck the officer causing him to bounce over the windshield before hitting the ground.

Almaguer led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across the state line into Missouri, at times reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. He and the second person were ultimately arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, hiding in an outbuilding behind a residence

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738165572105.png" alt="Almaguer-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Almaguer-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for deliberately ramming his vehicle into a federal law enforcement officer who was attempting to take the passenger of the vehicle into custody.According to court documents, Diego Almaguer, 19, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.On February 23, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to a home in Kansas City, Kansas, to execute an arrest warrant. They watched the person they were seeking and Almaguer get into a vehicle that had been backed into the driveway with Almaguer in the driver’s seat. Agents pulled up in their law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights flashing. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, wearing a ballistic vest with police markings, positioned himself in front of the vehicle. Almaguer struck the officer causing him to bounce over the windshield before hitting the ground.Almaguer led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across the state line into Missouri, at times reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. He and the second person were ultimately arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, hiding in an outbuilding behind a residence

Kansas man going to prison for striking federal officer with car

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a stolen vehicle being pursued by Jefferson County on NW US 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Our deputies responded and took over the pursuit as it entered Shawnee county. The driver of the U-Haul refused to stop and continued southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. The pursuit ended when a K-9 Unit pinned the vehicle against a curb near SW 6th Street and SW Fairlawn Road.

During the investigation, illegal narcotics and numerous stolen items were located. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Lawrence.

The driver, Ranetta J. Jackson, 41, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requested charges of Aggravated battery (3 counts), Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (6 counts), Felony possession of stolen property, Felony flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana , Possession of drug paraphernalia, Reckless driving, Failure to stop at an accident, Failure to stop at a stop sign, Transporting an open container of liquor, Driving while license suspended and Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol&nbsp;

The passenger, Jeffrey Mitchell, 54, was also arrested and booked into the SNDOC on 10 felony warrants and one misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739039002938.png" alt="Mitchell-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mitchell-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.Just before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a stolen vehicle being pursued by Jefferson County on NW US 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Our deputies responded and took over the pursuit as it entered Shawnee county. The driver of the U-Haul refused to stop and continued southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. The pursuit ended when a K-9 Unit pinned the vehicle against a curb near SW 6th Street and SW Fairlawn Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739038923804.png" alt="Jackson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jackson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, illegal narcotics and numerous stolen items were located. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Lawrence.The driver, Ranetta J. Jackson, 41, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requested charges of Aggravated battery (3 counts), Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (6 counts), Felony possession of stolen property, Felony flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana , Possession of drug paraphernalia, Reckless driving, Failure to stop at an accident, Failure to stop at a stop sign, Transporting an open container of liquor, Driving while license suspended and Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol&nbsp;The passenger, Jeffrey Mitchell, 54, was also arrested and booked into the SNDOC on 10 felony warrants and one misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.

2 jailed in Kansas after high-speed chase with stolen U-Haul

NEW ORLEANS —Donald Trump is set to make history as the first president to attend the Super Bowl while in office.

On Sunday afternoon, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared a photo of a group of Senators ready to board Air Force One for the trip to New Orleans for the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739137208965.png" alt="Photo Senator Roger Marshall." />
 <figcaption>Photo Senator Roger Marshall.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS —Donald Trump is set to make history as the first president to attend the Super Bowl while in office.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> boards Air Force One en route to Super Bowl LIX! 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/2WnRx5Yqi0">pic.twitter.com/2WnRx5Yqi0</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888681271561253116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> en route to Caesars Superdome 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ERZxrtT1EY">pic.twitter.com/ERZxrtT1EY</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888714004194906257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A few minutes until kick-off! Here in New Orleans with <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, let&#39;s go <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowl</a> <a href="https://t.co/bnpJtCV8xC">pic.twitter.com/bnpJtCV8xC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1888730036318183880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Sunday afternoon, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared a photo of a group of Senators ready to board Air Force One for the trip to New Orleans for the game.

Kan. U.S. Senator joins Trump for historic Super Bowl trip

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/abrown/">ALEX BROWN</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;

The federal agency’s role is irreplaceable, emergency managers say.

State and local emergency managers are facing a serious question in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office: When disaster strikes, will they be able to count on the federal government?

Trump has called the Federal Emergency Management Agency a “disaster” and suggested it might “go away.” He said states would best take care of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires on their own, with the federal government reimbursing some of the costs. He convened a council to review FEMA and recommend “improvements or structural changes.”

But leaders in states that have been hit by disasters say they need more than the promise of an eventual federal check to manage catastrophic events. They say they’re not equipped to handle the roles FEMA currently plays — such as marshaling emergency resources from multiple federal agencies, providing flood insurance, conducting damage assessments and distributing billions of dollars in recovery funds.

“FEMA has been an absolute lifesaver for people,” said Vermont state Sen. Anne Watson, a Democrat who has been involved in the state’s recovery from devastating 2023 floods. “I don’t see [states and municipalities] as being able to replicate what FEMA does. The possibility of it going away leaves millions and millions of Americans in a very vulnerable position.”

Meanwhile, Trump said last month that he wanted to make federal wildfire recovery aid to Los Angeles conditional on California enacting new laws requiring voter identification, adding further uncertainty about whether states can expect help from the feds.

Trump and his allies also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html" target="_blank">targeted the agency</a>&nbsp;in the wake of Hurricane Helene, spreading lies that FEMA, under President Joe Biden, was diverting disaster money to immigrants without legal status; failing to provide helicopters; limiting aid to $750 per person; and cutting off support for Republican areas.

State officials say that while there’s room for a conversation about state and federal roles in disaster response, eliminating FEMA altogether would be shortsighted.

“I don’t think it makes sense&nbsp;to get rid of FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, said in an interview with Stateline. “There are economies of scale [that a nationwide agency provides]. States don’t have that capability built to handle a disaster every single year.”

Budd said she doesn’t believe Trump intends to terminate FEMA, calling such a move “not realistic.” She also serves as president of the National Emergency Management Association, a nonprofit comprising state and territorial emergency officials. Budd called on Trump to include state emergency managers on the council that will consider FEMA’s future.

Emergency management experts say that Trump cannot unilaterally dissolve FEMA, which would require congressional action. However, Trump already has&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/06/trump-wants-states-to-handle-disasters-without-fema-they-say-they-cant/Emergency%20management%20experts%20say%20that%20Trump%20cannot%20unilaterally%20dissolve%20FEMA,%20which%20would%20require%20congressional%20action.%20However,%20Trump%20already%20has%20taken%20actions%20that%20exceed%20his%20executive%20authority,%20including%20an%20attempt%20to%20freeze%20trillions%20of%20dollars%20in%20federal%20funding%20that%20had%20already%20been%20approved%20by%20Congress.">taken actions</a>&nbsp;that appear to exceed his executive authority, including an attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding that had already been approved by Congress.

FEMA does have some support from Trump’s Republican allies, especially given that red states have needed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-disaster-aid-fema-wildfire-hurricane-money-84e1db303b8abead10a26b95392cd980" target="_blank">more aid</a>&nbsp;in recent years. Since 2015, residents in Florida, Louisiana and Texas have received the highest amounts of individual assistance payments from FEMA, exceeding $2 billion in each state.

But experts see much to fear in cost-cutting efforts by Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, which so far have focused on slashing the federal workforce and forcing out officials with decades of experience. Such actions could cripple FEMA, even if it’s not officially “abolished.”

“Senior people who don’t want to put up with this nonsense are going to walk away,” said Craig Fugate, who served as FEMA’s administrator under President Barack Obama. “It’s one thing to talk tough, it’s another to govern and provide services.”

Over the past decade, FEMA has responded to nearly 1,400 disasters, including wildfires, severe storms, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. The agency coordinates the federal response during emergency situations, such as calling the Pentagon to get rescue helicopters in the air or trucking in generators in the aftermath of a storm.

But the agency’s larger purpose is focused on recovery, assessing the damage to communities and distributing funding to help them rebuild. Over the last four years, FEMA has provided more than $12 billion to individuals and $133 billion to state and local governments, tribal nations, territories and some nonprofits to help in recovery efforts.

FEMA also provides much of the nation’s flood insurance coverage, as the private market has largely pulled back from flood policies.

Some governors, including Democrat Andy Beshear of Kentucky, have said Trump’s threats to dismantle FEMA are dangerous.

“[I]t would be disastrous in and of itself for the FEMA organization to be dissolved,” he said, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/01/30/beshear-says-dismantling-fema-would-be-disastrous-though-improvements-need-to-continue/" target="_blank">Kentucky Lantern</a>.

Beshear noted that replicating FEMA’s administrative functions in each state would be far more costly than a single national agency.

FEMA, which was established in the 1950s, has taken on a larger role as Congress has added to its recovery mission, populations have grown in disaster-prone areas, and climate change has increased the frequency and severity of disasters.

The agency has faced criticism at times — most famously after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — for an overly bureaucratic system that has gotten bogged down in red tape. Some conservative groups have long argued that states should shoulder more of the burden of responding to disasters.

<a href="https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf" target="_blank">Project 2025</a>, a hard-right blueprint that Trump distanced himself from during the campaign but which appears to have guided many of his actions since he took office, aims to limit states’ eligibility for disaster assistance or set a deductible that states must meet before the feds step in. Such cutbacks would incentivize states to “take a more proactive role in their own preparedness and response capabilities,” it said. The document also calls for states to take on much more financial responsibility for recovery efforts.

Emergency managers say that there are opportunities to make FEMA more efficient.

Fugate, the former FEMA chief, said the underlying problem is that the agency was not designed to replace insurance coverage, but is increasingly taking on that role as private insurers abandon disaster-prone areas. And increasing the pace of payouts also increases the risk of misspent funds, he said.

“Nobody is saying we shouldn’t look at these programs and figure out how we move this money through faster,” he said. “But you’ve got that dual tension of, ‘I want to be fast but I’m a steward of the taxpayer’s dollars.’”

Amid that discussion, experts say that rushing to dismantle the federal agency would be catastrophic.

“The consequences [of dissolving FEMA] would be life-threatening,” said Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a former Obama administration official. “The states are not built for that right now.”

Local leaders who have experienced disasters say FEMA is essential.

After an EF5 tornado swept through Moore, Oklahoma, in May 2013, the federal agency provided recovery support.

“Sometimes I think people have a misconception of the purpose of FEMA. And it’s not to provide lots of equipment or manpower — they can do a little bit of that, but that’s not their primary function,” said Moore Mayor Mark Hamm, whose office is nonpartisan.

Hamm was on the city council when the mile-wide tornado killed 24 people, including seven students at an elementary school. Moore said FEMA provided crucial financial resources, reimbursing the city’s exorbitant overtime costs for police and fire crews.

Moore is a bedroom community of about 63,000 people situated between Oklahoma City and Norman. The city’s annual budget is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cityofmoore.com/sites/default/files/flipbooks/2025-city-budget.pdf" target="_blank">about $133 million</a>. The National Weather Service calculated the 2013 storm’s damage across the region at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/tornado-report_moore-oklahoma_2013.pdf" target="_blank">$2 billion</a>. The city has been hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-f5tornadoes" target="_blank">two F5 tornadoes&nbsp;</a>since 1999.

“When you have a natural disaster like the couple of F5 tornadoes that have come to our city — that would bankrupt our city, our budget,” he said. “That is a huge burden that this city just could not afford.”

Hamm said he would be open to Trump’s talk of realigning FEMA, particularly if it allowed more funds to stay directly with states like his. But he said federal disaster funding must remain intact in some way.

“When you need a lifeline, it’s reassuring to know that one is there and you can grab onto that rope, and there’s somebody on the other end pulling you to safety,” he said. “And the federal government was a lifeline, not so much in the recovery, but in providing the finances. I can’t emphasize that enough.”

Eaton County, Michigan, was hit hard in August 2023, as tornadoes, severe storms and flooding struck the mid-Michigan region. FEMA’s response helped the community navigate aid and recovery programs and apply for federal assistance.

“That federal support piece is critical to us to be able to respond and recover from disasters,” said Ryan Wilkinson, the county’s emergency manager. “Yes, we need reform for emergency management nationwide — at all levels — but shifting complete responsibility to the states would do greater harm in the long term.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639393151807.png" alt="File photo Tornado damage in Kansas" />
 <figcaption>File photo Tornado damage in Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/abrown/">ALEX BROWN</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;<h2>The federal agency’s role is irreplaceable, emergency managers say.</h2>State and local emergency managers are facing a serious question in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office: When disaster strikes, will they be able to count on the federal government?Trump has called the Federal Emergency Management Agency a “disaster” and suggested it might “go away.” He said states would best take care of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires on their own, with the federal government reimbursing some of the costs. He convened a council to review FEMA and recommend “improvements or structural changes.”But leaders in states that have been hit by disasters say they need more than the promise of an eventual federal check to manage catastrophic events. They say they’re not equipped to handle the roles FEMA currently plays — such as marshaling emergency resources from multiple federal agencies, providing flood insurance, conducting damage assessments and distributing billions of dollars in recovery funds.“FEMA has been an absolute lifesaver for people,” said Vermont state Sen. Anne Watson, a Democrat who has been involved in the state’s recovery from devastating 2023 floods. “I don’t see [states and municipalities] as being able to replicate what FEMA does. The possibility of it going away leaves millions and millions of Americans in a very vulnerable position.”Meanwhile, Trump said last month that he wanted to make federal wildfire recovery aid to Los Angeles conditional on California enacting new laws requiring voter identification, adding further uncertainty about whether states can expect help from the feds.Trump and his allies also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html" target="_blank">targeted the agency</a>&nbsp;in the wake of Hurricane Helene, spreading lies that FEMA, under President Joe Biden, was diverting disaster money to immigrants without legal status; failing to provide helicopters; limiting aid to $750 per person; and cutting off support for Republican areas.State officials say that while there’s room for a conversation about state and federal roles in disaster response, eliminating FEMA altogether would be shortsighted.“I don’t think it makes sense&nbsp;to get rid of FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, said in an interview with Stateline. “There are economies of scale [that a nationwide agency provides]. States don’t have that capability built to handle a disaster every single year.”Budd said she doesn’t believe Trump intends to terminate FEMA, calling such a move “not realistic.” She also serves as president of the National Emergency Management Association, a nonprofit comprising state and territorial emergency officials. Budd called on Trump to include state emergency managers on the council that will consider FEMA’s future.Emergency management experts say that Trump cannot unilaterally dissolve FEMA, which would require congressional action. However, Trump already has&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/06/trump-wants-states-to-handle-disasters-without-fema-they-say-they-cant/Emergency%20management%20experts%20say%20that%20Trump%20cannot%20unilaterally%20dissolve%20FEMA,%20which%20would%20require%20congressional%20action.%20However,%20Trump%20already%20has%20taken%20actions%20that%20exceed%20his%20executive%20authority,%20including%20an%20attempt%20to%20freeze%20trillions%20of%20dollars%20in%20federal%20funding%20that%20had%20already%20been%20approved%20by%20Congress.">taken actions</a>&nbsp;that appear to exceed his executive authority, including an attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding that had already been approved by Congress.FEMA does have some support from Trump’s Republican allies, especially given that red states have needed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-disaster-aid-fema-wildfire-hurricane-money-84e1db303b8abead10a26b95392cd980" target="_blank">more aid</a>&nbsp;in recent years. Since 2015, residents in Florida, Louisiana and Texas have received the highest amounts of individual assistance payments from FEMA, exceeding $2 billion in each state.But experts see much to fear in cost-cutting efforts by Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, which so far have focused on slashing the federal workforce and forcing out officials with decades of experience. Such actions could cripple FEMA, even if it’s not officially “abolished.”“Senior people who don’t want to put up with this nonsense are going to walk away,” said Craig Fugate, who served as FEMA’s administrator under President Barack Obama. “It’s one thing to talk tough, it’s another to govern and provide services.”<h2>FEMA’s role</h2>Over the past decade, FEMA has responded to nearly 1,400 disasters, including wildfires, severe storms, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. The agency coordinates the federal response during emergency situations, such as calling the Pentagon to get rescue helicopters in the air or trucking in generators in the aftermath of a storm.But the agency’s larger purpose is focused on recovery, assessing the damage to communities and distributing funding to help them rebuild. Over the last four years, FEMA has provided more than $12 billion to individuals and $133 billion to state and local governments, tribal nations, territories and some nonprofits to help in recovery efforts.FEMA also provides much of the nation’s flood insurance coverage, as the private market has largely pulled back from flood policies.Some governors, including Democrat Andy Beshear of Kentucky, have said Trump’s threats to dismantle FEMA are dangerous.“[I]t would be disastrous in and of itself for the FEMA organization to be dissolved,” he said, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/01/30/beshear-says-dismantling-fema-would-be-disastrous-though-improvements-need-to-continue/" target="_blank">Kentucky Lantern</a>.Beshear noted that replicating FEMA’s administrative functions in each state would be far more costly than a single national agency.FEMA, which was established in the 1950s, has taken on a larger role as Congress has added to its recovery mission, populations have grown in disaster-prone areas, and climate change has increased the frequency and severity of disasters.The agency has faced criticism at times — most famously after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — for an overly bureaucratic system that has gotten bogged down in red tape. Some conservative groups have long argued that states should shoulder more of the burden of responding to disasters.<a href="https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf" target="_blank">Project 2025</a>, a hard-right blueprint that Trump distanced himself from during the campaign but which appears to have guided many of his actions since he took office, aims to limit states’ eligibility for disaster assistance or set a deductible that states must meet before the feds step in. Such cutbacks would incentivize states to “take a more proactive role in their own preparedness and response capabilities,” it said. The document also calls for states to take on much more financial responsibility for recovery efforts.Emergency managers say that there are opportunities to make FEMA more efficient.Fugate, the former FEMA chief, said the underlying problem is that the agency was not designed to replace insurance coverage, but is increasingly taking on that role as private insurers abandon disaster-prone areas. And increasing the pace of payouts also increases the risk of misspent funds, he said.“Nobody is saying we shouldn’t look at these programs and figure out how we move this money through faster,” he said. “But you’ve got that dual tension of, ‘I want to be fast but I’m a steward of the taxpayer’s dollars.’”Amid that discussion, experts say that rushing to dismantle the federal agency would be catastrophic.“The consequences [of dissolving FEMA] would be life-threatening,” said Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a former Obama administration official. “The states are not built for that right now.”<h2>Local experience</h2>Local leaders who have experienced disasters say FEMA is essential.After an EF5 tornado swept through Moore, Oklahoma, in May 2013, the federal agency provided recovery support.“Sometimes I think people have a misconception of the purpose of FEMA. And it’s not to provide lots of equipment or manpower — they can do a little bit of that, but that’s not their primary function,” said Moore Mayor Mark Hamm, whose office is nonpartisan.Hamm was on the city council when the mile-wide tornado killed 24 people, including seven students at an elementary school. Moore said FEMA provided crucial financial resources, reimbursing the city’s exorbitant overtime costs for police and fire crews.Moore is a bedroom community of about 63,000 people situated between Oklahoma City and Norman. The city’s annual budget is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cityofmoore.com/sites/default/files/flipbooks/2025-city-budget.pdf" target="_blank">about $133 million</a>. The National Weather Service calculated the 2013 storm’s damage across the region at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/tornado-report_moore-oklahoma_2013.pdf" target="_blank">$2 billion</a>. The city has been hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-f5tornadoes" target="_blank">two F5 tornadoes&nbsp;</a>since 1999.“When you have a natural disaster like the couple of F5 tornadoes that have come to our city — that would bankrupt our city, our budget,” he said. “That is a huge burden that this city just could not afford.”Hamm said he would be open to Trump’s talk of realigning FEMA, particularly if it allowed more funds to stay directly with states like his. But he said federal disaster funding must remain intact in some way.“When you need a lifeline, it’s reassuring to know that one is there and you can grab onto that rope, and there’s somebody on the other end pulling you to safety,” he said. “And the federal government was a lifeline, not so much in the recovery, but in providing the finances. I can’t emphasize that enough.”Eaton County, Michigan, was hit hard in August 2023, as tornadoes, severe storms and flooding struck the mid-Michigan region. FEMA’s response helped the community navigate aid and recovery programs and apply for federal assistance.“That federal support piece is critical to us to be able to respond and recover from disasters,” said Ryan Wilkinson, the county’s emergency manager. “Yes, we need reform for emergency management nationwide — at all levels — but shifting complete responsibility to the states would do greater harm in the long term.”

Trump Wants States to Handle Disasters Without FEMA - States say they can't

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp;– a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry – welcomed&nbsp;Amy France,&nbsp;chair of the National Sorghum Producers, from Scott City, Kansas, to testify before the committee during a hearing titled “Perspectives From the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy.”

“Amy France is a native of Leoti, Kansas – population, 1,475,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Amy lives in a very rural part of Kansas. She didn't grow up on a farm, but she found a love for this industry called agriculture after meeting her husband, Clint. Together, they operate the France&nbsp;Family&nbsp;Farms near Scott City, growing sorghum, corn and wheat and raising cattle with their children and grandchildren.”

“Her family&nbsp;has been a priority for Amy, and she has been instilling Kansas values in her children and an understanding of what it means to be good stewards of their land,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“They share the produce that they grow on their farm with their community, and Amy has stated how she is focused on being a&nbsp;‘better farmer, not just a bigger farmer.’”“With this market uncertainty, high production costs, the drought we've had in our state, Amy's consistent advocacy for disaster relief and crop loss assistance has made her a key voice for a fight for a better agricultural economy,”&nbsp;concluded Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I thank you, Amy, for fighting for our nation's sorghum farmers.”

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp;– a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry – welcomed&nbsp;Amy France,&nbsp;chair of the National Sorghum Producers, from Scott City, Kansas, to testify before the committee during a hearing titled “Perspectives From the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy.”<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aY0_-xoRyus?si=Or8LkLgikn15YmPZ&amp;start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GNdNBoMCnJc?si=ROaIb4h8wOgqeVzK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“Amy France is a native of Leoti, Kansas – population, 1,475,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“Amy lives in a very rural part of Kansas. She didn't grow up on a farm, but she found a love for this industry called agriculture after meeting her husband, Clint. Together, they operate the France&nbsp;Family&nbsp;Farms near Scott City, growing sorghum, corn and wheat and raising cattle with their children and grandchildren.”“Her family&nbsp;has been a priority for Amy, and she has been instilling Kansas values in her children and an understanding of what it means to be good stewards of their land,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“They share the produce that they grow on their farm with their community, and Amy has stated how she is focused on being a&nbsp;‘better farmer, not just a bigger farmer.’”“With this market uncertainty, high production costs, the drought we've had in our state, Amy's consistent advocacy for disaster relief and crop loss assistance has made her a key voice for a fight for a better agricultural economy,”&nbsp;concluded Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I thank you, Amy, for fighting for our nation's sorghum farmers.”

🎥Kan. woman tells Senate committee the state of the ag economy

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday her seventh attempt to expand Medicaid, which has continuously faced staunch opposition from Republican leadership.

The Healthcare Access for Working Kansans, or HAWK, Act, would expand the option of Medicaid coverage to roughly 150,000 Kansans. Kelly has proposed expansion every year she has been in office touting its benefits for rural hospitals, health care workers and the state economy.

“In fact, by waiting to expand Medicaid, we have wasted over $280 million and left $7.6 billion on the table in Washington, D.C.,” Kelly said. “I encourage the Legislature to advance Medicaid expansion this session so we can bring Kansas taxpayer dollars back home to support our health care system.”

During the 2024 legislative session, Republican leadership allowed hearings on a Medicaid expansion bill for the first time in four years after pressure from Kelly and advocates.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/28/survey-reveals-potential-tapering-of-kansas-gap-between-gop-democratic-presidential-candidates/">In October</a>, an annual statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/2024-kansas-speaks-report-finalv3-corrections-10.28.24-execsum-final-bullet-and-10.31.24-appendix-c-crosstabs-table-17-title.pdf" target="_blank">survey from Fort Hays State University</a>&nbsp;found that more than 70% of respondents support expansion.

Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, and Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City, Kansas, introduced the bills in the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee.&nbsp;

The governor claims Medicaid expansion would create 23,000 new jobs and add $1.2 billion in funding to the Kansas economy while reducing health care costs and safeguarding struggling rural hospitals. About 62 rural hospitals in Kansas are&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/downloads/Rural_Hospitals_at_Risk_of_Closing.pdf" target="_blank">at risk of closing</a>.

Kansas is one of nine states in the U.S. that have declined to expand Medicaid after the option to do so became available in 2010 under the Affordable Care Act. Expansion extends eligibility to people who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Without expansion, an estimated 39,000 adults in Kansas are caught in a coverage&nbsp;<a href="https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-state-KS" target="_blank">gap</a>, making too much to be eligible for Medicaid but too little to enroll in private health insurance.&nbsp;

“Studies show 63% of our state’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing,” said David Jordan, president and CEO of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, a Hutchinson-based nonprofit focused on rural health care.

“A sustainable health system is crucial to the future of rural Kansas communities, who rely on their local hospitals to receive timely and necessary care,” Jordan said.

Medicaid, in covering those who wouldn’t otherwise have health insurance, is the backbone of that system, Jordan said.&nbsp;

“Our hospitals already face high levels of uncompensated care, and they rely on Medicaid reimbursements to help keep their doors open — especially in our rural communities,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736987706731.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during the State of the State address last month" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during the State of the State address last month</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday her seventh attempt to expand Medicaid, which has continuously faced staunch opposition from Republican leadership.The Healthcare Access for Working Kansans, or HAWK, Act, would expand the option of Medicaid coverage to roughly 150,000 Kansans. Kelly has proposed expansion every year she has been in office touting its benefits for rural hospitals, health care workers and the state economy.“In fact, by waiting to expand Medicaid, we have wasted over $280 million and left $7.6 billion on the table in Washington, D.C.,” Kelly said. “I encourage the Legislature to advance Medicaid expansion this session so we can bring Kansas taxpayer dollars back home to support our health care system.”During the 2024 legislative session, Republican leadership allowed hearings on a Medicaid expansion bill for the first time in four years after pressure from Kelly and advocates.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/28/survey-reveals-potential-tapering-of-kansas-gap-between-gop-democratic-presidential-candidates/">In October</a>, an annual statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/Kansas-Speaks/2024-kansas-speaks-report-finalv3-corrections-10.28.24-execsum-final-bullet-and-10.31.24-appendix-c-crosstabs-table-17-title.pdf" target="_blank">survey from Fort Hays State University</a>&nbsp;found that more than 70% of respondents support expansion.Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, and Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City, Kansas, introduced the bills in the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee.&nbsp;The governor claims Medicaid expansion would create 23,000 new jobs and add $1.2 billion in funding to the Kansas economy while reducing health care costs and safeguarding struggling rural hospitals. About 62 rural hospitals in Kansas are&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/downloads/Rural_Hospitals_at_Risk_of_Closing.pdf" target="_blank">at risk of closing</a>.Kansas is one of nine states in the U.S. that have declined to expand Medicaid after the option to do so became available in 2010 under the Affordable Care Act. Expansion extends eligibility to people who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Without expansion, an estimated 39,000 adults in Kansas are caught in a coverage&nbsp;<a href="https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-state-KS" target="_blank">gap</a>, making too much to be eligible for Medicaid but too little to enroll in private health insurance.&nbsp;“Studies show 63% of our state’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing,” said David Jordan, president and CEO of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, a Hutchinson-based nonprofit focused on rural health care.“A sustainable health system is crucial to the future of rural Kansas communities, who rely on their local hospitals to receive timely and necessary care,” Jordan said.Medicaid, in covering those who wouldn’t otherwise have health insurance, is the backbone of that system, Jordan said.&nbsp;“Our hospitals already face high levels of uncompensated care, and they rely on Medicaid reimbursements to help keep their doors open — especially in our rural communities,” he said.

Kansas governor takes another swing at joining 41 states that have expanded Medicaid

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, TERRY CHEA and MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in programs receiving federal money has thrown into doubt the future of research Kendra Dahmer has been doing on intestinal parasites in India and Benin.

Dahmer, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, has a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the single largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.

The grant is supposed to cover her research through the summer of 2026, but now she wonders if that will be possible. She received diversity-based funding as the first college graduate in her family and a woman in science and, more broadly, she is uncertain how Trump's anti-DEI executive order could affect support for her areas of study.

"There's also this aspect of research that funds specific studies in specific populations that are now being deemed DEI," Dahmer said. "So, like HIV research in Africa may be deemed DEI, malaria research, which also happens in low and middle income countries, may be considered DEI. And these are really important diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people every year."

Two days after Trump signed the executive order on DEI on Jan. 21 researchers became even more alarmed when the White House called for a funding freeze to conduct an ideological review of all federal grants and loans. After days of chaos and legal wrangling, two judges intervened and the administration rescinded the freeze. The National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, which fund a large chunk of research in the country, this week began releasing grants.

But that hasn't eased the fears of scientists and researchers whose work is funded by federal grants. The NSF said it is still conducting a review of "projects, programs and activities to be compliant with the existing executive orders." It's not yet clear what may happen to new and existing NIH grants either.

On Friday night, the NIH announced it was cutting payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants, a policy that could leave universities with major budget gaps. Currently, some universities receive 50% or more of the amount of a grant to put toward support staff and other needs, but that would be capped at 15%.

Universities, which received almost $60 billion for research in the 2023 fiscal year, have been mostly quiet, explaining in statements to their staff and students they are still trying to clarify the implications of the executive order on DEI. Meantime, they are navigating the order's impact on their own institutional policies supporting underrepresented students.

The University of California said in a statement it is "evaluating recent executive orders issued by President Trump and the subsequent agency guidance to understand their potential impact on our communities."

Even though there is no clarity on the new policies yet, some projects already have been put on hold amid uncertainty over the future of research touching on issues related to diversity, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors.

Some of the studies already being halted include research on artificial intelligence and how racism can be coded into systems, he said. Other projects Wolfson has heard about getting stopped include research on health equity and studies on the urban literacy rate as it relates to class in places with large concentrations of Black people.

"I think the people who are making these decisions are very clear that they want to create a society that's based on deep-set inequities that are hard baked and don't transform whether that's around race, whether that's around class, whether that's around gender," he said.

The Education Department did not respond to an email message seeking comment.

Threats to funding for research related to DEI could eliminate a lifeline for historically Black colleges and universities, which are already significantly underfunded compared to predominantly white institutions.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the largest HBCU in the country, has been on a yearslong mission to become one of the first to reach R1 status — a distinction from the Carnegie Foundation that denotes a university as having high research activity, but the president's intervention on federal funding could slow that down, said Joseph Graves, a biology professor. As it is, biology department students have to conduct research in hats and gloves during the winter because of a lack of heat in the old building, he said.

New scrutiny on federal research grants could also hurt students at HBCUs who have federally funded fellowships for research, Graves said. Those scholarships, which could be at risk, allow minority students to pursue opportunities they might not have been able to afford.

The Trump administration's perception of diversity, equity and inclusion could make HBCUs a target because of its high population of minority students, Graves said.

"They will look at our excellence in doing work that is changing the demography of science, and they will attack it as DEI," Graves said. "Whatever we do, we're doing DEI whether they like it or not."

Rodriguez reported from San Francisco and Seminera from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix and Adithi Ramakrishnan in New York contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630165063493.jpeg" alt="File image Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>File image Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, TERRY CHEA and MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated PressBERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in programs receiving federal money has thrown into doubt the future of research Kendra Dahmer has been doing on intestinal parasites in India and Benin.Dahmer, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, has a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the single largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.The grant is supposed to cover her research through the summer of 2026, but now she wonders if that will be possible. She received diversity-based funding as the first college graduate in her family and a woman in science and, more broadly, she is uncertain how Trump's anti-DEI executive order could affect support for her areas of study."There's also this aspect of research that funds specific studies in specific populations that are now being deemed DEI," Dahmer said. "So, like HIV research in Africa may be deemed DEI, malaria research, which also happens in low and middle income countries, may be considered DEI. And these are really important diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people every year."Two days after Trump signed the executive order on DEI on Jan. 21 researchers became even more alarmed when the White House called for a funding freeze to conduct an ideological review of all federal grants and loans. After days of chaos and legal wrangling, two judges intervened and the administration rescinded the freeze. The National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, which fund a large chunk of research in the country, this week began releasing grants.But that hasn't eased the fears of scientists and researchers whose work is funded by federal grants. The NSF said it is still conducting a review of "projects, programs and activities to be compliant with the existing executive orders." It's not yet clear what may happen to new and existing NIH grants either.On Friday night, the NIH announced it was cutting payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants, a policy that could leave universities with major budget gaps. Currently, some universities receive 50% or more of the amount of a grant to put toward support staff and other needs, but that would be capped at 15%.Universities, which received almost $60 billion for research in the 2023 fiscal year, have been mostly quiet, explaining in statements to their staff and students they are still trying to clarify the implications of the executive order on DEI. Meantime, they are navigating the order's impact on their own institutional policies supporting underrepresented students.The University of California said in a statement it is "evaluating recent executive orders issued by President Trump and the subsequent agency guidance to understand their potential impact on our communities."Even though there is no clarity on the new policies yet, some projects already have been put on hold amid uncertainty over the future of research touching on issues related to diversity, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors.Some of the studies already being halted include research on artificial intelligence and how racism can be coded into systems, he said. Other projects Wolfson has heard about getting stopped include research on health equity and studies on the urban literacy rate as it relates to class in places with large concentrations of Black people."I think the people who are making these decisions are very clear that they want to create a society that's based on deep-set inequities that are hard baked and don't transform whether that's around race, whether that's around class, whether that's around gender," he said.The Education Department did not respond to an email message seeking comment.Threats to funding for research related to DEI could eliminate a lifeline for historically Black colleges and universities, which are already significantly underfunded compared to predominantly white institutions.North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the largest HBCU in the country, has been on a yearslong mission to become one of the first to reach R1 status — a distinction from the Carnegie Foundation that denotes a university as having high research activity, but the president's intervention on federal funding could slow that down, said Joseph Graves, a biology professor. As it is, biology department students have to conduct research in hats and gloves during the winter because of a lack of heat in the old building, he said.New scrutiny on federal research grants could also hurt students at HBCUs who have federally funded fellowships for research, Graves said. Those scholarships, which could be at risk, allow minority students to pursue opportunities they might not have been able to afford.The Trump administration's perception of diversity, equity and inclusion could make HBCUs a target because of its high population of minority students, Graves said."They will look at our excellence in doing work that is changing the demography of science, and they will attack it as DEI," Graves said. "Whatever we do, we're doing DEI whether they like it or not."___Rodriguez reported from San Francisco and Seminera from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix and Adithi Ramakrishnan in New York contributed.

University research in turmoil after Trump admin. declares DEI policies illegal

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

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — As a student,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;played high school football. As a business baron, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-dbbed546a30048798c3377c66cd50f4f">owned a team</a>&nbsp;in an upstart rival to the NFL and then sued the established league. As president, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e3fcc1d5c2446098652affae9e6322a">denigrated pros</a>&nbsp;who took a knee during the national anthem as part of a social justice movement.

On Sunday, he was adding to that complicated history with the sport when he becomes the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attends-super-bowl-ae879e4f0a905b103e9059245f2887e2">first president in office to attend a Super Bowl.</a>

After flying from Florida to New Orleans, the Republican president was expected to meet participants in the honorary coin toss, including relatives of victims of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-63a1b43d615af365cb8ba6f5f0583eca">New Year’s Day terrorist attack</a>&nbsp;in the city's historic French Quarter, as well as members of the police department and emergency personnel.

Trump’s appearance at the Caesars Superdome to see the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles follows the NFL’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-end-zone-message-2cd0272f27fd1836ddd016eb2ff297f2">remove the “End Racism” slogans</a>&nbsp;that have been stenciled on the end zones since 2021.

Trump recently ordered the cancelation of programs that encourage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;across the federal government and some critics see the league's decision as a response to the Republican president's action. But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-goodell-dei-bfd90306b728a28fdef43fabfb882e75">diversity policies</a>&nbsp;are not in conflict with the Trump administration’s efforts to end the federal government's DEI programs.

Trump, who attended the Super Bowl in 1992, thinks the Chiefs will win, with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes the difference-maker.

“I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel's Brett Baier that aired on the pregame show. Trump said Mahomes “really knows how to win. He’s a great, great quarterback.”

The president played football as a student at the New York Military Academy. As a New York businessman in the early 1980s, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-dbbed546a30048798c3377c66cd50f4f">owned the New Jersey Generals</a>&nbsp;of the United States Football League. Trump had sued to force a merger of the USFL and the NFL. The USFL eventually folded.

Friction existed between Trump and the NFL during his first term as president.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e3fcc1d5c2446098652affae9e6322a">Trump took issue with players kneeling</a>&nbsp;during the national anthem to protest social or racial injustice. That movement began in 2016 with then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner” during an exhibition game in Denver.

Trump, through social media and other public comments, insisted that players stand for the national anthem and he called on team owners to fire any player who took a knee.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ’Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” Trump said to loud applause at a rally in Hunstville, Alabama, in 2017.

Trump is expected to watch the game from a box in the company of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., among others. Trump won Missouri and Pennsylvania — the states represented in the game — on his way to a second term in November.

His interest in sports extends beyond football. Trump is an avid golfer who owns multiple golf courses and has hosted tournaments. He sponsored boxing matches at his former casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-match-new-york-8d5bfbccd32c1115cf2f6b54b8c58a0e">attended a UFC match</a>&nbsp;at Madison Square Garden weeks after winning a second term.

Trump played golf with Tiger Woods on Sunday morning in Florida, where the president spent the weekend, the White House said.

Some NFL team owners have donated to his campaigns and Trump maintains friendships with Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie, who played for the Generals.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-football-georgia-senate-elections-herschel-walker-068e1edc1dbf75638a75c35bdc54eb33">Trump endorsed Walker's unsuccessful bid</a>&nbsp;as the Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat from Georgia in 2022, and has tapped him to become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-donald-trump-bahamas-92937a9d0b5409b0c91a22082e80d6a2">ambassador to the Bahamas</a>.

Trump signed an order last week that is intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">block transgender women and girls from competing in women's sports</a>&nbsp;by targeting federal funding for schools that fail to comply.

In a statement before the game, Trump said the coaches, players and staff for the Chiefs and Eagles “represent the hopes and dreams of our Nation’s young athletes as we restore safety and fairness in sports and equal opportunities among their teams.”

Alvin Tillery, a politics professor and diversity expert at Northwestern University, said in an interview that the NFL's decision to remove “End Racism” slogans was “shameful” given that the league “makes tens of billions of dollars largely on the bodies of Black men.”

He said the NFL should explain who it was aiming to please. The NFL said it was stenciling “Choose Love” in one of the end zones for the Super Bowl to encourage the country after a series of tragedies so far this year, including a New Year's Day truck attack in the host city of New Orleans that killed 14 people and injured dozens more.

Tillery wasn't convinced. “I think they removed it because Trump's coming," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739157939180.png" alt="President Trump during Super Bowl National Anthem image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during Super Bowl National Anthem image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DARLENE%20SUPERVILLE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press</a>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — As a student,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;played high school football. As a business baron, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-dbbed546a30048798c3377c66cd50f4f">owned a team</a>&nbsp;in an upstart rival to the NFL and then sued the established league. As president, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e3fcc1d5c2446098652affae9e6322a">denigrated pros</a>&nbsp;who took a knee during the national anthem as part of a social justice movement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">America&#39;s Favorite President at America&#39;s Biggest Game 🇺🇸🏈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBLIX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBLIX</a> <a href="https://t.co/0IZNoQL84o">pic.twitter.com/0IZNoQL84o</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1888949637576315013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IvankaTrump</a> arrive at Super Bowl LIX! 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/j9YoqbC9ca">pic.twitter.com/j9YoqbC9ca</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888739261903708608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IvankaTrump</a> arrive at Super Bowl LIX! 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/j9YoqbC9ca">pic.twitter.com/j9YoqbC9ca</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888739261903708608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> boards Air Force One en route to Super Bowl LIX! 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/2WnRx5Yqi0">pic.twitter.com/2WnRx5Yqi0</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888681271561253116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Sunday, he was adding to that complicated history with the sport when he becomes the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attends-super-bowl-ae879e4f0a905b103e9059245f2887e2">first president in office to attend a Super Bowl.</a>After flying from Florida to New Orleans, the Republican president was expected to meet participants in the honorary coin toss, including relatives of victims of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-63a1b43d615af365cb8ba6f5f0583eca">New Year’s Day terrorist attack</a>&nbsp;in the city's historic French Quarter, as well as members of the police department and emergency personnel.Trump’s appearance at the Caesars Superdome to see the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles follows the NFL’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-end-zone-message-2cd0272f27fd1836ddd016eb2ff297f2">remove the “End Racism” slogans</a>&nbsp;that have been stenciled on the end zones since 2021.Trump recently ordered the cancelation of programs that encourage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-executive-order-diversity-inclusion-f67ea86032986084dd71c5aa0c6b8d1d">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;across the federal government and some critics see the league's decision as a response to the Republican president's action. But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-goodell-dei-bfd90306b728a28fdef43fabfb882e75">diversity policies</a>&nbsp;are not in conflict with the Trump administration’s efforts to end the federal government's DEI programs.Trump, who attended the Super Bowl in 1992, thinks the Chiefs will win, with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes the difference-maker.“I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel's Brett Baier that aired on the pregame show. Trump said Mahomes “really knows how to win. He’s a great, great quarterback.”The president played football as a student at the New York Military Academy. As a New York businessman in the early 1980s, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-united-states-presidential-election-dbbed546a30048798c3377c66cd50f4f">owned the New Jersey Generals</a>&nbsp;of the United States Football League. Trump had sued to force a merger of the USFL and the NFL. The USFL eventually folded.Friction existed between Trump and the NFL during his first term as president.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7e3fcc1d5c2446098652affae9e6322a">Trump took issue with players kneeling</a>&nbsp;during the national anthem to protest social or racial injustice. That movement began in 2016 with then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner” during an exhibition game in Denver.Trump, through social media and other public comments, insisted that players stand for the national anthem and he called on team owners to fire any player who took a knee.“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ’Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” Trump said to loud applause at a rally in Hunstville, Alabama, in 2017.Trump is expected to watch the game from a box in the company of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., among others. Trump won Missouri and Pennsylvania — the states represented in the game — on his way to a second term in November.His interest in sports extends beyond football. Trump is an avid golfer who owns multiple golf courses and has hosted tournaments. He sponsored boxing matches at his former casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-match-new-york-8d5bfbccd32c1115cf2f6b54b8c58a0e">attended a UFC match</a>&nbsp;at Madison Square Garden weeks after winning a second term.Trump played golf with Tiger Woods on Sunday morning in Florida, where the president spent the weekend, the White House said.Some NFL team owners have donated to his campaigns and Trump maintains friendships with Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie, who played for the Generals.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-football-georgia-senate-elections-herschel-walker-068e1edc1dbf75638a75c35bdc54eb33">Trump endorsed Walker's unsuccessful bid</a>&nbsp;as the Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat from Georgia in 2022, and has tapped him to become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-donald-trump-bahamas-92937a9d0b5409b0c91a22082e80d6a2">ambassador to the Bahamas</a>.Trump signed an order last week that is intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b">block transgender women and girls from competing in women's sports</a>&nbsp;by targeting federal funding for schools that fail to comply.In a statement before the game, Trump said the coaches, players and staff for the Chiefs and Eagles “represent the hopes and dreams of our Nation’s young athletes as we restore safety and fairness in sports and equal opportunities among their teams.”Alvin Tillery, a politics professor and diversity expert at Northwestern University, said in an interview that the NFL's decision to remove “End Racism” slogans was “shameful” given that the league “makes tens of billions of dollars largely on the bodies of Black men.”He said the NFL should explain who it was aiming to please. The NFL said it was stenciling “Choose Love” in one of the end zones for the Super Bowl to encourage the country after a series of tragedies so far this year, including a New Year's Day truck attack in the host city of New Orleans that killed 14 people and injured dozens more.Tillery wasn't convinced. “I think they removed it because Trump's coming," he said.

Presidential first: Trump at the Super Bowl, latest chapter in a complicated legacy with football

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Police investigating a deadly shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as&nbsp; Olivia Miller, 51, of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Just after 7:30 a.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.

First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. Olivia MIller was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 29-year-old Devin Miller of Topeka on requested charges of first degree murder and aggravated battery.

This is the city’s 1st homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp; Police have not released details on the relationship between the suspect and the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738979967925.png" alt="Miller photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Police investigating a deadly shooting in Topeka have identified the victim as&nbsp; Olivia Miller, 51, of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Just after 7:30 a.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738943432820.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. Olivia MIller was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.As a result of the investigation, police arrested 29-year-old Devin Miller of Topeka on requested charges of first degree murder and aggravated battery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739074147131.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the city’s 1st homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp; Police have not released details on the relationship between the suspect and the victim.

Police ID Kansas woman who died in shooting 

WASHINGTON (AP) —Crews continuing to search for debris from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">deadly collision</a>&nbsp;of a passenger jet and Army helicopter near Washington used a plane outfitted with lasers to scan the bottom of the Potomac River early Saturday, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

Large pieces of the jetliner and helicopter along with the remains of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">all 67 victims</a>&nbsp;already were recovered earlier this week and crews now will spend the coming days looking for smaller debris before finishing the work in about a week.

A plane operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and equipped with laser scanning technology flew at low altitudes over the crash site. The lasers are used to penetrate the river's surface and map the riverbed.

The NTSB said information collected will be part of its ongoing investigation into the Jan. 29 collision between the Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight over Washington, D.C. There were no survivors.

President Donald Trump on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">blamed the collision</a>&nbsp;on what he called an “obsolete” computer system used by U.S. air traffic controllers and vowed to replace it.

NTSB officials told members of Congress that the helicopter's advanced surveillance technology, which transmits aircraft location and other data to air traffic control and other aircraft, was turned off, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday.

Investigators are also looking into the altitude of the plane and helicopter, including whether the chopper was above its 200-foot (61-meter) flight ceiling. Investigators need to be able to examine the wreckage of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-crash-night-faa-helicopter-286319ac01bee91e4992c95e7946063e">the Black Hawk</a>&nbsp;to get more precise information.

The crash was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738545032561.png" alt="Photo U.S. Coast Guard" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Coast Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Crews continuing to search for debris from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">deadly collision</a>&nbsp;of a passenger jet and Army helicopter near Washington used a plane outfitted with lasers to scan the bottom of the Potomac River early Saturday, the National Transportation Safety Board said.Large pieces of the jetliner and helicopter along with the remains of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">all 67 victims</a>&nbsp;already were recovered earlier this week and crews now will spend the coming days looking for smaller debris before finishing the work in about a week.A plane operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and equipped with laser scanning technology flew at low altitudes over the crash site. The lasers are used to penetrate the river's surface and map the riverbed.The NTSB said information collected will be part of its ongoing investigation into the Jan. 29 collision between the Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight over Washington, D.C. There were no survivors.President Donald Trump on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-plane-crash-air-traffic-control-ab195790634af66534a45cdec2d80aa8">blamed the collision</a>&nbsp;on what he called an “obsolete” computer system used by U.S. air traffic controllers and vowed to replace it.NTSB officials told members of Congress that the helicopter's advanced surveillance technology, which transmits aircraft location and other data to air traffic control and other aircraft, was turned off, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday.Investigators are also looking into the altitude of the plane and helicopter, including whether the chopper was above its 200-foot (61-meter) flight ceiling. Investigators need to be able to examine the wreckage of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-crash-night-faa-helicopter-286319ac01bee91e4992c95e7946063e">the Black Hawk</a>&nbsp;to get more precise information.The crash was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.