By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis County parents overwhelmingly said they trust their child care providers, but they wished they were paying less for care, according to a recent survey.

The Child Care Task Force of Ellis County received results from the online survey at its meeting on Tuesday.

The survey was taken by 121 people, including parents, child care providers and business people, with parents and child care providers making up the two largest groups of survey respondents.

Of the 60 parents or future parents who responded to the survey, a quarter said they were looking for child care.&nbsp;

Two-thirds of parents said their children are currently enrolled in a licensed child care. One-third said they were not.

Dana Stanton, Childcare Program Specialist with the&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, said the survey results do not mean those 20 parents have their children in unlicensed child care. She said it could mean a parent is staying home with the children or the children are being cared for by another family member.

More than half of the parents said their children are in an in-home child care. About 19% of children were enrolled in child care centers and 16% were cared for by family members.

Sixty-eight percent of parents responding said they were satisfied with their child care arrangements. When asked what aspects contributed to their satisfaction, 95% said they trusted their children's caregiver.

Stanton said parental preference mirrored child placement. Most parents said they preferred having their children cared for by in-home child care providers.

Seventy-five percent of respondents said they were pleased with the quality of their children's care and education.

Seventy-five percent of parents surveyed said they were dissatisfied with the cost of care. The survey indicated the county's child care costs varied widely, with parents paying $80 to more than $200 per week per child for care.

The respondents said they would prefer to pay $141 to $160 per week per child for care. Stanton said that the price range is low for the cost of care in Ellis County.

Most parents said they needed full-time care Mondays through Fridays, with a few also needing care for school-age children during school breaks and snow days.

Most respondents said they had found child care through word of mouth, not the state child care system, <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/">Child Care Aware of Kansas</a>.

Stanton said the child care task force should consider placing more emphasis on using the Child Care Aware online database.

Of the child care providers surveyed, 27% said they did not update their capacity openings with Child Care Aware.

The state resource tracks child care openings across the state and can be searched by community. It only lists licensed providers.&nbsp;

Only four businesses responded to the survey. All four said they have experienced workforce gaps due to a lack of child care for their employees.

Half of all respondents said they had missed work due to child care needs. Twelve people said they had delayed entering or reentering the workforce because of child care needs. Stanton said 12 people is low compared to other communities she has worked with in Kansas, where workers had to plan their careers around child care.

None of the employers said they wanted to offer in-house child care.

The task force has identified a continued need for more infant care in Ellis County. None of the businesses surveyed said they allowed employees to bring infants to work.

One employer said they allowed workers to bring their children to work after school if needed. One employer said they allowed employees to work from home if a worker was experiencing child care issues.

Of the child care providers surveyed, 92% said they accept infants. However, the state limits the number of infants that in-home child care providers can care for.

Only 34% of providers said they were certified to take funds from the Department of Children and Family Services for income-qualified families.

All of the providers surveyed said they offer full-time care Mondays through Fridays. However, many providers offered additional services such as care for school-age children during school breaks or care before or after school.

Sixty-three percent of survey respondents said they thought Ellis County does not have an adequate supply of child care.

"We had more yeses than I thought," Stanton said. "I'm thinking that is a lot of our current providers. We have talked about it in this group. While there may be a need for openings in infant care, we have a lot of in-home providers who have openings."

The number of needed child care spots in Ellis County, as reported by the state, has dramatically decreased since the child care task force was created four years ago. An additional 77 slots are set to open in August with the completion of the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center.

However, Stanton said of the survey, "It tells us that we're making progress, but there are still some issues."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737585359699.jpg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis County parents overwhelmingly said they trust their child care providers, but they wished they were paying less for care, according to a recent survey.The Child Care Task Force of Ellis County received results from the online survey at its meeting on Tuesday.The survey was taken by 121 people, including parents, child care providers and business people, with parents and child care providers making up the two largest groups of survey respondents.Of the 60 parents or future parents who responded to the survey, a quarter said they were looking for child care.&nbsp;Two-thirds of parents said their children are currently enrolled in a licensed child care. One-third said they were not.Dana Stanton, Childcare Program Specialist with the&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, said the survey results do not mean those 20 parents have their children in unlicensed child care. She said it could mean a parent is staying home with the children or the children are being cared for by another family member.More than half of the parents said their children are in an in-home child care. About 19% of children were enrolled in child care centers and 16% were cared for by family members.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747323512097.png" alt="Parent satisfaction survey question results" />
 <figcaption>Parent satisfaction survey question results</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>What parents want</h2>Sixty-eight percent of parents responding said they were satisfied with their child care arrangements. When asked what aspects contributed to their satisfaction, 95% said they trusted their children's caregiver.Stanton said parental preference mirrored child placement. Most parents said they preferred having their children cared for by in-home child care providers.Seventy-five percent of respondents said they were pleased with the quality of their children's care and education.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747323701556.png" alt="Parent dissatisfaction" />
 <figcaption>Parent dissatisfaction</figcaption>
 </figure>Seventy-five percent of parents surveyed said they were dissatisfied with the cost of care. The survey indicated the county's child care costs varied widely, with parents paying $80 to more than $200 per week per child for care.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747255193501.png" alt="Cost paid per child per week for child care." />
 <figcaption>Cost paid per child per week for child care.</figcaption>
 </figure>The respondents said they would prefer to pay $141 to $160 per week per child for care. Stanton said that the price range is low for the cost of care in Ellis County.Most parents said they needed full-time care Mondays through Fridays, with a few also needing care for school-age children during school breaks and snow days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747255500306.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Most respondents said they had found child care through word of mouth, not the state child care system, <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/">Child Care Aware of Kansas</a>.Stanton said the child care task force should consider placing more emphasis on using the Child Care Aware online database.Of the child care providers surveyed, 27% said they did not update their capacity openings with Child Care Aware.The state resource tracks child care openings across the state and can be searched by community. It only lists licensed providers.&nbsp;<h2>Employers</h2>Only four businesses responded to the survey. All four said they have experienced workforce gaps due to a lack of child care for their employees.Half of all respondents said they had missed work due to child care needs. Twelve people said they had delayed entering or reentering the workforce because of child care needs. Stanton said 12 people is low compared to other communities she has worked with in Kansas, where workers had to plan their careers around child care.None of the employers said they wanted to offer in-house child care.The task force has identified a continued need for more infant care in Ellis County. None of the businesses surveyed said they allowed employees to bring infants to work.One employer said they allowed workers to bring their children to work after school if needed. One employer said they allowed employees to work from home if a worker was experiencing child care issues.<h2>Providers</h2>Of the child care providers surveyed, 92% said they accept infants. However, the state limits the number of infants that in-home child care providers can care for.Only 34% of providers said they were certified to take funds from the Department of Children and Family Services for income-qualified families.All of the providers surveyed said they offer full-time care Mondays through Fridays. However, many providers offered additional services such as care for school-age children during school breaks or care before or after school.Sixty-three percent of survey respondents said they thought Ellis County does not have an adequate supply of child care."We had more yeses than I thought," Stanton said. "I'm thinking that is a lot of our current providers. We have talked about it in this group. While there may be a need for openings in infant care, we have a lot of in-home providers who have openings."The number of needed child care spots in Ellis County, as reported by the state, has dramatically decreased since the child care task force was created four years ago. An additional 77 slots are set to open in August with the completion of the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center.However, Stanton said of the survey, "It tells us that we're making progress, but there are still some issues."

Ellis County child care survey shows progress, but issues remain

The Child Care Task Force of Ellis County and the Chamber in Hays announced a new charitable fund that has been established with the Heartland Community Foundation.

The Chamber board agreed to invest $10,230 in the fund, Sarah Wasinger, Chamber president and CEO, told the task force on Tuesday.

Some of the funds came from unused Chamber checks. The Chamber also opted to donate funds from a child care grant that had been set aside to pay the Chamber for providing administrative support for the task force.

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation also provided an additional $2,000 match to the fund.

The fund is not fully endowed, Sarah Meitner, director of the Heartland Community Foundation, said. The task force can grant nonprofits anything over the $10,000 investment.&nbsp;

For community-wide child care needs for in-home or for-profit facilities, the Chamber could serve as a pass-through agency for the grant funds, Meitner said.

Meitner said she hopes the fund will encourage further giving to support child care in the community. This can come in the form of direct donations or estate gifts.

The child care task force will be charged with awarding money from the fund and developing an application process.

"I know it may seem like, 'How are we going to do all of this?'" Meitner said. "But having the bucket is the first step. That's how you can start communicating with donors."

"Getting it started is half the battle," she added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747239827267.jpeg" alt="Members of the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County with Chamber board member Amanda Rohleder celebrate the creation of a child care fund through the Heartland Community Foundation." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County with Chamber board member Amanda Rohleder celebrate the creation of a child care fund through the Heartland Community Foundation.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Child Care Task Force of Ellis County and the Chamber in Hays announced a new charitable fund that has been established with the Heartland Community Foundation.The Chamber board agreed to invest $10,230 in the fund, Sarah Wasinger, Chamber president and CEO, told the task force on Tuesday.Some of the funds came from unused Chamber checks. The Chamber also opted to donate funds from a child care grant that had been set aside to pay the Chamber for providing administrative support for the task force.The Dane G. Hansen Foundation also provided an additional $2,000 match to the fund.The fund is not fully endowed, Sarah Meitner, director of the Heartland Community Foundation, said. The task force can grant nonprofits anything over the $10,000 investment.&nbsp;For community-wide child care needs for in-home or for-profit facilities, the Chamber could serve as a pass-through agency for the grant funds, Meitner said.Meitner said she hopes the fund will encourage further giving to support child care in the community. This can come in the form of direct donations or estate gifts.The child care task force will be charged with awarding money from the fund and developing an application process."I know it may seem like, 'How are we going to do all of this?'" Meitner said. "But having the bucket is the first step. That's how you can start communicating with donors.""Getting it started is half the battle," she added.

Chamber in Hays creates new fund to assist child care providers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

On social media, President Trump and lawmakers sent their good wishes to Biden.

Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.

“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”

Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family's “hearts and prayers during this time.”

“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.

His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support. <a href="https://t.co/oSS1vGIiwU">pic.twitter.com/oSS1vGIiwU</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1924427587582828753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On social media, President Trump and lawmakers sent their good wishes to Biden.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Melania and I are saddened to hear about <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a>’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.&quot; –President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/6HjermTGK7">pic.twitter.com/6HjermTGK7</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1924226781118443643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Laina and I are sending heartfelt prayers for President Biden and his family as he fights cancer. Please join us in praying for strength, comfort, and hope during this difficult time.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1924208825856377078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and… <a href="https://t.co/gG5nB0GMPp">pic.twitter.com/gG5nB0GMPp</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1924219372819673156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family's “hearts and prayers during this time.”“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”___

Trump, Kan. lawmaker send best wishes to Biden after cancer diagnosis

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will hear a request from the city of Victoria for help repairing sections of Old Highway 40 during the county's meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Ellis County Public Works Director Brendan Mackay and Victoria Mayor John Schulte will discuss potential financial support to fix the deteriorating road approaches connecting Old Highway 40 to East Main and West Main streets.

The total cost to repair both streets is about $79,750. In a request letter, Schulte said while Victoria would prefer to repair both approaches, East Main Street would take priority if only one can be funded due to its higher traffic volume.

The county will be asked to cover one-third of the expenses.

Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun will discuss with commissioners a grant application that would fully cover upgrades to in-car and body cameras, docking stations, antennas and routers.

Braun will also request approval to purchase 16 armor vests for detention officers for about $15,530. Funding is available in the 2025 capital outlay budget.

Commissioners will review monthly departmental reports, including data on emergency service calls and response times at incident scenes.

Darin Myers, county administrator, will discuss several reports, including those from Ellis County Communications, Environmental Services, EMS and the Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;

Tom Lippert and Julie Edgeman will request the commissioners waive municipal waste fees for the 2025 Wild West Festival. The waiver would apply to trash hauled to the Ellis County Transfer Station during the event.

Commissioner Michael Berges will continue a discussion from March on creating a plan to maintain and improve roads in Ellis County subdevelopments. Commissioners will also hear public input on the issue.

Monique Koerner and Tamara Robertson from the Cottonwood Extension District will give an update on their current programs and activities in the district.

Jami Benyshek, senior audit manager with Adams Brown, LLC, will present the 2024 Ellis County audit report to the commission.

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05202025-674">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684183971486.png" alt="Ellis County" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission will hear a request from the city of Victoria for help repairing sections of Old Highway 40 during the county's meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.Ellis County Public Works Director Brendan Mackay and Victoria Mayor John Schulte will discuss potential financial support to fix the deteriorating road approaches connecting Old Highway 40 to East Main and West Main streets.The total cost to repair both streets is about $79,750. In a request letter, Schulte said while Victoria would prefer to repair both approaches, East Main Street would take priority if only one can be funded due to its higher traffic volume.The county will be asked to cover one-third of the expenses.<h2>Ellis County Sheriff's cameras, vests</h2>Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun will discuss with commissioners a grant application that would fully cover upgrades to in-car and body cameras, docking stations, antennas and routers.Braun will also request approval to purchase 16 armor vests for detention officers for about $15,530. Funding is available in the 2025 capital outlay budget.<h2>Monthly departmental reports</h2>Commissioners will review monthly departmental reports, including data on emergency service calls and response times at incident scenes.Darin Myers, county administrator, will discuss several reports, including those from Ellis County Communications, Environmental Services, EMS and the Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;<h2>Other business</h2>Tom Lippert and Julie Edgeman will request the commissioners waive municipal waste fees for the 2025 Wild West Festival. The waiver would apply to trash hauled to the Ellis County Transfer Station during the event.Commissioner Michael Berges will continue a discussion from March on creating a plan to maintain and improve roads in Ellis County subdevelopments. Commissioners will also hear public input on the issue.Monique Koerner and Tamara Robertson from the Cottonwood Extension District will give an update on their current programs and activities in the district.Jami Benyshek, senior audit manager with Adams Brown, LLC, will present the 2024 Ellis County audit report to the commission. You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05202025-674">here</a>.

Ellis County Commission to discuss highway 40 repairs in Victoria

Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

Pete Buttigieg, who was Biden's transportation secretary, called the former president “a man of deep faith and extraordinary resilience.”

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727691434816.png" alt="File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer. <a href="https://t.co/qszrloAsvR">pic.twitter.com/qszrloAsvR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1924199062443569402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”Pete Buttigieg, who was Biden's transportation secretary, called the former president “a man of deep faith and extraordinary resilience.”The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

The Hays Public Library celebrated the renovation of the Kansas Room with a Chamber in Hays ribbon cutting on Friday.

The Kansas Room is in the basement of the library. It holds circulating books on Kansas and from Kansas authors and reference materials on local history and genealogy.

The $170,000 project included moving the stacks to the west side of the basement to allow for more seating, programming and study space, Jeremy Gill, Kansas Room coordinator, said.

Brandon Hines, library director, said the Kansas Room is the final piece in a five-year renovation of the entire library. Much of the library had not been updated since the 1960s. The Kansas Room had last been updated in 2004.

Renovations on the first and second floors began in 2020.

Hines said the library staff wanted to create space in the basement where people could study or do research.

"We wanted to create a quiet reference-type space on the lower level because if you have been in the library on the main floor or especially the children's library on the second floor, it's not really the shushing library that you might have grown up with," Hines said. "There's a lot of activity."

Paul-Wertenberger Construction was the general contractor on the project.

Lead donors on the project included the estate of Ann Liston and the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation.&nbsp;

Major contributors who gave between $1,000 and $10,000 included Diana Pantle, Ken and Rose Marie Staab, Layton and Jerry Kaiser, Kyle and Stephanie Carlin, Friends of the Hays Library, Carol Vajnar, Sharon Dreher, Heartland Community Foundation, Teget Foundation, Cloud Storage, Kent and Ruth Deines, Jon and Cindy Lightle, the Hines family and&nbsp;Paul-Wertenberger Construction.

Gill said the Kansas Room is officially named the Dorothy B. Richards Kansas Room, which was named for the library director who created the collection as a shelf in the original Carnegie Library in Hays.

The collection grew to a room in the Carnegie Library's basement and was eventually moved to the present library.

"There haven't been a lot of Kansas Room librarians or coordinators over the years, and I really do appreciate the work and effort of all of those different people," Gill said.

The collection also contains rare books, books on the Great Plains, a local photo collection and local yearbooks.

"It's fun to see people go down memory lane with those kinds of things," he said.&nbsp;

The library has a complete collection of Fort Hays State University yearbooks but is missing a few yearbooks from area high schools, or their copies have been well-worn from use, Gill said.

Residents can contact Gill at the library if they want to donate materials to the collection.

The Kansas Room has a bank of computers for research and an overhead scanner for digitizing images.

"I get emails and phone calls from all over the country and sometimes all over the world," Gill said. "It's a really special place."

After COVID, the Kansas Room initiated a coffee hour during which residents can talk to Gill and each other about local history.

That group meets at 10 a.m. Thursday mornings in the Kansas Room.

Hines said, "This place is just a collection of things without people like Jeremy. Jeremy is the one who connects people. He is the one who tells these stories about everything we have. Without people connecting with people, this would not be what it is."

"The Kansas Room is like a lot of other components of the library. It has its own little life. We have the children's area and the young adults' area. It has this life because of the people."

You can learn more about the Hays Public Library and the Kansas Room at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">hayslibrary.org</a>. Follow the library on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayspubliclibrary">Facebook</a> for information on upcoming events.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747416158970.jpeg" alt="Kansas Room Coordinator Jeremy Gill cuts the ribbon on the Kansas Room renovation at a Chamber in Hays ceremony on Friday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Room Coordinator Jeremy Gill cuts the ribbon on the Kansas Room renovation at a Chamber in Hays ceremony on Friday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays Public Library celebrated the renovation of the Kansas Room with a Chamber in Hays ribbon cutting on Friday.The Kansas Room is in the basement of the library. It holds circulating books on Kansas and from Kansas authors and reference materials on local history and genealogy.The $170,000 project included moving the stacks to the west side of the basement to allow for more seating, programming and study space, Jeremy Gill, Kansas Room coordinator, said.Brandon Hines, library director, said the Kansas Room is the final piece in a five-year renovation of the entire library. Much of the library had not been updated since the 1960s. The Kansas Room had last been updated in 2004.Renovations on the first and second floors began in 2020.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747416242941.jpeg" alt="New seating was added as part of the Kansas Room renovation. The book stacks were moved to the west side of the basement to create more room for programming. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>New seating was added as part of the Kansas Room renovation. The book stacks were moved to the west side of the basement to create more room for programming. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Hines said the library staff wanted to create space in the basement where people could study or do research."We wanted to create a quiet reference-type space on the lower level because if you have been in the library on the main floor or especially the children's library on the second floor, it's not really the shushing library that you might have grown up with," Hines said. "There's a lot of activity."Paul-Wertenberger Construction was the general contractor on the project.Lead donors on the project included the estate of Ann Liston and the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation.&nbsp;Major contributors who gave between $1,000 and $10,000 included Diana Pantle, Ken and Rose Marie Staab, Layton and Jerry Kaiser, Kyle and Stephanie Carlin, Friends of the Hays Library, Carol Vajnar, Sharon Dreher, Heartland Community Foundation, Teget Foundation, Cloud Storage, Kent and Ruth Deines, Jon and Cindy Lightle, the Hines family and&nbsp;Paul-Wertenberger Construction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747416298002.jpeg" alt="People gather in the Hays Public Library for a ribbon cutting for the Kansas Room's $170,000 renovation. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>People gather in the Hays Public Library for a ribbon cutting for the Kansas Room's $170,000 renovation. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Gill said the Kansas Room is officially named the Dorothy B. Richards Kansas Room, which was named for the library director who created the collection as a shelf in the original Carnegie Library in Hays.The collection grew to a room in the Carnegie Library's basement and was eventually moved to the present library."There haven't been a lot of Kansas Room librarians or coordinators over the years, and I really do appreciate the work and effort of all of those different people," Gill said.The collection also contains rare books, books on the Great Plains, a local photo collection and local yearbooks."It's fun to see people go down memory lane with those kinds of things," he said.&nbsp;The library has a complete collection of Fort Hays State University yearbooks but is missing a few yearbooks from area high schools, or their copies have been well-worn from use, Gill said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747416338357.jpeg" alt="Brandon Hines, Hays Public Library director, thanks donors for gifts to the Kansas Room renovation on Friday during a ribbon cutting ceremony as Kansas Room Coordinator Jeremy Gill, right, and Chamber President Sarah Wasinger, left, look on. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Brandon Hines, Hays Public Library director, thanks donors for gifts to the Kansas Room renovation on Friday during a ribbon cutting ceremony as Kansas Room Coordinator Jeremy Gill, right, and Chamber President Sarah Wasinger, left, look on. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Residents can contact Gill at the library if they want to donate materials to the collection.The Kansas Room has a bank of computers for research and an overhead scanner for digitizing images."I get emails and phone calls from all over the country and sometimes all over the world," Gill said. "It's a really special place."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747416387614.jpeg" alt="The Kansas Room also houses computers that can be used for research and a flat-bed scanner to digitize images. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Room also houses computers that can be used for research and a flat-bed scanner to digitize images. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>After COVID, the Kansas Room initiated a coffee hour during which residents can talk to Gill and each other about local history.That group meets at 10 a.m. Thursday mornings in the Kansas Room.Hines said, "This place is just a collection of things without people like Jeremy. Jeremy is the one who connects people. He is the one who tells these stories about everything we have. Without people connecting with people, this would not be what it is.""The Kansas Room is like a lot of other components of the library. It has its own little life. We have the children's area and the young adults' area. It has this life because of the people."You can learn more about the Hays Public Library and the Kansas Room at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">hayslibrary.org</a>. Follow the library on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayspubliclibrary">Facebook</a> for information on upcoming events.

Hays Public Library cuts ribbon on Kansas Room renovation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday ripped into Walmart, saying on social media that the retail giant should eat the additional costs created by his tariffs.

As Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-time-china-switzerland-660aa519e9059de7d81368ec4eef4b38">jacked up import taxes</a>, he has tried to assure a skeptical public that foreign producers would pay for those taxes and that retailers and automakers would absorb the additional expenses. Most economic analyses are deeply skeptical of those claims and have warned that the trade penalties would worsen inflation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-earnings-tariff-consumers-inflation-773f7de5081c40a98c98fbb293fa5f96">Walmart warned on Thursday</a>&nbsp;that everything from bananas to children's car seats could increase in price.

Trump, in his Truth Social post, lashed out at the retailer, which employs 1.6 million people in the United States. He said the company, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, should sacrifice its profits for the sake of his economic agenda that he says will eventually lead to more domestic jobs in manufacturing.

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump posted. “Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

The posting by the Republican president reflected the increasingly awkward series of choices that many major American companies face as a result of his tariffs, from deteriorating sales to the possibility of incurring Trump's wrath. Trump has similarly warned domestic automakers to not raise their prices, even though outside analyses say his tariffs would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-art-laffer-auto-tariff-warning-ba62f55af070e40e9d6eddf5d8433ad1">raise production costs</a>.

So far, those tariffs have darkened the mood of an otherwise resilient U.S. economy. The preliminary reading of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-consumer-confidence-f7d2635e665fa1be2695c5e830fc23ae">University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment</a>&nbsp;on Friday slipped to its second lowest measure on record, with roughly 75% of respondents “spontaneously” mentioning tariffs as they largely expected inflation to accelerate.

In April, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon was among the retail executives who met with Trump at the White House to discuss tariffs. But the Trump administration went forward despite warnings and has attacked other companies such as Amazon and Apple that are struggling with the disruptions to their supply chains.

Walmart chief financial officer John David Rainey said he thinks $350 car seats made in China will soon cost an additional $100, a 29% price increase.

“We’re wired to keep prices low, but there’s a limit to what we can bear, or any retailer for that matter,” he told The Associated Press on Thursday after the company reported strong first-quarter sales.

The administration recently ratcheted down its 145% tariffs on China to 30% for a 90-day period. Trump has placed tariffs as high as 25% on Mexico and Canada due to illegal immigration and drug trafficking, harming the relationship with America's two largest trading partners.

There is a universal baseline tariff of 10% on most countries as Trump promises to reach trade deals in the coming weeks after having shocked the financial markets in early April by charging higher import taxes based on trade deficits with other countries. Trump insists he intends to preserve the tariffs as a revenue source and that a framework agreement with the United Kingdom would largely keep the 10% tariff rate in place.

Trump has also placed import taxes on autos, steel and aluminum and plans to do so on pharmaceutical drugs, among other products.

The tariffs and Trump's own reversals on how much he should charge have generated uncertainty across the U.S. economy, such that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has held the central bank's benchmark rates steady until there is more clarity. Powell has warned that tariffs can both hurt growth and raise prices.

On Saturday, Trump repeated his calls for Powell to cut the benchmark rates. That could cause inflation to accelerate, but the president has maintained that inflationary pressures have largely disappeared from the economy.

“Too Late Powell, a man legendary for being Too Late, will probably blow it again - But who knows???” Trump posted on Truth Social.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday ripped into Walmart, saying on social media that the retail giant should eat the additional costs created by his tariffs.As Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-time-china-switzerland-660aa519e9059de7d81368ec4eef4b38">jacked up import taxes</a>, he has tried to assure a skeptical public that foreign producers would pay for those taxes and that retailers and automakers would absorb the additional expenses. Most economic analyses are deeply skeptical of those claims and have warned that the trade penalties would worsen inflation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-earnings-tariff-consumers-inflation-773f7de5081c40a98c98fbb293fa5f96">Walmart warned on Thursday</a>&nbsp;that everything from bananas to children's car seats could increase in price.Trump, in his Truth Social post, lashed out at the retailer, which employs 1.6 million people in the United States. He said the company, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, should sacrifice its profits for the sake of his economic agenda that he says will eventually lead to more domestic jobs in manufacturing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747507547543.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump posted. “Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”The posting by the Republican president reflected the increasingly awkward series of choices that many major American companies face as a result of his tariffs, from deteriorating sales to the possibility of incurring Trump's wrath. Trump has similarly warned domestic automakers to not raise their prices, even though outside analyses say his tariffs would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-art-laffer-auto-tariff-warning-ba62f55af070e40e9d6eddf5d8433ad1">raise production costs</a>.So far, those tariffs have darkened the mood of an otherwise resilient U.S. economy. The preliminary reading of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-inflation-consumer-confidence-f7d2635e665fa1be2695c5e830fc23ae">University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment</a>&nbsp;on Friday slipped to its second lowest measure on record, with roughly 75% of respondents “spontaneously” mentioning tariffs as they largely expected inflation to accelerate.In April, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon was among the retail executives who met with Trump at the White House to discuss tariffs. But the Trump administration went forward despite warnings and has attacked other companies such as Amazon and Apple that are struggling with the disruptions to their supply chains.Walmart chief financial officer John David Rainey said he thinks $350 car seats made in China will soon cost an additional $100, a 29% price increase.“We’re wired to keep prices low, but there’s a limit to what we can bear, or any retailer for that matter,” he told The Associated Press on Thursday after the company reported strong first-quarter sales.The administration recently ratcheted down its 145% tariffs on China to 30% for a 90-day period. Trump has placed tariffs as high as 25% on Mexico and Canada due to illegal immigration and drug trafficking, harming the relationship with America's two largest trading partners.There is a universal baseline tariff of 10% on most countries as Trump promises to reach trade deals in the coming weeks after having shocked the financial markets in early April by charging higher import taxes based on trade deficits with other countries. Trump insists he intends to preserve the tariffs as a revenue source and that a framework agreement with the United Kingdom would largely keep the 10% tariff rate in place.Trump has also placed import taxes on autos, steel and aluminum and plans to do so on pharmaceutical drugs, among other products.The tariffs and Trump's own reversals on how much he should charge have generated uncertainty across the U.S. economy, such that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has held the central bank's benchmark rates steady until there is more clarity. Powell has warned that tariffs can both hurt growth and raise prices.On Saturday, Trump repeated his calls for Powell to cut the benchmark rates. That could cause inflation to accelerate, but the president has maintained that inflationary pressures have largely disappeared from the economy.“Too Late Powell, a man legendary for being Too Late, will probably blow it again - But who knows???” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump to Walmart: Eat the tariffs, after retailer issued warning

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — At least 27 people have been killed by storms systems that swept across part of the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing Saturday that 18 of the deaths came in his state and 10 others were hospitalized in critical condition.

A devastating tornado in Kentucky damaged homes, tossed vehicles and left many people homeless. Seventeen of the deaths were in Laurel County, located in the state's southeast, and one was in Pulaski County: Fire Department Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman, a 39-year veteran who was fatally injured while responding to the deadly weather.

Parts of two dozen state roads were closed, and some could take days to reopen, Beshear said. He also said the death toll could still rise.

“We need the whole world right now to be really good neighbors to this region,” the governor said.

State Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson said hundreds of homes were damaged,

Kayla Patterson, her husband and their five children huddled in a tub in their basement in London, the county seat, as the tornado raged around them.

“You could literally hear just things ripping in the distance, glass shattering everywhere, just roaring like a freight train," she recalled Saturday. “It was terrible.”

The family eventually emerged to the sounds of sirens and panicked neighbors. While the family's own home was spared, others right behind it were demolished, Patterson said as the sound of power tools buzzed in the background. The neighborhood was dotted with piles of lumber, metal sheeting, insulation and stray belongings — a suitcase, a sofa, some six-packs of paper towels.

Rescuers were searching for survivors all night and into the morning, the sheriff's office said. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.

The National Weather Service hadn't yet confirmed that a tornado struck, but meteorologist Philomon Geertson said it was likely. It ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport shortly before midnight.

Resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car and scrambled to the crawlspace at a relative’s nearby home because the couple’s own crawlspace is small.

“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46. A piece of his roof was ripped off, and windows were broken, but homes around his were destroyed.

“It’s one of those things that you see on the news in other areas, and you feel bad for people — then, when it happens, it’s just surreal,” he said. “It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”

The storm was the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago, at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads. Hundreds of people were rescued, and most of the deaths were caused by vehicles getting stuck in high water.

A storm in late 2021 spawned tornadoes that killed 81 people and leveled portions of towns in western Kentucky. The following summer, historic floodwaters inundated parts of eastern Kentucky, leaving dozens more dead.

Missouri pounded by storms, with deaths confirmed in St. Louis

About 1,200 tornadoes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-safety-precautions-stay-safe-8d7457120f6205e21915f513b76dee10">strike the U.S. annually</a>, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-climate-storms-science-new-orleans-27d2df41d6d7a9b0bb79dd04b8639f40">Researchers found</a>&nbsp;in 2018 that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South area.

The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and two in northern Virginia, authorities said. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought a punishing heat wave to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois — including Chicago — in a pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.

“Well that was.....something,” the weather service's Chicago office wrote on X after issuing its first-ever dust storm warning for the city. Thunderstorms in central Illinois had pushed strong winds over dry, dusty farmland and northward into the Chicago area, the weather agency said.

In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said five people died, 38 were injured and more than 5,000 homes were affected in her city.

“The devastation is truly heartbreaking," she said at a news conference Saturday. An overnight curfew was to continue in the most damaged neighborhoods.

Weather service radar indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.

Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, St. Louis Fire Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press.

Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law, Patricia Penelton, died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.

John Randle said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people.

"You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” said Randle, 19.

At the Saint Louis Zoo, falling trees severely damaged the roof of a butterfly facility. Staffers quickly corralled most of the butterflies, the zoo said on social media, and a conservatory in suburban Chesterfield is caring for the displaced creatures.

A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.

Forecasters say severe weather could batter parts of the Plains

The weather service said that supercells are likely to develop across parts of Texas and Oklahoma Saturday afternoon before becoming a line of storms in southwest Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Saturday night.

The biggest risks include large to very large hail that could be up to 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) in size, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.

These conditions were expected to continue on Sunday across parts of the central and southern Plains as well as parts of the central High Plains.

“Be prepared to take action if watches and warnings are issued for your area,” the weather service said.

Contributing were Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz in New York, Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Juan Lozano in Houston.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across parts of the Midwest and South have left at least 21 dead, many of them in Kentucky, where what appeared to be a devastating tornado crumbled buildings and flipped a car over on an interstate.

In Kentucky, some 14 people were killed by severe weather, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Local authorities in Laurel County, in the state's southeast, said nine people were killed after a tornado touched down.

Laurel County resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car, went to a relative's nearby home and got into a crawlspace.

“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46.

His home is intact, though a piece of the roof got ripped off and windows were broken. A house two doors down is destroyed, along with others in the Sunshine Hills neighborhood, Cromer said.

“It’s one of those things that you see on the news in other areas, and you feel bad for people — then, when it happens, it’s just surreal," he said, describing a landscape of destruction. "It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”

Rescuers were “on the ground all night looking for possible survivors," and the search was continuing into the morning, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Deputy Gilbert Acciardo. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.

“Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community,” London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV. “I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight.”

It’s the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago, at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads. Hundreds of people were rescued, and most of the deaths were caused by vehicles getting stuck in high water.

About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. annually, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-climate-storms-science-new-orleans-27d2df41d6d7a9b0bb79dd04b8639f40">Researchers have found</a>&nbsp;in recent years that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South area.

The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, knocked out power to several hundred thousand customers in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths in her city and said more than 5,000 homes were affected.

“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said. An overnight curfew was imposed Friday in the neighborhoods with the most damage.

The total number of people injured was not immediately known, but hospitals in the area reported receiving dozens of patients, with some in serious condition.

National Weather Service radar indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.

Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press.

John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people.

"You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” he said. “A lot of people were caught outside.”

The Saint Louis Zoo remained closed Saturday because of damage, but spokesperson Christy Childs said all animals were safe and that there were no reports of significant injuries to staffers, guests or animals.

Forecasters say severe weather could batter southern Plains

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said on its website Saturday that severe thunderstorms, large hail and “a couple of tornadoes” were expected across the southern Plains, with especially high risk in north Texas.

Contributing were Associated Press writers Haya Panjwani in Washington, D.C., Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, Julie Walker and Jennifer Peltz in New York and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across the Midwest have left at least 16 dead, including nine people killed after a tornado sparked what authorities called a mass casualty event in southeastern Kentucky.

Kentucky authorities said there were also severe injuries when a twister tore across Laurel County late Friday, causing structures to crumble and even flipping over a car on I-75.

“The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors,” the office of Sheriff John Root said in a statement posted on social media. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.

“The outpouring from our community has been heartwarming. We are continuing to accept donations,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Spokesman Gilbert Acciardo said rescuers have "been on the ground all night looking for possible survivors. That’s what we’re continuing to do.”

The tornado, which ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport, hit shortly before midnight.

“Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community,” London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV. “I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight. There’s a lot of devastation.”

The storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, left several hundred thousand customers without power in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.

“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said, adding that the city was in the process of declaring an emergency and an overnight curfew Friday had been put into place in the neighborhoods with the most damage.

The number of people injured was not immediately known. Barnes-Jewish Hospital received 20 to 30 patients from the storm with some in serious condition and most expected to be discharged by Friday night, according to hospital spokesperson Laura High.

St. Louis Children's Hospital received 15 patients with two of them expected to remain in the hospital into the weekend, she said.

National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.

At Centennial Christian Church, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press that three people had to be rescued after part of the church crumbled. One of those people died.

Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law Patricia Penelton died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.

Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives across from the church, heard an alert on his phone and then the lights went out.

“And next thing you know, a lot of noise, heavy wind,” he said. He and his brother went into the basement. Later, he realized it was worse than he thought. “Everything was tore up.”

Downed trees and stop lights also caused traffic gridlock during the Friday afternoon commute and officials urged people to stay home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747486588444.png" alt="-Photos St. Louis Police" />
 <figcaption>-Photos St. Louis Police</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Video and pictures from the storms that moved across SEMO earlier this afternoon. Damage has been reported and power lines are done in several areas. So far, no reports of injuries at this time. <a href="https://t.co/0lgu3bJj6w">pic.twitter.com/0lgu3bJj6w</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop E (@MSHPTrooperE) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperE/status/1923497111779238184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>LONDON, Ky. (AP) — At least 27 people have been killed by storms systems that swept across part of the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing Saturday that 18 of the deaths came in his state and 10 others were hospitalized in critical condition.A devastating tornado in Kentucky damaged homes, tossed vehicles and left many people homeless. Seventeen of the deaths were in Laurel County, located in the state's southeast, and one was in Pulaski County: Fire Department Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman, a 39-year veteran who was fatally injured while responding to the deadly weather.Parts of two dozen state roads were closed, and some could take days to reopen, Beshear said. He also said the death toll could still rise.“We need the whole world right now to be really good neighbors to this region,” the governor said.State Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson said hundreds of homes were damaged,Kayla Patterson, her husband and their five children huddled in a tub in their basement in London, the county seat, as the tornado raged around them.“You could literally hear just things ripping in the distance, glass shattering everywhere, just roaring like a freight train," she recalled Saturday. “It was terrible.”The family eventually emerged to the sounds of sirens and panicked neighbors. While the family's own home was spared, others right behind it were demolished, Patterson said as the sound of power tools buzzed in the background. The neighborhood was dotted with piles of lumber, metal sheeting, insulation and stray belongings — a suitcase, a sofa, some six-packs of paper towels.Rescuers were searching for survivors all night and into the morning, the sheriff's office said. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.The National Weather Service hadn't yet confirmed that a tornado struck, but meteorologist Philomon Geertson said it was likely. It ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport shortly before midnight.Resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car and scrambled to the crawlspace at a relative’s nearby home because the couple’s own crawlspace is small.“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46. A piece of his roof was ripped off, and windows were broken, but homes around his were destroyed.“It’s one of those things that you see on the news in other areas, and you feel bad for people — then, when it happens, it’s just surreal,” he said. “It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”The storm was the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago, at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads. Hundreds of people were rescued, and most of the deaths were caused by vehicles getting stuck in high water.A storm in late 2021 spawned tornadoes that killed 81 people and leveled portions of towns in western Kentucky. The following summer, historic floodwaters inundated parts of eastern Kentucky, leaving dozens more dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747486610642.jpeg" alt="Photo St. Louis Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo St. Louis Police</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri pounded by storms, with deaths confirmed in St. Louis</h2>About 1,200 tornadoes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-safety-precautions-stay-safe-8d7457120f6205e21915f513b76dee10">strike the U.S. annually</a>, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-climate-storms-science-new-orleans-27d2df41d6d7a9b0bb79dd04b8639f40">Researchers found</a>&nbsp;in 2018 that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South area.The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and two in northern Virginia, authorities said. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought a punishing heat wave to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois — including Chicago — in a pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.“Well that was.....something,” the weather service's Chicago office wrote on X after issuing its first-ever dust storm warning for the city. Thunderstorms in central Illinois had pushed strong winds over dry, dusty farmland and northward into the Chicago area, the weather agency said.In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said five people died, 38 were injured and more than 5,000 homes were affected in her city.“The devastation is truly heartbreaking," she said at a news conference Saturday. An overnight curfew was to continue in the most damaged neighborhoods.Weather service radar indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, St. Louis Fire Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press.Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law, Patricia Penelton, died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.John Randle said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people."You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” said Randle, 19.At the Saint Louis Zoo, falling trees severely damaged the roof of a butterfly facility. Staffers quickly corralled most of the butterflies, the zoo said on social media, and a conservatory in suburban Chesterfield is caring for the displaced creatures.A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.<h2>Forecasters say severe weather could batter parts of the Plains</h2>The weather service said that supercells are likely to develop across parts of Texas and Oklahoma Saturday afternoon before becoming a line of storms in southwest Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas on Saturday night.The biggest risks include large to very large hail that could be up to 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) in size, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.These conditions were expected to continue on Sunday across parts of the central and southern Plains as well as parts of the central High Plains.“Be prepared to take action if watches and warnings are issued for your area,” the weather service said.___Contributing were Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz in New York, Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Juan Lozano in Houston.---------------ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across parts of the Midwest and South have left at least 21 dead, many of them in Kentucky, where what appeared to be a devastating tornado crumbled buildings and flipped a car over on an interstate.In Kentucky, some 14 people were killed by severe weather, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Local authorities in Laurel County, in the state's southeast, said nine people were killed after a tornado touched down.Laurel County resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car, went to a relative's nearby home and got into a crawlspace.“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46.His home is intact, though a piece of the roof got ripped off and windows were broken. A house two doors down is destroyed, along with others in the Sunshine Hills neighborhood, Cromer said.“It’s one of those things that you see on the news in other areas, and you feel bad for people — then, when it happens, it’s just surreal," he said, describing a landscape of destruction. "It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”Rescuers were “on the ground all night looking for possible survivors," and the search was continuing into the morning, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Deputy Gilbert Acciardo. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.The National Weather Service hadn't yet confirmed that a tornado struck, but meteorologist Philomon Geertson said it was likely. It ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport shortly before midnight.“Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community,” London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV. “I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight.”It’s the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago, at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads. Hundreds of people were rescued, and most of the deaths were caused by vehicles getting stuck in high water.A storm in late 2021 spawned tornadoes that killed 81 people and leveled portions of towns in western Kentucky. The following summer, historic floodwaters inundated parts of eastern Kentucky, leaving dozens more dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747486610642.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><h2>Missouri pounded by storms, with deaths confirmed in St. Louis</h2>About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. annually, and they have been reported in all 50 states over the years.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-climate-storms-science-new-orleans-27d2df41d6d7a9b0bb79dd04b8639f40">Researchers have found</a>&nbsp;in recent years that deadly tornadoes were happening less frequently in the traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South area.The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, knocked out power to several hundred thousand customers in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths in her city and said more than 5,000 homes were affected.“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said. An overnight curfew was imposed Friday in the neighborhoods with the most damage.The total number of people injured was not immediately known, but hospitals in the area reported receiving dozens of patients, with some in serious condition.National Weather Service radar indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press.Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law, Patricia Penelton, died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people."You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” he said. “A lot of people were caught outside.”The Saint Louis Zoo remained closed Saturday because of damage, but spokesperson Christy Childs said all animals were safe and that there were no reports of significant injuries to staffers, guests or animals.A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.<h2>Forecasters say severe weather could batter southern Plains</h2>The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said on its website Saturday that severe thunderstorms, large hail and “a couple of tornadoes” were expected across the southern Plains, with especially high risk in north Texas.___Contributing were Associated Press writers Haya Panjwani in Washington, D.C., Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, Julie Walker and Jennifer Peltz in New York and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta.----------------ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across the Midwest have left at least 16 dead, including nine people killed after a tornado sparked what authorities called a mass casualty event in southeastern Kentucky.Kentucky authorities said there were also severe injuries when a twister tore across Laurel County late Friday, causing structures to crumble and even flipping over a car on I-75.“The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors,” the office of Sheriff John Root said in a statement posted on social media. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.“The outpouring from our community has been heartwarming. We are continuing to accept donations,” the Sheriff’s Office said.Spokesman Gilbert Acciardo said rescuers have "been on the ground all night looking for possible survivors. That’s what we’re continuing to do.”The tornado, which ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport, hit shortly before midnight.“Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community,” London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV. “I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight. There’s a lot of devastation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747486610642.jpeg" alt="Photo St. Louis Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo St. Louis Police</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri pounded by storms, with deaths confirmed in St. Louis</h2>The storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, left several hundred thousand customers without power in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths in her city and said more than 5,000 homes were affected.“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said, adding that the city was in the process of declaring an emergency and an overnight curfew Friday had been put into place in the neighborhoods with the most damage.The number of people injured was not immediately known. Barnes-Jewish Hospital received 20 to 30 patients from the storm with some in serious condition and most expected to be discharged by Friday night, according to hospital spokesperson Laura High.St. Louis Children's Hospital received 15 patients with two of them expected to remain in the hospital into the weekend, she said.National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.At Centennial Christian Church, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press that three people had to be rescued after part of the church crumbled. One of those people died.Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law Patricia Penelton died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives across from the church, heard an alert on his phone and then the lights went out.“And next thing you know, a lot of noise, heavy wind,” he said. He and his brother went into the basement. Later, he realized it was worse than he thought. “Everything was tore up.”Downed trees and stop lights also caused traffic gridlock during the Friday afternoon commute and officials urged people to stay home.John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people."You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” he said. “A lot of people were caught outside.”Christy Childs, a Saint Louis Zoo spokesperson, said in a text that the zoo would remain closed Saturday because of downed trees and other damage. Childs said all animals were safe and that there were no reports of significant injuries to staff, guests or animals.“We can’t definitively say whether or not it was a tornado — it likely was,” National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler said.A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.<h2>Forecasters say severe weather could batter southern Plains</h2>“Severe thunderstorms producing large to very large hail, damaging gusts and a couple of tornadoes are expected across the southern Plains,” the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center said on its website Saturday. The risk was especially high for north Texas.___Associated Press writers Haya Panjwani in Washington, D.C., Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this story.