EMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Football was tabbed third in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, released on Monday (July 28) at MIAA Football Media Day. The Tigers are picked where they finished last year in the standings, coming off an 8-3 overall, 6-3 MIAA performance in 2024.

Fort Hays State tied for third in the MIAA regular season standings with Central Missouri, both at 6-3. The Tigers were right on the cut line of getting into the NCAA Playoffs, ranked eighth in the final super region rankings release as the top seven teams were selected to the playoffs. The Tigers defeated Central Missouri head-to-head in Hays last year and got the nod for the higher spot in the preseason polls with Central Missouri listed fourth in both.

Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State led the way in both polls, coming off NCAA playoff appearances in 2024. UCO was picked first in the coaches poll, while PSU slightly edged UCO for first in the media poll despite UCO having more first-place votes. Central Oklahoma was the MIAA champion in 2024 with an 8-1 conference mark and went on to finish the year 12-2 overall by advancing to the Round of 16 in the NCAA playoffs. Pittsburg State finished 2024 8-3 overall after going 7-2 in MIAA action. The Gorillas lost their opening game of the NCAA playoffs.

Fort Hays State returns seven of its regular starters from the 2024 season on offense, but just four on defense. FHSU had the third-best scoring offense and fourth-best total offense in the MIAA last year, but backed it with the best scoring defense and second-best total defense in the conference. The Tigers return six All-MIAA selections from last year's squad in 2025. The group includes Josh Shaw (OL), Porter Dannevik (OL), Cale Cormaney (TE), and Caleb Heavner (QB) on offense, and John Johnson (LB) and Gaven Haselhorst (DL) on defense.

For the second-straight year, Fort Hays State will open with Angelo State at home on Thursday, August 28. The Tigers will have five home games throughout the 2025 regular season, which includes two in September, one in October, and one in November. The Tigers start with two non-conference games (one home, one away) before jumping into MIAA play for its final nine games of the regular season.

Below are the MIAA Football Preseason Polls

2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Central Oklahoma [7] – 78 points 2. Pittsburg State [3] – 75 points 3. Fort Hays State – 62 points 4. Central Missouri – 57 points 5. Emporia State – 50 points 6. Northwest Missouri – 41 points 7. Missouri Western – 29 points 8. Nebraska Kearney – 28 points 9. Washburn – 21 points 10. Missouri Southern – 9 points [#] - Number of First Place Votes

2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL 1. Pittsburg State [13] – 310 points 2. Central Oklahoma [18] – 307 points 3. Fort Hays State [2] – 271 points 4. Central Missouri [1] – 239 points 5. Northwest Missouri – 215 points 6. Emporia State – 167 points 7. Nebraska Kearney – 120 points 8. Missouri Western – 107 points 9. Washburn – 88 points 10. Missouri Southern – 46 points [#] - Number of First Place Votes

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753714264021.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsEMPORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Football was tabbed third in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, released on Monday (July 28) at MIAA Football Media Day. The Tigers are picked where they finished last year in the standings, coming off an 8-3 overall, 6-3 MIAA performance in 2024.Fort Hays State tied for third in the MIAA regular season standings with Central Missouri, both at 6-3. The Tigers were right on the cut line of getting into the NCAA Playoffs, ranked eighth in the final super region rankings release as the top seven teams were selected to the playoffs. The Tigers defeated Central Missouri head-to-head in Hays last year and got the nod for the higher spot in the preseason polls with Central Missouri listed fourth in both.Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State led the way in both polls, coming off NCAA playoff appearances in 2024. UCO was picked first in the coaches poll, while PSU slightly edged UCO for first in the media poll despite UCO having more first-place votes. Central Oklahoma was the MIAA champion in 2024 with an 8-1 conference mark and went on to finish the year 12-2 overall by advancing to the Round of 16 in the NCAA playoffs. Pittsburg State finished 2024 8-3 overall after going 7-2 in MIAA action. The Gorillas lost their opening game of the NCAA playoffs.Fort Hays State returns seven of its regular starters from the 2024 season on offense, but just four on defense. FHSU had the third-best scoring offense and fourth-best total offense in the MIAA last year, but backed it with the best scoring defense and second-best total defense in the conference. The Tigers return six All-MIAA selections from last year's squad in 2025. The group includes Josh Shaw (OL), Porter Dannevik (OL), Cale Cormaney (TE), and Caleb Heavner (QB) on offense, and John Johnson (LB) and Gaven Haselhorst (DL) on defense.For the second-straight year, Fort Hays State will open with Angelo State at home on Thursday, August 28. The Tigers will have five home games throughout the 2025 regular season, which includes two in September, one in October, and one in November. The Tigers start with two non-conference games (one home, one away) before jumping into MIAA play for its final nine games of the regular season.Below are the MIAA Football Preseason Polls2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Central Oklahoma [7] – 78 points 2. Pittsburg State [3] – 75 points 3. Fort Hays State – 62 points 4. Central Missouri – 57 points 5. Emporia State – 50 points 6. Northwest Missouri – 41 points 7. Missouri Western – 29 points 8. Nebraska Kearney – 28 points 9. Washburn – 21 points 10. Missouri Southern – 9 points [#] - Number of First Place Votes2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL 1. Pittsburg State [13] – 310 points 2. Central Oklahoma [18] – 307 points 3. Fort Hays State [2] – 271 points 4. Central Missouri [1] – 239 points 5. Northwest Missouri – 215 points 6. Emporia State – 167 points 7. Nebraska Kearney – 120 points 8. Missouri Western – 107 points 9. Washburn – 88 points 10. Missouri Southern – 46 points [#] - Number of First Place Votes

🏈FHSU Football Tabbed Third in 2025 MIAA Preseason Polls

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported just three new cases of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 90 cases in 11 counties and eight hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County.

On July 4, the&nbsp; KDHE reported a measles exposure that occurred at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita&nbsp;so individuals can take steps to protect their health and help prevent further spread.&nbsp;There is no risk of measles exposure outside&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;specific unit,&nbsp;dates and times&nbsp;listed. Individuals who were not in the affected&nbsp;unit&nbsp;during that&nbsp;time, including those in other parts of the hospital or its departments,&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;considered exposed.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports health officials in Colorado say the state's measles outbreak is over, and the U.S. added just 10 confirmed cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-us-texas-mmr-vaccine-rfk-144ed193e13de675a750e52a505423e9">nationally</a>&nbsp;in the last week.

Wednesday's national case count stood at 1,319, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this month, the U.S. passed the total count for 2019, when the country almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

A vast majority of this year's cases are from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas,</a>&nbsp;where a major outbreak raged through the late winter and spring. Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Arizona, Georgia, Iowa,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.

There have been three deaths in the U.S. this year, and all were unvaccinated:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">two elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">West Texas</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>.

North America has three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">large outbreaks</a>. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=3d8451977cd34084a8b494a6a11b4f1a&amp;sc_lang=en&amp;hash=48D1A6D0D037B39BD421AAF060204EE0">2,276 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through July 15. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions.

Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">1,472 as of Tuesday</a>. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 3,296 measles cases and 10 deaths as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>&nbsp;and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

How many measles cases are there in Texas?

Texas did not add any cases in the last week, coming in at 762 measles cases Tuesday across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">36 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>.

Throughout the outbreak, 99 people have been hospitalized.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — were actively infectious as of Tuesday.

Statewide, only Lamar County has ongoing measles transmission, officials said. In total, though, more than half of Texas’ cases (414) have been in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community.

The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6.

How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?

New Mexico also stayed steady at 95 measles cases on Tuesday.

Lea County has seen the most with 67, but Lea and six other counties no longer have active measles spread, officials said Tuesday.

An outbreak of 14 cases tied to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-new-mexico-detention-facility-migrants-outbreak-c7f5897ebba85a59548d279c500adaea">jail in Luna County</a>&nbsp;remains active.

An unvaccinated adult died of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related illness March 6</a>. The person did not seek medical care. Seven people have been hospitalized since the state's outbreak started.

Oklahoma held steady a third week at 17 confirmed and three probable cases.

The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but no counties have recent public exposures.

Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel.

Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18.

The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January.

Iowa announced another measles case on Tuesday, bringing the state's total to eight in 2025. The state health department said the new case isn't linked to others in the state, and occurred in a person who was fully vaccinated.

An outbreak in eastern Johnson County involves four cases in members of the same household.

How many measles cases are there in Kentucky?

Central Kentucky's outbreak rose to nine cases as of July 8. The cases are in Fayette County, which includes Lexington, and neighboring Woodford County.

The state has had 18 cases total in 2025; eight are linked to outbreaks.

In northern Michigan, Grand Traverse County has an outbreak of four cases as of Wednesday. An earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County was declared over on June 2.

Missouri stayed steady with seven cases as of Wednesday.

Five cases are in southwestern Cedar County, and four of those are members of the same family. The fifth case is still under investigation, according to county health director Victoria Barker.

Montana added two measles cases this week for a total of 27. Cascade County confirmed its first case.

Seventeen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years. Flathead County has two cases, Yellowstone County had three and Hill County had four cases.

There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Utah's measles case count rose by one to 11 as of Tuesday.

At least three of the cases are linked, the state health department said last week. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen has said there are at least three different measles clusters in the state.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

Earlier outbreaks in Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee are over.

Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home.

What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity."

Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to “herd immunity.” But childhood vaccination rates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">declined nationwide</a>&nbsp;since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported just three new cases of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 90 cases in 11 counties and eight hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753284887510.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On July 4, the&nbsp; KDHE reported a measles exposure that occurred at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita&nbsp;so individuals can take steps to protect their health and help prevent further spread.&nbsp;There is no risk of measles exposure outside&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;specific unit,&nbsp;dates and times&nbsp;listed. Individuals who were not in the affected&nbsp;unit&nbsp;during that&nbsp;time, including those in other parts of the hospital or its departments,&nbsp;are&nbsp;not&nbsp;considered exposed.<ol>
 <li>Location:&nbsp;Fifth-Floor Pediatric Unit, Building 4, Wesley Medical Center</li><li>Address:&nbsp;550 N Hillside St, Wichita, KS 67214</li><li>Dates and times:&nbsp;Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from 10 p.m. until Thursday, July 3, 2025, 4:45 p.m.</li>
 </ol>Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports health officials in Colorado say the state's measles outbreak is over, and the U.S. added just 10 confirmed cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-us-texas-mmr-vaccine-rfk-144ed193e13de675a750e52a505423e9">nationally</a>&nbsp;in the last week.Wednesday's national case count stood at 1,319, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this month, the U.S. passed the total count for 2019, when the country almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.A vast majority of this year's cases are from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas,</a>&nbsp;where a major outbreak raged through the late winter and spring. Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Arizona, Georgia, Iowa,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.There have been three deaths in the U.S. this year, and all were unvaccinated:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">two elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">West Texas</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>.North America has three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">large outbreaks</a>. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=3d8451977cd34084a8b494a6a11b4f1a&amp;sc_lang=en&amp;hash=48D1A6D0D037B39BD421AAF060204EE0">2,276 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through July 15. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions.Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">1,472 as of Tuesday</a>. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 3,296 measles cases and 10 deaths as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>&nbsp;and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas?</h2>Texas did not add any cases in the last week, coming in at 762 measles cases Tuesday across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">36 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>.Throughout the outbreak, 99 people have been hospitalized.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — were actively infectious as of Tuesday.Statewide, only Lamar County has ongoing measles transmission, officials said. In total, though, more than half of Texas’ cases (414) have been in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community.The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6.<h2>How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?</h2>New Mexico also stayed steady at 95 measles cases on Tuesday.Lea County has seen the most with 67, but Lea and six other counties no longer have active measles spread, officials said Tuesday.An outbreak of 14 cases tied to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-new-mexico-detention-facility-migrants-outbreak-c7f5897ebba85a59548d279c500adaea">jail in Luna County</a>&nbsp;remains active.An unvaccinated adult died of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related illness March 6</a>. The person did not seek medical care. Seven people have been hospitalized since the state's outbreak started.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma held steady a third week at 17 confirmed and three probable cases.The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but no counties have recent public exposures.<h2>How many cases are there in Arizona?</h2>Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel.<h2>How many cases are there in Georgia?</h2>Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18.The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January.<h2>How many cases are there in Iowa?</h2>Iowa announced another measles case on Tuesday, bringing the state's total to eight in 2025. The state health department said the new case isn't linked to others in the state, and occurred in a person who was fully vaccinated.An outbreak in eastern Johnson County involves four cases in members of the same household.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Kentucky?</h2>Kentucky has 13 cases this year.Central Kentucky's outbreak rose to nine cases as of July 8. The cases are in Fayette County, which includes Lexington, and neighboring Woodford County.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>The state has had 18 cases total in 2025; eight are linked to outbreaks.In northern Michigan, Grand Traverse County has an outbreak of four cases as of Wednesday. An earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County was declared over on June 2.<h2>How many cases are there in Missouri?</h2>Missouri stayed steady with seven cases as of Wednesday.Five cases are in southwestern Cedar County, and four of those are members of the same family. The fifth case is still under investigation, according to county health director Victoria Barker.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana added two measles cases this week for a total of 27. Cascade County confirmed its first case.Seventeen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years. Flathead County has two cases, Yellowstone County had three and Hill County had four cases.There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.<h2>How many cases are there in Utah?</h2>Utah's measles case count rose by one to 11 as of Tuesday.At least three of the cases are linked, the state health department said last week. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen has said there are at least three different measles clusters in the state.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.Earlier outbreaks in Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee are over.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home.<h2>What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity."Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to “herd immunity.” But childhood vaccination rates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">declined nationwide</a>&nbsp;since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.___

KDHE: More measles cases in Kansas; US case count continues to diminish

KANSAS CITY —The death of a baby boy last fall is now being investigated as a homicide.

Just after 6:30p.m. October 26, 2023, police were dispatched to Children's Mercy Hospital on a reported assault that occurred in the 8000 block of NW Milrey Drive in Kansas City, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival, they contacted hospital staff who advised that two-month-old Mateo Rideout&nbsp;was transported to the hospital with life threatening injuries. 

A person of interest was identified and taken into police custody for further investigation. On November 5, the child died at the hospital as a result of his injuries.

This death was ruled suspicious in nature until detectives would receive the official autopsy report from the medical examiner’s office. 

On June 10, an autopsy report from Forensic Medical was provided ruling this death a homicide. This case has been submitted to Platte County Prosecutors for charging consideration.

KANSAS CITY —The death of a baby boy last fall is now being investigated as a homicide.Just after 6:30p.m. October 26, 2023, police were dispatched to Children's Mercy Hospital on a reported assault that occurred in the 8000 block of NW Milrey Drive in Kansas City, according to KCPD&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival, they contacted hospital staff who advised that two-month-old Mateo Rideout&nbsp;was transported to the hospital with life threatening injuries. A person of interest was identified and taken into police custody for further investigation. On November 5, the child died at the hospital as a result of his injuries.This death was ruled suspicious in nature until detectives would receive the official autopsy report from the medical examiner’s office. On June 10, an autopsy report from Forensic Medical was provided ruling this death a homicide. This case has been submitted to Platte County Prosecutors for charging consideration.

KCPD: Baby's suspicious death now ruled a homicide

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-layoffs-campus-protests-trump-funding-antisemitism-ec6d152048d921bd1764ec11a287bbdd">federal research money</a>&nbsp;that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus.

Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees that occurred following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the White House said.

“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," acting University President Claire Shipman said.

The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support, including more than $400 million in grants canceled earlier this year. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protests-antisemitism-palestine-israel-9c209ce040e4b60d2702b40b9c2fb321">pulled the funding</a>&nbsp;because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

Columbia has since agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">series of demands</a>&nbsp;laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and applying a contentious, federally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-definition-states-law-zionism-indiana-georgia-871571f3b392455b1479827bdf1f5ea7">definition of antisemitism</a>&nbsp;not only to teaching but to a disciplinary committee that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-campus-protests-trump-congress-ba0eddec4679d70287202831c52ebed6">investigating students critical of Israel</a>.

Wednesday’s agreement — which does not include an admission of wrongdoing — codifies those reforms while preserving the university’s autonomy, Shipman said.

‘Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap,' Trump administration says

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the deal “a seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment.”

“Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap for elite universities that wish to regain the confidence of the American public by renewing their commitment to truth-seeking, merit, and civil debate,” McMahon said in a statement.

As part of the agreement, Columbia agreed to a series of changes previously announced in March, including reviewing its Middle East curriculum to make sure it was “comprehensive and balanced” and appointing new faculty to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also promised to end programs “that promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts.”

The university will also have to issue a report to a monitor assuring that its programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.”

In a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump said Columbia had “committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus.”

He also warned, without being specific, “Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming.”

The pact comes after months of uncertainty and fraught negotiations at the more than 270-year-old university. It was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-antisemitism-investigation-contracts-e0680c1d3de85930a3ee9deaa7f42c62">first targets</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests and on colleges that he asserts have allowed Jewish students be threatened and harassed.

Columbia’s own antisemitism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-israel-palestine-columbia-f2984f21aa38a4f637982af7b98fed5e">task force found last summer</a>&nbsp;that Jewish students had faced verbal abuse, ostracism and classroom humiliation during the spring 2024 demonstrations.

Other Jewish students took part in the protests, however, and protest leaders maintain they aren’t targeting Jews but rather criticizing the Israeli government and its war in Gaza.

Columbia’s leadership — a revolving door of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-resigns-katrina-armstrong-f9479f6294a6fb536651def3f88309a6">three interim presidents</a>&nbsp;in the last year — has declared that the campus climate needs to change.

Columbia agrees to question international students

Also in the settlement is an agreement to ask prospective international students “questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States,” and establishes processes to make sure all students are committed to “civil discourse.”

In a move that would potentially make it easier for the Trump administration to deport students who participate in protests, Columbia promised to provide the government with information, upon request, of disciplinary actions involving student-visa holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-columbia-discipline-trump-administration-f009b90113fe0ba7847c54ffc9197bd1">Columbia on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;announced it would suspend, expel or revoke degrees from more than 70 students who participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-pro-palestine-protest-d6963720d50e92f271346d9febb95f18">pro-Palestinian demonstration</a>&nbsp;inside the main library in May and an encampment during alumni weekend last year.

The pressure on Columbia began with a series of funding cuts. Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protester-mahmoud-khalil-immigration-arrest-5ae6eeb3ac95f190a505abebc4ee0944">Mahmoud Khalil</a>, a former graduate student who had been a visible figure in the protests,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8">became the first</a>&nbsp;person detained in the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detainees-students-ozturk-khalil-78f544fb2c8b593c88a0c1f0e0ad9c5f">push to deport pro-Palestinian activists</a>&nbsp;who aren’t U.S. citizens.

Next came searches of some university residences amid a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-arrests-3a8db6e646b786a721089a6f0bc8d9fc">Justice Department investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Columbia concealed “illegal aliens” on campus. The interim president at the time responded that the university was committed to upholding the law.

Columbia was an early test case for the Trump administration as it sought closer oversight of universities that the Republican president views as bastions of liberalism. Yet it soon was overshadowed by Harvard University, which became the first higher education institution to defy Trump’s demands and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-lawsuit-grants-f098f55c6986b37e1227e7bcf8967a46">fight back in court</a>.

The Trump administration has used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-federal-cuts-universities-protests-8fa92331b2780394ea171b0b32d5d243">federal research funding</a>&nbsp;as its primary lever in its campaign to reshape higher education. More than $2 billion in total has also been frozen at Cornell, Northwestern, Brown and Princeton universities.

Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">pulled $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;in March over a dispute around women’s sports. They restored it when school officials agreed to update records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and change their policies.

The administration also is looking beyond private universities. University of Virginia President James Ryan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-virginia-dei-james-ryan-6f8cfc43738944ca8164ab20814c5695">agreed to resign</a>&nbsp;in June under pressure from a U.S. Justice Department investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices. A similar investigation was opened this month at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-george-mason-university-trump-2157c7a294ab7b79811df6654394bacc">George Mason University</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753350506660.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-layoffs-campus-protests-trump-funding-antisemitism-ec6d152048d921bd1764ec11a287bbdd">federal research money</a>&nbsp;that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus.Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees that occurred following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the White House said.“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," acting University President Claire Shipman said.The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support, including more than $400 million in grants canceled earlier this year. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protests-antisemitism-palestine-israel-9c209ce040e4b60d2702b40b9c2fb321">pulled the funding</a>&nbsp;because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.Columbia has since agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">series of demands</a>&nbsp;laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and applying a contentious, federally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-definition-states-law-zionism-indiana-georgia-871571f3b392455b1479827bdf1f5ea7">definition of antisemitism</a>&nbsp;not only to teaching but to a disciplinary committee that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-campus-protests-trump-congress-ba0eddec4679d70287202831c52ebed6">investigating students critical of Israel</a>.Wednesday’s agreement — which does not include an admission of wrongdoing — codifies those reforms while preserving the university’s autonomy, Shipman said.<h2>‘Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap,' Trump administration says</h2>Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the deal “a seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment.”“Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap for elite universities that wish to regain the confidence of the American public by renewing their commitment to truth-seeking, merit, and civil debate,” McMahon said in a statement.As part of the agreement, Columbia agreed to a series of changes previously announced in March, including reviewing its Middle East curriculum to make sure it was “comprehensive and balanced” and appointing new faculty to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also promised to end programs “that promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts.”The university will also have to issue a report to a monitor assuring that its programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.”In a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump said Columbia had “committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus.”He also warned, without being specific, “Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming.”<h2>Crackdown follows Columbia protests</h2>The pact comes after months of uncertainty and fraught negotiations at the more than 270-year-old university. It was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-antisemitism-investigation-contracts-e0680c1d3de85930a3ee9deaa7f42c62">first targets</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests and on colleges that he asserts have allowed Jewish students be threatened and harassed.Columbia’s own antisemitism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-israel-palestine-columbia-f2984f21aa38a4f637982af7b98fed5e">task force found last summer</a>&nbsp;that Jewish students had faced verbal abuse, ostracism and classroom humiliation during the spring 2024 demonstrations.Other Jewish students took part in the protests, however, and protest leaders maintain they aren’t targeting Jews but rather criticizing the Israeli government and its war in Gaza.Columbia’s leadership — a revolving door of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-resigns-katrina-armstrong-f9479f6294a6fb536651def3f88309a6">three interim presidents</a>&nbsp;in the last year — has declared that the campus climate needs to change.<h2>Columbia agrees to question international students</h2>Also in the settlement is an agreement to ask prospective international students “questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States,” and establishes processes to make sure all students are committed to “civil discourse.”In a move that would potentially make it easier for the Trump administration to deport students who participate in protests, Columbia promised to provide the government with information, upon request, of disciplinary actions involving student-visa holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-columbia-discipline-trump-administration-f009b90113fe0ba7847c54ffc9197bd1">Columbia on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;announced it would suspend, expel or revoke degrees from more than 70 students who participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-pro-palestine-protest-d6963720d50e92f271346d9febb95f18">pro-Palestinian demonstration</a>&nbsp;inside the main library in May and an encampment during alumni weekend last year.The pressure on Columbia began with a series of funding cuts. Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protester-mahmoud-khalil-immigration-arrest-5ae6eeb3ac95f190a505abebc4ee0944">Mahmoud Khalil</a>, a former graduate student who had been a visible figure in the protests,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8">became the first</a>&nbsp;person detained in the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detainees-students-ozturk-khalil-78f544fb2c8b593c88a0c1f0e0ad9c5f">push to deport pro-Palestinian activists</a>&nbsp;who aren’t U.S. citizens.Next came searches of some university residences amid a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-arrests-3a8db6e646b786a721089a6f0bc8d9fc">Justice Department investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Columbia concealed “illegal aliens” on campus. The interim president at the time responded that the university was committed to upholding the law.<h2>University oversight expands</h2>Columbia was an early test case for the Trump administration as it sought closer oversight of universities that the Republican president views as bastions of liberalism. Yet it soon was overshadowed by Harvard University, which became the first higher education institution to defy Trump’s demands and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-lawsuit-grants-f098f55c6986b37e1227e7bcf8967a46">fight back in court</a>.The Trump administration has used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-federal-cuts-universities-protests-8fa92331b2780394ea171b0b32d5d243">federal research funding</a>&nbsp;as its primary lever in its campaign to reshape higher education. More than $2 billion in total has also been frozen at Cornell, Northwestern, Brown and Princeton universities.Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">pulled $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;in March over a dispute around women’s sports. They restored it when school officials agreed to update records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and change their policies.The administration also is looking beyond private universities. University of Virginia President James Ryan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-virginia-dei-james-ryan-6f8cfc43738944ca8164ab20814c5695">agreed to resign</a>&nbsp;in June under pressure from a U.S. Justice Department investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices. A similar investigation was opened this month at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-george-mason-university-trump-2157c7a294ab7b79811df6654394bacc">George Mason University</a>.

Columbia to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump to restore federal funding

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes inched their way to more records on Monday to kick off a week full of profit updates from big U.S. companies.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.1% and squeaked past its prior&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-powell-trump-ee3ff3ef24f5054fb0550605a922df83">all-time high set on Thursday</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 19 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.4%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-japan-inflation-rates-43b87b3786fdd2971f3b8c52ffedc20a">to its own record</a>.

Verizon Communications helped lead the way and rose 4%. The telecom giant reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, along with higher revenue than forecast. Following the better-than-expected performance, Verizon raised its forecasts for profit and other financial measures for the full year.

That helped offset a 5.4% drop for Sarepta Therapeutics, which continued to fall after the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that it asked the company to voluntarily stop all shipments of Elevidys, its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, due to safety concerns.

Block, Jack Dorsey’s company behind Square, Cash App and other tech brands climbed 7.6% in its first trading after learning it will join the widely followed and imitated S&amp;P 500 index. It will take the place of Hess, which Chevron bought, before trading begins on Wednesday.

Cleveland-Cliffs rallied 12.4% after the steel producer reported a smaller loss for the spring than analysts expected. It shipped a record 4.3 million net tons of steel during the quarter, and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said the company has begun to see “the positive impact that tariffs have on domestic manufacturing” and other things.

It’s a major supplier to the auto industry, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-trump-trade-6ea513a44876c2f4dc948a25c15b0eb0">President Donald Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;steer companies hoping to sell cars in the United States toward steel made in the country.

Other U.S. companies, though, are navigating the downsides and complications of tariffs, which raise prices on all kinds of things imported to the United States. That includes General Motors, which will report its latest profit results later this week, along with such market heavyweights as Alphabet, Coca-Cola and Tesla.

Many of Trump’s stiff proposed tariffs are currently on pause after Trump extended the deadline for talks with other countries in order to give more time to reach potential trade deals that could lower the tax rates. The next big deadline, at least for now, is Aug. 1.

It’s still early days in this earnings reporting season, but most big U.S. companies have been topping analysts’ expectations, as is usually the case.

Some encouraging undertones may already be emerging. An upward inflection in demand for travel that United Airlines said it’s seen recently, combined with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-economy-inflation-22178ab1457693a21d6822ec12c9b0d9">better-than-expected data on U.S. retail sales</a>, may indicate that U.S. consumers remain in decent health, Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian said in a BofA Global Research report. That could offer a strong source of support for the economy.

Companies will need to keep delivering solid profit growth to tamp down criticism that the U.S. stock market may be looking expensive again after prices reached records despite potential worries about tariffs and the economy.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 8.81 points to 6,305.60. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 19.12 to 44,323.07, and the Nasdaq composite rose 78.52 to 20,974.17.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.38% from 4.44% late Friday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in Europe after finishing modestly higher in much of Asia.

Markets were closed for a holiday in Japan, where the ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-politics-election-ishiba-parliament-vote-fcc2fb4cce609240d1c2369bf4090e26">Liberal Democrats lost their coalition majorities</a>&nbsp;in both houses of parliament for the first time since 1955 following Sunday’s upper house election and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-ishiba-parliament-election-ldp-opposition-5c6509c7b83963ffe40588c50998967c">loss of their lower house majority</a>&nbsp;in October.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes inched their way to more records on Monday to kick off a week full of profit updates from big U.S. companies.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.1% and squeaked past its prior&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-powell-trump-ee3ff3ef24f5054fb0550605a922df83">all-time high set on Thursday</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 19 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.4%&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-japan-inflation-rates-43b87b3786fdd2971f3b8c52ffedc20a">to its own record</a>.Verizon Communications helped lead the way and rose 4%. The telecom giant reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, along with higher revenue than forecast. Following the better-than-expected performance, Verizon raised its forecasts for profit and other financial measures for the full year.That helped offset a 5.4% drop for Sarepta Therapeutics, which continued to fall after the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that it asked the company to voluntarily stop all shipments of Elevidys, its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, due to safety concerns.Block, Jack Dorsey’s company behind Square, Cash App and other tech brands climbed 7.6% in its first trading after learning it will join the widely followed and imitated S&amp;P 500 index. It will take the place of Hess, which Chevron bought, before trading begins on Wednesday.Cleveland-Cliffs rallied 12.4% after the steel producer reported a smaller loss for the spring than analysts expected. It shipped a record 4.3 million net tons of steel during the quarter, and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said the company has begun to see “the positive impact that tariffs have on domestic manufacturing” and other things.It’s a major supplier to the auto industry, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-trump-trade-6ea513a44876c2f4dc948a25c15b0eb0">President Donald Trump’s tariffs</a>&nbsp;steer companies hoping to sell cars in the United States toward steel made in the country.Other U.S. companies, though, are navigating the downsides and complications of tariffs, which raise prices on all kinds of things imported to the United States. That includes General Motors, which will report its latest profit results later this week, along with such market heavyweights as Alphabet, Coca-Cola and Tesla.Many of Trump’s stiff proposed tariffs are currently on pause after Trump extended the deadline for talks with other countries in order to give more time to reach potential trade deals that could lower the tax rates. The next big deadline, at least for now, is Aug. 1.It’s still early days in this earnings reporting season, but most big U.S. companies have been topping analysts’ expectations, as is usually the case.Some encouraging undertones may already be emerging. An upward inflection in demand for travel that United Airlines said it’s seen recently, combined with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-economy-inflation-22178ab1457693a21d6822ec12c9b0d9">better-than-expected data on U.S. retail sales</a>, may indicate that U.S. consumers remain in decent health, Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian said in a BofA Global Research report. That could offer a strong source of support for the economy.Companies will need to keep delivering solid profit growth to tamp down criticism that the U.S. stock market may be looking expensive again after prices reached records despite potential worries about tariffs and the economy.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 8.81 points to 6,305.60. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 19.12 to 44,323.07, and the Nasdaq composite rose 78.52 to 20,974.17.In the bond market, Treasury yields eased. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.38% from 4.44% late Friday.In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in Europe after finishing modestly higher in much of Asia.Markets were closed for a holiday in Japan, where the ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-politics-election-ishiba-parliament-vote-fcc2fb4cce609240d1c2369bf4090e26">Liberal Democrats lost their coalition majorities</a>&nbsp;in both houses of parliament for the first time since 1955 following Sunday’s upper house election and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-ishiba-parliament-election-ldp-opposition-5c6509c7b83963ffe40588c50998967c">loss of their lower house majority</a>&nbsp;in October.

US stocks set more records 

Mary Ann Weigel, age 89, from
Gorham, Kansas passed away on Friday, July 18, 2025, at the Russell Regional
Hospital, Russell, Kansas.

She was born August 26, 1935,
on the family farm North East of Gorham to John and Cora E. (Goodman)
Dockendorf.&nbsp; She married Hubert F. Weigel on April 22, 1954, at
Gorham.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on May 2, 2002.

Mary Ann was an executive
secretary to the bank president at The Gorham State Bank, and retired in
October of 1992.

She was raised on the family
farm and was a rancher all of her life.&nbsp; She attended school in Gorham,
was a graduate of the Gorham High School, and a member of &nbsp;Saint Mary’s
Help of Christians Catholic Church.

Mary Ann is survived by her
nieces, Pam Bryan and husband, Robert, of Texas; Barbara Reyelts and husband,
Dean, of Gorham; Coleen Carrico and husband, Tracy, of Kentucky.

She was preceded in death by
her parents; John and Cora; her husband, Hubert; her brother, Leo Dockendorf;
her nephews, Curtis Dockendorf, and Bruce Weigel.

Services will be held at
10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria,
Kansas with Pastor Brenda Rogers officiating.&nbsp; Burial will be in Saint
Mary Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.

The Family will receive
friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Wednesday,
at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary Victoria, Kansas.

Memorials are suggested to
the Humane Society of the High Plains in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412
Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671,

Condolences can be emailed to
<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by guest book at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753109620080.jpeg" alt="Mary Ann Weigel" />
 <figcaption>Mary Ann Weigel</figcaption>
 </figure>Mary Ann Weigel, age 89, from
Gorham, Kansas passed away on Friday, July 18, 2025, at the Russell Regional
Hospital, Russell, Kansas.She was born August 26, 1935,
on the family farm North East of Gorham to John and Cora E. (Goodman)
Dockendorf.&nbsp; She married Hubert F. Weigel on April 22, 1954, at
Gorham.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on May 2, 2002.Mary Ann was an executive
secretary to the bank president at The Gorham State Bank, and retired in
October of 1992.She was raised on the family
farm and was a rancher all of her life.&nbsp; She attended school in Gorham,
was a graduate of the Gorham High School, and a member of &nbsp;Saint Mary’s
Help of Christians Catholic Church.Mary Ann is survived by her
nieces, Pam Bryan and husband, Robert, of Texas; Barbara Reyelts and husband,
Dean, of Gorham; Coleen Carrico and husband, Tracy, of Kentucky.She was preceded in death by
her parents; John and Cora; her husband, Hubert; her brother, Leo Dockendorf;
her nephews, Curtis Dockendorf, and Bruce Weigel.Services will be held at
10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria,
Kansas with Pastor Brenda Rogers officiating.&nbsp; Burial will be in Saint
Mary Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.The Family will receive
friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Wednesday,
at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary Victoria, Kansas.Memorials are suggested to
the Humane Society of the High Plains in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412
Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671,Condolences can be emailed to
<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by guest book at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Mary Ann Weigel

HAMILTON, Ontario - Former Fort Hays State running back Shane Watts was signed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), announced on July 16, 2025. Watts played four years at Fort Hays State and wrapped his collegiate career with All-America honors as one of the top running backs in NCAA Division II in 2024.

Watts was an All-America Second Team selection in 2024 by three separate organizations, including the D2CCA, Associated Press (AP), and Don Hansen Football Committee. He was also named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. He was an All-MIAA First Team selection as an all-purpose back, finishing the year with 1,303 rushing yards and 449 receiving yards for 1,752 all-purpose yards. He scored 17 touchdowns for the season, including 13 rushing and four receiving.

By the end of the 2024 season, Watts ranked fourth nationally in all-purpose yards per game (160.8), fourth in total rushing yards, sixth in rushing yards per game (118.5), seventh in scoring (9.3 points per game), and eighth in total touchdowns. He became the first FHSU player in program history to rush for 200 or more yards in consecutive games, going for 201 against Missouri Southern on October 26 and then 250 against Emporia State on November 2.

Watts spent the first two years of his collegiate career as a defensive back with the Tigers, recording 14 tackles, before transitioning to the offensive side of the ball as a running back in 2023. In his two years as a running back, Watts produced a total of 1,979 rushing yards and 606 receiving yards with 23 total touchdowns.

Watts is the second senior from the 2024 FHSU roster to sign with a Canadian Football League team in 2025. Wide receiver Jayden Horace signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders back in April.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are currently in the middle of their 2025 regular season schedule, which began back on June 7. They are 3-2 overall through five games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752801888014.png" alt="Image courtesy FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAMILTON, Ontario - Former Fort Hays State running back Shane Watts was signed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), announced on July 16, 2025. Watts played four years at Fort Hays State and wrapped his collegiate career with All-America honors as one of the top running backs in NCAA Division II in 2024.Watts was an All-America Second Team selection in 2024 by three separate organizations, including the D2CCA, Associated Press (AP), and Don Hansen Football Committee. He was also named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. He was an All-MIAA First Team selection as an all-purpose back, finishing the year with 1,303 rushing yards and 449 receiving yards for 1,752 all-purpose yards. He scored 17 touchdowns for the season, including 13 rushing and four receiving.By the end of the 2024 season, Watts ranked fourth nationally in all-purpose yards per game (160.8), fourth in total rushing yards, sixth in rushing yards per game (118.5), seventh in scoring (9.3 points per game), and eighth in total touchdowns. He became the first FHSU player in program history to rush for 200 or more yards in consecutive games, going for 201 against Missouri Southern on October 26 and then 250 against Emporia State on November 2.Watts spent the first two years of his collegiate career as a defensive back with the Tigers, recording 14 tackles, before transitioning to the offensive side of the ball as a running back in 2023. In his two years as a running back, Watts produced a total of 1,979 rushing yards and 606 receiving yards with 23 total touchdowns.Watts is the second senior from the 2024 FHSU roster to sign with a Canadian Football League team in 2025. Wide receiver Jayden Horace signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders back in April.The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are currently in the middle of their 2025 regular season schedule, which began back on June 7. They are 3-2 overall through five games.

🏈 Shane Watts signed by CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/devi-shastri">DEVI SHASTRI</a> Associated Press

The 988 National Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trans-rights-dei-6367d501717f1388677e128af277fe26">LGBTQ+ youth</a>&nbsp;and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency’s website.

The decision preempts the Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988’s LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates.

Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/988/performance-metrics" target="_blank">1.3 million callers</a>&nbsp;since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the “Press 3” option on the phone or by replying “PRIDE” via text.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

The decision was was made to “no longer silo” the services and “to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hhs-addiction-mental-health-rfk-samsha-e83db20b4ef801971cd25d07eb41bcf9">Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)</a>&nbsp;said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/about/news-announcements/statements/2025/samhsa-statement-988-press-3-option" target="_blank">in a statement dated Tuesday</a>&nbsp;on its website.

News of the LGBTQ+ service shutting down comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people — and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline.

“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suicide-prevention-mental-health-23b0282c56074625fa1be182afd860bd">Suicide prevention</a>&nbsp;is about people, not politics,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement Wednesday. “The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.”

In its statement on the 988 decision, SAMHSA referred to the “LGB+ youth services.”

Black called the omission of the “T” representing transgender people “callous.” “Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,” he said.

The Trevor Project will continue to run its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/Get-Help/" target="_blank">24/7 mental health support services</a>, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-suicide-rate-cdc-c57bb0852adfb4d85b3670d465a8b890">there were 49,300 suicides in 2023</a>&nbsp;— about the highest level in the nation’s history, based on preliminary data.

Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a6.htm#:~:text=An%20estimated%2040%25%20of%20transgender,marker%20for%20experiencing%20depressive%20symptoms." target="_blank">2024 analysis by the CDC</a>&nbsp;that found 26% transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide in the past year. That’s compared with 5% of cisgender male and 11% of cisgender female students.

Young transgender people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-trump-title-ix-1b9d3a1d928ea78c21372da63600c6d1">flooded crisis hotlines</a>&nbsp;with calls after President Donald Trump was re-elected. Trump made anti-transgender themes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">central to his campaign</a>&nbsp;and has since rolled back many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-passports-nonbinary-trump-policy-e5d13b6064c06619c654896fc0305983">civil rights protections</a>&nbsp;and access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hhs-rfk-transgender-therapy-53c20e8ba65b2d9e4750d5c3314492cc">gender-affirming care</a>.

Trump signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2661" target="_blank">National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020</a>&nbsp;into law in October 2020.

The specific 988 subprogram for LGBTQ+ youth cost $33 million in fiscal year 2024, according to SAMHSA, and as of June 2025, more than $33 million has been spent on the services. The Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-budget-in-brief.pdf" target="_blank">2026 budget proposal</a>&nbsp;called for keeping 988’s total budget at $520 million even while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-aha-cj.pdf" target="_blank">eliminating the LGBTQ+ services</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-robert-kennedy-vaccines-measles-steak-shake-9c970a1f6bdfd6ac4b4160480e996ac0">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;wants to wrap SAMHSA and other agencies into a new HHS office called Administration for a Healthy America, where it would coexist with employees from other agencies responsible for chemical exposures and work-related injuries.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731521445068.png" alt="Photo (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)" />
 <figcaption>Photo (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/devi-shastri">DEVI SHASTRI</a> Associated PressThe 988 National Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trans-rights-dei-6367d501717f1388677e128af277fe26">LGBTQ+ youth</a>&nbsp;and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency’s website.The decision preempts the Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988’s LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates.Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/988/performance-metrics" target="_blank">1.3 million callers</a>&nbsp;since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the “Press 3” option on the phone or by replying “PRIDE” via text.___EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.___The decision was was made to “no longer silo” the services and “to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hhs-addiction-mental-health-rfk-samsha-e83db20b4ef801971cd25d07eb41bcf9">Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)</a>&nbsp;said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/about/news-announcements/statements/2025/samhsa-statement-988-press-3-option" target="_blank">in a statement dated Tuesday</a>&nbsp;on its website.News of the LGBTQ+ service shutting down comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people — and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline.“&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/suicide-prevention-mental-health-23b0282c56074625fa1be182afd860bd">Suicide prevention</a>&nbsp;is about people, not politics,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement Wednesday. “The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.”In its statement on the 988 decision, SAMHSA referred to the “LGB+ youth services.”Black called the omission of the “T” representing transgender people “callous.” “Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,” he said.The Trevor Project will continue to run its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/Get-Help/" target="_blank">24/7 mental health support services</a>, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-suicide-rate-cdc-c57bb0852adfb4d85b3670d465a8b890">there were 49,300 suicides in 2023</a>&nbsp;— about the highest level in the nation’s history, based on preliminary data.Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a6.htm#:~:text=An%20estimated%2040%25%20of%20transgender,marker%20for%20experiencing%20depressive%20symptoms." target="_blank">2024 analysis by the CDC</a>&nbsp;that found 26% transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide in the past year. That’s compared with 5% of cisgender male and 11% of cisgender female students.Young transgender people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-trump-title-ix-1b9d3a1d928ea78c21372da63600c6d1">flooded crisis hotlines</a>&nbsp;with calls after President Donald Trump was re-elected. Trump made anti-transgender themes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-transgender-politics-61cff97a64fac581ffc5f762be4c57d3">central to his campaign</a>&nbsp;and has since rolled back many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-passports-nonbinary-trump-policy-e5d13b6064c06619c654896fc0305983">civil rights protections</a>&nbsp;and access to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hhs-rfk-transgender-therapy-53c20e8ba65b2d9e4750d5c3314492cc">gender-affirming care</a>.Trump signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2661" target="_blank">National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020</a>&nbsp;into law in October 2020.The specific 988 subprogram for LGBTQ+ youth cost $33 million in fiscal year 2024, according to SAMHSA, and as of June 2025, more than $33 million has been spent on the services. The Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-budget-in-brief.pdf" target="_blank">2026 budget proposal</a>&nbsp;called for keeping 988’s total budget at $520 million even while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-aha-cj.pdf" target="_blank">eliminating the LGBTQ+ services</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-robert-kennedy-vaccines-measles-steak-shake-9c970a1f6bdfd6ac4b4160480e996ac0">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;wants to wrap SAMHSA and other agencies into a new HHS office called Administration for a Healthy America, where it would coexist with employees from other agencies responsible for chemical exposures and work-related injuries.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth ends this weekend

Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.

Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.

“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.

“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”

In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”

“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.

Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.

The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.

The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.

District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”

“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.

Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.

Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.

“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.

He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.

In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.

Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”

“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”

In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.

Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.

“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”

During the hearing, several people in the gallery wept while law enforcement officers and medical personnel presented evidence drawn from telephone records, interviews with witnesses and forensic examinations.

Cherry wore yellow jail coveralls and was shackled with chains that remained on despite the presence of six law enforcement officers in the courtroom. He periodically slumped forward to peer at the floor and tilted his head back to stare at ceiling lights. There were times when Cherry nodded his head as if agreeing with the prosecution.

Law enforcement narrated a triangulated set of surveillance videos taken from the perspective of a grocery store, fuel station and restaurant.

Witnesses filled in blanks of a five-hour period that began when Zoey’s father, Ezequiel Felix, entrusted her to Cherry’s care. One segment of the video captured Zoey and Cherry walking side-by-side. It ended with Cherry carrying the girl’s lifeless body, apparently from the two-tent homeless camp, to the gas station where the girl’s father worked.

Next to gasoline pumps, a good Samaritan and later a Topeka emergency crew responding to a 911 call attempted CPR. She was pronounced dead at Stormont Vail Health.

Cherry was questioned by Topeka officers at the scene, where a police body camera first recorded Cherry blaming a Hispanic man for harming the girl while she slept in a blue car. He claimed to have ran the man off. He asserted that he found Zoey not breathing inside the vehicle.

Cherry, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was asked about a spot of blood that appeared on his stomach.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I have a condition that sometimes I bleed from the belly button.”

He later admitted under questioning by police at the station that the story blaming an unknown assailant was a lie and his assault on Zoey occurred in a tent where homeless people had taken refuge. He said he suffocated the girl with a pillow.

“Something came over me and I did the unimaginable,” Cherry told Detective Deedrick. “Something I thought I’d never do.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.<h2>The legal battle</h2>The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.<h2>Focusing on Zoey</h2>Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”During the hearing, several people in the gallery wept while law enforcement officers and medical personnel presented evidence drawn from telephone records, interviews with witnesses and forensic examinations.Cherry wore yellow jail coveralls and was shackled with chains that remained on despite the presence of six law enforcement officers in the courtroom. He periodically slumped forward to peer at the floor and tilted his head back to stare at ceiling lights. There were times when Cherry nodded his head as if agreeing with the prosecution.Law enforcement narrated a triangulated set of surveillance videos taken from the perspective of a grocery store, fuel station and restaurant.Witnesses filled in blanks of a five-hour period that began when Zoey’s father, Ezequiel Felix, entrusted her to Cherry’s care. One segment of the video captured Zoey and Cherry walking side-by-side. It ended with Cherry carrying the girl’s lifeless body, apparently from the two-tent homeless camp, to the gas station where the girl’s father worked.Next to gasoline pumps, a good Samaritan and later a Topeka emergency crew responding to a 911 call attempted CPR. She was pronounced dead at Stormont Vail Health.Cherry was questioned by Topeka officers at the scene, where a police body camera first recorded Cherry blaming a Hispanic man for harming the girl while she slept in a blue car. He claimed to have ran the man off. He asserted that he found Zoey not breathing inside the vehicle.Cherry, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was asked about a spot of blood that appeared on his stomach.“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I have a condition that sometimes I bleed from the belly button.”He later admitted under questioning by police at the station that the story blaming an unknown assailant was a lie and his assault on Zoey occurred in a tent where homeless people had taken refuge. He said he suffocated the girl with a pillow.“Something came over me and I did the unimaginable,” Cherry told Detective Deedrick. “Something I thought I’d never do.”

Prosecutors argue for consecutive 25-year sentences in murder of 5-year-old Kansas girl

Court document outlines missed opportunities for DCF, district attorney to shield her

TOPEKA — An attorney representing Mickel Cherry in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old Topeka girl asserted in a court document Friday that Kansas’ child welfare agency and the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office missed opportunities to intervene and possibly save her life.

Cherry, a former Texas resident who entered a guilty plea last year to murder and sexual assault charges to avoid the death penalty, confessed to killing Zoey Felix in October 2023 at a tent encampment used by homeless people. Zoey was left in Cherry’s care by the girl’s father while he was at work.

Defense counsel Peter Conley, a state deputy capital defender, said in court documents that Felix’s welfare was investigated seven separate times by the Kansas Department for Children and Families in the year before her death. After a DUI charge against the girl’s mother, Conley said, DCF informed District Attorney Mike Kagay’s office that evidence indicated Felix’s mother engaged in abuse or neglect of the girl.

The district attorney eventually began child-in-need-of-care proceedings, but Felix died before the legal system advanced the case to a point where she could be placed in state custody and potentially placed in the foster care system. Instead of the promise of safety, Felix was strangled by Cherry, who had endured years of abuse from his mother before placed in the Texas foster care system from age 5 to 18.

Conley’s filing on behalf of the 27-year-old Cherry says his client had to bear ultimate responsibility for raping and killing Felix, but the case raised important issues.

“Kansas had multiple opportunities to protect her from the harm she endured,” Conley wrote in the court document. “While it is easy and tempting to place all the blame on Mickel Cherry, we must also confront a harder truth. The systems designed to protect children failed her. Not because they lacked authority, but because we have tolerated that failure. Our systems can save children. We must expect, and demand, that they do.”

He said Felix’s murder was “entirely avoidable” and that “multiple moments of intervention were present that could have saved her.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mickel Cherry-photo Shawnee County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Mickel Cherry-photo Shawnee County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Court document outlines missed opportunities for DCF, district attorney to shield her</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — An attorney representing Mickel Cherry in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old Topeka girl asserted in a court document Friday that Kansas’ child welfare agency and the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office missed opportunities to intervene and possibly save her life.Cherry, a former Texas resident who entered a guilty plea last year to murder and sexual assault charges to avoid the death penalty, confessed to killing Zoey Felix in October 2023 at a tent encampment used by homeless people. Zoey was left in Cherry’s care by the girl’s father while he was at work.Defense counsel Peter Conley, a state deputy capital defender, said in court documents that Felix’s welfare was investigated seven separate times by the Kansas Department for Children and Families in the year before her death. After a DUI charge against the girl’s mother, Conley said, DCF informed District Attorney Mike Kagay’s office that evidence indicated Felix’s mother engaged in abuse or neglect of the girl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The district attorney eventually began child-in-need-of-care proceedings, but Felix died before the legal system advanced the case to a point where she could be placed in state custody and potentially placed in the foster care system. Instead of the promise of safety, Felix was strangled by Cherry, who had endured years of abuse from his mother before placed in the Texas foster care system from age 5 to 18.Conley’s filing on behalf of the 27-year-old Cherry says his client had to bear ultimate responsibility for raping and killing Felix, but the case raised important issues.“Kansas had multiple opportunities to protect her from the harm she endured,” Conley wrote in the court document. “While it is easy and tempting to place all the blame on Mickel Cherry, we must also confront a harder truth. The systems designed to protect children failed her. Not because they lacked authority, but because we have tolerated that failure. Our systems can save children. We must expect, and demand, that they do.”He said Felix’s murder was “entirely avoidable” and that “multiple moments of intervention were present that could have saved her.”A DCF spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment about the defense attorney’s court filing and the pending sentencing of Cherry.<h2>Trainwreck of trauma</h2>The document outlining DCF’s involvement with Felix as well as Cherry’s own life experience in foster care was filed by Conley in preparation for sentencing at a Shawnee County District Court hearing scheduled to start Monday. Cherry pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder and rape of a child in December.Conley requested Cherry be ordered to serve two concurrent 25-year-to-life sentences in prison. In that were the result, Cherry wouldn’t be eligible for release until after serving a quarter century behind bars.On behalf of the district attorney’s office, Kagay recommended two life sentences for the murder and rape to be served consecutively. That would create a minimum 50-year term in prison before consideration of parole.If released from the Kansas Department of Corrections in the future, Cherry would be subject to civil commitment at a state psychiatric hospital under Kansas laws applied to sexually violent predators.Conley’s supplement to the court record said it was an “open secret that those (former foster) children, abused and neglected, become the majority of defendants and victims in our legal system.” He said the Cherry case was a “trainwreck of childhood trauma and institutional indifference.”He wrote that it was troubling a homeless and developmentally disabled Texan who spent much of his childhood in a foster care system that was ruled by the courts to be “constitutionally inadequate” and where “rape, abuse, psychotropic medication and instability were the norm” came to occupy a makeshift camp with Felix and her father.He posed questions about how Felix, known to be chronically truant from preschool, found by police wandering Topeka streets, subject of multiple DCF investigations and on the district attorney’s radar, fell through the cracks of a system that could have removed her from unsafe living conditions.In September 2022, Conley’s court document says, DCF received the first report concerning Felix residing with her mother, who was allegedly abusing drugs and the victim of domestic violence. DCF closed that case after the mother refused to participate in the state’s voluntary family preservation program. On a scale forecasting the “lasting safety” of a family, DCF gave Felix’s home environment a nine on the 10-point scale with 10 reflecting confidence the problems were no more serious than those of a typical family.Less than two months later, Topeka police were called to help locate Felix at 2:42 a.m. She was found at a house a block away. Law enforcement officers returned the girl to her mother and reported to DCF the mother could be neglecting Felix.A Topeka school contacted DCF in November 2022 to report Felix had missed 25 days of school during the fall part of the academic year. The document filed by Conley said it wasn’t clear if the school or DCF referred the truancy to the district attorney’s office.On Nov. 18, 2022, DCF was informed Felix’s mother was arrested for DUI after a traffic accident in which Felix was sitting unbuckled in the front seat of the vehicle. Felix was placed in police protective custody until released to her father.<h2>‘Case was closed’</h2>Despite four cases raising questions about Felix’s well-being, Conley’s filing said, DCF records didn’t indicate whether the state agency sought to confirm the father’s ability to care for Felix.In May 2023, DCF received a report that indicated Felix’s father had been evicted from his home and the girl was back in the care of her mother, who had been released from jail on the DUI charge and placed on probation. At this point, in June 2023, DCF issued a finding of “lack of supervision” regarding Felix. That was apparently shared with the district attorney’s office, but child-in-need-of-care proceedings weren’t immediately initiated.The district attorney subsequently launched that proceeding on Felix’s behalf to determine whether she was abused, neglected or otherwise unsafe. DCF continued to give a score of nine out of 10 on the “lasting safety” scale applied to Felix, the court document said.DCF was again notified in August 2023 — two months before Felix’s death — that the girl was living with her mother in a house without running water. The report said the girl didn’t have shoes, was wearing the same clothes every day and was “outside around the neighborhood for hours at a time.”“DCF sent an investigator to the house seven times in September, but no one was ever home. The case was closed,” Corley wrote in the court document.In fact, he wrote, Felix was now relying on her father for parental care and was closer to falling victim to Cherry at the homeless camp.