By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a>

Over the past few months, Celina Damian’s phone has been ringing off the hook with one bewildered, anxious question after another: “What kind of loan is this?” “Am I in default?” “Will the government really take my wages?”

“Sometimes they just don’t know where to start,” said Damian, California’s student loan servicing ombudsperson.

“I’m talking to borrowers from all ages, from new borrowers to — I have 80-, 90-year-old borrowers,” she said.

The federal government last month restarted collections on defaulted loans. State student loan ombudspersons such as Damian have become some of the only sources of contact for worried borrowers lost in a tangle of conflicting information at the federal level about their loan status and repayment options.

The U.S. Department of Education began collecting on defaulted student loans in May for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Federal student loans issued by the U.S. Department of Education come with&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-101" target="_blank">fixed rates, set repayment plans and borrower protections</a>. Private servicers handle billing, repayment-plan enrollments and defaults.

More than 5 million borrowers are in delinquency, and nearly 10 million — about 25% of the federal student loan portfolio — are at risk of default within months, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.

States can’t cancel that debt, but they do register and oversee servicers operating in their states, run ombuds offices, tweak tax rules and offer outreach or limited grants — actions aimed at reducing defaults and the economic fallout.

When borrowers default, states will likely feel the economic impact. They might lose tax revenue as homebuying stalls. They could end up paying more for Medicaid and social services if borrowers need to rely on them. And students with loan debt may be reluctant to go into lower-paying public-sector work, leading to staffing shortages at state agencies.

A borrower is considered delinquent after missing a payment to the servicing companies that handle billing, repayment plan enrollments, and defaults.

Damian’s office, established under California’s Student Borrower Bill of Rights, began as a narrow statutory role but now serves as a hub for outreach, “Student Loan 101” workshops and escalated complaints to federal agencies.

Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/state-ombudsman" target="_blank">16 states</a>&nbsp;plus the District of Columbia have followed suit, creating ombuds offices to guide borrowers through confusing paperwork and misinformation. Damian believes these ombuds offices should be in every state, as borrowers across the country will likely have similar questions and little help at the federal level.

“If you don’t have an ombudsperson or even just a person at the state level who can educate borrowers, that will make a difference,” Damian told Stateline. “These borrowers are trying to pay, but the system is broken. No other financial product works this way.”

Student loans became a key issue during last year’s election race, with President Joe Biden blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court in his effort to offer relief to 40 million Americans. In its waning days, his administration did forgive loans for some 150,000 borrowers under previous programs.

But President Donald Trump opposes most loan forgiveness programs, and&nbsp;in May, the U.S. Education Department issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-05-05/request-institutions-provide-repayment-information-former-students-prevent-defaults" target="_blank">“Dear Colleague” letter to higher education institutions</a>, reminding them of their legal obligations to help former students understand repayment responsibilities and access support.

Some conservative economists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/testimony/state-higher-education#affordability:~:text=There%20is%20considerable%20evidence%20that%20colleges%20raise%20their%20prices%20and%20reduce%20institutional%20aid%20when%20federal%20financial%20aid%20is%20available.%20This%20phenomenon%20is%20referred%20to%20as%20the%20Bennett%20Hypothesis." target="_blank">say</a>&nbsp;that federal loan forgiveness and financial aid hurt all students, offering colleges an incentive to raise tuition or lower their own institutional aid.

Winston Berkman-Breen, the legal director at the Student Borrower Protection Center, a nonprofit aimed at protecting borrowers and improving the repayment system, said that more than 2 million borrowers are stuck in a backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">unprocessed applications</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentloanplanner.com/idr-pslf-application-delays/" target="_blank">income-driven repayment</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">IDR) plans</a>&nbsp;— calculated pay structures meant to keep payments affordable based on a borrower’s income.

Other borrowers have called federal agencies for help only to find that U.S. Education Department staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">including servicer-oversight teams</a>, have been laid off as the Trump administration works toward dismantling the department entirely.

“There was an expectation to repay,” Berkman-Breen said. “But there was also an expectation that people would have access to affordable plans. That promise has broken down.”

States now have three primary tools to address student loan debt, Berkman-Breen said: enforcement actions to protect consumers, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/12/nx-s1-5110124/navient-lawsuit-settlement-student-loans#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20Navient%20reached%20a,Navient%20faced%20two%20serious%20allegations." target="_blank">39-state lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against servicer Navient; legal oversight by suing to uphold or challenge federal policy; and direct outreach to help public servants access Public Service Loan Forgiveness and similar programs.

Nineteen states now require registration for companies that service student loans, he said. And more than a dozen states align with federal policy to exempt forgiven loan balances from state income taxes.

Connecticut state Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, a Democrat, calls student debt “a drag on the economy,” and said states can’t afford to wait for Congress — mired in partisan gridlock over student loan forgiveness — to find common ground.

“[Student debt] is stopping people from buying homes, starting families and fully participating in the economy,” she told Stateline. “That hurts us as a state, as a city, and we can’t wait for Washington to figure it out.”

Last year, Connecticut created a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.housedems.ct.gov/fortier/student-loan-reimbursement-program#:~:text=Starting%20January%201%2C%20Connecticut%20college,jointly%20or%20a%20surviving%20spouse." target="_blank">reimbursement program</a>&nbsp;that provides up to $20,000 for graduates of local colleges who make payments and complete community service. The state has distributed more than $2 million so far.

Kavros DeGraw hopes the program can serve as a model, and has already talked with lawmakers in other states on possibly developing their own versions of it.

“These were people who were already paying,” Kavros DeGraw said. “It just made sense. I think it’s something that other states could explore this session, and it would provide an immense deal of relief.”

Lawmakers in other states also have considered student loan legislation. This year, New Jersey introduced bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S4500/4011_I1.PDF" target="_blank">register education lenders</a>&nbsp;and cap interest rates. Lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/house/HB0224.HTML?utm_" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3772" target="_blank">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S426" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have proposed Borrower Bill of Rights legislation. Arizona has a registration bill for private servicers. None of these measures has advanced far.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 20 states have enacted laws expanding loan forgiveness, repayment programs and servicer oversight in recent years.

Several states are also investing directly in workforce-aligned loan forgiveness: Georgia expanded its service-cancelable loan&nbsp;<a href="https://healthcareworkforce.georgia.gov/dentist-loan-repayment-programs" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to cover dental students working in rural areas. Idaho created a loan repayment&nbsp;<a href="https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/rural-health-and-underserved-areas/loan-repayment-and-grants" target="_blank">incentive</a>&nbsp;for rural nurses. Kentucky now offers $5,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1688009" target="_blank">stipends</a>&nbsp;to attract new teachers. Maryland authorized Anne Arundel County to launch a local&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0541?ys=2024RS" target="_blank">forgiveness</a>&nbsp;program for public school educators.

Student loan stress is not&nbsp;<a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2025/05/student-loan-delinquencies-are-back-and-credit-scores-take-a-tumble/" target="_blank">evenly distributed</a>. Seven states, all with Republican‐controlled legislatures, report delinquency rates above 30% among borrowers required to make payments.

Mississippi leads the nation with a conditional delinquency rate of nearly 45% — meaning borrowers who should be making payments are late. That’s just ahead of Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, all of which have rates above 31%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

By contrast, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire maintain delinquency rates below 15%.

Experts say this chasm reflects deeper systemic differences, such as lower median incomes in higher delinquency states, along with weaker consumer protections and a higher share of students attending for-profit institutions or leaving college without a degree.

States also have promoted the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, established in 2007, that offers help to public service professionals. New Mexico has an outreach campaign that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://hed.nm.gov/financial-aid/loan-repayment-programs/teacher" target="_blank">prospective teachers</a>&nbsp;and health care workers. Maine has provided&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/pds/sites/maine.gov.pds/files/inline-files/Contractor%20Eligibility%20PSLF%20August%202023.pdf" target="_blank">guidance</a>&nbsp;to public defenders on how they can take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and touts a related state tax credit on a marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liveandworkinmaine.com/opportunity-maine" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to lure new residents.

“States can regulate and enforce, but they can’t fix the structural problems in how repayment is administered,” said Michele Zampini, senior director of college affordability at The Institute for College Access &amp; Success, a research organization that advocates for students. “They’re helping around the edges, but the core system is still broken.”

A November&nbsp;<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_2024-annual-student-loan-ombudsmans-report_2024-11.pdf?utm" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau found at least 3.9 million borrowers received misleading or inaccurate bills from servicing companies.

“The repayment system is not in a good place to provide the services and repayment options borrowers are legally entitled to,” Zampini said.

The Student Loan Borrower Survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, found that 61% of borrowers who received debt relief made a beneficial life change earlier than they otherwise could have. Yet borrower awareness remains dangerously low: Nearly 42% of federal borrowers have only been on the standard repayment plan, and 31% of those didn’t know other options, such as an income-based plan, existed.

In California, a major part of Damian’s job in the past few months has been to help borrowers access existing forgiveness programs.

Meanwhile, new federal policy proposals could reshape repayment entirely. The Trump-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdf" target="_blank">One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a>&nbsp;would consolidate existing IDR plans into a single tiered structure, with lower-income borrowers paying flat monthly rates and higher earners contributing 8% of their income. The bill also proposes extending standard repayment terms to 30 years — raising concerns it could delay forgiveness and inflate total interest costs.

The bill passed the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate.

Andrew Gillen, a Cato Institute research fellow who recently testified before Congress, argues that any meaningful fix must address the incentives driving rising tuition — namely, federal aid being tied directly to college sticker prices.

“The link between rising tuition and increasing aid is what drives the Bennett Hypothesis, where federal student aid, in the form of loans, can lead to higher tuition costs at colleges and universities,” Gillen said in an interview. “If we instead use the median cost of attendance to calculate aid eligibility, we remove colleges’ incentive to hike prices just to capture more aid.”

Even without agreement on blanket forgiveness, experts agree on smaller bipartisan steps: streamlined repayment, stronger servicer oversight and targeted help for borrowers with the greatest need.

“We don’t want people defaulting. We don’t want payments that are too high for people just out of school. That should be the bipartisan starting point,” Zampini said.

Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749295781301.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Northwestern University graduation video 2024" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Northwestern University graduation video 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a>Over the past few months, Celina Damian’s phone has been ringing off the hook with one bewildered, anxious question after another: “What kind of loan is this?” “Am I in default?” “Will the government really take my wages?”“Sometimes they just don’t know where to start,” said Damian, California’s student loan servicing ombudsperson.“I’m talking to borrowers from all ages, from new borrowers to — I have 80-, 90-year-old borrowers,” she said.The federal government last month restarted collections on defaulted loans. State student loan ombudspersons such as Damian have become some of the only sources of contact for worried borrowers lost in a tangle of conflicting information at the federal level about their loan status and repayment options.The U.S. Department of Education began collecting on defaulted student loans in May for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.Federal student loans issued by the U.S. Department of Education come with&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-101" target="_blank">fixed rates, set repayment plans and borrower protections</a>. Private servicers handle billing, repayment-plan enrollments and defaults.More than 5 million borrowers are in delinquency, and nearly 10 million — about 25% of the federal student loan portfolio — are at risk of default within months, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.States can’t cancel that debt, but they do register and oversee servicers operating in their states, run ombuds offices, tweak tax rules and offer outreach or limited grants — actions aimed at reducing defaults and the economic fallout.When borrowers default, states will likely feel the economic impact. They might lose tax revenue as homebuying stalls. They could end up paying more for Medicaid and social services if borrowers need to rely on them. And students with loan debt may be reluctant to go into lower-paying public-sector work, leading to staffing shortages at state agencies.A borrower is considered delinquent after missing a payment to the servicing companies that handle billing, repayment plan enrollments, and defaults.Damian’s office, established under California’s Student Borrower Bill of Rights, began as a narrow statutory role but now serves as a hub for outreach, “Student Loan 101” workshops and escalated complaints to federal agencies.Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/state-ombudsman" target="_blank">16 states</a>&nbsp;plus the District of Columbia have followed suit, creating ombuds offices to guide borrowers through confusing paperwork and misinformation. Damian believes these ombuds offices should be in every state, as borrowers across the country will likely have similar questions and little help at the federal level.“If you don’t have an ombudsperson or even just a person at the state level who can educate borrowers, that will make a difference,” Damian told Stateline. “These borrowers are trying to pay, but the system is broken. No other financial product works this way.”Student loans became a key issue during last year’s election race, with President Joe Biden blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court in his effort to offer relief to 40 million Americans. In its waning days, his administration did forgive loans for some 150,000 borrowers under previous programs.But President Donald Trump opposes most loan forgiveness programs, and&nbsp;in May, the U.S. Education Department issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-05-05/request-institutions-provide-repayment-information-former-students-prevent-defaults" target="_blank">“Dear Colleague” letter to higher education institutions</a>, reminding them of their legal obligations to help former students understand repayment responsibilities and access support.Some conservative economists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/testimony/state-higher-education#affordability:~:text=There%20is%20considerable%20evidence%20that%20colleges%20raise%20their%20prices%20and%20reduce%20institutional%20aid%20when%20federal%20financial%20aid%20is%20available.%20This%20phenomenon%20is%20referred%20to%20as%20the%20Bennett%20Hypothesis." target="_blank">say</a>&nbsp;that federal loan forgiveness and financial aid hurt all students, offering colleges an incentive to raise tuition or lower their own institutional aid.Winston Berkman-Breen, the legal director at the Student Borrower Protection Center, a nonprofit aimed at protecting borrowers and improving the repayment system, said that more than 2 million borrowers are stuck in a backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">unprocessed applications</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentloanplanner.com/idr-pslf-application-delays/" target="_blank">income-driven repayment</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">IDR) plans</a>&nbsp;— calculated pay structures meant to keep payments affordable based on a borrower’s income.Other borrowers have called federal agencies for help only to find that U.S. Education Department staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">including servicer-oversight teams</a>, have been laid off as the Trump administration works toward dismantling the department entirely.“There was an expectation to repay,” Berkman-Breen said. “But there was also an expectation that people would have access to affordable plans. That promise has broken down.”States now have three primary tools to address student loan debt, Berkman-Breen said: enforcement actions to protect consumers, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/12/nx-s1-5110124/navient-lawsuit-settlement-student-loans#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20Navient%20reached%20a,Navient%20faced%20two%20serious%20allegations." target="_blank">39-state lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against servicer Navient; legal oversight by suing to uphold or challenge federal policy; and direct outreach to help public servants access Public Service Loan Forgiveness and similar programs.Nineteen states now require registration for companies that service student loans, he said. And more than a dozen states align with federal policy to exempt forgiven loan balances from state income taxes.<h2>‘Can’t wait for Washington’</h2>Connecticut state Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, a Democrat, calls student debt “a drag on the economy,” and said states can’t afford to wait for Congress — mired in partisan gridlock over student loan forgiveness — to find common ground.“[Student debt] is stopping people from buying homes, starting families and fully participating in the economy,” she told Stateline. “That hurts us as a state, as a city, and we can’t wait for Washington to figure it out.”Last year, Connecticut created a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.housedems.ct.gov/fortier/student-loan-reimbursement-program#:~:text=Starting%20January%201%2C%20Connecticut%20college,jointly%20or%20a%20surviving%20spouse." target="_blank">reimbursement program</a>&nbsp;that provides up to $20,000 for graduates of local colleges who make payments and complete community service. The state has distributed more than $2 million so far.Kavros DeGraw hopes the program can serve as a model, and has already talked with lawmakers in other states on possibly developing their own versions of it.“These were people who were already paying,” Kavros DeGraw said. “It just made sense. I think it’s something that other states could explore this session, and it would provide an immense deal of relief.”Lawmakers in other states also have considered student loan legislation. This year, New Jersey introduced bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S4500/4011_I1.PDF" target="_blank">register education lenders</a>&nbsp;and cap interest rates. Lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/house/HB0224.HTML?utm_" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3772" target="_blank">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S426" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have proposed Borrower Bill of Rights legislation. Arizona has a registration bill for private servicers. None of these measures has advanced far.According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 20 states have enacted laws expanding loan forgiveness, repayment programs and servicer oversight in recent years.Several states are also investing directly in workforce-aligned loan forgiveness: Georgia expanded its service-cancelable loan&nbsp;<a href="https://healthcareworkforce.georgia.gov/dentist-loan-repayment-programs" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to cover dental students working in rural areas. Idaho created a loan repayment&nbsp;<a href="https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/rural-health-and-underserved-areas/loan-repayment-and-grants" target="_blank">incentive</a>&nbsp;for rural nurses. Kentucky now offers $5,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1688009" target="_blank">stipends</a>&nbsp;to attract new teachers. Maryland authorized Anne Arundel County to launch a local&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0541?ys=2024RS" target="_blank">forgiveness</a>&nbsp;program for public school educators.<h2>Repayment</h2>Student loan stress is not&nbsp;<a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2025/05/student-loan-delinquencies-are-back-and-credit-scores-take-a-tumble/" target="_blank">evenly distributed</a>. Seven states, all with Republican‐controlled legislatures, report delinquency rates above 30% among borrowers required to make payments.Mississippi leads the nation with a conditional delinquency rate of nearly 45% — meaning borrowers who should be making payments are late. That’s just ahead of Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, all of which have rates above 31%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.By contrast, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire maintain delinquency rates below 15%.Experts say this chasm reflects deeper systemic differences, such as lower median incomes in higher delinquency states, along with weaker consumer protections and a higher share of students attending for-profit institutions or leaving college without a degree.States also have promoted the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, established in 2007, that offers help to public service professionals. New Mexico has an outreach campaign that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://hed.nm.gov/financial-aid/loan-repayment-programs/teacher" target="_blank">prospective teachers</a>&nbsp;and health care workers. Maine has provided&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/pds/sites/maine.gov.pds/files/inline-files/Contractor%20Eligibility%20PSLF%20August%202023.pdf" target="_blank">guidance</a>&nbsp;to public defenders on how they can take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and touts a related state tax credit on a marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liveandworkinmaine.com/opportunity-maine" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to lure new residents.“States can regulate and enforce, but they can’t fix the structural problems in how repayment is administered,” said Michele Zampini, senior director of college affordability at The Institute for College Access &amp; Success, a research organization that advocates for students. “They’re helping around the edges, but the core system is still broken.”A November&nbsp;<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_2024-annual-student-loan-ombudsmans-report_2024-11.pdf?utm" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau found at least 3.9 million borrowers received misleading or inaccurate bills from servicing companies.“The repayment system is not in a good place to provide the services and repayment options borrowers are legally entitled to,” Zampini said.The Student Loan Borrower Survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, found that 61% of borrowers who received debt relief made a beneficial life change earlier than they otherwise could have. Yet borrower awareness remains dangerously low: Nearly 42% of federal borrowers have only been on the standard repayment plan, and 31% of those didn’t know other options, such as an income-based plan, existed.In California, a major part of Damian’s job in the past few months has been to help borrowers access existing forgiveness programs.Meanwhile, new federal policy proposals could reshape repayment entirely. The Trump-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdf" target="_blank">One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a>&nbsp;would consolidate existing IDR plans into a single tiered structure, with lower-income borrowers paying flat monthly rates and higher earners contributing 8% of their income. The bill also proposes extending standard repayment terms to 30 years — raising concerns it could delay forgiveness and inflate total interest costs.The bill passed the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate.<h2>‘Incentive to hike prices’</h2>Andrew Gillen, a Cato Institute research fellow who recently testified before Congress, argues that any meaningful fix must address the incentives driving rising tuition — namely, federal aid being tied directly to college sticker prices.“The link between rising tuition and increasing aid is what drives the Bennett Hypothesis, where federal student aid, in the form of loans, can lead to higher tuition costs at colleges and universities,” Gillen said in an interview. “If we instead use the median cost of attendance to calculate aid eligibility, we remove colleges’ incentive to hike prices just to capture more aid.”Even without agreement on blanket forgiveness, experts agree on smaller bipartisan steps: streamlined repayment, stronger servicer oversight and targeted help for borrowers with the greatest need.“We don’t want people defaulting. We don’t want payments that are too high for people just out of school. That should be the bipartisan starting point,” Zampini said.Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

As feds resume student loan collections, states try to catch borrowers before they sink

NEW YORK (AP) —A federal judge signed off on arguably the biggest change in the history of college sports Friday, clearing the way for schools to begin paying their athletes millions of dollars as soon as next month as the multibillion-dollar industry shreds the last vestiges of the amateur model that defined it for more than a century.

Nearly five years after Arizona State swimmer Grant House sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences to lift restrictions on revenue sharing, U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the final proposal that had been hung up on roster limits, just one of many changes ahead amid concerns that thousands of walk-on athletes will lose their chance to play college sports.

The sweeping terms of the so-called House settlement include approval for each school to share up to $20.5 million with athletes over the next year and $2.7 billion that will be paid over the next decade to thousands of former players who were barred from that revenue for years.

The agreement brings a seismic shift to hundreds of schools that were forced to reckon with the reality that their players are the ones producing the billions in TV and other revenue, mostly through football and basketball, that keep this machine humming.

The scope of the changes — some have already begun — is difficult to overstate. The professionalization of college athletics will be seen in the high-stakes and expensive recruitment of stars on their way to the NFL and NBA, and they will be felt by athletes whose schools have decided to pare their programs. The agreement will resonate in nearly every one of the NCAA’s 1,100 member schools boasting nearly 500,000 athletes.

Wilken’s ruling comes 11 years after she dealt the first significant blow to the NCAA ideal of amateurism when she ruled in favor of former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and others who were seeking a way to earn money from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) — a term that is now as common in college sports as “March Madness” or “Roll Tide.” It was just four years ago that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/laws-sports-6fb10bea4176ac6a912138ce7f0a764e">NCAA cleared the way for NIL money</a>&nbsp;to start flowing, but the changes coming are even bigger.

Wilken granted preliminary approval to the settlement last October. That sent colleges scurrying to determine not only how they were going to afford the payments, but how to regulate an industry that also allows players to cut deals with third parties so long as they are deemed compliant by a newly formed enforcement group that will be run by auditors at Deloitte.

The agreement takes a big chunk of oversight away from the NCAA and puts it in the hands of the four biggest conferences. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC hold most of the power and decision-making heft, especially when it comes to the College Football Playoff, which is the most significant financial driver in the industry and is not under the NCAA umbrella like the March Madness tournaments are.

The deal looked ready to go since last fall, but Wilken put a halt to it after listening to a number of players who had lost their spots because of newly imposed roster limits being placed on teams.

The limits were part of a trade-off that allowed the schools to offer scholarships to everyone on the roster, instead of only a fraction, as has been the case for decades. Schools started cutting walk-ons in anticipation of the deal being approved.

Wilken asked for a solution and, after weeks, the parties decided to let anyone cut from a roster — now termed a “Designated Student-Athlete” — return to their old school or play for a new one without counting against the new limit.

Wilken ultimately agreed, going point-by-point through the objectors’ arguments to explain why they didn’t hold up.

“The modifications provide Designated Student-Athletes with what they had prior to the roster limits provisions being implemented, which was the opportunity to be on a roster at the discretion of a Division I school,” Wilken wrote.

The list of winners and losers is long and, in some cases, hard to tease out.

A rough guide of winners would include football and basketball stars at the biggest schools, which will devote much of their bankroll to signing and retaining them. For instance, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s NIL deal is reportedly worth between $10.5 million and $12 million.

Losers, despite Wilken’s ruling, figure to be at least some of the walk-ons and partial scholarship athletes whose spots are gone.

Also in limbo are Olympic sports many of those athletes play and that serve as the main pipeline for a U.S. team that has won the most medals at every Olympics since the downfall of the Soviet Union.

All this is a price worth paying, according to the attorneys who crafted the settlement and argue they delivered exactly what they were asked for: an attempt to put more money in the pockets of the players whose sweat and toil keep people watching from the start of football season through March Madness and the College World Series in June.

What the settlement does not solve is the threat of further litigation.

Though this deal brings some uniformity to the rules, states still have separate laws regarding how NIL can be doled out, which could lead to legal challenges. NCAA President Charlie Baker has been consistent in pushing for federal legislation that would put college sports under one rulebook and, if he has his way, provide some form of antitrust protection to prevent the new model from being disrupted again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726059008795.jpeg" alt="File (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)" />
 <figcaption>File (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —A federal judge signed off on arguably the biggest change in the history of college sports Friday, clearing the way for schools to begin paying their athletes millions of dollars as soon as next month as the multibillion-dollar industry shreds the last vestiges of the amateur model that defined it for more than a century.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/OjqkLJovr1">pic.twitter.com/OjqkLJovr1</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1931181739784691837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Nearly five years after Arizona State swimmer Grant House sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences to lift restrictions on revenue sharing, U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the final proposal that had been hung up on roster limits, just one of many changes ahead amid concerns that thousands of walk-on athletes will lose their chance to play college sports.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749263208278.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The sweeping terms of the so-called House settlement include approval for each school to share up to $20.5 million with athletes over the next year and $2.7 billion that will be paid over the next decade to thousands of former players who were barred from that revenue for years.The agreement brings a seismic shift to hundreds of schools that were forced to reckon with the reality that their players are the ones producing the billions in TV and other revenue, mostly through football and basketball, that keep this machine humming.The scope of the changes — some have already begun — is difficult to overstate. The professionalization of college athletics will be seen in the high-stakes and expensive recruitment of stars on their way to the NFL and NBA, and they will be felt by athletes whose schools have decided to pare their programs. The agreement will resonate in nearly every one of the NCAA’s 1,100 member schools boasting nearly 500,000 athletes.<h2>The road to a settlement</h2>Wilken’s ruling comes 11 years after she dealt the first significant blow to the NCAA ideal of amateurism when she ruled in favor of former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and others who were seeking a way to earn money from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) — a term that is now as common in college sports as “March Madness” or “Roll Tide.” It was just four years ago that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/laws-sports-6fb10bea4176ac6a912138ce7f0a764e">NCAA cleared the way for NIL money</a>&nbsp;to start flowing, but the changes coming are even bigger.Wilken granted preliminary approval to the settlement last October. That sent colleges scurrying to determine not only how they were going to afford the payments, but how to regulate an industry that also allows players to cut deals with third parties so long as they are deemed compliant by a newly formed enforcement group that will be run by auditors at Deloitte.The agreement takes a big chunk of oversight away from the NCAA and puts it in the hands of the four biggest conferences. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC hold most of the power and decision-making heft, especially when it comes to the College Football Playoff, which is the most significant financial driver in the industry and is not under the NCAA umbrella like the March Madness tournaments are.<h2>Roster limits held things up</h2>The deal looked ready to go since last fall, but Wilken put a halt to it after listening to a number of players who had lost their spots because of newly imposed roster limits being placed on teams.The limits were part of a trade-off that allowed the schools to offer scholarships to everyone on the roster, instead of only a fraction, as has been the case for decades. Schools started cutting walk-ons in anticipation of the deal being approved.Wilken asked for a solution and, after weeks, the parties decided to let anyone cut from a roster — now termed a “Designated Student-Athlete” — return to their old school or play for a new one without counting against the new limit.Wilken ultimately agreed, going point-by-point through the objectors’ arguments to explain why they didn’t hold up.“The modifications provide Designated Student-Athletes with what they had prior to the roster limits provisions being implemented, which was the opportunity to be on a roster at the discretion of a Division I school,” Wilken wrote.<h2>Winners and losers</h2>The list of winners and losers is long and, in some cases, hard to tease out.A rough guide of winners would include football and basketball stars at the biggest schools, which will devote much of their bankroll to signing and retaining them. For instance, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s NIL deal is reportedly worth between $10.5 million and $12 million.Losers, despite Wilken’s ruling, figure to be at least some of the walk-ons and partial scholarship athletes whose spots are gone.Also in limbo are Olympic sports many of those athletes play and that serve as the main pipeline for a U.S. team that has won the most medals at every Olympics since the downfall of the Soviet Union.All this is a price worth paying, according to the attorneys who crafted the settlement and argue they delivered exactly what they were asked for: an attempt to put more money in the pockets of the players whose sweat and toil keep people watching from the start of football season through March Madness and the College World Series in June.What the settlement does not solve is the threat of further litigation.Though this deal brings some uniformity to the rules, states still have separate laws regarding how NIL can be doled out, which could lead to legal challenges. NCAA President Charlie Baker has been consistent in pushing for federal legislation that would put college sports under one rulebook and, if he has his way, provide some form of antitrust protection to prevent the new model from being disrupted again.___

Judge OKs $2.8B settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions

Hilda Leona (Baum) Jacobs age 90, of Gorham, Kansas, passed
away on Monday, June 2, 2025, at the Wheatland Nursing Center Russell, Kansas.

She was born on June 21, 1934, in Susank, Kansas, to Andrew
and Catherine (Schmidt) Baum.&nbsp; Hilda married Donald Jacobs on October 17,
1955, at Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on May 26, 2002.

She was a homemaker, and worked a number of years for
LeReich Bridal.&nbsp; Hilda was a member of Saint Mary’s Help of Christians
Catholic Church, served on the church parish council, served on the township
election board, and was a member of the Gorham Daughters of Isabella, where she
held numerous offices, and helped with many funeral dinners.

Hilda grew up north of Gorham and attended Gorham Schools,
and was a 1952 graduate of Gorham Rural High School.

She enjoyed many social activities, playing cards, attending
her children’s school activities, gardening, traveling, and shopping.&nbsp; She
also enjoyed spending time with her local friends, celebrating their birthday
lunches or taking day trips.&nbsp; Above all, she liked spending time with her
immediate family and her many siblings and their families.

Hilda is survived by her children, Kimberly Pratt and
husband, Wayne, Gorham, KS; Belinda Goodheart and husband, Tim, Overland Park,
KS; Donovan Jacobs and wife, Tammy, Hays, KS; her grandchildren, Tracy Orndoff
(Shawn); Aaron Pratt; Connor Jacobs; her great grandchildren, Chase, Jarah and
Lane Orndoff; Alex and Evie Pratt; her brother, Jake Baum, Kingsville, MO; her
sister, Lydia Kaufman and husband, Gary, Great Bend, KS; her sister-in-law,
Carol Jacobs, Mead, CO.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and
Catherine Baum; her husband, Donald Jacobs; her son, Jeffrey Jacobs; her
brothers, Leo Baum; Edward Baum; Kenny Baum; Emil Baum; George Baum; her
sisters, Helen Wolford; Mary Mermis; Josephine Shreve; Rosie Thompson; Margaret
Bissett and Viola Brown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday,
June 9, 2025, at St Mary’s Help of Christian Catholic Church, Gorham, Kansas
with Celebrant, Father Damian Richards.

Burial will be in Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.

A Gorham Daughter of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30 P.M.
Sunday, at the church.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday,
and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Monday, at the church.

The family suggests memorials made payable to: Saint Mary’s
Catholic Church or Saint Mary’s Cemetery Fund in care of Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748976190658.jpeg" alt="Hilda Leona (Baum) Jacobs" />
 <figcaption>Hilda Leona (Baum) Jacobs</figcaption>
 </figure>Hilda Leona (Baum) Jacobs age 90, of Gorham, Kansas, passed
away on Monday, June 2, 2025, at the Wheatland Nursing Center Russell, Kansas.She was born on June 21, 1934, in Susank, Kansas, to Andrew
and Catherine (Schmidt) Baum.&nbsp; Hilda married Donald Jacobs on October 17,
1955, at Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on May 26, 2002.She was a homemaker, and worked a number of years for
LeReich Bridal.&nbsp; Hilda was a member of Saint Mary’s Help of Christians
Catholic Church, served on the church parish council, served on the township
election board, and was a member of the Gorham Daughters of Isabella, where she
held numerous offices, and helped with many funeral dinners.Hilda grew up north of Gorham and attended Gorham Schools,
and was a 1952 graduate of Gorham Rural High School.She enjoyed many social activities, playing cards, attending
her children’s school activities, gardening, traveling, and shopping.&nbsp; She
also enjoyed spending time with her local friends, celebrating their birthday
lunches or taking day trips.&nbsp; Above all, she liked spending time with her
immediate family and her many siblings and their families.Hilda is survived by her children, Kimberly Pratt and
husband, Wayne, Gorham, KS; Belinda Goodheart and husband, Tim, Overland Park,
KS; Donovan Jacobs and wife, Tammy, Hays, KS; her grandchildren, Tracy Orndoff
(Shawn); Aaron Pratt; Connor Jacobs; her great grandchildren, Chase, Jarah and
Lane Orndoff; Alex and Evie Pratt; her brother, Jake Baum, Kingsville, MO; her
sister, Lydia Kaufman and husband, Gary, Great Bend, KS; her sister-in-law,
Carol Jacobs, Mead, CO.She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and
Catherine Baum; her husband, Donald Jacobs; her son, Jeffrey Jacobs; her
brothers, Leo Baum; Edward Baum; Kenny Baum; Emil Baum; George Baum; her
sisters, Helen Wolford; Mary Mermis; Josephine Shreve; Rosie Thompson; Margaret
Bissett and Viola Brown.A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday,
June 9, 2025, at St Mary’s Help of Christian Catholic Church, Gorham, Kansas
with Celebrant, Father Damian Richards.Burial will be in Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.A Gorham Daughter of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30 P.M.
Sunday, at the church.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday,
and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Monday, at the church.The family suggests memorials made payable to: Saint Mary’s
Catholic Church or Saint Mary’s Cemetery Fund in care of Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671.

Hilda Leona (Baum) Jacobs

Reta
Ann (Vacura) Barratt passed away Monday June 2, 2025 at Kearney Regional
Medical Center in Kearney, Nebraska, at the age of 78.&nbsp; She was born
October 22, 1946 in Oberlin, Kansas to Frank and Margaret (Krizek) Vacura.

Reta
was raised on a farm in Custer Township, southeast of Oberlin.&nbsp; She
attended Dresden Consolidated School and graduated from Decatur Community High
School in 1964.

On
February 21, 1965 Reta married her high school sweetheart, Don Barratt, in
Oberlin.&nbsp; Together they raised three daughters and were blessed with two
grandchildren.

Reta
was a homemaker and dedicated farmers wife.&nbsp; She enjoyed time with family
and friends, gardening, baking, and listening to George Strait music. Reta was
a kind, generous woman who will always be remembered for her caring heart.

Survivors
include three daughters: Krystal Barratt of McCook, NE, Laci Larkins of Hays,
KS and Amber Barratt of Hays, KS; two grandchildren: Riley and Tayler; two
sisters: Marcella Capps of Tulsa, OK and Pat (Rod) Fringer of Oberlin, KS, in
addition to other relatives and friends.

She
was preceded in death by her husband, Don Barratt; parents: Frank and Margaret
Vacura; father-in-law: Robert Barratt; mother-in-law: Josephine (Fields)
Barratt; son-in-law: Jesse Larkins; and brother-in-law Allen Capps.

Funeral
service will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025 at Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home in
Oberlin, KS at 2:00PM.&nbsp; Visitation will be on Thursday, June 5, at the
funeral home from 1:00-7:00PM with family receiving guests from
5:00-7:00PM.&nbsp; Burial will be in Oberlin Cemetery.&nbsp; Memorial
contributions can be made to the Decatur County Hospital or Kearney Regional
Medical Center.&nbsp; Condolences can be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com">www.plumergobber.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749067357204.jpeg" alt="Reta Ann (Vacura) Barratt&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Reta Ann (Vacura) Barratt&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Reta
Ann (Vacura) Barratt passed away Monday June 2, 2025 at Kearney Regional
Medical Center in Kearney, Nebraska, at the age of 78.&nbsp; She was born
October 22, 1946 in Oberlin, Kansas to Frank and Margaret (Krizek) Vacura.Reta
was raised on a farm in Custer Township, southeast of Oberlin.&nbsp; She
attended Dresden Consolidated School and graduated from Decatur Community High
School in 1964.On
February 21, 1965 Reta married her high school sweetheart, Don Barratt, in
Oberlin.&nbsp; Together they raised three daughters and were blessed with two
grandchildren.Reta
was a homemaker and dedicated farmers wife.&nbsp; She enjoyed time with family
and friends, gardening, baking, and listening to George Strait music. Reta was
a kind, generous woman who will always be remembered for her caring heart.Survivors
include three daughters: Krystal Barratt of McCook, NE, Laci Larkins of Hays,
KS and Amber Barratt of Hays, KS; two grandchildren: Riley and Tayler; two
sisters: Marcella Capps of Tulsa, OK and Pat (Rod) Fringer of Oberlin, KS, in
addition to other relatives and friends.She
was preceded in death by her husband, Don Barratt; parents: Frank and Margaret
Vacura; father-in-law: Robert Barratt; mother-in-law: Josephine (Fields)
Barratt; son-in-law: Jesse Larkins; and brother-in-law Allen Capps.Funeral
service will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025 at Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home in
Oberlin, KS at 2:00PM.&nbsp; Visitation will be on Thursday, June 5, at the
funeral home from 1:00-7:00PM with family receiving guests from
5:00-7:00PM.&nbsp; Burial will be in Oberlin Cemetery.&nbsp; Memorial
contributions can be made to the Decatur County Hospital or Kearney Regional
Medical Center.&nbsp; Condolences can be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com">www.plumergobber.com</a>.

Reta Ann (Vacura) Barratt 

Joanna Copeland, 83, of Manhattan,
Kansas, passed away peacefully on June 2, 2025. She was born on October 9,
1941, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Howard and Florence Metheny.

She was united in marriage to
Jimmy on February 21st, 1960, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Joanna was a woman of many talents and an
unwavering devotion to her family. After graduating high school, she attended
beauty school and proudly opened her own beauty shop. Over the years, she
worked side by side with her husband, Jimmy Copeland, as a bookkeeper in the
parts stores, he owned and managed. She also worked as a bank teller and later
fulfilled a dream of owning her own bakery in Springfield, Missouri.&nbsp; Joanna’s heart was always with her family.
She loved baking treats for and with her children and grandchildren, sewing
beautiful quilts, working in her garden, and spending time camping and enjoying
the outdoors with loved ones. Her home was filled with warmth, delicious smells
from the kitchen, and the laughter of generations.

She is survived by her children,
Lana Copeland of Manhattan, KS; Jana (Kevin) Baker of Manhattan, KS; and James
(Angela) Copeland of La Salle, CO. She was a proud grandmother to Brent
(Kallie) Kolterman, Becky (Matt) Marsh, Brandon Baker, Ryan (Megan) Baker,
Alyssa King-Copeland, and Jacob (Emily) Copeland, and a cherished
great-grandmother to Jenna, Takara, Tarik, Jaden, Kalan, McKenzie, Kanton, and
Knox.

Joanna is also survived by her
siblings: Ruthie (Leonard) Steinle, Bonnie (Leonard) Boys, Frank (Jana)
Metheny, Jeanette (Scott) Wilke, and Annette (Chet) Look.

She was preceded in death by her
beloved husband, Jimmy Copeland; her parents, Howard and Florence Metheny; and
her grandson, Zachary James Copeland.

Joanna’s legacy of love,
creativity, and kindness will live on in all who knew her.

A celebration of Joanna’s life
will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, June 07, 2025, at the
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran
Cemetery in Russell.&nbsp; Visitation will be
from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Friday, June 06, 2025, at the mortuary with family
greeting guests from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. Friday evening.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to the Good Shepherd
Homecare and Hospice of Manhattan, Kansas, and can be sent to the mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell,
Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749056964590.jpeg" alt="Joanna Copeland" />
 <figcaption>Joanna Copeland</figcaption>
 </figure>Joanna Copeland, 83, of Manhattan,
Kansas, passed away peacefully on June 2, 2025. She was born on October 9,
1941, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Howard and Florence Metheny.She was united in marriage to
Jimmy on February 21st, 1960, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Joanna was a woman of many talents and an
unwavering devotion to her family. After graduating high school, she attended
beauty school and proudly opened her own beauty shop. Over the years, she
worked side by side with her husband, Jimmy Copeland, as a bookkeeper in the
parts stores, he owned and managed. She also worked as a bank teller and later
fulfilled a dream of owning her own bakery in Springfield, Missouri.&nbsp; Joanna’s heart was always with her family.
She loved baking treats for and with her children and grandchildren, sewing
beautiful quilts, working in her garden, and spending time camping and enjoying
the outdoors with loved ones. Her home was filled with warmth, delicious smells
from the kitchen, and the laughter of generations.She is survived by her children,
Lana Copeland of Manhattan, KS; Jana (Kevin) Baker of Manhattan, KS; and James
(Angela) Copeland of La Salle, CO. She was a proud grandmother to Brent
(Kallie) Kolterman, Becky (Matt) Marsh, Brandon Baker, Ryan (Megan) Baker,
Alyssa King-Copeland, and Jacob (Emily) Copeland, and a cherished
great-grandmother to Jenna, Takara, Tarik, Jaden, Kalan, McKenzie, Kanton, and
Knox.Joanna is also survived by her
siblings: Ruthie (Leonard) Steinle, Bonnie (Leonard) Boys, Frank (Jana)
Metheny, Jeanette (Scott) Wilke, and Annette (Chet) Look.She was preceded in death by her
beloved husband, Jimmy Copeland; her parents, Howard and Florence Metheny; and
her grandson, Zachary James Copeland.Joanna’s legacy of love,
creativity, and kindness will live on in all who knew her.A celebration of Joanna’s life
will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, June 07, 2025, at the
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran
Cemetery in Russell.&nbsp; Visitation will be
from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Friday, June 06, 2025, at the mortuary with family
greeting guests from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. Friday evening.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to the Good Shepherd
Homecare and Hospice of Manhattan, Kansas, and can be sent to the mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell,
Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Joanna Copeland

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVNA%20BOSE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVNA BOSE AP Health Writer</a>

Measles cases inched up slightly in the U.S. this past week, with a new county impacted in Texas and Colorado reporting a new outbreak.

There are 1,088 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., up 42 from last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak</a>&nbsp;raged during the late winter and spring, reported 10 additional cases this past week for a total of 738.

There are three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">major outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in North America.

One 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">1,888 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 27. Another in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">628 as of Thursday</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 1,693 measles cases and three deaths as of Wednesday, according to data from the state health ministry.

Since the outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>, New Mexico and Oklahoma began,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">two elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">epicenter in 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>&nbsp;have died of measles. All were unvaccinated.

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 Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

<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>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. Here’s what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has a total of 64 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with two hospitalizations. All but five of the cases are connected, and most of the cases are in Gray County.

Colorado has seen a total of seven measles cases in 2025 and one outbreak with three related cases, which the state health department announced Thursday.

All three cases appear to stem from an international flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Two people with confirmed cases live in Arapahoe County, near Denver — one unvaccinated child under the age of 5 and an unrelated vaccinated adult. The other person was an out-of-state traveler who was infectious on the flight and stayed at a hotel near the airport. State health officials said Thursday there is no evidence of further spread.

The other counties with cases in 2025 are Pueblo, Jefferson and Archuleta counties with one each and Denver with two.

How many measles cases are there in Texas?

There are a total of 738 cases across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">35 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>, state health officials said Friday.

Throughout the outbreak, 94 people have been hospitalized. McLennan County, which includes the city of Waco, was added to the state's list of counties with active cases.

<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 — are actively infectious. Fifty-six percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 409 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.

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 added one new case on Friday for a total of 79.

Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two and Chaves and Curry counties have one each.

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.

Oklahoma held steady Friday with a total of 14 confirmed and three probable cases.

The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases.

Michigan has a steady eight confirmed cases of measles, with an outbreak of four connected cases in Montcalm County in the western part of the state that health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak.

Montana has 13 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten are in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years.

Flathead County has two cases and Hill County has one case.

Health officials said there is potential for community transmission in Hill County. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

How many cases are there in North Dakota?

North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, is up to 29 cases as of Thursday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated.

There are 13 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there are eight cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, has one case.

Ohio remained steady for a second week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents.

The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors.

Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each.

How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania remains steady at 15 cases overall in 2025 as of Thursday, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.

An outbreak of eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania has remained steady since it began in mid-April.

Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee’s outbreak started.

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

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

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 says more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

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/2025/5/1748448566253.png" alt="Image KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Image KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVNA%20BOSE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVNA BOSE AP Health Writer</a>Measles cases inched up slightly in the U.S. this past week, with a new county impacted in Texas and Colorado reporting a new outbreak.There are 1,088 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., up 42 from last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak</a>&nbsp;raged during the late winter and spring, reported 10 additional cases this past week for a total of 738.There are three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">major outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in North America.One 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">1,888 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 27. Another in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">628 as of Thursday</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 1,693 measles cases and three deaths as of Wednesday, according to data from the state health ministry.Since the outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>, New Mexico and Oklahoma began,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">two elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">epicenter in 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>&nbsp;have died of measles. All were unvaccinated.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 Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.<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>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. Here’s what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has a total of 64 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with two hospitalizations. All but five of the cases are connected, and most of the cases are in Gray County.<h2>How many cases are there in Colorado?</h2>Colorado has seen a total of seven measles cases in 2025 and one outbreak with three related cases, which the state health department announced Thursday.All three cases appear to stem from an international flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Two people with confirmed cases live in Arapahoe County, near Denver — one unvaccinated child under the age of 5 and an unrelated vaccinated adult. The other person was an out-of-state traveler who was infectious on the flight and stayed at a hotel near the airport. State health officials said Thursday there is no evidence of further spread.The other counties with cases in 2025 are Pueblo, Jefferson and Archuleta counties with one each and Denver with two.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas?</h2>There are a total of 738 cases across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">35 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>, state health officials said Friday.Throughout the outbreak, 94 people have been hospitalized. McLennan County, which includes the city of Waco, was added to the state's list of counties with active cases.<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 — are actively infectious. Fifty-six percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 409 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.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 added one new case on Friday for a total of 79.Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two and Chaves and Curry counties have one each.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.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma held steady Friday with a total of 14 confirmed and three probable cases.The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>Michigan has a steady eight confirmed cases of measles, with an outbreak of four connected cases in Montcalm County in the western part of the state that health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana has 13 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten are in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years.Flathead County has two cases and Hill County has one case.Health officials said there is potential for community transmission in Hill County. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.<h2>How many cases are there in North Dakota?</h2>North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, is up to 29 cases as of Thursday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated.There are 13 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there are eight cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, has one case.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>Ohio remained steady for a second week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents.The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors.Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each.<h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2>Pennsylvania remains steady at 15 cases overall in 2025 as of Thursday, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.An outbreak of eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania has remained steady since it began in mid-April.<h2>How many cases are there in Tennessee?</h2>Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee’s outbreak started.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.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 says more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.<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.

Airline travelers urged to vaccinate as measles cases climb

The Kansas Department of Transportation will begin work on a bridge repair project along K-27 in Sherman County the week of June 2.

The bridge spans the Kyle Railroad and is located 0.84 mile north of the I-70 junction in Goodland. Project work will include a concrete overlay, deck patching and replacement of the bridge rails and approach slabs.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zone and directed by a temporary traffic signal. An 18-foot width restriction will also be in effect. Motorists should anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes during the project. Work is expected to be completed in October, conditions permitting.

Bridges Inc., of Newton, is the primary contractor with a total contract cost of approximately $1.2 million. For more information, please contact KDOT Area Construction Manager Todd Anderson at 785-953-6011 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:todd.anderson@ks.gov">todd.anderson@ks.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748616894341.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KDOTThe Kansas Department of Transportation will begin work on a bridge repair project along K-27 in Sherman County the week of June 2.The bridge spans the Kyle Railroad and is located 0.84 mile north of the I-70 junction in Goodland. Project work will include a concrete overlay, deck patching and replacement of the bridge rails and approach slabs.Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zone and directed by a temporary traffic signal. An 18-foot width restriction will also be in effect. Motorists should anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes during the project. Work is expected to be completed in October, conditions permitting.Bridges Inc., of Newton, is the primary contractor with a total contract cost of approximately $1.2 million. For more information, please contact KDOT Area Construction Manager Todd Anderson at 785-953-6011 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:todd.anderson@ks.gov">todd.anderson@ks.gov</a>.Project map:

Bridge repair project to begin on K-27 near Goodland

TOPEKA —Pride Month kicked off with events around the world this weekend.

It’s an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights.

On Sunday morning, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly used her social media account to recognize the month.

At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest.

In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses.

Here’s a look at the event’s roots and this year’s events and themes.

The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-manhattan-new-york-ny-state-wire-4bc5e39485784b16b4b479dca4e4e32c">Stonewall Inn,</a>&nbsp;a gay bar.

At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of public protests and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-pa-state-wire-new-york-ny-state-wire-5f2159a5120e4833b31683665f9405ca">catalyzed the gay rights movement</a>.

The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned.

There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28.

Some events fall outside of June, too.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-pride-lgbtq-parade-washington-8399b87fb17792740d1c84094369c682">World Pride</a>, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta’s is in October.

Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so.

How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies

When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.

He’s especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-passports-trump-executive-order-ee211c3298f0c6f561f829cf5adca281">on their passport</a>, removed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-ban-military-discharge-troops-0218f0b6fec595c420bd0ac072d87335">transgender military troops</a>&nbsp;and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-transition-executive-order-301e4130233b411311978f66f455f1c4">gender-affirming care for transgender people</a>&nbsp;under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-sports-maine-51322764e6a62c6bbed700bbe7ecfb4d">girls and women’s sports competitions</a>.

All of those changes are being challenged in court.

His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-tennessee-05cf88e277cb9692ffd5bdd0f95aa4cd">Supreme Court is expected to rule</a>&nbsp;this month on whether Tennessee’s ban on medical treatment is constitutional.

One of Trump’s orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call “gender ideology” from government publications and websites.

A result of that:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stonewall-transgender-trump-3add180f5cfcde156f8d809d24e830a6">References to transgender people</a>&nbsp;have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride.

About&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-poll-care-bathrooms-military-trump-b5c9521d3d486e87c8631a99a455df2f">half of U.S. adults</a>&nbsp;approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall.

But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth.

Organizers of Milwaukee’s PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7.

“We’re feeling that people will be showing up, and that’s their protest,” said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc.

The event’s theme is “Celebrating the Power of Pride” and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that’s an intentional move in response to Trump’s policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color.

Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn’t expect more protest than in the past there.

“Everybody’s just there to be together,” he said.

The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide

One milestone that’s likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country.

About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pew-lgbtq-poll-transgender-acceptance-trump-a2971bdc2731f88ceacd64d7614d6152">Pew Research Center poll</a>&nbsp;released last week.

The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don’t always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people.

Which companies are backing off on sponsorships

Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year.

Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year’s budget, they told The Associated Press.

NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs.

In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets.

Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism.

Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.

TOPEKA —Pride Month kicked off with events around the world this weekend.It’s an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights.On Sunday morning, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly used her social media account to recognize the month.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Happy Pride Month, Kansas! This June, we celebrate and elevate the voices and contributions of LGBTQ+ Kansans. Know that as long as I&#39;m governor, I will continue to stand with you — you have an ally in me. <a href="https://t.co/ddTmhEWNsA">pic.twitter.com/ddTmhEWNsA</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1929195229912969528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At its heart, Pride is both a party and a protest.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">All Kansans — regardless of who they are and who they love — deserve to thrive as their most authentic selves. Happy Pride Month! <a href="https://t.co/JAGzsoIPS4">pic.twitter.com/JAGzsoIPS4</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1929241535452983453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the U.S. this year, that means speaking out against a slew of policies that impose restrictions on transgender people and that try to end diversity, equity and inclusion programming in government, education and businesses.Here’s a look at the event’s roots and this year’s events and themes.<h2>When Pride Month began</h2>The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a year after the violent police raid at New York’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-manhattan-new-york-ny-state-wire-4bc5e39485784b16b4b479dca4e4e32c">Stonewall Inn,</a>&nbsp;a gay bar.At a time when many LGBTQ+ people kept their identities private, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of public protests and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-pa-state-wire-new-york-ny-state-wire-5f2159a5120e4833b31683665f9405ca">catalyzed the gay rights movement</a>.The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has since grown to other cities. On the calendar are events in Philadelphia this weekend; New Orleans on June 14; Chicago on June 21 and 22; and New York over the weekend of June 28 and 29. Many other events in big cities and small towns are also planned.There are pride celebrations around the world, including in Tokyo on June 8; Toronto on June 27-29; Sao Paolo on June 22; and Paris on June 28.Some events fall outside of June, too.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-pride-lgbtq-parade-washington-8399b87fb17792740d1c84094369c682">World Pride</a>, a biannual event held this year in Washington, D.C., began in May and goes through June 8. Pride in London is in July; a big celebration in Rio de Janeiro is in November and Atlanta’s is in October.Former President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, marking the first time a U.S. president did so.<h2>How Trump is targeting trans people and DEI policies</h2>When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, he quickly attempted to roll back LGBTQ+ rights.He’s especially targeted transgender people with policies that halted allowing people to change the sex listed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-passports-trump-executive-order-ee211c3298f0c6f561f829cf5adca281">on their passport</a>, removed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-ban-military-discharge-troops-0218f0b6fec595c420bd0ac072d87335">transgender military troops</a>&nbsp;and sought to stop using federal insurance programs to pay for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-transition-executive-order-301e4130233b411311978f66f455f1c4">gender-affirming care for transgender people</a>&nbsp;under age 19, and keep transgender athletes out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-sports-maine-51322764e6a62c6bbed700bbe7ecfb4d">girls and women’s sports competitions</a>.All of those changes are being challenged in court.His actions follow years of policies in Republican-controlled states that bar gender-affirming care for transgender minors and dictate which sports transgender people can play and which school and other public bathrooms they are allowed to use. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-tennessee-05cf88e277cb9692ffd5bdd0f95aa4cd">Supreme Court is expected to rule</a>&nbsp;this month on whether Tennessee’s ban on medical treatment is constitutional.One of Trump’s orders called for removing references to what he and some other conservatives call “gender ideology” from government publications and websites.A result of that:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stonewall-transgender-trump-3add180f5cfcde156f8d809d24e830a6">References to transgender people</a>&nbsp;have been removed from government websites, including the one for the Stonewall National Monument, site of the event that inspired Pride.About&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-poll-care-bathrooms-military-trump-b5c9521d3d486e87c8631a99a455df2f">half of U.S. adults</a>&nbsp;approve of how Trump is handling transgender issues, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found last month. About 4 in 10 voters approve of his job as president overall.But support for his individual policies on transgender people is not uniformly strong, with a clearer consensus against policies that affect youth.<h2>This year’s celebrations in the U.S.</h2>Organizers of Milwaukee’s PrideFest are prepared for close to 50,000 people at the event scheduled for June 5-7.“We’re feeling that people will be showing up, and that’s their protest,” said Wes Shaver, the president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride, Inc.The event’s theme is “Celebrating the Power of Pride” and for the first time, one of the entertainment stages one night will feature only transgender performers. Shaver said that’s an intentional move in response to Trump’s policies. Another night, the stage will feature only performers of color.Jeremy Williams, the executive producer of Philly Pride 365 in Philadelphia, said he didn’t expect more protest than in the past there.“Everybody’s just there to be together,” he said.<h2>The 10th anniversary of same-sex marriage legalized nationwide</h2>One milestone that’s likely to be celebrated: This month marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a watershed event in establishing rights for LGBTQ+ people across the country.About two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. said the case made the nation more accepting of same-sex couples, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pew-lgbtq-poll-transgender-acceptance-trump-a2971bdc2731f88ceacd64d7614d6152">Pew Research Center poll</a>&nbsp;released last week.The poll found that LGBTQ+ people don’t always feel accepted, though. About 6 in 10 said they see “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of social acceptance for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. But only about 1 in 10 said the same is true for nonbinary and transgender people.<h2>Which companies are backing off on sponsorships</h2>Several big companies have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events this year.Among them: Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based brewer, declined to sponsor PrideFest in its home city after three decades of support, leaving organizers $150,000 short of last year’s budget, they told The Associated Press.NYC Pride said about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. The carmaker said it was reviewing all its marketing costs.In other cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri, pride events lost about half their budgets.Several companies that have pulled back have not explained why to the AP. But some experts see the change as part of a broader retreat from brand activism.Still, the groups behind many Pride events say some companies have kept contributing but have asked not to be listed publicly as sponsors.

Kansas Governor issues statement on Pride Month

Ernest “Ernie”
Adair Kroeger, age 91 of Hays, Kansas passed away Thursday, May 29, 2025, at
Via Christi Village. He was born on October 4, 1933, in Ellis, Kansas to Katie
(Gashler) and Charles Kroeger. Ernest graduated from Ellis High School and on
August 21, 1954, he married Darlene Kroeger in St. Mary’s Church in Ellis.

Ernie’s career
included Ogallah and Penokee Co-op, owner of Ernie’s Pro Hardware, Enterprise,
American Electric and St. John’s Rest Home. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Army,
an honorary Life Member of the 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus and a
4th Degree member of the Bishop Cunningham Assembly and did
missionary work at Saint Paul's church in Crown Point, New Mexico. Ernie
enjoyed watching Fort Hays basketball as a season ticket holder. He was an avid
puzzler, auction goer, and volunteered when needed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748701627262.jpeg" alt="Ernest 'Ernie' Kroeger" />
 <figcaption>Ernest 'Ernie' Kroeger</figcaption>
 </figure>Ernest “Ernie”
Adair Kroeger, age 91 of Hays, Kansas passed away Thursday, May 29, 2025, at
Via Christi Village. He was born on October 4, 1933, in Ellis, Kansas to Katie
(Gashler) and Charles Kroeger. Ernest graduated from Ellis High School and on
August 21, 1954, he married Darlene Kroeger in St. Mary’s Church in Ellis.Ernie’s career
included Ogallah and Penokee Co-op, owner of Ernie’s Pro Hardware, Enterprise,
American Electric and St. John’s Rest Home. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Army,
an honorary Life Member of the 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus and a
4th Degree member of the Bishop Cunningham Assembly and did
missionary work at Saint Paul's church in Crown Point, New Mexico. Ernie
enjoyed watching Fort Hays basketball as a season ticket holder. He was an avid
puzzler, auction goer, and volunteered when needed.Ernie is
survived by three daughters, Lynette Wasinger and husband Jerry of Hays,
LouWayne Davidson and husband Rick of Hays and Lori Newell and husband Galen of
Wichita. Grandchildren, Joel Wasinger and Blake Wasinger and wife Teresa, Ben,
Brett and Bryce Davidson, Chris Newell and wife Kara and Nicole Mannion and
husband Alex as well as his great grandchildren, Maddison and Matthew Wasinger,
Owen, Sadie, Kennedy and Hayden Newell, Brayden, Hadley and Avery Mannion.He was preceded
in death by his parents, wife, five brothers and one sister.Mass of
Christian burial will be Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 10:30 AM at St. Nicholas
of Myra Catholic Church, 2901 East 13th Street Hays, Kansas 67601. Recitation
of the Rosary will be at 10:00 AM prior to services at the church.&nbsp;
Inurnment, inclusive of Military Honors, will follow the mass at 2:00 PM in the
State of Kansas Veterans Cemetery - WaKeeney, Kansas.Memories and
words of comfort may be shared on Ernie's tribute page via:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;In lieu of
flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church and/or
St. Paul's Church - Crown Point, New Mexico in care of the funeral chapel.