DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday in strikes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-sanctions-728b811da537abe942682e13a82ff8bd">targeted the country's nuclear program</a>&nbsp;and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.

On social media, President Trump and two members of the Kansas Congressional delegation among many others made statements.

Simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program boiled over and Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ali-khamenei">Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>&nbsp;warned of “severe punishment.”

Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.

Israel's military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Two security officials said the country's Mossad spy agency was also able to position explosive drones inside Iran ahead of time and then activate them to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.

They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran as well as strike systems on vehicles, which were activated as the attack began to hit Iranian air defenses.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the highly secretive missions and it was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment.

The Israeli attack hit several sites, including Iran's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-sites-explained-us-negotiations-cb602a7b53f9314dfba7e35a889fc086">main nuclear enrichment facility</a>&nbsp;at Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. Later in the morning, Israel said it had also destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-funeral-revolutionary-guard-e07df55596d48413fb87bf43711c9441">The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>, Gen. Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported, a significant blow to Tehran's governing theocracy and an immediate escalation of its long-simmering conflict with Israel.

The chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television. Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed.

In response, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel, with both Iraq and Jordan confirming they had flown over their airspace. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside its airspace, and it was not immediately clear whether any got through.

The Trump administration, which had cautioned Israel against an attack during continued negotiations over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, said it had not been involved and warned against any retaliation targeting U.S. interests or personnel.

Still, it seemed likely the U.S. suspected an attack could be in the offing, with Washington on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-embassy-baghdad-f892ebd6a50850ef5650f31819541bff">pulling some American diplomats</a>&nbsp;from Iraq’s capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East.

Israel calls attacks preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program

Israeli leaders cast attack as necessary to head off an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs, though it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that or whether Iran had actually been planning a strike. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

“It could be a year. It could be within a few months,"&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;claimed as he vowed to pursue the attack for as long as necessary to “remove this threat.”

"This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” he said.

Over the past year, Israel has been targeting Iran’s air defenses,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-s300-radar-hit-isfahan-attack-ce6719d3df8ebf5af08b035427ee215c">hitting a radar system</a>&nbsp;for a Russian-made air defense battery in April 2024 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-iran-news-10-26-2024-9c9f366c71c508e6dd0ee74cff8400d2">surface-to-air missile sites</a>&nbsp;and missile manufacturing facilities in October.

Nervous Israelis rushed to supermarkets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere to buy bottled water and other supplies, and circulated messages on WhatsApp groups advising each other to prepare their shelters for potential long-term use.

Iran claims Israel targeted residential areas

Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” Khamenei said in a statement.

For Netanyahu, the operation distracts attention from Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/today-in-history/october-7">ongoing and increasingly devastating war in Gaza</a>, which is now over 20 months old.

There is a broad consensus in the Israeli public that Iran is a major threat, and Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, a staunch critic of Netanyahu, offered his “full support” for the mission against Iran. But if Iranian reprisals cause heavy Israeli casualties or major disruptions to daily life, public opinion could shift quickly.

Netanyahu expressed hope the attacks would trigger the downfall of Iran’s theocracy, saying his message to the Iranian people was that the fight was not with them, but with the “brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years.”

“I believe that the day of your liberation is near,” the Israeli leader said.

Multiple sites in the Iranian capital were hit in the attack, which Netanyahu said targeted both nuclear and military sites. Also targeted were officials leading Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that an Israeli strike hit Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and said it was closely monitoring radiation levels.

The strike on Iran pushed the Israeli military to its limits, requiring the use of aging air-to-air refuelers to get its fighter jets close enough to attack. It wasn’t immediately clear if Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace or just fired so-called “standoff missiles” over another country. People in Iraq heard fighter jets overhead at the time of the attack. Israel previously attacked Iran from over the border in Iraq.

Tension had been growing for weeks ahead of attacks

The potential for an attack had been apparent for weeks as angst built over Iran's nuclear program.

<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-says-an-israeli-attack-on-iran-is-not-imminent-but-is-concerned-it-could-very-well-happen-f383bcf23d0942b0b4474bfc71935e94">President Donald Trump on Thursday</a>&nbsp;said that he did not believe an attack was imminent but also acknowledged that it “could very well happen.”

Once the attacks were underway, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem&nbsp;<a href="https://il.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-jerusalem-june-13-2025/">issued an alert</a>&nbsp;telling American government workers and their families to shelter in place until further notice.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took “unilateral action against Iran” and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense.

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.

Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of his National Security Council on Friday in the White House Situation Room, where he is expected to discuss the conflict with top advisers.

Israel has long been determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a concern laid bare on Thursday when the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-sanctions-728b811da537abe942682e13a82ff8bd">censured Iran</a>&nbsp;over its refusal to work with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site and install more advanced centrifuges.

Even so, there are multiple assessments on how many nuclear weapons Iran could conceivably build, should it choose to do so. Iran would need months to assemble, test and field any weapon, which it so far has said it has no desire to do. U.S. intelligence agencies also assess Iran does not have a weapons program at this time.

In a sign of the far-reaching implications of the emerging conflict, Israel's main airport was closed and benchmark Brent crude spiked on news of the attack, rising nearly 8%.

Federman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat and Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran; Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Eric Tucker in Washington; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut, Lebanon; and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday in strikes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-sanctions-728b811da537abe942682e13a82ff8bd">targeted the country's nuclear program</a>&nbsp;and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.On social media, President Trump and two members of the Kansas Congressional delegation among many others made statements.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749810960125.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As our ally, Israel, takes the steps necessary for their own safety and security, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to the safety of our brave American troops deployed across the Middle East — ensuring their protection is paramount as they safeguard our values. May God…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1933354078840422758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pray for Israel&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1933340059538805088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congressman Schmidt and the United States stand strongly with our ally Israel. Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror and must NEVER be allowed to gain a nuclear weapon. Though we are not involved, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> has made it clear our forces stand ready to defend against…&mdash; Rep. Derek Schmidt Press (@RepDerekSchmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt/status/1933538615675527265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program boiled over and Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ali-khamenei">Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>&nbsp;warned of “severe punishment.”Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⭕️ IAF fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence, struck the Iranian regime&#39;s uranium enrichment site in the Natanz area overnight. This is the largest uranium enrichment site in Iran, which has operated for years to achieve nuclear weapons capability and houses the… <a href="https://t.co/JVLIZFHwLm">pic.twitter.com/JVLIZFHwLm</a>&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1933459738936656100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Israel's military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Two security officials said the country's Mossad spy agency was also able to position explosive drones inside Iran ahead of time and then activate them to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran as well as strike systems on vehicles, which were activated as the attack began to hit Iranian air defenses.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the highly secretive missions and it was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment.The Israeli attack hit several sites, including Iran's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-sites-explained-us-negotiations-cb602a7b53f9314dfba7e35a889fc086">main nuclear enrichment facility</a>&nbsp;at Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. Later in the morning, Israel said it had also destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-funeral-revolutionary-guard-e07df55596d48413fb87bf43711c9441">The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>, Gen. Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported, a significant blow to Tehran's governing theocracy and an immediate escalation of its long-simmering conflict with Israel.The chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television. Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed.In response, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel, with both Iraq and Jordan confirming they had flown over their airspace. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside its airspace, and it was not immediately clear whether any got through.The Trump administration, which had cautioned Israel against an attack during continued negotiations over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, said it had not been involved and warned against any retaliation targeting U.S. interests or personnel.Still, it seemed likely the U.S. suspected an attack could be in the offing, with Washington on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-embassy-baghdad-f892ebd6a50850ef5650f31819541bff">pulling some American diplomats</a>&nbsp;from Iraq’s capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East.<h2>Israel calls attacks preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program</h2>Israeli leaders cast attack as necessary to head off an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs, though it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that or whether Iran had actually been planning a strike. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.“It could be a year. It could be within a few months,"&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;claimed as he vowed to pursue the attack for as long as necessary to “remove this threat.”"This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” he said.Over the past year, Israel has been targeting Iran’s air defenses,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-s300-radar-hit-isfahan-attack-ce6719d3df8ebf5af08b035427ee215c">hitting a radar system</a>&nbsp;for a Russian-made air defense battery in April 2024 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-lebanon-hezbollah-iran-news-10-26-2024-9c9f366c71c508e6dd0ee74cff8400d2">surface-to-air missile sites</a>&nbsp;and missile manufacturing facilities in October.Nervous Israelis rushed to supermarkets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere to buy bottled water and other supplies, and circulated messages on WhatsApp groups advising each other to prepare their shelters for potential long-term use.<h2>Iran claims Israel targeted residential areas</h2>Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” Khamenei said in a statement.For Netanyahu, the operation distracts attention from Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/today-in-history/october-7">ongoing and increasingly devastating war in Gaza</a>, which is now over 20 months old.There is a broad consensus in the Israeli public that Iran is a major threat, and Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, a staunch critic of Netanyahu, offered his “full support” for the mission against Iran. But if Iranian reprisals cause heavy Israeli casualties or major disruptions to daily life, public opinion could shift quickly.Netanyahu expressed hope the attacks would trigger the downfall of Iran’s theocracy, saying his message to the Iranian people was that the fight was not with them, but with the “brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years.”“I believe that the day of your liberation is near,” the Israeli leader said.Multiple sites in the Iranian capital were hit in the attack, which Netanyahu said targeted both nuclear and military sites. Also targeted were officials leading Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that an Israeli strike hit Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and said it was closely monitoring radiation levels.The strike on Iran pushed the Israeli military to its limits, requiring the use of aging air-to-air refuelers to get its fighter jets close enough to attack. It wasn’t immediately clear if Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace or just fired so-called “standoff missiles” over another country. People in Iraq heard fighter jets overhead at the time of the attack. Israel previously attacked Iran from over the border in Iraq.<h2>Tension had been growing for weeks ahead of attacks</h2>The potential for an attack had been apparent for weeks as angst built over Iran's nuclear program.<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-says-an-israeli-attack-on-iran-is-not-imminent-but-is-concerned-it-could-very-well-happen-f383bcf23d0942b0b4474bfc71935e94">President Donald Trump on Thursday</a>&nbsp;said that he did not believe an attack was imminent but also acknowledged that it “could very well happen.”Once the attacks were underway, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem&nbsp;<a href="https://il.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-jerusalem-june-13-2025/">issued an alert</a>&nbsp;telling American government workers and their families to shelter in place until further notice.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took “unilateral action against Iran” and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense.“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of his National Security Council on Friday in the White House Situation Room, where he is expected to discuss the conflict with top advisers.Israel has long been determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a concern laid bare on Thursday when the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-sanctions-728b811da537abe942682e13a82ff8bd">censured Iran</a>&nbsp;over its refusal to work with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site and install more advanced centrifuges.Even so, there are multiple assessments on how many nuclear weapons Iran could conceivably build, should it choose to do so. Iran would need months to assemble, test and field any weapon, which it so far has said it has no desire to do. U.S. intelligence agencies also assess Iran does not have a weapons program at this time.In a sign of the far-reaching implications of the emerging conflict, Israel's main airport was closed and benchmark Brent crude spiked on news of the attack, rising nearly 8%.___Federman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat and Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran; Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Eric Tucker in Washington; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut, Lebanon; and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

President Trump, Kan. lawmakers respond to Israel attack on Iran

LACROSSE—Flame Engineering, Inc. succeeded in achieving 24 Years With No Loss Time Accidents on June 6, 2025. There will be an all-company celebration on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Management and staff take safety seriously and this accomplishment is a tribute to their commitment. In addition to the outstanding safety record, Flame Engineering is currently recognized by Kansas Department of Labor/Industrial Safety &amp; Health Division and OSHA as a SHARP (Safety &amp; Health Achievement Recognition Program) company. The SHARP recognition was first accomplished in October of 2000 and is maintained to date.

Being Green is nothing new to Flame Engineering, Inc., LaCrosse, KS as they have been manufacturing “Earth Friendly” products for over 66 years.

Flame Engineering is the leader in flaming technology and is continuing to provide solutions for farmers, growers (with tractor mounted equipment) and homeowners throughout the world. Red Dragon® products include a variety of powerful handheld propane torches. The “Weed Dragon™” a medium size torch kit that comes fully assembled and quickly hooks up to any refillable propane tank (barbeque cylinders work great) was developed for the growing number of homeowners concerned with the environment for gardening and other uses on their property.

Flaming is a simple process of exposing the weeds to intense heat and vaporizing the water in the leaf cells. Just a split-second exposure to the heat is adequate to kill weeds. Flaming is environmentally friendly since the process kills weeds without the use of herbicides. A concern for the environment has popularized this simple and effective treatment of weed elimination.

All Flame Engineering’s products are assembled in LaCrosse, KS from parts sourced from North American vendors.

For more information, call 1-785-222-2873, Flame Engineering, Inc., PO Box 577, LaCrosse, KS 67548 or visit our website at <a href="https://flameengineering.com/">www.FlameEngineering.com</a>.

For product photos, or additional information, contact Mel Limon by email at Flame@FlameEngineering.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749590381460.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedLACROSSE—Flame Engineering, Inc. succeeded in achieving 24 Years With No Loss Time Accidents on June 6, 2025. There will be an all-company celebration on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Management and staff take safety seriously and this accomplishment is a tribute to their commitment. In addition to the outstanding safety record, Flame Engineering is currently recognized by Kansas Department of Labor/Industrial Safety &amp; Health Division and OSHA as a SHARP (Safety &amp; Health Achievement Recognition Program) company. The SHARP recognition was first accomplished in October of 2000 and is maintained to date.Being Green is nothing new to Flame Engineering, Inc., LaCrosse, KS as they have been manufacturing “Earth Friendly” products for over 66 years.Flame Engineering is the leader in flaming technology and is continuing to provide solutions for farmers, growers (with tractor mounted equipment) and homeowners throughout the world. Red Dragon® products include a variety of powerful handheld propane torches. The “Weed Dragon™” a medium size torch kit that comes fully assembled and quickly hooks up to any refillable propane tank (barbeque cylinders work great) was developed for the growing number of homeowners concerned with the environment for gardening and other uses on their property.Flaming is a simple process of exposing the weeds to intense heat and vaporizing the water in the leaf cells. Just a split-second exposure to the heat is adequate to kill weeds. Flaming is environmentally friendly since the process kills weeds without the use of herbicides. A concern for the environment has popularized this simple and effective treatment of weed elimination.All Flame Engineering’s products are assembled in LaCrosse, KS from parts sourced from North American vendors.For more information, call 1-785-222-2873, Flame Engineering, Inc., PO Box 577, LaCrosse, KS 67548 or visit our website at <a href="https://flameengineering.com/">www.FlameEngineering.com</a>.For product photos, or additional information, contact Mel Limon by email at Flame@FlameEngineering.com.

Flame Engineering, Inc. celebrates outstanding safety achievement

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health this week reported five new case of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 76 cases in 11 counties.

Health officials in Arizona say there are four linked measles cases in Navajo County, marking the state's first outbreak this year.

The U.S. logged 122 more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-vaccine-mmr-covid-exemptions-87cbfe44d8599b68408861f9b62421ed">cases of measles</a>&nbsp;last week — but only four of them in Texas — while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended.

There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in&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, said they'll now post case counts only once a week — yet another sign the outbreak is slowing.

There are three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">major outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=3d8451977cd34084a8b494a6a11b4f1a&amp;sc_lang=en&amp;hash=48D1A6D0D037B39BD421AAF060204EE0">2,009 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions.

Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">761 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 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.

Other U.S.&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, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">In the U.S., 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 this year. All were unvaccinated.

<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.

How many measles cases are there in Texas?

There were a total of 744 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 Tuesday.

Throughout the outbreak, 96 people have been hospitalized.

<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-five percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January — just under 2% 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 held steady Tuesday with a total of 81 cases.

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. Chaves, Curry and San Juan 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 added one case Tuesday for a total of 16 confirmed and three probable cases.

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

Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. The cases are linked to a single source, the county health department said Monday. All four are unvaccinated and have a history of recent international travel.

Colorado has seen a total of 14 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of eight related cases.

The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes four cases in Arapahoe County, three in El Paso County and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado.

Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo.

Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak.

Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years.

Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case.

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, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated.

There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case.

Ohio remained steady for a third 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.

Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee’s outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks.

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

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

Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases.

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health this week reported five new case of measles over the past week in the state for a total of 76 cases in 11 counties.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749773152463.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Health officials in Arizona say there are four linked measles cases in Navajo County, marking the state's first outbreak this year.The U.S. logged 122 more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-vaccine-mmr-covid-exemptions-87cbfe44d8599b68408861f9b62421ed">cases of measles</a>&nbsp;last week — but only four of them in Texas — while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended.There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in&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, said they'll now post case counts only once a week — yet another sign the outbreak is slowing.There are three other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">major outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=3d8451977cd34084a8b494a6a11b4f1a&amp;sc_lang=en&amp;hash=48D1A6D0D037B39BD421AAF060204EE0">2,009 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions.Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alberta.ca/measles">761 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 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.Other U.S.&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, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">In the U.S., 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 this year. All were unvaccinated.<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.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas?</h2>There were a total of 744 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 Tuesday.Throughout the outbreak, 96 people have been hospitalized.<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-five percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January — just under 2% 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 held steady Tuesday with a total of 81 cases.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. Chaves, Curry and San Juan 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 added one case Tuesday for a total of 16 confirmed and three probable cases.The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Arizona?</h2>Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. The cases are linked to a single source, the county health department said Monday. All four are unvaccinated and have a history of recent international travel.<h2>How many cases are there in Colorado?</h2>Colorado has seen a total of 14 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of eight related cases.The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes four cases in Arapahoe County, three in El Paso County and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado.Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo.<h2>How many cases are there in Illinois?</h2>Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana’s first in 35 years.Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case.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, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated.There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>Ohio remained steady for a third 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 Tennessee?</h2>Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee’s outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks.<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, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, 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.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Number of measles cases in Kansas continues to climb

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pablo Reyes stumbled, stopped and still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/lucas-erceg-in-play-no-out-to-paul-goldschmidt?q=Yankees&amp;cp=CMS_FIRST&amp;qt=FREETEXT&amp;p=0">scrambled home safely on a wild play</a>&nbsp;in the eighth inning Thursday night, taking advantage of a throwing error by reliever Lucas Erceg to give the New York Yankees a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

New York completed a three-game sweep to finish 6-0 against the Royals this season after eliminating them 3-1 in their best-of-five playoff series last October.

Backed by some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/salvador-perez-grounds-out-shortstop-anthony-volpe-to-first-baseman-paul?q=Yankees&amp;cp=CMS_FIRST&amp;qt=FREETEXT&amp;p=0">brilliant defense,</a>&nbsp;Will Warren and four relievers combined on a five-hitter as the AL East-leading Yankees (42-25) moved a season-high 17 games over .500. They have the best road record in the majors at 21-13.

Mark Leiter Jr. (4-3) got one out for the win, and Devin Williams earned his ninth save with a perfect ninth. He threw a called third strike past Jac Caglianone to end it, freezing the touted rookie with a full-count fastball.

The game was interrupted by rain for 28 minutes in the top of the sixth.

With two on and two outs in the eighth, Paul Goldschmidt lined a single off the glove of leaping first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. He tracked down the ball behind him and threw to Erceg (1-2) covering first, but Goldschmidt beat the play.

Reyes lost his balance coming around third, changed direction twice and then slid home safely when Erceg bounced his throw to the plate.

Both starters pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Seth Lugo allowed just two hits, while Warren permitted four.

Pasquantino extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and his on-base streak to a career-best 27 games.

New York rested Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells, who were a combined 7 for 23 with three homers and 10 RBIs in the first two games of the series.

The Royals squandered two excellent chances to take their first lead of the series. In the second inning, they had runners on first and second with nobody out. In the fifth, they had a runner at third with one out.

New York swept a season series from the Royals for the third time in their 57-year history. ... The Yankees have won 19 of the past 20 series between the teams.

Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough (3-1, 4.17 ERA) faces Boston LHP Garrett Crochet (6-4, 2.35) in the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Fenway Park.

Royals RHP Michael Wacha (3-5, 3.01 ERA) starts Friday at home against Athletics RHP Luis Severino (1-6, 4.77).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749785927566.jpeg" alt="New York Yankees' Pablo Reyes, right, scores against Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, left, in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>New York Yankees' Pablo Reyes, right, scores against Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, left, in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pablo Reyes stumbled, stopped and still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/lucas-erceg-in-play-no-out-to-paul-goldschmidt?q=Yankees&amp;cp=CMS_FIRST&amp;qt=FREETEXT&amp;p=0">scrambled home safely on a wild play</a>&nbsp;in the eighth inning Thursday night, taking advantage of a throwing error by reliever Lucas Erceg to give the New York Yankees a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.New York completed a three-game sweep to finish 6-0 against the Royals this season after eliminating them 3-1 in their best-of-five playoff series last October.Backed by some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/salvador-perez-grounds-out-shortstop-anthony-volpe-to-first-baseman-paul?q=Yankees&amp;cp=CMS_FIRST&amp;qt=FREETEXT&amp;p=0">brilliant defense,</a>&nbsp;Will Warren and four relievers combined on a five-hitter as the AL East-leading Yankees (42-25) moved a season-high 17 games over .500. They have the best road record in the majors at 21-13.Mark Leiter Jr. (4-3) got one out for the win, and Devin Williams earned his ninth save with a perfect ninth. He threw a called third strike past Jac Caglianone to end it, freezing the touted rookie with a full-count fastball.The game was interrupted by rain for 28 minutes in the top of the sixth.With two on and two outs in the eighth, Paul Goldschmidt lined a single off the glove of leaping first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. He tracked down the ball behind him and threw to Erceg (1-2) covering first, but Goldschmidt beat the play.Reyes lost his balance coming around third, changed direction twice and then slid home safely when Erceg bounced his throw to the plate.Both starters pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Seth Lugo allowed just two hits, while Warren permitted four.Pasquantino extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and his on-base streak to a career-best 27 games.New York rested Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells, who were a combined 7 for 23 with three homers and 10 RBIs in the first two games of the series.<h2>Key moments</h2>The Royals squandered two excellent chances to take their first lead of the series. In the second inning, they had runners on first and second with nobody out. In the fifth, they had a runner at third with one out.<h2>Key stat</h2>New York swept a season series from the Royals for the third time in their 57-year history. ... The Yankees have won 19 of the past 20 series between the teams.<h2>Up next</h2>Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough (3-1, 4.17 ERA) faces Boston LHP Garrett Crochet (6-4, 2.35) in the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Fenway Park.Royals RHP Michael Wacha (3-5, 3.01 ERA) starts Friday at home against Athletics RHP Luis Severino (1-6, 4.77).

⚾ Yankees score late run to edge Royals and complete season sweep

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man charged in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a bicyclist was back in court Wednesday for an arraignment hearing.

Christopher Johnson, 23, plead not guilty to a charge of felony hit-and-run before&nbsp;Judge Eric Williams, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He will face a jury trial in October.

In August of 2024, police responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and an electric bicycle at 2400 N. Hoover in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders found 43-year-old Thomas Doyle of Wichita who was riding the bike unresponsive. Thomas was later pronounced deceased at the scene by Sedgwick County EMS.

Investigators determined Doyle was northbound on Hoover when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Johnsaon that then continued driving north.

On August 22, police arrested Johnson on felony allegations, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=751504">Sedgwick County booking records.</a>&nbsp; He bonded out of jail the following day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724409391079.png" alt="Johnson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man charged in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a bicyclist was back in court Wednesday for an arraignment hearing.Christopher Johnson, 23, plead not guilty to a charge of felony hit-and-run before&nbsp;Judge Eric Williams, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He will face a jury trial in October.In August of 2024, police responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and an electric bicycle at 2400 N. Hoover in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders found 43-year-old Thomas Doyle of Wichita who was riding the bike unresponsive. Thomas was later pronounced deceased at the scene by Sedgwick County EMS.Investigators determined Doyle was northbound on Hoover when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Johnsaon that then continued driving north.On August 22, police arrested Johnson on felony allegations, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=751504">Sedgwick County booking records.</a>&nbsp; He bonded out of jail the following day.

Driver enters plea in fatal Kansas hit-and-run that killed bicyclist

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">dismissed earlier this week</a>.

They include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and transformed into a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, and a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns.

Kennedy's decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations.

The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak.

Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed. He has appeared on podcasts and other conservative news outlets where he’s promoted unproven and alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19.

He has claimed that millions of Americans were hypnotized into taking the COVID-19 shots. He’s even suggested that those vaccines cause a form of AIDS. He’s downplayed deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years.

Other appointees include Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist who was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm. Dr. Cody Meissner, a former ACIP member, also was named.

Kennedy made the announcement in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1932899858920120692">a social media post</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC directors almost always approve those recommendations on how Food and Drug Administration-cleared vaccines should be used. The CDC’s final recommendations are widely heeded by doctors and determine the scope of vaccination programs.

Associated Press reporter Amanda Seitz contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749678718441.png" alt="Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivering meals on wheels Wednesday-image courtesy HHS video" />
 <figcaption>Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivering meals on wheels Wednesday-image courtesy HHS video</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">dismissed earlier this week</a>.They include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and transformed into a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, and a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Monday, I took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). I retired the 17 current members of the committee. I’m now repopulating ACIP with the eight new members who will attend ACIP’s…&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1932899858920120692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kennedy's decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations.The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak.Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed. He has appeared on podcasts and other conservative news outlets where he’s promoted unproven and alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19.He has claimed that millions of Americans were hypnotized into taking the COVID-19 shots. He’s even suggested that those vaccines cause a form of AIDS. He’s downplayed deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years.Other appointees include Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist who was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm. Dr. Cody Meissner, a former ACIP member, also was named.Kennedy made the announcement in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1932899858920120692">a social media post</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC directors almost always approve those recommendations on how Food and Drug Administration-cleared vaccines should be used. The CDC’s final recommendations are widely heeded by doctors and determine the scope of vaccination programs.___Associated Press reporter Amanda Seitz contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

COVID shot critic among Kennedy vaccine committee replacements

5 other women identified as possible victims

On Monday, in an Ellis County courtroom in Hays, Wakefield resident Alec Donald Vann was sentenced to 114 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery.

Vann was initially charged with two counts of rape, both being level 1 person felonies, and one count of aggravated sexual battery, a severity level 5-person felony.

The charges alleged Vann knowingly engaged in sexual acts and intercourse with a woman, who did not consent and was overcome by force or fear, in Hays in October 2023.

Vann accepted a plea agreement from the state and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery. After serving his 114-month prison sentence, Vann will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years and be subject to lifetime post-release supervision.

In addition to the victim in Hays, five additional people were identified as possible victims of Vann. Four victims were willing to speak with the prosecutor, and ultimately, three testified concerning the defendant’s prior acts of sexual misconduct.

The defendant was represented by Andy Vinduska, attorney from Manhattan. The state was represented by former Ellis County Attorney and now Special Prosecutor Appointed, Robert A. Anderson Jr. The Honorable Thomas Drees, 23rd Judicial District Court Judge, served as the sentencing judge.

"This defendant was finally held responsible for his actions, and the Ellis County Attorney's Office will continue to seek justice for victims and hold perpetrators accountable," Anderson said. "We are thankful to the courageous women who came forward in this matter and hope they can now move forward in peace and heal from the trauma caused by the defendant."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749666168670.png" alt="Vann-photo&nbsp; KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Vann-photo&nbsp; KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>5 other women identified as possible victims</h2>Ellis County Attorney's OfficeOn Monday, in an Ellis County courtroom in Hays, Wakefield resident Alec Donald Vann was sentenced to 114 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery.Vann was initially charged with two counts of rape, both being level 1 person felonies, and one count of aggravated sexual battery, a severity level 5-person felony.The charges alleged Vann knowingly engaged in sexual acts and intercourse with a woman, who did not consent and was overcome by force or fear, in Hays in October 2023.Vann accepted a plea agreement from the state and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery. After serving his 114-month prison sentence, Vann will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years and be subject to lifetime post-release supervision.In addition to the victim in Hays, five additional people were identified as possible victims of Vann. Four victims were willing to speak with the prosecutor, and ultimately, three testified concerning the defendant’s prior acts of sexual misconduct.The defendant was represented by Andy Vinduska, attorney from Manhattan. The state was represented by former Ellis County Attorney and now Special Prosecutor Appointed, Robert A. Anderson Jr. The Honorable Thomas Drees, 23rd Judicial District Court Judge, served as the sentencing judge."This defendant was finally held responsible for his actions, and the Ellis County Attorney's Office will continue to seek justice for victims and hold perpetrators accountable," Anderson said. "We are thankful to the courageous women who came forward in this matter and hope they can now move forward in peace and heal from the trauma caused by the defendant."

Man sentenced on aggravated sexual battery charges in Ellis County

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is drawing down the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military said Wednesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">The State Department</a>&nbsp;said it has ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment “to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.” The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel.

The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them an option on whether to leave those countries.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also “has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations” across the region, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The command “is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.”

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed the moves.

“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” Kelly said.

Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-analysis-israel-mideast-2cbea2d6982bd8806d7e8fa7771afc37">talks between the U.S. and Iran</a>&nbsp;over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-resolution-board-9967699da494571d415a510b48b44313">its rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>&nbsp;appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.

The next round of talks — the sixth — had been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, according to two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters. However, those officials said Wednesday that it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen.

President Donald Trump, who has previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">threatened to use military force against Iran</a>&nbsp;if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about” a deal.

“They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame. I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them," he said in the interview, which was recorded on Monday.

Iran’s mission to the U.N. posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts.”

“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism only fuels instability,” the Iranian mission wrote.

Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists Wednesday that he hoped talks with the U.S. would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond.

“If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,” he said. “We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”

Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that’s still active until October. Trump withdrew from that deal in his first term.

Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it “has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”

It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is drawing down the presence of people who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military said Wednesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">The State Department</a>&nbsp;said it has ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment “to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.” The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel.The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them an option on whether to leave those countries.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also “has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations” across the region, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The command “is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.”White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed the moves.“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” Kelly said.Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-analysis-israel-mideast-2cbea2d6982bd8806d7e8fa7771afc37">talks between the U.S. and Iran</a>&nbsp;over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-resolution-board-9967699da494571d415a510b48b44313">its rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>&nbsp;appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.The next round of talks — the sixth — had been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, according to two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters. However, those officials said Wednesday that it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen.President Donald Trump, who has previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">threatened to use military force against Iran</a>&nbsp;if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about” a deal.“They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame. I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them," he said in the interview, which was recorded on Monday.Iran’s mission to the U.N. posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts.”“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism only fuels instability,” the Iranian mission wrote.Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists Wednesday that he hoped talks with the U.S. would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond.“If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,” he said. “We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that’s still active until October. Trump withdrew from that deal in his first term.Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it “has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.___

US orders nonessential staff to leave Baghdad Embassy as Iran tensions rise

PHILLIPSBURG&nbsp; — The first Phillips County Farmers Market this season is Tuesday, June 10, 4-7 p.m. in the courthouse square in Phillipsburg.

The market is held the second Tuesday of each month through October.

Find more than 40 vendors with produce, beef, fresh farm eggs, candles, baked goods, candy and more.

The market features five food trucks, a free kids corner and live music.

Visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phillipscomarket">Phillips County Farmers Market on Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1748969119301.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedPHILLIPSBURG&nbsp; — The first Phillips County Farmers Market this season is Tuesday, June 10, 4-7 p.m. in the courthouse square in Phillipsburg.The market is held the second Tuesday of each month through October.Find more than 40 vendors with produce, beef, fresh farm eggs, candles, baked goods, candy and more.The market features five food trucks, a free kids corner and live music.Visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phillipscomarket">Phillips County Farmers Market on Facebook</a>.

Phillips County Farmers Market opens June 10 in Phillipsburg

Unlike hunting seasons, fishing never really ends here in Kansas. Yes, different times of the year bring with them differing success rates for different species, but there is good fishing to be had year around here in the sunflower state if you know where to go and how to do it. 

The Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) puts together and maintains fishing reports and fishing forecasts to help you with that. I spoke with the KDWPT Fisheries Biologist in my area and got a crash course in reading and interpreting their fishing reports and forecasts and learned more about how they put them together.

Kansas fishing reports and forecasts are found on the website, <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing">www.ksoutdoors.com</a>.

FISHING REPORTS are simply information gathered by biologists from fisherman, marinas etc. at each lake and reservoir about how best to catch each species of fish in that impoundment. Fishing reports are updated weekly from March through October as information is received.

Fish sampling occurs on all federal reservoirs and state lakes, and on some community owned lakes and ponds, and annual FISHING FORECASTS are generated from that data. These forecasts predict fishing success for each species at all Kansas federal reservoirs and state lakes and rank each water impoundment for these species.

To access fishing REPORTS, go to the <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Reports">website, click on fishing, then on reports</a>. From the list of regions, choose the region that contains the lake or reservoir you want to check, then click on the appropriate lake.

To view fishing FORECASTS, <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Forecast">click on forecasts</a>, then from the list of fish species shown, click on the species you want to know about, then you will be given a choice of all lakes, ponds and reservoirs sampled for that species.

Down the left side of the forecast is displayed a list of all lakes or reservoirs sampled for the species you chose. 

The first category will be “Density Rating” and is the number or fish over 8 inches found in each net or trap. 

The next two categories are “Preferred Rating “and “Lunker Rating,” and display the number of fish over 10 inches and over 12 inches respectively found when sampling. 

The next category called “Biggest Fish” is simply the weight of the largest fish caught in the sample. 

The next category called “Biologists Rating” rates the&nbsp;impoundment as Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor according to information available to the biologist, and it may not reflect all the other categories if information is known about the fish populations there that weren’t necessarily reflected in the samples captured.

The last category is “3 Year Average,” and is the average number of fish over eight inches captured over the last three years of sampling. The lakes are listed by the density rating; the more fish over eight inches captured in sampling, the higher that lake is ranked.

Fishing reports and forecasts are obviously not infallible, but are both good tools to help fishermen decide where and how they might want to spend their time and efforts. Remember, fishing success also depends on weather, which includes a myriad of different factors. So, grab a kid, a spouse or a friend and take someone fishing this year as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILANDUnlike hunting seasons, fishing never really ends here in Kansas. Yes, different times of the year bring with them differing success rates for different species, but there is good fishing to be had year around here in the sunflower state if you know where to go and how to do it. The Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) puts together and maintains fishing reports and fishing forecasts to help you with that. I spoke with the KDWPT Fisheries Biologist in my area and got a crash course in reading and interpreting their fishing reports and forecasts and learned more about how they put them together.Kansas fishing reports and forecasts are found on the website, <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing">www.ksoutdoors.com</a>. FISHING REPORTS are simply information gathered by biologists from fisherman, marinas etc. at each lake and reservoir about how best to catch each species of fish in that impoundment. Fishing reports are updated weekly from March through October as information is received. Fish sampling occurs on all federal reservoirs and state lakes, and on some community owned lakes and ponds, and annual FISHING FORECASTS are generated from that data. These forecasts predict fishing success for each species at all Kansas federal reservoirs and state lakes and rank each water impoundment for these species.To access fishing REPORTS, go to the <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Reports">website, click on fishing, then on reports</a>. From the list of regions, choose the region that contains the lake or reservoir you want to check, then click on the appropriate lake. To view fishing FORECASTS, <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Forecast">click on forecasts</a>, then from the list of fish species shown, click on the species you want to know about, then you will be given a choice of all lakes, ponds and reservoirs sampled for that species.Down the left side of the forecast is displayed a list of all lakes or reservoirs sampled for the species you chose. The first category will be “Density Rating” and is the number or fish over 8 inches found in each net or trap. The next two categories are “Preferred Rating “and “Lunker Rating,” and display the number of fish over 10 inches and over 12 inches respectively found when sampling. The next category called “Biggest Fish” is simply the weight of the largest fish caught in the sample. The next category called “Biologists Rating” rates the&nbsp;impoundment as Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor according to information available to the biologist, and it may not reflect all the other categories if information is known about the fish populations there that weren’t necessarily reflected in the samples captured.The last category is “3 Year Average,” and is the average number of fish over eight inches captured over the last three years of sampling. The lakes are listed by the density rating; the more fish over eight inches captured in sampling, the higher that lake is ranked.Fishing reports and forecasts are obviously not infallible, but are both good tools to help fishermen decide where and how they might want to spend their time and efforts. Remember, fishing success also depends on weather, which includes a myriad of different factors. So, grab a kid, a spouse or a friend and take someone fishing this year as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Reading, interpreting Kansas fishing reports, forecasts

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.

<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>.