Duane
Joseph Prais, a beloved husband, father, granddad, brother, uncle, and friend,
passed away April 28, 2025, at the age of 69 at his home in Rapid City, South
Dakota. Born&nbsp; May 27, 1955, in Dearborn,
Michigan, Duane was the son of Eugene and Mildred “Millie” (Grzybowski) Prais.
He lived a life filled with joy, kindness, with an unwavering passion for
family and community. He leaves behind a legacy of love that will be carried on
by those who knew him.

Duane
and Cheryl (Kemp) Prais met through a mutual friend while both working in Wichita,
Kansas fresh out of college. They married&nbsp;
May 28, 1982, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hill City,
Kansas. Their union was a testament to enduring love as it was filled with
shared experiences and countless memories. Together they raised three wonderful
children: Teresa (Tony) Ohlmacher, Joseph (Jennifer) Prais, and Emily Prais,
all of whom were the light of his life. As a dad, Duane was the first to play
catch, volunteer for house projects, lend his truck for a move, mow anyone’s
grass, or watch grandkids/grandpups. Also known by his kids as ‘The Captain’ of
poop, pee and puke, he had no problems with the hands-on nature of fatherhood.
He was a proud granddad, doting on his grandchildren—Arthur, Olive, and Iris
Ohlmacher, and JoAnn and Juniper Prais—with an affection that knew no
bounds.&nbsp;

Duane
was known for his charismatic personality, quick wit, and a competitive spirit
that made every interaction memorable. He possessed an innate ability to
connect with anyone, you could say he never met a stranger, and his
effervescent joy was contagious. He was known to leave friends and family in
stitches with his card tricks and playful banter. Duane was a telepathic card
trick ‘wizard’, a fervent euchre or cribbage player and a fierce competitor at
any court, table or field. While he excelled at any sport, he was particularly
drawn to racket sports. His presence undoubtedly brought smiles, and his
enthusiasm for life was unparalleled. Whether he was coaching kids in sports,
serving as HOA President, or volunteering in church ministries—such as youth
ministry or Habitat for Humanity—Duane poured his heart into every endeavor.

Duane
graduated from Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Michigan in 1973. Where he
had the privilege of playing football under Coach Bill McCartney, who strongly
impacted the course of his life. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1978, which he
fondly visited last October to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of his
football team’s undefeated 9–0 season, and where he played as a linebacker. As
an accomplished mechanical engineer, his professional accolades included
impactful roles at Cargill, Engineered Seal Products, Able Technology, and
Flowserve. He left a mark with both his expertise and leadership skills, as
demonstrated by winning the “Spirit of FlowServe” award for seven consecutive
years.&nbsp;

Duane’s
commitment to his family extended beyond his immediate loved ones. He is
survived by his siblings, Michael (Ellen) Prais, Robin (Sue) Prais, and Maureen
Prais, and he held a special place in the hearts of his nieces and nephews:
Matt Barnes, Blaine Barnes, Amy Snyder, Jason (Bree) Prais, Andy (Michelle)
Prais, Megan (Caleb) Hon, and Matthew Prais. His warmth, support, and
dedication to family made him an irreplaceable figure in all their lives.

He
is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Mildred Prais, mother and
father-in-law, Virgil and Teresa Kemp, brother and sister-in-law William and
Carol Barnes and nephew Jeff Snyder. Duane leaves a powerful legacy of love,
kindness, and charisma. His friends and family will forever cherish the
memories of laughter shared, stories told, and the countless moments that
defined his remarkable life.

Duane Joseph
Prais, your spirit will forever shine brightly in our hearts, and while you may
no longer walk with us, your legacy of love, laughter, and kindness will
continue to inspire.

A
Funeral Mass will be celebrated in his honor by his family and friends at
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church May 1, 2025, at 11:30 A.M. in Rapid City, South
Dakota followed by a Memorial Service and Burial May 3, 2025 at Stinemetz
Funeral Home, Hill City, Kansas at 11:00 A.M.&nbsp;

Memorial
for Duane is to the Graham County Ministerial Allliance Food Bank in care of
Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 N. Pomeroy Ave. Hill City, KS 67642.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746043291758.jpeg" alt="Duane Joseph Prais" />
 <figcaption>Duane Joseph Prais</figcaption>
 </figure>Duane
Joseph Prais, a beloved husband, father, granddad, brother, uncle, and friend,
passed away April 28, 2025, at the age of 69 at his home in Rapid City, South
Dakota. Born&nbsp; May 27, 1955, in Dearborn,
Michigan, Duane was the son of Eugene and Mildred “Millie” (Grzybowski) Prais.
He lived a life filled with joy, kindness, with an unwavering passion for
family and community. He leaves behind a legacy of love that will be carried on
by those who knew him.Duane
and Cheryl (Kemp) Prais met through a mutual friend while both working in Wichita,
Kansas fresh out of college. They married&nbsp;
May 28, 1982, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hill City,
Kansas. Their union was a testament to enduring love as it was filled with
shared experiences and countless memories. Together they raised three wonderful
children: Teresa (Tony) Ohlmacher, Joseph (Jennifer) Prais, and Emily Prais,
all of whom were the light of his life. As a dad, Duane was the first to play
catch, volunteer for house projects, lend his truck for a move, mow anyone’s
grass, or watch grandkids/grandpups. Also known by his kids as ‘The Captain’ of
poop, pee and puke, he had no problems with the hands-on nature of fatherhood.
He was a proud granddad, doting on his grandchildren—Arthur, Olive, and Iris
Ohlmacher, and JoAnn and Juniper Prais—with an affection that knew no
bounds.&nbsp;Duane
was known for his charismatic personality, quick wit, and a competitive spirit
that made every interaction memorable. He possessed an innate ability to
connect with anyone, you could say he never met a stranger, and his
effervescent joy was contagious. He was known to leave friends and family in
stitches with his card tricks and playful banter. Duane was a telepathic card
trick ‘wizard’, a fervent euchre or cribbage player and a fierce competitor at
any court, table or field. While he excelled at any sport, he was particularly
drawn to racket sports. His presence undoubtedly brought smiles, and his
enthusiasm for life was unparalleled. Whether he was coaching kids in sports,
serving as HOA President, or volunteering in church ministries—such as youth
ministry or Habitat for Humanity—Duane poured his heart into every endeavor.Duane
graduated from Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Michigan in 1973. Where he
had the privilege of playing football under Coach Bill McCartney, who strongly
impacted the course of his life. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1978, which he
fondly visited last October to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of his
football team’s undefeated 9–0 season, and where he played as a linebacker. As
an accomplished mechanical engineer, his professional accolades included
impactful roles at Cargill, Engineered Seal Products, Able Technology, and
Flowserve. He left a mark with both his expertise and leadership skills, as
demonstrated by winning the “Spirit of FlowServe” award for seven consecutive
years.&nbsp;Duane’s
commitment to his family extended beyond his immediate loved ones. He is
survived by his siblings, Michael (Ellen) Prais, Robin (Sue) Prais, and Maureen
Prais, and he held a special place in the hearts of his nieces and nephews:
Matt Barnes, Blaine Barnes, Amy Snyder, Jason (Bree) Prais, Andy (Michelle)
Prais, Megan (Caleb) Hon, and Matthew Prais. His warmth, support, and
dedication to family made him an irreplaceable figure in all their lives.He
is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Mildred Prais, mother and
father-in-law, Virgil and Teresa Kemp, brother and sister-in-law William and
Carol Barnes and nephew Jeff Snyder. Duane leaves a powerful legacy of love,
kindness, and charisma. His friends and family will forever cherish the
memories of laughter shared, stories told, and the countless moments that
defined his remarkable life.Duane Joseph
Prais, your spirit will forever shine brightly in our hearts, and while you may
no longer walk with us, your legacy of love, laughter, and kindness will
continue to inspire.A
Funeral Mass will be celebrated in his honor by his family and friends at
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church May 1, 2025, at 11:30 A.M. in Rapid City, South
Dakota followed by a Memorial Service and Burial May 3, 2025 at Stinemetz
Funeral Home, Hill City, Kansas at 11:00 A.M.&nbsp;Memorial
for Duane is to the Graham County Ministerial Allliance Food Bank in care of
Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 N. Pomeroy Ave. Hill City, KS 67642.

Duane Joseph Prais

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported nine new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;

Kansas has 46 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, Finney, Ford and Gray counties.  One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,020 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 761 measles cases and one death, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Texas outbreak</a>.

<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 preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

As the virus takes hold in other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear the virus that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 17 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to 663&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. The state also added 23 hospitalizations to its count Tuesday saying they were from earlier in the outbreak, for a total of 87 hospitalizations.

<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.

Sixty percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 396 cases since late January — just over 1.5% 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 Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas 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 age 6.

New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 66. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.

State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.

Indiana confirmed two more cases April 21 in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said last week.

Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to Canada’s large outbreak in Ontario. The state has nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak.

Montana state health officials announced five cases April 17 in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.

They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 32 measles cases in the state Thursday, and one hospitalization. The state count includes only Ohio residents. There are 16 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties.

Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, said there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in the state.

Oklahoma added two cases Tuesday: 12 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Custer, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.

How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?

There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state said Friday it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.

Tennessee has six measles cases as of Thursday. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started.

The state health department announced the state's first measles case March 21, three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17, but none of the news releases declared an outbreak. Tennessee is on a list of outbreak states in a Thursday CDC report.

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

There have been 884 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the CDC. Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. 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 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 measles 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 most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746029051667.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported nine new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;Kansas has 46 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, Finney, Ford and Gray counties. One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746027333296.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746025869424.png" alt="KDHE map" />
 <figcaption>KDHE map</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746026380664.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,020 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 761 measles cases and one death, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Texas outbreak</a>.<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 preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear the virus that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 17 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to 663&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. The state also added 23 hospitalizations to its count Tuesday saying they were from earlier in the outbreak, for a total of 87 hospitalizations.<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.Sixty percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 396 cases since late January — just over 1.5% 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 Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas 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 age 6.New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 66. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana confirmed two more cases April 21 in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said last week.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to Canada’s large outbreak in Ontario. The state has nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana state health officials announced five cases April 17 in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 32 measles cases in the state Thursday, and one hospitalization. The state count includes only Ohio residents. There are 16 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties.Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, said there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in the state.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma added two cases Tuesday: 12 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Custer, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.<h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2>There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state said Friday it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.<h2>How many cases are there in Tennessee?</h2>Tennessee has six measles cases as of Thursday. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started.The state health department announced the state's first measles case March 21, three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17, but none of the news releases declared an outbreak. Tennessee is on a list of outbreak states in a Thursday CDC report.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>There have been 884 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the CDC. Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. 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 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 measles 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 most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a><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>

KDHE reports increase in measles cases in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Secretary Christopher Kennedy has issued orders designating several Free Fishing and Free State Park Entrance days. The announcement was made at the April 24, 2025, Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission meeting.

The Free Fishing Days are June 7 and 8, 2025. On those days, anyone can fish by legal means without a Kansas fishing license. All length and creel limits still apply.

All Kansas State Parks will also offer free entrance on Saturday, May 3. Camping fees still apply.

“I encourage everyone to take advantage of these opportunities to enjoy Kansas’ incredible natural resources,” said Kennedy. “Whether you're casting a line, hiking a trail, picnicking on a beach, or simply taking in the beauty of nature, these days are meant to inspire connection with your family, friends, and the great outdoors.”

Along with these statewide events, Secretary Kennedy has also designated several park-specific Free Entrance Days that align with local events and programs designed to engage families, outdoor enthusiasts, and newcomers to Kansas state parks. 

• May 11 – Wilson State Park • May 17 – Milford State Park • June 7 – Cheney State Park • June 7 – El Dorado State Park • June 7 – Prairie Dog State Park • June 7 – Elk City State Park • June 7 – Glen Elder State Park • June 14 – Cedar Bluff State Park • June 14 – Historic Lake Scott State Park • June 14 – Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park • July 4 – Cross Timbers State Park • August 16 – Hillsdale State Park • August 23 – Tuttle Creek State Park • September 7 – Lovewell State Park • September 21 – Webster State Park • September 27 – Clinton State Park • September 27 – Crawford State Park. • September 27 – Fall River State Park • October 11 – Eisenhower State Park • October 11 – Meade State Park • October 25 – Kanopolis State Park • October 25 – Perry State Park • October 25 – Pomona State Park • October 25 – Sand Hills State Park

For more information about Kansas state parks, fishing opportunities, and upcoming events, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fksoutdoors.com%2F%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=freedays/1/010101967e45291f-298f42e6-820f-408e-ba54-9cdc1154d903-000000/K2BJiAgXF--QsojbaLsg7791f6HqObaIoDKb_76OjZU=402">ksoutdoors.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744816152405.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPTOPEKA&nbsp;– Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Secretary Christopher Kennedy has issued orders designating several Free Fishing and Free State Park Entrance days. The announcement was made at the April 24, 2025, Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission meeting.The Free Fishing Days are June 7 and 8, 2025. On those days, anyone can fish by legal means without a Kansas fishing license. All length and creel limits still apply.All Kansas State Parks will also offer free entrance on Saturday, May 3. Camping fees still apply.“I encourage everyone to take advantage of these opportunities to enjoy Kansas’ incredible natural resources,” said Kennedy. “Whether you're casting a line, hiking a trail, picnicking on a beach, or simply taking in the beauty of nature, these days are meant to inspire connection with your family, friends, and the great outdoors.”Along with these statewide events, Secretary Kennedy has also designated several park-specific Free Entrance Days that align with local events and programs designed to engage families, outdoor enthusiasts, and newcomers to Kansas state parks. These dates are as follows:• May 11 – Wilson State Park • May 17 – Milford State Park • June 7 – Cheney State Park • June 7 – El Dorado State Park • June 7 – Prairie Dog State Park • June 7 – Elk City State Park • June 7 – Glen Elder State Park • June 14 – Cedar Bluff State Park • June 14 – Historic Lake Scott State Park • June 14 – Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park • July 4 – Cross Timbers State Park • August 16 – Hillsdale State Park • August 23 – Tuttle Creek State Park • September 7 – Lovewell State Park • September 21 – Webster State Park • September 27 – Clinton State Park • September 27 – Crawford State Park. • September 27 – Fall River State Park • October 11 – Eisenhower State Park • October 11 – Meade State Park • October 25 – Kanopolis State Park • October 25 – Perry State Park • October 25 – Pomona State Park • October 25 – Sand Hills State ParkFor more information about Kansas state parks, fishing opportunities, and upcoming events, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fksoutdoors.com%2F%3Futm_source=news%26utm_medium=press-release%26utm_campaign=freedays/1/010101967e45291f-298f42e6-820f-408e-ba54-9cdc1154d903-000000/K2BJiAgXF--QsojbaLsg7791f6HqObaIoDKb_76OjZU=402">ksoutdoors.com</a>.

Free fishing, state park entrance days for 2025 announced by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/29/kansas-meals-on-wheels-families-leaders-fear-potential-federal-funding-cuts/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Fear that federal funding cuts will mean loved ones won’t receive nutritional food and safety checks through Meals on Wheels is driving an increase of calls to agencies across Kansas.

“It’s scary,” said Laurel Alkire, executive director of Senior Services Inc. of Wichita. “I’ve had a lot of families call me about their mom or dad. We’re trying to not overreact, but it’s very concerning.”

The fear is generated by potential federal funding cuts from multiple sources that could affect Meals on Wheels budgets nationwide, said Josh Protas, an advocate at the organization’s national office, Meals on Wheels America.&nbsp;

“I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of anxiety that we’re hearing from across our network that is in response to multiple threats that are happening all at once,” he said.

Programs facing federal cuts include those funded by Health and Human Services, which has faced “massive” cuts of budget and personnel, Protas said. A leaked budget document signaled intentions to cut and split apart some programs that serve older adults.&nbsp;

Also of concern is the ongoing budget reconciliation process, which among other things may include elimination of social services block grants and cuts to the Older Americans Act, he said.&nbsp;

“Social Services Block Grants are a critical source of funding for many Meals on Wheels programs to help fill in the gaps where there are shortfalls in other funding sources,” Protas said.&nbsp;

Proposed cuts to Medicaid also could harm Meals on Wheels budgets because those funds sometimes offer reimbursements, he said.&nbsp;

Isys Schmitt, director of nutrition at the Hays-based Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, said her agency serves 18 counties at 28 sites in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;

“I do hear the concerns from participants,” she said. “I think it’s more they hear these things on the news, and they automatically think it’s going to affect our program very badly.”

Her agency receives about 25% of its funding from federal sources, 25% from the state, and the rest in contributions, Schmitt said.&nbsp;

Protas said Meals on Wheels programs are all funded through different mechanisms, so it’s difficult to tell how cuts might affect each program. Some get almost no federal funding, while others may receive 80% of funds from federal sources.

Julie Govert Walter, executive director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging Inc., is assessing potential cuts and trying to plan for how her agency might be affected, including the Meals on Wheels program it runs.&nbsp;

“We’re right now telling people don’t panic,” she said. “We don’t want our elder Kansans to stress out over the uncertainty. At the same time, we want lawmakers in Washington to understand that the Older Americans Act programs are making significant differences in the lives of older Kansans and their caregivers and their families.”

About half of Walter’s agency budget is derived from the Older Americans Act, with about 34% of the allocation and related in-kind match donations supporting the meals program in 18 northeast Kansas counties.

Alkire said that Wichita’s Senior Services has other programs besides Meals on Wheels, including a senior employment program and four senior centers for active seniors 55 and older.&nbsp;

“Meals on Wheels is our bread and butter,” she said. “We’ve got some reserves, but that wouldn’t last long.”

Walter said she believes the programs her organization runs are aligned with Trump administration policies because they’re frugal, cost-conscious and have significant volunteer support. In addition, Meals on Wheels helps seniors live independently, which often keeps them out of more costly nursing home facilities.&nbsp;

Protas said the national organization is walking the line of not scaring seniors about funding cuts but making sure people are reaching out to make their voices heard.

“Many of these things that we’re worried about, there haven’t been final decisions made yet,” he said. “So we’re using this time to advocate and to just tell the story about Meals on Wheels. We’re advising our Meals on Wheels member programs to do some contingency planning so that in the event that there are delays or disruptions in funding, they’re not caught off guard. We’re not doing that in a way that instills panic, but we recognize that the threats are serious.”

Walter said planning right now is tough because of political uncertainties, but even more so because she doesn’t have information from the feds that she needs. Usually by this time of year, she knows what her budget is for the upcoming year. She doesn’t have those numbers yet to plan for fiscal year 2026, which will start in October.&nbsp;

In mid-March, Congress funded the Older Americans Act and other programs through September 2025 with a continuing resolution. But no one knows what will happen next, Walter said. When she considers potential cuts of up to 30% of her agency’s funding, she’s not sure how to think about what actions to take.&nbsp;

Options could include cutting the number of days they serve meals from five to two or three, but that would involve potential workforce cuts, she said.&nbsp;

“It’s a puzzle,” she said. “We’re doing what we can to communicate with members of Congress about our situation, and I will say I think most members of the Kansas congressional delegation understand the importance of the OAA.”

Walter said one of the biggest challenges is communicating with people about the importance of Meals on Wheels and other programs for aging Kansans.&nbsp;

“We all know what it’s like to be a kid, to be an adolescent, to be a young adult, and to be in middle age,” she said. “But honestly, most people don’t get what it’s like to really deal with challenges and the anxieties of being older, 75 and 80 plus, until we’re there. It’s so dependent on health and community and social relationships.”

“The stress and uncertainty is real, and it has real effects on people’s minds and hearts and spirits,” Walter said. “It’s hard to quantify, but you know it’s real. Drama is not good for older people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746021166061.jpeg" alt="The Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging in Hays gets 25% of its budget from federal funding sources, which are facing possible cuts. Photo by Cade Rothenberger/ Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>The Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging in Hays gets 25% of its budget from federal funding sources, which are facing possible cuts. Photo by Cade Rothenberger/ Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/29/kansas-meals-on-wheels-families-leaders-fear-potential-federal-funding-cuts/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Fear that federal funding cuts will mean loved ones won’t receive nutritional food and safety checks through Meals on Wheels is driving an increase of calls to agencies across Kansas.“It’s scary,” said Laurel Alkire, executive director of Senior Services Inc. of Wichita. “I’ve had a lot of families call me about their mom or dad. We’re trying to not overreact, but it’s very concerning.”The fear is generated by potential federal funding cuts from multiple sources that could affect Meals on Wheels budgets nationwide, said Josh Protas, an advocate at the organization’s national office, Meals on Wheels America.&nbsp;“I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of anxiety that we’re hearing from across our network that is in response to multiple threats that are happening all at once,” he said.Programs facing federal cuts include those funded by Health and Human Services, which has faced “massive” cuts of budget and personnel, Protas said. A leaked budget document signaled intentions to cut and split apart some programs that serve older adults.&nbsp;Also of concern is the ongoing budget reconciliation process, which among other things may include elimination of social services block grants and cuts to the Older Americans Act, he said.&nbsp;“Social Services Block Grants are a critical source of funding for many Meals on Wheels programs to help fill in the gaps where there are shortfalls in other funding sources,” Protas said.&nbsp;Proposed cuts to Medicaid also could harm Meals on Wheels budgets because those funds sometimes offer reimbursements, he said.&nbsp;Isys Schmitt, director of nutrition at the Hays-based Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, said her agency serves 18 counties at 28 sites in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;“I do hear the concerns from participants,” she said. “I think it’s more they hear these things on the news, and they automatically think it’s going to affect our program very badly.”Her agency receives about 25% of its funding from federal sources, 25% from the state, and the rest in contributions, Schmitt said.&nbsp;Protas said Meals on Wheels programs are all funded through different mechanisms, so it’s difficult to tell how cuts might affect each program. Some get almost no federal funding, while others may receive 80% of funds from federal sources.<h2>Staying calm, planning ahead</h2>Julie Govert Walter, executive director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging Inc., is assessing potential cuts and trying to plan for how her agency might be affected, including the Meals on Wheels program it runs.&nbsp;“We’re right now telling people don’t panic,” she said. “We don’t want our elder Kansans to stress out over the uncertainty. At the same time, we want lawmakers in Washington to understand that the Older Americans Act programs are making significant differences in the lives of older Kansans and their caregivers and their families.”About half of Walter’s agency budget is derived from the Older Americans Act, with about 34% of the allocation and related in-kind match donations supporting the meals program in 18 northeast Kansas counties.Alkire said that Wichita’s Senior Services has other programs besides Meals on Wheels, including a senior employment program and four senior centers for active seniors 55 and older.&nbsp;“Meals on Wheels is our bread and butter,” she said. “We’ve got some reserves, but that wouldn’t last long.”Walter said she believes the programs her organization runs are aligned with Trump administration policies because they’re frugal, cost-conscious and have significant volunteer support. In addition, Meals on Wheels helps seniors live independently, which often keeps them out of more costly nursing home facilities.&nbsp;Protas said the national organization is walking the line of not scaring seniors about funding cuts but making sure people are reaching out to make their voices heard.“Many of these things that we’re worried about, there haven’t been final decisions made yet,” he said. “So we’re using this time to advocate and to just tell the story about Meals on Wheels. We’re advising our Meals on Wheels member programs to do some contingency planning so that in the event that there are delays or disruptions in funding, they’re not caught off guard. We’re not doing that in a way that instills panic, but we recognize that the threats are serious.”<h2>No budget numbers</h2>Walter said planning right now is tough because of political uncertainties, but even more so because she doesn’t have information from the feds that she needs. Usually by this time of year, she knows what her budget is for the upcoming year. She doesn’t have those numbers yet to plan for fiscal year 2026, which will start in October.&nbsp;In mid-March, Congress funded the Older Americans Act and other programs through September 2025 with a continuing resolution. But no one knows what will happen next, Walter said. When she considers potential cuts of up to 30% of her agency’s funding, she’s not sure how to think about what actions to take.&nbsp;Options could include cutting the number of days they serve meals from five to two or three, but that would involve potential workforce cuts, she said.&nbsp;“It’s a puzzle,” she said. “We’re doing what we can to communicate with members of Congress about our situation, and I will say I think most members of the Kansas congressional delegation understand the importance of the OAA.”<h2>Little understanding of aging</h2>Walter said one of the biggest challenges is communicating with people about the importance of Meals on Wheels and other programs for aging Kansans.&nbsp;“We all know what it’s like to be a kid, to be an adolescent, to be a young adult, and to be in middle age,” she said. “But honestly, most people don’t get what it’s like to really deal with challenges and the anxieties of being older, 75 and 80 plus, until we’re there. It’s so dependent on health and community and social relationships.”“The stress and uncertainty is real, and it has real effects on people’s minds and hearts and spirits,” Walter said. “It’s hard to quantify, but you know it’s real. Drama is not good for older people.”

Kansas Meals on Wheels families, leaders fear potential federal funding cuts

Kathy Ann 'Peaches' Keller, 76, of
Russell, Kansas and former Kansas City, Kansas, resident died on Thursday,
April 17, 2025, at her home.

Kathy was born on March 11, 1949,
in Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Henry Louise and Loretta June (Zimmer)
Keller.&nbsp; She grew up in Kansas City,
Kansas, most all her life and moved to Hays, Kansas, in 2016 and moved to
Russell, Kansas, in October 2024.&nbsp; She
was a free spirit that enjoyed coloring in her coloring books, reading
catalogs, long car rides, stuffed animals, her purse, collecting bracelets and
spending time with children.&nbsp; She most of
all enjoyed having fun and adventures with her close family and friends.

Her surviving family includes her
nieces Melissa Chlumsky and Kristina Keller both of Russell, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her
parents and two brothers David C. and Michael P. Keller.

Cremation was selected by the
family and will have a graveside service at a later date at Chapel Hill
Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745953582840.jpeg" alt="Kathy Ann 'Peaches' Keller" />
 <figcaption>Kathy Ann 'Peaches' Keller</figcaption>
 </figure>Kathy Ann 'Peaches' Keller, 76, of
Russell, Kansas and former Kansas City, Kansas, resident died on Thursday,
April 17, 2025, at her home.Kathy was born on March 11, 1949,
in Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Henry Louise and Loretta June (Zimmer)
Keller.&nbsp; She grew up in Kansas City,
Kansas, most all her life and moved to Hays, Kansas, in 2016 and moved to
Russell, Kansas, in October 2024.&nbsp; She
was a free spirit that enjoyed coloring in her coloring books, reading
catalogs, long car rides, stuffed animals, her purse, collecting bracelets and
spending time with children.&nbsp; She most of
all enjoyed having fun and adventures with her close family and friends.Her surviving family includes her
nieces Melissa Chlumsky and Kristina Keller both of Russell, Kansas.She was preceded in death by her
parents and two brothers David C. and Michael P. Keller.Cremation was selected by the
family and will have a graveside service at a later date at Chapel Hill
Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kathy Ann 'Peaches' Keller

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman is going to prison.

On Monday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Katelyn Barrioz, 24 of Wichita, to nearly 20-years in prison.  She was sentenced to 216 months for 2nd degree murder, 7 months for flee and elude, and 7 months for theft with 36 months post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offce. The judge ordered the sentences run consecutive.

On April 14, Barrioz pled guilty to the charges.

On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail later that week, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730458850794.png" alt="-The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash" />
 <figcaption>-The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman is going to prison.On Monday, Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Katelyn Barrioz, 24 of Wichita, to nearly 20-years in prison. She was sentenced to 216 months for 2nd degree murder, 7 months for flee and elude, and 7 months for theft with 36 months post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's offce. The judge ordered the sentences run consecutive.On April 14, Barrioz pled guilty to the charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284905956.png" alt="Barrioz photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Barrioz photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail later that week, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Prison for stolen van crash that killed Kansas woman

Barbara Jean (Hufft) Reinhardt
died of an apparent heart failure October 4, 2024, at the age of 91 at her home
in Sun City, Arizona.&nbsp; She was born
September 09, 1933 in Sleeper, Missouri to James W. Hufft and Opal Webster
Hufft.&nbsp; She attended schools in Missouri,
Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon and Washington due to her family traveling for work,
eventually settling in Ellinwood, Kansas.&nbsp;
She had a love of singing and playing the violin, and after graduating
from Ellinwood High school in 1951 she chose to forgo a music scholarship and
instead married Raymond J. Spacil.&nbsp; They
lived on a farm near Ellinwood and were blessed with 3 children.&nbsp; After 20 years the marriage ended.&nbsp; She worked a number of years for a local
orthodontist in Great Bend.&nbsp; She married
Eugene M. Reinhardt of Russell, Kansas on June 30, 1972, adding 2
step-daughters to her family: Cynthia and Kim.&nbsp;


She worked with Gene to expand his
oil well testing business in Russell (Reinhardt Services) operating additional
offices in Oberlin and Plainville, Kansas and in Casper, Wyoming.&nbsp; They enjoyed traveling throughout the USA in
their RV.&nbsp; They were avid dancers
throughout their time together.&nbsp; Upon
retirement, they moved to Sun City, Arizona where Gene played golf year-round.&nbsp; Barbara was very active in the Palmbrook Golf
Club Association and enjoyed playing cards (hand and foot) with friends
there.&nbsp; Upon their move to the Royal Oaks
Lifecare Community she became active in committees there.&nbsp; After Gene's passing, she continued to enjoy
traveling and made multiple trips to Europe with friends.&nbsp; She became wholeheartedly involved with
another card playing group and loved their weekly games and social time with
her many friends.&nbsp; She frequently
traveled to Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and Utah to visit her family,
whom she greatly enjoyed spending time with.&nbsp;


Barbara was preceded in death by
her parents and her husbands.&nbsp; She is
survived by her 3 children: Steven Spacil and wife Cathleen (Clinton, Utah),
Michael Spacil, Melanie Rehmert and husband Tony (Rogers, Arkansas);
step-daughters Cynthia Bolinger and husband David (Warsaw, Missouri), Kim
Rumburg and husband Larry (Cypress, Texas); sister Jan Kowalsky-Mays (Tulsa,
Oklahoma) and half-sister Dayna Hufft-Gibson (Buffalo, Missouri), 9
grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

The family chose cremation, and a
graveside memorial service will be held at 11 A.M. on Friday, May 09, 2025, at
the Russell City Cemetery in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Brenda Rodger
officiating.&nbsp; The family will greet
guests on the day of the service at the graveside.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell,
Kansas is helping the family with the services. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745855946703.jpeg" alt="Barbara Jean (Hufft) Reinhardt" />
 <figcaption>Barbara Jean (Hufft) Reinhardt</figcaption>
 </figure>Barbara Jean (Hufft) Reinhardt
died of an apparent heart failure October 4, 2024, at the age of 91 at her home
in Sun City, Arizona.&nbsp; She was born
September 09, 1933 in Sleeper, Missouri to James W. Hufft and Opal Webster
Hufft.&nbsp; She attended schools in Missouri,
Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon and Washington due to her family traveling for work,
eventually settling in Ellinwood, Kansas.&nbsp;
She had a love of singing and playing the violin, and after graduating
from Ellinwood High school in 1951 she chose to forgo a music scholarship and
instead married Raymond J. Spacil.&nbsp; They
lived on a farm near Ellinwood and were blessed with 3 children.&nbsp; After 20 years the marriage ended.&nbsp; She worked a number of years for a local
orthodontist in Great Bend.&nbsp; She married
Eugene M. Reinhardt of Russell, Kansas on June 30, 1972, adding 2
step-daughters to her family: Cynthia and Kim.&nbsp;
She worked with Gene to expand his
oil well testing business in Russell (Reinhardt Services) operating additional
offices in Oberlin and Plainville, Kansas and in Casper, Wyoming.&nbsp; They enjoyed traveling throughout the USA in
their RV.&nbsp; They were avid dancers
throughout their time together.&nbsp; Upon
retirement, they moved to Sun City, Arizona where Gene played golf year-round.&nbsp; Barbara was very active in the Palmbrook Golf
Club Association and enjoyed playing cards (hand and foot) with friends
there.&nbsp; Upon their move to the Royal Oaks
Lifecare Community she became active in committees there.&nbsp; After Gene's passing, she continued to enjoy
traveling and made multiple trips to Europe with friends.&nbsp; She became wholeheartedly involved with
another card playing group and loved their weekly games and social time with
her many friends.&nbsp; She frequently
traveled to Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and Utah to visit her family,
whom she greatly enjoyed spending time with.&nbsp;
Barbara was preceded in death by
her parents and her husbands.&nbsp; She is
survived by her 3 children: Steven Spacil and wife Cathleen (Clinton, Utah),
Michael Spacil, Melanie Rehmert and husband Tony (Rogers, Arkansas);
step-daughters Cynthia Bolinger and husband David (Warsaw, Missouri), Kim
Rumburg and husband Larry (Cypress, Texas); sister Jan Kowalsky-Mays (Tulsa,
Oklahoma) and half-sister Dayna Hufft-Gibson (Buffalo, Missouri), 9
grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.The family chose cremation, and a
graveside memorial service will be held at 11 A.M. on Friday, May 09, 2025, at
the Russell City Cemetery in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Brenda Rodger
officiating.&nbsp; The family will greet
guests on the day of the service at the graveside.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell,
Kansas is helping the family with the services.

Barbara Jean (Hufft) Reinhardt

LOGAN -&nbsp; Area residents are invited to come to Logan on April 29 for a unique opportunity to view the Kansas justice system in action.

Nearly 300 area students will be among the audience on April 29 when the Kansas Supreme Court will visit Logan as part of its ongoing outreach to familiarize Kansans with the court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary. 

The court will visit USD 326 and the Logan Intergenerational Family Education Center, also known as the LIFE Center, at 601 W. North Street, where it will hear oral arguments in one case. 

Logan mayor and former clerk for Phillips County District Court,&nbsp;Debra Grammon will serve as honorary bailiff.

Before the oral argument, Chief Justice Marla Luckert will give a brief educational presentation on the Kansas court system.

The presentation is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to about 10:45 a.m., the court will be in session to hear oral arguments in the&nbsp;State of Kansas v. Stanton S. Holt.&nbsp;

Doors will open at 8:15. Those who wish to watch the proceedings are encouraged to arrive by 8:45 to allow time for security and seating.

Following the oral argument, the justices will greet in-person attendees in an informal reception.

In 2011, the Supreme Court began conducting special sessions outside its Topeka courtroom. That year, it marked the state's 150th anniversary by convening in the historic Supreme Court courtroom in the Kansas Statehouse. The court returned to the Statehouse for another special session in January 2025.

Since 2011, the court has conducted special sessions in Colby, Concordia, Dodge City, El Dorado, Emporia, Garden City, Great Bend, Greensburg, Hays, Hiawatha, Hutchinson, Kansas City, Lawrence, Lansing, Louisburg, Manhattan, Overland Park, Parsons, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka, Wichita, and Winfield.&nbsp;

Logan will be the 25th community the court will visit since it began the outreach program 14 years ago.

Appeal No. 127,534: State of Kansas (appellee) v. Stanton S. Holt (appellant)

Geary County: (Criminal appeal) Holt is serving two consecutive life sentences plus 123 to 355 years in prison. A jury convicted Holt in 1994 in Geary County District Court of two counts of first-degree murder, as well as multiple counts of aggravated burglary and other charges related to a series of burglaries in 1993. In October 2020, Holt filed a motion for postconviction DNA testing of trial evidence. The district court initially ordered the evidence be sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation lab for testing. However, the district court later rescinded the testing order and denied Holt’s motion after hearing testimony from a KBI supervisor at an evidentiary hearing. The KBI supervisor testified that the evidence the lab received wasn’t appropriately preserved and lacked documentation. The district court concluded that because of how the evidence had been packaged and stored since the trial, DNA testing of the evidence would not produce results accurate to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty. Holt appeals, claiming the district court erred in denying his motion. Holt asserts Kansas law allows him to seek DNA testing and that whether the results of the testing would be accurate to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty is not a factor under the law. The State argues the district court correctly denied Holt's motion for postconviction DNA testing because the evidence had undergone DNA testing at the time of trial. It further argues that even if new DNA testing is done, the condition of the evidence would result in the DNA testing being meaningless or inconclusive.

The special session will also be livestreamed online at&nbsp;YouTube.com/KansasSupremeCourt.

To learn about the special session and the case to be heard, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://go.kansascourts.gov/l/yY46cFhS_mKDxyPPfTSf5RGXVnxKF0amjmoSkAVZmNA">kscourts.gov/travel-docket</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745336560841.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court justices. Photo by Kansas Courts" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court justices. Photo by Kansas Courts</figcaption>
 </figure>Hansen FoundationLOGAN -&nbsp; Area residents are invited to come to Logan on April 29 for a unique opportunity to view the Kansas justice system in action.Nearly 300 area students will be among the audience on April 29 when the Kansas Supreme Court will visit Logan as part of its ongoing outreach to familiarize Kansans with the court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary. The public is also invited to attend.The court will visit USD 326 and the Logan Intergenerational Family Education Center, also known as the LIFE Center, at 601 W. North Street, where it will hear oral arguments in one case. Logan mayor and former clerk for Phillips County District Court,&nbsp;Debra Grammon will serve as honorary bailiff.Before the oral argument, Chief Justice Marla Luckert will give a brief educational presentation on the Kansas court system.The presentation is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. to about 10:45 a.m., the court will be in session to hear oral arguments in the&nbsp;State of Kansas v. Stanton S. Holt.&nbsp;Doors will open at 8:15. Those who wish to watch the proceedings are encouraged to arrive by 8:45 to allow time for security and seating.Attendees should not bring:<ul>
 <li>Food or drink</li><li>Large bags, large purses, backpacks, computer cases, or briefcases</li><li>Knives, pepper spray, firearms, or weapons.</li><li>Laptop computers, handheld games, personal digital assistants, or tablets. If you must carry a cellphone, it should be stored out of sight, preferably turned off, or the ringer must be silenced.</li>
 </ul>Following the oral argument, the justices will greet in-person attendees in an informal reception.In 2011, the Supreme Court began conducting special sessions outside its Topeka courtroom. That year, it marked the state's 150th anniversary by convening in the historic Supreme Court courtroom in the Kansas Statehouse. The court returned to the Statehouse for another special session in January 2025.Since 2011, the court has conducted special sessions in Colby, Concordia, Dodge City, El Dorado, Emporia, Garden City, Great Bend, Greensburg, Hays, Hiawatha, Hutchinson, Kansas City, Lawrence, Lansing, Louisburg, Manhattan, Overland Park, Parsons, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka, Wichita, and Winfield.&nbsp;Logan will be the 25th community the court will visit since it began the outreach program 14 years ago.&nbsp;About the case:Appeal No. 127,534: State of Kansas (appellee) v. Stanton S. Holt (appellant)Geary County: (Criminal appeal) Holt is serving two consecutive life sentences plus 123 to 355 years in prison. A jury convicted Holt in 1994 in Geary County District Court of two counts of first-degree murder, as well as multiple counts of aggravated burglary and other charges related to a series of burglaries in 1993. In October 2020, Holt filed a motion for postconviction DNA testing of trial evidence. The district court initially ordered the evidence be sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation lab for testing. However, the district court later rescinded the testing order and denied Holt’s motion after hearing testimony from a KBI supervisor at an evidentiary hearing. The KBI supervisor testified that the evidence the lab received wasn’t appropriately preserved and lacked documentation. The district court concluded that because of how the evidence had been packaged and stored since the trial, DNA testing of the evidence would not produce results accurate to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty. Holt appeals, claiming the district court erred in denying his motion. Holt asserts Kansas law allows him to seek DNA testing and that whether the results of the testing would be accurate to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty is not a factor under the law. The State argues the district court correctly denied Holt's motion for postconviction DNA testing because the evidence had undergone DNA testing at the time of trial. It further argues that even if new DNA testing is done, the condition of the evidence would result in the DNA testing being meaningless or inconclusive.The special session will also be livestreamed online at&nbsp;YouTube.com/KansasSupremeCourt.To learn about the special session and the case to be heard, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://go.kansascourts.gov/l/yY46cFhS_mKDxyPPfTSf5RGXVnxKF0amjmoSkAVZmNA">kscourts.gov/travel-docket</a>.

Kansas Supreme Court to be in Logan for special session April 29

With one-fifth of states seeing active&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">measles outbreaks</a>, the U.S. is nearing 900 cases, according to figures posted Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC's confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;count is 884, triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The vast majority — 646 — are in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>, where an outbreak in the western part of the state that's approaching the three-month mark.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the 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;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.

Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,020 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Friday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 605 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Texas outbreak</a>.

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;was steady this week with 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state. Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas outbreak based on genetic testing.

Texas state health officials said Friday there were 22 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 646&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Hospitalizations were steady Friday at 64 throughout the outbreak.

Sixty-one percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 393 cases since late January — just over 1.5% of the county's residents.

Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday.

Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.

Oklahoma was steady Friday with 13 cases: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Custer and Oklahoma counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.

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

AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
 </figure>With one-fifth of states seeing active&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">measles outbreaks</a>, the U.S. is nearing 900 cases, according to figures posted Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The CDC's confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;count is 884, triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The vast majority — 646 — are in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>, where an outbreak in the western part of the state that's approaching the three-month mark.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the 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;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,020 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Friday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 605 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Texas outbreak</a>.<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 preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear the virus that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745434536952.png" alt="KDHE image April 23, 2025" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image April 23, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;was steady this week with 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state. Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas outbreak based on genetic testing.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas state health officials said Friday there were 22 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 646&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Hospitalizations were steady Friday at 64 throughout the outbreak.<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.Sixty-one percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 393 cases since late January — just over 1.5% 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 Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas 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 age 6.New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 66. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to Canada’s large outbreak in Ontario. The state has nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 32 measles cases in the state Thursday, and one hospitalization. The state count includes only Ohio residents. There are 16 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties.Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, said there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in the state.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma was steady Friday with 13 cases: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Custer and Oklahoma counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.<h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2>There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state said Friday it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.<h2>How many cases are there in Tennessee?</h2>Tennessee has six measles cases as of Thursday. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started.The state health department announced the state's first measles case March 21, three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17, but none of the news releases declared an outbreak. Tennessee is on a list of outbreak states in a Thursday CDC report.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>There have been 884 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the CDC. Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. 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 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 measles 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 most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a><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.___AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.

Ten U.S. states now reporting active measles outbreaks

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

Musk thistle is usually a biennial or winter annual, but it will occasionally occur as a summer annual. 

As a biennial, it produces a rosette the first year and develops flowers and seeds the second year. As a summer annual, this thistle completes its life cycle from germination through seed production in the same growing season. Seedlings may emerge anytime during the growing season, but the plants usually remain in the rosette stage for about 90% of their life cycle.

Musk thistle usually begins flowering in May and may bloom from seven to nine weeks. Seed dispersal begins seven to ten days after a head begins to bloom and an average of 11,000 seeds can be produced per plant with around 5,000 of the seeds capable of germination.

Musk thistle was declared a noxious week in Kansas in 1963. Kansas law requires all persons and organizations prevent its spread and eradicate it.

There are several different methods for controlling thistle. 

The first line of defense is proper grazing management. Invasion of thistle is slowed on grasslands that are properly stocked to maintain a good cover of competing vegetation. 

Burning does not control the thistle, but it makes control more effective. Burn according to your burn plan, and then spray 10-14 days after. 

For the most effective control, apply herbicides while the musk thistle is in the rosette stage and actively growing, usually early May. For fall, October 1 to soil freeze is an excellent time. During the fall, most musk thistles are in the rosette stage and are most susceptible to herbicides. Use herbicides when they are growing rapidly under good soil moisture and favorable air temperatures (70-90 degrees F). A 6-12 hours rain-free period after application at the recommended rate is adequate to allow herbicide absorption.

For control in pastures that have a scattered issue, you can remove them by hand. Dig the plant below the crown to prevent further development. Dig, remove the plant, and burn the flowers that are in late bud or bloom stage. 

Research shows that mowing is the most effective at full bloom, but must be repeated as necessary for effective control.

For questions over what herbicides are labeled for use, consult K-State Research and Extension’s Chemical Weed Control guide. It's available online or you can pick up a copy at most Extension offices. Column adapted from publication L-231.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698682262753.jpeg" alt="Alicia Boor&nbsp;is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor&nbsp;is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension DistrictMusk thistle is usually a biennial or winter annual, but it will occasionally occur as a summer annual. As a biennial, it produces a rosette the first year and develops flowers and seeds the second year. As a summer annual, this thistle completes its life cycle from germination through seed production in the same growing season. Seedlings may emerge anytime during the growing season, but the plants usually remain in the rosette stage for about 90% of their life cycle.Musk thistle usually begins flowering in May and may bloom from seven to nine weeks. Seed dispersal begins seven to ten days after a head begins to bloom and an average of 11,000 seeds can be produced per plant with around 5,000 of the seeds capable of germination.Musk thistle was declared a noxious week in Kansas in 1963. Kansas law requires all persons and organizations prevent its spread and eradicate it.There are several different methods for controlling thistle. The first line of defense is proper grazing management. Invasion of thistle is slowed on grasslands that are properly stocked to maintain a good cover of competing vegetation. Burning does not control the thistle, but it makes control more effective. Burn according to your burn plan, and then spray 10-14 days after. For the most effective control, apply herbicides while the musk thistle is in the rosette stage and actively growing, usually early May. For fall, October 1 to soil freeze is an excellent time. During the fall, most musk thistles are in the rosette stage and are most susceptible to herbicides. Use herbicides when they are growing rapidly under good soil moisture and favorable air temperatures (70-90 degrees F). A 6-12 hours rain-free period after application at the recommended rate is adequate to allow herbicide absorption.For control in pastures that have a scattered issue, you can remove them by hand. Dig the plant below the crown to prevent further development. Dig, remove the plant, and burn the flowers that are in late bud or bloom stage. Research shows that mowing is the most effective at full bloom, but must be repeated as necessary for effective control.For questions over what herbicides are labeled for use, consult K-State Research and Extension’s Chemical Weed Control guide. It's available online or you can pick up a copy at most Extension offices. Column adapted from publication L-231.Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Musk thistle eradication

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f280cbb2-fd81-413c-8a1a-4f633d41b3bb">If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, find help here</a>

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">Options&nbsp;Domestic and Sexual Violence Services</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.janascampaign.org/">Jana's Campaign</a> hope to require education for bar owners on sexual violence after a recent survey found more than 40% of Ellis County survey respondents said they had sexual intercourse when they were too intoxicated to have consent.

Jana's Campaign and Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, both of which serve Ellis County, conducted a survey from October 2024 to January 2025. Representatives of both groups reported on the results during a public forum Thursday night at the Hays Public Library.

Of the respondents surveyed, 24.1% said they had sex one to two times when they were too intoxicated to consent. 7.7% said it had happened three to five times, 1.2% said it had happened six to 10 times and 7.7% said it had happened more than 10 times.

Of the respondents who said they had been sexually assaulted, 17% said they had been sexually assaulted when they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and 33% said the perpetrator was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The survey respondents said the top community issue related to sexual violence in Ellis County is alcohol abuse, followed closely by drug abuse.

Based on these results, as well as interactions with clients, Options and Jana's campaign plan to lobby the local government to require Safe Bar and Bystander Intervention training as a stipulation for receiving a liquor license.

The training lasts about one hour and is conducted at no cost.

Jennifer Hecker, Options executive director, said a similar program, which required bar owners and managers to attend the training, has been successful in Lawrence.

Anniston Weber, Options victim advocate and campus outreach coordinator, said she thinks the problem, in part, has sprung from a drinking culture in Hays.

The two agencies are also hoping to expand Bystander Training programs beyond bars. This presentation gives participants tools to intervene in situations involving partner violence.&nbsp;

All Hays High School freshmen receive Bystander Intervention Training, and Blackburn hopes to extend the training to other schools and youth groups.

Blackburn said the training is not only helpful in dealing with partner violence, but can also be used in suicide, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and bullying prevention.

Almost 80 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced some kind of sexual violence, although the survey was not a scientific sampling.

The vast majority of those people surveyed said they were assaulted by someone they knew.

In the other category, three respondents said they were assaulted by their mother's boyfriend.&nbsp;

On the top concerns list from the survey, child care options was listed at the fourth highest concern.&nbsp;

"Having access to affordable, sustainable child care is sexual violence prevention," Blackburn said. "It could be that the boyfriend has targeted mom because she has children, so when mom's away, he can take advantage of the situation."

The survey also showed high levels of emotional abuse and manipulation in relationships.&nbsp;

• 32.4% of respondents said their partner blamed relationship problems on them. • 31.3% of respondents said their partner put them down in front of others. • 20.5% of&nbsp;respondents said their partner controls who they talk to or spend time with. • 16.5% of respondents said the person stole from them or stole property, as well as said things such as "no one will ever love you." • 14.7% of respondents said their partner threatened to kill themselves if the relationship ended.

Thirty-two percent of the survey respondents said someone&nbsp;who they did not want to be there had approached them or shown up in places such as their home, workplace or school.&nbsp;

About 52% of the respondents reported having received unwanted voice or social media messages.

"Something that I have learned over the last year is that stalking often gets pushed to the side," Blackburn said. "I've been learning more about how important it is to have the conversation about stalking."

Jana Lynne Mackey, who Jana's campaign was named for, was murdered in 2008 by an ex-boyfriend. Jana was stalked before she was murdered.

Stalking is a warning sign for murder in a domestic violence situation, Blackburn said.

Someone may move to another home in a case of relationship violence, but work in the same location, which can put them at risk for stalking or violence at work.&nbsp;

Blackburn said there is a connection between domestic violence and mass shootings. A shooter may kill a partner or family member and then turn violent against others.

Jana's campaign offers workplace training on responding to the needs of a domestic violence victim.

Of the respondents surveyed, less than 9% said they reported incidents of relationship violence to law enforcement.

Other coping mechanisms were as follows: • 49% said they told a friend or family member • 21% said they met with an advocate or counselor • 20% used drugs or alcohol to cope

"Most victims are going to a best friend or family member. Options does a great job, but that's why the general public needs to be educated about these topics because [friends and family members] are where people are feeling most comfortable turning to," Larissa Whitney, Jana's Campaign education and prevention specialist, said.

Those friends and family members can direct victims to support such as Options.

Weber said, "People know we exist, but people come to us at their absolute worst when things have been blown out of proportion, when people can come to us when it's not at that point.

"A lot of people minimize the things they are going through, so they don't think they should talk to an advocate or be in contact with a therapist," she said.

Hecker said victims tell themselves things such as, "Someone else needs this help more than I do."

She said, based on the information from the survey, the community might benefit from Options shifting its messaging to friends and family instead of victims who may be too traumatized to reach out for help by themselves.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f280cbb2-fd81-413c-8a1a-4f633d41b3bb">If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, find help here</a>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">Options&nbsp;Domestic and Sexual Violence Services</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.janascampaign.org/">Jana's Campaign</a> hope to require education for bar owners on sexual violence after a recent survey found more than 40% of Ellis County survey respondents said they had sexual intercourse when they were too intoxicated to have consent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578075822734.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594750931446.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jana's Campaign and Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, both of which serve Ellis County, conducted a survey from October 2024 to January 2025. Representatives of both groups reported on the results during a public forum Thursday night at the Hays Public Library.Of the respondents surveyed, 24.1% said they had sex one to two times when they were too intoxicated to consent. 7.7% said it had happened three to five times, 1.2% said it had happened six to 10 times and 7.7% said it had happened more than 10 times.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745598846295.jpeg" alt="Sexual assault and alcohol and drug consumption" />
 <figcaption>Sexual assault and alcohol and drug consumption</figcaption>
 </figure>Of the respondents who said they had been sexually assaulted, 17% said they had been sexually assaulted when they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and 33% said the perpetrator was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.The survey respondents said the top community issue related to sexual violence in Ellis County is alcohol abuse, followed closely by drug abuse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745599423176.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Based on these results, as well as interactions with clients, Options and Jana's campaign plan to lobby the local government to require Safe Bar and Bystander Intervention training as a stipulation for receiving a liquor license.The training lasts about one hour and is conducted at no cost.Jennifer Hecker, Options executive director, said a similar program, which required bar owners and managers to attend the training, has been successful in Lawrence.Anniston Weber, Options victim advocate and campus outreach coordinator, said she thinks the problem, in part, has sprung from a drinking culture in Hays.The two agencies are also hoping to expand Bystander Training programs beyond bars. This presentation gives participants tools to intervene in situations involving partner violence.&nbsp;All Hays High School freshmen receive Bystander Intervention Training, and Blackburn hopes to extend the training to other schools and youth groups.Blackburn said the training is not only helpful in dealing with partner violence, but can also be used in suicide, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and bullying prevention.<h2>Sexual predators aren't strangers</h2>Almost 80 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced some kind of sexual violence, although the survey was not a scientific sampling.The vast majority of those people surveyed said they were assaulted by someone they knew.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745598415235.jpeg" alt="Who the survey respondents said they were sexually assaulted by.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Who the survey respondents said they were sexually assaulted by.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>In the other category, three respondents said they were assaulted by their mother's boyfriend.&nbsp;On the top concerns list from the survey, child care options was listed at the fourth highest concern.&nbsp;"Having access to affordable, sustainable child care is sexual violence prevention," Blackburn said. "It could be that the boyfriend has targeted mom because she has children, so when mom's away, he can take advantage of the situation."The survey also showed high levels of emotional abuse and manipulation in relationships.&nbsp;• 32.4% of respondents said their partner blamed relationship problems on them. • 31.3% of respondents said their partner put them down in front of others. • 20.5% of&nbsp;respondents said their partner controls who they talk to or spend time with. • 16.5% of respondents said the person stole from them or stole property, as well as said things such as "no one will ever love you." • 14.7% of respondents said their partner threatened to kill themselves if the relationship ended.<h2>Stalking</h2>Thirty-two percent of the survey respondents said someone&nbsp;who they did not want to be there had approached them or shown up in places such as their home, workplace or school.&nbsp;About 52% of the respondents reported having received unwanted voice or social media messages."Something that I have learned over the last year is that stalking often gets pushed to the side," Blackburn said. "I've been learning more about how important it is to have the conversation about stalking."Jana Lynne Mackey, who Jana's campaign was named for, was murdered in 2008 by an ex-boyfriend. Jana was stalked before she was murdered.Stalking is a warning sign for murder in a domestic violence situation, Blackburn said.Someone may move to another home in a case of relationship violence, but work in the same location, which can put them at risk for stalking or violence at work.&nbsp;Blackburn said there is a connection between domestic violence and mass shootings. A shooter may kill a partner or family member and then turn violent against others.Jana's campaign offers workplace training on responding to the needs of a domestic violence victim.<h2>Relationship violence under reported</h2>Of the respondents surveyed, less than 9% said they reported incidents of relationship violence to law enforcement.Other coping mechanisms were as follows: • 49% said they told a friend or family member • 21% said they met with an advocate or counselor • 20% used drugs or alcohol to cope"Most victims are going to a best friend or family member. Options does a great job, but that's why the general public needs to be educated about these topics because [friends and family members] are where people are feeling most comfortable turning to," Larissa Whitney, Jana's Campaign education and prevention specialist, said.Those friends and family members can direct victims to support such as Options.Weber said, "People know we exist, but people come to us at their absolute worst when things have been blown out of proportion, when people can come to us when it's not at that point."A lot of people minimize the things they are going through, so they don't think they should talk to an advocate or be in contact with a therapist," she said.Hecker said victims tell themselves things such as, "Someone else needs this help more than I do."She said, based on the information from the survey, the community might benefit from Options shifting its messaging to friends and family instead of victims who may be too traumatized to reach out for help by themselves."You can help by taking your friend," she said.Blackburn said Jana's campaign is seeing the question, 'How can I help a friend?" over and over on student surveys.<h2>Upcoming events</h2>If you would like to support Options, you can attend a bake sale to benefit the agency from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today during the Hays Arts Council Art Walk at Eclectic Threads in Downtown Hays.You are encouraged to wear denim on Wednesday. This is to show support for sexual assault survivors. The day sprang from a court case in Italy in which a judge ruled a woman was responsible for her sexual assault based on the tightness of her jeans.The Rock Against Rape will be from 7 p.m. to midnight May 3 at the Fort Tavern in downtown Hays.A Thomas County Community Forum will be from 5 to 6 p.m. June 10 in the multi-purpose room in the Union at Colby Community College.A Russell Community Forum will be from 6 to 7 p.m. June 16 at the Dream Theatre in Russell.