Edna Stecklein age 93, of Hays, Kansas passed
away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Via Christi Village Ridge Facility Assisted
Living in Wichita, Kansas.

She was born on April 19, 1932, to Peter
J. and Sophie (Dreiling) Rome.&nbsp; She married August C. Stecklein on
September 29, 1951, at Victoria, Kansas.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on
November 19, 1992.

Edna was a homemaker, a mother, and a
grandma.&nbsp; She was a cashier at Wal-Mart, a&nbsp; member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays V.F.W.
Auxiliary Post #9076, Victoria Daughters of Isabella, and a longtime volunteer
at the Hays Community Assistance Center.&nbsp; She enjoyed bingo, gardening,
dancing, and in her earlier years she was an avid bowler at The Hays
Bowl.&nbsp; Her pride and joy was her family, and being a grandma. 

Edna is survived by her children, David
Stecklein and wife, Kim, Wichita, KS; Danny&nbsp;Stecklein and wife, Marla, Hays, KS; Sherri Dawson and
husband, Mark, Wichita, KS; her grandchildren, Sara High and husband, Joe; Andy
Stecklein; Hollie Butler and husband, Chris; Craig Dawson and wife, Megan; her
great grandchildren, Theo and Juniper Butler; Millie, Parker, Kate and Claire
Dawson; Matthew and Emma High; her step grandchildren, Bryce Wasinger; Taylor
Wasinger and wife, Alex; her step great grandchildren, Weston and Joshua
Wasinger.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter
J. and Sophie Rome; her husband, August Stecklein; her brothers, Emery Rome;
Elmer Rome; Marvin Rome, and Bernard Rome.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00
A.M. Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805
Vine Street, Hays, Kansas with Celebrant, Father Nick Parker.&nbsp; Burial will
be in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.

 A Daughters of Isabella Rosary, and a
V.F.W. Auxiliary Memorial Service will be held at 6:00 P.M. Wednesday, followed
by a Vigil Service at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, all at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of
Hays. 

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M.
Wednesday, and from 9:00 to 9:45 A.M. Thursday, all at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays.

The family suggests memorials made
payable to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in care of Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays, 1919 /East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. 

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

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746826578611.jpeg" alt="Edna Stecklein" />
                        <figcaption>Edna Stecklein</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Edna Stecklein age 93, of Hays, Kansas passed
away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Via Christi Village Ridge Facility Assisted
Living in Wichita, Kansas.</p><p>She was born on April 19, 1932, to Peter
J. and Sophie (Dreiling) Rome.&nbsp; She married August C. Stecklein on
September 29, 1951, at Victoria, Kansas.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on
November 19, 1992.</p><p>Edna was a homemaker, a mother, and a
grandma.&nbsp; She was a cashier at Wal-Mart, a&nbsp; member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays V.F.W.
Auxiliary Post #9076, Victoria Daughters of Isabella, and a longtime volunteer
at the Hays Community Assistance Center.&nbsp; She enjoyed bingo, gardening,
dancing, and in her earlier years she was an avid bowler at The Hays
Bowl.&nbsp; Her pride and joy was her family, and being a grandma. </p><p>Edna is survived by her children, David
Stecklein and wife, Kim, Wichita, KS; Danny&nbsp;Stecklein and wife, Marla, Hays, KS; Sherri Dawson and
husband, Mark, Wichita, KS; her grandchildren, Sara High and husband, Joe; Andy
Stecklein; Hollie Butler and husband, Chris; Craig Dawson and wife, Megan; her
great grandchildren, Theo and Juniper Butler; Millie, Parker, Kate and Claire
Dawson; Matthew and Emma High; her step grandchildren, Bryce Wasinger; Taylor
Wasinger and wife, Alex; her step great grandchildren, Weston and Joshua
Wasinger.</p><p>She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter
J. and Sophie Rome; her husband, August Stecklein; her brothers, Emery Rome;
Elmer Rome; Marvin Rome, and Bernard Rome.</p><p> A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00
A.M. Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805
Vine Street, Hays, Kansas with Celebrant, Father Nick Parker.&nbsp; Burial will
be in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.</p><p> A Daughters of Isabella Rosary, and a
V.F.W. Auxiliary Memorial Service will be held at 6:00 P.M. Wednesday, followed
by a Vigil Service at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, all at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of
Hays. </p><p>Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M.
Wednesday, and from 9:00 to 9:45 A.M. Thursday, all at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays.</p><p>The family suggests memorials made
payable to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in care of Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays, 1919 /East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. </p><p>Condolences can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or
left by guestbook at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a></p>

Edna Stecklein

PITTSBURG - Pittsburg State University has announced that baseball coach Bob Fornelli has disclosed his intention to retire from his position at the end of the 2025 season.

Fornelli, who has guided Pitt State to a 39-10 overall record this season, became just the fourth active NCAA Division II head coach to reach 1,100 career victories in the Gorillas' win vs. Northeastern State on Mar. 30. Fornelli has a 1,117-493 (.694) record in 29 years as a collegiate coach, including a 212-114 (.650) mark in seven seasons at the Pitt State helm.

Fornelli came to Pitt State from MIAA rival Emporia State where he fashioned a 599-266 (.692) record in 15 seasons leading his alma mater (2004-18). Fornelli guided the Hornets to 13 trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, two appearances in the D2 World Series and a national runner-up finish in 2009. He led ESU to five MIAA regular season crowns (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017) and a pair of MIAA Tournament titles (2007, 2014).

Prior to ESU, Fornelli compiled a 306-113 (.730) record in seven seasons at Fort Hays State where he led the Tigers to four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the D2 national championship game in 2000. He remains the winningest head coach in FHSU program history. He was a 2011 inductee into the Tigers Sports Hall of Fame.

Prior to his tenure at FHSU, Fornelli served as pitching coach at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., from 1992-96. The Grizzlies posted a 195-86 (.694) record during his five seasons on staff, finishing third at the NJCAA World Series in 1994.

A Lenexa, Kan., native, Fornelli earned honorable mention All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) honors as a catcher for ESU his senior season. He played two seasons at Butler Community College before joining the Hornets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fornelli earned a bachelor's degree in general studies from ESU in 1991. He is married to the former Jill Harris of Madison, Kan. The couple has three adult daughters:&nbsp; Emma, Rylie and Addison.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746823449366.png" alt="Pittsburg State Athletics photo" />
                        <figcaption>Pittsburg State Athletics photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>Hays Post Sports</i></p><p>PITTSBURG - Pittsburg State University has announced that baseball coach Bob Fornelli has disclosed his intention to retire from his position at the end of the 2025 season.</p><p>Fornelli, who has guided Pitt State to a 39-10 overall record this season, became just the fourth active NCAA Division II head coach to reach 1,100 career victories in the Gorillas' win vs. Northeastern State on Mar. 30. Fornelli has a 1,117-493 (.694) record in 29 years as a collegiate coach, including a 212-114 (.650) mark in seven seasons at the Pitt State helm.</p><p>Fornelli came to Pitt State from MIAA rival Emporia State where he fashioned a 599-266 (.692) record in 15 seasons leading his alma mater (2004-18). Fornelli guided the Hornets to 13 trips to the NCAA Division II National Tournament, two appearances in the D2 World Series and a national runner-up finish in 2009. He led ESU to five MIAA regular season crowns (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017) and a pair of MIAA Tournament titles (2007, 2014).</p><p>Prior to ESU, Fornelli compiled a 306-113 (.730) record in seven seasons at Fort Hays State where he led the Tigers to four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the D2 national championship game in 2000. He remains the winningest head coach in FHSU program history. He was a 2011 inductee into the Tigers Sports Hall of Fame.</p><p>Prior to his tenure at FHSU, Fornelli served as pitching coach at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., from 1992-96. The Grizzlies posted a 195-86 (.694) record during his five seasons on staff, finishing third at the NJCAA World Series in 1994.</p><p>A Lenexa, Kan., native, Fornelli earned honorable mention All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) honors as a catcher for ESU his senior season. He played two seasons at Butler Community College before joining the Hornets.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Fornelli earned a bachelor's degree in general studies from ESU in 1991. He is married to the former Jill Harris of Madison, Kan. The couple has three adult daughters:&nbsp; Emma, Rylie and Addison.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

⚾ Former FHSU head coach, Fornelli to retire at Pitt State

<b>By TONY GUERRERO</b><br><i>Hays Post</i>

A Hays man was arrested after allegedly attempting to kiss a woman inside Dillons.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said officers responded to a report at 7:44 a.m. Sunday at the grocery store, 1902 Vine St.

Scheibler said the 19-year-old woman pushed 49-year-old Carlos J. Johnson away due to his unwanted advances. He said Johnson was a stranger to the victim.

After the incident, the suspect exited the store and began leaving the parking lot. He was arrested shortly afterward.

Johnson was booked into the Ellis County Jail on a requested charge of sexual battery.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746826851433.png" alt="Johnson photo Ellis County" />
                        <figcaption>Johnson photo Ellis County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>By TONY GUERRERO</b><br><i>Hays Post</i></p><p>A Hays man was arrested after allegedly attempting to kiss a woman inside Dillons.</p><p>Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said officers responded to a report at 7:44 a.m. Sunday at the grocery store, 1902 Vine St.</p><p>Scheibler said the 19-year-old woman pushed 49-year-old Carlos J. Johnson away due to his unwanted advances. He said Johnson was a stranger to the victim.</p><p>After the incident, the suspect exited the store and began leaving the parking lot. He was arrested shortly afterward.</p><p>Johnson was booked into the Ellis County Jail on a requested charge of sexual battery.&nbsp;</p>

Hays man arrested for allegedly trying to kiss stranger in store

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

The U.S. surpassed 1,000 measles cases Friday, even as Texas posted one of its lowest counts of newly confirmed cases since its large outbreak began three months ago.

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;still accounts for the vast majority of cases in the U.S., with 709 confirmed as of Friday in an outbreak that also spread measles to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a><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;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>, all of which are the same measles strain. One outbreak 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">1,440 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 6, up 197 cases in a week. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 1,041 measles cases and one death as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.

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

As the virus takes hold in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear that 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>

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has a total of 49 cases across eight counties in the southwestern part of the state, with one hospitalization. Most of the cases are in Gray, Haskell and Stevens counties.&nbsp; Sedgwick County is also reporting a case of measles.

How many measles cases are there in Texas?

There are a total of 709 cases across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">29 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>, state health officials said Friday. The state confirmed only seven more cases since its update Tuesday.

The state also added one hospitalization to its count, for a total of 92 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. Fifty-seven 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 403 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.

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

How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?

New Mexico added four cases Friday for 71 total. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County, two in Doña Ana County and one in Chaves County. Curry County logged its first case this week.

An unvaccinated adult died of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related illness March 6</a>. The person did not seek medical care.

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

The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.

Indiana has eight cases, all of them in Allen County in the northeast part of the state. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health has said.

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

Montana added three new measles cases in the last two weeks, bringing the total to eight. The state's outbreak started in mid-April in southwestern Gallatin County — Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.

How many cases are there in North Dakota?

North Dakota has nine cases of measles as of Tuesday. The state hadn't seen measles since 2011, health officials said.

All are in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. The state health department says three of the confirmed cases are linked to the first case — an unvaccinated child who health officials believe got it from an out-of-state visitor.

The other five cases were people who were not vaccinated and did not have contact with the other cases, causing concern about community transmission. The state health department said four people diagnosed with measles attended classes while infectious at a Williston elementary school, middle school and high school.

Ohio has 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents.

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

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

How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has 15 cases overall in 2025 as of Friday, 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>.

There were eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania in late April; the county declared an outbreak in mid-April.

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

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

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, 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 as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

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

Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to “herd immunity.” But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.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><p><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI <br>AP Health Writer</a></p><p>The U.S. surpassed 1,000 measles cases Friday, even as Texas posted one of its lowest counts of newly confirmed cases since its large outbreak began three months ago.</p><p><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;still accounts for the vast majority of cases in the U.S., with 709 confirmed as of Friday in an outbreak that also spread measles to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a><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.</p><p>Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.</p><p>North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>, all of which are the same measles strain. One outbreak 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">1,440 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 6, up 197 cases in a week. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 1,041 measles cases and one death as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.</p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.</p><p>As the virus takes hold in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear that 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></p><h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><p><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has a total of 49 cases across eight counties in the southwestern part of the state, with one hospitalization. Most of the cases are in Gray, Haskell and Stevens counties.&nbsp; Sedgwick County is also reporting a case of measles.</p><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas?</h2><p>There are a total of 709 cases across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">29 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>, state health officials said Friday. The state confirmed only seven more cases since its update Tuesday.</p><p>The state also added one hospitalization to its count, for a total of 92 throughout the outbreak.</p><p><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. Fifty-seven 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 403 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.</p><p>The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6.</p><h2>How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?</h2><p>New Mexico added four cases Friday for 71 total. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County, two in Doña Ana County and one in Chaves County. Curry County logged its first case this week.</p><p>An unvaccinated adult died of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related illness March 6</a>. The person did not seek medical care.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2><p>Oklahoma held steady with a total of 14 confirmed and three probable cases as of Friday.</p><p>The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2><p>Indiana has eight cases, all of them in Allen County in the northeast part of the state. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health has said.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2><p>Michigan has nine confirmed cases of measles, with an outbreak of four connected cases in Montcalm County in the western part of the state that state health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2><p>Montana added three new measles cases in the last two weeks, bringing the total to eight. The state's outbreak started in mid-April in southwestern Gallatin County — Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.</p><h2>How many cases are there in North Dakota?</h2><p>North Dakota has nine cases of measles as of Tuesday. The state hadn't seen measles since 2011, health officials said.</p><p>All are in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. The state health department says three of the confirmed cases are linked to the first case — an unvaccinated child who health officials believe got it from an out-of-state visitor.</p><p>The other five cases were people who were not vaccinated and did not have contact with the other cases, causing concern about community transmission. The state health department said four people diagnosed with measles attended classes while infectious at a Williston elementary school, middle school and high school.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2><p>Ohio has 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents.</p><p>The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors.</p><p>Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2><p>Pennsylvania has 15 cases overall in 2025 as of Friday, 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>.</p><p>There were eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania in late April; the county declared an outbreak in mid-April.</p><h2>How many cases are there in Tennessee?</h2><p>Tennessee had six measles cases as of early May. 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.</p><h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2><p>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.</p><p>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.</p><h2>What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?</h2><p>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.</p><p>Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.</p><p>People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity."</p><p>Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to “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.</p><h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2><p>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2>How can you treat measles?</h2><p>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.</p><p>___</p><p>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>

US has over 1,000 measles cases, 11 states with active outbreaks

<b>By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER</b><br><i>Hays Post Sports</i>

HAYS - Two big innings led the visiting Manhattan Indians to a 12-5 win over the hometown Indians of Hays High Friday in the opening game of the Western Plains Diamond Classic at Leo-Harper Field.

Hays (11-7) was one strike away from getting out of the second inning unscathed. Manhattan had a runner at second with two outs and the batter in a 1-2 pitch count. Two walks, two hit batters, and a single later Hays was trailing 4-0.&nbsp;

Manhattan (13-4) added to their lead with two more runs in the top of the fifth. Three of the four runners that reached in the inning did so on either a walk or was hit by a pitch.&nbsp;

Hays put runners in scoring position in each the fourth and fifth innings but didn't take advantage.&nbsp;

Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth got their bats going. One out walks from Carter Graham and Kaleb Roe were driven in on a double by Trace Jacobs. Bennett Smith followed with a single that brought Jacobs in to score.&nbsp;

The inning continued with an run scoring double by Landon Hardman for a 7-4 score. Weston Werth drove in Hardman with a double for the final run. Hays closed the deficit down to 7-5.

Manhattan got all five runs back in the top of the seventh. Two errors and a three run homerun moved Manhattan back in front by seven runs at 12-5. Hays didn't threaten in the bottom of the seventh.

Trenton Welch (1-1) allowed four hits over five innings. He allowed six runs, five earned, walked five and struck out six. He hit three batters. Ian McGuire allowed three hits, three runs, walked one and struck out two in an inning plus. Landon Hardman made his season debut on the mound allowing three runs, two hits and walked one over one inning.&nbsp;

Hays will face Brush (CO) in the final game of the first day.

<p><b>By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER</b><br><i>Hays Post Sports</i></p><p>HAYS - Two big innings led the visiting Manhattan Indians to a 12-5 win over the hometown Indians of Hays High Friday in the opening game of the Western Plains Diamond Classic at Leo-Harper Field.</p><p>Hays (11-7) was one strike away from getting out of the second inning unscathed. Manhattan had a runner at second with two outs and the batter in a 1-2 pitch count. Two walks, two hit batters, and a single later Hays was trailing 4-0.&nbsp;</p><p>Manhattan (13-4) added to their lead with two more runs in the top of the fifth. Three of the four runners that reached in the inning did so on either a walk or was hit by a pitch.&nbsp;</p><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2093046732&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/5-9-25-hhs-bsb-highlights-v" title="5-9-25 HHS BSB Highlights v. Manhattan" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">5-9-25 HHS BSB Highlights v. Manhattan</a></div></div><p>Hays put runners in scoring position in each the fourth and fifth innings but didn't take advantage.&nbsp;</p><p>Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth got their bats going. One out walks from Carter Graham and Kaleb Roe were driven in on a double by Trace Jacobs. Bennett Smith followed with a single that brought Jacobs in to score.&nbsp;</p><p>The inning continued with an run scoring double by Landon Hardman for a 7-4 score. Weston Werth drove in Hardman with a double for the final run. Hays closed the deficit down to 7-5.</p><p>Manhattan got all five runs back in the top of the seventh. Two errors and a three run homerun moved Manhattan back in front by seven runs at 12-5. Hays didn't threaten in the bottom of the seventh.</p><div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2093043954&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/5-9-25-hhs-bsb-coach-interview" title="5-9-25 HHS BSB Coach Interview v. Manhattan" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">5-9-25 HHS BSB Coach Interview v. Manhattan</a></div></div><p>Trenton Welch (1-1) allowed four hits over five innings. He allowed six runs, five earned, walked five and struck out six. He hit three batters. Ian McGuire allowed three hits, three runs, walked one and struck out two in an inning plus. Landon Hardman made his season debut on the mound allowing three runs, two hits and walked one over one inning.&nbsp;</p><p>Hays will face Brush (CO) in the final game of the first day.</p>

⚾ Hays falls to Manhattan in Diamond Classic opener

The Fort Tavern and Patio Bar in Hays announced it will close, and the facility has been sold to a new owner.

The Fort posted on Facebook today, "Thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the 4+ years we’ve been open! We have sold the business to an owner with a slightly different vision. 

"If you have any gift cards, now is the time to use them, and if you’ve enjoyed the VR, axe throwing or bowling, please come see us before May 19.

"We will be taking care of any bookings from now until May 19 as usual. All other reservations after that will need to be communicated with the new owner! Thank you all again for the wonderful years we’ve been here!"

<p><i>Hays Post</i></p><p>The Fort Tavern and Patio Bar in Hays announced it will close, and the facility has been sold to a new owner.</p><p>The Fort posted on Facebook today, "Thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the 4+ years we’ve been open! We have sold the business to an owner with a slightly different vision. </p><p>"If you have any gift cards, now is the time to use them, and if you’ve enjoyed the VR, axe throwing or bowling, please come see us before May 19.</p><p>"We will be taking care of any bookings from now until May 19 as usual. All other reservations after that will need to be communicated with the new owner! Thank you all again for the wonderful years we’ve been here!"</p>

The Fort bar in Hays to close, sold to new owner

<b>By CRISTINA JANNEY<br></b><i>Hays Post</i>

A former HaysMed oncologist has opened a new practice in western Kansas.

Dr. Robert Rodriguez, medical oncologist, and Amanda Volchko, advanced practice provider, started seeing patients two weeks ago through their practice, Western Kansas Oncology Group, serving Oakley, Tribune and Goodland.

The practice is based in Tribune but works with all three critical-access hospitals in those three communities. The practice offers in-person visits as well as telemedicine.

The practice is accepting new oncology and hematology patients.

Rodriguez treats cancer patients and blood cancer patients, but under hematology, also treats patients with noncancerous anemia or low platelets, which can happen as a result of interactions with medications or aging.

Rodriguez received both his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Kansas. He did his residency and fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He spent an additional two years at the medical center before moving to western Kansas to work for HaysMed, where he worked for just less than 10 years.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a05ca048-415e-412f-bcea-55ff325a76b9">Rodriguez was one of two former HaysMed doctors who sued the hospital, arguing the noncompete clauses&nbsp;in their contracts, which would have kept them from practicing within a 110-mile radius of Hays, were too restrictive.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/057d44cb-ad96-4aab-951d-a71a18cbee0a">&nbsp;The doctors and hospital came to a resolution through meditation, but the terms of that agreement were kept confidential.</a>

Volchko was born and raised in New Jersey. She trained in Philadelphia before a recruiter hired her to work in Hoxie. Rodriguez met Volchko while working in Hays, and she expressed an interest in working with cancer patients.

"My No. 1 directive at this point is to bring treatment locally," Rodriguez said. "In my time at my previous employment, everyone had to come to our location, come to Hays, come to the University of Kansas."

"We're trying to keep people as close to home as possible. Our primary directive is to get as much of that care done locally as possible, including cancer evaluation, chemotherapy administration, and diagnostic imaging and labs. "

Rodriguez said getting treatment close to home makes a "huge" difference for cancer patients.

"If you can imagine any time someone has to get systemic treatment for a malignancy, it's not the best day of their life," he said. "Even when you do it 100% correctly, it still takes a toll on the person."

Bringing care closer to patients means they don't have to drive hours for care. That is physically better for the patient.

"It helps emotionally," Rodriguez said, "and it really does help financially. Sometimes funds are limited. These treatments are expensive."

Patients rarely come for treatment alone. Rodriguez said local treatment results in less stress for the family members and friends who are assisting the patients.

"The fact that we come to them is greatly beneficial and so appreciated by everyone I have worked with in these first few weeks," he said.

Because there are no cures for the diseases that Rodriguez treats, an oncologist aims to extend life and enhance quality of life.

"In the end, we're trying to buy people more time to live their life, to be with friends, family, and experience things they love," Rodriguez said. "The less time you spend with me, the better. The less time you have to spend traveling, even better than that. We're trying to have our cake and eat it too, where they still get the excellent care they would receive somewhere like the University of Kansas."

He also wanted patients to know he will be their doctor.

"Whether Amanda [Volchko] sees you or not, I am the one making those final plans. I will be making those plans even if I'm on vacation or if it's in the middle of the night, I will be your person," Rodriguez said.

He said he will also work with other physicians as needed, adding that through his experience, he's made many connections with other doctors across the state.

Rodriguez, who is a Goodland native, said he and his wife, who is a Larned native, wanted to stay in western Kansas and give back to rural communities.

"My desire had always been to go back and help the people that helped me," he said. "I didn't get to this place alone. I had excellent teachers and a community that shaped me into the person I am today. I have a sincere desire to help them."

The practice's appointments are filling fast. The Oakley clinic is full through July. Rodriguez said he wanted to thank the community for supporting the practice thus far.

"I'm really excited to get this project going," Rodriguez said. "It's been a dream of mine since graduating from medical school. It's finally happening, and the support that I have received from the community has been nothing but spectacular. I look forward to the rest of my career doing this very thing."

To contact the practice, call 620-720-2744. The fax is 620-720-2394.

Referrals and inquiries can also be emailed to westernksoncology@mygchs.com. Western Kansas Oncology Group updates and information can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WesternKansasOncologyGroup">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/westernkansasoncologygroup/">Instagram.</a>

<p><b>By CRISTINA JANNEY<br></b><i>Hays Post</i></p><p>A former HaysMed oncologist has opened a new practice in western Kansas.</p><p>Dr. Robert Rodriguez, medical oncologist, and Amanda Volchko, advanced practice provider, started seeing patients two weeks ago through their practice, Western Kansas Oncology Group, serving Oakley, Tribune and Goodland.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746731676329.jpeg" alt="Dr. Robert Rodriguez" />
                        <figcaption>Dr. Robert Rodriguez</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The practice is based in Tribune but works with all three critical-access hospitals in those three communities. The practice offers in-person visits as well as telemedicine.</p><p>The practice is accepting new oncology and hematology patients.</p><p>Rodriguez treats cancer patients and blood cancer patients, but under hematology, also treats patients with noncancerous anemia or low platelets, which can happen as a result of interactions with medications or aging.</p><p>Rodriguez received both his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Kansas. He did his residency and fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He spent an additional two years at the medical center before moving to western Kansas to work for HaysMed, where he worked for just less than 10 years.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a05ca048-415e-412f-bcea-55ff325a76b9">Rodriguez was one of two former HaysMed doctors who sued the hospital, arguing the noncompete clauses&nbsp;in their contracts, which would have kept them from practicing within a 110-mile radius of Hays, were too restrictive.</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/057d44cb-ad96-4aab-951d-a71a18cbee0a">&nbsp;The doctors and hospital came to a resolution through meditation, but the terms of that agreement were kept confidential.</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746731753831.jpeg" alt="Amanda Volchko, PA" />
                        <figcaption>Amanda Volchko, PA</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Volchko was born and raised in New Jersey. She trained in Philadelphia before a recruiter hired her to work in Hoxie. Rodriguez met Volchko while working in Hays, and she expressed an interest in working with cancer patients.</p><p>"My No. 1 directive at this point is to bring treatment locally," Rodriguez said. "In my time at my previous employment, everyone had to come to our location, come to Hays, come to the University of Kansas."</p><p>"We're trying to keep people as close to home as possible. Our primary directive is to get as much of that care done locally as possible, including cancer evaluation, chemotherapy administration, and diagnostic imaging and labs. "</p><p>Rodriguez said getting treatment close to home makes a "huge" difference for cancer patients.</p><p>"If you can imagine any time someone has to get systemic treatment for a malignancy, it's not the best day of their life," he said. "Even when you do it 100% correctly, it still takes a toll on the person."</p><p>Bringing care closer to patients means they don't have to drive hours for care. That is physically better for the patient.</p><p>"It helps emotionally," Rodriguez said, "and it really does help financially. Sometimes funds are limited. These treatments are expensive."</p><p>Patients rarely come for treatment alone. Rodriguez said local treatment results in less stress for the family members and friends who are assisting the patients.</p><p>"The fact that we come to them is greatly beneficial and so appreciated by everyone I have worked with in these first few weeks," he said.</p><p>Because there are no cures for the diseases that Rodriguez treats, an oncologist aims to extend life and enhance quality of life.</p><p>"In the end, we're trying to buy people more time to live their life, to be with friends, family, and experience things they love," Rodriguez said. "The less time you spend with me, the better. The less time you have to spend traveling, even better than that. We're trying to have our cake and eat it too, where they still get the excellent care they would receive somewhere like the University of Kansas."</p><p>He also wanted patients to know he will be their doctor.</p><p>"Whether Amanda [Volchko] sees you or not, I am the one making those final plans. I will be making those plans even if I'm on vacation or if it's in the middle of the night, I will be your person," Rodriguez said.</p><p>He said he will also work with other physicians as needed, adding that through his experience, he's made many connections with other doctors across the state.</p><p>Rodriguez, who is a Goodland native, said he and his wife, who is a Larned native, wanted to stay in western Kansas and give back to rural communities.</p><p>"My desire had always been to go back and help the people that helped me," he said. "I didn't get to this place alone. I had excellent teachers and a community that shaped me into the person I am today. I have a sincere desire to help them."</p><p>The practice's appointments are filling fast. The Oakley clinic is full through July. Rodriguez said he wanted to thank the community for supporting the practice thus far.</p><p>"I'm really excited to get this project going," Rodriguez said. "It's been a dream of mine since graduating from medical school. It's finally happening, and the support that I have received from the community has been nothing but spectacular. I look forward to the rest of my career doing this very thing."</p><p>To contact the practice, call 620-720-2744. The fax is 620-720-2394.</p><p>Referrals and inquiries can also be emailed to westernksoncology@mygchs.com. Western Kansas Oncology Group updates and information can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WesternKansasOncologyGroup">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/westernkansasoncologygroup/">Instagram.</a></p>

Former HaysMed oncologist opens new practice in western Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will immediately begin moving as many as 1,000 openly identifying transgender service members out of the military and give others 30 days to self-identify under a new directive issued Thursday.

Buoyed by Tuesday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-military-ban-ef67038857bd5b99e128bf0b8866afb4">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;allowing the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals in the military, the Defense Department will begin going through medical records to identify others who haven’t come forward.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who issued the latest memo, made his views clear after the court’s decision.

“No More Trans @ DoD,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X. Earlier in the day, before the court acted, Hegseth said that his department is leaving wokeness and weakness behind.

“No more pronouns,” he told a special operations forces conference in Tampa. “No more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that s---.”

Department officials have said it’s difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are, but medical records will show those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, who show symptoms or are being treated.

Those troops would then be involuntarily forced out of the service. And no one with that diagnosis will be allowed to enlist. Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s biological sex does not match up with their gender identity.

Officials have said that as of Dec. 9, 2024, there were 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard and Reserve. But they acknowledge the number may be higher.

There are about 2.1 million total troops serving.

The memo released Thursday mirrors one sent out in February, but any action was stalled at that point by several lawsuits.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruled that the administration could enforce the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f">ban on transgender people in the military</a>, while other legal challenges proceed. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

Neither the justices in the majority or dissent explained their votes, which is not uncommon in emergency appeals.

When the initial Pentagon directive came out earlier this year, it gave service members 30 days to self-identify. Since then, about 1,000 have done so.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the 1,000 troops who already self-identified “will begin the voluntary separation process” from the military.

Under the new guidelines, active duty troops will have until June 6 to voluntarily identify themselves to the department, and troops in the National Guard and Reserve will have until July 7.

While it may be difficult to see which troops have changed their gender identity in their military records, it will be easier to determine who has gotten a gender dysphoria diagnosis because that will be part of their medical record, as will any medication they are taking.

Between 2015 and 2024, the total cost for psychotherapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery and other treatment for service members is about $52 million, according to a defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.

Pentagon officials in an earlier memo defended the ban, saying that “the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service."

The new Pentagon policy would allow for limited exemptions.

That includes transgender personnel seeking to enlist who can prove on a case-by-case basis that they directly support warfighting activities, or if an existing service member diagnosed with gender dysphoria can prove they support a specific warfighting need, never transitioned to the gender they identify with and proves over 36 months they are stable in their biological sex “without clinically significant distress.”

If a waiver is issued, the applicant would still face a situation where only their biological sex was recognized for bathroom facilities, sleeping quarters and even in official recognition, such as being called “Sir” or “Ma’am.”

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will immediately begin moving as many as 1,000 openly identifying transgender service members out of the military and give others 30 days to self-identify under a new directive issued Thursday.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After a SCOTUS victory for <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, TRANS is out at the DOD. <a href="https://t.co/4WkEhSS3dL">pic.twitter.com/4WkEhSS3dL</a></p>&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1920592223147540887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Buoyed by Tuesday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-military-ban-ef67038857bd5b99e128bf0b8866afb4">Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;allowing the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals in the military, the Defense Department will begin going through medical records to identify others who haven’t come forward.</p><p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who issued the latest memo, made his views clear after the court’s decision.</p><p>“No More Trans @ DoD,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X. Earlier in the day, before the court acted, Hegseth said that his department is leaving wokeness and weakness behind.</p><p>“No more pronouns,” he told a special operations forces conference in Tampa. “No more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that s---.”</p><p>Department officials have said it’s difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are, but medical records will show those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, who show symptoms or are being treated.</p><p>Those troops would then be involuntarily forced out of the service. And no one with that diagnosis will be allowed to enlist. Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s biological sex does not match up with their gender identity.</p><p>Officials have said that as of Dec. 9, 2024, there were 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard and Reserve. But they acknowledge the number may be higher.</p><p>There are about 2.1 million total troops serving.</p><p>The memo released Thursday mirrors one sent out in February, but any action was stalled at that point by several lawsuits.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruled that the administration could enforce the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f">ban on transgender people in the military</a>, while other legal challenges proceed. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.</p><p>Neither the justices in the majority or dissent explained their votes, which is not uncommon in emergency appeals.</p><p>When the initial Pentagon directive came out earlier this year, it gave service members 30 days to self-identify. Since then, about 1,000 have done so.</p><p>In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the 1,000 troops who already self-identified “will begin the voluntary separation process” from the military.</p><p>Under the new guidelines, active duty troops will have until June 6 to voluntarily identify themselves to the department, and troops in the National Guard and Reserve will have until July 7.</p><p>While it may be difficult to see which troops have changed their gender identity in their military records, it will be easier to determine who has gotten a gender dysphoria diagnosis because that will be part of their medical record, as will any medication they are taking.</p><p>Between 2015 and 2024, the total cost for psychotherapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery and other treatment for service members is about $52 million, according to a defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.</p><p>Pentagon officials in an earlier memo defended the ban, saying that “the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service."</p><p>The new Pentagon policy would allow for limited exemptions.</p><p>That includes transgender personnel seeking to enlist who can prove on a case-by-case basis that they directly support warfighting activities, or if an existing service member diagnosed with gender dysphoria can prove they support a specific warfighting need, never transitioned to the gender they identify with and proves over 36 months they are stable in their biological sex “without clinically significant distress.”</p><p>If a waiver is issued, the applicant would still face a situation where only their biological sex was recognized for bathroom facilities, sleeping quarters and even in official recognition, such as being called “Sir” or “Ma’am.”</p>

🎥Trans troops are being moved out of the military in new Pentagon order

The Kansas Prisoner Review Board has granted parole to Jimmie Nelms, a man convicted of murdering Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien during a 1978 traffic stop near Matfield Green.&nbsp;

Nelms, now in his 70s, was sentenced to two life terms plus additional years for aggravated kidnapping and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be released to out-of-state family custody, officials said.&nbsp;

The decision has sparked strong backlash from state officials and law enforcement groups, who say Nelms’ release undermines justice for the violent killing of a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

“This cop killer received two life sentences after he brutally executed a highway patrol officer. Now, he is about to be released on parole. There is something deeply wrong with this picture,” said Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach in a statement. “Those who murder law enforcement officers should expect to receive the death penalty, not to be walking free on the streets of Kansas.”&nbsp;

Trooper O’Brien, 26, was conducting a routine traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike during the early morning hours of May 24, 1978, when Nelms and two others overpowered him. Authorities said O’Brien was forced at gunpoint into a roadside ditch, where he was pistol-whipped and fatally shot twice in the head with his own service weapon.&nbsp;

The three suspects, later identified as being wanted in a string of armed robberies across multiple states, were apprehended later that day after engaging another trooper in a gunfight. All were taken into custody following a manhunt.&nbsp;

Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, said he received notice of the parole decision early Wednesday morning and called the announcement “a gut-punch.”&nbsp;

“There is no conceivable world in which the release of a convicted cop killer—an executioner—is acceptable,” Smith said in a written statement. “While we may vehemently disagree with the Board’s decision, we must live with it by continuing to support [O'Brien’s] surviving family and his blue family.”&nbsp;

The Kansas State Troopers Association also condemned the decision, calling the board’s actions “disgraceful and disgusting.”&nbsp;

O’Brien, a native of Hutchinson, Kansas, joined the patrol in 1974 and transferred to the Kansas Turnpike detail in 1977. He was survived by his pregnant wife and their unborn daughter, who never met her father.&nbsp;

Under Kansas law at the time of Nelms’ sentencing, life imprisonment allowed for the possibility of parole. The Prisoner Review Board said it believes Nelms “is able and willing to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen and… can be released without detriment to the community or to himself.”&nbsp;

Despite continued opposition during parole hearings over the years, including the most recent in March, the board determined Nelms met the criteria for release.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol emphasized that its members will continue to serve with professionalism and dignity and will not forget the sacrifice of Trooper O’Brien.&nbsp;

A memorial for O’Brien is located on the Kansas Turnpike and on the Kansas Highway Patrol’s official website.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746748524625.png" alt="Jimmie Nelms photo KDOC" />
                        <figcaption>Jimmie Nelms photo KDOC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MARC JACOBS<br>Hutch Post</p><p>The Kansas Prisoner Review Board has granted parole to Jimmie Nelms, a man convicted of murdering Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien during a 1978 traffic stop near Matfield Green.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744283330.jpeg" alt="Conroy O'Brien from Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>Conroy O'Brien from Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Nelms, now in his 70s, was sentenced to two life terms plus additional years for aggravated kidnapping and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be released to out-of-state family custody, officials said.&nbsp;</p><p>The decision has sparked strong backlash from state officials and law enforcement groups, who say Nelms’ release undermines justice for the violent killing of a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;</p><p>“This cop killer received two life sentences after he brutally executed a highway patrol officer. Now, he is about to be released on parole. There is something deeply wrong with this picture,” said Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach in a statement. “Those who murder law enforcement officers should expect to receive the death penalty, not to be walking free on the streets of Kansas.”&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744404741.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Trooper O’Brien, 26, was conducting a routine traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike during the early morning hours of May 24, 1978, when Nelms and two others overpowered him. Authorities said O’Brien was forced at gunpoint into a roadside ditch, where he was pistol-whipped and fatally shot twice in the head with his own service weapon.&nbsp;</p><p>The three suspects, later identified as being wanted in a string of armed robberies across multiple states, were apprehended later that day after engaging another trooper in a gunfight. All were taken into custody following a manhunt.&nbsp;</p><p>Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, said he received notice of the parole decision early Wednesday morning and called the announcement “a gut-punch.”&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744469926.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“There is no conceivable world in which the release of a convicted cop killer—an executioner—is acceptable,” Smith said in a written statement. “While we may vehemently disagree with the Board’s decision, we must live with it by continuing to support [O'Brien’s] surviving family and his blue family.”&nbsp;</p><p>The Kansas State Troopers Association also condemned the decision, calling the board’s actions “disgraceful and disgusting.”&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744546042.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>O’Brien, a native of Hutchinson, Kansas, joined the patrol in 1974 and transferred to the Kansas Turnpike detail in 1977. He was survived by his pregnant wife and their unborn daughter, who never met her father.&nbsp;</p><p>Under Kansas law at the time of Nelms’ sentencing, life imprisonment allowed for the possibility of parole. The Prisoner Review Board said it believes Nelms “is able and willing to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen and… can be released without detriment to the community or to himself.”&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744593302.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Despite continued opposition during parole hearings over the years, including the most recent in March, the board determined Nelms met the criteria for release.&nbsp;</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol emphasized that its members will continue to serve with professionalism and dignity and will not forget the sacrifice of Trooper O’Brien.&nbsp;</p><p>A memorial for O’Brien is located on the Kansas Turnpike and on the Kansas Highway Patrol’s official website.&nbsp;</p>

Kan. trooper's killer granted parole after nearly five decades in prison

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prevost-american-pope-profile-leo-xiv-f9d14d75ae3bbe50bda121f27ee0e42b">Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV</a>. The Chicago-born missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-new-pope-photos-27ed8420e91b9b40cca8e65899ab878e">elected the first pope</a>&nbsp;from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

In his first words as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo, 69, said, “Peace be with you,” and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

Trump says ‘it’s such an honor for our country’

Trump spoke to reporters outside the West Wing, saying that for the new pope to be American, “What greater honor can there be?”

“We’re a little bit surprised and we’re happy,” Trump added.

US Secretary of State sends his greetings

Marco Rubio, a Catholic, issued a statement expressing his “heartfelt congratulations” to the new pope during “a moment of profound significance” for the church.

“The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility,” Rubio’s message said. “May the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.”

Spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians welcomes the new Roman Catholic Church leader

“I greet the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, with great brotherly love in Christ and great expectations,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told the Associated Press Thursday at an event in Athens. He said he’ll be in Rome for the pope’s enthronement.

Reflecting on his longstanding cooperation with Pope Francis, Bartholomew expressed hope for continued progress in Catholic-Orthodox relations. He and Francis collaborated on global challenges including climate change, migration and the impact of technological change. They also hoped to end a centuries-old dispute by finding a common date to celebrate Easter.

“I hope that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator ... for unity of the whole Christian family and for the benefit of the whole of humankind,” he said.

Vladimir Putin wishes Leo XIV success based on ‘Christian values’

The Russian president extended his “cordial congratulations” to the new pope in a message published on the Kremlin’s website, wishing him “success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being.”

“I am confident that the constructive dialogue and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us,” the Russian leader said.

UN secretary general offers ‘heartfelt congratulations’

Antonio Guterres said he looks forward “to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See – nurtured most recently by Pope Francis – to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.”

“The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion,” Guterres said.

And he quoted the new pope’s first words: “Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: ‘May peace be with all the world.’”

Leaders of African countries offer congratulations

Mozambique President Daniel Chapo said it was “with joy and jubilation that the people and government of the Republic of Mozambique received the happy news of his election.” Mozambique, once a colony of Portugal, has nearly 9 million Catholics.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in a Facebook post, “I wish a Pontificate filled with achievements and blessings, under the sign of interreligious dialogue, peace and human brotherhood,” The West African nation, while predominantly Muslim, has a significant Catholic minority.

Kenya’s Archbishop Anthony Muheria said Pope Leo XIV has visited Kenya “many times,” remembering him as “a very pleasant person and a good listener.” Catholics in Kenya make up the second largest denomination.

Spanish prime minister congratulates ‘the entire Catholic church’

Pedro Sánchez cheered the election of Pope Leo XIV, saying in a post on X: “May your pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.”

Taiwan looks to work with the new pope to spread the message of peace

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has extended his congratulations to the new pontiff and said his diplomatically isolated island hopes to work with the Vatican on spreading peace, justice, religious freedom, unity and compassion.

The Vatican is the only state in Europe to have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan and Taipei has worked hard to maintain a close relationship with recent popes.

About 2% of Taiwan’s population of 23 million are Catholic, though the church's roots go back hundreds of years on the island. Most Taiwanese follow Buddhism.

China’s state-backed church organizations offer congratulations to the new pope

China's official news agency Xinhua reported on Friday that the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference of Catholic Church in China — both under the Chinese government — congratulated Leo.

The Vatican’s relations with China were severed in 1951 after the Communist Party came to power and the expulsion of foreign priests. The country’s estimated millions of Catholics were divided into the state-recognized church and an underground one that stayed loyal to Rome.

In 2018, the Vatican and China signed an accord over the thorny issue of bishop nominations, and the deal was extended in 2024 even though Rome previously acknowledged that it was far from ideal.

The Holy See’s outreach to China under late Pope Francis has drawn criticism, especially from American conservatives who have accused the Vatican of selling out the faithful who have been forced underground. Hong Kong’s outspoken Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen also criticized the deal.

Filipinos welcome the first-ever American pontiff

The Philippines is the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia and there were hopes the late Pope Francis would be succeeded by a prominent Filipino Cardinal, Luis Antonio Tagle, from the laidback city of Imus just south of Manila.

Still, Leo's election was welcomed and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he prays that the new pope would "continue to bring the church closer to the poor and disadvantaged.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746737222266.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prevost-american-pope-profile-leo-xiv-f9d14d75ae3bbe50bda121f27ee0e42b">Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV</a>. The Chicago-born missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-new-pope-photos-27ed8420e91b9b40cca8e65899ab878e">elected the first pope</a>&nbsp;from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.</p><p>In his first words as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo, 69, said, “Peace be with you,” and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.</p><h2>Trump says ‘it’s such an honor for our country’</h2><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on Pope Leo XIV: &quot;To have the pope from the United States of America, that&#39;s a great honor.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0PzT89cpej">pic.twitter.com/0PzT89cpej</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920550229012607248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump spoke to reporters outside the West Wing, saying that for the new pope to be American, “What greater honor can there be?”</p><p>“We’re a little bit surprised and we’re happy,” Trump added.</p><h2>US Secretary of State sends his greetings</h2><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Habemus Papam!<br><br>Congratulations to the first American pontiff, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, on his election as the 267th successor to Saint Peter. May God grant him wisdom, courage, and grace as he carries out his sacred ministry.</p>&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1920557152030036353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Marco Rubio, a Catholic, issued a statement expressing his “heartfelt congratulations” to the new pope during “a moment of profound significance” for the church.</p><p>“The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility,” Rubio’s message said. “May the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, we joyously celebrate the election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, a moment of profound significance for the global Church. A Villanova alumnus, Pope Leo XIV is the first Pope from the United States and the first Augustinian friar to be elected.<a href="https://t.co/ObBq4dgJya">https://t.co/ObBq4dgJya</a> <a href="https://t.co/dwlNiPw0lT">pic.twitter.com/dwlNiPw0lT</a></p>&mdash; Villanova University (@VillanovaU) <a href="https://twitter.com/VillanovaU/status/1920549928348066188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians welcomes the new Roman Catholic Church leader</h2><p>“I greet the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, with great brotherly love in Christ and great expectations,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told the Associated Press Thursday at an event in Athens. He said he’ll be in Rome for the pope’s enthronement.</p><p>Reflecting on his longstanding cooperation with Pope Francis, Bartholomew expressed hope for continued progress in Catholic-Orthodox relations. He and Francis collaborated on global challenges including climate change, migration and the impact of technological change. They also hoped to end a centuries-old dispute by finding a common date to celebrate Easter.</p><p>“I hope that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator ... for unity of the whole Christian family and for the benefit of the whole of humankind,” he said.</p><h2>Vladimir Putin wishes Leo XIV success based on ‘Christian values’</h2><p>The Russian president extended his “cordial congratulations” to the new pope in a message published on the Kremlin’s website, wishing him “success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being.”</p><p>“I am confident that the constructive dialogue and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us,” the Russian leader said.</p><h2>UN secretary general offers ‘heartfelt congratulations’</h2><p>Antonio Guterres said he looks forward “to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See – nurtured most recently by Pope Francis – to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.”</p><p>“The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion,” Guterres said.</p><p>And he quoted the new pope’s first words: “Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: ‘May peace be with all the world.’”</p><h2>Leaders of African countries offer congratulations</h2><p>Mozambique President Daniel Chapo said it was “with joy and jubilation that the people and government of the Republic of Mozambique received the happy news of his election.” Mozambique, once a colony of Portugal, has nearly 9 million Catholics.</p><p>Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in a Facebook post, “I wish a Pontificate filled with achievements and blessings, under the sign of interreligious dialogue, peace and human brotherhood,” The West African nation, while predominantly Muslim, has a significant Catholic minority.</p><p>Kenya’s Archbishop Anthony Muheria said Pope Leo XIV has visited Kenya “many times,” remembering him as “a very pleasant person and a good listener.” Catholics in Kenya make up the second largest denomination.</p><h2>Spanish prime minister congratulates ‘the entire Catholic church’</h2><p>Pedro Sánchez cheered the election of Pope Leo XIV, saying in a post on X: “May your pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.”</p><h2>Taiwan looks to work with the new pope to spread the message of peace</h2><p>Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has extended his congratulations to the new pontiff and said his diplomatically isolated island hopes to work with the Vatican on spreading peace, justice, religious freedom, unity and compassion.</p><p>The Vatican is the only state in Europe to have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan and Taipei has worked hard to maintain a close relationship with recent popes.</p><p>About 2% of Taiwan’s population of 23 million are Catholic, though the church's roots go back hundreds of years on the island. Most Taiwanese follow Buddhism.</p><h2>China’s state-backed church organizations offer congratulations to the new pope</h2><p>China's official news agency Xinhua reported on Friday that the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference of Catholic Church in China — both under the Chinese government — congratulated Leo.</p><p>The Vatican’s relations with China were severed in 1951 after the Communist Party came to power and the expulsion of foreign priests. The country’s estimated millions of Catholics were divided into the state-recognized church and an underground one that stayed loyal to Rome.</p><p>In 2018, the Vatican and China signed an accord over the thorny issue of bishop nominations, and the deal was extended in 2024 even though Rome previously acknowledged that it was far from ideal.</p><p>The Holy See’s outreach to China under late Pope Francis has drawn criticism, especially from American conservatives who have accused the Vatican of selling out the faithful who have been forced underground. Hong Kong’s outspoken Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen also criticized the deal.</p><h2>Filipinos welcome the first-ever American pontiff</h2><p>The Philippines is the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia and there were hopes the late Pope Francis would be succeeded by a prominent Filipino Cardinal, Luis Antonio Tagle, from the laidback city of Imus just south of Manila.</p><p>Still, Leo's election was welcomed and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he prays that the new pope would "continue to bring the church closer to the poor and disadvantaged.”</p><p>“I wanted the candidate from the Philippines … but let’s accept this choice because this was God’s plan,” Alexandra Bonilla, a 20-year-old student, said at a cathedral in Imus.</p><h2>Australia's prime minister says Pope Leo's leadership comes at an ‘important time’</h2><p>Anthony Albanese said on Friday that he will invite the new pope to the 54th International Eucharistic Congress, a gathering of Roman Catholic clergy and lay people, in Sydney in 2028.</p><h2>The Bushes are delighted over an American pope</h2><p>Former U.S. President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, are “delighted” to congratulate former Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election to become pope.</p><p>“This an historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world,” Bush said in a statement. “We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share God’s love.”</p>