BARRY COUNTY —A teenager drowned just after 1p.m. Friday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 14-year-old Shell Knob, Missouri boy jumped into the lake from a dock. He was overcome by the wind and waves and drowned a short distance from the dock.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol dive team recovered the body of Ean Heuback at the same location and he was transported to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">White Funeral Home in Cassville.</a>&nbsp; He had just celebrated his graduation from 8th grade according to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">his obituary.</a>

BARRY COUNTY —A teenager drowned just after 1p.m. Friday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 14-year-old Shell Knob, Missouri boy jumped into the lake from a dock. He was overcome by the wind and waves and drowned a short distance from the dock.A Missouri State Highway Patrol dive team recovered the body of Ean Heuback at the same location and he was transported to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">White Funeral Home in Cassville.</a>&nbsp; He had just celebrated his graduation from 8th grade according to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">his obituary.</a>

14-year-old drowns at Table Rock Lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an “excellent” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted more than two hours.

Trump also spoke with with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire.

“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a social media post. The conversations came after the White House said the U.S. leader has grown “frustrated” with both leaders over the continuing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine.</a>

After the call, Putin said Russia was ready to continue discussing an end to the fighting, but he indicated there was no major breakthrough in what he termed a “very informative and very frank” conversation with Trump. Putin said the warring countries should “find compromises that would suit all parties.”

“At the same time, I would like to note that, in general, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” the Russian president said.

Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. That makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a deal maker after having claimed he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly settle the conflict</a>&nbsp;once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office.

Trump expressed his hopes for a “productive day” Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders. But ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Putin isn't serious about negotiation.

“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday ahead of the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”

The Republican president is banking on the idea that his force of personality and personal history with Putin will be enough to break any impasse over a pause in the fighting.

“I’d say we’re more than open to walking away,” Vance told reporters before leaving Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Vance said Trump has been clear that the U.S. “is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes.”

Trump's “sensibilities are that he’s got to get on the phone with President Putin, and that is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to,” said Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff. “I think it’s going to be a very successful call.”

Trump's frustration builds over failure to end war

Still, there are fears that Trump has an affinity for Putin that could put Ukraine at a disadvantage with any agreements engineered by the U.S. government.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-ukraine-russia-666b7a75e41748e81d525959c2c78289">Bridget Brink</a>&nbsp;said she resigned last month as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine "because the policy since the beginning of the administration was to put pressure on the victim Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.”

Brink said the sign that she needed to depart was an Oval Office meeting in February where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">Trump and his team openly berated Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for not being sufficiently deferential to them.

“I believe that peace at any price is not peace at all,” Brink said. “It’s appeasement, and as we know from history, appeasement only leads to more war.”

Trump's frustration about the war had been building before his post Saturday on Truth Social about the coming calls.

Trump said his discussion with Putin would focus on stopping the “bloodbath” of the war. It also will cover trade, a sign that Trump might be seeking to use financial incentives to broker some kind of agreement after Russia's invasion led to severe sanctions by the United States and

its allies that have steadily eroded Moscow's ability to grow.

Trump's hope, according to the post, is that “a war that should have never happened will end.”

Vance said Trump would press Putin on whether he was serious about negotiating an end to the conflict, saying Trump doesn’t believe he is and that Trump may wash his hands of trying to end the war.

“It takes two to tango,” Vance said, adding that “if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to have to say, this is not our war. It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war."

His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that Trump had made it clear that a failure by Putin to negotiate “in good faith” could lead to additional sanctions against Russia.

Bessent suggested the sanctions that began during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden were inadequate because they did not stop Russia's oil revenues, due to concerns that doing so would increase U.S. prices. The United States sought to cap Russia's oil revenues while preserving the country's petroleum exports to limit the damage from the inflation that the war produced.

No ceasefire but an exchange of prisoners

Putin recently rejected an offer by Zelenskyy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">meet in-person in Turkey</a>&nbsp;as an alternative to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including Washington. Instead, Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul for talks, the first such direct negotiations since March 2022.

Those talks ended Friday after less than two hours, without a ceasefire in place. Still, both countries committed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, with Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, saying on Ukrainian television Saturday that the exchanges could happen as early as this week.

While wrapping up his four-day trip to the Middle East, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">said Friday</a>&nbsp;that Putin had not gone to Turkey because Trump himself wasn't there.

“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not,” Trump told reporters after boarding Air Force One. “At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”

Zelenskyy met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday, as well as European leaders, intensifying his efforts before the Monday calls.

The Ukrainian president said on the social media site X that during his talks with the American officials, they discussed the negotiations in Turkey and that “the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers.” He also said he stressed that Ukraine is engaged in ”real diplomacy” to have a ceasefire.

“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange,” Zelenskyy said. “Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”

The German government said Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French, British and Italian leaders spoke with Trump late Sunday about the situation in Ukraine and his upcoming call with Putin. A brief statement gave no details of the conversation, but said the plan is for the exchange to be continued directly after the Trump-Putin call.

Witkoff spoke Sunday on ABC's “This Week” and Brink appeared on CBS' “Face the Nation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an “excellent” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted more than two hours.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/q5CPyHZkLD">pic.twitter.com/q5CPyHZkLD</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1924523182909747657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump also spoke with with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire.“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a social media post. The conversations came after the White House said the U.S. leader has grown “frustrated” with both leaders over the continuing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine.</a>After the call, Putin said Russia was ready to continue discussing an end to the fighting, but he indicated there was no major breakthrough in what he termed a “very informative and very frank” conversation with Trump. Putin said the warring countries should “find compromises that would suit all parties.”“At the same time, I would like to note that, in general, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” the Russian president said.Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. That makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a deal maker after having claimed he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly settle the conflict</a>&nbsp;once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office.Trump expressed his hopes for a “productive day” Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders. But ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Putin isn't serious about negotiation.“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday ahead of the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”The Republican president is banking on the idea that his force of personality and personal history with Putin will be enough to break any impasse over a pause in the fighting.“I’d say we’re more than open to walking away,” Vance told reporters before leaving Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Vance said Trump has been clear that the U.S. “is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes.”Trump's “sensibilities are that he’s got to get on the phone with President Putin, and that is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to,” said Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff. “I think it’s going to be a very successful call.”<h2>Trump's frustration builds over failure to end war</h2>Still, there are fears that Trump has an affinity for Putin that could put Ukraine at a disadvantage with any agreements engineered by the U.S. government.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-ukraine-russia-666b7a75e41748e81d525959c2c78289">Bridget Brink</a>&nbsp;said she resigned last month as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine "because the policy since the beginning of the administration was to put pressure on the victim Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.”Brink said the sign that she needed to depart was an Oval Office meeting in February where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">Trump and his team openly berated Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for not being sufficiently deferential to them.“I believe that peace at any price is not peace at all,” Brink said. “It’s appeasement, and as we know from history, appeasement only leads to more war.”Trump's frustration about the war had been building before his post Saturday on Truth Social about the coming calls.Trump said his discussion with Putin would focus on stopping the “bloodbath” of the war. It also will cover trade, a sign that Trump might be seeking to use financial incentives to broker some kind of agreement after Russia's invasion led to severe sanctions by the United States andits allies that have steadily eroded Moscow's ability to grow.Trump's hope, according to the post, is that “a war that should have never happened will end.”Vance said Trump would press Putin on whether he was serious about negotiating an end to the conflict, saying Trump doesn’t believe he is and that Trump may wash his hands of trying to end the war.“It takes two to tango,” Vance said, adding that “if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to have to say, this is not our war. It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war."His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that Trump had made it clear that a failure by Putin to negotiate “in good faith” could lead to additional sanctions against Russia.Bessent suggested the sanctions that began during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden were inadequate because they did not stop Russia's oil revenues, due to concerns that doing so would increase U.S. prices. The United States sought to cap Russia's oil revenues while preserving the country's petroleum exports to limit the damage from the inflation that the war produced.<h2>No ceasefire but an exchange of prisoners</h2>Putin recently rejected an offer by Zelenskyy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">meet in-person in Turkey</a>&nbsp;as an alternative to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including Washington. Instead, Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul for talks, the first such direct negotiations since March 2022.Those talks ended Friday after less than two hours, without a ceasefire in place. Still, both countries committed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, with Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, saying on Ukrainian television Saturday that the exchanges could happen as early as this week.While wrapping up his four-day trip to the Middle East, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">said Friday</a>&nbsp;that Putin had not gone to Turkey because Trump himself wasn't there.“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not,” Trump told reporters after boarding Air Force One. “At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”Zelenskyy met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday, as well as European leaders, intensifying his efforts before the Monday calls.The Ukrainian president said on the social media site X that during his talks with the American officials, they discussed the negotiations in Turkey and that “the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers.” He also said he stressed that Ukraine is engaged in ”real diplomacy” to have a ceasefire.“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange,” Zelenskyy said. “Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”The German government said Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French, British and Italian leaders spoke with Trump late Sunday about the situation in Ukraine and his upcoming call with Putin. A brief statement gave no details of the conversation, but said the plan is for the exchange to be continued directly after the Trump-Putin call.Witkoff spoke Sunday on ABC's “This Week” and Brink appeared on CBS' “Face the Nation.”

President Trump describes phone call with Russian President Putin

KIOWA COUNTY—At about 11 p.m. Sunday, a stopped Union Pacific train was apparently hit by a tornado in rural, south central Kansas.

The train crew had stopped the train about two miles west of the small community of Haviland, after learning a tornado warning had been issued for the area, according to Union Pacific Spokesperson Robynn Tysver.

About 100 rail cars derailed. No one was injured, and no hazardous material was released. Cleanup is underway.&nbsp;

Union Pacific Railroad thanked the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Department, which quickly responded to the scene and picked up the train crew.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747674253491.png" alt="Cleanup of the rail cars underway -Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Cleanup of the rail cars underway -Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KIOWA COUNTY—At about 11 p.m. Sunday, a stopped Union Pacific train was apparently hit by a tornado in rural, south central Kansas.The train crew had stopped the train about two miles west of the small community of Haviland, after learning a tornado warning had been issued for the area, according to Union Pacific Spokesperson Robynn Tysver.About 100 rail cars derailed. No one was injured, and no hazardous material was released. Cleanup is underway.&nbsp;Union Pacific Railroad thanked the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Department, which quickly responded to the scene and picked up the train crew.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tornado toppled about 100 rail cars in rural south central Kan.

ROME (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>.

Vance gave the first American pope a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point,” in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media.

Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St. Augustine's most seminal works, “The City of God" and "On Christian Doctrine,” the vice president's office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo's name on it.

“As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you,” Vance told Leo as they exchanged gifts.

Leo gave Vance a bronze sculpture with the words in Italian “Peace is a fragile flower,” and a coffee-table sized picture book of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. Leo noted that Francis had chosen not to live in them and added, “And I may live in, but it's not totally decided.”

Vance led the U.S. delegation to Sunday's formal Mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">opening the pontificate</a>&nbsp;of the first American pope. Joining him at the meeting on Monday was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also a Catholic, Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said. The two then also met with the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” according to a Vatican statement after their meeting.

According to the photo of the visits released by the Vatican, Leo's brother, Louis Prevost, a self-described “MAGA-type,” and his wife Deborah joined the delegation during the visit.

The Vatican listed Vance's delegation as the first of several private audiences Leo was having Monday with people who had come to Rome for his inaugural Mass, including other Christian leaders and a group of faithful from his old diocese in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru</a>.

The Vatican, which was largely sidelined during the first three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-russia-ukraine-peace-pope-rubio-us-95f185bc251ac2dde54200f9495a0ad9">offered to host any peace talks</a>&nbsp;while continuing humanitarian efforts to facilitate prisoner swaps and reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

After greeting Leo briefly at the end of Sunday’s Mass, Vance spent the rest of the day in separate meetings, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, who said she hoped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-eu-us-trump-vance-von-der-leyen-europe-trade-tariffs-ukraine-war-russia-pope-leo-b56131694579f4e37f5b7115ca06678d">the trialateral meeting</a>&nbsp;could be a “new beginning.”

In the evening, Meloni spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump and several other European leaders ahead of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-sumy-e90d68ea2ef45f329a4cda16e200c141">expected call</a>&nbsp;with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from Meloni's office.

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent the bulk of his ministry in Chiclayo, a commercial city of around 800,000 on Peru’s northern Pacific coast.

In the days since his May 8 election, Leo has vowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">“every effort”</a>&nbsp;to help bring peace to Ukraine. He also has emphasized his continuity with Pope Francis, who made caring for migrants and the poor a priority of his pontificate.

Before his election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-twitter-x-trump-vance-criticism-9c311123985ebce282877071f75b6d80">Prevost shared</a>&nbsp;news articles on X that were critical of the Trump administration’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">mass deportations of migrants.</a>

Vance was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-vance-pope-migration-a91d0f741cb994faae1e363d38b66c05">last foreign officials</a>&nbsp;to meet with Francis before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-funeral-d6a8a471978c21c71c3f1dc07f663e78">the Argentine pope's April 21 death.</a>&nbsp;The two had tangled over migration, with Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-trump-migration-09a89091f8e7dc3270099f0947d04e90">publicly rebuking</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration's deportation plan and correcting Vance's theological justification for it.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747569688341.jpeg" alt="Pope Leo XIV meets Vice President JD Vance after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Leo XIV meets Vice President JD Vance after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I was humbled and honored to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural mass. We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God. I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry. <a href="https://t.co/z7Q9J48Sdz">https://t.co/z7Q9J48Sdz</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1924472188888887416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance gave the first American pope a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point,” in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">This morning, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pontifex</a> 🇺🇸🇻🇦 <a href="https://t.co/VRM3ETsAp5">pic.twitter.com/VRM3ETsAp5</a>&mdash; Taylor Van Kirk (@VPPressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/VPPressSec/status/1924377856513052719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St. Augustine's most seminal works, “The City of God" and "On Christian Doctrine,” the vice president's office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo's name on it.“As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you,” Vance told Leo as they exchanged gifts.Leo gave Vance a bronze sculpture with the words in Italian “Peace is a fragile flower,” and a coffee-table sized picture book of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. Leo noted that Francis had chosen not to live in them and added, “And I may live in, but it's not totally decided.”Vance led the U.S. delegation to Sunday's formal Mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">opening the pontificate</a>&nbsp;of the first American pope. Joining him at the meeting on Monday was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also a Catholic, Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said. The two then also met with the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” according to a Vatican statement after their meeting.According to the photo of the visits released by the Vatican, Leo's brother, Louis Prevost, a self-described “MAGA-type,” and his wife Deborah joined the delegation during the visit.The Vatican listed Vance's delegation as the first of several private audiences Leo was having Monday with people who had come to Rome for his inaugural Mass, including other Christian leaders and a group of faithful from his old diocese in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru</a>.The Vatican, which was largely sidelined during the first three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-russia-ukraine-peace-pope-rubio-us-95f185bc251ac2dde54200f9495a0ad9">offered to host any peace talks</a>&nbsp;while continuing humanitarian efforts to facilitate prisoner swaps and reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia.After greeting Leo briefly at the end of Sunday’s Mass, Vance spent the rest of the day in separate meetings, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, who said she hoped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-eu-us-trump-vance-von-der-leyen-europe-trade-tariffs-ukraine-war-russia-pope-leo-b56131694579f4e37f5b7115ca06678d">the trialateral meeting</a>&nbsp;could be a “new beginning.”In the evening, Meloni spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump and several other European leaders ahead of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-sumy-e90d68ea2ef45f329a4cda16e200c141">expected call</a>&nbsp;with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from Meloni's office.<h2>‘Every Effort’</h2>Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent the bulk of his ministry in Chiclayo, a commercial city of around 800,000 on Peru’s northern Pacific coast.In the days since his May 8 election, Leo has vowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">“every effort”</a>&nbsp;to help bring peace to Ukraine. He also has emphasized his continuity with Pope Francis, who made caring for migrants and the poor a priority of his pontificate.Before his election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-twitter-x-trump-vance-criticism-9c311123985ebce282877071f75b6d80">Prevost shared</a>&nbsp;news articles on X that were critical of the Trump administration’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">mass deportations of migrants.</a>Vance was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-vance-pope-migration-a91d0f741cb994faae1e363d38b66c05">last foreign officials</a>&nbsp;to meet with Francis before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-funeral-d6a8a471978c21c71c3f1dc07f663e78">the Argentine pope's April 21 death.</a>&nbsp;The two had tangled over migration, with Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-trump-migration-09a89091f8e7dc3270099f0947d04e90">publicly rebuking</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration's deportation plan and correcting Vance's theological justification for it.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

JD Vance gives Pope Leo XIV an invitation from Trump to visit US

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating a robbery that occurred at a business have released a description of the suspect.

Just after 10p.m. Sunday, an employee in the customer service area at Walmart, 1920 U.S. 73 in Atchison, was entering an office door when she was approached by a man who grabbed a cash bag she was holding. 

The suspect struggled briefly with the employee and pushed her as he ran from the area, he did not display any type of weapon.

The suspect fled the store with a bag of cash. The suspect is described as a black male, tall, long dreads, wearing a black t-shirt and sweatpants with white dots, and wearing a surgical or covid type mask, according to Wilson. 

He left the area in a white Chrysler Pacifica. It is believed the vehicle left the Walmart parking lot west on Raven Hill Road and south on U.S.73.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747668648614.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are&nbsp;investigating a robbery that occurred at a business have released a description of the suspect.Just after 10p.m. Sunday, an employee in the customer service area at Walmart, 1920 U.S. 73 in Atchison, was entering an office door when she was approached by a man who grabbed a cash bag she was holding. The suspect struggled briefly with the employee and pushed her as he ran from the area, he did not display any type of weapon.The suspect fled the store with a bag of cash. The suspect is described as a black male, tall, long dreads, wearing a black t-shirt and sweatpants with white dots, and wearing a surgical or covid type mask, according to Wilson. He left the area in a white Chrysler Pacifica. It is believed the vehicle left the Walmart parking lot west on Raven Hill Road and south on U.S.73.&nbsp;

Suspect escaped Kansas business with bag of cash

RENO COUNTY— A woman was critically injured early Monday in a fire southwest of Hutchinson, according to Reno County Fire officials.

Just before 4a.m., crews from Reno County Fire Districts 4, 6 and 7 were dispatched to 12416 S. Jordan Springs Road and found a camper and garage fully involved in flames.

Reno County EMS responded and transported a female burn victim to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control within 45 minutes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747662369944.jpeg" alt="Photo Reno County Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>Photo Reno County Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— A woman was critically injured early Monday in a fire southwest of Hutchinson, according to Reno County Fire officials.Just before 4a.m., crews from Reno County Fire Districts 4, 6 and 7 were dispatched to 12416 S. Jordan Springs Road and found a camper and garage fully involved in flames.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747662358504.jpeg" alt="Photo Reno County Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>Photo Reno County Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>Reno County EMS responded and transported a female burn victim to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.Firefighters brought the blaze under control within 45 minutes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Woman critically injured in rural Kansas fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans narrowly advanced President Donald Trump's big tax cuts package out of a key committee during a rare Sunday night vote, but just barely, as conservative holdouts are demanding quicker cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs before giving their full support.

Speaker Mike Johnson met with Republican lawmakers shortly before the meeting and acknowledged to reporters that there are still details to "iron out." He said some changes were being made, but declined to provide details.

It's all setting up a difficult week ahead for the GOP leadership racing toward a Memorial Day deadline, a week away, to pass the package from the House. The Budget Committee, which just days ago failed to advance the package when four conservative Republicans objected, was able to do so Sunday on a vote of 17-16, with the four hold-outs voting "present" to allow it to move ahead, as talks continue. Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes voted with the majority.

"The bill does not yet meet the moment," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus, in a social media post immediately after the late-night session. "We can and must do better before we pass the final product."

The path ahead for Johnson is unclear as he tries to hold his narrow House majority together to pass the president's top domestic priority of extending the tax breaks while pumping in money for border security and deportations — all while cutting spending.

Republicans criticizing the measure argued that the bill's new spending and the tax cuts are front-loaded in the bill, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded. In particular, they are looking to speed up the new work requirements that Republicans want to enact for able-bodied participants in Medicaid.

Johnson indicated he wants to impose the the work requirements "as soon as possible" but acknowledged it may take states longer to change their systems. Those requirements would not kick in until 2029 under the current bill.

"There will be more details to iron out and several more to take care of," Johnson, R-La., said outside the hearing room.

"But I'm looking forward to very thoughtful discussions, very productive discussions over the next few days, and I'm absolutely convinced we're going to get this in final form and pass it."

More talks are ahead, but Johnson is looking to put the bill on the House floor before the end of the week.

Democrats have decried the cuts Republicans are proposing to Medicaid and food stamps to offset the costs of the tax breaks.

"This spending bill is terrible, and I think the American people know that," Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "There is nothing wrong with us bringing the government in balance. But there is a problem when that balance comes on the back of working men and women. And that's what is happening here."

The first time that Republicans tried advancing the bill out of the House Budget Committee last week, the deficit hawks joined with Democratic lawmakers in voting against reporting the measure to the full House.

Those same four Republicans — Roy and Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia — cast their "present" votes Sunday.

Norman pointed to a recent downgrade of the nation's credit rating in making his arguments for steeper reductions.

"We've got a lot more work to do," Norman said. "We're excited about what we did. We want to move the bill forward."

At its core, the sprawling legislative package permanently extends the existing income tax cuts that were approved during Trump's first term in 2017 and adds temporary new ones that the president campaigned on in 2024, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay and auto loan interest payments. The measure also proposes big spending increases for border security and defense.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade.

Johnson is not just having to address the concerns of the deficit hawks in his party. He's also facing pressure from centrists who will be warily eyeing the proposed changes to Medicaid, food assistance programs and the rolling back of clean energy tax credits. Republican lawmakers from New York and elsewhere are also demanding a much larger state and local tax deduction.

As it stands, the bill proposes tripling what's currently a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, increasing it to $30,000 for joint filers with incomes up to $400,000 a year.

Rep. Nick LaLota, one of the New York lawmakers leading the effort to lift the cap, said they have proposed a deduction of $62,000 for single filers and $124,000 for joint filers.

Rep. Jodey Arrington, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, said the bill remained under negotiation.

"Deliberations continue at this very moment," Arrington said. "They will continue on into the week, and I suspect right up until the time we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House."

If the bill passes the House this week, it would then move to the Senate, where Republican lawmakers are also eyeing changes that could make final passage in the House more difficult.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747651957660.png" alt="Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes and members of the House Budget Committee during a rare Sunday evening vote -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes and members of the House Budget Committee during a rare Sunday evening vote -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans narrowly advanced President Donald Trump's big tax cuts package out of a key committee during a rare Sunday night vote, but just barely, as conservative holdouts are demanding quicker cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs before giving their full support.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">House Budget Committee APPROVES GOP Tax &amp; Spending Bill, 17-16-4. <a href="https://t.co/iOsRn7kPvd">pic.twitter.com/iOsRn7kPvd</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1924299234586591697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Mike Johnson met with Republican lawmakers shortly before the meeting and acknowledged to reporters that there are still details to "iron out." He said some changes were being made, but declined to provide details.It's all setting up a difficult week ahead for the GOP leadership racing toward a Memorial Day deadline, a week away, to pass the package from the House. The Budget Committee, which just days ago failed to advance the package when four conservative Republicans objected, was able to do so Sunday on a vote of 17-16, with the four hold-outs voting "present" to allow it to move ahead, as talks continue. Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes voted with the majority."The bill does not yet meet the moment," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus, in a social media post immediately after the late-night session. "We can and must do better before we pass the final product."The path ahead for Johnson is unclear as he tries to hold his narrow House majority together to pass the president's top domestic priority of extending the tax breaks while pumping in money for border security and deportations — all while cutting spending.Republicans criticizing the measure argued that the bill's new spending and the tax cuts are front-loaded in the bill, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded. In particular, they are looking to speed up the new work requirements that Republicans want to enact for able-bodied participants in Medicaid.Johnson indicated he wants to impose the the work requirements "as soon as possible" but acknowledged it may take states longer to change their systems. Those requirements would not kick in until 2029 under the current bill."There will be more details to iron out and several more to take care of," Johnson, R-La., said outside the hearing room."But I'm looking forward to very thoughtful discussions, very productive discussions over the next few days, and I'm absolutely convinced we're going to get this in final form and pass it."More talks are ahead, but Johnson is looking to put the bill on the House floor before the end of the week.Democrats have decried the cuts Republicans are proposing to Medicaid and food stamps to offset the costs of the tax breaks."This spending bill is terrible, and I think the American people know that," Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "There is nothing wrong with us bringing the government in balance. But there is a problem when that balance comes on the back of working men and women. And that's what is happening here."The first time that Republicans tried advancing the bill out of the House Budget Committee last week, the deficit hawks joined with Democratic lawmakers in voting against reporting the measure to the full House.Those same four Republicans — Roy and Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia — cast their "present" votes Sunday.Norman pointed to a recent downgrade of the nation's credit rating in making his arguments for steeper reductions."We've got a lot more work to do," Norman said. "We're excited about what we did. We want to move the bill forward."At its core, the sprawling legislative package permanently extends the existing income tax cuts that were approved during Trump's first term in 2017 and adds temporary new ones that the president campaigned on in 2024, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay and auto loan interest payments. The measure also proposes big spending increases for border security and defense.The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade.Johnson is not just having to address the concerns of the deficit hawks in his party. He's also facing pressure from centrists who will be warily eyeing the proposed changes to Medicaid, food assistance programs and the rolling back of clean energy tax credits. Republican lawmakers from New York and elsewhere are also demanding a much larger state and local tax deduction.As it stands, the bill proposes tripling what's currently a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, increasing it to $30,000 for joint filers with incomes up to $400,000 a year.Rep. Nick LaLota, one of the New York lawmakers leading the effort to lift the cap, said they have proposed a deduction of $62,000 for single filers and $124,000 for joint filers.Rep. Jodey Arrington, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, said the bill remained under negotiation."Deliberations continue at this very moment," Arrington said. "They will continue on into the week, and I suspect right up until the time we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House."If the bill passes the House this week, it would then move to the Senate, where Republican lawmakers are also eyeing changes that could make final passage in the House more difficult.

Kan. Congressman's vote helps advance Trump's big tax cut bill 

GOVE COUNTY —Spring storms brought hail, heavy rain, damaging winds and numerous tornadoes to portions of Kansas on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in Cheyenne, Scott, Logan, Gove, Edwards, Pawnee, Kiowa, Stafford, Pratt and Reno&nbsp; Counties on Sunday.

A tornado in Grinnell Sunday caused damage to both the electric and gas systems in the small Gove County community, according to Midwest Energy. There were roughly 330 customers without power, and the utility closed off the gas system to inspect for additional damage and make repairs.&nbsp;

"The utility identified 15 poles down (twelve 34.5 kV poles west of town, and three 115kV transmission structures), as well as damage in Grinnell city limits."&nbsp; Additional damage is likely. "Crews will be working on these into Monday. .Gas&nbsp;crews were conducting leak surveys in town and in rural areas around Grinnell, and could attempt gas restoration Monday morning where safe to do so. There are no reports of serious injuries. Interstate 70 exit 85 remains closed at Grinnell due to tornado damage and downed powerlines in town, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Late Sunday afternoon, tornadoes rolled through portions of Scott County near the rural community of Modoc damaging power lines, rail road cars, oil tank batteries and an abandoned house, according to the Scott County Sheriff.&nbsp; &nbsp;Another tornado was reported at the Scott County Lake Park. Emergency responders found no damage from the storm in that area. There were no reports of injuries.

Cheyenne County had tornado damage west and south west of St. Francis, according to Emergency Management Director Ryan Murray. Two farmsteads had significant damage to outbuildings. No occupied homes were destroyed, and there were no injuries or fatalities. Murray also said Cheyenne County had reports of center pivot damage in the same area SW of St. Francis.

&nbsp;Due to the severe weather eastbound&nbsp; Interstate 70 was temporarily closed from Colby to Grinnell and Westbound Interstate 70 closed from Hays to Grinnell due to downed power lines.&nbsp;

Reno County emergency crews are assessing widespread damage after a tornado tore through rural areas and the city of Plevna on Sunday leaving downed trees, damaged homes, and snapped utility poles in its wake.

The tornado touched down around 11:50 p.m. north of Turon, cutting a destructive path through the countryside before striking Plevna. It then continued approximately five miles northeast of the city before dissipating.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747675067860.png" alt="Storm damage in Grinnell-image courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage in Grinnell-image courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>GOVE COUNTY —Spring storms brought hail, heavy rain, damaging winds and numerous tornadoes to portions of Kansas on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in Cheyenne, Scott, Logan, Gove, Edwards, Pawnee, Kiowa, Stafford, Pratt and Reno&nbsp; Counties on Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747613397106.png" alt="I-70 at Grainfield just before 7p.m. Sunday" />
 <figcaption>I-70 at Grainfield just before 7p.m. Sunday</figcaption>
 </figure>A tornado in Grinnell Sunday caused damage to both the electric and gas systems in the small Gove County community, according to Midwest Energy. There were roughly 330 customers without power, and the utility closed off the gas system to inspect for additional damage and make repairs.&nbsp;"The utility identified 15 poles down (twelve 34.5 kV poles west of town, and three 115kV transmission structures), as well as damage in Grinnell city limits."&nbsp; Additional damage is likely. "Crews will be working on these into Monday. .Gas&nbsp;crews were conducting leak surveys in town and in rural areas around Grinnell, and could attempt gas restoration Monday morning where safe to do so. There are no reports of serious injuries. Interstate 70 exit 85 remains closed at Grinnell due to tornado damage and downed powerlines in town, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747622565029.png" alt="Radar image Midwest Energy" />
 <figcaption>Radar image Midwest Energy</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At 932pm CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located 10 miles southeast of Mullinville, moving northeast at 35 mph. Locations in this storms path is Greensburg. Those in or near the Greensburg area should seek shelter immediately! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1924293853843960260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0HaHZJaM3nut5V21JmXN6DpjtmJSxSta9c1r72g4eXitVkhJ7mfa65zaATpt6jJCjl%26id%3D100069503049327&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="189" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Late Sunday afternoon, tornadoes rolled through portions of Scott County near the rural community of Modoc damaging power lines, rail road cars, oil tank batteries and an abandoned house, according to the Scott County Sheriff.&nbsp; &nbsp;Another tornado was reported at the Scott County Lake Park. Emergency responders found no damage from the storm in that area. There were no reports of injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747615187888.png" alt="I-70 in Trego County during a hail storm just after 7:30p.m. Sunday" />
 <figcaption>I-70 in Trego County during a hail storm just after 7:30p.m. Sunday</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747615878333.png" alt="Just after 7:40p.m. Sunday in Trego County" />
 <figcaption>Just after 7:40p.m. Sunday in Trego County</figcaption>
 </figure>Cheyenne County had tornado damage west and south west of St. Francis, according to Emergency Management Director Ryan Murray. Two farmsteads had significant damage to outbuildings. No occupied homes were destroyed, and there were no injuries or fatalities. Murray also said Cheyenne County had reports of center pivot damage in the same area SW of St. Francis.&nbsp;Due to the severe weather eastbound&nbsp; Interstate 70 was temporarily closed from Colby to Grinnell and Westbound Interstate 70 closed from Hays to Grinnell due to downed power lines.&nbsp;Reno County emergency crews are assessing widespread damage after a tornado tore through rural areas and the city of Plevna on Sunday leaving downed trees, damaged homes, and snapped utility poles in its wake.The tornado touched down around 11:50 p.m. north of Turon, cutting a destructive path through the countryside before striking Plevna. It then continued approximately five miles northeast of the city before dissipating.Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Numerous tornadoes from spring storm in Kansas

BUTLER COUNTY —A Kansas paramedic died Friday in the line of duty.

&nbsp;Paramedic Justin Lauppe&nbsp;experienced cardiac arrest  and lost his life during an emergency call, according to a statement from Butler County EMS.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/justin-lauppe-memorial-fund?attribution_id=sl:6232ad4c-2deb-44dc-9fca-471a5b4aeec2&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1747503721&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t2-amp15_c&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=sms&amp;v=amp14_t2">Click here to see </a>the online memorial fundraiser

 "Lauppe, a 14-year veteran of emergency services, was a pillar of our team, known for his unwavering commitment to saving lives and compassionate care."

"His loss is deeply felt by colleagues, friends, and the countless individuals he served in Butler County. We are heartbroken by the loss of Justin, whose dedication to our community was truly extraordinary. His sacrifice reminds us of the risks our first responders face every day."

"We honor his legacy by continuing to serve with the same passion and bravery he embodied.Butler County EMS is providing support to Justin’s family and colleagues during this difficult time."

"The circumstances of his passing were medical in nature, and further details will be shared as appropriate.Emergency Service agencies are encouraged to help us honoring Paramedic Justin Lauppe’s memory.

 A memorial service is being planned, with details to follow at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747426200231.png" alt="-Justin Lauppe courtesy phto" />
 <figcaption>-Justin Lauppe courtesy phto</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —A Kansas paramedic died Friday in the line of duty.&nbsp;Paramedic Justin Lauppe&nbsp;experienced cardiac arrest and lost his life during an emergency call, according to a statement from Butler County EMS.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbucoems%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0tacPb8z3GmYzHfyuW5fjLHpd4ApKZAPutA1nqDM4cLxv8LVcJTBskDw64jCy3ZkDl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="725" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/justin-lauppe-memorial-fund?attribution_id=sl:6232ad4c-2deb-44dc-9fca-471a5b4aeec2&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1747503721&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t2-amp15_c&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=sms&amp;v=amp14_t2">Click here to see </a>the online memorial fundraiser "Lauppe, a 14-year veteran of emergency services, was a pillar of our team, known for his unwavering commitment to saving lives and compassionate care.""His loss is deeply felt by colleagues, friends, and the countless individuals he served in Butler County. We are heartbroken by the loss of Justin, whose dedication to our community was truly extraordinary. His sacrifice reminds us of the risks our first responders face every day.""We honor his legacy by continuing to serve with the same passion and bravery he embodied.Butler County EMS is providing support to Justin’s family and colleagues during this difficult time.""The circumstances of his passing were medical in nature, and further details will be shared as appropriate.Emergency Service agencies are encouraged to help us honoring Paramedic Justin Lauppe’s memory. A memorial service is being planned, with details to follow at a later date.

Memorial fund for Kan. paramedic who died during emergency call

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

On social media, President Trump and lawmakers sent their good wishes to Biden.

Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.

“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”

Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family's “hearts and prayers during this time.”

“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.

His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support. <a href="https://t.co/oSS1vGIiwU">pic.twitter.com/oSS1vGIiwU</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1924427587582828753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On social media, President Trump and lawmakers sent their good wishes to Biden.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Melania and I are saddened to hear about <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a>’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.&quot; –President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/6HjermTGK7">pic.twitter.com/6HjermTGK7</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1924226781118443643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Laina and I are sending heartfelt prayers for President Biden and his family as he fights cancer. Please join us in praying for strength, comfort, and hope during this difficult time.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1924208825856377078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and… <a href="https://t.co/gG5nB0GMPp">pic.twitter.com/gG5nB0GMPp</a>&mdash; Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1924219372819673156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family's “hearts and prayers during this time.”“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”___

Trump, Kan. lawmaker send best wishes to Biden after cancer diagnosis

KANSAS CITY —Police continue their work stop dangerous side shows on the streets in Kansas City, Missouri.

Late Friday and early Saturday police arrested 19 suspects, towed 36 vehicles and issued 76 citations for activities related to stunts, sideshows, takeovers and more, according to a statement from Kansas&nbsp; City Police. Officers also recovered five firearms.&nbsp;

"Kansas City’s streets belong to all of us, and we are doing the work to show you. Our enforcement of these illegal acts continues." "We will not tolerate those who break the law, trying to hijack our streets." The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jackson County Sheriff and Clay County Sheriff's Department assisted KCPD.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496379713.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police continue their work stop dangerous side shows on the streets in Kansas City, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496443531.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Late Friday and early Saturday police arrested 19 suspects, towed 36 vehicles and issued 76 citations for activities related to stunts, sideshows, takeovers and more, according to a statement from Kansas&nbsp; City Police. Officers also recovered five firearms.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747496396795.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"Kansas City’s streets belong to all of us, and we are doing the work to show you. Our enforcement of these illegal acts continues." "We will not tolerate those who break the law, trying to hijack our streets." The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jackson County Sheriff and Clay County Sheriff's Department assisted KCPD.&nbsp;

Police make more stunt, side show arrests in Kansas City

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on child sex crimes.

On May 8, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children / Internet Crimes Against Children office in Johnson County, Kansas, contacted Garden City Police about child pornography videos being traced back to Garden City, and an investigation began, according to a media release from police.

During the investigation, Rosbel Resendez, 26, was identified as the suspect.

On May 14, a search warrant was served at Resendez’s home at 2406 N. Main Street. where several electronic items were seized. Resendez was arrested and booked into the Finney County Jail on multiple requested charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747316796306.png" alt="Resendez photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Resendez photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on child sex crimes.On May 8, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children / Internet Crimes Against Children office in Johnson County, Kansas, contacted Garden City Police about child pornography videos being traced back to Garden City, and an investigation began, according to a media release from police.During the investigation, Rosbel Resendez, 26, was identified as the suspect.On May 14, a search warrant was served at Resendez’s home at 2406 N. Main Street. where several electronic items were seized. Resendez was arrested and booked into the Finney County Jail on multiple requested charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

Tip helped police ID SW Kan. man in child sex crime investigation

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting i the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim unresponsive.

Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747536786963.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting i the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747536801851.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim unresponsive.Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.

Double homicide: Man and woman dead at KC apartment building

Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

Pete Buttigieg, who was Biden's transportation secretary, called the former president “a man of deep faith and extraordinary resilience.”

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727691434816.png" alt="File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo former President Joe Biden -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer. <a href="https://t.co/qszrloAsvR">pic.twitter.com/qszrloAsvR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1924199062443569402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”Pete Buttigieg, who was Biden's transportation secretary, called the former president “a man of deep faith and extraordinary resilience.”The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-doctor-physical-debate-7e2ee1216e35891600737ce20cdc7d2d">calamitous debate performance</a>&nbsp;in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.In 2022, Biden made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-cancer-moonshot-new-orleans-event-df375e5e4dd1511276710b192bad9c0a">“cancer moonshot”</a>&nbsp;one of his administration's priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-death-anniversary-cancer-e7458639de75afb28b159b5d733f8c56">died from brain cancer</a>&nbsp;in 2015.His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

NEW YORK (AP) — Between collections resuming, courts blocking student loan programs and layoffs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-ab509ad5778497dfbd6d53b9eef692b5">Education Department</a>, borrowers might be confused about the status of their student loans.

Recently, the Education Department announced it would start&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-default-collection-fa6498bf519e0d50f2cd80166faef32a">involuntary collections</a>&nbsp;on defaulted loans, meaning the roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in default could have their wages garnished by the federal government.

At the center of the turmoil are the government’s income-driven repayment plans, which reduce monthly payments for borrowers with lower incomes. Those plans were temporarily paused after a federal court blocked parts of the plans in February.

“There’s so much confusion, they’ve made it very complicated,” said Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center.

At the same time, some borrowers are struggling to get their loan servicers on the phone, making it hard to find answers to their questions, said Abrams.

If you’re a student loan borrower, here are some answers to your questions.

What if I want to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan?

Applications for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-repayment-forgiveness-18c994d3edf0b50acd95de2db0221675">income-driven repayment plans</a>&nbsp;are open, but they’re taking longer than usual to process.

The applications were temporarily shut down earlier this year after a federal court in Missouri blocked the SAVE plan, a Biden administration plan that offered a faster path to loan forgiveness. The judge’s order also blocked parts of other repayment plans, prompting the Education Department to pause income-driven applications entirely.

Amid pressure from advocates, the department reopened the applications on May 10.

Borrowers can apply for the following income-driven plans: the Income-Based Repayment Plan, the Pay as You Earn plan and the Income-Contingent Repayment plan.

Abrams expects applications will continue to be approved but at a slower pace than before the application pause.

Borrowers currently enrolled in an income-driven plan should be receiving notifications about recertification, said Khandice Lofton, counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center. Recertification is required annually to update information on family size and income, and dates are different for each borrower.

To review income-driven repayment plans, you can check the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/" target="_blank">loan simulator</a>&nbsp;at studentaid.gov.

Borrowers enrolled in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-forgiveness-save-plan-debt-borrowers-313afd73cadc3cfc8ab3a6ee684fc3e4">SAVE plan</a>&nbsp;have been placed in forbearance while a legal challenge is resolved. That means they don’t have to make payments and interest is not accruing. Time in forbearance normally does not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

The Education Department will notify borrowers with updates on payments and litigation.

“We don’t know for sure when the SAVE forbearance is going to end,” Abrams said.

While the future of the SAVE plan is decided in court, Abrams encourages borrowers to explore their eligibility for other income-driven repayment plans.

What if I want to consolidate my student loans?

The online application for loan consolidation is available again, at&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation</a>. If you have multiple federal student loans, you can combine them into one with a fixed interest rate and a single monthly payment.

The consolidation process typically takes around 60 days to complete. You can only consolidate your loans once.

It would be difficult for the Education Department to reinstate loans that were canceled during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-debt-cancellation-forgiveness-d213afe3ea69da3c6b9e713c7dc16a9a">President Joe Biden’s administration</a>. So far, it isn’t believed to be happening, Abrams said.

What about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program?

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-trump-457a24f8dba3c52dfe58f1e72ba61fa4">wants to change</a>&nbsp;the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to disqualify workers of nonprofit groups deemed to have engaged in “improper” activities. He signed an executive order to that effect, but it has yet to be enforced.

Borrowers enrolled in PSLF should keep up with payments to make progress toward loan forgiveness, said Sarah Austin, policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

“There could be some changes coming in regards to PSLF but at this current time PSLF is still functioning and there is still loan forgiveness being processed under the PSLF provision,” said Austin.

An income-driven repayment tracker has disappeared from the federal student loan website for many borrowers, said Abrams. For keeping track of their status, Abrams is recommending that borrowers take screenshots of their payments.

What if I can’t get a hold of my loan servicer?

Contacting your loan servicer is crucial to managing and understanding your student loans. Due to the large number of people trying to get answers or apply for programs, loan servicers are taking longer than usual to respond.

Abrams recommends borrowers prepare for long wait times.

“We’ve heard borrowers being in hold for three or four hours, then being transferred to a supervisor and then being hung up on, after all that wait time. It’s incredibly frustrating,” Abrams said.

What can I do if I’m delinquent on my student loans?

If you’re delinquent, try to get back on track. Borrowers who don’t make their payments for 270 days go into default, which has severe consequences.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741729690736.png" alt="AP photo" />
 <figcaption>AP photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Between collections resuming, courts blocking student loan programs and layoffs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-ab509ad5778497dfbd6d53b9eef692b5">Education Department</a>, borrowers might be confused about the status of their student loans.Recently, the Education Department announced it would start&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-default-collection-fa6498bf519e0d50f2cd80166faef32a">involuntary collections</a>&nbsp;on defaulted loans, meaning the roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in default could have their wages garnished by the federal government.At the center of the turmoil are the government’s income-driven repayment plans, which reduce monthly payments for borrowers with lower incomes. Those plans were temporarily paused after a federal court blocked parts of the plans in February.“There’s so much confusion, they’ve made it very complicated,” said Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center.At the same time, some borrowers are struggling to get their loan servicers on the phone, making it hard to find answers to their questions, said Abrams.If you’re a student loan borrower, here are some answers to your questions.<h2>What if I want to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan?</h2>Applications for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-debt-repayment-forgiveness-18c994d3edf0b50acd95de2db0221675">income-driven repayment plans</a>&nbsp;are open, but they’re taking longer than usual to process.The applications were temporarily shut down earlier this year after a federal court in Missouri blocked the SAVE plan, a Biden administration plan that offered a faster path to loan forgiveness. The judge’s order also blocked parts of other repayment plans, prompting the Education Department to pause income-driven applications entirely.Amid pressure from advocates, the department reopened the applications on May 10.Borrowers can apply for the following income-driven plans: the Income-Based Repayment Plan, the Pay as You Earn plan and the Income-Contingent Repayment plan.Abrams expects applications will continue to be approved but at a slower pace than before the application pause.Borrowers currently enrolled in an income-driven plan should be receiving notifications about recertification, said Khandice Lofton, counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center. Recertification is required annually to update information on family size and income, and dates are different for each borrower.To review income-driven repayment plans, you can check the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/" target="_blank">loan simulator</a>&nbsp;at studentaid.gov.<h2>What if I applied to the SAVE plan?</h2>Borrowers enrolled in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-forgiveness-save-plan-debt-borrowers-313afd73cadc3cfc8ab3a6ee684fc3e4">SAVE plan</a>&nbsp;have been placed in forbearance while a legal challenge is resolved. That means they don’t have to make payments and interest is not accruing. Time in forbearance normally does not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness.The Education Department will notify borrowers with updates on payments and litigation.“We don’t know for sure when the SAVE forbearance is going to end,” Abrams said.While the future of the SAVE plan is decided in court, Abrams encourages borrowers to explore their eligibility for other income-driven repayment plans.<h2>What if I want to consolidate my student loans?</h2>The online application for loan consolidation is available again, at&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation</a>. If you have multiple federal student loans, you can combine them into one with a fixed interest rate and a single monthly payment.The consolidation process typically takes around 60 days to complete. You can only consolidate your loans once.<h2>What if my loan was forgiven?</h2>It would be difficult for the Education Department to reinstate loans that were canceled during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-debt-cancellation-forgiveness-d213afe3ea69da3c6b9e713c7dc16a9a">President Joe Biden’s administration</a>. So far, it isn’t believed to be happening, Abrams said.<h2>What about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program?</h2>Nothing has changed yet.President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-trump-457a24f8dba3c52dfe58f1e72ba61fa4">wants to change</a>&nbsp;the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to disqualify workers of nonprofit groups deemed to have engaged in “improper” activities. He signed an executive order to that effect, but it has yet to be enforced.Borrowers enrolled in PSLF should keep up with payments to make progress toward loan forgiveness, said Sarah Austin, policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.“There could be some changes coming in regards to PSLF but at this current time PSLF is still functioning and there is still loan forgiveness being processed under the PSLF provision,” said Austin.An income-driven repayment tracker has disappeared from the federal student loan website for many borrowers, said Abrams. For keeping track of their status, Abrams is recommending that borrowers take screenshots of their payments.<h2>What if I can’t get a hold of my loan servicer?</h2>Contacting your loan servicer is crucial to managing and understanding your student loans. Due to the large number of people trying to get answers or apply for programs, loan servicers are taking longer than usual to respond.Abrams recommends borrowers prepare for long wait times.“We’ve heard borrowers being in hold for three or four hours, then being transferred to a supervisor and then being hung up on, after all that wait time. It’s incredibly frustrating,” Abrams said.<h2>What can I do if I’m delinquent on my student loans?</h2>If you’re delinquent, try to get back on track. Borrowers who don’t make their payments for 270 days go into default, which has severe consequences.“If you’re delinquent but have not defaulted yet, do whatever you can do to avoid going default,” said Kate Wood, a student loans expert at NerdWallet.Borrowers who are delinquent on their student loans take a massive hit on their credit scores, which could drop 100 points or more, Wood said. A delinquency stays on your credit report for seven years.Wood recommends contacting your servicer to ask for options, which can include forbearance, deferment or applying for an income-driven repayment plan.<h2>What if I’m in default on my student loans?</h2>The Education Department is recommending borrowers visit its&nbsp;<a href="http://t1.info.ed.gov/r/?id=h23c64d5,1f7dccc,1f7f968" target="_blank">Default Resolution Group</a>&nbsp;to make a monthly payment, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan or sign up for loan rehabilitation.Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute for Student Loan Advisors, recommends loan rehabilitation.Borrowers in default must ask their loan servicer to be placed into such a program. Typically, servicers ask for proof of income and expenses to calculate a payment amount. Once a borrower has paid on time for nine months in a row, they are taken out of default, Mayotte said. A loan rehabilitation can only be done once.<h2>What happened to Fresh Start?</h2>The Fresh Start program was a one-time temporary program that helped borrowers get out of default. This program ended Aug. 31, 2024.___