KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City.

A bicycle was&nbsp; northbound on Flora Avenue and failed to stop for the posted stop sign at 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The blue Schwinn entered the intersection. An eastbound white Honda Civic struck the bicycle. EMS transported he bicyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. 

The driver of the Honda stopped immediately, cooperated with the investigation and was not injured in the collision. This is fatality #23 compared to #39 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the bicyclisst.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City.A bicycle was&nbsp; northbound on Flora Avenue and failed to stop for the posted stop sign at 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The blue Schwinn entered the intersection. An eastbound white Honda Civic struck the bicycle. EMS transported he bicyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. The driver of the Honda stopped immediately, cooperated with the investigation and was not injured in the collision. This is fatality #23 compared to #39 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the bicyclisst.

Police: Bicyclist struck and killed at Kansas City intersection

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and local health departments continue to respond to measles cases in Kansas. KDHE is notifying the public of a possible measles exposure so that the public may take the appropriate steps to protect their health and limit the spread of measles. The risk of exposure to measles is limited only to the location, date, and times below.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The measles virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Because the measles virus is highly contagious, anyone who was inside Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport on the evening of May 2 from 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm,&nbsp;may have been exposed to measles and should take the following steps:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Reminder, that this possible measles exposure is limited only to those who were at the airport on Friday, May 2nd from 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. It spreads easily when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs. People who are not vaccinated or lack immunity are especially at risk of becoming infected. Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a skin rash develops and usually starts on the face and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms and legs.&nbsp;

The best way to prevent measles is to get the MMR vaccine. If you have had measles or have been vaccinated, your risk of contracting the disease is very low. However, a few people (about three out of 100) can still get measles even after two MMR vaccine doses if they are near someone who is sick.&nbsp;

For questions, contact the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline by phone at 877-427-7317 (option 5) or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kdhe.epihotline@ks.gov">kdhe.epihotline@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information about measles, how to find your vaccine records, and answers to common questions, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Measles Resource Hub at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2Fmeasles%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000196bab66071-265dded3-852b-4d34-80ea-a195df30b371-000000/27ODBlJLudr7cQfILpYMRWb24mslz8GtUAsUmquBqac=404">www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and local health departments continue to respond to measles cases in Kansas. KDHE is notifying the public of a possible measles exposure so that the public may take the appropriate steps to protect their health and limit the spread of measles. The risk of exposure to measles is limited only to the location, date, and times below.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Location:&nbsp;Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, 2277 Eisenhower Airport Pkwy, Wichita on Friday, May 2, 2025, from 6:15 p.m. until 9 p.m.&nbsp;</li><li>Hutchinson Public Library,&nbsp;901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS 67501  on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. </li>
 </ul>The measles virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Because the measles virus is highly contagious, anyone who was inside Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport on the evening of May 2 from 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm,&nbsp;may have been exposed to measles and should take the following steps:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Understand if you are susceptible to infection.&nbsp;Check if you’ve received a measles-containing vaccine, like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, have medical documentation of past measles infection, or have laboratory evidence of immunity. People who are not vaccinated and have not previously had measles are especially vulnerable to becoming infected. People born before 1957, or have had measles disease in the past, or have had at least one MMR dose are considered immune.&nbsp;</li><li>Watch for symptoms. Monitor yourself for 21 days after your exposure. Look out for any symptoms—especially a fever and a new or unexplained skin rash—and contact your healthcare provider or local health department if symptoms develop.</li><li>If you were at the&nbsp;Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport&nbsp;on the evening of May 2, watch for symptoms of measles up until the end of Friday, May 23.</li><li>Avoid high-risk settings. If you are not immune, consider staying home to prevent the spread of measles. If you cannot remain home, stay away from large gatherings and people that might be susceptible to measles, including those who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants, or people who are immunocompromised. If you need medical care, call your provider ahead of time and let them know you may have been exposed to measles so they can take any necessary steps to protect others from potential measles exposure.</li><li>Call a healthcare provider. If you have any questions about your health or your immunity status, contact your healthcare provider. If you need to see your healthcare provider or visit an emergency room, please call ahead and notify staff that you may have been exposed to measles. If you are not immune to measles and have symptoms, a healthcare provider can determine whether you need testing and treatment to help prevent or lessen the severity of infection.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Reminder, that this possible measles exposure is limited only to those who were at the airport on Friday, May 2nd from 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm.Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. It spreads easily when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs. People who are not vaccinated or lack immunity are especially at risk of becoming infected. Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a skin rash develops and usually starts on the face and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms and legs.&nbsp;The best way to prevent measles is to get the MMR vaccine. If you have had measles or have been vaccinated, your risk of contracting the disease is very low. However, a few people (about three out of 100) can still get measles even after two MMR vaccine doses if they are near someone who is sick.&nbsp;For questions, contact the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline by phone at 877-427-7317 (option 5) or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kdhe.epihotline@ks.gov">kdhe.epihotline@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information about measles, how to find your vaccine records, and answers to common questions, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Measles Resource Hub at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2Fmeasles%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000196bab66071-265dded3-852b-4d34-80ea-a195df30b371-000000/27ODBlJLudr7cQfILpYMRWb24mslz8GtUAsUmquBqac=404">www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KDHE: Potential measles exposures at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

With only a week to go before the legislature adjourns for the year, Missouri lawmakers are considering a last-minute push for a $300 million incentive package aimed at building a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals in Clay County.&nbsp;

The tentative plan, which according to those involved has the blessing of the governor’s office, would commit the state to $15 million a year to a newly created Clay County sports authority for the next 20 years. That money would be used to help finance a new stadium in order to prevent the team from moving to Kansas.&nbsp;

It’s unclear if the legislative package will include money to help the Kansas City Chiefs remodel Arrowhead Stadium in Jackson County.&nbsp;

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall, would be the vehicle for the funding. The underlying bill, which passed the Senate and could be taken up as early as Monday in the House, would authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”

Any stadium funding plans would be added to the bill as an amendment in the House, said state Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis County Republican handling the legislation in that chamber.&nbsp;

Christ said his involvement with the stadium funding is “very minimal,” and he has not been kept in the loop on any details of the proposal.&nbsp;

All signs point toward Clay County as the preferred location for the new stadium, Gregory said, with the idea that moving the Royals would also clear the way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman Stadium and build a covered entertainment center.

“It’s not ‘downtown,’ but Clay County works a lot better,” Gregory said of a possible North Kansas City site. “There can be better parking. You’ll have the Kansas City skyline just two miles away. They could run the streetcar out to it. It just works.”

Some sort of local support would likely still be needed, Gregory said. But he’s optimistic that can get done, because “when I was knocking doors in Clay, the most frequent question I got was ‘what are we going to do about the Chiefs and the Royals.’”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both teams have publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;

Regardless of the details of any potential plan, the idea faces incredibly long odds with so little time left in the session. The House and Senate must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. next Friday.

The tight timeline is especially problematic in the Missouri Senate, where any opposition could turn into a run-out-the-clock filibuster.

State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat who co-sponsored the Clay County sports authority bill with Gregory, said she’s not been involved in recent discussions and had doubts there was time to still get something done so late in the session.&nbsp;

Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, said there have been ongoing talks all year about the idea of trying to keep the Royals in Missouri. But she has not been directly involved in formal discussions of a new plan this week, she said.

And taking a stadium funding plan from start to finish in less than a week, O’Laughlin said, will be incredibly tough.&nbsp;

“That would be pretty quick,” she said with a laugh.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746820944287.png" alt=" North Kansas City has also proposed as a location for a new Royals ballpark with surrounding development (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> North Kansas City has also proposed as a location for a new Royals ballpark with surrounding development (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>With only a week to go before the legislature adjourns for the year, Missouri lawmakers are considering a last-minute push for a $300 million incentive package aimed at building a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals in Clay County.&nbsp;The tentative plan, which according to those involved has the blessing of the governor’s office, would commit the state to $15 million a year to a newly created Clay County sports authority for the next 20 years. That money would be used to help finance a new stadium in order to prevent the team from moving to Kansas.&nbsp;It’s unclear if the legislative package will include money to help the Kansas City Chiefs remodel Arrowhead Stadium in Jackson County.&nbsp;Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall, would be the vehicle for the funding. The underlying bill, which passed the Senate and could be taken up as early as Monday in the House, would authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”Any stadium funding plans would be added to the bill as an amendment in the House, said state Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis County Republican handling the legislation in that chamber.&nbsp;Christ said his involvement with the stadium funding is “very minimal,” and he has not been kept in the loop on any details of the proposal.&nbsp;All signs point toward Clay County as the preferred location for the new stadium, Gregory said, with the idea that moving the Royals would also clear the way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman Stadium and build a covered entertainment center.“It’s not ‘downtown,’ but Clay County works a lot better,” Gregory said of a possible North Kansas City site. “There can be better parking. You’ll have the Kansas City skyline just two miles away. They could run the streetcar out to it. It just works.”Some sort of local support would likely still be needed, Gregory said. But he’s optimistic that can get done, because “when I was knocking doors in Clay, the most frequent question I got was ‘what are we going to do about the Chiefs and the Royals.’”&nbsp;&nbsp;Both teams have publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead.&nbsp;Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;Regardless of the details of any potential plan, the idea faces incredibly long odds with so little time left in the session. The House and Senate must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. next Friday.The tight timeline is especially problematic in the Missouri Senate, where any opposition could turn into a run-out-the-clock filibuster.State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat who co-sponsored the Clay County sports authority bill with Gregory, said she’s not been involved in recent discussions and had doubts there was time to still get something done so late in the session.&nbsp;Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, said there have been ongoing talks all year about the idea of trying to keep the Royals in Missouri. But she has not been directly involved in formal discussions of a new plan this week, she said.And taking a stadium funding plan from start to finish in less than a week, O’Laughlin said, will be incredibly tough.&nbsp;“That would be pretty quick,” she said with a laugh.

Missouri lawmakers eye late push to move Kansas City Royals to Clay County

JOHNSON COUNTY —The Olathe Police Department is currently investigating a fatality crash involving a pedestrian and a pickup truck that occurred just after 9p.m. Thursday.

Officers were dispatched to the area of Santa Fe and Blake following reports of a crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive woman later identified as 57-year-old Jill E. Turner of Indiana.

&nbsp; Officers, along with Olathe Fire and Med-Act personnel, performed life-saving measures at the scene. Turner was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Officers are in contact with the driver of the pickup truck, and they are cooperating in the investigation

JOHNSON COUNTY —The Olathe Police Department is currently investigating a fatality crash involving a pedestrian and a pickup truck that occurred just after 9p.m. Thursday.Officers were dispatched to the area of Santa Fe and Blake following reports of a crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive woman later identified as 57-year-old Jill E. Turner of Indiana.&nbsp; Officers, along with Olathe Fire and Med-Act personnel, performed life-saving measures at the scene. Turner was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Officers are in contact with the driver of the pickup truck, and they are cooperating in the investigation

Police ID woman struck and killed by pickup on Kansas roadway

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of killing a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in 1978 has been granted parole after having past requests rejected, inspiring criticism and prompting the governor on Friday to call for reconsidering the decision.

Jimmie K. Nelms and another man, both from Tulsa, Oklahoma, were sentenced to serve two life sentences for the aggravated kidnapping and murder of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansashighwaypatrol.gov/end-of-watch/trooper-conroy-g-obrien/">Trooper Conroy O'Brien</a>&nbsp;following a traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northeast of Wichita. Nelms' codefendant, Walter Myrick, died in prison in 2009.

In Kansas, killing a law enforcement officer now can be punished by death, with the only other possible sentence in a capital case being life in prison without parole. But in 1978, Kansas had no death penalty, and Nelms was eligible for parole after 30 years in 2008. He sought parole in 2011 and 2021.

A date for Nelms' release hasn't been set. His release was approved by the Prisoner Review Board, comprised of three veteran state Department of Corrections employees appointed by its top administrator. Department spokesman David Thompson said the decision came several weeks after a March 6 hearing.

“The Kansas Prisoner Review Board believes that Mr. Nelms is able and willing to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen and is of the opinion that there is reasonable probability that Mr. Nelms can be released without detriment to the community or to himself,” Thompson said in a statement.

A decision becomes public when it's criticized

The decision didn't become public until the Kansas State Troopers Association condemned it as “disgraceful and disgusting” in a statement Thursday. Under Kansas law, it appears unlikely that critics can prevent Nelms' release.

“Those who murder law enforcement officers should expect to receive the death penalty, not to be walking free on the streets of KS,” state Attorney General Kris Kobach said in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/KrisKobach1787/status/1920623287995916337">a post</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.

The Kansas Legislature's top leaders, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, called the parole decision “unconscionable” Friday.

They and Kobach are Republicans; the Department of Corrections is under Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. But Kelly wants the board to consider reversing the decision “if legally possible," spokesperson Grace Hoge said.

“The facts of this case demonstrate a brutal and intentional killing of a law enforcement officer,” Hoge said in an email. “There is no justification for this decision.”

According to court records and news reports, O'Brien stopped Nelms' car for speeding about 2 miles south of a turnpike service area. Myrick was driving.

As O'Brien wrote a ticket in his patrol car, Nelms approached the driver's side with a gun, according to authorities. Nelms forced O'Brien to get out of the car and told him to lie down in a ditch. Authorities said Nelms took O'Brien's gun, struck the trooper with it, and, when O'Brien fell to the ground, shot him twice in the head.

O'Brien was 26 with a pregnant wife. Nelms was 31 and Myrick, 25. A 21-year-old man was also in the car with Nelms and Myrick, but he pleaded guilty to lesser charges and provided crucial testimony against Nelms.

The men fled in Nelms' car, left the turnpike, and eventually drove north, where another patrol trooper spotted the car about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where O'Brien died. Nelms' car and the trooper's collided in a pasture, and a gun battle ensued.

Nelms denied he was the shooter, but jurors convicted him and Myrick of murder, aggravated kidnapping and other charges during a joint trial.

Nelms served most of his sentence in maximum-security prisons but was transferred to a lower-security facility in 2023. Online Department of Corrections records show four disciplinary reports against him from 1996 to 2017, the last for disobeying orders. Thompson said Nelms works in the prison laundry.

Kansas changes how parole decisions are made

When Nelms sought parole in 2011, decisions were made by a three-member parole board appointed by the governor, subject to state Senate confirmation. That same year, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback issued an executive order abolishing the parole board in favor of a panel of Department of Corrections employees.

Brownback said the move would save the state $500,000 a year, and sentencing laws after 1993 limited parole. Critics worried that the department's board would release inmates just to avoid prison overcrowding, and Kelly, then a state senator, called the change “a really bad idea.”

Masterson, the current Senate president, backed the change in 2011 but said Friday that it “has not functioned as intended" and that he would work for changes to see that the review board members “rightly answer to the people of Kansas.”

Democratic state Rep. Tom Sawyer, who reviewed Nelms' case as a parole board member from 2009 through June 2011, said the board sometimes rejected parole when corrections officials recommended. Now, he said, the process is “all in-house.”

As for Nelms, Sawyer said, “I think it’s highly unlikely the parole board would have let him go, based on my experience.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746748524625.png" alt="Nelms photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Nelms photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of killing a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in 1978 has been granted parole after having past requests rejected, inspiring criticism and prompting the governor on Friday to call for reconsidering the decision.Jimmie K. Nelms and another man, both from Tulsa, Oklahoma, were sentenced to serve two life sentences for the aggravated kidnapping and murder of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansashighwaypatrol.gov/end-of-watch/trooper-conroy-g-obrien/">Trooper Conroy O'Brien</a>&nbsp;following a traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northeast of Wichita. Nelms' codefendant, Walter Myrick, died in prison in 2009.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744841747.jpeg" alt="Conroy O'Brien courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Conroy O'Brien courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In Kansas, killing a law enforcement officer now can be punished by death, with the only other possible sentence in a capital case being life in prison without parole. But in 1978, Kansas had no death penalty, and Nelms was eligible for parole after 30 years in 2008. He sought parole in 2011 and 2021.A date for Nelms' release hasn't been set. His release was approved by the Prisoner Review Board, comprised of three veteran state Department of Corrections employees appointed by its top administrator. Department spokesman David Thompson said the decision came several weeks after a March 6 hearing.“The Kansas Prisoner Review Board believes that Mr. Nelms is able and willing to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen and is of the opinion that there is reasonable probability that Mr. Nelms can be released without detriment to the community or to himself,” Thompson said in a statement.<h2>A decision becomes public when it's criticized</h2>The decision didn't become public until the Kansas State Troopers Association condemned it as “disgraceful and disgusting” in a statement Thursday. Under Kansas law, it appears unlikely that critics can prevent Nelms' release.“Those who murder law enforcement officers should expect to receive the death penalty, not to be walking free on the streets of KS,” state Attorney General Kris Kobach said in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/KrisKobach1787/status/1920623287995916337">a post</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.The Kansas Legislature's top leaders, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, called the parole decision “unconscionable” Friday.They and Kobach are Republicans; the Department of Corrections is under Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. But Kelly wants the board to consider reversing the decision “if legally possible," spokesperson Grace Hoge said.“The facts of this case demonstrate a brutal and intentional killing of a law enforcement officer,” Hoge said in an email. “There is no justification for this decision.”<h2>A traffic stop turns deadly in 1978</h2>According to court records and news reports, O'Brien stopped Nelms' car for speeding about 2 miles south of a turnpike service area. Myrick was driving.As O'Brien wrote a ticket in his patrol car, Nelms approached the driver's side with a gun, according to authorities. Nelms forced O'Brien to get out of the car and told him to lie down in a ditch. Authorities said Nelms took O'Brien's gun, struck the trooper with it, and, when O'Brien fell to the ground, shot him twice in the head.O'Brien was 26 with a pregnant wife. Nelms was 31 and Myrick, 25. A 21-year-old man was also in the car with Nelms and Myrick, but he pleaded guilty to lesser charges and provided crucial testimony against Nelms.The men fled in Nelms' car, left the turnpike, and eventually drove north, where another patrol trooper spotted the car about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where O'Brien died. Nelms' car and the trooper's collided in a pasture, and a gun battle ensued.Nelms denied he was the shooter, but jurors convicted him and Myrick of murder, aggravated kidnapping and other charges during a joint trial.Nelms served most of his sentence in maximum-security prisons but was transferred to a lower-security facility in 2023. Online Department of Corrections records show four disciplinary reports against him from 1996 to 2017, the last for disobeying orders. Thompson said Nelms works in the prison laundry.<h2>Kansas changes how parole decisions are made</h2>When Nelms sought parole in 2011, decisions were made by a three-member parole board appointed by the governor, subject to state Senate confirmation. That same year, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback issued an executive order abolishing the parole board in favor of a panel of Department of Corrections employees.Brownback said the move would save the state $500,000 a year, and sentencing laws after 1993 limited parole. Critics worried that the department's board would release inmates just to avoid prison overcrowding, and Kelly, then a state senator, called the change “a really bad idea.”Masterson, the current Senate president, backed the change in 2011 but said Friday that it “has not functioned as intended" and that he would work for changes to see that the review board members “rightly answer to the people of Kansas.”Democratic state Rep. Tom Sawyer, who reviewed Nelms' case as a parole board member from 2009 through June 2011, said the board sometimes rejected parole when corrections officials recommended. Now, he said, the process is “all in-house.”As for Nelms, Sawyer said, “I think it’s highly unlikely the parole board would have let him go, based on my experience.”

Kan. governor wants board to reconsider parole granted to a state trooper's convicted killer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration must halt much of its dramatic downsizing of the federal workforce, a California judge ordered Friday.

Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco issued the emergency order in a lawsuit filed last week by labor unions and cities, one of multiple legal challenges to Republican President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the size of a federal government he calls bloated and expensive.

“The Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime,” Illston wrote in her order.

The temporary restraining order directs numerous federal agencies to halt acting on the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">workforce executive order</a>&nbsp;signed in February and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b%20">subsequent memo issued</a>&nbsp;by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-donald-trump-962778979dd35ea79d6092df9cb2cb56">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;and the Office of Personnel Management.

The order, which expires in 14 days, does not require departments to rehire people. Plaintiffs asked that the effective date of any agency action be postponed and that departments stop implementing or enforcing the executive order, including taking any further action.

They limited their request to departments where dismantlement is already underway or poised to be underway, including at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-health-and-human-services">the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-fa4e89285e668a3939e20b6cf4c26fd4">announced in March</a>&nbsp;it will lay off 10,000 workers and centralize divisions.

Illston, who was nominated to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, said at a hearing Friday the president has authority to seek changes in the executive branch departments and agencies created by Congress.

“But he must do so in lawful ways,” she said. “He must do so with the cooperation of Congress, the Constitution is structured that way.”

Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead the charge through DOGE.

Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, left their jobs via deferred resignation programs or have been placed on leave as a result of Trump’s government-shrinking efforts. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">no official figure for the job cuts</a>, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been let go.

In her order, Illston gave several examples to show the impact of the downsizing. One union that represents federal workers who research health hazards faced by mineworkers said it was poised to lose 221 of 222 workers in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, office; a Vermont farmer didn’t receive a timely inspection on his property to receive disaster aid after flooding and missed an important planting window; a reduction in Social Security Administration workers has led to longer wait times for recipients.

All the agencies impacted were created by Congress, she noted.

Lawyers for the government argued Friday that the executive order and memo calling for large-scale personnel reductions and reorganization plans provided only general principles that agencies should follow in exercising their own decision-making process.

“It expressly invites comments and proposals for legislative engagement as part of policies that those agencies wish to implement,” Eric Hamilton, a deputy assistant attorney general, said of the memo. “It is setting out guidance.”

But Danielle Leonard, an attorney for plaintiffs, said it was clear that the president, DOGE and OPM were making decisions outside of their authority and not inviting dialogue from agencies.

“They are not waiting for these planning documents" to go through long processes, she said. “They’re not asking for approval, and they’re not waiting for it.”

The temporary restraining order applies to departments including the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Labor, Interior, State, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.

It also applies to the National Science Foundation, Small Business Association, Social Security Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.

Some of the labor unions and nonprofit groups are also plaintiffs in another lawsuit before a San Francisco judge challenging the mass firings of probationary workers. In that case, Judge William Alsup ordered the government in March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">to reinstate those workers,</a>&nbsp;but the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-mass-firings-02e218d2b7ee59925ddcb597b6b0a4fe">later blocked his order</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742207940676.png" alt="File photo President Donald Trump talks to reporters aboard Air Force One- White House image" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Donald Trump talks to reporters aboard Air Force One- White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration must halt much of its dramatic downsizing of the federal workforce, a California judge ordered Friday.Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco issued the emergency order in a lawsuit filed last week by labor unions and cities, one of multiple legal challenges to Republican President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the size of a federal government he calls bloated and expensive.“The Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime,” Illston wrote in her order.The temporary restraining order directs numerous federal agencies to halt acting on the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">workforce executive order</a>&nbsp;signed in February and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b%20">subsequent memo issued</a>&nbsp;by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-donald-trump-962778979dd35ea79d6092df9cb2cb56">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;and the Office of Personnel Management.The order, which expires in 14 days, does not require departments to rehire people. Plaintiffs asked that the effective date of any agency action be postponed and that departments stop implementing or enforcing the executive order, including taking any further action.They limited their request to departments where dismantlement is already underway or poised to be underway, including at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-health-and-human-services">the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-human-services-layoffs-restructuring-rfk-jr-fa4e89285e668a3939e20b6cf4c26fd4">announced in March</a>&nbsp;it will lay off 10,000 workers and centralize divisions.Illston, who was nominated to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, said at a hearing Friday the president has authority to seek changes in the executive branch departments and agencies created by Congress.“But he must do so in lawful ways,” she said. “He must do so with the cooperation of Congress, the Constitution is structured that way.”Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead the charge through DOGE.Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, left their jobs via deferred resignation programs or have been placed on leave as a result of Trump’s government-shrinking efforts. There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">no official figure for the job cuts</a>, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been let go.In her order, Illston gave several examples to show the impact of the downsizing. One union that represents federal workers who research health hazards faced by mineworkers said it was poised to lose 221 of 222 workers in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, office; a Vermont farmer didn’t receive a timely inspection on his property to receive disaster aid after flooding and missed an important planting window; a reduction in Social Security Administration workers has led to longer wait times for recipients.All the agencies impacted were created by Congress, she noted.Lawyers for the government argued Friday that the executive order and memo calling for large-scale personnel reductions and reorganization plans provided only general principles that agencies should follow in exercising their own decision-making process.“It expressly invites comments and proposals for legislative engagement as part of policies that those agencies wish to implement,” Eric Hamilton, a deputy assistant attorney general, said of the memo. “It is setting out guidance.”But Danielle Leonard, an attorney for plaintiffs, said it was clear that the president, DOGE and OPM were making decisions outside of their authority and not inviting dialogue from agencies.“They are not waiting for these planning documents" to go through long processes, she said. “They’re not asking for approval, and they’re not waiting for it.”The temporary restraining order applies to departments including the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Labor, Interior, State, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.It also applies to the National Science Foundation, Small Business Association, Social Security Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.Some of the labor unions and nonprofit groups are also plaintiffs in another lawsuit before a San Francisco judge challenging the mass firings of probationary workers. In that case, Judge William Alsup ordered the government in March&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">to reinstate those workers,</a>&nbsp;but the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-mass-firings-02e218d2b7ee59925ddcb597b6b0a4fe">later blocked his order</a>.

Judge pauses Trump's mass layoffs at government agencies

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges against a man for his involvement in a shooting that took place outside a lounge in the Kansas City suburb of Independence.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2617/Mekai-Kelly-James-Complaint-Red">Mekai G. Kelly-James, 24, faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Assault, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2616/PC-Mekai-Kelly-James_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Independence police were dispatched to a lounge near E. Valley View Parkway and Little Blue Parkway on May 5 on reports of gunfire. Officers located two security guards detaining the Kelly-James in front of a nearby restaurant. He was taken into custody.&nbsp;

The victim said he and other security staff were breaking up a fight inside the lounge involving Kelly-James and several other patrons. Kelly-James was escorted out of the building. Moments later, the victim observed the Kelly-James at a vehicle retrieving a firearm and then firing into the air and toward security staff. The victim and other security staff returned fire, and the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the exchange. The victim was able to disarm and detain Kelly-James at a nearby business.&nbsp;

A check of Kelly-James' firearm revealed it had been reported stolen. A detective tested the weapon and found it had been modified with a metal bar affixed to the rear side, altering the weapon’s firing mechanism. The firearm exhibited erratic and dangerous discharge behavior, at times functioning in a fully automatic capacity.&nbsp;

Independence police are asking for patrons who have video footage of the incident to contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (816) 474-8477 or the Independence Police Department Gun Squad at (816) 325-7330.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746824775432.png" alt="Kelly-James -photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Kelly-James -photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces charges against a man for his involvement in a shooting that took place outside a lounge in the Kansas City suburb of Independence.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2617/Mekai-Kelly-James-Complaint-Red">Mekai G. Kelly-James, 24, faces</a>&nbsp;one count of 1st Degree Assault, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2616/PC-Mekai-Kelly-James_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Independence police were dispatched to a lounge near E. Valley View Parkway and Little Blue Parkway on May 5 on reports of gunfire. Officers located two security guards detaining the Kelly-James in front of a nearby restaurant. He was taken into custody.&nbsp;The victim said he and other security staff were breaking up a fight inside the lounge involving Kelly-James and several other patrons. Kelly-James was escorted out of the building. Moments later, the victim observed the Kelly-James at a vehicle retrieving a firearm and then firing into the air and toward security staff. The victim and other security staff returned fire, and the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the exchange. The victim was able to disarm and detain Kelly-James at a nearby business.&nbsp;A check of Kelly-James' firearm revealed it had been reported stolen. A detective tested the weapon and found it had been modified with a metal bar affixed to the rear side, altering the weapon’s firing mechanism. The firearm exhibited erratic and dangerous discharge behavior, at times functioning in a fully automatic capacity.&nbsp;Independence police are asking for patrons who have video footage of the incident to contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (816) 474-8477 or the Independence Police Department Gun Squad at (816) 325-7330.&nbsp;

Suspect fired shots at security staff after kicked out of KC suburb bar

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;Nicholas I. Claspill, 36, of Tecumseh, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

The accident occurred just after 4:30a.m. Thursday, when a&nbsp;black Ford F-150 pickup was northbound in the 3800 Block NW Carlson Road, according to the sheriff's office.

The pickup struck Claspill who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Ford was wearing a seatbelt and did not sustain any injuries, according to Christian. The driver is fully cooperating with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746710191002.png" alt="-Deputies on the scene early Thursday -photo WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>-Deputies on the scene early Thursday -photo WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;Nicholas I. Claspill, 36, of Tecumseh, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.The accident occurred just after 4:30a.m. Thursday, when a&nbsp;black Ford F-150 pickup was northbound in the 3800 Block NW Carlson Road, according to the sheriff's office.The pickup struck Claspill who was pronounced deceased at the scene.The driver of the Ford was wearing a seatbelt and did not sustain any injuries, according to Christian. The driver is fully cooperating with the investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who died in pedestrian accident

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a> Associated Press

Elected Thursday as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-vatican-d7991a37a679f09792ed220cc1f6bbed">Catholic Church’s first global leader</a>&nbsp;to hail from the United States,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prevost-american-pope-profile-leo-xiv-f9d14d75ae3bbe50bda121f27ee0e42b">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;is in a new job that will have many crossovers into politics — a realm not entirely unknown to the Chicago-born priest, whose social media history includes sharing criticism of Trump administration policies and of comments by Vice President JD Vance.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has wished the new pope well in his role, calling Leo’s election “such an honor for our country.” But it comes days after Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">dressed as pope</a>&nbsp;amid days of official mourning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis.</a>&nbsp;That act raised eyebrows at the Vatican and was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as indecent political interference in matters of faith.

And last month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-refugee-resettlement-trump-administration-362231100b8e4650c00d22a75b5c6ab8">announced the end</a>&nbsp;of a half-century of partnerships with the federal U.S. government to serve refugees and migrant children, saying the “heartbreaking” decision followed the Trump administration’s abrupt halt to funding.

The majority of Leo’s posts on the X platform are related to or in support of Catholic news and church initiatives. He rarely writes original content, but a look back through his social media timeline shows numerous posts sharing viewpoints opposed to moves aimed at restricting acceptance of migrants and refugees in the U.S.

Leo has recently criticized U.S. Vice President JD Vance

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholic-bishops-migration-94138954824b68dbd0b29b28504e056e">Vance, a convert to Catholicism</a>, is the most high-profile Catholic in American politics. He’s drawn attention from the man who now leads the global church, prompting Leo to return to X after a nearly two-year absence to share criticism of the vice president’s views.

In early February, Leo shared an article from a Catholic publication with the headline, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

It came days after Vance — in discussing critiques of the Trump administration’s immigration policies — in a Fox News interview had referenced a Christian tenet “that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.”

In response to online criticism of his position, Vance posted on X, “Just google ‘ordo amoris.’ Aside from that, the idea that there isn’t a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholic-theology-migration-e868af574fb2e742c6ed3d756c569769">“Ordo amoris,”</a>&nbsp;a historic Catholic tenet, translates to “order of love.”

Ten days after his initial post, Leo shared another piece from a Jesuit publication, titled, “Pope Francis’ letter, JD Vance’s ‘ordo amoris’ and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration.”

Prior to his first February post, Leo had been dormant on X since July 2023.

After Leo’s election Thursday, Vance posted congratulations on X, adding, ”I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”

His last post before becoming pope was critical of the Trump administration

The pope’s final post as Cardinal Robert Prevost was a recirculation on April 14 of a post by church chronicler Rocco Palmo about Trump’s Oval Office meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">Bukele said it was “preposterous”</a>&nbsp;for his country to bring a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there in March back to the U.S., despite a Supreme Court ruling calling on the administration to “facilitate” Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return.

Leo reposted Palmo’s link to an article by Washington-area Bishop Evelio Menjivar — who was born in El Salvador — asking, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”

His sharing of critiques dates back nearly a decade

As Trump’s campaign ramped up in July 2015, Leo posted to X a Washington Post op-ed by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, with the headline, “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.”

In the wake of Trump’s first election in 2016, Leo reposted a homily in which Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez — characterizing the fear among many, including schoolchildren who “think the government is going to come and deport their parents, any day now” — said that America is “better than this.”

Days later, Leo also posted an article by a Catholic outlet quoting Democrats as saying that, in her loss, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton “ignored pro-lifers at her own peril.”

In September 2017, months into Trump’s first term, Leo recirculated a post by author-activist Sister Helen Prejean saying she stands “with the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Dreamers?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">#Dreamers</a>&nbsp;and all people who are working toward an immigration system that is fair, just, and moral.”

He also reposted church chronicler Rocco Palmo’s piece with the teaser, “Saying Trump’s ‘bad hombres’ line fuels ‘racism and nativism,’ Cali bishops send preemptive blast on DACA repeal.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746747852764.png" alt="Pope Leo XiV on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Leo XiV on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a> Associated PressElected Thursday as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-vatican-d7991a37a679f09792ed220cc1f6bbed">Catholic Church’s first global leader</a>&nbsp;to hail from the United States,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prevost-american-pope-profile-leo-xiv-f9d14d75ae3bbe50bda121f27ee0e42b">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;is in a new job that will have many crossovers into politics — a realm not entirely unknown to the Chicago-born priest, whose social media history includes sharing criticism of Trump administration policies and of comments by Vice President JD Vance.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn&#39;t ask us to rank our love for others <a href="https://t.co/hDKPKuMXmu">https://t.co/hDKPKuMXmu</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/NCRonline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCRonline</a>&mdash; Robert Prevost (@drprevost) <a href="https://twitter.com/drprevost/status/1886469097560719594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1920550545061810261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has wished the new pope well in his role, calling Leo’s election “such an honor for our country.” But it comes days after Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">dressed as pope</a>&nbsp;amid days of official mourning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis.</a>&nbsp;That act raised eyebrows at the Vatican and was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as indecent political interference in matters of faith.And last month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-refugee-resettlement-trump-administration-362231100b8e4650c00d22a75b5c6ab8">announced the end</a>&nbsp;of a half-century of partnerships with the federal U.S. government to serve refugees and migrant children, saying the “heartbreaking” decision followed the Trump administration’s abrupt halt to funding.The majority of Leo’s posts on the X platform are related to or in support of Catholic news and church initiatives. He rarely writes original content, but a look back through his social media timeline shows numerous posts sharing viewpoints opposed to moves aimed at restricting acceptance of migrants and refugees in the U.S.<h2>Leo has recently criticized U.S. Vice President JD Vance</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholic-bishops-migration-94138954824b68dbd0b29b28504e056e">Vance, a convert to Catholicism</a>, is the most high-profile Catholic in American politics. He’s drawn attention from the man who now leads the global church, prompting Leo to return to X after a nearly two-year absence to share criticism of the vice president’s views.In early February, Leo shared an article from a Catholic publication with the headline, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”It came days after Vance — in discussing critiques of the Trump administration’s immigration policies — in a Fox News interview had referenced a Christian tenet “that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.”In response to online criticism of his position, Vance posted on X, “Just google ‘ordo amoris.’ Aside from that, the idea that there isn’t a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholic-theology-migration-e868af574fb2e742c6ed3d756c569769">“Ordo amoris,”</a>&nbsp;a historic Catholic tenet, translates to “order of love.”Ten days after his initial post, Leo shared another piece from a Jesuit publication, titled, “Pope Francis’ letter, JD Vance’s ‘ordo amoris’ and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration.”Prior to his first February post, Leo had been dormant on X since July 2023.After Leo’s election Thursday, Vance posted congratulations on X, adding, ”I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”<h2>His last post before becoming pope was critical of the Trump administration</h2>The pope’s final post as Cardinal Robert Prevost was a recirculation on April 14 of a post by church chronicler Rocco Palmo about Trump’s Oval Office meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746791711373.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">Bukele said it was “preposterous”</a>&nbsp;for his country to bring a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there in March back to the U.S., despite a Supreme Court ruling calling on the administration to “facilitate” Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return.Leo reposted Palmo’s link to an article by Washington-area Bishop Evelio Menjivar — who was born in El Salvador — asking, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”<h2>His sharing of critiques dates back nearly a decade</h2>As Trump’s campaign ramped up in July 2015, Leo posted to X a Washington Post op-ed by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, with the headline, “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.”In the wake of Trump’s first election in 2016, Leo reposted a homily in which Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez — characterizing the fear among many, including schoolchildren who “think the government is going to come and deport their parents, any day now” — said that America is “better than this.”Days later, Leo also posted an article by a Catholic outlet quoting Democrats as saying that, in her loss, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton “ignored pro-lifers at her own peril.”In September 2017, months into Trump’s first term, Leo recirculated a post by author-activist Sister Helen Prejean saying she stands “with the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Dreamers?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">#Dreamers</a>&nbsp;and all people who are working toward an immigration system that is fair, just, and moral.”He also reposted church chronicler Rocco Palmo’s piece with the teaser, “Saying Trump’s ‘bad hombres’ line fuels ‘racism and nativism,’ Cali bishops send preemptive blast on DACA repeal.”

On social media, Pope Leo XIV has shared criticism of Trump and Vance over policies

FRANKLIN COUNTY,&nbsp; Arkansas—A missing kayaker from Kansas whose body was found along the Mulberry River in northwest Arkansas has been identified as 57-year-old Hector Rios from Wichita, according to Keith Stephens, Chief of Communications with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.&nbsp; Rios was an Optometrist for over 20-years in the Wichita area, according to the bio on his practice web site.

Just after 4p.m. Thursday, Franklin County Search and Rescue found the body in area known locally as the Shoe on the Mulberry River just north of Mill Creek in Franklin County. The body was located along the bank of the river under some brush.&nbsp; Rios had been missing since Saturday afternoon. He was not wearing a life jacked, according to Stephens.

According to practice web site, Dr. Rios was a Kansas native. He graduated from Liberal High School in 1985. He attended Southwestern College, in Winfield. While at Southwestern, he attained All- America status in cross country and track &amp; field. He graduated summa cum laude in 1990, with degrees in biology, chemistry, and art. Dr. Rios graduated from Southern California College of Optometry, “with honors”, in 1994. He started practicing in September of 1994, with Dr. Dorwin H. Graham, in Wichita, and purchased a satellite office in Colwich in March of 1996.&nbsp; Rios is survived by a wife and three children.

The body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy. This occurs after all fatal boating accidents, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746808269282.png" alt="File. photo Rafters head down the swollen Mulberry River on Jan. 31 during the opening ceremony for the new Mulberry River Bridge -photo courtesy River Valley Democrat-Gazette/Penny Weaver" />
 <figcaption>File. photo Rafters head down the swollen Mulberry River on Jan. 31 during the opening ceremony for the new Mulberry River Bridge -photo courtesy River Valley Democrat-Gazette/Penny Weaver</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY,&nbsp; Arkansas—A missing kayaker from Kansas whose body was found along the Mulberry River in northwest Arkansas has been identified as 57-year-old Hector Rios from Wichita, according to Keith Stephens, Chief of Communications with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.&nbsp; Rios was an Optometrist for over 20-years in the Wichita area, according to the bio on his practice web site.Just after 4p.m. Thursday, Franklin County Search and Rescue found the body in area known locally as the Shoe on the Mulberry River just north of Mill Creek in Franklin County. The body was located along the bank of the river under some brush.&nbsp; Rios had been missing since Saturday afternoon. He was not wearing a life jacked, according to Stephens.According to practice web site, Dr. Rios was a Kansas native. He graduated from Liberal High School in 1985. He attended Southwestern College, in Winfield. While at Southwestern, he attained All- America status in cross country and track &amp; field. He graduated summa cum laude in 1990, with degrees in biology, chemistry, and art. Dr. Rios graduated from Southern California College of Optometry, “with honors”, in 1994. He started practicing in September of 1994, with Dr. Dorwin H. Graham, in Wichita, and purchased a satellite office in Colwich in March of 1996.&nbsp; Rios is survived by a wife and three children.The body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy. This occurs after all fatal boating accidents, according to Stephens.

Searchers find body of missing kayaker from Kansas 

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

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

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;still accounts for the vast majority of cases in the U.S., with 709 confirmed as of Friday in an outbreak that also spread measles to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter in West Texas,</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.

Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>, all of which are the same measles strain. One outbreak in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,440 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 6, up 197 cases in a week. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 1,041 measles cases and one death as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.

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

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

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

How many measles cases are there in Texas?

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

The state also added one hospitalization to its count, for a total of 92 throughout the outbreak.

<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious. Fifty-seven percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 403 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.

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

How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How many cases are there in North Dakota?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?

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

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

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

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

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

Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DEVI%20SHASTRI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DEVI SHASTRI AP Health Writer</a>The U.S. surpassed 1,000 measles cases Friday, even as Texas posted one of its lowest counts of newly confirmed cases since its large outbreak began three months ago.<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;still accounts for the vast majority of cases in the U.S., with 709 confirmed as of Friday in an outbreak that also spread measles to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter in West Texas,</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>, all of which are the same measles strain. One outbreak in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,440 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through May 6, up 197 cases in a week. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-measles-vaccines-misinformation-mmr-mennonites-misinformation-ea6158b9a4d513b20f33cbc09034e5c2">Mexican state of Chihuahua</a>&nbsp;had 1,041 measles cases and one death as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear that spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here’s what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has a total of 49 cases across eight counties in the southwestern part of the state, with one hospitalization. Most of the cases are in Gray, Haskell and Stevens counties.&nbsp; Sedgwick County is also reporting a case of measles.<h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas?</h2>There are a total of 709 cases across&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">29 counties, most of them in West Texas</a>, state health officials said Friday. The state confirmed only seven more cases since its update Tuesday.The state also added one hospitalization to its count, for a total of 92 throughout the outbreak.<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025">State health officials estimated</a>&nbsp;about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious. Fifty-seven percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 403 cases since late January — just over 1.7% of the county’s residents.The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-ben-edwards-2dd7c79d47c64ad2e6d4a4ac3c87ec1f">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6.<h2>How many measles cases are there in New Mexico?</h2>New Mexico added four cases Friday for 71 total. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County, two in Doña Ana County and one in Chaves County. Curry County logged its first case this week.An unvaccinated adult died of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related illness March 6</a>. The person did not seek medical care.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma held steady with a total of 14 confirmed and three probable cases as of Friday.The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana has eight cases, all of them in Allen County in the northeast part of the state. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health has said.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>Michigan has nine confirmed cases of measles, with an outbreak of four connected cases in Montcalm County in the western part of the state that state health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana added three new measles cases in the last two weeks, bringing the total to eight. The state's outbreak started in mid-April in southwestern Gallatin County — Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.<h2>How many cases are there in North Dakota?</h2>North Dakota has nine cases of measles as of Tuesday. The state hadn't seen measles since 2011, health officials said.All are in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. The state health department says three of the confirmed cases are linked to the first case — an unvaccinated child who health officials believe got it from an out-of-state visitor.The other five cases were people who were not vaccinated and did not have contact with the other cases, causing concern about community transmission. The state health department said four people diagnosed with measles attended classes while infectious at a Williston elementary school, middle school and high school.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>Ohio has 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents.The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors.Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each.<h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2>Pennsylvania has 15 cases overall in 2025 as of Friday, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.There were eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania in late April; the county declared an outbreak in mid-April.<h2>How many cases are there in Tennessee?</h2>Tennessee had six measles cases as of early May. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee’s outbreak started.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.<h2>What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have “presumptive immunity."Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to “herd immunity.” But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Thursday in Overland Park.

According to Overland Park police, a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Joshua Haines of Overland Park was eastbound on W. 151 Street at England Street. The vehicle struck another vehicle that was making a u-turn at England Street to travel eastbound. 

EMS transported Haines to Overland Park Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The crash is still under investigation. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Overland Park Traffic Unit.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Thursday in Overland Park.According to Overland Park police, a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Joshua Haines of Overland Park was eastbound on W. 151 Street at England Street. The vehicle struck another vehicle that was making a u-turn at England Street to travel eastbound. EMS transported Haines to Overland Park Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The crash is still under investigation. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Overland Park Traffic Unit.

Kansas man dies after crash into vehicle making u-turn

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-russia-appeasement-af02a823e986bf27baf34520c6c5b931">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;says he’s responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ed-martin-white-house-justice-department-thom-tillis-cecf801799faa2b56fd1bb4fac48379e">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;victory last fall, but he attributes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-6de09bd9d78d11a2cc4c4591c0f404e2">Kamala Harris’</a>&nbsp;loss, at least in part, to sexism and racism.

(click below to watch Biden's explanation)

Biden, who left office in January, addressed the Democrats’ disastrous 2024 election, concerns about his age and Trump’s divisive leadership during a Thursday interview on ABC’s “The View.” The 82-year-old Democrat said he has intentionally avoided speaking out publicly until this week to give the Republican president more than 100 days in office without his interference, as is typically the tradition following a change in the White House.

Asked about the last election, Biden said he was surprised by the role that gender and race played in the contest.

“They went the sexist route,” Biden said of criticism that “a woman couldn’t lead the country and a woman of mixed race.”

He added: “I was in charge, and he won, so I take responsibility.”

Biden has largely stepped away from national politics since leaving the White House. He’s not expected to play a central role in Democratic affairs as the party turns to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pritzker-trump-ocasio-cortez-democrats-resistance-message-9d4f7868892629e34df7ea1e29dc0b34">a new generation of leadership</a>, although he acknowledged on Thursday that he has maintained regular contact with Harris and has offered his guidance on her political future.

“She’s got a difficult decision to make about what she’s going to do. I hope she stays engaged,” Biden said, declining to share his specific advice.

Biden rejected concerns about his cognitive decline prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-panic-performance-democrats-debate-trump-cnn-fe6546f2c9762e80e6067ba10abedea8">a disastrous debate performance</a>&nbsp;last June. He also declined to criticize the Democratic leaders who privately pressed him to abandon his campaign.

“The only reason I got out of the race was because I didn’t want to have a divided Democratic Party,” he said, adding that the broader party didn’t buy into concerns about his age following the “terrible” debate performance “but the Democratic leadership and some of the very significant contributors did.”

Polling, however, suggests that the concerns among Democrats were widespread.

In January 2022, just a year into Biden’s first term, an AP-NORC poll found that only 48% of Democrats wanted him to seek reelection. That fell to 37% of Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-biden-2024-presidential-prospects-c843c5af6775b4c8a0cff8e2b1db03f6">an AP-NORC poll conducted February 2023</a>. And two after his debate flop,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-poll-drop-out-debate-democrats-59eebaca6989985c2bfb">nearly two-thirds of Democrats</a>&nbsp;said Biden should withdraw from the race.

Thursday’s appearance also marked Biden’s first joint interview with former first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-jill-biden-gun-safety-schools-9c16e7f50347f040d8a7c6bd814054fd">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;since leaving Washington. She rejected those who believe she created a protective cocoon around her husband while in office to protect him from scrutiny about his age.

“It was very hurtful especially from some of our so-called friends,” she said of the criticism.

“I was with Joe day and night … and I did not create a cocoon around him,” she continued. “You saw him in the Oval Office. You saw him making speeches. He wasn’t hiding somewhere.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722723644132.png" alt="File photo Former President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris- image White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Former President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris- image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;STEVE PEOPLESNEW YORK (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-russia-appeasement-af02a823e986bf27baf34520c6c5b931">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;says he’s responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ed-martin-white-house-justice-department-thom-tillis-cecf801799faa2b56fd1bb4fac48379e">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;victory last fall, but he attributes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-6de09bd9d78d11a2cc4c4591c0f404e2">Kamala Harris’</a>&nbsp;loss, at least in part, to sexism and racism.(click below to watch Biden's explanation)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Former Pres. Biden tells <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheView?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheView</a> he &quot;wasn&#39;t surprised&quot; by Pres. Trump&#39;s win in 2024: &quot;[Kamala Harris is] qualified to be president of the United States of America, but I wasn&#39;t surprised because they went... the sexist route.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GrtA9iZhP0">pic.twitter.com/GrtA9iZhP0</a>&mdash; The View (@TheView) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1920498174143111208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden, who left office in January, addressed the Democrats’ disastrous 2024 election, concerns about his age and Trump’s divisive leadership during a Thursday interview on ABC’s “The View.” The 82-year-old Democrat said he has intentionally avoided speaking out publicly until this week to give the Republican president more than 100 days in office without his interference, as is typically the tradition following a change in the White House.Asked about the last election, Biden said he was surprised by the role that gender and race played in the contest.“They went the sexist route,” Biden said of criticism that “a woman couldn’t lead the country and a woman of mixed race.”He added: “I was in charge, and he won, so I take responsibility.”Biden has largely stepped away from national politics since leaving the White House. He’s not expected to play a central role in Democratic affairs as the party turns to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pritzker-trump-ocasio-cortez-democrats-resistance-message-9d4f7868892629e34df7ea1e29dc0b34">a new generation of leadership</a>, although he acknowledged on Thursday that he has maintained regular contact with Harris and has offered his guidance on her political future.“She’s got a difficult decision to make about what she’s going to do. I hope she stays engaged,” Biden said, declining to share his specific advice.Biden rejected concerns about his cognitive decline prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-panic-performance-democrats-debate-trump-cnn-fe6546f2c9762e80e6067ba10abedea8">a disastrous debate performance</a>&nbsp;last June. He also declined to criticize the Democratic leaders who privately pressed him to abandon his campaign.“The only reason I got out of the race was because I didn’t want to have a divided Democratic Party,” he said, adding that the broader party didn’t buy into concerns about his age following the “terrible” debate performance “but the Democratic leadership and some of the very significant contributors did.”Polling, however, suggests that the concerns among Democrats were widespread.In January 2022, just a year into Biden’s first term, an AP-NORC poll found that only 48% of Democrats wanted him to seek reelection. That fell to 37% of Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-biden-2024-presidential-prospects-c843c5af6775b4c8a0cff8e2b1db03f6">an AP-NORC poll conducted February 2023</a>. And two after his debate flop,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-poll-drop-out-debate-democrats-59eebaca6989985c2bfb">nearly two-thirds of Democrats</a>&nbsp;said Biden should withdraw from the race.Thursday’s appearance also marked Biden’s first joint interview with former first lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-jill-biden-gun-safety-schools-9c16e7f50347f040d8a7c6bd814054fd">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;since leaving Washington. She rejected those who believe she created a protective cocoon around her husband while in office to protect him from scrutiny about his age.“It was very hurtful especially from some of our so-called friends,” she said of the criticism.“I was with Joe day and night … and I did not create a cocoon around him,” she continued. “You saw him in the Oval Office. You saw him making speeches. He wasn’t hiding somewhere.”Meanwhile, the former president did not hold back when the conversation turned to Trump’s job performance.“He’s had the worst 100 days any president has ever had,” Biden said.White House communications director Steven Cheung fired back.“Joe Biden is a complete disgrace to this country and the office he occupied,” Cheung said. “He has clearly lost all mental faculties and his handlers thought it’d be a good idea for him to do an interview and incoherently mumble his way through every answer. Sadly, this feels like abuse.”