SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

The two-vehicle crash occurred near the intersecion of&nbsp;Maple and Osage, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp; First responders arrived at the crash scene and began rendering life saving measures to a 72-year-old man.

He was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the other driver, identified as a 29-year-old man, to an area hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;

The Wichita Police Department Critical Accident Team and Accident Follow-up Investigators responded to the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police have not released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741614690970.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.The two-vehicle crash occurred near the intersecion of&nbsp;Maple and Osage, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp; First responders arrived at the crash scene and began rendering life saving measures to a 72-year-old man.He was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the other driver, identified as a 29-year-old man, to an area hospital with serious injuries.&nbsp;The Wichita Police Department Critical Accident Team and Accident Follow-up Investigators responded to the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police have not released the name of the victim.

One dead, one hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kan. crash

SALINA —Country music fans will have the chance to experience an intimate performance by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ladyamusic.com./">Lady A</a>&nbsp;this summer at the Stiefel Theatre. The Grammy-winning trio is set to take the stage for An Acoustic Evening on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the show start at $99 and will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. They can be purchased in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.

Built on rich vocal harmonies and a smooth fusion of country, rock, and pop, Lady A has become one of the most successful vocal groups in contemporary country music. With 10 No. 1 hits, over 18 million album units sold, and nearly 5 billion digital streams, the trio has left a lasting mark on the genre. Their 11-time platinum single Need You Now remains the highest-certified song by a country group.

Throughout their career, Lady A has won multiple ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, seven Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades. Fans can expect a night filled with heartfelt storytelling and some of their biggest hits.

For more information about the band, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ladyamusic.com/">www.ladyamusic.com</a>.

SALINA —Country music fans will have the chance to experience an intimate performance by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ladyamusic.com./">Lady A</a>&nbsp;this summer at the Stiefel Theatre. The Grammy-winning trio is set to take the stage for An Acoustic Evening on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m.Tickets for the show start at $99 and will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. They can be purchased in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>, or by calling 785-827-1998.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741613156929.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Built on rich vocal harmonies and a smooth fusion of country, rock, and pop, Lady A has become one of the most successful vocal groups in contemporary country music. With 10 No. 1 hits, over 18 million album units sold, and nearly 5 billion digital streams, the trio has left a lasting mark on the genre. Their 11-time platinum single Need You Now remains the highest-certified song by a country group.Throughout their career, Lady A has won multiple ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, seven Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades. Fans can expect a night filled with heartfelt storytelling and some of their biggest hits.For more information about the band, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ladyamusic.com/">www.ladyamusic.com</a>.

Lady A to perform acoustic show in Salina

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, pushing ahead with a go-it-alone strategy that seems certain to spark a major confrontation with Democrats over the contours of government spending.

<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">Click here to read the full bill</a>

The 99-page bill would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming nondefense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and nondefense spending move in the same direction.

Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.

Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That's because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.

Crucially, the strategy has the backing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, who has shown an ability so far in his term to hold Republicans in line.

Trump praised the bill, writing on X that Republicans have to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”

“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's ‘financial house’ in order," he said.

House Republicans' leadership staff outlined the contours of the measure, saying it would allow for about $892.5 billion in defense spending and about $708 billion in nondefense spending. The defense spending is slightly above the prior year's level, but the nondefense spending, the aides said, was about $13 billion below last year.

The measure also will not include funding requested by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects around the country, often referred to as earmarks.

The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs are on auto pilot and are not regularly reviewed by Congress.

The top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, both issued statements blasting the legislation.

“I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution," DeLauro said.

Murray said the legislation would “give Donald Trump and Elon Musk more power over federal spending — and more power to pick winners and losers, which threatens families in blue and red states alike.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the focus must be on preventing a shutdown because closures have negative consequences all across government.

“They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to report to work with no certainty on when they will receive their next paycheck,” Collin said. "We cannot allow that to occur.”

Trump's request for unity appears to be having an effect. Some conservatives who almost never vote for continuing resolutions expressed much openness to one last week.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., says he has never voted for a continuing resolution, what lawmakers often call a CR, but he is on board with Johnson's effort. He says he has confidence in Trump and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, led by Elon Musk, to make a difference on the nation's debt.

“I don't like CRs,” Norman said. “But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No.”

“I freeze spending for six month to go identify more cuts? Somebody tell me how that's not a win in Washington,” added Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, another lawmaker who has often frequently voted against spending bills but supports the six-month continuing resolution.

Republicans are also hoping that resolving this year's spending will allow them to devote their full attention to extending the individual tax cuts passed during Trump's first term and raising the nation's debt limit to avoid a catastrophic federal default.

Democratic leaders are warning that the decision to move ahead without consulting them increases the prospects for a shutdown. One of their biggest concerns is the flexibility the legislation would give the Trump administration on spending.

The Democratic leadership in both chambers has stressed that Republicans have the majority and are responsible for funding the government. But leaders also have been wary of saying how Democrats would vote on a continuing resolution.

“We have to wait to see what their plan is,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “We've always believed the only solution is a bipartisan solution, no matter what.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said earlier this week that the Democratic caucus would meet and discuss the legislation at the “appropriate moment.” But he struck a more forceful tone Friday.

Jeffries said Democrats are ready to negotiate a “meaningful, bipartisan spending agreement that puts working people first.” But he said the “partisan continuing resolution” threatens to cut funding for key programs, such as veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for low-income families.

“That is not acceptable," Jeffries said.

Trump has been meeting with House Republicans in an effort to win their votes on the legislation. Republicans have a 218-214 majority in the House, so if all lawmakers vote, they can afford only one defection if Democrats unite in opposition. The math gets even harder in the Senate, where at least seven Democrats would have to vote for the legislation to overcome a filibuster. And that's assuming all 53 Republicans vote for it.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">spending bill</a>&nbsp;that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, pushing ahead with a go-it-alone strategy that seems certain to spark a major confrontation with Democrats over the contours of government spending.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741465083055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/crfull_xml.pdf">Click here to read the full bill</a>The 99-page bill would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming nondefense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and nondefense spending move in the same direction.Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741610108074.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That's because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.Crucially, the strategy has the backing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, who has shown an ability so far in his term to hold Republicans in line.Trump praised the bill, writing on X that Republicans have to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”“Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's ‘financial house’ in order," he said.House Republicans' leadership staff outlined the contours of the measure, saying it would allow for about $892.5 billion in defense spending and about $708 billion in nondefense spending. The defense spending is slightly above the prior year's level, but the nondefense spending, the aides said, was about $13 billion below last year.The measure also will not include funding requested by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects around the country, often referred to as earmarks.The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs are on auto pilot and are not regularly reviewed by Congress.The top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Washington Sen. Patty Murray, both issued statements blasting the legislation.“I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution," DeLauro said.Murray said the legislation would “give Donald Trump and Elon Musk more power over federal spending — and more power to pick winners and losers, which threatens families in blue and red states alike.”Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the focus must be on preventing a shutdown because closures have negative consequences all across government.“They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to report to work with no certainty on when they will receive their next paycheck,” Collin said. "We cannot allow that to occur.”Trump's request for unity appears to be having an effect. Some conservatives who almost never vote for continuing resolutions expressed much openness to one last week.Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., says he has never voted for a continuing resolution, what lawmakers often call a CR, but he is on board with Johnson's effort. He says he has confidence in Trump and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, led by Elon Musk, to make a difference on the nation's debt.“I don't like CRs,” Norman said. “But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No.”“I freeze spending for six month to go identify more cuts? Somebody tell me how that's not a win in Washington,” added Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, another lawmaker who has often frequently voted against spending bills but supports the six-month continuing resolution.Republicans are also hoping that resolving this year's spending will allow them to devote their full attention to extending the individual tax cuts passed during Trump's first term and raising the nation's debt limit to avoid a catastrophic federal default.Democratic leaders are warning that the decision to move ahead without consulting them increases the prospects for a shutdown. One of their biggest concerns is the flexibility the legislation would give the Trump administration on spending.The Democratic leadership in both chambers has stressed that Republicans have the majority and are responsible for funding the government. But leaders also have been wary of saying how Democrats would vote on a continuing resolution.“We have to wait to see what their plan is,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “We've always believed the only solution is a bipartisan solution, no matter what.”House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said earlier this week that the Democratic caucus would meet and discuss the legislation at the “appropriate moment.” But he struck a more forceful tone Friday.Jeffries said Democrats are ready to negotiate a “meaningful, bipartisan spending agreement that puts working people first.” But he said the “partisan continuing resolution” threatens to cut funding for key programs, such as veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for low-income families.“That is not acceptable," Jeffries said.Trump has been meeting with House Republicans in an effort to win their votes on the legislation. Republicans have a 218-214 majority in the House, so if all lawmakers vote, they can afford only one defection if Democrats unite in opposition. The math gets even harder in the Senate, where at least seven Democrats would have to vote for the legislation to overcome a filibuster. And that's assuming all 53 Republicans vote for it.

Details of the House GOP bill to avoid a government shutdown 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Yancy Whitehead of Topeka and have made an arrest, according to&nbsp;Police LT Donna Eubanks.&nbsp; &nbsp;

On Sunday Police asked for help to locate a person of interest in the homicide. Just before midnight police reported the arrest of 49-year-old&nbsp;Robert Reyes, 49, of Topeka.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to Eubanks.

Just after 3a.m. Saturday police responded to a reported shooting in the 2900 block of SE Freemont Road in Topeka, according to Police&nbsp;LT Donna Eubanks. First responders located Whitehead with life-threatening injuries. He was&nbsp; pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel.

Topeka Police were later notified of two other individuals that had arrived at an area hospital. One individual had life-threatening injuries and one a non-life-threatening injury.

This is the city’s 3rd homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp; 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741608827538.png" alt="Reyes -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Reyes -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Yancy Whitehead of Topeka and have made an arrest, according to&nbsp;Police LT Donna Eubanks.&nbsp; &nbsp;On Sunday Police asked for help to locate a person of interest in the homicide. Just before midnight police reported the arrest of 49-year-old&nbsp;Robert Reyes, 49, of Topeka.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to Eubanks.Just after 3a.m. Saturday police responded to a reported shooting in the 2900 block of SE Freemont Road in Topeka, according to Police&nbsp;LT Donna Eubanks. First responders located Whitehead with life-threatening injuries. He was&nbsp; pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel.Topeka Police were later notified of two other individuals that had arrived at an area hospital. One individual had life-threatening injuries and one a non-life-threatening injury.This is the city’s 3rd homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp;

Police capture suspect in killing of 22-year-old Kansas man

SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas woman will be sentenced Monday for her role in a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.

In September, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Judge Eric Williams will sentence Metcalf.

In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.

Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot. Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664314804304.png" alt="Metcalf-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Metcalf-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY- A Kansas woman will be sentenced Monday for her role in a deadly shooting outside of a Wichita strip club.In September, a jury found 33-year-old Autumn Metcalf guilty of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Joe Wheeler III, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Judge Eric Williams will sentence Metcalf.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741601452354.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the Aug. 2020 shooting investigation outside a Wichita night club-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>In August of 2020, police responded to a shooting at Baby Dolls in the 4900 Block of North Arkansas in&nbsp; Wichita and found Wheeler dead in his vehicle,&nbsp;according to Wichita Police Captain Jason Stephens.Investigators learned there was a disturbance in the club that spilled out into the parking lot. Wheeler was shot while inside his car which was parked in the back business parking area, according to Stephens.

Sentencing day for killing man outside Kan. gentlemen’s club

The Kansas Highway Patrol continues to see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit.&nbsp; Over the weekend, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a teen driver traveling 110 mph. KHP Trooper Tod Heilman wrote, "When you’re 17 and trying to make it home before curfew and you’re running late, call your parents and explain, they would rather you make it home safe!&nbsp; The Patrol did not indicate where the traffic stop occurred.

The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped another driver on K-96 who was accused of traveling 109 mph - "44 mph over the speed limit." "Remember, no matter where you're headed, it's more important to get there safely than on time. Speeding doesn't just endanger you; it endangers everyone else on the road as well. Help us keep you and your loved ones safe by slowing down!"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741522036400.png" alt="KHP Trooper Ney" />
 <figcaption>KHP Trooper Ney</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Highway Patrol continues to see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit.&nbsp; Over the weekend, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a teen driver traveling 110 mph. KHP Trooper Tod Heilman wrote, "When you’re 17 and trying to make it home before curfew and you’re running late, call your parents and explain, they would rather you make it home safe!&nbsp; The Patrol did not indicate where the traffic stop occurred.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741602405667.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped another driver on K-96 who was accused of traveling 109 mph - "44 mph over the speed limit." "Remember, no matter where you're headed, it's more important to get there safely than on time. Speeding doesn't just endanger you; it endangers everyone else on the road as well. Help us keep you and your loved ones safe by slowing down!"

Late for curfew: Teen caught traveling 110 mph on Kan. highway

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most of the 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment as part of President Donald Trump's government cuts.

Workers cannot start opting in until Monday and have until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit a response for the so-called voluntary separation offer. The email was sent to staff across the department, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the National Institutes of Health as well as the Food and Drug Administration, both in Maryland.

The mass email went out to a “broad population of HHS employees," landing in their inboxes days before agency heads are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">due to offer plans for shrinking their workforces</a>. HHS is one of the government's costliest federal agencies, with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion that is mostly spent on health care coverage for millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.

The agency oversees health insurance for roughly half the country through Medicare for older adults and Medicaid for disabled and poor Americans.

There was no immediate comment Sunday from HHS.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>., Trump's health secretary, has hinted at plans at deep cuts to the staff. Last year, he promised to immediately clear out all 600 employees at the NIH, the nation's biomedical research arm. He has not gone that far, but in an interview last month shortly after being sworn in last month, Kennedy said he wanted to remove some workers from the public health agencies.

“I have a list in my head,” Kennedy said of potential firings at the agency. He said some workers “made really bad decisions” on nutrition guidelines.

The Trump administration, with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">billionaire Elon Musk</a>, has been trying to push out federal workers in an effort to cut costs. In January, most federal employees received a deferred resignation offer that came with eight months of pay. Thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-firing-probation-workforce-buyouts-layoffs-doge-159a6de411622c2eb651016b1e99da37">probationary employees</a>, too, have been fired across federal agencies, including at HHS.

The latest move to reduce the number of federal health workers comes as the the CDC is assisting with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-deaths-mmr-vaccine-a1295c78fade561479da65d72d8a5774">deadly measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico</a>&nbsp;and as lawmakers are debating deep cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;in the federal budget.

HHS workers are directed in the email to reach out to their local human resources office to submit for the voluntary separation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741145611962.png" alt="File photo HHS Secretary RFK Jr. during President's Trump's address to Congress" />
 <figcaption>File photo HHS Secretary RFK Jr. during President's Trump's address to Congress</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Most of the 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment as part of President Donald Trump's government cuts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741530593007.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Workers cannot start opting in until Monday and have until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit a response for the so-called voluntary separation offer. The email was sent to staff across the department, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the National Institutes of Health as well as the Food and Drug Administration, both in Maryland.The mass email went out to a “broad population of HHS employees," landing in their inboxes days before agency heads are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">due to offer plans for shrinking their workforces</a>. HHS is one of the government's costliest federal agencies, with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion that is mostly spent on health care coverage for millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.The agency oversees health insurance for roughly half the country through Medicare for older adults and Medicaid for disabled and poor Americans.There was no immediate comment Sunday from HHS.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>., Trump's health secretary, has hinted at plans at deep cuts to the staff. Last year, he promised to immediately clear out all 600 employees at the NIH, the nation's biomedical research arm. He has not gone that far, but in an interview last month shortly after being sworn in last month, Kennedy said he wanted to remove some workers from the public health agencies.“I have a list in my head,” Kennedy said of potential firings at the agency. He said some workers “made really bad decisions” on nutrition guidelines.The Trump administration, with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">billionaire Elon Musk</a>, has been trying to push out federal workers in an effort to cut costs. In January, most federal employees received a deferred resignation offer that came with eight months of pay. Thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-firing-probation-workforce-buyouts-layoffs-doge-159a6de411622c2eb651016b1e99da37">probationary employees</a>, too, have been fired across federal agencies, including at HHS.The latest move to reduce the number of federal health workers comes as the the CDC is assisting with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-deaths-mmr-vaccine-a1295c78fade561479da65d72d8a5774">deadly measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico</a>&nbsp;and as lawmakers are debating deep cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-congress-republicans-90ec1119f1d95de067c76f79eec7fa87">Medicaid</a>&nbsp;in the federal budget.HHS workers are directed in the email to reach out to their local human resources office to submit for the voluntary separation.

Read the $25K buyout offer HHS sent to all employees

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces continue to battle terrorist cells in Syria.

On Friday,&nbsp;Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), enabled by U.S. forces, conducted a raid and captured Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, an ISIS cell leader in the vicinity of Shahil, Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.



During the operation, the Syrian Democratic Forces recovered multiple weapons to include a 12.7mm (.50 cal) Sniper rifle, an AK-47, hand grenades, and various weapons and ammunition.



The SDF-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to degrade ISIS networks and prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group in the region. CENTCOM forces enabled SDF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence.

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces continue to battle terrorist cells in Syria.On Friday,&nbsp;Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), enabled by U.S. forces, conducted a raid and captured Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, an ISIS cell leader in the vicinity of Shahil, Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

During the operation, the Syrian Democratic Forces recovered multiple weapons to include a 12.7mm (.50 cal) Sniper rifle, an AK-47, hand grenades, and various weapons and ammunition.

The SDF-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to degrade ISIS networks and prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group in the region. CENTCOM forces enabled SDF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence.

U.S. forces help capture ISIS cell leader in Syria

KANSAS CITY —Prosecutors&nbsp;secured a guilty plea in a fatal shooting that took place in Independence in 2022, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2527/2216-CR04647-01-Guilty-Plea-Judgment_Redacted_FINAL">Jordan Huff, 23, pled guilty</a>&nbsp;to 2nd Degree Murder. A 15-year sentence was agreed on after mediation involving input from the victim’s family.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2526/JHuff_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Independence police were dispatched to a residence regarding a shooting and found the victim deceased in the living room, with multiple apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;

Detectives determined that the defendant and his family including three children were at the residence eating and playing games.&nbsp;A witness told police that Huff and the victim were playing cards with others. Huff entered the kitchen and then shot and killed the victim. 

Huff pointed the firearm at other witnesses in the residence and demanded a cell phone and car keys. Ring doorbell camera footage showed Huff entering and exiting the apartment with a firearm. The Huff is heard on the footage demanding a witness’s keys and phone.&nbsp;

A witness said the defendant had a history of domestic violence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665006027132.png" alt="Huff photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Huff photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Prosecutors&nbsp;secured a guilty plea in a fatal shooting that took place in Independence in 2022, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2527/2216-CR04647-01-Guilty-Plea-Judgment_Redacted_FINAL">Jordan Huff, 23, pled guilty</a>&nbsp;to 2nd Degree Murder. A 15-year sentence was agreed on after mediation involving input from the victim’s family.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2526/JHuff_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Independence police were dispatched to a residence regarding a shooting and found the victim deceased in the living room, with multiple apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;Detectives determined that the defendant and his family including three children were at the residence eating and playing games.&nbsp;A witness told police that Huff and the victim were playing cards with others. Huff entered the kitchen and then shot and killed the victim. Huff pointed the firearm at other witnesses in the residence and demanded a cell phone and car keys. Ring doorbell camera footage showed Huff entering and exiting the apartment with a firearm. The Huff is heard on the footage demanding a witness’s keys and phone.&nbsp;A witness said the defendant had a history of domestic violence.

Kansas City man admits to deadly card game killing

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before 12:30 a.m. March 6, a Sheriff's Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Mercedes SUV near 150th and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. A search of the vehicle ended with the driver, Shantel Rene Simmons, 39, of Valley Falls, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741122155383.png" alt="Simmons photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Simmons photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before 12:30 a.m. March 6, a Sheriff's Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Mercedes SUV near 150th and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics within the vehicle. A search of the vehicle ended with the driver, Shantel Rene Simmons, 39, of Valley Falls, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas woman was transporting meth 

WASHINGTON (AP) —On Friday, President Trump announced that he’s creating a task force to prepare for the World Cup, which will be held in North America next year.

Soccer’s biggest tournament will have games spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico over the course of a month. Kansas City is among the host cities. The event is expected to draw millions of tourists to the continent from around the world.

Trump met Friday with officials from FIFA, the international soccer governing body.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On his social media account, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran praised Trump, " Great news! President Trump announced the establishment of a White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup 2026." 

Last year, Moran and Senator Any Klobuchar urged the Administration to set up a federal task force to help ensure the safe execution of the World Cup in cities across the country including Kansas CIty. "This is an important step as the U.S. prepares to host one of the world’s largest sporting events."

WASHINGTON (AP) —On Friday, President Trump announced that he’s creating a task force to prepare for the World Cup, which will be held in North America next year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveil the official trophy of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which the U.S. will host this summer. <a href="https://t.co/xIoZfVtaZx">pic.twitter.com/xIoZfVtaZx</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1898111018431131860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveil the official trophy of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which the U.S. will host this summer. <a href="https://t.co/xIoZfVtaZx">pic.twitter.com/xIoZfVtaZx</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1898111018431131860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Soccer’s biggest tournament will have games spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico over the course of a month. Kansas City is among the host cities. The event is expected to draw millions of tourists to the continent from around the world.Trump met Friday with officials from FIFA, the international soccer governing body.&nbsp;&nbsp;On his social media account, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran praised Trump, " Great news! President Trump announced the establishment of a White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup 2026." Last year, Moran and Senator Any Klobuchar urged the Administration to set up a federal task force to help ensure the safe execution of the World Cup in cities across the country including Kansas CIty. "This is an important step as the U.S. prepares to host one of the world’s largest sporting events."

🎥Kan. U.S. Senator praises Trump's action on FIFA World Cup 

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, authorities revealed Friday.

Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead Feb. 26. In the days that followed, mystery swirled around the deaths as authorities ruled out foul play, and immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.

Then authorities in New Mexico released the causes, proposing a simple but tragic theory for the deaths: Shortly after Arakawa’s death from a rare infection, Hackman died of the nation’s leading killer — heart disease — apparently unable to seek help after his wife died.

Up Next - U.S. employers add 151,000 jobs in February-00:11

“I believe they really discovered what truly happened in this case,” said forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Weedn, who was not involved in the investigation. “It seemed such a great mystery to the entire nation.”

Here’s a timeline of events surrounding the couple’s deaths:

Arakawa’s last known activities happened this day. She emailed with a massage therapist in the late morning, visited a grocery store in Santa Fe in the afternoon, then went to a pharmacy and a pet food store, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.

At 5:15 p.m., Arakawa entered the gated community to the home she shared with Hackman. Mendoza said investigators found no other communication or activity by Arakawa after Feb. 11, which they believe to be the day of her death. The medical examiner said she may have been experiencing symptoms of hantavirus before her death.

Hackman’s initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity Feb. 17. Subsequent pacemaker investigation showed an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation Feb. 18, the last record of heart activity.

Based on this information, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said it is reasonable to conclude that Hackman probably died around Feb. 18.

A maintenance worker who showed up to do routine work at the house could not get inside and called a security worker, who spotted two people on the ground inside the home, Mendoza said. The worker called 911 and told an operator he did not know if they were breathing. He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and that their last contact with them had been about two weeks prior.

Police found Hackman in an entryway and Arakawa in a bathroom, as well as a deceased dog in a closet.

Arakawa had picked up the kelpie mix named Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on Feb. 9 after a procedure was done, according to the sheriff. He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead. A necropsy is being done on Zinna to determine the cause of death, he said.

Two healthy dogs were found on the property — one inside and one outside.

Autopsies were done on Hackman and Arakawa. Detectives wrote in a search warrant that the couple and the dog had been dead for some time when the maintenance worker discovered their bodies.

Preliminary autopsy results didn’t reveal causes of death but showed Hackman and Arakawa were not killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff said. The initial autopsies also found no external trauma to either body.

Authorities reveal causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa. Jarrell said both deaths were from natural causes.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, authorities revealed Friday.Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead Feb. 26. In the days that followed, mystery swirled around the deaths as authorities ruled out foul play, and immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.Then authorities in New Mexico released the causes, proposing a simple but tragic theory for the deaths: Shortly after Arakawa’s death from a rare infection, Hackman died of the nation’s leading killer — heart disease — apparently unable to seek help after his wife died.Up Next - U.S. employers add 151,000 jobs in February-00:11“I believe they really discovered what truly happened in this case,” said forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Weedn, who was not involved in the investigation. “It seemed such a great mystery to the entire nation.”Here’s a timeline of events surrounding the couple’s deaths:<h2>Feb. 11</h2>Arakawa’s last known activities happened this day. She emailed with a massage therapist in the late morning, visited a grocery store in Santa Fe in the afternoon, then went to a pharmacy and a pet food store, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.At 5:15 p.m., Arakawa entered the gated community to the home she shared with Hackman. Mendoza said investigators found no other communication or activity by Arakawa after Feb. 11, which they believe to be the day of her death. The medical examiner said she may have been experiencing symptoms of hantavirus before her death.<h2>Feb. 17-18</h2>Hackman’s initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity Feb. 17. Subsequent pacemaker investigation showed an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation Feb. 18, the last record of heart activity.Based on this information, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said it is reasonable to conclude that Hackman probably died around Feb. 18.<h2>Feb. 26</h2>A maintenance worker who showed up to do routine work at the house could not get inside and called a security worker, who spotted two people on the ground inside the home, Mendoza said. The worker called 911 and told an operator he did not know if they were breathing. He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and that their last contact with them had been about two weeks prior.Police found Hackman in an entryway and Arakawa in a bathroom, as well as a deceased dog in a closet.Arakawa had picked up the kelpie mix named Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on Feb. 9 after a procedure was done, according to the sheriff. He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead. A necropsy is being done on Zinna to determine the cause of death, he said.Two healthy dogs were found on the property — one inside and one outside.<h2>Feb. 27</h2>Autopsies were done on Hackman and Arakawa. Detectives wrote in a search warrant that the couple and the dog had been dead for some time when the maintenance worker discovered their bodies.<h2>Feb. 28</h2>Preliminary autopsy results didn’t reveal causes of death but showed Hackman and Arakawa were not killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff said. The initial autopsies also found no external trauma to either body.<h2>March 7</h2>Authorities reveal causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa. Jarrell said both deaths were from natural causes.

Timeline of how actor Gene Hackman, wife died at their New Mexico home

WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed man believed to be traveling from Indiana was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents near the White House after a confrontation early Sunday, according to authorities.

No one else was injured in the shooting that happened around midnight about a block from the White House, according to a Secret Service statement. President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time of the shooting.

The Secret Service received information from local police about an alleged “suicidal individual” who was traveling from Indiana and found the man's car and a person matching his description nearby.

“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the Secret Service said in a statement.

The man was hospitalized. The Secret Service said his condition was “unknown.”

The Metropolitan Police Department will investigate because the shooting involved law enforcement officers. The police department declined to provide more details.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed man believed to be traveling from Indiana was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents near the White House after a confrontation early Sunday, according to authorities.No one else was injured in the shooting that happened around midnight about a block from the White House, according to a Secret Service statement. President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time of the shooting.The Secret Service received information from local police about an alleged “suicidal individual” who was traveling from Indiana and found the man's car and a person matching his description nearby.“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the Secret Service said in a statement.The man was hospitalized. The Secret Service said his condition was “unknown.”The Metropolitan Police Department will investigate because the shooting involved law enforcement officers. The police department declined to provide more details.

Secret Service shoots armed man in confrontation near White House

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DASHA%20LITVINOVA%20and%20KOSTYA%20MANENKOV%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DASHA LITVINOVA and KOSTYA MANENKOV &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

HELSINKI (AP) — A tale of good versus evil played out on the large screen in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s Lutheran church in Finland. Jesus was shown in robes with long hair and a beard, while Satan was dressed in more modern clothes but with a menacing frown and higher-pitched voice — all created by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>.

Also addressing the flock at the Tuesday evening service were avatars of the church’s pastors and a former president of Finland who died in 1986, reading from the Old Testament.

It was the first church service in Finland put together mostly by AI tools, which wrote the sermons and some of the songs, composed the music and created the visuals.

The widely advertised experimental service drew over 120 people to the church in northeastern Helsinki, much more than on a typical weeknight. People came from out of town as did a handful of foreigners who admitted they didn’t speak Finnish well enough to understand it all.

“Usually when people talk about AI, they are talking about what AI can do in the future. But the future is now. … AI can do all those things that people think that it can maybe do in 10 years or so,” said the Rev. Petja Kopperoinen, who came up with the idea and brought it to fruition.

The clergy and worshippers said they enjoyed it, but agreed it wouldn't replace services led by humans anytime soon.

“It was pretty entertaining and fun, but it didn’t feel like a Mass or a service. … It felt distant. I didn’t feel like they were talking to me,” Taru Nieminen told The Associated Press.

The Rev. Kari Kanala, the vicar at St. Paul's, echoed her sentiment.

“The warmth of the people is what people need,” he said.

Other experiments with AI church services

Churches and pastors around the world have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-artificial-intelligence-kentucky-religion-65822bf1c46de7630d3441e9ff4ff41a">experimenting with AI</a>, just like the rest of the society, to try to understand what role it could play in their lives — and if it can attract more worshippers.

In 2023, an AI-led service was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-church-protestants-chatgpt-ai-sermon-651f21c24cfb47e3122e987a7263d348">held in a church in Germany</a>. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatbot-jesus-lucerne-catholic-66268027fbcf4b48972d1d62541f0b16">an avatar of “Jesus”</a>&nbsp;on a computer screen in a Catholic chapel in Switzerland took questions from believers and offered responses based on Scripture.

St. Paul’s church likes to try new things, with pastors incorporating screenings of soccer and ice hockey matches into their services, along with dance and film festivals.

After attending a conference on AI and religion in Geneva and hearing about the service in Germany, Kopperoinen says he thought: Why not try it?

Kanala was on board, as was Bishop Teemu Laajasalo of Helsinki.

Kopperoinen worked for weeks with different AI tools to assemble the 45-minute service, including Open AI’s ChatGPT-4o to write the words, except for those from the Bible; Suno to compose the tunes, similar to pop music; and the Synthesia AI platform to create video avatars of himself, Kanala and another pastor from existing footage.

Seeing himself onscreen speaking words he never said in real life felt “eerie,” Kopperoinen said.

Another tool, Akool, meanwhile, created the avatar of former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen reading from the Old Testament, and the exchange between Satan and Jesus.

In between AI-produced elements, clergy and worshippers sang hymns with live organ music.

The exercise had clear limits. AI was not involved in forgiving sins at the Helsinki service, and the Eucharist was not performed.

Any output needs to be fact-checked and edited by a human, and AI copy is often based on stereotypes, Kopperoinen said.

AI tools generally seemed reluctant to compose religious content, he said. ChatGPT initially wouldn't write dialogue between Jesus and Satan and went along with it only after Kopperoinen assured it that he was a Lutheran pastor and there was nothing wrong with writing it.

ChatGPT also refused to give absolution or blessings, which is a good guardrail, Kanala said, "because somehow it can divide things which are very intimate and religious.”

Kopperoinen also said he was aware of the impact of AI tools on the environment, including, for example, the amount of water used to power them. Some in the Finnish Lutheran church criticized St. Paul's for using AI to entertain people at the cost of the environment, he said.

Worshippers said they found the service different, interesting and entertaining, but also confusing at times. Speech patterns were rapid and hard to follow.

“I did like the songs. They were really catchy, although they lacked the kind of soul the humans have," said student Jeera Pulkkinen, who disliked the tools' fast delivery of the text.

Eeva Salonen, chief development officer at the Helsinki Parish Union, said the service felt “more like a performance,” finding it more impersonal than “it would be with real people.”

The need for a human element is one of the reasons AI is unlikely to replace real pastors, Kopperoinen said.

“It can’t be empathetic towards people. AI can’t really answer your questions in a spiritual way,” he said.

Still, both Kopperoinen and Kanala believe there is a place in the church for AI. St. Paul's already uses it for bookkeeping, and Kopperoinen sometimes turns to ChatGPT to help him compose sermons or when he needs to find verses on a particular topic.

Kanala admits he has "always opposed” AI, but decided to confront it head-on and now thinks it can help clergy on things like research for sermons and speeches.

Tom Stoneham, a University of York philosophy professor and an ethicist with the Center for Doctoral Training in Safe AI Systems in the U.K., notes AI can replace humans only “where the function of the human is purely instrumental” and transactional, such as “in customer service situations."

Even in these situations, however, a smile or a brief friendly exchange adds value that AI can’t, Stoneham said.

In a religious setting, “it’s about the human, not an instrument. They’re not just a mere means to achieving something," he said. "It’s that humanity that is adding value to the situation.”

Anna Puzio, a researcher on ethics of technology at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, said that given the concerns with AI, it’s important for churches and religious groups to experiment with it. That way they can help “shape these AI processes and develop AI and design it in a responsible way,” she said.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741485779201.png" alt="An AI-produced avatar seen on the screen during a rehearsal for an AI-created service in St. Paul's Lutheran church in Helsinki, Finland, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)" />
 <figcaption>An AI-produced avatar seen on the screen during a rehearsal for an AI-created service in St. Paul's Lutheran church in Helsinki, Finland, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DASHA%20LITVINOVA%20and%20KOSTYA%20MANENKOV%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DASHA LITVINOVA and KOSTYA MANENKOV &nbsp;Associated Press</a>HELSINKI (AP) — A tale of good versus evil played out on the large screen in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s Lutheran church in Finland. Jesus was shown in robes with long hair and a beard, while Satan was dressed in more modern clothes but with a menacing frown and higher-pitched voice — all created by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>.Also addressing the flock at the Tuesday evening service were avatars of the church’s pastors and a former president of Finland who died in 1986, reading from the Old Testament.It was the first church service in Finland put together mostly by AI tools, which wrote the sermons and some of the songs, composed the music and created the visuals.The widely advertised experimental service drew over 120 people to the church in northeastern Helsinki, much more than on a typical weeknight. People came from out of town as did a handful of foreigners who admitted they didn’t speak Finnish well enough to understand it all.“Usually when people talk about AI, they are talking about what AI can do in the future. But the future is now. … AI can do all those things that people think that it can maybe do in 10 years or so,” said the Rev. Petja Kopperoinen, who came up with the idea and brought it to fruition.The clergy and worshippers said they enjoyed it, but agreed it wouldn't replace services led by humans anytime soon.“It was pretty entertaining and fun, but it didn’t feel like a Mass or a service. … It felt distant. I didn’t feel like they were talking to me,” Taru Nieminen told The Associated Press.The Rev. Kari Kanala, the vicar at St. Paul's, echoed her sentiment.“The warmth of the people is what people need,” he said.<h2>Other experiments with AI church services</h2>Churches and pastors around the world have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-artificial-intelligence-kentucky-religion-65822bf1c46de7630d3441e9ff4ff41a">experimenting with AI</a>, just like the rest of the society, to try to understand what role it could play in their lives — and if it can attract more worshippers.In 2023, an AI-led service was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-church-protestants-chatgpt-ai-sermon-651f21c24cfb47e3122e987a7263d348">held in a church in Germany</a>. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatbot-jesus-lucerne-catholic-66268027fbcf4b48972d1d62541f0b16">an avatar of “Jesus”</a>&nbsp;on a computer screen in a Catholic chapel in Switzerland took questions from believers and offered responses based on Scripture.St. Paul’s church likes to try new things, with pastors incorporating screenings of soccer and ice hockey matches into their services, along with dance and film festivals.After attending a conference on AI and religion in Geneva and hearing about the service in Germany, Kopperoinen says he thought: Why not try it?Kanala was on board, as was Bishop Teemu Laajasalo of Helsinki.Kopperoinen worked for weeks with different AI tools to assemble the 45-minute service, including Open AI’s ChatGPT-4o to write the words, except for those from the Bible; Suno to compose the tunes, similar to pop music; and the Synthesia AI platform to create video avatars of himself, Kanala and another pastor from existing footage.Seeing himself onscreen speaking words he never said in real life felt “eerie,” Kopperoinen said.Another tool, Akool, meanwhile, created the avatar of former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen reading from the Old Testament, and the exchange between Satan and Jesus.In between AI-produced elements, clergy and worshippers sang hymns with live organ music.<h2>Imposing limits</h2>The exercise had clear limits. AI was not involved in forgiving sins at the Helsinki service, and the Eucharist was not performed.Any output needs to be fact-checked and edited by a human, and AI copy is often based on stereotypes, Kopperoinen said.AI tools generally seemed reluctant to compose religious content, he said. ChatGPT initially wouldn't write dialogue between Jesus and Satan and went along with it only after Kopperoinen assured it that he was a Lutheran pastor and there was nothing wrong with writing it.ChatGPT also refused to give absolution or blessings, which is a good guardrail, Kanala said, "because somehow it can divide things which are very intimate and religious.”Kopperoinen also said he was aware of the impact of AI tools on the environment, including, for example, the amount of water used to power them. Some in the Finnish Lutheran church criticized St. Paul's for using AI to entertain people at the cost of the environment, he said.<h2>The importance of human touch</h2>Worshippers said they found the service different, interesting and entertaining, but also confusing at times. Speech patterns were rapid and hard to follow.“I did like the songs. They were really catchy, although they lacked the kind of soul the humans have," said student Jeera Pulkkinen, who disliked the tools' fast delivery of the text.Eeva Salonen, chief development officer at the Helsinki Parish Union, said the service felt “more like a performance,” finding it more impersonal than “it would be with real people.”"But I really liked it,” she added.The need for a human element is one of the reasons AI is unlikely to replace real pastors, Kopperoinen said.“It can’t be empathetic towards people. AI can’t really answer your questions in a spiritual way,” he said.Still, both Kopperoinen and Kanala believe there is a place in the church for AI. St. Paul's already uses it for bookkeeping, and Kopperoinen sometimes turns to ChatGPT to help him compose sermons or when he needs to find verses on a particular topic.Kanala admits he has "always opposed” AI, but decided to confront it head-on and now thinks it can help clergy on things like research for sermons and speeches.Tom Stoneham, a University of York philosophy professor and an ethicist with the Center for Doctoral Training in Safe AI Systems in the U.K., notes AI can replace humans only “where the function of the human is purely instrumental” and transactional, such as “in customer service situations."Even in these situations, however, a smile or a brief friendly exchange adds value that AI can’t, Stoneham said.In a religious setting, “it’s about the human, not an instrument. They’re not just a mere means to achieving something," he said. "It’s that humanity that is adding value to the situation.”Anna Puzio, a researcher on ethics of technology at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, said that given the concerns with AI, it’s important for churches and religious groups to experiment with it. That way they can help “shape these AI processes and develop AI and design it in a responsible way,” she said.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

What one church learned from creating a service almost entirely with AI

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Yancy Whitehead of Topeka, according to&nbsp;Police LT Donna Eubanks.&nbsp;

Police are also asking for help to locate a person of interest in the homicide. If you know the whereabouts of Robert Reyes, 49, of Topeka, or have any information about the incident, please call 911 or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741531482789.png" alt="Reyes photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Reyes photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 22-year-old&nbsp;Yancy Whitehead of Topeka, according to&nbsp;Police LT Donna Eubanks.&nbsp;Police are also asking for help to locate a person of interest in the homicide. If you know the whereabouts of Robert Reyes, 49, of Topeka, or have any information about the incident, please call 911 or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.Just after 3a.m. Saturday police responded to a reported shooting in the 2900 block of SE Freemont Road in Topeka, according to Police&nbsp;LT Donna Eubanks. First responders located Whitehead with life-threatening injuries. He was&nbsp; pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel.Topeka Police were later notified of two other individuals that had arrived at an area hospital. One individual had life-threatening injuries and one a non-life-threatening injury.This is the city’s 3rd homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp;

Police ask for help to locate Kansas homicide suspect

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling.

Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizona’s Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation.

And the number of state and local agencies planning “task force” agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement has reached 121 departments in 12 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements — which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states — is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego.

“These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants,” Wong said.

President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-reassigning-acting-ice-director-rcna193225" target="_blank">reassigned</a>&nbsp;Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations weren’t as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-angry-deportation-numbers-are-not-higher-rcna191273" target="_blank">need</a>&nbsp;to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year.

Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had “basically disappeared in recent years” because of their reputation for leading to “racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities.” The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration.

“That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration,” Meissner said in an interview. “[The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions we’re seeing in pursuit of mass deportations.”

The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/trump-mass-deportation-priority?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=2043f21f-2eea-411a-a070-66d7ac706b02" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program.

Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found.

One result of local involvement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://usipc.ucsd.edu/publications/usipc-working-paper-1.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses.

The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it.

“My constituents support President Trump,” Kendrick said. “And of course me. I support the president’s mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him.”

Kendrick said he doesn’t expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies.

“We haven’t had any crime, really, out of that,” Kendrick said. “The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl.”

Wong said it’s typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owyhee_County,_Idaho" target="_blank">voted</a>&nbsp;almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said.

“It is naïve for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history,” Wong said.

Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements.

In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to “prioritize” criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record.

“We promised a mass deportation and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Homan told sheriffs at a February conference.

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-ayotte-statement-new-hampshire-law-enforcement-cooperating-ice" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. “Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed,” she wrote.

Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/287g-divergence.pdf" target="_blank">2010</a>&nbsp;there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona.

To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2025/02/governor-katie-hobbs-signs-executive-order-secure-border" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the state’s four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to “indiscriminately round people up,” according to Hobbs’ statement.

Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governor’s plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association. Yavapai County voted&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yavapai_County,_Arizona" target="_blank">heavily for Trump</a>. And much of the nation’s fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizona’s highways, Rhodes said, so he’s happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration.

But he’s not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status.

“I don’t know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that they’re here illegally or not. So we don’t do that. That’s very risky, very close to racial profiling there,” Rhodes said.

ICE guidelines issued in February say “racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated” under the new task force agreements.

In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force.

In North Carolina, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S153" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics.

In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njoag.gov/trust/" target="_blank">“immigrant trust directive”</a>&nbsp;directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work.

“With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasn’t going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement,” Cygan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740147958319.png" alt="U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a man from Venezuela in Miami in February after a wire fraud conviction. As the Trump administration attacks local sanctuary policies, some states and local governments continue to do what little they can to protect some immigrants from deportation. (Courtesy of Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a man from Venezuela in Miami in February after a wire fraud conviction. As the Trump administration attacks local sanctuary policies, some states and local governments continue to do what little they can to protect some immigrants from deportation. (Courtesy of Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling.Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizona’s Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation.And the number of state and local agencies planning “task force” agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement has reached 121 departments in 12 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements — which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states — is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego.“These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants,” Wong said.President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-reassigning-acting-ice-director-rcna193225" target="_blank">reassigned</a>&nbsp;Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations weren’t as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-angry-deportation-numbers-are-not-higher-rcna191273" target="_blank">need</a>&nbsp;to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year.Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had “basically disappeared in recent years” because of their reputation for leading to “racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities.” The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration.“That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration,” Meissner said in an interview. “[The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions we’re seeing in pursuit of mass deportations.”The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/trump-mass-deportation-priority?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=2043f21f-2eea-411a-a070-66d7ac706b02" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program.<h2>Focus on crime</h2>Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found.One result of local involvement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://usipc.ucsd.edu/publications/usipc-working-paper-1.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses.The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it.“My constituents support President Trump,” Kendrick said. “And of course me. I support the president’s mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him.”Kendrick said he doesn’t expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies.“We haven’t had any crime, really, out of that,” Kendrick said. “The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl.”Wong said it’s typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owyhee_County,_Idaho" target="_blank">voted</a>&nbsp;almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said.“It is naïve for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history,” Wong said.Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements.In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to “prioritize” criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record.“We promised a mass deportation and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Homan told sheriffs at a February conference.New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-ayotte-statement-new-hampshire-law-enforcement-cooperating-ice" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. “Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed,” she wrote.<h2>No renewed interest</h2>Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/287g-divergence.pdf" target="_blank">2010</a>&nbsp;there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona.To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2025/02/governor-katie-hobbs-signs-executive-order-secure-border" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the state’s four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to “indiscriminately round people up,” according to Hobbs’ statement.Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governor’s plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association. Yavapai County voted&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yavapai_County,_Arizona" target="_blank">heavily for Trump</a>. And much of the nation’s fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizona’s highways, Rhodes said, so he’s happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration.But he’s not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status.“I don’t know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that they’re here illegally or not. So we don’t do that. That’s very risky, very close to racial profiling there,” Rhodes said.ICE guidelines issued in February say “racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated” under the new task force agreements.In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force.In North Carolina, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S153" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics.In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njoag.gov/trust/" target="_blank">“immigrant trust directive”</a>&nbsp;directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work.“With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasn’t going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement,” Cygan said.