By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Hays Police Department executed a search warrant Thursday at a child care home in Hays after reports of&nbsp;alleged child endangerment and potential drug use, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler. The search was part of an ongoing investigation.

Police officers and officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment executed the warrant in the 2500 block of Donald Drive following reports made earlier in the week.

Scheibler said an officer sustained minor injuries from a dog bite during the search. No arrests have been made.

On Friday, the police department requested KDHE issue an emergency suspension to close the facility during the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;Scheibler said.

No names of potential suspects have been released.

By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Hays Police Department executed a search warrant Thursday at a child care home in Hays after reports of&nbsp;alleged child endangerment and potential drug use, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler. The search was part of an ongoing investigation.Police officers and officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment executed the warrant in the 2500 block of Donald Drive following reports made earlier in the week.Scheibler said an officer sustained minor injuries from a dog bite during the search. No arrests have been made.On Friday, the police department requested KDHE issue an emergency suspension to close the facility during the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;Scheibler said.No names of potential suspects have been released.

Dog bit police officer during search of Kan. home day care

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Tuesday that he’s planning to pardon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-sentence-ea5d65c638f06cce3bd82fcfc2c5647c">TV stars</a>&nbsp;Todd and Julie Chrisley, famous for “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality show that followed their tight-knit family and extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities.

The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. They were also found guilty of tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious way of living that authorities said included high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.

Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left $20-plus million in unpaid loans. Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.

“Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said in a call with their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, according to a video posted online by a White House aide. In a social media post, the aide declared, “Trump Knows Best!”

“They’ve been given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing,” the president added a few moments later of the couple.

A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss decisions that hadn't yet been made public, said the pardons would be forthcoming.

The move continues a pattern of Trump pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. On Monday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sheriff-bribery-conviction-trump-pardon-3a35152ebb86d4ab4a2d3d018c0bda8e">pardoned</a>&nbsp;Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted on fraud and bribery charges. The president posted online that Jenkins and his family “have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.”

The president has also moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present">pardon Paul Walczak</a>, a Florida health care executive imprisoned on tax charges, whose mother helped expose the contents of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-diary-aimee-harris-fa1081c11b34a18f7d216f9cac8bf4e6">diary kept by Ashley Biden</a>, daughter of former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. And, in April, he pardoned Nevada Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-las-vegas-nevada-73278936d0baa571db1174aaf275d4c2">Michele Fiore</a>, who was awaiting sentencing on federal charges that she used money meant for a statue honoring a slain police officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-indictment-fiore-council-judge-assembly-nevada-e7a7066c545cd0196cae734629713f4b">for personal costs</a>, including plastic surgery.

The Chrisleys’ attorney, Alex Little, said the pardon “corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community.”

“President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias,” Little said in a statement.

Little's statement added, “Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”

Before the Chrisleys became reality television stars, they, and a former business partner, submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans, prosecutors said during their trial. They accused the couple of spending lavishly, then using new fraudulent loans to pay off old ones.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-appeal-983ca240f0a631e075ef5dd911ebfe26">upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions</a>&nbsp;but found a legal error in how the trial judge had calculated Julie Chrisley’s sentence by holding her accountable for the entire bank fraud scheme. The appellate panel sent her case back to the lower court for resentencing.

Savannah Chrisley spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she talked about her parents’ imprisonment. She said then that they were “persecuted by rogue prosecutors” — echoing Trump’s rhetoric about the criminal justice system as he faced investigations and criminal cases of his own.

She said Trump had been targeted for his politics, and said her parents likewise were targeted because of their conservative beliefs and high profile.

“I’ll never forget what the prosecutors said in the most heavily Democratic county in the state, before an Obama-appointed judge. He called us the ‘Trumps of the South,’” Savannah Chrisley said in her remarks at the convention, adding, “He meant it as an insult but, let me tell you, boy, do I wear it as a badge of honor.”

Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669079805529.png" alt="Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Tuesday that he’s planning to pardon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-sentence-ea5d65c638f06cce3bd82fcfc2c5647c">TV stars</a>&nbsp;Todd and Julie Chrisley, famous for “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality show that followed their tight-knit family and extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING! President Trump calls <a href="https://twitter.com/_ItsSavannah_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ItsSavannah_</a> to inform her that he will be granting full pardons to her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley! Trump Knows Best! <a href="https://t.co/j5WPMOOQ7L">pic.twitter.com/j5WPMOOQ7L</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1927470034688839944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. They were also found guilty of tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious way of living that authorities said included high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left $20-plus million in unpaid loans. Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.“Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said in a call with their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, according to a video posted online by a White House aide. In a social media post, the aide declared, “Trump Knows Best!”“They’ve been given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing,” the president added a few moments later of the couple.A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss decisions that hadn't yet been made public, said the pardons would be forthcoming.The move continues a pattern of Trump pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. On Monday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sheriff-bribery-conviction-trump-pardon-3a35152ebb86d4ab4a2d3d018c0bda8e">pardoned</a>&nbsp;Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted on fraud and bribery charges. The president posted online that Jenkins and his family “have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.”The president has also moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present">pardon Paul Walczak</a>, a Florida health care executive imprisoned on tax charges, whose mother helped expose the contents of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-diary-aimee-harris-fa1081c11b34a18f7d216f9cac8bf4e6">diary kept by Ashley Biden</a>, daughter of former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. And, in April, he pardoned Nevada Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-las-vegas-nevada-73278936d0baa571db1174aaf275d4c2">Michele Fiore</a>, who was awaiting sentencing on federal charges that she used money meant for a statue honoring a slain police officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-indictment-fiore-council-judge-assembly-nevada-e7a7066c545cd0196cae734629713f4b">for personal costs</a>, including plastic surgery.The Chrisleys’ attorney, Alex Little, said the pardon “corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community.”“President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias,” Little said in a statement.Little's statement added, “Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”Before the Chrisleys became reality television stars, they, and a former business partner, submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans, prosecutors said during their trial. They accused the couple of spending lavishly, then using new fraudulent loans to pay off old ones.A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-appeal-983ca240f0a631e075ef5dd911ebfe26">upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions</a>&nbsp;but found a legal error in how the trial judge had calculated Julie Chrisley’s sentence by holding her accountable for the entire bank fraud scheme. The appellate panel sent her case back to the lower court for resentencing.Savannah Chrisley spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she talked about her parents’ imprisonment. She said then that they were “persecuted by rogue prosecutors” — echoing Trump’s rhetoric about the criminal justice system as he faced investigations and criminal cases of his own.She said Trump had been targeted for his politics, and said her parents likewise were targeted because of their conservative beliefs and high profile.“I’ll never forget what the prosecutors said in the most heavily Democratic county in the state, before an Obama-appointed judge. He called us the ‘Trumps of the South,’” Savannah Chrisley said in her remarks at the convention, adding, “He meant it as an insult but, let me tell you, boy, do I wear it as a badge of honor.”___Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed.

🎥Trump phone call of pardon for reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a scheme in which the conspirators stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from beauty and liquor stores across six states, according to the United State's Attorney.

Gary Bailey, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

By pleading guilty, Bailey admitted that between March 2023 and January 2024, he participated in burglarizing at least 23 stores across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Bailey and his co-conspirators brought the stolen product back to Kansas City, before either selling it, giving it away to family or friends, or consuming the product themselves. The loss to these 23 victim businesses exceeded $418,000.

On April 22, 2025, co-conspirator Donald Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and one count of money laundering.

As part of the plea agreement, Bailey must pay restitution to the victim businesses; the exact amount to be determined at his sentencing hearing. Under federal statutes, Bailey is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a scheme in which the conspirators stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from beauty and liquor stores across six states, according to the United State's Attorney.Gary Bailey, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.By pleading guilty, Bailey admitted that between March 2023 and January 2024, he participated in burglarizing at least 23 stores across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Bailey and his co-conspirators brought the stolen product back to Kansas City, before either selling it, giving it away to family or friends, or consuming the product themselves. The loss to these 23 victim businesses exceeded $418,000.On April 22, 2025, co-conspirator Donald Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and one count of money laundering.As part of the plea agreement, Bailey must pay restitution to the victim businesses; the exact amount to be determined at his sentencing hearing. Under federal statutes, Bailey is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Man admits stealing $400K worth of goods in Kansas, 5 other states

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is asking federal agencies to cancel contracts with Harvard University worth about $100 million, a senior administration official said Tuesday, intensifying the president's clash with the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.

The government already has canceled more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants for the Ivy League school, which has pushed back on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-administration-federal-cuts-037c3f5b259a7577358c5979e701c7c7">the administration's demands</a>&nbsp;for changes to several of its policies.

A draft letter from the General Services Administration directs agencies to review contracts with the university and seek alternate vendors. The administration plans to send a version of the letter Tuesday, the official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.

The New York Times first reported on the letter.

President Donald Trump has railed against Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. The school filed a lawsuit April 21 over the administration's calls for changes to the university's leadership, governance and admissions policies. Since then, the administration has slashed the school's federal funding, moved to cut off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-2c72d5d0dc83949cfc03f81660419b31">enrollment of international students</a>&nbsp;and threatened its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-harvard-university-white-house-education-fb6d5fe0191b08677441ebb9b9431d19">tax-exempt status</a>.

Contracts include scientific research, executive training

The administration has identified about 30 contracts across nine agencies to be reviewed for cancellation, according to another administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly and provided details on the condition of anonymity.

The contracts total roughly $100 million. They include executive training for Department of Homeland Security officials, research on health outcomes related to energy drinks and a contract for graduate student research services.

Agencies with contracts that are deemed critical are being directed not to halt them immediately, but to devise a plan to transition to a different vendor other than Harvard.

The letter applies only to federal contracts with Harvard and not its remaining research grants.

Trump threatens to give Harvard's funding to trade schools

Trump laid into Harvard on social media over the weekend, threatening to cut an additional $3 billion in federal grants and give it to trade schools across the United States. He did not explain which grants he was referring to or how they could be reallocated.

The president also accused Harvard of refusing to release the names of its foreign students. In a new line of attack, he argued that students' home countries pay nothing toward their education and that some of the countries are “not at all friendly to the United States." International students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but Harvard offers its own aid to foreign and domestic students alike.

“We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country,” Trump said on social media.

It wasn't clear exactly what he was demanding. The federal government already has access to visa information and other records on foreign students at Harvard and other universities.

The Department of Homeland Security has demanded that Harvard turn over a trove of files related to its foreign students, including disciplinary records and records related to “dangerous or violent activity.”

Harvard says it complied, but the agency said its response fell short and moved to revoke the university's ability to enroll foreign students. A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the move after Harvard sued.

Japan's government said Tuesday that it's looking for ways to help Harvard's foreign students. Education Minister Toshiko Abe told reporters she planned to ask Japanese universities to compile measures to support international students.

The University of Tokyo, Japan’s top school, is considering temporarily accepting some Harvard students hit by the Trump sanctions.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744677178521.png" alt="Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is asking federal agencies to cancel contracts with Harvard University worth about $100 million, a senior administration official said Tuesday, intensifying the president's clash with the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.The government already has canceled more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants for the Ivy League school, which has pushed back on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-administration-federal-cuts-037c3f5b259a7577358c5979e701c7c7">the administration's demands</a>&nbsp;for changes to several of its policies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748358916902.png" alt="&nbsp;General Services Administration page 1" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;General Services Administration page 1</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748358966818.png" alt="&nbsp;General Services Administration page 2" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;General Services Administration page 2</figcaption>
 </figure>A draft letter from the General Services Administration directs agencies to review contracts with the university and seek alternate vendors. The administration plans to send a version of the letter Tuesday, the official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.The New York Times first reported on the letter.President Donald Trump has railed against Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. The school filed a lawsuit April 21 over the administration's calls for changes to the university's leadership, governance and admissions policies. Since then, the administration has slashed the school's federal funding, moved to cut off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-2c72d5d0dc83949cfc03f81660419b31">enrollment of international students</a>&nbsp;and threatened its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-harvard-university-white-house-education-fb6d5fe0191b08677441ebb9b9431d19">tax-exempt status</a>.<h2>Contracts include scientific research, executive training</h2>The administration has identified about 30 contracts across nine agencies to be reviewed for cancellation, according to another administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly and provided details on the condition of anonymity.The contracts total roughly $100 million. They include executive training for Department of Homeland Security officials, research on health outcomes related to energy drinks and a contract for graduate student research services.Agencies with contracts that are deemed critical are being directed not to halt them immediately, but to devise a plan to transition to a different vendor other than Harvard.The letter applies only to federal contracts with Harvard and not its remaining research grants.<h2>Trump threatens to give Harvard's funding to trade schools</h2>Trump laid into Harvard on social media over the weekend, threatening to cut an additional $3 billion in federal grants and give it to trade schools across the United States. He did not explain which grants he was referring to or how they could be reallocated.The president also accused Harvard of refusing to release the names of its foreign students. In a new line of attack, he argued that students' home countries pay nothing toward their education and that some of the countries are “not at all friendly to the United States." International students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but Harvard offers its own aid to foreign and domestic students alike.“We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country,” Trump said on social media.It wasn't clear exactly what he was demanding. The federal government already has access to visa information and other records on foreign students at Harvard and other universities.The Department of Homeland Security has demanded that Harvard turn over a trove of files related to its foreign students, including disciplinary records and records related to “dangerous or violent activity.”Harvard says it complied, but the agency said its response fell short and moved to revoke the university's ability to enroll foreign students. A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the move after Harvard sued.<h2>Other nations respond</h2>Japan's government said Tuesday that it's looking for ways to help Harvard's foreign students. Education Minister Toshiko Abe told reporters she planned to ask Japanese universities to compile measures to support international students.The University of Tokyo, Japan’s top school, is considering temporarily accepting some Harvard students hit by the Trump sanctions.___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Read the letter: Trump admin. to cancel $100M in contracts with Harvard 

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">Scripps National Spelling Bee</a>, which celebrates its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-champions-b1f7f36a8872431da445caa094f9ca17">100th anniversary this year</a>.

<a href="https://spellingbee.com/watch">Click here for details&nbsp;</a>on how to watch the competition

The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River. It starts Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.

This is the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019.

How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.

— Tuesday, May 27: Preliminary rounds streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">spellingbee.com</a>&nbsp;from 8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. EDT.

— Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m.

— Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m.

Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.

Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-finals-2024-1afe4e933ebfba6238d058635af429ac">losing to Bruhat Soma</a>&nbsp;in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off.” He's a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas. If he falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee.

— Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.

— Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee.

— Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">2022 runner-up Vikram Raju</a>.

— Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-2019-2020-coronavirus-pandemic-be412dec7fc47846ef53a9b761097454">who would have been a top contender</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 bee had it not been canceled because of COVID-19.

— Tarini Nandakumar, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Round Rock, Texas, a previous finalist who is competing for the fifth time.

What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.

Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round.

Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.

Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions.

About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” to determine the champion. However, Scripps has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-rule-changes-tiebreaker-ff3fb9cd3451310871fa82812babd1b8">taken away the requirement</a>&nbsp;that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out.

What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion?

The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts:

— First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748378706038.png" alt="Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">Scripps National Spelling Bee</a>, which celebrates its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-champions-b1f7f36a8872431da445caa094f9ca17">100th anniversary this year</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748379179827.png" alt="-Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>-Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748379118308.png" alt="Andover Middle School is located in the Butler County community of Andover, Kansas -Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Andover Middle School is located in the Butler County community of Andover, Kansas -Scripps National Spelling Bee courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://spellingbee.com/watch">Click here for details&nbsp;</a>on how to watch the competitionThe first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River. It starts Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.This is the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019.<h2>How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.— Tuesday, May 27: Preliminary rounds streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">spellingbee.com</a>&nbsp;from 8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. EDT.— Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m.— Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m.<h2>Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-finals-2024-1afe4e933ebfba6238d058635af429ac">losing to Bruhat Soma</a>&nbsp;in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off.” He's a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas. If he falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee.Other possible contenders:— Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.— Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee.— Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">2022 runner-up Vikram Raju</a>.— Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-2019-2020-coronavirus-pandemic-be412dec7fc47846ef53a9b761097454">who would have been a top contender</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 bee had it not been canceled because of COVID-19.— Tarini Nandakumar, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Round Rock, Texas, a previous finalist who is competing for the fifth time.<h2>What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round.Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions.About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” to determine the champion. However, Scripps has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-rule-changes-tiebreaker-ff3fb9cd3451310871fa82812babd1b8">taken away the requirement</a>&nbsp;that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out.<h2>What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion?</h2>The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts:— First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice.— Second place: $25,000.— Third place: $15,000.— Fourth place: $10,000.— Fifth place: $5,000.— Sixth place: $2,500.— All other finalists: $2,000.

2 from Kansas at 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee 

LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged murder.

Around 7a.m. on Sunday, the Lyon County Communications Center received a 911 call of an unconscious person at a residence in the 200 block of W 10th Avenue in Emporia, according to Police Captain Lisa Hayes. An ambulance and Emporia Police Officers responded and found 62-year-old Raul Rosado Reyes dead inside the residence.

Emporia Investigations Division led the investigation and identified 36-year-old Alexei Perez-Ricardo as a primary suspect. Perez-Ricardo was apprehended a short time later in eastern Emporia, questioned, and ultimately booked into to the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Murder, Simple Assault and a Weapons Violation.&nbsp;

Detectives believe a confrontation between Reyes and Perez-Ricardo took place on Saturday. Following the confrontation, Perez-Ricardo is believed to have left the scene on foot to areas in eastern Emporia. He was later seen with a bicycle.

Emporia Detectives gathered information from eyewitnesses, home surveillance videos, and cell phones.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748365013935.png" alt="Perez-Ricardo " />
 <figcaption>Perez-Ricardo </figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged murder.Around 7a.m. on Sunday, the Lyon County Communications Center received a 911 call of an unconscious person at a residence in the 200 block of W 10th Avenue in Emporia, according to Police Captain Lisa Hayes. An ambulance and Emporia Police Officers responded and found 62-year-old Raul Rosado Reyes dead inside the residence.Emporia Investigations Division led the investigation and identified 36-year-old Alexei Perez-Ricardo as a primary suspect. Perez-Ricardo was apprehended a short time later in eastern Emporia, questioned, and ultimately booked into to the Lyon County Detention Center on requested charges of Murder, Simple Assault and a Weapons Violation.&nbsp;Detectives believe a confrontation between Reyes and Perez-Ricardo took place on Saturday. Following the confrontation, Perez-Ricardo is believed to have left the scene on foot to areas in eastern Emporia. He was later seen with a bicycle.Emporia Detectives gathered information from eyewitnesses, home surveillance videos, and cell phones.&nbsp;

Suspect accused in beating death of man at Kansas home

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-opec-oil-bonds-tariffs-cede4ef34e9ab6ff9ed99a403973f3b5">roller-coaster</a>&nbsp;ride created by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-trump-trade-6ea513a44876c2f4dc948a25c15b0eb0">President Donald Trump’s trade policies</a>&nbsp;whipped back upward on Tuesday, this time because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-trade-tariffs-european-union-f335ba9aa9d0b36cfe483f6f045c9b01">delay for his tariffs on the European Union</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 leaped 2% in its first trading since Trump said Sunday that the United States will delay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-eu-europe-gdp-economy-8cd35c95fbab6b68c90add13a391060b">a 50% tariff on goods coming from the European Union</a>&nbsp;until July 9 from June 1. The European Union’s chief trade negotiator later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-united-states-trade-tariff-deadline-79d65de51e5c935ff7cce1fcfd8fb755">said on Monday that he had “good calls”</a>&nbsp;with Trump officials and the EU was “fully committed” to reaching a trade deal by July 9.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 740 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 2.5%. They more than recovered their losses from Friday, when Wall Street’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-opec-oil-bonds-tariffs-cede4ef34e9ab6ff9ed99a403973f3b5">roller coaster dropped</a>&nbsp;after Trump announced the tariffs on France, Germany and the other 25 countries represented by the European Union.

Such talks give hopes that the United States can reach a deal with one of its largest trading partners that would keep global commerce moving and avoid a possible recession. Trump declared a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-switzerland-tariffs-negotiations-b3f5174d086e39b2522ab848ddad9372">similar pause on his stiff tariffs for products coming from China</a>&nbsp;earlier this month, which launched an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trade-trump-catl-62fbd84396aaea011c68231363b283de">even bigger rally on Wall Street</a>&nbsp;at the time.

“We focus on actions over words,” Jean Boivin and other strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said, “as economic constraints spur policy rollbacks.”

Caution still remains on Wall Street, of course, even if the S&amp;P 500 has climbed back within 3.6% of its record after falling roughly 20% below the mark last month.

A worry is that all the uncertainty caused by on-again-off-again tariffs could damage the economy by pushing U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending and investments. Surveys have already shown U.S. consumers are feeling worse about the economy’s prospects and where inflation may be heading because of tariffs.

On Tuesday, though, optimism ruled. The stock market’s gains accelerated after a report released by the Conference Board said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-spending-tariffs-cd4860a3aff316d90080f96e4487c3c5">confidence among U.S. consumers improved</a>&nbsp;by more in May than economists expected.

It was the first increase in six months, and consumers’ expectations for income, business and the job market in the short term jumped sharply, though it still remains below the level that typically signals a recession ahead. About half the survey results came after Trump paused some of his tariffs on China.

The rise in confidence was widespread, covering different age and income groups, according to the Conference Board.

On Wall Street, Nvidia rallied 3.2% and was the strongest single force driving the S&amp;P 500 higher ahead of its profit report coming on Wednesday. It’s the last to report this quarter among the “Magnificent Seven” Big Tech companies that have grown so large that their stock movements dominate the rest of the market.

Nvidia has been riding a tidal wave of growth created by the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology, but it is also facing criticism that its stock price has shot too high.

Informatica climbed 6% after Salesforce said it would buy the AI-powered cloud data management company in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/salesforce-informatica-ai-bca8e785b46794ad719d51cbca78161a">an all-stock deal valuing it at about $8 billion</a>. Salesforce rose 1.5%.

They were part of widespread gains across the U.S. stock market, where 93% of the stocks within the S&amp;P 500 rose.

One of the outliers was AutoZone, which fell 3.7% following a mixed report on its performance for the three months through May 10. Its profit fell short of analysts’ expectations, though its growth in revenue was stronger than expected.

CEO Phil Daniele said both its DIY and commercial businesses did well domestically, but shifting moves in foreign-currency values put pressure on the retailer’s operations outside the United States.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 118.72 points to 5,921.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 740.58 to 42,343.65, and the Nasdaq composite gained 461.96 to 19,199.16.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased to take some of the pressure off the stock market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.44% from 4.51% late Friday. It had been rising last week, in part because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bond-market-wall-street-debt-1d7bea0e6b01b343c8405ba5f4e30553">worries about the U.S. government’s rapidly increasing debt</a>.

Yields had been climbing for bond markets around the developed world, particularly in Japan, where a recent auction of longer-term bonds found relatively few buyers. But analysts said worries eased a bit after Japan’s finance ministry sent a questionnaire to bond investors that they took as a signal of efforts to calm the market.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes mostly rose, while Asian indexes were mixed.

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-opec-oil-bonds-tariffs-cede4ef34e9ab6ff9ed99a403973f3b5">roller-coaster</a>&nbsp;ride created by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-trump-trade-6ea513a44876c2f4dc948a25c15b0eb0">President Donald Trump’s trade policies</a>&nbsp;whipped back upward on Tuesday, this time because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-trade-tariffs-european-union-f335ba9aa9d0b36cfe483f6f045c9b01">delay for his tariffs on the European Union</a>.The S&amp;P 500 leaped 2% in its first trading since Trump said Sunday that the United States will delay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-eu-europe-gdp-economy-8cd35c95fbab6b68c90add13a391060b">a 50% tariff on goods coming from the European Union</a>&nbsp;until July 9 from June 1. The European Union’s chief trade negotiator later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-united-states-trade-tariff-deadline-79d65de51e5c935ff7cce1fcfd8fb755">said on Monday that he had “good calls”</a>&nbsp;with Trump officials and the EU was “fully committed” to reaching a trade deal by July 9.The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 740 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 2.5%. They more than recovered their losses from Friday, when Wall Street’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-opec-oil-bonds-tariffs-cede4ef34e9ab6ff9ed99a403973f3b5">roller coaster dropped</a>&nbsp;after Trump announced the tariffs on France, Germany and the other 25 countries represented by the European Union.Such talks give hopes that the United States can reach a deal with one of its largest trading partners that would keep global commerce moving and avoid a possible recession. Trump declared a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-switzerland-tariffs-negotiations-b3f5174d086e39b2522ab848ddad9372">similar pause on his stiff tariffs for products coming from China</a>&nbsp;earlier this month, which launched an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trade-trump-catl-62fbd84396aaea011c68231363b283de">even bigger rally on Wall Street</a>&nbsp;at the time.“We focus on actions over words,” Jean Boivin and other strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said, “as economic constraints spur policy rollbacks.”Caution still remains on Wall Street, of course, even if the S&amp;P 500 has climbed back within 3.6% of its record after falling roughly 20% below the mark last month.A worry is that all the uncertainty caused by on-again-off-again tariffs could damage the economy by pushing U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending and investments. Surveys have already shown U.S. consumers are feeling worse about the economy’s prospects and where inflation may be heading because of tariffs.On Tuesday, though, optimism ruled. The stock market’s gains accelerated after a report released by the Conference Board said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-spending-tariffs-cd4860a3aff316d90080f96e4487c3c5">confidence among U.S. consumers improved</a>&nbsp;by more in May than economists expected.It was the first increase in six months, and consumers’ expectations for income, business and the job market in the short term jumped sharply, though it still remains below the level that typically signals a recession ahead. About half the survey results came after Trump paused some of his tariffs on China.The rise in confidence was widespread, covering different age and income groups, according to the Conference Board.On Wall Street, Nvidia rallied 3.2% and was the strongest single force driving the S&amp;P 500 higher ahead of its profit report coming on Wednesday. It’s the last to report this quarter among the “Magnificent Seven” Big Tech companies that have grown so large that their stock movements dominate the rest of the market.Nvidia has been riding a tidal wave of growth created by the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology, but it is also facing criticism that its stock price has shot too high.Informatica climbed 6% after Salesforce said it would buy the AI-powered cloud data management company in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/salesforce-informatica-ai-bca8e785b46794ad719d51cbca78161a">an all-stock deal valuing it at about $8 billion</a>. Salesforce rose 1.5%.They were part of widespread gains across the U.S. stock market, where 93% of the stocks within the S&amp;P 500 rose.One of the outliers was AutoZone, which fell 3.7% following a mixed report on its performance for the three months through May 10. Its profit fell short of analysts’ expectations, though its growth in revenue was stronger than expected.CEO Phil Daniele said both its DIY and commercial businesses did well domestically, but shifting moves in foreign-currency values put pressure on the retailer’s operations outside the United States.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 118.72 points to 5,921.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 740.58 to 42,343.65, and the Nasdaq composite gained 461.96 to 19,199.16.In the bond market, Treasury yields eased to take some of the pressure off the stock market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.44% from 4.51% late Friday. It had been rising last week, in part because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bond-market-wall-street-debt-1d7bea0e6b01b343c8405ba5f4e30553">worries about the U.S. government’s rapidly increasing debt</a>.Yields had been climbing for bond markets around the developed world, particularly in Japan, where a recent auction of longer-term bonds found relatively few buyers. But analysts said worries eased a bit after Japan’s finance ministry sent a questionnaire to bond investors that they took as a signal of efforts to calm the market.In stock markets abroad, European indexes mostly rose, while Asian indexes were mixed.

Wall Street’s roller-coaster ride whipped back up big on Tuesday

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.

In a 58-second video posted on the social media site X, Kennedy said he removed COVID-19 shots from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for those groups. No one from the CDC was in the video, and CDC officials referred questions about the announcement to Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

U.S. health officials, following recommendations by infectious disease experts, have been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older.

The idea of changing the recommendations is not completely out of the blue. As the COVID-19 pandemic has waned, experts have increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older — who are among those most as risk for death and hospitalization.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-cdc-acip-kennedy-d9777cba947f5f52705af04d95e5f7fa">CDC advisory panel</a>&nbsp;is set to meet in June to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among its options are suggesting shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated.

But Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine advocate before becoming health secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">decided not to wait</a>&nbsp;for the scientific panel's review. He said that annual COVID-19 booster shots have been recommended for kids “despite the lack of any clinical data” to support that decision.

Some physicians and public health leaders expressed concern that HHS officials disregarded a scientific review process that has been in place for decades, in which experts — in public meetings — review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes.

“It's a dangerous precedent. If you can start doing that with this vaccine, you can start doing that with any vaccine you want — including mumps-measles-rubella,” said Osterholm, referring to another vaccine that Kennedy has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-messaging-criticism-vaccine-1a2cbdc14eb0c256695fdfac00cbfb6d">voiced doubts</a>&nbsp;about.

He and others said the announcement raises an array of questions, including whether health insurance companies will keep covering COVID-19 vaccinations and how hard it will be now for people who want the shots to get them.

“The reason we give vaccines to healthy people is to keep them safe,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

More than 1.2 million people have died in the U.S. from COVID-19, most of them elderly. But children haven't been spared: The coronavirus has been the underlying cause in more than 1,300 childhood deaths since the pandemic began, according to CDC data.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Jay Battacharya, head of the National Institutes of Health, appeared in the video with Kennedy.

Earlier this year, during the nomination process, Kennedy gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">assurances</a>&nbsp;to wavering Republicans that he would not alter the federal vaccine schedule.

But since then, Kennedy and other Trump administration appointees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">have made big changes</a>&nbsp;to the system for approval and use of vaccines.

They added restrictions to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/novavax-covid19-vaccine-fda-a477c1aa612ceb293e70d904b46611b0">a recent vaccine approval</a>. Last week, the FDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-fda-kennedy-covid-shots-rfk-trump-bb4de15b6ff955d6cd0b406aaec3cdc5">routine COVID-19 vaccine approvals</a>&nbsp;will be limited to seniors and younger people with underlying medical risks, pending new research for healthy adults and children.

Among the confusion created by Tuesday's announcement, experts said, was the implication that the coronavirus isn't dangerous to pregnant women.

During the height of the pandemic, deaths of women during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-deaths-cdc-maternal-mortality-fbb4950245b517b4f4d57517b62556d9">soared</a>&nbsp;to their highest level in 50 years. Indeed, pregnancy was on the list of health conditions that would qualify someone for a COVID-19 vaccination under FDA’s new guidance “framework” announced last week.

Vaccination has been recommended for pregnant women, in part, because it's a way to pass immunity to newborns who are too young for vaccines and are vulnerable to infections.

“To say that they are not at any risk is simply incorrect,” said Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: “The science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability, and it can cause devastating consequences for families.”

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.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCgov</a> recommended immunization schedule. Bottom line: it’s common sense and it’s good science. We are now one step closer to realizing <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’s promise to Make America Healthy Again. <a href="https://t.co/Ytch2afCLP">pic.twitter.com/Ytch2afCLP</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1927368440811008138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a 58-second video posted on the social media site X, Kennedy said he removed COVID-19 shots from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for those groups. No one from the CDC was in the video, and CDC officials referred questions about the announcement to Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.U.S. health officials, following recommendations by infectious disease experts, have been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older.The idea of changing the recommendations is not completely out of the blue. As the COVID-19 pandemic has waned, experts have increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older — who are among those most as risk for death and hospitalization.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-cdc-acip-kennedy-d9777cba947f5f52705af04d95e5f7fa">CDC advisory panel</a>&nbsp;is set to meet in June to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among its options are suggesting shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated.But Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine advocate before becoming health secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">decided not to wait</a>&nbsp;for the scientific panel's review. He said that annual COVID-19 booster shots have been recommended for kids “despite the lack of any clinical data” to support that decision.Some physicians and public health leaders expressed concern that HHS officials disregarded a scientific review process that has been in place for decades, in which experts — in public meetings — review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes.“It's a dangerous precedent. If you can start doing that with this vaccine, you can start doing that with any vaccine you want — including mumps-measles-rubella,” said Osterholm, referring to another vaccine that Kennedy has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-messaging-criticism-vaccine-1a2cbdc14eb0c256695fdfac00cbfb6d">voiced doubts</a>&nbsp;about.He and others said the announcement raises an array of questions, including whether health insurance companies will keep covering COVID-19 vaccinations and how hard it will be now for people who want the shots to get them.“The reason we give vaccines to healthy people is to keep them safe,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.More than 1.2 million people have died in the U.S. from COVID-19, most of them elderly. But children haven't been spared: The coronavirus has been the underlying cause in more than 1,300 childhood deaths since the pandemic began, according to CDC data.Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Jay Battacharya, head of the National Institutes of Health, appeared in the video with Kennedy.Earlier this year, during the nomination process, Kennedy gave&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">assurances</a>&nbsp;to wavering Republicans that he would not alter the federal vaccine schedule.But since then, Kennedy and other Trump administration appointees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">have made big changes</a>&nbsp;to the system for approval and use of vaccines.They added restrictions to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/novavax-covid19-vaccine-fda-a477c1aa612ceb293e70d904b46611b0">a recent vaccine approval</a>. Last week, the FDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-fda-kennedy-covid-shots-rfk-trump-bb4de15b6ff955d6cd0b406aaec3cdc5">routine COVID-19 vaccine approvals</a>&nbsp;will be limited to seniors and younger people with underlying medical risks, pending new research for healthy adults and children.Among the confusion created by Tuesday's announcement, experts said, was the implication that the coronavirus isn't dangerous to pregnant women.During the height of the pandemic, deaths of women during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-deaths-cdc-maternal-mortality-fbb4950245b517b4f4d57517b62556d9">soared</a>&nbsp;to their highest level in 50 years. Indeed, pregnancy was on the list of health conditions that would qualify someone for a COVID-19 vaccination under FDA’s new guidance “framework” announced last week.Vaccination has been recommended for pregnant women, in part, because it's a way to pass immunity to newborns who are too young for vaccines and are vulnerable to infections.“To say that they are not at any risk is simply incorrect,” said Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: “The science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability, and it can cause devastating consequences for families.”___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.

🎥COVID vaccine removed from immunization schedule for healthy kids

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB&nbsp;</a>

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are to kick off a special session Monday to consider aid for tornado victims and a package of financial incentives aimed at keeping the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from leaving the state for new or improved facilities in neighboring Kansas.

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced the special session Tuesday, less than two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-destruction-3f7207e36dc589e9635755a1f579e926">a deadly tornado hit St. Louis</a>&nbsp;and the Legislature wrapped up its work without giving final approval to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stadiums-chiefs-royals-missouri-kansas-38ba267c224fdcf18f4a71455962776e">a late-developing plan</a>&nbsp;that would authorize state bonds for the Chiefs and Royals valued at up to half the cost of the stadium projects.

Missouri officials are scrambling to come up with an offer because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-royals-new-stadiums-3441b3084c8efab00057f593f4d9b95e">Kansas lawmakers last year</a>&nbsp;authorized bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, Kansas Lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes.

“If Missouri does not put some sort of offer forward,” Kehoe said, “I think the risk is real that they don’t stay here.”

The Chiefs and Royals have played professional football and baseball for five decades in side-by-side stadiums in eastern Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri, drawing fans from both sides of the split metropolitan area. Their stadium leases run until 2031, and Royals owner John Sherman has said the team won’t play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season.

Jackson County voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">turned down a sales tax extension</a>&nbsp;last year that would have helped finance a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City and an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. That prompted Kansas officials to put together an offer and forced Missouri officials to recalculate their plans.

The Chiefs and Royals are part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-stadiums-public-funding-nfl-mlb-a81d825286530bb95f227efc99f2e9d3">new round of stadium construction</a>&nbsp;that is underway for professional sports teams across the U.S., with taxpayers often helping to pay the multibillion-dollar tabs. Many economists contend public funding for stadiums isn’t worth it, because sports tend to divert discretionary spending away from other forms of entertainment rather than generate new income.

But Kehoe said the teams drive “billions of dollars in economic activity and tourism.” Supporters of the projects also point to the sense of community and national attention that sports teams can bring, noting the three recent Super Bowls won by the Chiefs and the Royals' World Series title a decade ago.

The proposal would allow Missouri to make 30 years of bond payments equal to the annual state tax revenue generated by the teams in the year before their application for state aid. It also authorizes up to $50 million of tax credits for the stadium projects. Local governments also would have to provide some aid for the teams. The location and total cost of the projects are not specified in the proposal.

The prospects for a special session are uncertain because of tensions in the Missouri Senate. In the final days of the regular session, majority Republicans used rare procedural moves to shut down Democratic opposition and force passage of two measures. One repeals a paid sick leave law approved last November by votes. The other authorizes a referendum on repealing a voter-approved abortion-rights amendment. Democrats vowed to retaliate by slowing down the Senate for a year to come.

The day after the Legislature wrapped up its work, tornadoes struck St. Louis and other parts of Missouri, capping a series of severe storms that also caused damage in March and April. Kehoe is proposing a $5,000 income tax deduction to help offset the cost of insurance policy deductibles for affected people and $25 million to expand eligibility for a state emergency housing assistance program for people living in areas covered by state requests for presidential disaster declarations.

Kehoe's special session agenda also includes spending on constructions projects around the state, including $25 million to help fund a research nuclear reactor at the University of Missouri. That's half the amount that was included in a budget bill that failed to pass the House amid concerns about state spending and conflicts with the Senate. Other proposed projects include a 200-bed mental health facility in Kansas City and new livestock barns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748368635410.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB&nbsp;</a>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are to kick off a special session Monday to consider aid for tornado victims and a package of financial incentives aimed at keeping the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from leaving the state for new or improved facilities in neighboring Kansas.Gov. Mike Kehoe announced the special session Tuesday, less than two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-destruction-3f7207e36dc589e9635755a1f579e926">a deadly tornado hit St. Louis</a>&nbsp;and the Legislature wrapped up its work without giving final approval to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stadiums-chiefs-royals-missouri-kansas-38ba267c224fdcf18f4a71455962776e">a late-developing plan</a>&nbsp;that would authorize state bonds for the Chiefs and Royals valued at up to half the cost of the stadium projects.Missouri officials are scrambling to come up with an offer because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-royals-new-stadiums-3441b3084c8efab00057f593f4d9b95e">Kansas lawmakers last year</a>&nbsp;authorized bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, Kansas Lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748368415744.png" alt="Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium- Google image" />
 <figcaption>Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium- Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>“If Missouri does not put some sort of offer forward,” Kehoe said, “I think the risk is real that they don’t stay here.”The Chiefs and Royals have played professional football and baseball for five decades in side-by-side stadiums in eastern Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri, drawing fans from both sides of the split metropolitan area. Their stadium leases run until 2031, and Royals owner John Sherman has said the team won’t play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season.Jackson County voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">turned down a sales tax extension</a>&nbsp;last year that would have helped finance a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City and an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. That prompted Kansas officials to put together an offer and forced Missouri officials to recalculate their plans.The Chiefs and Royals are part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-stadiums-public-funding-nfl-mlb-a81d825286530bb95f227efc99f2e9d3">new round of stadium construction</a>&nbsp;that is underway for professional sports teams across the U.S., with taxpayers often helping to pay the multibillion-dollar tabs. Many economists contend public funding for stadiums isn’t worth it, because sports tend to divert discretionary spending away from other forms of entertainment rather than generate new income.But Kehoe said the teams drive “billions of dollars in economic activity and tourism.” Supporters of the projects also point to the sense of community and national attention that sports teams can bring, noting the three recent Super Bowls won by the Chiefs and the Royals' World Series title a decade ago.The proposal would allow Missouri to make 30 years of bond payments equal to the annual state tax revenue generated by the teams in the year before their application for state aid. It also authorizes up to $50 million of tax credits for the stadium projects. Local governments also would have to provide some aid for the teams. The location and total cost of the projects are not specified in the proposal.The prospects for a special session are uncertain because of tensions in the Missouri Senate. In the final days of the regular session, majority Republicans used rare procedural moves to shut down Democratic opposition and force passage of two measures. One repeals a paid sick leave law approved last November by votes. The other authorizes a referendum on repealing a voter-approved abortion-rights amendment. Democrats vowed to retaliate by slowing down the Senate for a year to come.The day after the Legislature wrapped up its work, tornadoes struck St. Louis and other parts of Missouri, capping a series of severe storms that also caused damage in March and April. Kehoe is proposing a $5,000 income tax deduction to help offset the cost of insurance policy deductibles for affected people and $25 million to expand eligibility for a state emergency housing assistance program for people living in areas covered by state requests for presidential disaster declarations.Kehoe's special session agenda also includes spending on constructions projects around the state, including $25 million to help fund a research nuclear reactor at the University of Missouri. That's half the amount that was included in a budget bill that failed to pass the House amid concerns about state spending and conflicts with the Senate. Other proposed projects include a 200-bed mental health facility in Kansas City and new livestock barns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

Missouri governor calls special session for Chiefs, Royals

TOPEKA —It was a deadly holiday weekend on Kansas highways. Seven people died in four accidents.

&nbsp;The first fatality occurred just before 1p.m. Friday in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Buick LaCrosse driven by Eugene Judson Theodore&nbsp;Stumblingbear, 44,&nbsp; Attica, was eastbound in the westbound lanes of Kansas 42 one quarter mile east of S 279th Street W.

The car struck a westbound 2024 Western Star semi driven by Donald David&nbsp;Piotrowski, 54,Valley Center, head-on.

Stumblingbear was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp; Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. EMS transported&nbsp;Piotrowski to&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St Francis. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage details.

Just after 10a.m. Saturday in Coffey County, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Dallas R.&nbsp;Reeves, 20, Janesville, Wisconsin, was southbound on U.S. 75 just north of 8th Road.

The car was&nbsp;passing another vehicle. A northbound 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by Charles L&nbsp;Jarrell, 46, Leroy, Kansas, attempted to avoid a collision, slowed and steered to the northbound shoulder.

The Camry driver also steered to the northbound shoulder and collided with the pickup. After impact, the car spun and came to rest in the northbound lane and shoulder. The pickup came to a rest in the north ditch.

Reeves was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Jones Funeral Home. EMS transported&nbsp;Jarrell and a 6-ear-old passenger from the pickup to the Coffey County Hospital.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

&nbsp;Four people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Dawn Rae&nbsp;Peel, 30, Herington, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 4 four miles west of Kansas 15 Highway.

The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2025 Chevy Traverse driven by Adam Gerhart&nbsp;Henely, 23, Salina, head-on.

Peel, and 2 passengers in the car including 71-year-old Peggy Ann Sutton of&nbsp;Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and an 8-year-old boy from Herington were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.&nbsp; A passenger in the SUV identified as 57-year-old Denise Renee&nbsp;Henely of Herington also died at the scene and was transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.

EMS transported an 8-year-old male passenger from the car and a 14-year-old male passenger from the SUV, both of Herington to Wesley Medical Center.

Henely and and a third passenger in the SUV were not transported for treatment. All eight were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

One person died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Fusion driven by Richard B. Roberts, 20, Sebring, Florida, was northbound on U.S. 77 at Old Milford Road at a high rate of speed. The car entered into the east ditch, struck a tree and caught fire.

Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Johnson Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748055276795.png" alt="First responders on the scene Friday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Friday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —It was a deadly holiday weekend on Kansas highways. Seven people died in four accidents.&nbsp;The first fatality occurred just before 1p.m. Friday in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Buick LaCrosse driven by Eugene Judson Theodore&nbsp;Stumblingbear, 44,&nbsp; Attica, was eastbound in the westbound lanes of Kansas 42 one quarter mile east of S 279th Street W.The car struck a westbound 2024 Western Star semi driven by Donald David&nbsp;Piotrowski, 54,Valley Center, head-on.Stumblingbear was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp; Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. EMS transported&nbsp;Piotrowski to&nbsp;Ascension Via Christi St Francis. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage details.Just after 10a.m. Saturday in Coffey County, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Dallas R.&nbsp;Reeves, 20, Janesville, Wisconsin, was southbound on U.S. 75 just north of 8th Road.The car was&nbsp;passing another vehicle. A northbound 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by Charles L&nbsp;Jarrell, 46, Leroy, Kansas, attempted to avoid a collision, slowed and steered to the northbound shoulder.The Camry driver also steered to the northbound shoulder and collided with the pickup. After impact, the car spun and came to rest in the northbound lane and shoulder. The pickup came to a rest in the north ditch.Reeves was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Jones Funeral Home. EMS transported&nbsp;Jarrell and a 6-ear-old passenger from the pickup to the Coffey County Hospital.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;Four people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Dawn Rae&nbsp;Peel, 30, Herington, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 4 four miles west of Kansas 15 Highway.The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2025 Chevy Traverse driven by Adam Gerhart&nbsp;Henely, 23, Salina, head-on.Peel, and 2 passengers in the car including 71-year-old Peggy Ann Sutton of&nbsp;Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and an 8-year-old boy from Herington were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.&nbsp; A passenger in the SUV identified as 57-year-old Denise Renee&nbsp;Henely of Herington also died at the scene and was transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.EMS transported an 8-year-old male passenger from the car and a 14-year-old male passenger from the SUV, both of Herington to Wesley Medical Center.Henely and and a third passenger in the SUV were not transported for treatment. All eight were properly restrained, according to the KHP.One person died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Fusion driven by Richard B. Roberts, 20, Sebring, Florida, was northbound on U.S. 77 at Old Milford Road at a high rate of speed. The car entered into the east ditch, struck a tree and caught fire.Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Johnson Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Deadly holiday weekend on Kansas highways

CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) —As law officers search Arkansas' rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer, the sister of one of his victims is on edge.

Grant Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>&nbsp;and became known as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”

Hardin escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock by disguising himself and wearing a “makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement,” state prison officials said in a statement.

“I don't think he will be taken alive,” said Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was killed by Hardin in 2017. “He won't go peacefully.”

Sheriff's deputies in multiple northern Arkansas counties have been working with state prison officials to follow leads and search the rugged terrain in the Ozarks, Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton said in an update late Monday.

“To the citizens of Izard County and surrounding counties, please stay vigilant, lock your house and vehicle doors and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately,” Melton said. Other sheriffs were issuing similar warnings about Hardin, who was the focus of a 2023 documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks.”

In an interview Tuesday, Tillman said she wasn't surprised when she heard that Hardin had escaped. But the news suddenly added fresh pain for her and other family members after dealing with the grief from the killing.

“He's just an evil man,” she said. “He is no good for society.”

Hardin being on the run is also alarming to Tillman and other family members since they were witnesses in his court proceedings.

“We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,” she said.

Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car. Investigators at the time did not release a motive for the killing.

Hardin, who was Gateway’s police chief for about four months in early 2016, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers north of Fayetteville.

Hardin had been held in Calico Rock since 2017. Tillman believes he had been planning his escape for a while.

“I'm sure it was in the makings for the eight years that he was there,” she said.

CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A former police chief in Arkansas who is serving decades-long sentences for murder and rape escaped from prison Sunday, state corrections officials said.

Grant Hardin, the former police chief of the tiny town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, where he has been held since 2017. Corrections officials did not provide any details about how he escaped.

They did say that Garvin had disguised himself and was “wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the North Central Unit.”

The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are following leads with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

On Monday night, officials reported they continue to utilize a variety of means to track Hardin, as well as investigating the events that led up to his escape

Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Appleton worked for the Gateway water department and was talking to his brother-in-law, then Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman, when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017 near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car.

KFSM-TV, reporting on his guilty plea in 2019, wrote that police used DNA samples from the crime scene to apply for a John Doe Warrant in 2003 as the statute of limitations neared. The DNA was tested against old and new profiles, and investigators got a match when Hardin was imprisoned for killing Appleton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748309291610.png" alt="It has been determined that Hardin was wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the facility.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>It has been determined that Hardin was wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the facility.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) —As law officers search Arkansas' rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer, the sister of one of his victims is on edge.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748354598066.png" alt="Hardin escaped through the sally port wearing an ADC type uniform -photo ADC" />
 <figcaption>Hardin escaped through the sally port wearing an ADC type uniform -photo ADC</figcaption>
 </figure>Grant Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>&nbsp;and became known as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”Hardin escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock by disguising himself and wearing a “makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement,” state prison officials said in a statement.“I don't think he will be taken alive,” said Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was killed by Hardin in 2017. “He won't go peacefully.”Sheriff's deputies in multiple northern Arkansas counties have been working with state prison officials to follow leads and search the rugged terrain in the Ozarks, Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton said in an update late Monday.“To the citizens of Izard County and surrounding counties, please stay vigilant, lock your house and vehicle doors and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately,” Melton said. Other sheriffs were issuing similar warnings about Hardin, who was the focus of a 2023 documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks.”In an interview Tuesday, Tillman said she wasn't surprised when she heard that Hardin had escaped. But the news suddenly added fresh pain for her and other family members after dealing with the grief from the killing.“He's just an evil man,” she said. “He is no good for society.”Hardin being on the run is also alarming to Tillman and other family members since they were witnesses in his court proceedings.“We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,” she said.Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car. Investigators at the time did not release a motive for the killing.Hardin, who was Gateway’s police chief for about four months in early 2016, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers north of Fayetteville.Hardin had been held in Calico Rock since 2017. Tillman believes he had been planning his escape for a while.“I'm sure it was in the makings for the eight years that he was there,” she said.CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A former police chief in Arkansas who is serving decades-long sentences for murder and rape escaped from prison Sunday, state corrections officials said.Grant Hardin, the former police chief of the tiny town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, where he has been held since 2017. Corrections officials did not provide any details about how he escaped.They did say that Garvin had disguised himself and was “wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement when he escaped the North Central Unit.”The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are following leads with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.On Monday night, officials reported they continue to utilize a variety of means to track Hardin, as well as investigating the events that led up to his escapeHardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 59-year-old James Appleton. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Appleton worked for the Gateway water department and was talking to his brother-in-law, then Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman, when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017 near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car.Hardin, who was Gateway’s police chief for about four months in early 2016, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers north of Fayetteville.KFSM-TV, reporting on his guilty plea in 2019, wrote that police used DNA samples from the crime scene to apply for a John Doe Warrant in 2003 as the statute of limitations neared. The DNA was tested against old and new profiles, and investigators got a match when Hardin was imprisoned for killing Appleton.

Manhunt continues: Escape of 'Devil in the Ozarks' has residents on edge

NEW YORK (AP) — National Public Radio and three of its local stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. argues that Trump’s executive order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Amendment.

Trump issued the executive order earlier this month that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. Trump issued the order after alleging there is “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting.

“The Order’s objectives could not be clearer: the Order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and individual public radio stations across the country,” the lawsuit alleges.

“The Order is textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, and it interferes with NPR’s and the Local Member Stations’ freedom of expressive association and editorial discretion," it said.

The court fight seemed preordained, given that the heads of NPR and PBS&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pbs-npr-media-funding-8b51113b8edd932aa850235318b73e53">both reacted to Trump's move</a>&nbsp;with statements that they believed it was illegal. The absence of PBS from Tuesday's filing indicates the two systems will challenge this separately; PBS has not yet gone to court, but is likely to soon.

The president's attempts to dismantle government-run news sources like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-f30c48df0c16de622ec5fd99ee6c627c">Voice of America</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/radio-free-europe-5e0b2355ad9cee4ad09a3e03b53df8fa">Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty</a>&nbsp;have also sparked court fights.

The administration has battled with the press on several fronts. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating ABC, CBS and NBC News. The Associated Press also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-ap-access-white-house-12ef5a496d3da10d0461641b26dd9d47">went to court</a>&nbsp;after the administration restricted access to certain events in response to the organization's decision not to rename the Gulf of Mexico as Trump decreed.

NEW YORK (AP) — National Public Radio and three of its local stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748356793271.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. argues that Trump’s executive order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Amendment.Trump issued the executive order earlier this month that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. Trump issued the order after alleging there is “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting.“The Order’s objectives could not be clearer: the Order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and individual public radio stations across the country,” the lawsuit alleges.“The Order is textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, and it interferes with NPR’s and the Local Member Stations’ freedom of expressive association and editorial discretion," it said.The court fight seemed preordained, given that the heads of NPR and PBS&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pbs-npr-media-funding-8b51113b8edd932aa850235318b73e53">both reacted to Trump's move</a>&nbsp;with statements that they believed it was illegal. The absence of PBS from Tuesday's filing indicates the two systems will challenge this separately; PBS has not yet gone to court, but is likely to soon.The president's attempts to dismantle government-run news sources like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-f30c48df0c16de622ec5fd99ee6c627c">Voice of America</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/radio-free-europe-5e0b2355ad9cee4ad09a3e03b53df8fa">Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty</a>&nbsp;have also sparked court fights.The administration has battled with the press on several fronts. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating ABC, CBS and NBC News. The Associated Press also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-ap-access-white-house-12ef5a496d3da10d0461641b26dd9d47">went to court</a>&nbsp;after the administration restricted access to certain events in response to the organization's decision not to rename the Gulf of Mexico as Trump decreed.