WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/theodore-mccarrick-ex-cardinal-scandal-989fb97f4f0cad8c4926e8cb795ba2bf">Theodore McCarrick,</a>&nbsp;a once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children, has died. He was 94.

Archbishop of Washington Robert McElroy issued a statement Friday confirming McCarrick's death a day earlier but provided no details. His statement focused on those McCarrick abused.

“At this moment I am especially mindful of those who he harmed during the course of his priestly ministry," McElroy said. "Through their enduring pain, may we remain steadfast in our prayers for them and for all victims of sexual abuse.”

In recent court proceedings, it was disclosed that McCarrick had been diagnosed with dementia. He had been living in Missouri, and Vatican News reported he died there.

The McCarrick scandal created&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7ddab5d7ca7a4ac8843209489cbc23a7">a crisis of credibility</a>&nbsp;for the church, primarily because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fc54d28d965b4efaa4c100f4e7c52bb0">there was evidence</a>&nbsp;Vatican and U.S. church leaders knew he slept with seminarians but turned a blind eye as McCarrick rose to the top of the U.S. church as an adept fundraiser who advised three popes.

The Vatican's report on its investigation put the lion’s share of blame on a dead saint: Pope John Paul II, who appointed McCarrick archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000, despite having commissioned an inquiry that confirmed he slept with seminarians.

The report found that John Paul believed McCarrick’s last-minute, handwritten denial in which he wrote: “I have made mistakes and may have sometimes lacked in prudence, but in the seventy years of my life I have never had sexual relations with any person, male or female, young or old, cleric or lay."

Over several decades, bishops, cardinals and popes dismissed or downplayed reports of McCarrick’s misconduct with young men as he rose through the ranks to become a cardinal and archbishop, according to the investigation.

The report contained heartbreaking testimony from people who tried to raise the alarm about McCarrick’s inappropriate behavior, including with children, in the mid-1980s.

While the findings provided new details about what the Vatican knew and when, it didn’t directly blame or admit that the church’s internal “old boys club” culture allowed McCarrick’s behavior to continue unchecked.

Cardinals and bishops have long been considered beyond reproach. Claims of homosexual behavior are used to discredit or blackmail prelates that they often are dismissed as rumor. There also has been a widespread but unspoken tolerance of sexually active men in what is supposed to be a celibate priesthood.

The report drew on documents from Vatican departments, U.S. dioceses and seminaries and the Vatican’s U.S. Embassy. Investigators interviewed 90 people, including McCarrick’s victims, former seminarians and priests, and officials from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, responded to McCarrick’s death expressing frustration that the ex-cardinal, although defrocked, never stood trial for “the vast harm he inflicted."

“McCarrick may be dead, but his many victims are not,” said Peter Isely, a founding member of SNAP. “We are still here, still living with the harm he caused — and with the church’s failure to stop him. ”

McCarrick, who was the archbishop of Washington from 2000 to 2006, was one of the highest-ranking U.S. church officials accused in a sexual abuse scandal that has seen thousands of priests implicated. He traveled widely, was a gifted fundraiser and spoke multiple languages.

He was a priest in New York City from 1958, when he was ordained, until 1981, when he became bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey. He was archbishop of Newark from 1986 until 2000 and was elevated to cardinal in 2001.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627579902766.png" alt="-Disgraced former Catholic cardinal Theodore McCarrick moved to the St. Fidelis Friary in Victoria, Kansas in 2018. He moved from Northwest Kansas in January 2020 Credit: US Institute of Peace. CC BY NC" />
 <figcaption>-Disgraced former Catholic cardinal Theodore McCarrick moved to the St. Fidelis Friary in Victoria, Kansas in 2018. He moved from Northwest Kansas in January 2020 Credit: US Institute of Peace. CC BY NC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/theodore-mccarrick-ex-cardinal-scandal-989fb97f4f0cad8c4926e8cb795ba2bf">Theodore McCarrick,</a>&nbsp;a once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children, has died. He was 94.Archbishop of Washington Robert McElroy issued a statement Friday confirming McCarrick's death a day earlier but provided no details. His statement focused on those McCarrick abused.“At this moment I am especially mindful of those who he harmed during the course of his priestly ministry," McElroy said. "Through their enduring pain, may we remain steadfast in our prayers for them and for all victims of sexual abuse.”In recent court proceedings, it was disclosed that McCarrick had been diagnosed with dementia. He had been living in Missouri, and Vatican News reported he died there.The McCarrick scandal created&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/7ddab5d7ca7a4ac8843209489cbc23a7">a crisis of credibility</a>&nbsp;for the church, primarily because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fc54d28d965b4efaa4c100f4e7c52bb0">there was evidence</a>&nbsp;Vatican and U.S. church leaders knew he slept with seminarians but turned a blind eye as McCarrick rose to the top of the U.S. church as an adept fundraiser who advised three popes.The Vatican's report on its investigation put the lion’s share of blame on a dead saint: Pope John Paul II, who appointed McCarrick archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000, despite having commissioned an inquiry that confirmed he slept with seminarians.The report found that John Paul believed McCarrick’s last-minute, handwritten denial in which he wrote: “I have made mistakes and may have sometimes lacked in prudence, but in the seventy years of my life I have never had sexual relations with any person, male or female, young or old, cleric or lay."Over several decades, bishops, cardinals and popes dismissed or downplayed reports of McCarrick’s misconduct with young men as he rose through the ranks to become a cardinal and archbishop, according to the investigation.The report contained heartbreaking testimony from people who tried to raise the alarm about McCarrick’s inappropriate behavior, including with children, in the mid-1980s.While the findings provided new details about what the Vatican knew and when, it didn’t directly blame or admit that the church’s internal “old boys club” culture allowed McCarrick’s behavior to continue unchecked.Cardinals and bishops have long been considered beyond reproach. Claims of homosexual behavior are used to discredit or blackmail prelates that they often are dismissed as rumor. There also has been a widespread but unspoken tolerance of sexually active men in what is supposed to be a celibate priesthood.The report drew on documents from Vatican departments, U.S. dioceses and seminaries and the Vatican’s U.S. Embassy. Investigators interviewed 90 people, including McCarrick’s victims, former seminarians and priests, and officials from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, responded to McCarrick’s death expressing frustration that the ex-cardinal, although defrocked, never stood trial for “the vast harm he inflicted."“McCarrick may be dead, but his many victims are not,” said Peter Isely, a founding member of SNAP. “We are still here, still living with the harm he caused — and with the church’s failure to stop him. ”McCarrick, who was the archbishop of Washington from 2000 to 2006, was one of the highest-ranking U.S. church officials accused in a sexual abuse scandal that has seen thousands of priests implicated. He traveled widely, was a gifted fundraiser and spoke multiple languages.He was a priest in New York City from 1958, when he was ordained, until 1981, when he became bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey. He was archbishop of Newark from 1986 until 2000 and was elevated to cardinal in 2001.

Disgraced former Cardinal who lived in Kan. has died at age 94

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s worst crisis since COVID slammed into a higher gear Friday.

The S&amp;P 500 lost 6% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariff-trade-trump-earths-02cd23e913649f32985f075058e787c4">China matched</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">big raise</a>&nbsp;in tariffs announced earlier this week. The move increased the stakes in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-tariffs-trump-asia-china-europe-2c40881f1fe8f04624100c12d8d05296">a trade war</a>&nbsp;that could end with a recession that hurts everyone. Not even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-trump-d43b08bda57cb5d90b5bac1f092e1f3d">better-than-expected report</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. job market, which is usually the economic highlight of each month, was enough to stop the slide.

The drop closed the worst week for the S&amp;P 500 since March 2020, when the pandemic ripped through the global economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2,231 points, or 5.5% Friday, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 5.8% to pull more than 20% below its record set in December.

So far there have been few, if any, winners in financial markets from the trade war. Stocks for all but 14 of the 500 companies within the S&amp;P 500 index fell Friday. The price of crude oil tumbled to its lowest level since 2021. Other basic building blocks for economic growth, such as copper, also saw prices slide on worries the trade war will weaken the global economy.

China’s response to U.S. tariffs caused an immediate acceleration of losses in markets worldwide. The Commerce Ministry in Beijing said it would respond to the 34% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on imports from China with its own 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10. The United States and China are the world’s two largest economies.

Markets briefly recovered some of their losses after the release of Friday morning’s U.S. jobs report, which said employers accelerated their hiring by more last month than economists expected. It’s the latest signal that the U.S. job market has remained relatively solid through the start of 2025, and it’s been a linchpin keeping the U.S. economy out of a recession.

But that jobs data was backward looking, and the fear hitting financial markets is about what’s to come.

“The world has changed, and the economic conditions have changed,” said Rick Rieder, chief investment officer of global fixed income at BlackRock.

The central question looking ahead is: Will the trade war cause a global recession? If it does, stock prices may need to come down even more than they have already. The S&amp;P 500 is down 17.4% from its record set in February.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-tariffs-golf-813c7a300021445636f63fddbfd38c83">seemed unfazed</a>. From Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, he headed to his golf course a few miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH.”

The Federal Reserve could cushion the blow of tariffs on the economy by cutting interest rates, which can encourage companies and households to borrow and spend. But the Fed may have less freedom to move than it would like.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">Fed Chair Jerome Powell</a>&nbsp;said Friday that tariffs could drive up expectations for inflation. That could prove more damaging than high inflation itself, because it can drive a vicious cycle of behavior that only worsens inflation. U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-inflation-bd6ece8784efff205e2ab922bcb86958">households have already said</a>&nbsp;they’re bracing for sharp increases to their bills.

“Our obligation is to keep longer-term inflation expectations well anchored and to make certain that a one-time increase in the price level does not become an ongoing inflation problem,” Powell said.

That could indicate a hesitance to cut rates because lower rates can give inflation more fuel.

Much will depend on how long Trump’s tariffs stick and what kind of retaliations other countries deliver. Some of Wall Street is holding onto hope that Trump will lower the tariffs after prying “wins” from other countries following negotiations.

Trump has given mixed signals on that. On Friday, he said Vietnam “wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S.” Trump also criticized China’s retaliation, saying on his Truth Social platform that “CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!”

Trump has said Americans may feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-trade-surplus-3010e6368545e2976feb5ac6b41e528e">“some pain”</a>&nbsp;because of tariffs, but he has also said the long-term goals, including getting more manufacturing jobs back to the United States, are worth it. On Thursday, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-going-very-well-a3b863fb7879878552bda48098c31b50">likened the situation to a medical operation</a>, where the U.S. economy is the patient.

“For investors looking at their portfolios, it could have felt like an operation performed without anesthesia,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.

But Jacobsen also said the next surprise for investors could be how quickly tariffs get negotiated down. “The speed of recovery will depend on how, and how quickly, officials negotiate,” he said.

On Wall Street, stocks of companies that do lots of business in China fell to some of the sharpest losses.

DuPont dropped 12.7% after China said its regulators are launching an anti-trust investigation into DuPont China group, a subsidiary of the chemical giant. It’s one of several measures targeting American companies and in retaliation for the U.S. tariffs.

GE Healthcare got 12% of its revenue last year from the China region, and it fell 16%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 322.44 points to 5,074.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2,231.07 to 38,314.86, and the Nasdaq composite fell 962.82 to 15,587.79.

In stock markets abroad, Germany’s DAX lost 5%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 4.3% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.8%.

In the bond market, Treasury yields fell, but they pared their drops following Powell’s cautious statements about inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.01% from 4.06% late Thursday and from roughly 4.80% early this year. It had gone below 3.90% in the morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File photo(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File photo(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s worst crisis since COVID slammed into a higher gear Friday.The S&amp;P 500 lost 6% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tariff-trade-trump-earths-02cd23e913649f32985f075058e787c4">China matched</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">big raise</a>&nbsp;in tariffs announced earlier this week. The move increased the stakes in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-tariffs-trump-asia-china-europe-2c40881f1fe8f04624100c12d8d05296">a trade war</a>&nbsp;that could end with a recession that hurts everyone. Not even a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-trump-d43b08bda57cb5d90b5bac1f092e1f3d">better-than-expected report</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. job market, which is usually the economic highlight of each month, was enough to stop the slide.The drop closed the worst week for the S&amp;P 500 since March 2020, when the pandemic ripped through the global economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2,231 points, or 5.5% Friday, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 5.8% to pull more than 20% below its record set in December.So far there have been few, if any, winners in financial markets from the trade war. Stocks for all but 14 of the 500 companies within the S&amp;P 500 index fell Friday. The price of crude oil tumbled to its lowest level since 2021. Other basic building blocks for economic growth, such as copper, also saw prices slide on worries the trade war will weaken the global economy.China’s response to U.S. tariffs caused an immediate acceleration of losses in markets worldwide. The Commerce Ministry in Beijing said it would respond to the 34% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on imports from China with its own 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10. The United States and China are the world’s two largest economies.Markets briefly recovered some of their losses after the release of Friday morning’s U.S. jobs report, which said employers accelerated their hiring by more last month than economists expected. It’s the latest signal that the U.S. job market has remained relatively solid through the start of 2025, and it’s been a linchpin keeping the U.S. economy out of a recession.But that jobs data was backward looking, and the fear hitting financial markets is about what’s to come.“The world has changed, and the economic conditions have changed,” said Rick Rieder, chief investment officer of global fixed income at BlackRock.The central question looking ahead is: Will the trade war cause a global recession? If it does, stock prices may need to come down even more than they have already. The S&amp;P 500 is down 17.4% from its record set in February.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-tariffs-golf-813c7a300021445636f63fddbfd38c83">seemed unfazed</a>. From Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, he headed to his golf course a few miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH.”The Federal Reserve could cushion the blow of tariffs on the economy by cutting interest rates, which can encourage companies and households to borrow and spend. But the Fed may have less freedom to move than it would like.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">Fed Chair Jerome Powell</a>&nbsp;said Friday that tariffs could drive up expectations for inflation. That could prove more damaging than high inflation itself, because it can drive a vicious cycle of behavior that only worsens inflation. U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-inflation-bd6ece8784efff205e2ab922bcb86958">households have already said</a>&nbsp;they’re bracing for sharp increases to their bills.“Our obligation is to keep longer-term inflation expectations well anchored and to make certain that a one-time increase in the price level does not become an ongoing inflation problem,” Powell said.That could indicate a hesitance to cut rates because lower rates can give inflation more fuel.Much will depend on how long Trump’s tariffs stick and what kind of retaliations other countries deliver. Some of Wall Street is holding onto hope that Trump will lower the tariffs after prying “wins” from other countries following negotiations.Trump has given mixed signals on that. On Friday, he said Vietnam “wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S.” Trump also criticized China’s retaliation, saying on his Truth Social platform that “CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!”Trump has said Americans may feel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-trade-surplus-3010e6368545e2976feb5ac6b41e528e">“some pain”</a>&nbsp;because of tariffs, but he has also said the long-term goals, including getting more manufacturing jobs back to the United States, are worth it. On Thursday, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-going-very-well-a3b863fb7879878552bda48098c31b50">likened the situation to a medical operation</a>, where the U.S. economy is the patient.“For investors looking at their portfolios, it could have felt like an operation performed without anesthesia,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.But Jacobsen also said the next surprise for investors could be how quickly tariffs get negotiated down. “The speed of recovery will depend on how, and how quickly, officials negotiate,” he said.On Wall Street, stocks of companies that do lots of business in China fell to some of the sharpest losses.DuPont dropped 12.7% after China said its regulators are launching an anti-trust investigation into DuPont China group, a subsidiary of the chemical giant. It’s one of several measures targeting American companies and in retaliation for the U.S. tariffs.GE Healthcare got 12% of its revenue last year from the China region, and it fell 16%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 322.44 points to 5,074.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2,231.07 to 38,314.86, and the Nasdaq composite fell 962.82 to 15,587.79.In stock markets abroad, Germany’s DAX lost 5%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 4.3% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.8%.In the bond market, Treasury yields fell, but they pared their drops following Powell’s cautious statements about inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.01% from 4.06% late Thursday and from roughly 4.80% early this year. It had gone below 3.90% in the morning.

Stock market: Worst week since 2020 after China retaliates against Trump tariffs

&nbsp;The U.S. now has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas</a>&nbsp;reporting another large jump in cases and hospitalizations on Friday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities, and since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.

The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said last week that cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.

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

Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas' outbreak began more than two months ago. State health officials said Friday there were 59 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">481 across 19 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. The state also logged 14 new hospitalizations, for a total of 56 throughout the outbreak.

More than 65% of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus stated spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county now has logged 315 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.

New Mexico announced six new cases Friday, bringing the state’s total to 54. New Mexico health officials say the cases are linked to Texas' outbreak based on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.

Kansas has 24 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

Cases in Oklahoma remained steady Friday: eight confirmed and two probable cases. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.

A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.

Ohio reported one new measles case Thursday in west-central Allen County. Last week, there were 10 in Ashtabula County in the northeast corner of the state. The first case was in an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.

In central Ohio, Knox County officials reported two new measles cases in international visitors, for three cases in international visitors total. Those cases are not included in the state's official count because they are not in Ohio residents. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.

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

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">six clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far in 2025, the CDC's count is 607.

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

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

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

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

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

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

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740584009532.png" alt="A sign warning of measles is posted on a glass door as a patient checks in for an appointment in the family medicine wing of at the Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>A sign warning of measles is posted on a glass door as a patient checks in for an appointment in the family medicine wing of at the Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DEVI SHASTRI AP Health Writer&nbsp;The U.S. now has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">Texas</a>&nbsp;reporting another large jump in cases and hospitalizations on Friday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Ohio and Oklahoma. The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities, and since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization said last week that cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas' outbreak began more than two months ago. State health officials said Friday there were 59 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">481 across 19 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. The state also logged 14 new hospitalizations, for a total of 56 throughout the outbreak.More than 65% of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus stated spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county now has logged 315 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.New Mexico announced six new cases Friday, bringing the state’s total to 54. New Mexico health officials say the cases are linked to Texas' outbreak based on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">school-age child died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February, and New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743609889238.png" alt="Image Kansas Department of Health" />
 <figcaption>Image Kansas Department of Health</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas has 24 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six cases each, while Grant, Morton, Haskell and Gray counties have five or fewer.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Cases in Oklahoma remained steady Friday: eight confirmed and two probable cases. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>Ohio reported one new measles case Thursday in west-central Allen County. Last week, there were 10 in Ashtabula County in the northeast corner of the state. The first case was in an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.In central Ohio, Knox County officials reported two new measles cases in international visitors, for three cases in international visitors total. Those cases are not included in the state's official count because they are not in Ohio residents. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">six clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far in 2025, the CDC's count is 607.<h2>Do you need an MMR booster?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<h2>Why do vaccination rates matter?</h2>In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>___AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

US has twice as many measles cases so far this year than in all of 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday said is signing an executive order to keep TikTok running in the U.S. for another 75 days to give his administration more time to broker a deal to bring the social media platform under American ownership.

Congress had mandated that the platform be divested from China by Jan. 19 or barred in the U.S. on national security grounds, but Trump moved unilaterally to extend the deadline to this weekend, as he sought to negotiate an agreement to keep it running. Trump has recently entertained an array of offers from U.S. businesses seeking to buy a share of the popular social media site, but China’s ByteDance, which owns TikTok and its closely-held algorithm, has insisted the platform is not for sale.

“My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress,” Trump posted on his social media platform. “The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days.”

Trump added: “We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal.”

TikTok, which has headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles, has said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">prioritizes user safety</a>, and China’s Foreign Ministry has said China’s government has never and will not ask companies to “collect or provide data, information or intelligence” held in foreign countries.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday said is signing an executive order to keep TikTok running in the U.S. for another 75 days to give his administration more time to broker a deal to bring the social media platform under American ownership.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Statement from <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on TikTok: <a href="https://t.co/71SYdM1SfS">pic.twitter.com/71SYdM1SfS</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1908212019712450952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Congress had mandated that the platform be divested from China by Jan. 19 or barred in the U.S. on national security grounds, but Trump moved unilaterally to extend the deadline to this weekend, as he sought to negotiate an agreement to keep it running. Trump has recently entertained an array of offers from U.S. businesses seeking to buy a share of the popular social media site, but China’s ByteDance, which owns TikTok and its closely-held algorithm, has insisted the platform is not for sale.“My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress,” Trump posted on his social media platform. “The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days.”Trump added: “We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal.”TikTok, which has headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles, has said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">prioritizes user safety</a>, and China’s Foreign Ministry has said China’s government has never and will not ask companies to “collect or provide data, information or intelligence” held in foreign countries.

Trump extends TikTok deadline to find a US buyer

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with the theft of and damage to a priceless fixture in the Wichita community.

On Thursday afternoon, police were notified of the theft of a decorative cannon from the Spanish American War Memorial in Riverside Park in Wichita, according to Officer Brad Wright.

Wichita Police immediately notified&nbsp; Patrol Officers, Property Crimes Task Force Officers and Detectives. Around 5:00pm police located the cannon at a residence in the 2000 Block of N Woodland. The cannon was significantly damaged.&nbsp;

The investigation led to the identification of a 37-year-old male suspect identified from sheriff's booking records as Gordon Lyle Pierce of Wichita who was arrested in the 2300 block of N Amidon without incident.&nbsp;

Pierce was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony theft, vandalism, possession of methamphetamine and warrants.&nbsp;

Police are working closely with City of Wichita- Government Parks and Recreation regarding this investigation. This cannon was gifted to the City in 1900 and is a priceless fixture in our community.&nbsp;

The facts of this case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743766394986.png" alt="Pierce photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Pierce photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with the theft of and damage to a priceless fixture in the Wichita community.On Thursday afternoon, police were notified of the theft of a decorative cannon from the Spanish American War Memorial in Riverside Park in Wichita, according to Officer Brad Wright.Wichita Police immediately notified&nbsp; Patrol Officers, Property Crimes Task Force Officers and Detectives. Around 5:00pm police located the cannon at a residence in the 2000 Block of N Woodland. The cannon was significantly damaged.&nbsp;The investigation led to the identification of a 37-year-old male suspect identified from sheriff's booking records as Gordon Lyle Pierce of Wichita who was arrested in the 2300 block of N Amidon without incident.&nbsp;Pierce was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of Felony theft, vandalism, possession of methamphetamine and warrants.&nbsp;Police are working closely with City of Wichita- Government Parks and Recreation regarding this investigation. This cannon was gifted to the City in 1900 and is a priceless fixture in our community.&nbsp;The facts of this case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration.

Police: Kan. man stole priceless war memorial cannon from park 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two days after sending the economy reeling by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">announcing widespread tariffs</a>, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;insisted his trade policies will never change as he remained ensconced in a bubble of wealth and power in Florida.

He woke up on Friday morning at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, and headed to his nearby golf course a few miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH."

Several supporters stood on the sidewalk as Trump, wearing his signature red “Make America Great Again” hat and white polo shirt, glided down a street lined with palm trees. They waved to him and he waved back,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-supporters-glimpse-motorcade-flags-086a4f9a1659de959750a4c29fa5a443">part of a ritual</a>&nbsp;that plays out every weekend that he's in town.

The Republican president was not expected to appear publicly, although he's scheduled to attend a candlelit dinner for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-florida-donald-trump-campaigns-b3cca05169fa51ca5a996df61b3dfcbf">MAGA Inc.</a>, an allied political organization, on Friday evening. He spent Thursday in Miami at a different one of his golf courses, where he attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-golf-liv-tour-pga-ab77d9aafb22c33e859fd6541b417836">a Saudi-funded tournament</a>. He landed in Marine One and was picked up in a golf cart driven by his son Eric.

Trump has often proved impervious to the kind of scandals or gaffes that would damage another politician, but his decision to spend the weekend at his gilded properties could test Americans' patience at a time when their retirement savings are evaporating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-d86db525c370e9da834e6dfb76e23b86">along with the stock market.</a>&nbsp;The tariffs are expected to increase prices by thousands of dollars per year and slow economic growth, and there are fears about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-tariffs-trump-trade-cea98013c677e5b9bd6ce6166f4ce659">a potential recession</a>.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that the tariffs were “significantly larger than expected” and are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">“highly likely”</a>&nbsp;to cause more inflation — at least in the short term but possibly in the long term as well.

However, Trump has described his policies as a painful yet necessary step to encourage companies to relocate their operations to the United States, and he spent the morning defending himself on Truth Social, his social media platform, vowing he is sticking with his policies.

Although experts have harshly criticized Trump's tariffs, he's found some support on TikTok. He shared a video that said “Trump is crashing the stock market” and “he’s doing it on purpose” as part of a “secret game he’s playing, and it could make you rich.”

The goal, the video said, is to push the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, something that Trump explicitly called for later in the morning.

“This would be a PERFECT time" for Powell to cut interest rates, he wrote. “CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!”

With foreign leaders scrambling in response to Trump's announcement this week, the president lashed out and looked to cut deals.

He said he spoke with Vietnamese leader To Lam and claimed Vietnam wants to eliminate its tariffs on U.S. goods if it can make a deal with the U.S.

He also criticized China for announcing its own tariffs on U.S. imports.

“CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” he wrote.

Republicans suggested that Trump's policies would be the start of a parley with foreign countries.

“The president is a dealmaker if nothing else, and he’s going to continue to deal country by country with each of them,” said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming. He added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had told Senate Republicans this week that the tariffs would be a “high level mark with the ultimate goal of getting them reduced” unless other countries retaliate.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Trump’s tariffs “a brutal pincer move with American families trapped in the middle.”

Meanwhile, Trump also celebrated a new report showing the U.S. added&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-trump-d43b08bda57cb5d90b5bac1f092e1f3d">228,000 jobs in March</a>, beating expectations. Although the numbers were a snapshot of the economy before the tariff announcement, Trump claimed vindication, saying they already show his moves are working.

“HANG TOUGH," he wrote. "WE CAN’T LOSE!!!”

WASHINGTON (AP) —Although experts have harshly criticized the president’s economic policies, he’s finding support on TikTok.

He shared a video on Friday morning that said “Trump is crashing the stock market” and “he’s doing it on purpose” as part of “secret game he’s playing, and it could make you rich.”

Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, for the weekend. In another all-caps post, Trump said he would stay the course despite fears about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-tariffs-trump-trade-cea98013c677e5b9bd6ce6166f4ce659">a potential recession</a>.

“TO THE MANY INVESTORS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES AND INVESTING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE. THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH, RICHER THAN EVER BEFORE!!!” he wrote.

Later Friday morning, Trump criticized China's decision to match his tariffs with a 34% tariff on U.S. imports.

“CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” he wrote in a social media post

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743779999264.png" alt="President Trump upon his arrival in Florida Thursday evening- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump upon his arrival in Florida Thursday evening- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two days after sending the economy reeling by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">announcing widespread tariffs</a>, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;insisted his trade policies will never change as he remained ensconced in a bubble of wealth and power in Florida.He woke up on Friday morning at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, and headed to his nearby golf course a few miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH."Several supporters stood on the sidewalk as Trump, wearing his signature red “Make America Great Again” hat and white polo shirt, glided down a street lined with palm trees. They waved to him and he waved back,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-supporters-glimpse-motorcade-flags-086a4f9a1659de959750a4c29fa5a443">part of a ritual</a>&nbsp;that plays out every weekend that he's in town.The Republican president was not expected to appear publicly, although he's scheduled to attend a candlelit dinner for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-florida-donald-trump-campaigns-b3cca05169fa51ca5a996df61b3dfcbf">MAGA Inc.</a>, an allied political organization, on Friday evening. He spent Thursday in Miami at a different one of his golf courses, where he attended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-golf-liv-tour-pga-ab77d9aafb22c33e859fd6541b417836">a Saudi-funded tournament</a>. He landed in Marine One and was picked up in a golf cart driven by his son Eric.Trump has often proved impervious to the kind of scandals or gaffes that would damage another politician, but his decision to spend the weekend at his gilded properties could test Americans' patience at a time when their retirement savings are evaporating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-d86db525c370e9da834e6dfb76e23b86">along with the stock market.</a>&nbsp;The tariffs are expected to increase prices by thousands of dollars per year and slow economic growth, and there are fears about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-tariffs-trump-trade-cea98013c677e5b9bd6ce6166f4ce659">a potential recession</a>.Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that the tariffs were “significantly larger than expected” and are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-economy-trump-powell-490417656971634592bbeb3b2ade3593">“highly likely”</a>&nbsp;to cause more inflation — at least in the short term but possibly in the long term as well.However, Trump has described his policies as a painful yet necessary step to encourage companies to relocate their operations to the United States, and he spent the morning defending himself on Truth Social, his social media platform, vowing he is sticking with his policies.Although experts have harshly criticized Trump's tariffs, he's found some support on TikTok. He shared a video that said “Trump is crashing the stock market” and “he’s doing it on purpose” as part of a “secret game he’s playing, and it could make you rich.”The goal, the video said, is to push the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, something that Trump explicitly called for later in the morning.“This would be a PERFECT time" for Powell to cut interest rates, he wrote. “CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!”With foreign leaders scrambling in response to Trump's announcement this week, the president lashed out and looked to cut deals.He said he spoke with Vietnamese leader To Lam and claimed Vietnam wants to eliminate its tariffs on U.S. goods if it can make a deal with the U.S.He also criticized China for announcing its own tariffs on U.S. imports.“CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” he wrote.Republicans suggested that Trump's policies would be the start of a parley with foreign countries.“The president is a dealmaker if nothing else, and he’s going to continue to deal country by country with each of them,” said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming. He added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had told Senate Republicans this week that the tariffs would be a “high level mark with the ultimate goal of getting them reduced” unless other countries retaliate.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Trump’s tariffs “a brutal pincer move with American families trapped in the middle.”Meanwhile, Trump also celebrated a new report showing the U.S. added&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-trump-d43b08bda57cb5d90b5bac1f092e1f3d">228,000 jobs in March</a>, beating expectations. Although the numbers were a snapshot of the economy before the tariff announcement, Trump claimed vindication, saying they already show his moves are working.“HANG TOUGH," he wrote. "WE CAN’T LOSE!!!”------------WASHINGTON (AP) —Although experts have harshly criticized the president’s economic policies, he’s finding support on TikTok.He shared a video on Friday morning that said “Trump is crashing the stock market” and “he’s doing it on purpose” as part of “secret game he’s playing, and it could make you rich.”Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, for the weekend. In another all-caps post, Trump said he would stay the course despite fears about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-tariffs-trump-trade-cea98013c677e5b9bd6ce6166f4ce659">a potential recession</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/2LMCM0HJRB">pic.twitter.com/2LMCM0HJRB</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1908143673755263005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“TO THE MANY INVESTORS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES AND INVESTING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE. THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH, RICHER THAN EVER BEFORE!!!” he wrote.Later Friday morning, Trump criticized China's decision to match his tariffs with a 34% tariff on U.S. imports.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/NduyAYedVK">pic.twitter.com/NduyAYedVK</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1908149633160757495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED - THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” he wrote in a social media post

Trump hits the golf course as stock market plummets for 2nd day over tariffs

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed seven bipartisan bills focused on technical changes, such as modifying definitions and streamlining processes.

“I am always looking for ways to make our government more efficient for the people of Kansas,” Kelly said. “I’m pleased to sign bills into law that do just that.”

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb104%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/VHuu3rSpDxhtd6gb0rRukFQQavvqV5PInx-898NiNMc=399" target="_blank">Senate Bill&nbsp;104</a>: Provides flexibility to the Shawnee County board of county commissioners to create a citizens commission on local government.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb77%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/usIsBG-osx5fOMcxlI9TMzksUrW6LK-YwXA1NXUjReA=399" target="_blank">Senate Bill&nbsp;77</a>: Streamlines processes by removing state agencies that no longer exist from Kansas Administrative Regulations and establishing standards for public notice for the repeal of certain regulations.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb13%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/RUasLgbNRzREtwJM-hESmO28qBUQtkr2zVdZ6t3AQ1M=399" target="_blank">Senate&nbsp;Bill&nbsp;13</a>: Reduces requirements for filings, registrations and licenses that certain businesses and organizations must submit to the Secretary of State.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2222%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/Fhz3ZolNux1tYcxKF-6FTEpUiD_jRJyUJkih42GW5Ak=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2222</a>: Requires ignition interlock device manufacturers to compensate the state for the administration of the ignition interlock program.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2221%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/sv37coQ8JceanDmABH5RuwRydGpGEDTq3iY5sGfJyak=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2221</a>: Transfers the alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund from the Department of Corrections to the Department for Aging and Disability Services.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2215%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/246a5vNgLtwCq7CYpQ2sHAGi0TawpC15h7avC4qWwXo=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2215</a>: Modifies the definition of public-private partnership to increase the allowable cost-share for certain Department of Corrections projects, letting the Career Campus project to move forward.

<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2110%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/2MGFngsoXoMgwD9XT-JIPa6kIv7C_gQ80SLM8-Y0dNk=399" target="_blank">House Bill&nbsp;2110</a>: Facilitates the State 911 Board’s transition to a state agency by establishing necessary budget funds and providing flexibility to ensure the agency can provide sufficient grant funding to public safety partners.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736987794697.png" alt="File photo -Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during the 2025 State of the State address" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Kansas Governor Laura Kelly during the 2025 State of the State address</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed seven bipartisan bills focused on technical changes, such as modifying definitions and streamlining processes.“I am always looking for ways to make our government more efficient for the people of Kansas,” Kelly said. “I’m pleased to sign bills into law that do just that.”Kelly signed the following:<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb104%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/VHuu3rSpDxhtd6gb0rRukFQQavvqV5PInx-898NiNMc=399" target="_blank">Senate Bill&nbsp;104</a>: Provides flexibility to the Shawnee County board of county commissioners to create a citizens commission on local government.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb77%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/usIsBG-osx5fOMcxlI9TMzksUrW6LK-YwXA1NXUjReA=399" target="_blank">Senate Bill&nbsp;77</a>: Streamlines processes by removing state agencies that no longer exist from Kansas Administrative Regulations and establishing standards for public notice for the repeal of certain regulations.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fsb13%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/RUasLgbNRzREtwJM-hESmO28qBUQtkr2zVdZ6t3AQ1M=399" target="_blank">Senate&nbsp;Bill&nbsp;13</a>: Reduces requirements for filings, registrations and licenses that certain businesses and organizations must submit to the Secretary of State.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2222%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/Fhz3ZolNux1tYcxKF-6FTEpUiD_jRJyUJkih42GW5Ak=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2222</a>: Requires ignition interlock device manufacturers to compensate the state for the administration of the ignition interlock program.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2221%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/sv37coQ8JceanDmABH5RuwRydGpGEDTq3iY5sGfJyak=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2221</a>: Transfers the alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund from the Department of Corrections to the Department for Aging and Disability Services.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fkslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2215%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/246a5vNgLtwCq7CYpQ2sHAGi0TawpC15h7avC4qWwXo=399" target="_blank">House Bill 2215</a>: Modifies the definition of public-private partnership to increase the allowable cost-share for certain Department of Corrections projects, letting the Career Campus project to move forward.<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2110%2F/1/01010195fd07afa5-8de0bd7f-863c-4628-8412-1a2eba230f63-000000/2MGFngsoXoMgwD9XT-JIPa6kIv7C_gQ80SLM8-Y0dNk=399" target="_blank">House Bill&nbsp;2110</a>: Facilitates the State 911 Board’s transition to a state agency by establishing necessary budget funds and providing flexibility to ensure the agency can provide sufficient grant funding to public safety partners.

Kansas Governor signs seven technical bills, praises government efficiency

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday endorsed a proposal that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy, rather than in person.

Trump’s position, articulated to reporters on Air Force One on Thursday, put him at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proxy-voting-discharge-petition-moms-anna-paulina-luna-118e3ff0fb12137714862c99a6bc92dd">odds with House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, who mounted an aggressive push to kill that effort this week but was foiled by nine of his own members, along with all Democrats.

Though the president said he would defer to Johnson on the operations of the House, he also said, “I don’t know why it’s controversial.” Trump said he had spoken to Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, the leading Republican proponent of the effort.

“If you’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote,” Trump told reporters Thursday as he traveled to Florida. “I’m in favor of that.”

In a post late Thursday on X, Luna said Johnson called her after Trump's remarks “and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc. This is smart.”

Luna and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado have led an effort that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy for 12 weeks as they care for their newborns. It has the support of the majority of the House, with 218 lawmakers signing on to a so-called discharge petition that would force the measure on the House floor for consideration.

But Johnson is an adamant opponent of casting votes by proxy, saying that doing so is an affront to the Constitution and invoked similar efforts instituted by then-House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“It was quickly abused. Republicans put an end to it then, and we cannot allow it again,” Johnson said in a lengthy social media post this week. The speaker says he is working on “every possible accommodation” aside from being able to vote by proxy to aid new mothers in Congress.

Johnson attempted to squash the proxy effort in a dramatic floor vote earlier this week, but nine of his own Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting his plan, 206-222. The speaker canceled House votes for the rest of the week while supporters of the proxy voting plan were undeterred and vowed to continue to push for it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743537969784.png" alt="Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado with her baby spoke in the House Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado with her baby spoke in the House Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday endorsed a proposal that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy, rather than in person.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump on proxy voting in House of Representatives: &quot;I don’t know why it’s controversial...going to let the speaker make the decision, but I like the idea of being able to, if you’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote. I’m in favor of that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/MWocen5X4R">pic.twitter.com/MWocen5X4R</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907947685631430987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s position, articulated to reporters on Air Force One on Thursday, put him at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proxy-voting-discharge-petition-moms-anna-paulina-luna-118e3ff0fb12137714862c99a6bc92dd">odds with House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, who mounted an aggressive push to kill that effort this week but was foiled by nine of his own members, along with all Democrats.Though the president said he would defer to Johnson on the operations of the House, he also said, “I don’t know why it’s controversial.” Trump said he had spoken to Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, the leading Republican proponent of the effort.“If you’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote,” Trump told reporters Thursday as he traveled to Florida. “I’m in favor of that.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Parental Proxy Resolution author <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPettersen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepPettersen</a> speaks while holding her nine month old son, Sam: &quot;It is unfathomable that in 2025 we have not modernized Congress to address these very unique challenges that members face, these life events.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Hxg5BZIeBn">pic.twitter.com/Hxg5BZIeBn</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907114967800668534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a post late Thursday on X, Luna said Johnson called her after Trump's remarks “and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc. This is smart.”Luna and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado have led an effort that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy for 12 weeks as they care for their newborns. It has the support of the majority of the House, with 218 lawmakers signing on to a so-called discharge petition that would force the measure on the House floor for consideration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: After less than a day in session, the House is DONE for the week, Speaker Johnson says. This comes after a handful of Republicans joined all the Democrats to allow certain members to vote from their couches instead of coming in to work. Infuriating. “That rule… <a href="https://t.co/1eCtbtJsWk">pic.twitter.com/1eCtbtJsWk</a>&mdash; Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1907142417037336992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But Johnson is an adamant opponent of casting votes by proxy, saying that doing so is an affront to the Constitution and invoked similar efforts instituted by then-House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.“It was quickly abused. Republicans put an end to it then, and we cannot allow it again,” Johnson said in a lengthy social media post this week. The speaker says he is working on “every possible accommodation” aside from being able to vote by proxy to aid new mothers in Congress.Johnson attempted to squash the proxy effort in a dramatic floor vote earlier this week, but nine of his own Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting his plan, 206-222. The speaker canceled House votes for the rest of the week while supporters of the proxy voting plan were undeterred and vowed to continue to push for it.

🎥Trump and House Speaker at odds over proxy voting for new parents in Congress

NEMAHA COUNTY —A community is mourning the death of 7-year-old girl in an accident in Nemaha County.

On Thursday, the Nemaha County Sheriff reported their deputies responded March 26, to an injury accident involving a seven year old who had been operating a 2022 Polaris Sportsman in an open field several hundred feet east of N Road, approximately 2 miles north of US 36 Hwy.

 The ATV rolled over trapping the child. A private vehicle transported the child to Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Emilee Ann Sauer died two days later.&nbsp; Her funeral service is scheduled for Friday, according Lauer Funeral Home.

She was first grade student at Nemaha Central Elementary School and a proud “graduate” of kindergarten in May of 2024, according to her obituary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743722415172.png" alt="Emilee Sauer photo courtesy Lauer Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>Emilee Sauer photo courtesy Lauer Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY —A community is mourning the death of 7-year-old girl in an accident in Nemaha County.On Thursday, the Nemaha County Sheriff reported their deputies responded March 26, to an injury accident involving a seven year old who had been operating a 2022 Polaris Sportsman in an open field several hundred feet east of N Road, approximately 2 miles north of US 36 Hwy. The ATV rolled over trapping the child. A private vehicle transported the child to Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Emilee Ann Sauer died two days later.&nbsp; Her funeral service is scheduled for Friday, according Lauer Funeral Home.She was first grade student at Nemaha Central Elementary School and a proud “graduate” of kindergarten in May of 2024, according to her obituary.

Sheriff: 7-year-old Kansas girl died in ATV accident

DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a drug bust on Thursday that briefly prompted a lock down at a northwest Kansas high school.

After several months of investigation the Oberlin Police Department and the Decatur County Sheriff's Office executed search warrants on Thursday on three different locations within the city of Oberlin, according to&nbsp;David Wachendorfer. Deputies arrested two suspects and seized drugs, firearms and other contraband. 

 Due to the proximity of the law enforcement activity, Decatur Community High School&nbsp; was placed on lockdown for approximately a half hour while the high-risk portion of the warrant service occurred. 

Deputies arrested 63-year-old Michael Dedeyne and 47-year-old Dacaralei Cleveland, both of Oberlin. They are being held in the&nbsp;Thomas County Jail on requested charges that include possession of controlled substances and firearms violations.

All operations were concluded without incident, with no injuries or adverse actions involving either suspects or officers.

The Oberlin Police Department, was assisted by the Decatur County Sheriff's Office,&nbsp;Sheridan County Sheriff's Department, the&nbsp;Thomas County Sheriff's Office, the&nbsp;Gove County Sheriff's Office, the&nbsp;Oakley, Ks. Police Department, and the Department of&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife &amp; Parks - Game Wardens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743761911225.png" alt="Dedeyne photo Thomas Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Dedeyne photo Thomas Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a drug bust on Thursday that briefly prompted a lock down at a northwest Kansas high school.After several months of investigation the Oberlin Police Department and the Decatur County Sheriff's Office executed search warrants on Thursday on three different locations within the city of Oberlin, according to&nbsp;David Wachendorfer. Deputies arrested two suspects and seized drugs, firearms and other contraband. Due to the proximity of the law enforcement activity, Decatur Community High School&nbsp; was placed on lockdown for approximately a half hour while the high-risk portion of the warrant service occurred. Deputies arrested 63-year-old Michael Dedeyne and 47-year-old Dacaralei Cleveland, both of Oberlin. They are being held in the&nbsp;Thomas County Jail on requested charges that include possession of controlled substances and firearms violations.All operations were concluded without incident, with no injuries or adverse actions involving either suspects or officers.The Oberlin Police Department, was assisted by the Decatur County Sheriff's Office,&nbsp;Sheridan County Sheriff's Department, the&nbsp;Thomas County Sheriff's Office, the&nbsp;Gove County Sheriff's Office, the&nbsp;Oakley, Ks. Police Department, and the Department of&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife &amp; Parks - Game Wardens.

NW Kansas school briefly locked down during drug bust

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement across Kansas continue to encounter drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit.

Last week, a sheriff's deputy stopped a motorcycle traveling 102mhp in a 55mhp zone near 47th St. South and Rock Road, just north of Derby, according to a social media report from the Sedgwick County Sheriff.

"This happened at 4:00 in the afternoon—a time when traffic is heavy, people are heading home from work, and yes, school buses are on the road."

"This kind of speed isn’t just illegal—it’s dangerous and irresponsible. A crash at that speed could have been catastrophic for the rider and everyone around them."

"We can’t stress this enough: Slow down, stay alive. Respect the lives of those who share the road with you."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743701339144.png" alt="Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement across Kansas continue to encounter drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit.Last week, a sheriff's deputy stopped a motorcycle traveling 102mhp in a 55mhp zone near 47th St. South and Rock Road, just north of Derby, according to a social media report from the Sedgwick County Sheriff."This happened at 4:00 in the afternoon—a time when traffic is heavy, people are heading home from work, and yes, school buses are on the road.""This kind of speed isn’t just illegal—it’s dangerous and irresponsible. A crash at that speed could have been catastrophic for the rider and everyone around them.""We can’t stress this enough: Slow down, stay alive. Respect the lives of those who share the road with you."

Motorcyclist clocked at 102mph in a 55mph zone on Kansas street

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration is ordering schools nationwide to certify that they are following federal civil rights laws — and eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-schools-dear-colleague-6cca8440afa62689991d373cc4903a4c">DEI practices</a>&nbsp;— as a condition for receiving federal money.

<a href="https://www.ed.gov/media/document/reminder-of-legal-obligations-undertaken-exchange-receiving-federal-financial-assistance-and-request-certification-under-title-vi-and-sffa-v-harvard-april-3">Click here to read</a> the full notice

A notice sent Thursday by the Education Department gives the nation’s states and schools 10 days to sign and return the certification. It marks another escalation in the Trump administration’s attack on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, apparently giving the administration a new lever for terminating federal money. “Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement.

The certification asks state and school leaders to acknowledge that their federal aid is conditioned on compliance with antidiscrimination laws. It says “the use of certain DEI practices can violate federal law” and result in a termination of funding.

It follows a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-critical-race-theory-colleges-diversity-db8317ad37931558dd5a396cf5ab3d42">Feb. 14 memo</a>&nbsp;declaring that any school policy that treats students or staff differently because of their race is illegal. It aimed to fight what the memo described as widespread discrimination in education, often against white and Asian American students.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Trump administration is ordering schools nationwide to certify that they are following federal civil rights laws — and eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-schools-dear-colleague-6cca8440afa62689991d373cc4903a4c">DEI practices</a>&nbsp;— as a condition for receiving federal money.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743709447177.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.ed.gov/media/document/reminder-of-legal-obligations-undertaken-exchange-receiving-federal-financial-assistance-and-request-certification-under-title-vi-and-sffa-v-harvard-april-3">Click here to read</a> the full noticeA notice sent Thursday by the Education Department gives the nation’s states and schools 10 days to sign and return the certification. It marks another escalation in the Trump administration’s attack on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, apparently giving the administration a new lever for terminating federal money. “Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement.The certification asks state and school leaders to acknowledge that their federal aid is conditioned on compliance with antidiscrimination laws. It says “the use of certain DEI practices can violate federal law” and result in a termination of funding.It follows a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-critical-race-theory-colleges-diversity-db8317ad37931558dd5a396cf5ab3d42">Feb. 14 memo</a>&nbsp;declaring that any school policy that treats students or staff differently because of their race is illegal. It aimed to fight what the memo described as widespread discrimination in education, often against white and Asian American students.

Read the notice: Schools have deadline to comply with Trump anti-DEI policy

NEMAHA COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a murder that occurred Thursday in Seneca, Kansas..

Just before 3p.m., a 911 call was placed reporting shots fired at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory at 411 Pioneer St., in Seneca, according to a media release from the KBI.

Deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department arrived and discovered Father Arul Carasala, 57, of Seneca, outside the residence suffering from gunshot wounds.

Seneca EMS arrived and transported Father Carasala to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Despite life-saving measures, he died at the hospital from his injuries.

Kansas Highway Patrol troopers responded and helped secure the scene. Shortly after,&nbsp; deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department took Gary L. Hermesch, 66, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, into custody. He was booked into the Nemaha County Jail on requested charges of first-degree murder.

Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, announced the death on social media Thursday afternoon,

 "I am heartbroken to share the tragic news of the death of Fr. Arul Carasala, who was fatally shot earlier today.," wrote Naumann.

" This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend."

The Archbishop described "Fr. Carasala as "a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region. His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him."

"In this time of sorrow, let us entrust Fr. Carasala to the mercy of God and lift up in prayer his family in Cuddapah, India, his parish community at Saints Peter and Paul in Seneca, and all who mourn his passing. Let us also pray for the perpetrator, that God may touch and transform his heart."

" I recognize the pain and shock that such an event brings. In moments like these, we turn to our Lord, who is close to the brokenhearted. As we grieve, may we find strength in our faith and in the hope of Christ’s Resurrection."

The Knights of Columbus were scheduled to lead a Rosary at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca Thursday evening.&nbsp; Naumann was also going to celebrate a Mass there after the Rosary.&nbsp;

"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen." Nauman wrote.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743721682115.png" alt="-Father Arul Carasala-photo courtesy Saints Peter &amp; Paul Parish" />
 <figcaption>-Father Arul Carasala-photo courtesy Saints Peter &amp; Paul Parish</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a murder that occurred Thursday in Seneca, Kansas..Just before 3p.m., a 911 call was placed reporting shots fired at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory at 411 Pioneer St., in Seneca, according to a media release from the KBI.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743730286838.png" alt="Hermesch photo Nemaha Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Hermesch photo Nemaha Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department arrived and discovered Father Arul Carasala, 57, of Seneca, outside the residence suffering from gunshot wounds.Seneca EMS arrived and transported Father Carasala to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Despite life-saving measures, he died at the hospital from his injuries.Kansas Highway Patrol troopers responded and helped secure the scene. Shortly after,&nbsp; deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department took Gary L. Hermesch, 66, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, into custody. He was booked into the Nemaha County Jail on requested charges of first-degree murder.Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, announced the death on social media Thursday afternoon, "I am heartbroken to share the tragic news of the death of Fr. Arul Carasala, who was fatally shot earlier today.," wrote Naumann." This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend."The Archbishop described "Fr. Carasala as "a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region. His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him.""In this time of sorrow, let us entrust Fr. Carasala to the mercy of God and lift up in prayer his family in Cuddapah, India, his parish community at Saints Peter and Paul in Seneca, and all who mourn his passing. Let us also pray for the perpetrator, that God may touch and transform his heart."" I recognize the pain and shock that such an event brings. In moments like these, we turn to our Lord, who is close to the brokenhearted. As we grieve, may we find strength in our faith and in the hope of Christ’s Resurrection."The Knights of Columbus were scheduled to lead a Rosary at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca Thursday evening.&nbsp; Naumann was also going to celebrate a Mass there after the Rosary.&nbsp;"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen." Nauman wrote.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Suspect arrested in shooting death of priest at parish rectory in Kansas

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect jailed on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase in rural Jackson County.

Just after 11a.m. Wednesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a disturbance at Casey’s General Store, 4th and Arizona Avenue in Holton, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The suspect in the disturbance allegedly failed to follow a lawful order from the deputy and got into a 2009 Mazda and fled the scene pulling out into Arizona Avenue and continued south out of Holton. 

 A pursuit ensued, with the deputy and Holton Police attempting to stop the vehicle. The pursuit continued southbound on U.S. Highway 75.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy deployed a tire deflating device flattening 3 of the vehicle’s tires at 178th Road. 

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy performed a tactical vehicle intervention spinning the suspect’s vehicle into the median at 166th Road. 

The vehicle continued southbound in the median until becoming stuck at 162nd Road. Deputies took the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Martin Daniel Sanchez Martinez of Lincoln, Nebraska into custody. 

 During the incident, traffic on southbound U.S. Highway 75 was stopped for approximately 10 minutes. Martinez is being held in the Jackson County Jail for multiple charges including felony flee and eluding law enforcement and felony interference with law enforcement. 

The sheriff asked for any witnesses of Martinez’ actions at Casey’s or driving from the scene to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251. The Kansas Highway Patrol and the PBPN Police assisted with the incident.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743716425076.png" alt="Martinez photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Martinez photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect jailed on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase in rural Jackson County.Just after 11a.m. Wednesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a disturbance at Casey’s General Store, 4th and Arizona Avenue in Holton, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. The suspect in the disturbance allegedly failed to follow a lawful order from the deputy and got into a 2009 Mazda and fled the scene pulling out into Arizona Avenue and continued south out of Holton. A pursuit ensued, with the deputy and Holton Police attempting to stop the vehicle. The pursuit continued southbound on U.S. Highway 75.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy deployed a tire deflating device flattening 3 of the vehicle’s tires at 178th Road. A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy performed a tactical vehicle intervention spinning the suspect’s vehicle into the median at 166th Road. The vehicle continued southbound in the median until becoming stuck at 162nd Road. Deputies took the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Martin Daniel Sanchez Martinez of Lincoln, Nebraska into custody. During the incident, traffic on southbound U.S. Highway 75 was stopped for approximately 10 minutes. Martinez is being held in the Jackson County Jail for multiple charges including felony flee and eluding law enforcement and felony interference with law enforcement. The sheriff asked for any witnesses of Martinez’ actions at Casey’s or driving from the scene to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251. The Kansas Highway Patrol and the PBPN Police assisted with the incident.&nbsp;