BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Two former leaders of a Kansas foster care provider have entered plea negotiations to avoid trial for allegedly bilking the organization out of millions of dollars, federal court records show.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/federal-grand-jury-indicts-former-kansas-foster-care-officials-on-fraud-charges/">grand jury indicted</a>&nbsp;former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith and William Whymark, the organization’s former IT director, in November 2022 on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering with damages totaling at least $4.7 million.

A Feb. 25 court filing in the federal case shows “the parties are presently involved in plea negotiations and anticipate resolving this case without a trial.” The filing asks the court to authorize&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/probation-and-pretrial-services/presentence-investigations" target="_blank">a presentence investigation report</a>, which a court officer prepares when a defendant pleads guilty in order to help the judge determine the appropriate sentence.

The report “would materially facilitate the parties’ ongoing plea negotiations by allowing them to quickly and efficiently identify areas of potential agreement, while simultaneously isolating any disputed loss issues that may truly require litigation,” the joint court filing said.

Under the charges included in the indictment, they could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.

Denny Marlin, spokesman for Saint Francis Ministries, said the organization wouldn’t comment “out of respect for the criminal justice system” and “to ensure we do not compromise the integrity of the legal process.”

“We look forward to its resolution and remain focused on our mission of providing healing and hope to children and families,” Marlin said.

Kansas Reflector&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/04/kansas-agency-serving-3100-foster-children-accused-of-rampant-financial-mismanagement/">first reported</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/15/kansas-based-foster-care-providers-financial-turmoil-cubs-tickets-amplify-concerns-in-nebraska/">allegations of misconduct</a>&nbsp;by Smith and Whymark shortly after they left Saint Francis Ministries in November 2020. An&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/20/kansas-foster-care-leader-charged-469k-to-credit-cards-hid-financial-losses/">internal investigation</a>&nbsp;revealed excessive billing for IT services and charges by Smith for lavish personal expenses.

In 2022, Saint Francis sued Smith, Whymark and former general counsel David Shaffer, accusing them of operating a scheme to enrich themselves through fraudulent billing. The lawsuit identified Shaffer and Whymark as brothers.

The former employees denied the claims, and Smith countersued Saint Francis employees for defamation because of reporting by Kansas Reflector.

Saint Francis hired Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as president and CEO in 2014. From 2017 to 2020, according to the state lawsuit, Smith charged $442,276.17 on Saint Francis Ministries credit cards, “a significant portion of which funded lavish meals, entertainment, travel and gifts for him and his family.” Smith also paid a travel agency $57,125.43, “a majority of which had no legitimate business purpose or was grossly excessive,” the lawsuit said.

Shaffer for at least eight months billed Saint Francis both through his Chicago law firm and in his individual capacity, which the lawsuit characterizes as legal malpractice. From 2015 to 2019, Shaffer billed more than $1 million in legal fees to his law firm, and from 2018 to 2020 an additional $500,000 in payments to himself. Smith approved the “grossly excessive” invoices, the lawsuit said, including invoices for legal work unrelated to Saint Francis and $4,000 for moving and storage expenses for office furniture at his Chicago law firm.

Whymark wasn’t qualified to provide IT services, but Smith hired him as chief information officer and signed off on more than $11 million for services provided by Whymark’s IT company. The lawsuit said those services were “grossly deficient and overpriced.”

Whymark’s company outsourced work to build a content management system that wouldn’t function. In the fall of 2019, while Saint Francis was undergoing a financial audit, the system crashed and destroyed financial data. Whymark then wiped the hard drives, according to the lawsuit, and the organization spent an estimated $3.2 million to repair Whymark’s IT work.

At the time, Saint Francis Ministries was the largest foster care provider in Kansas, serving more than 3,000 foster kids.

By January 2020, the IT costs combined with a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska placed Saint Francis in financial peril. The organization survived in part by receiving a $10 million Payment Protection Program loan, which it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, the Kansas Department for Children and Families awarded new foster care contracts and replaced Saint Francis as the provider for the Wichita region. Saint Francis continues to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/pages/mapfostercare.aspx" target="_blank">provide foster care services</a>&nbsp;for much of central and western Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660235188905.png" alt="&nbsp;Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith and William Whymark, who oversaw IT services, have entered into plea negotiations to settle federal charges that involve wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, a court filing shows. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith and William Whymark, who oversaw IT services, have entered into plea negotiations to settle federal charges that involve wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, a court filing shows. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Two former leaders of a Kansas foster care provider have entered plea negotiations to avoid trial for allegedly bilking the organization out of millions of dollars, federal court records show.A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/11/federal-grand-jury-indicts-former-kansas-foster-care-officials-on-fraud-charges/">grand jury indicted</a>&nbsp;former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith and William Whymark, the organization’s former IT director, in November 2022 on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering with damages totaling at least $4.7 million.A Feb. 25 court filing in the federal case shows “the parties are presently involved in plea negotiations and anticipate resolving this case without a trial.” The filing asks the court to authorize&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/probation-and-pretrial-services/presentence-investigations" target="_blank">a presentence investigation report</a>, which a court officer prepares when a defendant pleads guilty in order to help the judge determine the appropriate sentence.The report “would materially facilitate the parties’ ongoing plea negotiations by allowing them to quickly and efficiently identify areas of potential agreement, while simultaneously isolating any disputed loss issues that may truly require litigation,” the joint court filing said.Under the charges included in the indictment, they could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.Denny Marlin, spokesman for Saint Francis Ministries, said the organization wouldn’t comment “out of respect for the criminal justice system” and “to ensure we do not compromise the integrity of the legal process.”“We look forward to its resolution and remain focused on our mission of providing healing and hope to children and families,” Marlin said.Kansas Reflector&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/04/kansas-agency-serving-3100-foster-children-accused-of-rampant-financial-mismanagement/">first reported</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/15/kansas-based-foster-care-providers-financial-turmoil-cubs-tickets-amplify-concerns-in-nebraska/">allegations of misconduct</a>&nbsp;by Smith and Whymark shortly after they left Saint Francis Ministries in November 2020. An&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/20/kansas-foster-care-leader-charged-469k-to-credit-cards-hid-financial-losses/">internal investigation</a>&nbsp;revealed excessive billing for IT services and charges by Smith for lavish personal expenses.In 2022, Saint Francis sued Smith, Whymark and former general counsel David Shaffer, accusing them of operating a scheme to enrich themselves through fraudulent billing. The lawsuit identified Shaffer and Whymark as brothers.The former employees denied the claims, and Smith countersued Saint Francis employees for defamation because of reporting by Kansas Reflector.Saint Francis hired Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as president and CEO in 2014. From 2017 to 2020, according to the state lawsuit, Smith charged $442,276.17 on Saint Francis Ministries credit cards, “a significant portion of which funded lavish meals, entertainment, travel and gifts for him and his family.” Smith also paid a travel agency $57,125.43, “a majority of which had no legitimate business purpose or was grossly excessive,” the lawsuit said.Shaffer for at least eight months billed Saint Francis both through his Chicago law firm and in his individual capacity, which the lawsuit characterizes as legal malpractice. From 2015 to 2019, Shaffer billed more than $1 million in legal fees to his law firm, and from 2018 to 2020 an additional $500,000 in payments to himself. Smith approved the “grossly excessive” invoices, the lawsuit said, including invoices for legal work unrelated to Saint Francis and $4,000 for moving and storage expenses for office furniture at his Chicago law firm.Whymark wasn’t qualified to provide IT services, but Smith hired him as chief information officer and signed off on more than $11 million for services provided by Whymark’s IT company. The lawsuit said those services were “grossly deficient and overpriced.”Whymark’s company outsourced work to build a content management system that wouldn’t function. In the fall of 2019, while Saint Francis was undergoing a financial audit, the system crashed and destroyed financial data. Whymark then wiped the hard drives, according to the lawsuit, and the organization spent an estimated $3.2 million to repair Whymark’s IT work.At the time, Saint Francis Ministries was the largest foster care provider in Kansas, serving more than 3,000 foster kids.By January 2020, the IT costs combined with a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska placed Saint Francis in financial peril. The organization survived in part by receiving a $10 million Payment Protection Program loan, which it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid, during the COVID-19 pandemic.Last year, the Kansas Department for Children and Families awarded new foster care contracts and replaced Saint Francis as the provider for the Wichita region. Saint Francis continues to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/pages/mapfostercare.aspx" target="_blank">provide foster care services</a>&nbsp;for much of central and western Kansas.

Former leaders of Kan. foster care provider negotiating plea deal in federal fraud case

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michael-phillis">MICHAEL PHILLIS</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jennifer-mcdermott">JENNIFER MCDERMOTT</a> Associated Press

President Donald Trump began dismantling his predecessor’s climate change and renewable energy policies on his first day in office, declaring a national energy emergency to speed up fossil fuel development – a policy he has summed up as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-climate-pollution-oil-gas-clean-energy-f6ad39e23613396a7536fb1dc25fca62">“drill, baby, drill.”</a>

The declaration calls on the federal government to make it easier for companies to build oil and gas projects, in part by weakening environmental reviews, with the goal of lowering prices and selling to international markets.

Democrats say that’s a sham. They point out that the U.S. is producing more oil and natural gas than any other country and the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act boosted renewable energy at a critical time, creating jobs and addressing the climate change threat –&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-warming-hot-record-2024-disasters-12f899f071fcdbd051ad49a872611e92">2024 was Earth’s hottest year on record</a>&nbsp;amid the hottest 10-year stretch on record.

“It would also set a horrible precedent, that a president of either party can invent a sham emergency and then grab away from Congress powers that Congress has” in the Constitution, said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.

Kaine spoke Wednesday in support of a Senate resolution from Democrats to terminate Trump’s declaration that later failed on a party-line 52-47 vote.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already made the U.S. an even friendlier environment for fossil fuels. Congress is helping, too, with the House voting to repeal a Biden administration-era methane fee on oil and gas producers.

In addition, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-endangerment-finding-zeldin-trump-climate-change-4b34246d5ca798154af08560fd94f7b9">has urged the White House to reconsider</a>&nbsp;a finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public, a fundamental Obama-era document that underpins the agency’s power to regulate planet-warming emissions, according to four people who were briefed on the matter but spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the recommendation is not public.

Here are some ways the Trump administration has moved to advance fossil fuels:

The Biden administration last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lng-exports-biden-europe-climate-russia-24a7730a3b8449273fec73824ce26001">paused evaluations of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals</a>. That pleased environmentalists concerned that a big surge in exports would contribute to planet-warming emissions. The pause didn’t stop projects already under construction, but it delayed consideration of new projects.

On Tuesday, oil and gas giant Shell said global LNG demand is forecast to rise by around 60% by 2040.

The United States is expected to play a major role in meeting that demand, with its export capacity expected to double before 2030, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“I think investors have become much more comfortable that they can move towards final investment decisions without the concerns that they had over the last four years about potential roadblocks,” said Christopher Treanor, an energy and environmental attorney at the law firm Akin.

Trump has opened more land for oil and gas lease sales, shifting away from Biden’s efforts to protect environmentally sensitive areas like Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge and to prevent large swaths of ocean from being available for offshore drilling, including major areas off coasts in the Pacific, Atlantic and parts of Alaska.

Environmental groups are suing to stop Trump’s moves.

Expanding the area available for companies to lease and drill doesn’t necessarily mean that more oil and gas will be produced. When leases were made available in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, for example, only smaller companies bid and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-arctic-refuge-oil-lease-sale-efb6ec0b74fe0e38cd1c20c212741771">there were no buyers for a second lease sale</a>.

Army Corps appears ready to help projects sidestep the Clean Water Act

The Army Corps of Engineers marked hundreds of Clean Water Act permits for fast-tracking, citing Trump’s order on energy, then removed that notation in its database. The agency said it needed to review active permit applications before publishing which ones will be fast-tracked.

“They don’t seem to be backing off,” said Tom Pelton, spokesman with the Environmental Integrity Project. “They are just going to refine the list.”

Many of the permit applications that had been listed for expediting are for fossil fuel projects, but some others have nothing to do with energy, including a housing subdivision proposed by Chevron in southern California, according to the Environmental Integrity Project.

David Bookbinder, the organization’s director of law and policy, said the Trump administration is using the “pretext of a national energy emergency” to ask a federal agency to circumvent environmental protections to justify building more fossil fuel power plants. Bookbinder said there’s no shortage of energy.

Pat Parenteau, professor emeritus at Vermont Law &amp; Graduate School, said Trump’s policy changes aren’t nearly as important as the deep cuts to the federal government that eliminate vital expertise. At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, for example, Trump said the head of the EPA should axe roughly two-thirds of its employees.

“I think they are going to accomplish what no other administration has been able to do in terms of crippling the institutional capacity of the federal government to protect public health, to conserve national resources to save endangered species,” he said. “That is where we are going to see long-term, permanent damage.”

Trump’s energy emergency calls, for example, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-oil-whales-turtles-9d068d755e8ac4060fd7381178d87421">undermining Endangered Species Act protections</a>&nbsp;to ensure fast energy development, even assembling a rarely used committee — the so-called “God Squad” — that could have authority to dismiss significant threats to species. That move was coupled with recent deep cuts to the Fish &amp; Wildlife Service, which administers the law.

Parenteau said some species are likely to go extinct.

Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wind-energy-offshore-turbines-trump-executive-order-995a744c3c1a2eddb30cacf50b681f13">targeted wind energy</a>&nbsp;with an order to temporarily halt offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and pause federal approvals, permits and loans for projects both onshore and offshore.

In another order, he listed domestic energy resources that could help ensure a reliable, diversified and affordable supply of energy. Solar, wind and battery storage were omitted, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/renewable-energy-climate-solar-wind-fossil-fuels-2718fce0ed37232dc25dbf46fff87955">solar is the fastest-growing source of electricity generation</a>&nbsp;in the United States. Trump has vowed to end tax credits for renewables as well, which would push up prices.

Substantially slowing renewables could leave the U.S. wedded to coal and gas for far longer as coal plants are extended and new gas plants are built, said David Shepheard, partner and energy expert at the global consultant Baringa.

Shepheard said the U.S. is facing unprecedented growth in electricity demand largely to meet needs from data centers and artificial intelligence, and increasingly the deck is stacked against renewables to meet it.

A Baringa analysis found Trump’s policies will drive up emissions and put the agreed-upon international climate threshold further out of reach.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michael-phillis">MICHAEL PHILLIS</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jennifer-mcdermott">JENNIFER MCDERMOTT</a> Associated PressPresident Donald Trump began dismantling his predecessor’s climate change and renewable energy policies on his first day in office, declaring a national energy emergency to speed up fossil fuel development – a policy he has summed up as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-climate-pollution-oil-gas-clean-energy-f6ad39e23613396a7536fb1dc25fca62">“drill, baby, drill.”</a>The declaration calls on the federal government to make it easier for companies to build oil and gas projects, in part by weakening environmental reviews, with the goal of lowering prices and selling to international markets.Democrats say that’s a sham. They point out that the U.S. is producing more oil and natural gas than any other country and the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act boosted renewable energy at a critical time, creating jobs and addressing the climate change threat –&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-warming-hot-record-2024-disasters-12f899f071fcdbd051ad49a872611e92">2024 was Earth’s hottest year on record</a>&nbsp;amid the hottest 10-year stretch on record.“It would also set a horrible precedent, that a president of either party can invent a sham emergency and then grab away from Congress powers that Congress has” in the Constitution, said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.Kaine spoke Wednesday in support of a Senate resolution from Democrats to terminate Trump’s declaration that later failed on a party-line 52-47 vote.Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already made the U.S. an even friendlier environment for fossil fuels. Congress is helping, too, with the House voting to repeal a Biden administration-era methane fee on oil and gas producers.In addition, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-endangerment-finding-zeldin-trump-climate-change-4b34246d5ca798154af08560fd94f7b9">has urged the White House to reconsider</a>&nbsp;a finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public, a fundamental Obama-era document that underpins the agency’s power to regulate planet-warming emissions, according to four people who were briefed on the matter but spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the recommendation is not public.Here are some ways the Trump administration has moved to advance fossil fuels:The Biden administration last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lng-exports-biden-europe-climate-russia-24a7730a3b8449273fec73824ce26001">paused evaluations of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals</a>. That pleased environmentalists concerned that a big surge in exports would contribute to planet-warming emissions. The pause didn’t stop projects already under construction, but it delayed consideration of new projects.Trump reversed that pause.On Tuesday, oil and gas giant Shell said global LNG demand is forecast to rise by around 60% by 2040.The United States is expected to play a major role in meeting that demand, with its export capacity expected to double before 2030, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.“I think investors have become much more comfortable that they can move towards final investment decisions without the concerns that they had over the last four years about potential roadblocks,” said Christopher Treanor, an energy and environmental attorney at the law firm Akin.<h2>Drilling expansion</h2>Trump has opened more land for oil and gas lease sales, shifting away from Biden’s efforts to protect environmentally sensitive areas like Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge and to prevent large swaths of ocean from being available for offshore drilling, including major areas off coasts in the Pacific, Atlantic and parts of Alaska.Environmental groups are suing to stop Trump’s moves.Expanding the area available for companies to lease and drill doesn’t necessarily mean that more oil and gas will be produced. When leases were made available in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, for example, only smaller companies bid and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-arctic-refuge-oil-lease-sale-efb6ec0b74fe0e38cd1c20c212741771">there were no buyers for a second lease sale</a>.<h2>Army Corps appears ready to help projects sidestep the Clean Water Act</h2>The Army Corps of Engineers marked hundreds of Clean Water Act permits for fast-tracking, citing Trump’s order on energy, then removed that notation in its database. The agency said it needed to review active permit applications before publishing which ones will be fast-tracked.“They don’t seem to be backing off,” said Tom Pelton, spokesman with the Environmental Integrity Project. “They are just going to refine the list.”Many of the permit applications that had been listed for expediting are for fossil fuel projects, but some others have nothing to do with energy, including a housing subdivision proposed by Chevron in southern California, according to the Environmental Integrity Project.David Bookbinder, the organization’s director of law and policy, said the Trump administration is using the “pretext of a national energy emergency” to ask a federal agency to circumvent environmental protections to justify building more fossil fuel power plants. Bookbinder said there’s no shortage of energy.<h2>Slashing the federal workforce</h2>Pat Parenteau, professor emeritus at Vermont Law &amp; Graduate School, said Trump’s policy changes aren’t nearly as important as the deep cuts to the federal government that eliminate vital expertise. At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, for example, Trump said the head of the EPA should axe roughly two-thirds of its employees.“I think they are going to accomplish what no other administration has been able to do in terms of crippling the institutional capacity of the federal government to protect public health, to conserve national resources to save endangered species,” he said. “That is where we are going to see long-term, permanent damage.”Trump’s energy emergency calls, for example, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-oil-whales-turtles-9d068d755e8ac4060fd7381178d87421">undermining Endangered Species Act protections</a>&nbsp;to ensure fast energy development, even assembling a rarely used committee — the so-called “God Squad” — that could have authority to dismiss significant threats to species. That move was coupled with recent deep cuts to the Fish &amp; Wildlife Service, which administers the law.Parenteau said some species are likely to go extinct.<h2>Executive orders take aim at renewables</h2>Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wind-energy-offshore-turbines-trump-executive-order-995a744c3c1a2eddb30cacf50b681f13">targeted wind energy</a>&nbsp;with an order to temporarily halt offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and pause federal approvals, permits and loans for projects both onshore and offshore.In another order, he listed domestic energy resources that could help ensure a reliable, diversified and affordable supply of energy. Solar, wind and battery storage were omitted, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/renewable-energy-climate-solar-wind-fossil-fuels-2718fce0ed37232dc25dbf46fff87955">solar is the fastest-growing source of electricity generation</a>&nbsp;in the United States. Trump has vowed to end tax credits for renewables as well, which would push up prices.Substantially slowing renewables could leave the U.S. wedded to coal and gas for far longer as coal plants are extended and new gas plants are built, said David Shepheard, partner and energy expert at the global consultant Baringa.Shepheard said the U.S. is facing unprecedented growth in electricity demand largely to meet needs from data centers and artificial intelligence, and increasingly the deck is stacked against renewables to meet it.A Baringa analysis found Trump’s policies will drive up emissions and put the agreed-upon international climate threshold further out of reach.<h2>___</h2>

'Drill baby drill':  Dems target Trump's energy emergency

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made a stop Thursday to visit President Trump in the Oval Office.

A photo of the visit, taken by Special Assistant to the President Margo Martin, appeared on her social media account. “The GOAT of kicking @buttkicker7 meets the GOAT of Presidents @realDonaldTrump," Martin wrote. The White House has not released details on Butker’s visit.

Butker, who supported Trump's Presidential campaign and that of Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, is outspoken about his views against abortion.

Butker first made what he called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-college-conservative-commencement-harrison-butker-a40b881fe41ac489853fb67e58ed20d1">a “very intentional" foray</a>&nbsp;into politics in May, when he delivered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harrison-butker-chiefs-homemaker-nfl-5466d7b3560f640c825107df9694b07b">a controversial commencement address</a>&nbsp;at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas. The three-time Super Bowl champion said, among other things, that most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children, and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.”

Butker visited the White House and President Biden in 2024 after the Chiefs Super Bowl win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740672708575.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made a stop Thursday to visit President Trump in the Oval Office.A photo of the visit, taken by Special Assistant to the President Margo Martin, appeared on her social media account. “The GOAT of kicking @buttkicker7 meets the GOAT of Presidents @realDonaldTrump," Martin wrote. The White House has not released details on Butker’s visit.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You never know who you’re going to see at the White House! Great meeting Harrison Butker <a href="https://twitter.com/buttkicker7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@buttkicker7</a> today! 🏈🐐 <a href="https://t.co/pov8iYvGFL">pic.twitter.com/pov8iYvGFL</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1895161582650310764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Butker, who supported Trump's Presidential campaign and that of Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, is outspoken about his views against abortion.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Donald J. Trump and Harrison Butker <a href="https://t.co/OonyaPiSWb">pic.twitter.com/OonyaPiSWb</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1895222057329438887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Butker first made what he called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-college-conservative-commencement-harrison-butker-a40b881fe41ac489853fb67e58ed20d1">a “very intentional" foray</a>&nbsp;into politics in May, when he delivered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harrison-butker-chiefs-homemaker-nfl-5466d7b3560f640c825107df9694b07b">a controversial commencement address</a>&nbsp;at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas. The three-time Super Bowl champion said, among other things, that most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children, and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.”Butker visited the White House and President Biden in 2024 after the Chiefs Super Bowl win.-The AP contributed to this report

Chiefs kicker visits President Trump in the Oval Office

The Kansas State Fair has announced that the Ludacris concert has been moved to Friday, Sept. 12.&nbsp; This is one night earlier that previously announced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The State Fair said that tickets purchased online through the State Fair Etix site remain valid.&nbsp; Those with printed tickets purchased at the State Fair office will receive a reissued ticket with the correct date.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Refunds will be available through Etix until Friday, March 15, for those unable to attend on the new date.&nbsp; Contact Etix by phone or email to request a refund:• Phone - 800-514-3859• Email -&nbsp;support@etix.com&nbsp;

For additional questions, please contact the State Fair Ticket office at 620-669-3618 and leave a message for the ticketing staff.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you haven't purchased your ticket yet, here are your options:&nbsp;• Nex-Tech Grandstand Reserved Seating: $40/$55•&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino Track Party Pit: $75•&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino VIP Deck – Standing: $100

Remember to only purchase tickets through Etix.&nbsp; They're the only authorized seller for Kansas State Fair concerts.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740674996935.jpeg" alt="Ludacris to perform at Kansas State Fair on Sept. 13" />
 <figcaption>Ludacris to perform at Kansas State Fair on Sept. 13</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas State Fair has announced that the Ludacris concert has been moved to Friday, Sept. 12.&nbsp; This is one night earlier that previously announced.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740676292630.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The State Fair said that tickets purchased online through the State Fair Etix site remain valid.&nbsp; Those with printed tickets purchased at the State Fair office will receive a reissued ticket with the correct date.&nbsp;&nbsp;Refunds will be available through Etix until Friday, March 15, for those unable to attend on the new date.&nbsp; Contact Etix by phone or email to request a refund:• Phone - 800-514-3859• Email -&nbsp;support@etix.com&nbsp;For additional questions, please contact the State Fair Ticket office at 620-669-3618 and leave a message for the ticketing staff.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you haven't purchased your ticket yet, here are your options:&nbsp;• Nex-Tech Grandstand Reserved Seating: $40/$55•&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino Track Party Pit: $75•&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino VIP Deck – Standing: $100Remember to only purchase tickets through Etix.&nbsp; They're the only authorized seller for Kansas State Fair concerts.&nbsp;

Kansas State Fair moves Ludacris performance

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a June 4, homicide is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Thursday afternoon

In January, Judge Quentin Pittman ruled 23-year-old Jeremiah Walker will stand trial for second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Walker is charged for the death of&nbsp;27-year-old Quentin Gordon.

Just after 9:30p.m. June 4, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the 4800 block of East Funston.

First responders found Gordon suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

&nbsp;Preliminary findings suggest that Gordon was involved in an argument with another individual when the shooting occurred, indicating that this was not a random act of violence, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

On June 6, police asked for help to locate Anjaliyah S. Orange and Walker as they may have information about the homicide.&nbsp;On June 12, Wichita Police Homicide investigators arrested Walker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717697125559.png" alt="On June 6, police asked for help to locate&nbsp;Anjaliyah S. Orange and Walker in connection with the crime.-photos Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>On June 6, police asked for help to locate&nbsp;Anjaliyah S. Orange and Walker in connection with the crime.-photos Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a June 4, homicide is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Thursday afternoonIn January, Judge Quentin Pittman ruled 23-year-old Jeremiah Walker will stand trial for second-degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Walker is charged for the death of&nbsp;27-year-old Quentin Gordon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718212493808.png" alt="Walker photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Walker photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 9:30p.m. June 4, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the 4800 block of East Funston.First responders found Gordon suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Preliminary findings suggest that Gordon was involved in an argument with another individual when the shooting occurred, indicating that this was not a random act of violence, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.On June 6, police asked for help to locate Anjaliyah S. Orange and Walker as they may have information about the homicide.&nbsp;On June 12, Wichita Police Homicide investigators arrested Walker.

Plea hearing for Kan. murder suspect captured after 6 day search 

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order mandating price transparency for all health care costs.

The order requires hospitals to post online the rates for some of their most common services, from MRI scans to caesarean section deliveries. Trump has long sought to address the secrecy that often surprises patients with treatment invoices.

The president calls the transparency requirement “one of the biggest things that can happen to reducing costs in health care.”

Trump issued a similar rule during the last year of his first term in office, but President Joe Biden did little to enforce it.

Hospitals and insurers had strongly opposed the rule, and many had not complied.

“It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money,” Trump said during a signing event in the Oval Office. “But it’s great for the patient. It’s great for the people in our country.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order mandating price transparency for all health care costs.The order requires hospitals to post online the rates for some of their most common services, from MRI scans to caesarean section deliveries. Trump has long sought to address the secrecy that often surprises patients with treatment invoices.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> for your steadfast leadership in issuing an executive order that mandates clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing. This executive order will empower patients with the knowledge they need to make informed health decisions. At <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HHSgov</a>, we are fulfilling… <a href="https://t.co/HKmbgCa7rs">pic.twitter.com/HKmbgCa7rs</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1894562386708672863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president calls the transparency requirement “one of the biggest things that can happen to reducing costs in health care.”Trump issued a similar rule during the last year of his first term in office, but President Joe Biden did little to enforce it.Hospitals and insurers had strongly opposed the rule, and many had not complied.“It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money,” Trump said during a signing event in the Oval Office. “But it’s great for the patient. It’s great for the people in our country.”

Trump order mandates price transparency rules for hospitals

2p.m. The story has been updated with new information from the Kansas Highway Patrol

THOMAS COUNTY—A driver and passenger are facing multiple allegations after a vehicle pursuit and crash on Wednesday in northwest Kansas.

Just before 4:30p.m., a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper attempted to&nbsp;stop an eastbound vehicle on Interstate 70 just west of the Kansas 25 exit in Thomas County, according to Trooper Tod Hileman.

The driver identified as 22-year-old&nbsp;Stratreous M. Diaz of Nevada&nbsp; according Hileman, refused to stop and fled down the Interstate.

At 4:45p.m. the vehicle crashed near Eighth Street and Sunrise Avenue on the north side of Oakley.&nbsp; Troopers quickly located Diaz in the backyard of a residence and placed him under arrest.&nbsp;

Troopers arrested Diaz on requested charges that include felony flee and elude, kidnapping because the passenger, 31-year-old Melody Dawn May of Oklahoma, wanted out of the car during the chase, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, interference with the judicial process, interference with law enforcement, possession of marijuana,&nbsp; speeding&nbsp; (103mph in a 75mph zone), littering and a number of traffic violations.

May is jailed on requested charges of possession of meth, marijuana and traveling with an open container.

2p.m. The story has been updated with new information from the Kansas Highway Patrol<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740687035266.png" alt="Diaz photo Thomas Co." />
 <figcaption>Diaz photo Thomas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY—A driver and passenger are facing multiple allegations after a vehicle pursuit and crash on Wednesday in northwest Kansas.Just before 4:30p.m., a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper attempted to&nbsp;stop an eastbound vehicle on Interstate 70 just west of the Kansas 25 exit in Thomas County, according to Trooper Tod Hileman.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740678400148.png" alt="May-photo Thomas Co." />
 <figcaption>May-photo Thomas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver identified as 22-year-old&nbsp;Stratreous M. Diaz of Nevada&nbsp; according Hileman, refused to stop and fled down the Interstate.At 4:45p.m. the vehicle crashed near Eighth Street and Sunrise Avenue on the north side of Oakley.&nbsp; Troopers quickly located Diaz in the backyard of a residence and placed him under arrest.&nbsp;Troopers arrested Diaz on requested charges that include felony flee and elude, kidnapping because the passenger, 31-year-old Melody Dawn May of Oklahoma, wanted out of the car during the chase, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, interference with the judicial process, interference with law enforcement, possession of marijuana,&nbsp; speeding&nbsp; (103mph in a 75mph zone), littering and a number of traffic violations.May is jailed on requested charges of possession of meth, marijuana and traveling with an open container.

KHP IDs driver who fled traffic stop found in backyard of NW Kan. home

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa, according to a media release.

One person died and EMS transported another person to an area hospital.

Police did not have anyone in custody and are still investigating the circumstances.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740618887096.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred on Wednesday inside an apartment in the&nbsp; Meadows Apartments, 7600 block of Halsey in Lenexa, according to a media release.One person died and EMS transported another person to an area hospital.Police did not have anyone in custody and are still investigating the circumstances.&nbsp;

One dead after shooting inside Kansas apartment 

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly knife attack in southwest Kansas and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 9p.m. Tuesday, police were called to a medical emergency in the 500 block of Sunnyside in Dodge City, according to a media release.

First responders found 33-year-old Cody Holt suffering from multiple stab wounds. Emergency crews attempted to render aid to Holt. He was pronounced dead on the scene. 

This is an active investigation, and we are asking the public to provide any information. If you saw or know anything about this case, please either call the police department at 620-225-8126 or dispatch at 620-227-4646. If you would like to remain anonymous, you can submit a tip to our tip 411 app, Facebook messenger or our CrimeWatch page at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dodgecitypd.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3ep8Y3QakIw1uSvR_XXIvWCR8KJa3W5-VlGwdG_7-OLRkcikIdTiQuWCo_aem_SqfdRDXPL2UPVltOloMF1g&amp;h=AT2IdKrtQQPtasAMmzExb_mJm1P9jHUO96Q5eqiibKp1tB0SRPTY4rTOSmIQgS--U6t_nW6re7Z_BKj1x3nR2hCQES_0RQRy1AUvBumA2AEW8uTi5PZfA3dEl7HGux23TMyVKOE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1CK3Wokhk1c8GV3HuFXyYM5mwztKvMg7zUuE4PlC8gedo8xH4YRir69I-t7fA8qo1K1s-X-P9KxvIjXl6ZPawC_0XXodu_jx5sc5dnwLGl7Op2UI7I3lYzanK5iyCReEBPqDVgxHtsg2_p1YL4e92CIZngC0l-OAdZlXfZ1W90bxX-asx4hDtXjEOHLmE6AVSzolFeh6LaFGlbUEymco9UhL0" target="_blank">www.dodgecitypd.org</a><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dodgecitypd.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR20S2DkkiWAufXZw553v0P3aQy2YayPJC9Z4bcpFDZtkjFk8ikAS6muHno_aem_ewSs25RSSnn9jYWDwqR0sw&amp;h=AT2IdKrtQQPtasAMmzExb_mJm1P9jHUO96Q5eqiibKp1tB0SRPTY4rTOSmIQgS--U6t_nW6re7Z_BKj1x3nR2hCQES_0RQRy1AUvBumA2AEW8uTi5PZfA3dEl7HGux23TMyVKOE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1CK3Wokhk1c8GV3HuFXyYM5mwztKvMg7zUuE4PlC8gedo8xH4YRir69I-t7fA8qo1K1s-X-P9KxvIjXl6ZPawC_0XXodu_jx5sc5dnwLGl7Op2UI7I3lYzanK5iyCReEBPqDVgxHtsg2_p1YL4e92CIZngC0l-OAdZlXfZ1W90bxX-asx4hDtXjEOHLmE6AVSzolFeh6LaFGlbUEymco9UhL0" target="_blank">.</a>

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a deadly knife attack in southwest Kansas and asking the public for help with information.Just after 9p.m. Tuesday, police were called to a medical emergency in the 500 block of Sunnyside in Dodge City, according to a media release.First responders found 33-year-old Cody Holt suffering from multiple stab wounds. Emergency crews attempted to render aid to Holt. He was pronounced dead on the scene. This is an active investigation, and we are asking the public to provide any information. If you saw or know anything about this case, please either call the police department at 620-225-8126 or dispatch at 620-227-4646. If you would like to remain anonymous, you can submit a tip to our tip 411 app, Facebook messenger or our CrimeWatch page at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dodgecitypd.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3ep8Y3QakIw1uSvR_XXIvWCR8KJa3W5-VlGwdG_7-OLRkcikIdTiQuWCo_aem_SqfdRDXPL2UPVltOloMF1g&amp;h=AT2IdKrtQQPtasAMmzExb_mJm1P9jHUO96Q5eqiibKp1tB0SRPTY4rTOSmIQgS--U6t_nW6re7Z_BKj1x3nR2hCQES_0RQRy1AUvBumA2AEW8uTi5PZfA3dEl7HGux23TMyVKOE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1CK3Wokhk1c8GV3HuFXyYM5mwztKvMg7zUuE4PlC8gedo8xH4YRir69I-t7fA8qo1K1s-X-P9KxvIjXl6ZPawC_0XXodu_jx5sc5dnwLGl7Op2UI7I3lYzanK5iyCReEBPqDVgxHtsg2_p1YL4e92CIZngC0l-OAdZlXfZ1W90bxX-asx4hDtXjEOHLmE6AVSzolFeh6LaFGlbUEymco9UhL0" target="_blank">www.dodgecitypd.org</a><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dodgecitypd.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR20S2DkkiWAufXZw553v0P3aQy2YayPJC9Z4bcpFDZtkjFk8ikAS6muHno_aem_ewSs25RSSnn9jYWDwqR0sw&amp;h=AT2IdKrtQQPtasAMmzExb_mJm1P9jHUO96Q5eqiibKp1tB0SRPTY4rTOSmIQgS--U6t_nW6re7Z_BKj1x3nR2hCQES_0RQRy1AUvBumA2AEW8uTi5PZfA3dEl7HGux23TMyVKOE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1CK3Wokhk1c8GV3HuFXyYM5mwztKvMg7zUuE4PlC8gedo8xH4YRir69I-t7fA8qo1K1s-X-P9KxvIjXl6ZPawC_0XXodu_jx5sc5dnwLGl7Op2UI7I3lYzanK5iyCReEBPqDVgxHtsg2_p1YL4e92CIZngC0l-OAdZlXfZ1W90bxX-asx4hDtXjEOHLmE6AVSzolFeh6LaFGlbUEymco9UhL0" target="_blank">.</a>

Police investigating deadly SW Kansas knife attack

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an armed robbery have a suspect in custody.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to an armed robbery in a parking lot near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Riley Street in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy. Two armed men approached the victim, and forcibly took their vehicle. 

 During the process of the robbery, one of the suspects fired a warning shot into the air, and physically assaulted the victim. An Overland Park Police Officer located the stolen vehicle, leading to a brief pursuit. The vehicle crossed into Missouri on eastbound Interstate 435 Highway, where a neighboring jurisdiction resumed the pursuit. One of the suspects was ultimately arrested in Lee's Summit, Missouri. The collaborative efforts of the Lee's Summit Police Department, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the Kansas City Police Department Helicopter Unit led to the arrest.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an armed robbery have a suspect in custody.Just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to an armed robbery in a parking lot near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Riley Street in Overland Park, according to Officer John Lacy. Two armed men approached the victim, and forcibly took their vehicle. During the process of the robbery, one of the suspects fired a warning shot into the air, and physically assaulted the victim. An Overland Park Police Officer located the stolen vehicle, leading to a brief pursuit. The vehicle crossed into Missouri on eastbound Interstate 435 Highway, where a neighboring jurisdiction resumed the pursuit. One of the suspects was ultimately arrested in Lee's Summit, Missouri. The collaborative efforts of the Lee's Summit Police Department, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the Kansas City Police Department Helicopter Unit led to the arrest.---------------

Kansas carjacking suspect arrested in Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said it is eliminating more than 90% of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development’s</a>&nbsp;foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world, putting numbers on its plans to eliminate the majority of U.S. development and humanitarian help abroad.

The cuts detailed by the administration would leave few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save in what are ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funding-freeze-usaid-trump-d592d015249934827e023c65e644c51a">court battles with the administration</a>.

The Trump administration outlined its plans in both an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press and filings in one of those federal lawsuits Wednesday.

The Supreme Court intervened in that case late Wednesday and temporarily blocked a court order requiring the administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid by midnight.

Wednesday's disclosures also give an idea of the scale of the administration's retreat from U.S. aid and development assistance overseas, and from decades of U.S. policy that foreign aid helps U.S. interests by stabilizing other countries and economies and building alliances.

The memo said officials were “clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift.” More changes are planned in how USAID and the State Department deliver foreign assistance, it said, “to use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests.”

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;have hit foreign aid harder and faster than almost any other target in their push to cut the size of the federal government. Both men say USAID projects advance a liberal agenda and are a waste of money.

Trump on Jan. 20 ordered what he said would be a 90-day program-by-program review of which foreign assistance programs deserved to continue, and cut off all foreign assistance funds almost overnight.

The funding freeze has stopped thousands of U.S.-funded programs abroad, and the administration and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency teams have pulled the majority of USAID staff off the job through forced leave and firings.

Widely successful USAID programs credited with containing outbreaks of Ebola and other threats and saving more than 20 million lives in Africa through HIV and AIDS treatment are among those still cut off from agency funds, USAID officials and officials with partner organizations say. Meanwhile, formal notifications of program cancellations are rolling out.

In the federal court filings Wednesday, nonprofits owed money on contracts with USAID describe both Trump political appointees and members of Musk's teams terminating USAID's contracts around the world at breakneck speed, without time for any meaningful review, they say.

"'There are MANY more terminations coming, so please gear up!''' a USAID official wrote staff Monday, in an email quoted by lawyers for the nonprofits in the filings.

The nonprofits, among thousands of contractors, owed billions of dollars in payment since the freeze began, called the en masse contract terminations a maneuver to get around complying with the order to lift the funding freeze temporarily.

The administration was attempting to "blow through Congress and the courts by announcing the completion of their sham ‘review’ of foreign aid and the immediate termination of thousands of aid programs all over the world,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

A coalition representing major U.S. and global businesses and nongovernmental organizations and former officials expressed shock at the move. “The American people deserve a transparent accounting of what will be lost — on counterterror, global health, food security, and competition,” the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition said.

The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reviewed the terminations.

In all, the Trump administration said it will eliminate 5,800 of 6,200 multiyear USAID contract awards, for a cut of $54 billion. Another 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants were being eliminated, for a cut of $4.4 billion.

The State Department memo, which was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, described the administration as spurred by a federal court order that gave officials until the end of the day Wednesday to lift the Trump administration’s monthlong block on foreign aid funding.

“In response, State and USAID moved rapidly,” targeting USAID and State Department foreign aid programs in vast numbers for contract terminations, the memo said.

Trump administration officials — after repeated warnings from the federal judge in the case — also said Wednesday they were finally beginning to send out their first or any payments after more than a month with no known spending. Officials were processing a few million dollars of back payments, officials said, owed to U.S. and international organizations and companies.

But U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali's order to unfreeze billions of dollars by midnight Wednesday will remain on hold until the Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in more fully, according to the brief order signed by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Ali had ordered the federal government to comply with his decision temporarily blocking a freeze on foreign aid, ruling in a lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups and businesses. An appellate panel refused the administration’s request to intervene before the high court weighed in.

The plaintiffs have until noon Friday to respond, Roberts said.

The administration has filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court in one other case so far, arguing that a lower court was wrong to reinstate the head of a federal watchdog agency after Trump fired him.

Associated Press writers Gary Fields in Washington and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738896794184.jpeg" alt="Democrat lawmakers protest USAID cuts -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Democrat lawmakers protest USAID cuts -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said it is eliminating more than 90% of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development’s</a>&nbsp;foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world, putting numbers on its plans to eliminate the majority of U.S. development and humanitarian help abroad.The cuts detailed by the administration would leave few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save in what are ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funding-freeze-usaid-trump-d592d015249934827e023c65e644c51a">court battles with the administration</a>.The Trump administration outlined its plans in both an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press and filings in one of those federal lawsuits Wednesday.The Supreme Court intervened in that case late Wednesday and temporarily blocked a court order requiring the administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid by midnight.Wednesday's disclosures also give an idea of the scale of the administration's retreat from U.S. aid and development assistance overseas, and from decades of U.S. policy that foreign aid helps U.S. interests by stabilizing other countries and economies and building alliances.The memo said officials were “clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift.” More changes are planned in how USAID and the State Department deliver foreign assistance, it said, “to use taxpayer dollars wisely to advance American interests.”President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;have hit foreign aid harder and faster than almost any other target in their push to cut the size of the federal government. Both men say USAID projects advance a liberal agenda and are a waste of money.Trump on Jan. 20 ordered what he said would be a 90-day program-by-program review of which foreign assistance programs deserved to continue, and cut off all foreign assistance funds almost overnight.The funding freeze has stopped thousands of U.S.-funded programs abroad, and the administration and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency teams have pulled the majority of USAID staff off the job through forced leave and firings.Widely successful USAID programs credited with containing outbreaks of Ebola and other threats and saving more than 20 million lives in Africa through HIV and AIDS treatment are among those still cut off from agency funds, USAID officials and officials with partner organizations say. Meanwhile, formal notifications of program cancellations are rolling out.In the federal court filings Wednesday, nonprofits owed money on contracts with USAID describe both Trump political appointees and members of Musk's teams terminating USAID's contracts around the world at breakneck speed, without time for any meaningful review, they say."'There are MANY more terminations coming, so please gear up!''' a USAID official wrote staff Monday, in an email quoted by lawyers for the nonprofits in the filings.The nonprofits, among thousands of contractors, owed billions of dollars in payment since the freeze began, called the en masse contract terminations a maneuver to get around complying with the order to lift the funding freeze temporarily.So did a Democratic lawmaker.The administration was attempting to "blow through Congress and the courts by announcing the completion of their sham ‘review’ of foreign aid and the immediate termination of thousands of aid programs all over the world,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.A coalition representing major U.S. and global businesses and nongovernmental organizations and former officials expressed shock at the move. “The American people deserve a transparent accounting of what will be lost — on counterterror, global health, food security, and competition,” the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition said.The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reviewed the terminations.In all, the Trump administration said it will eliminate 5,800 of 6,200 multiyear USAID contract awards, for a cut of $54 billion. Another 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants were being eliminated, for a cut of $4.4 billion.The State Department memo, which was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, described the administration as spurred by a federal court order that gave officials until the end of the day Wednesday to lift the Trump administration’s monthlong block on foreign aid funding.“In response, State and USAID moved rapidly,” targeting USAID and State Department foreign aid programs in vast numbers for contract terminations, the memo said.Trump administration officials — after repeated warnings from the federal judge in the case — also said Wednesday they were finally beginning to send out their first or any payments after more than a month with no known spending. Officials were processing a few million dollars of back payments, officials said, owed to U.S. and international organizations and companies.But U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali's order to unfreeze billions of dollars by midnight Wednesday will remain on hold until the Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in more fully, according to the brief order signed by Chief Justice John Roberts.Ali had ordered the federal government to comply with his decision temporarily blocking a freeze on foreign aid, ruling in a lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups and businesses. An appellate panel refused the administration’s request to intervene before the high court weighed in.The plaintiffs have until noon Friday to respond, Roberts said.The administration has filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court in one other case so far, arguing that a lower court was wrong to reinstate the head of a federal watchdog agency after Trump fired him.___Associated Press writers Gary Fields in Washington and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

Supreme Court extends freeze on Trump admin. foreign aid payments

KANSAS CITY – A registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

David Arabie, 59, Eldon, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 20 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum sentence for this offense. The court also sentenced Arabie to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration.

Arabie is a registered sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory sodomy involving a 6-year-old victim and criminal sexual conduct involving the sexual abuse of three children ages 7 to 12.

On Oct. 26, 2023, Arabie pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. The court found him in breach of his plea agreement at the hearing, however, after Arabie filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and recanted his previous statements made under oath during the change of plea hearing, claiming to be innocent of the charged conduct. On Dec. 20, 2024, the court denied Arabie’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

Arabie admitted that, while visiting his in-laws, he used a peer-to-peer file-sharing network on his computer to share images of child sexual abuse material with an undercover law enforcement officer. Arabie shared a video of the sexual abuse of a child victim approximately 3 to 6 years old.

Arabie also admitted that he possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material on his computer.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740494853915.png" alt="Arabie photo Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Arabie photo Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY – A registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.David Arabie, 59, Eldon, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 20 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum sentence for this offense. The court also sentenced Arabie to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration.Arabie is a registered sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory sodomy involving a 6-year-old victim and criminal sexual conduct involving the sexual abuse of three children ages 7 to 12.On Oct. 26, 2023, Arabie pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. The court found him in breach of his plea agreement at the hearing, however, after Arabie filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and recanted his previous statements made under oath during the change of plea hearing, claiming to be innocent of the charged conduct. On Dec. 20, 2024, the court denied Arabie’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea.Arabie admitted that, while visiting his in-laws, he used a peer-to-peer file-sharing network on his computer to share images of child sexual abuse material with an undercover law enforcement officer. Arabie shared a video of the sexual abuse of a child victim approximately 3 to 6 years old.Arabie also admitted that he possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material on his computer.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Sex offender admits sending child porn to undercover officer

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;took a star turn at the first Cabinet meeting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;new term, holding forth in a black “Make America Great Again” campaign hat on Wednesday about his role as “humble tech support” for the federal government — and laying out dire stakes if his cost-cutting efforts fail.

“If we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt,” Musk told department heads assembled around a large wooden table in the Cabinet Room.

Trump, not one to easily share the spotlight, seemed happy to turn the top of the hour-plus meeting over to Musk for a “little summary” of what the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;has been up to, saying that Musk’s team had found evidence of “horrible things” afoot in the government.

“He’s sacrificing a lot,” Trump said of Musk, referencing the time the world’s richest man is taking away from his many business ventures. “He’s also getting hit.”

Musk, for his part, said his lightning-fast efforts to right-size the government had drawn death threats and he jokingly knocked his fist on his “wooden head” as he said he hoped to find $1 trillion to trim from the federal budget, an effort that has caused extensive disruption among federal workers and those who rely on their services.

Musk defended his weekend attempt to require government workers to justify their prior week’s work under penalty of termination — a move that drew pushback from many in the room on national security and privacy grounds — as merely a “pulse check” to ensure that those working for the government have “a pulse and two neurons,” adding that “this is not a high bar” for workers to meet.

Speculating that some workers are either dead or fictional, Musk added that the goal was to see that workers are real, alive and can “write an email.”

Asked if members of the Cabinet were happy with Musk, the DOGE guru started to answer the question. But Trump interjected and said he might want to let Cabinet members answer. Then Trump joked that if anyone disagreed, he might “throw them out.”

Trump then turned things back to Musk, who said the president had “put together, I think, the best Cabinet ever.”

“And I don’t give false praise,” he added.

Musk did volunteer that his efforts to slash government spending would “make mistakes.”

He cited as an example that, while hustling to dramatically shrink the U.S. Agency for International Development, “One of the things we accidentally canceled very briefly was Ebola prevention.” Musk insisted that “there was no interruption” in services before the funding was restored.

But a USAID official said Wednesday that no funds for the agency’s Ebola response had been released under President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 funding freeze for foreign aid, including for efforts to combat the spread of the deadly virus.

After about 15 minutes of focus on Musk and DOGE, Trump shifted the spotlight of the Cabinet meeting back to his own accomplishments in his first weeks in office.

The Cabinet sat mostly silently for more than an hour, as Trump opened the floor to questions from an invited group of reporters.

Asked if he expected his Cabinet to follow his directives without exception, Trump initially scoffed at the question before answering, “of course, no exceptions.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;took a star turn at the first Cabinet meeting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;new term, holding forth in a black “Make America Great Again” campaign hat on Wednesday about his role as “humble tech support” for the federal government — and laying out dire stakes if his cost-cutting efforts fail.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Elon Musk speaks at President Trump Cabinet meeting. <a href="https://t.co/ANNhymWvpl">pic.twitter.com/ANNhymWvpl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1894796521767313862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“If we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt,” Musk told department heads assembled around a large wooden table in the Cabinet Room.Trump, not one to easily share the spotlight, seemed happy to turn the top of the hour-plus meeting over to Musk for a “little summary” of what the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;has been up to, saying that Musk’s team had found evidence of “horrible things” afoot in the government.“He’s sacrificing a lot,” Trump said of Musk, referencing the time the world’s richest man is taking away from his many business ventures. “He’s also getting hit.”Musk, for his part, said his lightning-fast efforts to right-size the government had drawn death threats and he jokingly knocked his fist on his “wooden head” as he said he hoped to find $1 trillion to trim from the federal budget, an effort that has caused extensive disruption among federal workers and those who rely on their services.Musk defended his weekend attempt to require government workers to justify their prior week’s work under penalty of termination — a move that drew pushback from many in the room on national security and privacy grounds — as merely a “pulse check” to ensure that those working for the government have “a pulse and two neurons,” adding that “this is not a high bar” for workers to meet.Speculating that some workers are either dead or fictional, Musk added that the goal was to see that workers are real, alive and can “write an email.”Asked if members of the Cabinet were happy with Musk, the DOGE guru started to answer the question. But Trump interjected and said he might want to let Cabinet members answer. Then Trump joked that if anyone disagreed, he might “throw them out.”That drew applause from Cabinet members.Trump then turned things back to Musk, who said the president had “put together, I think, the best Cabinet ever.”“And I don’t give false praise,” he added.Musk did volunteer that his efforts to slash government spending would “make mistakes.”He cited as an example that, while hustling to dramatically shrink the U.S. Agency for International Development, “One of the things we accidentally canceled very briefly was Ebola prevention.” Musk insisted that “there was no interruption” in services before the funding was restored.But a USAID official said Wednesday that no funds for the agency’s Ebola response had been released under President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 funding freeze for foreign aid, including for efforts to combat the spread of the deadly virus.After about 15 minutes of focus on Musk and DOGE, Trump shifted the spotlight of the Cabinet meeting back to his own accomplishments in his first weeks in office.The Cabinet sat mostly silently for more than an hour, as Trump opened the floor to questions from an invited group of reporters.Asked if he expected his Cabinet to follow his directives without exception, Trump initially scoffed at the question before answering, “of course, no exceptions.”

🎥What Elon Musk shared during his first Trump Cabinet meeting

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY— The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility this morning.

The inmate, identified as 24-year-old Daitrez J. Birch, was discovered at approximately 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to a statement from the sheriff' office

. Deputies and on-site medical staff immediately began life-saving measures. Members of the Wichita Fire Department arrived, and Birch was pronounced dead at 8:55 a.m.

Birch had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility since Aug. 27, 2024. He was recently sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court to 272 months in prison for second-degree murder, 43 months for aggravated burglary, and 12 months for criminal desecration.

In accordance with established protocols, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has been notified and will be assisting in the investigation. Detectives remain on-site, conducting a thorough and transparent investigation.

This marks the third in-custody death at Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724854691982.png" alt="Birch-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Birch-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY— The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell at the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility this morning.The inmate, identified as 24-year-old Daitrez J. Birch, was discovered at approximately 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to a statement from the sheriff' office. Deputies and on-site medical staff immediately began life-saving measures. Members of the Wichita Fire Department arrived, and Birch was pronounced dead at 8:55 a.m.Birch had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility since Aug. 27, 2024. He was recently sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court to 272 months in prison for second-degree murder, 43 months for aggravated burglary, and 12 months for criminal desecration.In accordance with established protocols, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has been notified and will be assisting in the investigation. Detectives remain on-site, conducting a thorough and transparent investigation.This marks the third in-custody death at Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility this year.

Kan. man sent to prison for body found in car trunk has died in his cell

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agencies must develop plans to eliminate employee positions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25545361-opm-omb-memo-guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative-2-26-2025/#document/p1">according to a memo</a>&nbsp;distributed Wednesday by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s administration that sets in motion what could become a sweeping realignment of American government.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25545361-opm-omb-memo-guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative-2-26-2025/#document/p1">Click here to read </a>the full 7 page memo

The memo expands the Republican president's effort to downsize the federal workforce, which he has described as an impediment to his agenda. Thousands of probationary employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">have already been fired</a>, and now his administration is turning its attention to career officials with civil service protection.

“We’re cutting down the size of government. We have to," Trump said during the first Cabinet meeting of his second term. "We’re bloated. We’re sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren’t doing their job.”

Agencies are directed to submit by March 13 their plans for what is known as a reduction in force, which would not only lay off employees but eliminate the position altogether. The result could be extensive changes in how government functions.

More plans are due on April 14, when agencies are expected to outline how they will consolidate management, become more efficient and potentially relocate offices to parts of the country that are less expensive than Washington. The memo said agencies should implement their plans by Sept. 30.

Administration officials framed their effort as a cost-saving measure but with a clear ideological goal.

“The federal government is costly, inefficient, and deeply in debt. At the same time, it is not producing results for the American public," said the memo from Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, and Charles Ezell, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency. "Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens.”

Kevin Owen, an employment lawyer who represents federal workers, compared the administration's initiative to the kind of disruptions that are caused by government shutdowns during congressional budget standoffs.

“This looks like a plan for a significant and shocking reduction of the federal workforce that I don't think the American people are prepared for," Owen said. “It's going to cripple a lot of government functions.”

He said that Trump and his allies were focusing on speed rather than precision as they overhaul the government.

“Their plan is to do the damage and get sued,” he said. If a court ultimately rules against them, “by that point, they would have gotten what they wanted in interim.”

Specific targets for reductions were not included in the memo, but Trump said the Environmental Protection Agency could cut its workforce by 65%.

Trump foreshadowed the effort in an executive order that he signed with Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who oversees the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.

The order said agency leaders “shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force,” or RIF.

Some departments have already begin this process. The General Services Administration, which handles federal real estate, told employees on Monday that a reduction in force was underway and they would “everything in our power to make your departure fair and dignified.”

Law enforcement, national security, public safety, military positions and U.S. Postal Service positions are exempt.

The memo was released shortly before Trump convened Cabinet officials as well as Musk, who attended the meeting wearing a black “Make America Great Again” campaign hat.

Musk described himself during the meeting as “humble tech support" for the federal government, and he talked about his cost-cutting crusade in existential terms.

“If we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt," he said.

Musk has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">caused turmoil</a>&nbsp;within the federal workforce, most recently by demanding that employees justify their jobs or risk getting fired. OPM later said that the edict was voluntary, although workers could face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-federal-workers-b23b4752d56d5f969102f94afa5eb4b1">similar requests in the future.</a>

He described his request as a “pulse check.”

“Are these people real? Are they alive? And can they write an email?” he said.

Before the meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that “all of the Cabinet secretaries take the advice and direction of DOGE.”

“They’ll be providing updates on their efforts, and they’ll also be providing updates on what they’re doing at their agencies in terms of policies and implementing the promises that the president made on the campaign trail,” Leavitt said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740594260355.jpeg" alt="President Trump at the first Cabinet meeting of second term. Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump at the first Cabinet meeting of second term. Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agencies must develop plans to eliminate employee positions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25545361-opm-omb-memo-guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative-2-26-2025/#document/p1">according to a memo</a>&nbsp;distributed Wednesday by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;'s administration that sets in motion what could become a sweeping realignment of American government.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740589414400.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25545361-opm-omb-memo-guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative-2-26-2025/#document/p1">Click here to read </a>the full 7 page memoThe memo expands the Republican president's effort to downsize the federal workforce, which he has described as an impediment to his agenda. Thousands of probationary employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">have already been fired</a>, and now his administration is turning its attention to career officials with civil service protection.“We’re cutting down the size of government. We have to," Trump said during the first Cabinet meeting of his second term. "We’re bloated. We’re sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren’t doing their job.”Agencies are directed to submit by March 13 their plans for what is known as a reduction in force, which would not only lay off employees but eliminate the position altogether. The result could be extensive changes in how government functions.More plans are due on April 14, when agencies are expected to outline how they will consolidate management, become more efficient and potentially relocate offices to parts of the country that are less expensive than Washington. The memo said agencies should implement their plans by Sept. 30.Administration officials framed their effort as a cost-saving measure but with a clear ideological goal.“The federal government is costly, inefficient, and deeply in debt. At the same time, it is not producing results for the American public," said the memo from Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, and Charles Ezell, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency. "Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens.”Kevin Owen, an employment lawyer who represents federal workers, compared the administration's initiative to the kind of disruptions that are caused by government shutdowns during congressional budget standoffs.“This looks like a plan for a significant and shocking reduction of the federal workforce that I don't think the American people are prepared for," Owen said. “It's going to cripple a lot of government functions.”He said that Trump and his allies were focusing on speed rather than precision as they overhaul the government.“Their plan is to do the damage and get sued,” he said. If a court ultimately rules against them, “by that point, they would have gotten what they wanted in interim.”Specific targets for reductions were not included in the memo, but Trump said the Environmental Protection Agency could cut its workforce by 65%.Trump foreshadowed the effort in an executive order that he signed with Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who oversees the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.The order said agency leaders “shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force,” or RIF.Some departments have already begin this process. The General Services Administration, which handles federal real estate, told employees on Monday that a reduction in force was underway and they would “everything in our power to make your departure fair and dignified.”Law enforcement, national security, public safety, military positions and U.S. Postal Service positions are exempt.The memo was released shortly before Trump convened Cabinet officials as well as Musk, who attended the meeting wearing a black “Make America Great Again” campaign hat.Musk described himself during the meeting as “humble tech support" for the federal government, and he talked about his cost-cutting crusade in existential terms.“If we don’t do this, America will go bankrupt," he said.Musk has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">caused turmoil</a>&nbsp;within the federal workforce, most recently by demanding that employees justify their jobs or risk getting fired. OPM later said that the edict was voluntary, although workers could face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-federal-workers-b23b4752d56d5f969102f94afa5eb4b1">similar requests in the future.</a>He described his request as a “pulse check.”“Are these people real? Are they alive? And can they write an email?” he said.Before the meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that “all of the Cabinet secretaries take the advice and direction of DOGE.”“They’ll be providing updates on their efforts, and they’ll also be providing updates on what they’re doing at their agencies in terms of policies and implementing the promises that the president made on the campaign trail,” Leavitt said.

Read new memo: Federal agencies plan for large-scale layoffs

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a shooting that left one dead and another wounded have identified the victim as 40-year-old Denise Byrd, according to Kansas City, Kansas Police.

Just before 11a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 5100 Block of Leavenworth Road. First responders found Byrd outside the home. She had gunshot wounds.&nbsp; EMS transported her to a local hospital where she died.

A few moments later, police responded to report of a shooting in the 4900 Block of Cleveland Avenue. First responders found a man with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Detectives believe the two incidents are related and occurred in the 5100 Block of Leavenworth Road.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or reported suspect details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a shooting that left one dead and another wounded have identified the victim as 40-year-old Denise Byrd, according to Kansas City, Kansas Police.Just before 11a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 5100 Block of Leavenworth Road. First responders found Byrd outside the home. She had gunshot wounds.&nbsp; EMS transported her to a local hospital where she died.A few moments later, police responded to report of a shooting in the 4900 Block of Cleveland Avenue. First responders found a man with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Detectives believe the two incidents are related and occurred in the 5100 Block of Leavenworth Road.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or reported suspect details.