BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than 9,000 Catholic employers do not need to abide by federal regulations requiring accommodations for workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">seek abortions</a>&nbsp;and fertility treatments, according to a ruling issued this week by a federal judge in North Dakota.

The Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese filed a lawsuit last year challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulations on implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth-related needs. The EEOC interpreted the statute to include abortion and fertility treatments as among those needs, which the Catholic groups argued violated their religious rights.

The Catholic groups also challenged separate EEOC guidelines for enforcing anti-harassment laws, which the agency updated last year to specify that workers cannot be harassed over their gender-identity or for seeking or contemplating having abortions.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Tuesday that he would make permanent an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-catholic-benefits-association-abortion-bc75f5aeac6cc89967154e0ee9ab7804">preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;that blocked the EEOC from enforcing both its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-women-accomodations-18e5f726a9f6d04b2fa26036bbdcbb6f">final rule for</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-eeoc-rules-abortion-efbebe81e022ef8d7bb1bd3e0c317c3a">Pregnant Workers Fairness Act</a>&nbsp;and the harassment guidelines against the Catholic employers.

Traynor, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, wrote last year: “It is a precarious time for people of religious faith in America. It has been described as a post-Christian age. One indication of this dire assessment may be the repeated illegal and unconstitutional administrative actions against one of the founding principles of our country, the free exercise of religion.”

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act initially had bipartisan support

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act passed with widespread bipartisan support in December 2022, and it had the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But controversy ensued when the EEOC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">adopted an expansive view</a>&nbsp;of conditions related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pregnancy-and-childbirth">pregnancy and childbirth</a>&nbsp;that required accommodations, including for abortion, fertility treatment and birth control. While the rule includes an exemption for religious employers, it says determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis.

In earlier court papers, the association and the diocese said, “The combined effect of EEOC’s pronouncements is that they require CBA Members, contrary to their Catholic faith, to accommodate their employees’ abortions and immoral fertility treatments, to use false pronouns when requested by transitioning employees, to abstain from expressing Catholic teaching regarding sexual issues, and to give employees of one sex access to private spaces reserved to those of the other sex.”

Traynor was a board member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, according to a Senate Judiciary Committee judicial nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Daniel%20Mack%20Traynor%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20-%20PUBLIC.pdf" target="_blank">questionnaire</a>. In March 2024, he blocked the government from enforcing federal laws and regulations requiring a Christian employers’ organization to provide insurance coverage for gender-transition surgeries, counseling and other care.

Those that sued are ‘thankful ... for vindicating religious freedom rights’

Attorney Martin Nussbaum said his clients are “very thankful to the federal judiciary for vindicating religious freedom rights” in the case and previous ones involving the association.

“One of the things that we’ve seen is an emerging practice on behalf of some of the federal administrations — we also see this in certain states — a desire not only to mandate immoral benefits but to impose speech codes that would be contrary to Catholic values,” Nussbaum said. “But the speech codes go beyond pronouns to even speaking about what Catholic teaching is, and we’re just grateful to this court for protecting the freedom of speech of Catholic organizations as well.”

Bishop David D. Kagan, of Bismarck, said: “The Court has upheld our religious freedom rights and that is all we ever wanted.”

A Better Balance, a legal advocacy group that led a decades-long campaign for the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, condemned the ruling.

“This ruling is part of a broad trend of attacks on women’s rights and reproductive freedom. The fact that IVF — a highly popular and common medical procedure that millions of Catholics and Christians support — is being targeted speaks to the extremist nature of this case,” A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar said in a statement.

Backers of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act say ruling could add to confusion

She said the ruling would contribute to confusion over implementation of a law that “was designed to close gaps in the law and bring clarity to pregnant workers and employers alike.” Chettiar emphasized that the entirety of the law remains in effect for most workers.

In an interview, she said it will be interesting to see whether the Justice Department appeals.

The EEOC declined to comment. It had previously asked the judge to deny a permanent injunction and said the other side can’t back up its claims.

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eeoc-trump-gender-identity-discrimination-alabama-73a065c8aa5e0060472e1cac1ecd8212">the EEOC’s priorities have shifted dramatically</a>&nbsp;under the administration of Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/equal-employment-eeoc-trump-lawsuit-11c89b6c6a55c006c09345b1c80421b5">who fired two of the agency’s Democratic commissioners</a>&nbsp;in January. The new acting EEOC chair, Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has said she intends to push for a commission vote to change both the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act rules and the updated harassment guidelines.

The Catholic Benefits Association serves more than 9,000 Catholic employers and has about 164,000 employees enrolled in member health plans, according to its website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744904171890.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than 9,000 Catholic employers do not need to abide by federal regulations requiring accommodations for workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">seek abortions</a>&nbsp;and fertility treatments, according to a ruling issued this week by a federal judge in North Dakota.The Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese filed a lawsuit last year challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulations on implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth-related needs. The EEOC interpreted the statute to include abortion and fertility treatments as among those needs, which the Catholic groups argued violated their religious rights.The Catholic groups also challenged separate EEOC guidelines for enforcing anti-harassment laws, which the agency updated last year to specify that workers cannot be harassed over their gender-identity or for seeking or contemplating having abortions.U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Tuesday that he would make permanent an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-catholic-benefits-association-abortion-bc75f5aeac6cc89967154e0ee9ab7804">preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;that blocked the EEOC from enforcing both its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-women-accomodations-18e5f726a9f6d04b2fa26036bbdcbb6f">final rule for</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-eeoc-rules-abortion-efbebe81e022ef8d7bb1bd3e0c317c3a">Pregnant Workers Fairness Act</a>&nbsp;and the harassment guidelines against the Catholic employers.Traynor, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, wrote last year: “It is a precarious time for people of religious faith in America. It has been described as a post-Christian age. One indication of this dire assessment may be the repeated illegal and unconstitutional administrative actions against one of the founding principles of our country, the free exercise of religion.”<h2>Pregnant Workers Fairness Act initially had bipartisan support</h2>The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act passed with widespread bipartisan support in December 2022, and it had the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But controversy ensued when the EEOC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">adopted an expansive view</a>&nbsp;of conditions related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pregnancy-and-childbirth">pregnancy and childbirth</a>&nbsp;that required accommodations, including for abortion, fertility treatment and birth control. While the rule includes an exemption for religious employers, it says determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis.In earlier court papers, the association and the diocese said, “The combined effect of EEOC’s pronouncements is that they require CBA Members, contrary to their Catholic faith, to accommodate their employees’ abortions and immoral fertility treatments, to use false pronouns when requested by transitioning employees, to abstain from expressing Catholic teaching regarding sexual issues, and to give employees of one sex access to private spaces reserved to those of the other sex.”Traynor was a board member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, according to a Senate Judiciary Committee judicial nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Daniel%20Mack%20Traynor%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20-%20PUBLIC.pdf" target="_blank">questionnaire</a>. In March 2024, he blocked the government from enforcing federal laws and regulations requiring a Christian employers’ organization to provide insurance coverage for gender-transition surgeries, counseling and other care.<h2>Those that sued are ‘thankful ... for vindicating religious freedom rights’</h2>Attorney Martin Nussbaum said his clients are “very thankful to the federal judiciary for vindicating religious freedom rights” in the case and previous ones involving the association.“One of the things that we’ve seen is an emerging practice on behalf of some of the federal administrations — we also see this in certain states — a desire not only to mandate immoral benefits but to impose speech codes that would be contrary to Catholic values,” Nussbaum said. “But the speech codes go beyond pronouns to even speaking about what Catholic teaching is, and we’re just grateful to this court for protecting the freedom of speech of Catholic organizations as well.”Bishop David D. Kagan, of Bismarck, said: “The Court has upheld our religious freedom rights and that is all we ever wanted.”A Better Balance, a legal advocacy group that led a decades-long campaign for the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, condemned the ruling.“This ruling is part of a broad trend of attacks on women’s rights and reproductive freedom. The fact that IVF — a highly popular and common medical procedure that millions of Catholics and Christians support — is being targeted speaks to the extremist nature of this case,” A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar said in a statement.<h2>Backers of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act say ruling could add to confusion</h2>She said the ruling would contribute to confusion over implementation of a law that “was designed to close gaps in the law and bring clarity to pregnant workers and employers alike.” Chettiar emphasized that the entirety of the law remains in effect for most workers.In an interview, she said it will be interesting to see whether the Justice Department appeals.The EEOC declined to comment. It had previously asked the judge to deny a permanent injunction and said the other side can’t back up its claims.However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eeoc-trump-gender-identity-discrimination-alabama-73a065c8aa5e0060472e1cac1ecd8212">the EEOC’s priorities have shifted dramatically</a>&nbsp;under the administration of Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/equal-employment-eeoc-trump-lawsuit-11c89b6c6a55c006c09345b1c80421b5">who fired two of the agency’s Democratic commissioners</a>&nbsp;in January. The new acting EEOC chair, Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has said she intends to push for a commission vote to change both the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act rules and the updated harassment guidelines.The Catholic Benefits Association serves more than 9,000 Catholic employers and has about 164,000 employees enrolled in member health plans, according to its website.

Judge blocks worker protections for abortion and fertility care for Catholic employers

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in connection with a fire near the Orpheum Theatre,&nbsp;200 N Broadway Street, in Wichita&nbsp; made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Jeremy Wycoff, 33, Wichita, was charged with aggravated arson and arson, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On the evening of April 10, crews responded to report of a fire near the 102-year-old theatre that is undergoing renovations.&nbsp;

"Thanks to the quick response of Wichita Fire Department, the situation was contained before it caused any major damage to our building or our neighbors along First Street," the theatre announced on their social media page.

Police arrested Wycoff on Sunday and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp; His next court appearance (PH-CAD) is April 28. He remains jailed on&nbsp; a&nbsp;150,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744832383037.png" alt="Wycoff photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wycoff photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in connection with a fire near the Orpheum Theatre,&nbsp;200 N Broadway Street, in Wichita&nbsp; made his first court appearance Wednesday.Jeremy Wycoff, 33, Wichita, was charged with aggravated arson and arson, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;On the evening of April 10, crews responded to report of a fire near the 102-year-old theatre that is undergoing renovations.&nbsp;"Thanks to the quick response of Wichita Fire Department, the situation was contained before it caused any major damage to our building or our neighbors along First Street," the theatre announced on their social media page.Police arrested Wycoff on Sunday and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp; His next court appearance (PH-CAD) is April 28. He remains jailed on&nbsp; a&nbsp;150,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in arson fire near historic Kan. theatre faced a judge

WASHINGTON (AP) —The president addressed about 40 Christian leaders in the White House’s Blue Room for an Easter prayer service and dinner, telling them, “I hope this is going to be one of the great Easters ever.”

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-hosts-easter-prayer-service-and-dinner/658676">Click here to watch th</a>e White House Easter Service and dinner.

He called the death and resurrection of Jesus “two of the most monumental events in history.”

In brief remarks that stuck mostly to a religious message — without the many lengthy asides the president usually relishes when giving speeches — Trump denounced the persecution of Christians in other parts of the world and noted the creation of a Department of Justice task force to combat anti-Christian bias.

Trump also told those gathered that his administration is filled with “fantastic people, and they’re people that believe like you do.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —The president addressed about 40 Christian leaders in the White House’s Blue Room for an Easter prayer service and dinner, telling them, “I hope this is going to be one of the great Easters ever.”<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-hosts-easter-prayer-service-and-dinner/658676">Click here to watch th</a>e White House Easter Service and dinner.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Three days later, Christ followers found the empty tomb. Jesus had defeated darkness and death, and promised new life to all of humankind, and that&#39;s what we celebrate each year at Easter, as we joyfully proclaim on Sunday, &#39;He is risen.&#39;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bTpher5fUv">pic.twitter.com/bTpher5fUv</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1912650300411773010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: “Nearly 2,000 years ago during this sacred week, the living son of God entered Jerusalem in triumph… The savior of mankind, who brought truth and light into the world, was betrayed, arrested, tried, beaten, nailed to a cross, and crucified. For our sake, he gave up his… <a href="https://t.co/39r0YjZIS6">pic.twitter.com/39r0YjZIS6</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1912649062135853151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">✝️&quot;This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.&quot; –President Trump <a href="https://t.co/WdW2kRDi4p">pic.twitter.com/WdW2kRDi4p</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1911566089512952105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He called the death and resurrection of Jesus “two of the most monumental events in history.”In brief remarks that stuck mostly to a religious message — without the many lengthy asides the president usually relishes when giving speeches — Trump denounced the persecution of Christians in other parts of the world and noted the creation of a Department of Justice task force to combat anti-Christian bias.Trump also told those gathered that his administration is filled with “fantastic people, and they’re people that believe like you do.”

🎥Trump hosts Easter service and dinner at the White House

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting at a convenience store.

Just after 3:00 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting at the Kwik Shop gas station, 746 NE Wabash Avenue in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley. First responders located one individual with life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounced the victim deceased on scene. Police released no additional details including the name of the victim or suspect information.

This is the city’s 4th homicide investigation of 2025, according to Stanley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744885831034.png" alt="Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting at a convenience store.Just after 3:00 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a shooting at the Kwik Shop gas station, 746 NE Wabash Avenue in Topeka, according to Topeka Police Lt. Edward Stanley. First responders located one individual with life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounced the victim deceased on scene. Police released no additional details including the name of the victim or suspect information.This is the city’s 4th homicide investigation of 2025, according to Stanley..

Police: 1 dead after shooting at Kansas convenience store

WASHINGTON (AP) —Attorney General&nbsp; Pam Bondi was asked at an unrelated news conference about the case of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-deportation-trump-9f46dd62890befdc321ed1ab56107470">El Salvador man living in Maryland</a>&nbsp;who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison. The Supreme Court has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-deported-e537cfb69a9840046b5d3e512509e9a8">the administration must “facilitate” his release</a>.

Bondi said the U.S. government would fly him back on a plane if El Salvador President Nayib Bukele wanted to return him.

“President Bukele said he was not sending him back. That’s the end of the story,” Bondi said. Even if he were to return to the U.S., the government would deport him again, Bondi said.

“He would have come back, had one extra step of paperwork and gone back again. But he’s from El Salvador, he’s in El Salvador and that’s where the president plans on keeping him,” Bondi said.

The Trump administration has alleged he’s a member of MS-13. Abrego Garcia was never charged with a crime and has denied the allegations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744856849154.png" alt="File Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>File Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Attorney General&nbsp; Pam Bondi was asked at an unrelated news conference about the case of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-deportation-trump-9f46dd62890befdc321ed1ab56107470">El Salvador man living in Maryland</a>&nbsp;who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison. The Supreme Court has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-deported-e537cfb69a9840046b5d3e512509e9a8">the administration must “facilitate” his release</a>.Bondi said the U.S. government would fly him back on a plane if El Salvador President Nayib Bukele wanted to return him.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The evidence shows Kilmar Abrego Garcia has repeatedly been identified as a member of MS-13 by: ⁃ A Maryland county police gang unit ⁃ A reliable confidential informant ⁃ ICE officers ⁃ An immigration judge agreed ⁃ An appellate board agreed <a href="https://t.co/ym0X4tYSAe">pic.twitter.com/ym0X4tYSAe</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1912682960156795369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“President Bukele said he was not sending him back. That’s the end of the story,” Bondi said. Even if he were to return to the U.S., the government would deport him again, Bondi said.“He would have come back, had one extra step of paperwork and gone back again. But he’s from El Salvador, he’s in El Salvador and that’s where the president plans on keeping him,” Bondi said.The Trump administration has alleged he’s a member of MS-13. Abrego Garcia was never charged with a crime and has denied the allegations.

🎥AG Pam Bondi: Wrongly deported man ‘is not coming back to our country’

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays firefighters responded to a house fire at 413 W. 14th St. at about 11:30 this morning.&nbsp;

Shane Preston, deputy fire chief, said the front porch of the multi-level home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.

One person, tenant Cassandra Brockmann, was home at the time of the fire, but was able to evacuate from the home uninjured.

Brockmann lived in the home with her two young children and a roommate who lived in the basement. The downstairs tenant and the children were not home at the time of the fire.

No firefighters were injured fighting the fire.

One pet was killed in the fire. Another pet was located after the fire was under control and given oxygen. Two other pets in the home were found safe, Preston said.

Preston said firefighters initially attacked the fire with a single line from a brush truck and brought the fire in check before using additional lines to extinguish the fire.

An investigation concluded that the cause of the fire was improperly extinguished smoking material on the front porch.

Preston estimated damages to be more than $50,000.

He said the fire caused extensive damage to the porch and broke out the home's front windows, which allowed smoke into the structure. He said there was much smoke damage throughout the home. Smoke and heat also made it to the second floor.

Closed doors limited the smoke damage in the bedrooms.

"We want to remind people when they do smoke, be sure they extinguish those cigarette butts properly, empty their butt cans and make sure they have a water source they can throw their cigarette butts into," Preston said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744831311350.jpeg" alt="A fire caused extensive damage to a house at 411 W. 14th St. in Hays this morning. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A fire caused extensive damage to a house at 411 W. 14th St. in Hays this morning. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays firefighters responded to a house fire at 413 W. 14th St. at about 11:30 this morning.&nbsp;Shane Preston, deputy fire chief, said the front porch of the multi-level home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.One person, tenant Cassandra Brockmann, was home at the time of the fire, but was able to evacuate from the home uninjured.Brockmann lived in the home with her two young children and a roommate who lived in the basement. The downstairs tenant and the children were not home at the time of the fire.No firefighters were injured fighting the fire.One pet was killed in the fire. Another pet was located after the fire was under control and given oxygen. Two other pets in the home were found safe, Preston said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744831386632.jpeg" alt="Fire crews clean up at a house fire scene at 411 W. 14th St. this morning in Hays. The fire displaced four people. One person was at home at the time of the fire, but escaped without injury. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fire crews clean up at a house fire scene at 411 W. 14th St. this morning in Hays. The fire displaced four people. One person was at home at the time of the fire, but escaped without injury. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Preston said firefighters initially attacked the fire with a single line from a brush truck and brought the fire in check before using additional lines to extinguish the fire.An investigation concluded that the cause of the fire was improperly extinguished smoking material on the front porch.Preston estimated damages to be more than $50,000.He said the fire caused extensive damage to the porch and broke out the home's front windows, which allowed smoke into the structure. He said there was much smoke damage throughout the home. Smoke and heat also made it to the second floor.Closed doors limited the smoke damage in the bedrooms."We want to remind people when they do smoke, be sure they extinguish those cigarette butts properly, empty their butt cans and make sure they have a water source they can throw their cigarette butts into," Preston said.

Pet dies, 3 other pets survive Kansas house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;warned that children in the U.S. are being diagnosed with autism at an “alarming rate,” promising on Wednesday to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factors that may cause the developmental disorder.

His call comes the day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-rates-us-rfk-diagnosis-cdc-cb3abd799edd591dc1ea6b63c69a2279">a report that found</a>&nbsp;an estimated 1 in 31 U.S. children have autism, a marked increase from 2020. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm?s_cid=ss7402a1_w">Click here to read the report.</a>

Autism experts applaud efforts to further understand the condition, but say the number of reported cases began to balloon as the definition of the condition expanded to include mild cases.

“Autism destroys families," Kennedy said. "More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this.”

Kennedy described autism as a “preventable disease,” although researchers and scientists have identified genetic factors that are associated with it. Autism is not considered a disease, but a complex disorder that affects the brain. Cases range widely in severity, with symptoms that can include delays in language, learning, and social or emotional skills. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adult-autism-diagnosis-spectrum-4babb9b0eea3335dddc93c35f7fcd913">autistic traits</a>&nbsp;can go unnoticed well into adulthood.

Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause. Besides genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the mother’s weight, and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals.

Kennedy said his wide-ranging plan to determine the cause of autism will look at all of those environmental factors, and others. He had previously set a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-kennedy-trump-vaccines-rfk-jr-cdc-b66251888f039c80b15beda23c279d5b">September deadline</a>&nbsp;for determining what causes autism, but said Wednesday that by then, his department will determine at least “some” of the answers.

The effort will involve issuing grants to universities and researchers, Kennedy said. He said the researchers will be encouraged to “follow the science, no matter what it says.”

The Trump administration has recently&nbsp;<a href="https://taggs.hhs.gov/Content/Data/HHS_Grants_Terminated.pdf">canceled</a>&nbsp;billions of dollars in grants for health and science research sent to universities.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm?s_cid=ss7402a1_w">CDC’s latest autism data</a>&nbsp;was from 14 states and Puerto Rico in 2022. The previous estimate — from 2020 — was 1 in 36.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-tennis-jenson-brooksby-55fd36df73bfe3a429b959cb8efd399c">Boys</a>&nbsp;continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and the highest rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/bella-ramsey-on-sharing-autism-diagnosis-its-just-part-of-who-i-am-8efe3092914d420aba6def8a0231eca4">among children</a>&nbsp;who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black.

To estimate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/profound-autism-rate-us-bc21057fabe11774843d4ac2197956a4">how common autism</a>&nbsp;is, the CDC checked health and school records for 8-year-olds, because most cases are diagnosed by that age. Other researchers have their own estimates, but experts say the CDC’s estimate is the most rigorous and the gold standard.

On Wednesday, Kennedy criticized theories that the rise in autism cases can be attributed to more awareness about the disorder. Autism researchers have cited heightened awareness, as well as medical advancements and increased diagnoses of mild cases.

“The reasons for increases in autism diagnosis come down to scientific and health care progress,” said Annette Estes, director of the autism center at the University of Washington. "It's hard for many people to understand this because the causes of autism are complex.”

The Autism Science Foundation said Kennedy’s emphasis on environmental factors contradicted the findings in the CDC’s report.

“This report is the most convincing evidence yet that changes in factors like access to services and de-stigmatization of (autism spectrum disorders) are leading to the increases in prevalence,” said Autism Science Foundation Chief Science Officer Dr. Alycia Halladay.

Associated Press writers JoNel Aleccia in Temecula, California, and Mike Stobbe in Atlanta contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;warned that children in the U.S. are being diagnosed with autism at an “alarming rate,” promising on Wednesday to conduct exhaustive studies to identify any environmental factors that may cause the developmental disorder.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a> on autism: &quot;This is an individual tragedy as well. Autism destroys families but more importantly it destroys our greatest resource, which are our children...we have to recognize we are doing this to our children and we need to put an end to it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gbCfiEOcyY">pic.twitter.com/gbCfiEOcyY</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1912533292148027745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His call comes the day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-rates-us-rfk-diagnosis-cdc-cb3abd799edd591dc1ea6b63c69a2279">a report that found</a>&nbsp;an estimated 1 in 31 U.S. children have autism, a marked increase from 2020. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm?s_cid=ss7402a1_w">Click here to read the report.</a>Autism experts applaud efforts to further understand the condition, but say the number of reported cases began to balloon as the definition of the condition expanded to include mild cases.“Autism destroys families," Kennedy said. "More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this.”Kennedy described autism as a “preventable disease,” although researchers and scientists have identified genetic factors that are associated with it. Autism is not considered a disease, but a complex disorder that affects the brain. Cases range widely in severity, with symptoms that can include delays in language, learning, and social or emotional skills. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adult-autism-diagnosis-spectrum-4babb9b0eea3335dddc93c35f7fcd913">autistic traits</a>&nbsp;can go unnoticed well into adulthood.Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause. Besides genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the mother’s weight, and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals.Kennedy said his wide-ranging plan to determine the cause of autism will look at all of those environmental factors, and others. He had previously set a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-kennedy-trump-vaccines-rfk-jr-cdc-b66251888f039c80b15beda23c279d5b">September deadline</a>&nbsp;for determining what causes autism, but said Wednesday that by then, his department will determine at least “some” of the answers.The effort will involve issuing grants to universities and researchers, Kennedy said. He said the researchers will be encouraged to “follow the science, no matter what it says.”The Trump administration has recently&nbsp;<a href="https://taggs.hhs.gov/Content/Data/HHS_Grants_Terminated.pdf">canceled</a>&nbsp;billions of dollars in grants for health and science research sent to universities.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm?s_cid=ss7402a1_w">CDC’s latest autism data</a>&nbsp;was from 14 states and Puerto Rico in 2022. The previous estimate — from 2020 — was 1 in 36.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-tennis-jenson-brooksby-55fd36df73bfe3a429b959cb8efd399c">Boys</a>&nbsp;continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and the highest rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/bella-ramsey-on-sharing-autism-diagnosis-its-just-part-of-who-i-am-8efe3092914d420aba6def8a0231eca4">among children</a>&nbsp;who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black.To estimate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/profound-autism-rate-us-bc21057fabe11774843d4ac2197956a4">how common autism</a>&nbsp;is, the CDC checked health and school records for 8-year-olds, because most cases are diagnosed by that age. Other researchers have their own estimates, but experts say the CDC’s estimate is the most rigorous and the gold standard.On Wednesday, Kennedy criticized theories that the rise in autism cases can be attributed to more awareness about the disorder. Autism researchers have cited heightened awareness, as well as medical advancements and increased diagnoses of mild cases.“The reasons for increases in autism diagnosis come down to scientific and health care progress,” said Annette Estes, director of the autism center at the University of Washington. "It's hard for many people to understand this because the causes of autism are complex.”The Autism Science Foundation said Kennedy’s emphasis on environmental factors contradicted the findings in the CDC’s report.“This report is the most convincing evidence yet that changes in factors like access to services and de-stigmatization of (autism spectrum disorders) are leading to the increases in prevalence,” said Autism Science Foundation Chief Science Officer Dr. Alycia Halladay.___Associated Press writers JoNel Aleccia in Temecula, California, and Mike Stobbe in Atlanta contributed to this report.

🎥Health secretary RFK Jr. calls growing rate of autism an 'epidemic'

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Pawnee County.

The patrol reported a vehicle was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. 

The vehicle traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.

The Patrol reported no additional details late Wednesday. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Pawnee County.The patrol reported a vehicle was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. The vehicle traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.The Patrol reported no additional details late Wednesday. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

KHP investigating fatal rollover crash

KANSAS CITY—Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced a total of 18 felony charges have been filed against the owner of a Kansas City towing company and his mother, following an in-depth investigation by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement, and the Department of Revenue Compliance and Investigation Bureau into illegal towing practices.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2580/Donald-Adamson-RED-COMPLAINT-DA">Donald Adamson</a>&nbsp;and Lannette Adamson face four counts of Stealing, four counts of Forgery, and 1st Degree Harassment.

“After months of investigation by our assistant prosecutors and law enforcement partners, I am proud to present charges as we work to hold predatory towing companies accountable for their actions,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “The impact of illegal towing falls hardest on those already struggling financially, creating a snowball effect of towing fees, lost wages, transportation challenges, and stress piling up. I am proud of our team for building a strong case and bringing justice to victims impacted by these practices. We will not tolerate businesses that exploit hardworking people in Jackson County.”&nbsp;

The investigation revealed Metro Tow and Transport owner Donald Adamson and employee Lannette Adamson&nbsp;allegedly acted in concert to allow&nbsp;the company to tow vehicles illegally without proper authorization; falsified required 4669 Forms; and made it extremely difficult for victims to retrieve their vehicles.

State law requires towing companies to have a properly completed and signed 4669 Form with a signature from an authorized, full-time employee representative of the property who must also be present at the time of removal. Tow companies must also report vehicle information to police, so owners can be notified of the location of their vehicle. State law requires the property representative to provide an original signature and should not be photocopied.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2575/AdamsonDonald---PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were made aware of numerous complaints and disputes related to Metro Tow and Transport over the past several years. Victims questioned the legitimacy of their tows and the lengthy, almost impossible tasks of retrieving their vehicles from the tow lot.

Donald has another active case from last year for similar illegal towing conduct.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744835942075.png" alt="Adamson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Adamson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced a total of 18 felony charges have been filed against the owner of a Kansas City towing company and his mother, following an in-depth investigation by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement, and the Department of Revenue Compliance and Investigation Bureau into illegal towing practices.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744836235521.png" alt="Adamson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Adamson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2580/Donald-Adamson-RED-COMPLAINT-DA">Donald Adamson</a>&nbsp;and Lannette Adamson face four counts of Stealing, four counts of Forgery, and 1st Degree Harassment.“After months of investigation by our assistant prosecutors and law enforcement partners, I am proud to present charges as we work to hold predatory towing companies accountable for their actions,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “The impact of illegal towing falls hardest on those already struggling financially, creating a snowball effect of towing fees, lost wages, transportation challenges, and stress piling up. I am proud of our team for building a strong case and bringing justice to victims impacted by these practices. We will not tolerate businesses that exploit hardworking people in Jackson County.”&nbsp;The investigation revealed Metro Tow and Transport owner Donald Adamson and employee Lannette Adamson&nbsp;allegedly acted in concert to allow&nbsp;the company to tow vehicles illegally without proper authorization; falsified required 4669 Forms; and made it extremely difficult for victims to retrieve their vehicles.State law requires towing companies to have a properly completed and signed 4669 Form with a signature from an authorized, full-time employee representative of the property who must also be present at the time of removal. Tow companies must also report vehicle information to police, so owners can be notified of the location of their vehicle. State law requires the property representative to provide an original signature and should not be photocopied.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2575/AdamsonDonald---PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were made aware of numerous complaints and disputes related to Metro Tow and Transport over the past several years. Victims questioned the legitimacy of their tows and the lengthy, almost impossible tasks of retrieving their vehicles from the tow lot.Donald has another active case from last year for similar illegal towing conduct.

Kansas City towing company owner, mother forged docs to move cars

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 3p.m. April 13, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;arrested 39-year-old Amy Cash of Pulaski County Missouri. She was wanted on $25,000 Felony Warrants for Theft, Criminal Use of a Financial Card and Possession of a Depressant, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. 

She remains jailed on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744731583640.png" alt="Cash-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Cash-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 3p.m. April 13, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;arrested 39-year-old Amy Cash of Pulaski County Missouri. She was wanted on $25,000 Felony Warrants for Theft, Criminal Use of a Financial Card and Possession of a Depressant, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. She remains jailed on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas deputy captured woman wanted for ID theft in Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.81.0_1.pdf">criminal contempt</a>&nbsp;of court for violating his orders last month to turn around planes carrying deportees to an El Salvador prison.

<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2025cv0766-81">Click here to read the full ruling</a>

The ruling from U.S District Judge James E. Boasberg, whom President Donald Trump has said should be impeached, marks a dramatic battle between the judicial and executive branches of government over the president’s powers to carry out key White House priorities.

Boasberg accused administration officials of rushing deportees out of the country under the Alien Enemies Act last month before they could challenge their removal in court, and then willfully disregarding his order that planes already in the air should return to the United States.

The judge warned he could hold hearings and potentially refer the matter for prosecution if the administration does not act to remedy the violation. If the Justice Department declines to prosecute the matter, Boasberg said he will appoint another attorney to do so.

“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it," wrote Boasberg, the chief judge of Washington's federal court.

“The President is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote in a post on X.

The case has become one of the most contentious amid a slew of legal battles being waged against the Republican administration that has put the White House on a collision course with the federal courts.

Administration officials have repeatedly criticized judges for reigning in the president's actions, accusing the courts of improperly impinging on his executive powers. Trump and his allies have called for impeaching Boasberg, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">a rare statement</a>&nbsp;from Chief Justice John Roberts, who said “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”

Boasberg said the government could avoid contempt proceedings if it takes custody of the deportees, who were sent to the El Salvador prison in violation of his order, so they have a chance to challenge their removal. It was not clear how that would work because he said the government "would not need to release any of those individuals, nor would it need to transport them back to the homeland.”

In a separate case, the administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>&nbsp;to the El Salvador prison, but does not intend to return him to the U.S. despite a Supreme Court ruling that the administration must “facilitate” his release. The judge in that case has said she is determining whether to undertake contempt proceedings, saying officials “appear to have done nothing to aid in Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States.”

Boasberg, who was nominated for the federal bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, had ordered the administration last month not to deport anyone in its custody under the Alien Enemies Act after Trump invoked the 1798 wartime law over what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-trump-40ec0390047c2b17e961dd029da02e65">Tren de Aragua</a>.

When Boasberg was told there were already planes in the air headed to El Salvador, which has agreed to house deported migrants in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">notorious</a>&nbsp;prison, the judge said the aircraft needed to be returned to the United States. But hours later, El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, announced that the deportees had arrived in his country. In a social media post, he said, “Oopsie...too late” above an article referencing Boasberg’s order.

The administration has argued it did not violate any orders, noted the judge did not include the turnaround directive in his written order and said the planes had already left the U.S. by the time that order came down.

The Supreme Court earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">vacated Boasberg's temporary order</a>&nbsp;blocking the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, but said the immigrants must be given a chance to fight their removals before they are deported. The conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.

Boasberg wrote that even though the Supreme Court found his order “suffered from a legal defect,” that “does not excuse the Government’s violation.”

He wrote that the government's “conduct betrayed a desire to outrun the equitable reach of the Judiciary.”

"The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory," Boasberg wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744068208069.png" alt="Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.81.0_1.pdf">criminal contempt</a>&nbsp;of court for violating his orders last month to turn around planes carrying deportees to an El Salvador prison.<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2025cv0766-81">Click here to read the full ruling</a>The ruling from U.S District Judge James E. Boasberg, whom President Donald Trump has said should be impeached, marks a dramatic battle between the judicial and executive branches of government over the president’s powers to carry out key White House priorities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744833653771.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Boasberg accused administration officials of rushing deportees out of the country under the Alien Enemies Act last month before they could challenge their removal in court, and then willfully disregarding his order that planes already in the air should return to the United States.The judge warned he could hold hearings and potentially refer the matter for prosecution if the administration does not act to remedy the violation. If the Justice Department declines to prosecute the matter, Boasberg said he will appoint another attorney to do so.“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it," wrote Boasberg, the chief judge of Washington's federal court.The administration said it would appeal.“The President is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote in a post on X.The case has become one of the most contentious amid a slew of legal battles being waged against the Republican administration that has put the White House on a collision course with the federal courts.Administration officials have repeatedly criticized judges for reigning in the president's actions, accusing the courts of improperly impinging on his executive powers. Trump and his allies have called for impeaching Boasberg, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">a rare statement</a>&nbsp;from Chief Justice John Roberts, who said “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”Boasberg said the government could avoid contempt proceedings if it takes custody of the deportees, who were sent to the El Salvador prison in violation of his order, so they have a chance to challenge their removal. It was not clear how that would work because he said the government "would not need to release any of those individuals, nor would it need to transport them back to the homeland.”In a separate case, the administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>&nbsp;to the El Salvador prison, but does not intend to return him to the U.S. despite a Supreme Court ruling that the administration must “facilitate” his release. The judge in that case has said she is determining whether to undertake contempt proceedings, saying officials “appear to have done nothing to aid in Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States.”Boasberg, who was nominated for the federal bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, had ordered the administration last month not to deport anyone in its custody under the Alien Enemies Act after Trump invoked the 1798 wartime law over what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-trump-40ec0390047c2b17e961dd029da02e65">Tren de Aragua</a>.When Boasberg was told there were already planes in the air headed to El Salvador, which has agreed to house deported migrants in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">notorious</a>&nbsp;prison, the judge said the aircraft needed to be returned to the United States. But hours later, El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, announced that the deportees had arrived in his country. In a social media post, he said, “Oopsie...too late” above an article referencing Boasberg’s order.The administration has argued it did not violate any orders, noted the judge did not include the turnaround directive in his written order and said the planes had already left the U.S. by the time that order came down.The Supreme Court earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">vacated Boasberg's temporary order</a>&nbsp;blocking the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, but said the immigrants must be given a chance to fight their removals before they are deported. The conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.Boasberg wrote that even though the Supreme Court found his order “suffered from a legal defect,” that “does not excuse the Government’s violation.”He wrote that the government's “conduct betrayed a desire to outrun the equitable reach of the Judiciary.”"The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory," Boasberg wrote.

Read the ruling: Judge threatens Trump admin. over deportation flights

JEWELL COUNTY — What began as a routine traffic stop turned into something much more meaningful in eastern Jewell County Wednesday morning.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Trooper Mai was on patrol when a vehicle approached his patrol car at 92 mph in a 65-mph zone. As Trooper Mai turned around and attempted to stop the vehicle, he noticed it was crossing the centerline and initially failed to yield to emergency lights—causing concern.

Thankfully, the vehicle eventually pulled over, and Trooper Mai made contact with the elderly driver. After taking time to talk with him, it became clear this wasn’t just about speeding. 

The driver appeared confused and was trying to make his way back to Omaha, Nebraska. Further investigation revealed the driver had been reported missing from Omaha. 

His wife hadn’t seen him since the day before and he was listed as a missing person with Alzheimer’s. With help from the Omaha Police Department, Republic County Sheriff’s Office, and a nearby first responder, Trooper Mai was able to ensure the driver’s safety, arrange for his vehicle to be transported safely, and coordinate a reunion with the man’s family.

"This is another reminder that while the mission of the KHP is to keep Kansas roads safe, Troopers also here to help those in need—and sometimes, that means reuniting a family."

JEWELL COUNTY — What began as a routine traffic stop turned into something much more meaningful in eastern Jewell County Wednesday morning.According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Trooper Mai was on patrol when a vehicle approached his patrol car at 92 mph in a 65-mph zone. As Trooper Mai turned around and attempted to stop the vehicle, he noticed it was crossing the centerline and initially failed to yield to emergency lights—causing concern.Thankfully, the vehicle eventually pulled over, and Trooper Mai made contact with the elderly driver. After taking time to talk with him, it became clear this wasn’t just about speeding. The driver appeared confused and was trying to make his way back to Omaha, Nebraska. Further investigation revealed the driver had been reported missing from Omaha. His wife hadn’t seen him since the day before and he was listed as a missing person with Alzheimer’s. With help from the Omaha Police Department, Republic County Sheriff’s Office, and a nearby first responder, Trooper Mai was able to ensure the driver’s safety, arrange for his vehicle to be transported safely, and coordinate a reunion with the man’s family."This is another reminder that while the mission of the KHP is to keep Kansas roads safe, Troopers also here to help those in need—and sometimes, that means reuniting a family."

Kansas Trooper helps reunite missing Nebraska man with family

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration plans to eliminate the IRS’&nbsp;<a href="https://directfile.irs.gov/" target="_blank">Direct File</a>&nbsp;program, an electronic system for filing tax returns directly to the agency for free, according to two people familiar with the decision.

The program developed during Joe Biden’s presidency was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/direct-file-irs-taxes-electronic-28c8100ac1c1980676ca175f04d42876">credited by users</a>&nbsp;with making tax filing easy, fast and economical. But Republican lawmakers and commercial tax preparation companies complained it was a waste of taxpayer money because free filing programs already exist, although they are hard to use.

The program had been in limbo since the start of the Trump administration as Elon Musk and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;have slashed their way through the federal government. Musk posted in February on his social media site, X, that he had “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as Direct File.

There was some hope that Musk, with his DOGE team of computer programmers, could take over Direct File and improve it. But the two people familiar with the decision to end Direct File said its future became clear when the IRS staff assigned to the program were told in mid-March to stop working on its development for the 2026 tax filing season.

The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the plans and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Adam Ruben, a vice president at the liberal-leaning Economic Security Project, said “the fix was in from the beginning.”

“It is an outrage to see everyday taxpayers play no role in this decision,” he said. “Cutting costs and saving money for families were just empty campaign promises.”

But David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, which describes itself as a nonpartisan organization that disseminates research and analysis on the government’s effects on the economy, said Direct File was “problematic” from day 1, citing the program’s costs and noting that many people who started the process never finished. According to the IRS 423,450 taxpayers logged into Direct File and 140,803 submitted accepted returns in 2024.

“From hidden costs to taxpayer confusion, the program is riddled with issues,” Williams said.

Direct File was rolled out as a pilot program in 2024 after the IRS was tasked with looking into how to create a “direct file” system as part of the money it received from the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by Biden in 2022. The Democratic administration spent tens of millions of dollars developing the program.

Last May, the agency announced that the program would be made permanent.

But the IRS has faced intense blowback to Direct File from private tax preparation companies that have made billions from charging people to use their software and have spent millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">lobbying Congress</a>. The average American typically spends about $140 preparing returns each year.

Derrick Plummer, a spokesman for the commercial tax preparation company Intuit,, said in a statement that “Direct File is and has been a solution in search of a problem, a drain on critical IRS resources and a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

The IRS accepted 140,803 returns filed by taxpayers using Direct File in the 12 states where it was available last tax season. It was expanded to include half the country this year. It is unclear how many taxpayers have used Direct File this year.

Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, which worked with the IRS to create a state tax filing integration program for Direct File, said the decision was “a betrayal of public trust at precisely the time government should be demonstrating its ability to deliver basic services effectively.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a proponent of building out Direct File, said in an emailed statement that Trump and Musk “are going after Direct File because it stops giant tax prep companies from ripping taxpayers off for services that should be free. Americans want a free and easy way to file their taxes — Trump and Musk want to take that away.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744835532098.png" alt="Image IRS" />
 <figcaption>Image IRS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration plans to eliminate the IRS’&nbsp;<a href="https://directfile.irs.gov/" target="_blank">Direct File</a>&nbsp;program, an electronic system for filing tax returns directly to the agency for free, according to two people familiar with the decision.The program developed during Joe Biden’s presidency was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/direct-file-irs-taxes-electronic-28c8100ac1c1980676ca175f04d42876">credited by users</a>&nbsp;with making tax filing easy, fast and economical. But Republican lawmakers and commercial tax preparation companies complained it was a waste of taxpayer money because free filing programs already exist, although they are hard to use.The program had been in limbo since the start of the Trump administration as Elon Musk and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-c4c8e4f4766dee7dfff4d24161e0cf3f">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;have slashed their way through the federal government. Musk posted in February on his social media site, X, that he had “deleted” 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects such as Direct File.There was some hope that Musk, with his DOGE team of computer programmers, could take over Direct File and improve it. But the two people familiar with the decision to end Direct File said its future became clear when the IRS staff assigned to the program were told in mid-March to stop working on its development for the 2026 tax filing season.The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the plans and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.Adam Ruben, a vice president at the liberal-leaning Economic Security Project, said “the fix was in from the beginning.”“It is an outrage to see everyday taxpayers play no role in this decision,” he said. “Cutting costs and saving money for families were just empty campaign promises.”But David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, which describes itself as a nonpartisan organization that disseminates research and analysis on the government’s effects on the economy, said Direct File was “problematic” from day 1, citing the program’s costs and noting that many people who started the process never finished. According to the IRS 423,450 taxpayers logged into Direct File and 140,803 submitted accepted returns in 2024.“From hidden costs to taxpayer confusion, the program is riddled with issues,” Williams said.Direct File was rolled out as a pilot program in 2024 after the IRS was tasked with looking into how to create a “direct file” system as part of the money it received from the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by Biden in 2022. The Democratic administration spent tens of millions of dollars developing the program.Last May, the agency announced that the program would be made permanent.But the IRS has faced intense blowback to Direct File from private tax preparation companies that have made billions from charging people to use their software and have spent millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">lobbying Congress</a>. The average American typically spends about $140 preparing returns each year.Derrick Plummer, a spokesman for the commercial tax preparation company Intuit,, said in a statement that “Direct File is and has been a solution in search of a problem, a drain on critical IRS resources and a waste of taxpayer dollars.”The IRS accepted 140,803 returns filed by taxpayers using Direct File in the 12 states where it was available last tax season. It was expanded to include half the country this year. It is unclear how many taxpayers have used Direct File this year.Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, which worked with the IRS to create a state tax filing integration program for Direct File, said the decision was “a betrayal of public trust at precisely the time government should be demonstrating its ability to deliver basic services effectively.”Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a proponent of building out Direct File, said in an emailed statement that Trump and Musk “are going after Direct File because it stops giant tax prep companies from ripping taxpayers off for services that should be free. Americans want a free and easy way to file their taxes — Trump and Musk want to take that away.”

Trump administration to end free tax filing program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve can stay patient and wait to see how tariffs and other economic policies of the Trump administration play out before making any changes to interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

"As that great Chicagoan Ferris Bueller once noted, 'Life moves pretty fast,'" Powell said in a speech to the Economic Club of Chicago. "For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity" on the impact of policy changes in areas such as immigration, taxation, regulation, and tariffs, Powell said.

The sharp volatility in financial markets since President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs April 2, only to put most of them on hold a week later, has led to speculation about whether the Fed would soon cut its key interest rate or take other steps to calm investors. Yet the Fed is unlikely to intervene unless there is a breakdown in the market for Treasury securities or other malfunctions, economists say.

Stocks fell further after Powell's remarks. The broad S&amp;P 500 index dropped more than 2% in afternoon trading.

In his prepared remarks, Powell reiterated that the Trump administration's tariffs are "significantly larger than anticipated."

"The same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth," he said.

Powell also said that the Fed could face threats to both of the mandates it's been given by Congress: To achieve maximum employment and maintain stable prices. Should both inflation and unemployment rise, that would be a "challenging scenario," he said, because the Fed would essentially have to choose whether to keep interest rates high to fight inflation, or cut them to spur growth and hiring.

"Our tool only does one of those two things at the same time," he said in a question-and-answer session.

Powell and many Fed officials have signaled previously that they are more concerned about tariffs pushing inflation higher than their potential hit to growth. That would mean that even if the economy weakened, the Fed might keep rates elevated to combat inflation.

Powell said the inflation from tariffs will likely be temporary, but "could also be more persistent," echoing a concern expressed by a majority of the Fed's 19-member interest rate-setting committee in the minutes of their meeting last month.

Yet some splits among the Fed's interest rate-setting committee have emerged. On Monday, Fed governor Christopher Waller said that he expects the impact of even a large increase in tariffs to be temporary, even if they are left in place for several years. At the same time, he also expects such large duties would weigh on the economy and even threaten a recession.

Should the economy slow sharply, even if inflation remained elevated, Waller said he would support cutting interest rates "sooner, and to a greater extent than I had previously thought."

But other Fed officials, including Neel Kashkari, president of the Fed's Minneapolis branch, have said they are more focused on fighting the effects of higher tariffs on inflation, suggesting they are less likely to support rate cuts anytime soon.

For now, most recent reports suggest the economy is in solid shape. Hiring has been solid and inflation cooled in March. Yet measures of consumer and business confidence have plunged, raising concerns among economists that spending and business investment could weaken.

Powell said he shared those concerns. He said that the increase in tariffs was so large and there is so much uncertainty surrounding the administration's next moves that it could cause companies to become more cautious about spending.

"These are very fundamental changes in long held ... policies in the United States," he said. "The Smoot-Hawley tariffs were actually not this large and they were 95 years ago. So there isn't a modern experience of how to think about this." The Smoot-Hawley tariff in 1930 has been blamed for worsening the Great Depression.

If the uncertainty persists, Powell said, "that would weigh on ... investment, just in general."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve can stay patient and wait to see how tariffs and other economic policies of the Trump administration play out before making any changes to interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell at <a href="https://twitter.com/EconClubChi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EconClubChi</a>: &quot;As that great Chicagoan Ferris Bueller once noted, &quot;Life moves pretty fast.&quot; For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering any adjustments to our policy stance.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bYryQN1FmX">pic.twitter.com/bYryQN1FmX</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1912569282656903393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"As that great Chicagoan Ferris Bueller once noted, 'Life moves pretty fast,'" Powell said in a speech to the Economic Club of Chicago. "For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity" on the impact of policy changes in areas such as immigration, taxation, regulation, and tariffs, Powell said.The sharp volatility in financial markets since President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs April 2, only to put most of them on hold a week later, has led to speculation about whether the Fed would soon cut its key interest rate or take other steps to calm investors. Yet the Fed is unlikely to intervene unless there is a breakdown in the market for Treasury securities or other malfunctions, economists say.Stocks fell further after Powell's remarks. The broad S&amp;P 500 index dropped more than 2% in afternoon trading.In his prepared remarks, Powell reiterated that the Trump administration's tariffs are "significantly larger than anticipated.""The same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth," he said.Powell also said that the Fed could face threats to both of the mandates it's been given by Congress: To achieve maximum employment and maintain stable prices. Should both inflation and unemployment rise, that would be a "challenging scenario," he said, because the Fed would essentially have to choose whether to keep interest rates high to fight inflation, or cut them to spur growth and hiring."Our tool only does one of those two things at the same time," he said in a question-and-answer session.Powell and many Fed officials have signaled previously that they are more concerned about tariffs pushing inflation higher than their potential hit to growth. That would mean that even if the economy weakened, the Fed might keep rates elevated to combat inflation.Powell said the inflation from tariffs will likely be temporary, but "could also be more persistent," echoing a concern expressed by a majority of the Fed's 19-member interest rate-setting committee in the minutes of their meeting last month.Yet some splits among the Fed's interest rate-setting committee have emerged. On Monday, Fed governor Christopher Waller said that he expects the impact of even a large increase in tariffs to be temporary, even if they are left in place for several years. At the same time, he also expects such large duties would weigh on the economy and even threaten a recession.Should the economy slow sharply, even if inflation remained elevated, Waller said he would support cutting interest rates "sooner, and to a greater extent than I had previously thought."But other Fed officials, including Neel Kashkari, president of the Fed's Minneapolis branch, have said they are more focused on fighting the effects of higher tariffs on inflation, suggesting they are less likely to support rate cuts anytime soon.For now, most recent reports suggest the economy is in solid shape. Hiring has been solid and inflation cooled in March. Yet measures of consumer and business confidence have plunged, raising concerns among economists that spending and business investment could weaken.Powell said he shared those concerns. He said that the increase in tariffs was so large and there is so much uncertainty surrounding the administration's next moves that it could cause companies to become more cautious about spending."These are very fundamental changes in long held ... policies in the United States," he said. "The Smoot-Hawley tariffs were actually not this large and they were 95 years ago. So there isn't a modern experience of how to think about this." The Smoot-Hawley tariff in 1930 has been blamed for worsening the Great Depression.If the uncertainty persists, Powell said, "that would weigh on ... investment, just in general."

🎥Fed Chief cites Ferris Bueller in discussion on interest rates

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

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rancher Brett Kenzy hopes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-tariffs-2e05057e973e1e26d1b95c5be003b4cd">President Donald Trump's tariffs</a>&nbsp;will make imported beef expensive enough that Americans will turn to cattle raised at home for all their hamburgers and steaks.

That might raise prices enough to give Kenzy and others the incentive they need to expand their herds for the first time in decades. But doing that would take at least two years, and it's not clear if Trump's tariffs on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-china-recession-deals-e8e54a68397e6829e1d27552a1d7bfb9">most of the world</a>&nbsp;besides China are high enough to make that worth the investment.

“If we can just fix a few key things, I think that we can reinvigorate rural America,” said the South Dakota rancher. “Just get these imports under control, get them to a level that we can understand and plan on, and then let us fill the void. And I think that the American rancher can do that.”

Trump has enjoyed overwhelming support in rural parts of the country in his three campaigns for president. Still, the uncertainty created by the trade war he instigated has given some ranchers pause as they've watched cattle prices drop after the tariffs were announced.

“I just don’t like manipulated markets because somebody is going to artificially win and somebody is going to artificially lose,” said Bryant Kagay, who raises and feeds cattle as well as growing crops on his farm in northwest Missouri. “And how do I know it’s not going to be me?”

Ranchers hope the tariffs might create an incentive for them to raise more cattle, and the National Cattlemen trade group is salivating at the idea of selling more cuts of meat overseas if the tariffs lead to new trade deals with countries that don't buy much U.S. beef.

That's a big if — Trump has said dozens of countries have reached out to negotiate new trade deals, but no agreements have been reached.

About the only thing clear so far is that American ranchers will likely lose one of their biggest markets as a result of the 125% tariffs imposed by China in response to Trump. They sold $1.6 billion worth of beef there last year, and since many ranchers also raise crops, they are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">reeling</a>&nbsp;about the prospect of losing China as a market for those, too.

Most beef exports to China are already on hold because the certificates from that country that meat plants need weren't renewed at most beef plants in the United States after they expired in March. So the U.S. Meat Export Federation said few American beef plants are even eligible to ship to China right now.

Kenzy hopes Trump's tariffs represent a lasting change in U.S. trade policy. So far the tariffs have been changing so much since they were announced that ranchers can’t count on them yet.

“If this is just a short-term negotiating tactic — Tarzan beating his chest — then I would say that that would be an epic failure because that will not result in reshoring industry,” Kenzy said.

The problem, as Kenzy and other members of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America see it, is that the more than 4 billion pounds of beef that's imported every year — along with cattle brought in from other countries to be slaughtered here — keeps cattle prices lower.

Much of what is imported is lean beef trimmings that meatpackers mix with fattier beef produced here in the United States to produce the varieties of ground beef that domestic consumers want. Even though Trump placed most of his proposed tariffs on hold, the across-the-board 10% tariffs he imposed for 90 days will make imported beef more expensive, so consumers are likely to see the price of hamburger increase.

Even if ranchers decided to raise more cattle to help replace those imports, it would take at least two years to breed and raise them. That means meat processors will likely pay higher prices for that imported beef for at least that long. And the ongoing drought across most of the West will continue to make it difficult to raise more cattle.

Plus, if American ranchers want to produce more of that lean beef they might have to change the way they raise their animals because the entire system in this country is designed to produce fattier meat to get deliciously marbled and tender steaks that help ranchers make the most money. Kansas State University agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor said most of the lean beef America buys comes from Australia and New Zealand where cattle are fed grass — not grain — their entire lives, and that's an entirely different system.

US ranchers hope tariffs level playing field but uncertainty remains

The number of cattle being raised across the country has been shrinking for decades to reach the current historic lows of around 28 million, but Texas A&amp;M livestock economist David Anderson said even though that's less than two-thirds of the number of cattle there were in 1975, more beef — some 26.7 billion pounds — was actually produced last year. That's because the American beef industry has become so good at feeding cattle and breeding larger animals that now every head of cattle produces more meat. Anderson said that means there's less incentive to expand the herd.

Casey Maher, owner of the Maher Angus Ranch in Morristown, S.D., said he hopes Trump’s tariffs will level the playing field for American beef producers.

“We’re optimistic and we’re going to stay the course,” said Maher, a third-generation rancher. “We’ve gone through tough times, and if it’s for the greater good, I think ranchers are all in.”

Not all of them, though. Kagay, the Missouri farmer, said uncertainty causes problems of its own.

“I’m not real confident about these tariffs,” he said. “Will they stick around? Will they not stick around? Can I count on them? What exactly is going to happen? You know, nobody knows. So it makes it hard for me to plan my business. I just don’t like it.”

That uncertainty could extend well beyond farming and ranching if it creates new fears about the economy as a whole. If consumers buy less beef because they are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-inflation-fda8125b8b8f4929b1528046d842758f">worried</a>&nbsp;about their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asian-grocery-stores-tariffs-prices-77d7209f542a027eafd5d0d4bb213dbf">grocery budgets</a>, it won't matter how much beef is imported.

“You’re less likely to pay up for a ribeye steak if you’re worried about losing your job,” Tonsor said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736267973702.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOSH%20FUNK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer</a>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rancher Brett Kenzy hopes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-tariffs-2e05057e973e1e26d1b95c5be003b4cd">President Donald Trump's tariffs</a>&nbsp;will make imported beef expensive enough that Americans will turn to cattle raised at home for all their hamburgers and steaks.That might raise prices enough to give Kenzy and others the incentive they need to expand their herds for the first time in decades. But doing that would take at least two years, and it's not clear if Trump's tariffs on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-stock-market-china-recession-deals-e8e54a68397e6829e1d27552a1d7bfb9">most of the world</a>&nbsp;besides China are high enough to make that worth the investment.“If we can just fix a few key things, I think that we can reinvigorate rural America,” said the South Dakota rancher. “Just get these imports under control, get them to a level that we can understand and plan on, and then let us fill the void. And I think that the American rancher can do that.”Trump has enjoyed overwhelming support in rural parts of the country in his three campaigns for president. Still, the uncertainty created by the trade war he instigated has given some ranchers pause as they've watched cattle prices drop after the tariffs were announced.“I just don’t like manipulated markets because somebody is going to artificially win and somebody is going to artificially lose,” said Bryant Kagay, who raises and feeds cattle as well as growing crops on his farm in northwest Missouri. “And how do I know it’s not going to be me?”<h2>Ranchers cautiously optimistic</h2>Ranchers hope the tariffs might create an incentive for them to raise more cattle, and the National Cattlemen trade group is salivating at the idea of selling more cuts of meat overseas if the tariffs lead to new trade deals with countries that don't buy much U.S. beef.That's a big if — Trump has said dozens of countries have reached out to negotiate new trade deals, but no agreements have been reached.About the only thing clear so far is that American ranchers will likely lose one of their biggest markets as a result of the 125% tariffs imposed by China in response to Trump. They sold $1.6 billion worth of beef there last year, and since many ranchers also raise crops, they are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">reeling</a>&nbsp;about the prospect of losing China as a market for those, too.Most beef exports to China are already on hold because the certificates from that country that meat plants need weren't renewed at most beef plants in the United States after they expired in March. So the U.S. Meat Export Federation said few American beef plants are even eligible to ship to China right now.Kenzy hopes Trump's tariffs represent a lasting change in U.S. trade policy. So far the tariffs have been changing so much since they were announced that ranchers can’t count on them yet.“If this is just a short-term negotiating tactic — Tarzan beating his chest — then I would say that that would be an epic failure because that will not result in reshoring industry,” Kenzy said.The problem, as Kenzy and other members of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America see it, is that the more than 4 billion pounds of beef that's imported every year — along with cattle brought in from other countries to be slaughtered here — keeps cattle prices lower.Much of what is imported is lean beef trimmings that meatpackers mix with fattier beef produced here in the United States to produce the varieties of ground beef that domestic consumers want. Even though Trump placed most of his proposed tariffs on hold, the across-the-board 10% tariffs he imposed for 90 days will make imported beef more expensive, so consumers are likely to see the price of hamburger increase.Even if ranchers decided to raise more cattle to help replace those imports, it would take at least two years to breed and raise them. That means meat processors will likely pay higher prices for that imported beef for at least that long. And the ongoing drought across most of the West will continue to make it difficult to raise more cattle.Plus, if American ranchers want to produce more of that lean beef they might have to change the way they raise their animals because the entire system in this country is designed to produce fattier meat to get deliciously marbled and tender steaks that help ranchers make the most money. Kansas State University agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor said most of the lean beef America buys comes from Australia and New Zealand where cattle are fed grass — not grain — their entire lives, and that's an entirely different system.<h2>US ranchers hope tariffs level playing field but uncertainty remains</h2>The number of cattle being raised across the country has been shrinking for decades to reach the current historic lows of around 28 million, but Texas A&amp;M livestock economist David Anderson said even though that's less than two-thirds of the number of cattle there were in 1975, more beef — some 26.7 billion pounds — was actually produced last year. That's because the American beef industry has become so good at feeding cattle and breeding larger animals that now every head of cattle produces more meat. Anderson said that means there's less incentive to expand the herd.Casey Maher, owner of the Maher Angus Ranch in Morristown, S.D., said he hopes Trump’s tariffs will level the playing field for American beef producers.“We’re optimistic and we’re going to stay the course,” said Maher, a third-generation rancher. “We’ve gone through tough times, and if it’s for the greater good, I think ranchers are all in.”Not all of them, though. Kagay, the Missouri farmer, said uncertainty causes problems of its own.“I’m not real confident about these tariffs,” he said. “Will they stick around? Will they not stick around? Can I count on them? What exactly is going to happen? You know, nobody knows. So it makes it hard for me to plan my business. I just don’t like it.”That uncertainty could extend well beyond farming and ranching if it creates new fears about the economy as a whole. If consumers buy less beef because they are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-inflation-fda8125b8b8f4929b1528046d842758f">worried</a>&nbsp;about their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asian-grocery-stores-tariffs-prices-77d7209f542a027eafd5d0d4bb213dbf">grocery budgets</a>, it won't matter how much beef is imported.“You’re less likely to pay up for a ribeye steak if you’re worried about losing your job,” Tonsor said.___

Ranchers hope Trump's tariffs boost demand for cattle 

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported five new case of measles over the past week in the state, according to the the KDHE's online reportable infections disease web site. One person is hospitalized.

Kansas has 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, and Gray counties.&nbsp; One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.

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.

Texas is reporting the majority of measles cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses near&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas</a>. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated also died of a measles-related illness.

<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 Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Oklahoma and Ohio.

The multistate outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">take hold in other U.S. communities</a>&nbsp;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 has said 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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744819382072.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported five new case of measles over the past week in the state, according to the the KDHE's online reportable infections disease web site. One person is hospitalized.Kansas has 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, and Gray counties.&nbsp; One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744819510121.png" alt="KDHE map April 16" />
 <figcaption>KDHE map April 16</figcaption>
 </figure>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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744819591987.png" alt="KDHE image released April 16" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image released April 16</figcaption>
 </figure>Texas is reporting the majority of measles cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses near&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas</a>. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated also died of a measles-related illness.<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 Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Oklahoma and Ohio.The multistate outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">take hold in other U.S. communities</a>&nbsp;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 has said 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 in late January. State health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">561 across 23 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 58 throughout the outbreak, and Reeves County logged its first case.State health officials estimated Tuesday that about 4% of cases — fewer than 25 — are actively infectious.Sixty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has logged 364 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to Kennedy. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February — Kennedy said age 6.New Mexico announced five new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 63. Three more people are in the hospital, for a total of five since the outbreak started. Doña Ana County reported its first case. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and one in Chaves County.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. 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 Oklahoma?</h2>Cases in Oklahoma remained steady at 12 total cases Tuesday: nine confirmed and three probable. 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 Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Rogers and Custer counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>The Knox County outbreak in east-central Ohio has infected a total 20 people as of Tuesday, according to a news release from the county health department, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 measles cases in the state last week: 11 in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, seven in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties. The state updates its count on Thursdays, and it only includes Ohio residents.The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana confirmed six connected cases of measles in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — four are unvaccinated minors and two are adults whose vaccination status is unknown.The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Wednesday. The first case was confirmed Monday.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, 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/">seven clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. 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 712.<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 experts don't always recommend it and health insurance plans may not cover it.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>-The Associated Press contributed to this report.