KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 3200 block of East 29th Street in Kansas City on a reported disturbance involving an individual armed with a weapon, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 When officers arrived the subject in question had fled the scene.&nbsp; As officers were investigating several other calls for service were received in the area reporting the same individual involved.&nbsp; Additional officers responded to the scene to canvass the area.

At about 10a.m., at 27th and Askew, officers located a man suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS responded to the scene and declared the individual deceased, according to DiMartino.

Preliminary investigation revealed it was the same person involved in the previous incidents. This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation. Police, at this time, are not looking for any additional suspects. Investigators are working to determine what led up to shots being fired. Crime scene technicians are gathering all available physical evidence and any possible surveillance footage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739219733010.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 3200 block of East 29th Street in Kansas City on a reported disturbance involving an individual armed with a weapon, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. When officers arrived the subject in question had fled the scene.&nbsp; As officers were investigating several other calls for service were received in the area reporting the same individual involved.&nbsp; Additional officers responded to the scene to canvass the area.At about 10a.m., at 27th and Askew, officers located a man suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS responded to the scene and declared the individual deceased, according to DiMartino.Preliminary investigation revealed it was the same person involved in the previous incidents. This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation. Police, at this time, are not looking for any additional suspects. Investigators are working to determine what led up to shots being fired. Crime scene technicians are gathering all available physical evidence and any possible surveillance footage.

KCPD: Disturbance led to man's shooting death

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged child sex crimes involving a staff member at an elementary school in Lawrence.

On Saturday, police in Lawrence launched&nbsp;an investigation into an alleged sexual assault of two students at Prairie Park Elementary, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

A concerned parent of one student called police Saturday morning about events that occurred during the school day on February 7. Investigators quickly uncovered evidence that led to the Saturday night arrest of 60-year-old Mark Elliott Gridley.&nbsp; &nbsp;He is a Speech and Language Pathologist at the school.

Monday morning, investigators learned of a second possible victim.&nbsp; That alleged assault also occurred Friday morning at the school.

Police are working closely with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County, USD 497 administrators, and the District Attorney’s office to ensure all expert services coordinate to uncover the complete scope of the potential harm and crimes committed.

In addition to the on-site law enforcement presence, police set up a phone line for parents who may need to report a concern about their child and any contact with Mark Gridley. The phone number is&nbsp;(785) 830-7430. In addition, police ask that any parent who may have concerns about their child’s interaction with Gridley, please contact law enforcement before discussing it in-depth with your child.

"Lawrence Police and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County are here and ready to talk to you and your child. They are trained to address these issues while limiting the traumatic impact these discussions have on young victims."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739224850023.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged child sex crimes involving a staff member at an elementary school in Lawrence.On Saturday, police in Lawrence launched&nbsp;an investigation into an alleged sexual assault of two students at Prairie Park Elementary, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.A concerned parent of one student called police Saturday morning about events that occurred during the school day on February 7. Investigators quickly uncovered evidence that led to the Saturday night arrest of 60-year-old Mark Elliott Gridley.&nbsp; &nbsp;He is a Speech and Language Pathologist at the school.Monday morning, investigators learned of a second possible victim.&nbsp; That alleged assault also occurred Friday morning at the school.Police are working closely with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County, USD 497 administrators, and the District Attorney’s office to ensure all expert services coordinate to uncover the complete scope of the potential harm and crimes committed.In addition to the on-site law enforcement presence, police set up a phone line for parents who may need to report a concern about their child and any contact with Mark Gridley. The phone number is&nbsp;(785) 830-7430. In addition, police ask that any parent who may have concerns about their child’s interaction with Gridley, please contact law enforcement before discussing it in-depth with your child. "Lawrence Police and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County are here and ready to talk to you and your child. They are trained to address these issues while limiting the traumatic impact these discussions have on young victims."

Speech pathologist at Kan. elementary school accused of child sex crimes

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement continue waring the public of a mail theft sxcap.

According to Lenexa Police, thieves are targeting outdoor post office mailboxes to steal mail containing checks. They "wash" the checks, altering the payee and amount, and drain victims’ bank accounts! There have been several reports of this around Johnson County, including here in Lenexa.

To protect yourself, police suggest: avoid using outdoor USPS mailboxes, especially after pickup hours.

&nbsp;Use the mail slot inside the post office for safer drop-offs. Use a gel pen when writing checks which makes them more difficult to "wash".&nbsp;Don't use window envelopes which can show that a check is inside and&nbsp;Consider electronic payments like online banking or apps for added security.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738424504488.png" alt="Photo Lenexa police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Lenexa police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement continue waring the public of a mail theft sxcap.According to Lenexa Police, thieves are targeting outdoor post office mailboxes to steal mail containing checks. They "wash" the checks, altering the payee and amount, and drain victims’ bank accounts! There have been several reports of this around Johnson County, including here in Lenexa.To protect yourself, police suggest: avoid using outdoor USPS mailboxes, especially after pickup hours.&nbsp;Use the mail slot inside the post office for safer drop-offs. Use a gel pen when writing checks which makes them more difficult to "wash".&nbsp;Don't use window envelopes which can show that a check is inside and&nbsp;Consider electronic payments like online banking or apps for added security.

Police in Kansas warn of mail theft scam

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said he is serious about wanting Canada to become the 51st state in an interview that aired Sunday during the Super Bowl preshow.

“Yeah it is,” Trump told Fox News Channel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bret-baier">Bret Baier</a>&nbsp;when asked whether his talk of annexing Canada is “a real thing" — as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-tariffs-trudeau-trump-5cfe160c66f90b973d90ea7810cddbe5">recently warned</a>.

“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen," he said. "Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?”

The U.S. is not subsidizing Canada. The U.S. buys products from the natural resource-rich nation, including commodities like oil. While the trade gap in goods has ballooned in recent years to $72 billion in 2023, the deficit largely reflects America’s imports of Canadian energy.

Trump has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-rejects-trumps-comments-about-possible-use-economic-force-2025-01-07/">suggested</a>&nbsp;that Canada would be better off if it agreed to become the 51st U.S. state — a prospect that is deeply unpopular among Canadians.

Trudeau said Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-tariffs-trudeau-trump-5cfe160c66f90b973d90ea7810cddbe5">during a closed-door session with business and labor leaders</a>&nbsp;that Trump’s talk of making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-trump-us-state-131dcff58a8f56116765f160d9f35460">Canada the 51st U.S. state</a>&nbsp;was “a real thing" and tied to desire for access to the country’s natural resources.

“Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing. In my conversations with him on ...,” Trudeau said, according to CBC, Canada's public broadcaster. “They’re very aware of our resources of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those."

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday as he traveled to the Super Bowl game in New Orleans, Trump continued to threaten a country that has long been one of the U.S.'s closest allies. He claimed that Canada is "not viable as a country” without U.S. trade, and warned that the founding NATO member can no longer depend on the U.S. for military protection.

“You know, they don’t pay very much for military. And the reason they don’t pay much is they assume that we’re going to protect them," he said. “That’s not an assumption they can make because — why are we protecting another country?"

In the Fox interview, which was pre-taped this weekend in Florida, Trump also said that he has not seen enough action from Canada and Mexico to stave off the tariffs he has threatened to impose on the country's two largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">trading partners</a>&nbsp;once a 30-day extension is up.

“No, it’s not good enough,” he said. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”

Trump last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-sheinbaum-trudeau-017efa8c3343b8d2a9444f7e65356ae9">agreed to a 30-day pause</a>&nbsp;on his plan to slap Mexico and Canada with a 25% tariff on all imports except for Canadian oil, natural gas and electricity, which would be taxed at 10%, after the countries took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.

Aboard Air Force One, Trump said that he would on Monday announce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., including from Canada and Mexico, and unveil a plan for reciprocal tariffs later in the week.

“Very simply it’s if they charge us, we charge them,” he said.

Trump’s participation in the Super Bowl interview marked a return to tradition. Presidents have typically granted a sit-down to the network broadcasting the game, the most-watched television event of the year. But both Trump and his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, were inconsistent in their participation.

Biden declined to participate last year — turning down a massive audience in an election year — and also skipped an appearance in 2023, when efforts by his team to have Biden speak with a Fox Corp. streaming service instead of the main network failed. During his first term, Trump participated three out of four years.

Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attends-super-bowl-ae879e4f0a905b103e9059245f2887e2">the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person</a>&nbsp;— something he told Baier he was surprised to learn.

“I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president at the game,” he said.

During his flight to New Orleans, Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 “the first ever Gulf of America Day" as Air Force One flew over the body of water that he renamed by proclamation from the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump in the interview, also defended the work of billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-secrecy-68a66370cbc67c457e0a1c6edb08c5ef">Elon Musk</a>, whose so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, or DOGE, has been drawing deep concern from Democrats as he moves to shut down whole government agencies and fire large swaths of the federal workforce in the name of rooting out waste and inefficiency.

Musk, Trump said, has “been terrific," and will target the Department of Education and the military next.

“We’re going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse,” Trump predicted. “I campaigned on this."

He was also asked about his dancing, which has become a popular meme on social media.

“I don't know what it is," he said. “I try and walk off sometimes without dancing and I can’t. I have to dance.”

___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1733023283407.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;President-elect Trump and Trudeau during dinner at Mar-a-Lago in late November- Trudeau resigned in January -image courtesy CSPAN.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;President-elect Trump and Trudeau during dinner at Mar-a-Lago in late November- Trudeau resigned in January -image courtesy CSPAN.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said he is serious about wanting Canada to become the 51st state in an interview that aired Sunday during the Super Bowl preshow.“Yeah it is,” Trump told Fox News Channel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bret-baier">Bret Baier</a>&nbsp;when asked whether his talk of annexing Canada is “a real thing" — as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-tariffs-trudeau-trump-5cfe160c66f90b973d90ea7810cddbe5">recently warned</a>.“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen," he said. "Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?”The U.S. is not subsidizing Canada. The U.S. buys products from the natural resource-rich nation, including commodities like oil. While the trade gap in goods has ballooned in recent years to $72 billion in 2023, the deficit largely reflects America’s imports of Canadian energy.Trump has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-rejects-trumps-comments-about-possible-use-economic-force-2025-01-07/">suggested</a>&nbsp;that Canada would be better off if it agreed to become the 51st U.S. state — a prospect that is deeply unpopular among Canadians.Trudeau said Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-tariffs-trudeau-trump-5cfe160c66f90b973d90ea7810cddbe5">during a closed-door session with business and labor leaders</a>&nbsp;that Trump’s talk of making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-trump-us-state-131dcff58a8f56116765f160d9f35460">Canada the 51st U.S. state</a>&nbsp;was “a real thing" and tied to desire for access to the country’s natural resources.“Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing. In my conversations with him on ...,” Trudeau said, according to CBC, Canada's public broadcaster. “They’re very aware of our resources of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those."Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday as he traveled to the Super Bowl game in New Orleans, Trump continued to threaten a country that has long been one of the U.S.'s closest allies. He claimed that Canada is "not viable as a country” without U.S. trade, and warned that the founding NATO member can no longer depend on the U.S. for military protection.“You know, they don’t pay very much for military. And the reason they don’t pay much is they assume that we’re going to protect them," he said. “That’s not an assumption they can make because — why are we protecting another country?"In the Fox interview, which was pre-taped this weekend in Florida, Trump also said that he has not seen enough action from Canada and Mexico to stave off the tariffs he has threatened to impose on the country's two largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">trading partners</a>&nbsp;once a 30-day extension is up.“No, it’s not good enough,” he said. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”Trump last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-sheinbaum-trudeau-017efa8c3343b8d2a9444f7e65356ae9">agreed to a 30-day pause</a>&nbsp;on his plan to slap Mexico and Canada with a 25% tariff on all imports except for Canadian oil, natural gas and electricity, which would be taxed at 10%, after the countries took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.Aboard Air Force One, Trump said that he would on Monday announce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., including from Canada and Mexico, and unveil a plan for reciprocal tariffs later in the week.“Very simply it’s if they charge us, we charge them,” he said.Trump’s participation in the Super Bowl interview marked a return to tradition. Presidents have typically granted a sit-down to the network broadcasting the game, the most-watched television event of the year. But both Trump and his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, were inconsistent in their participation.Biden declined to participate last year — turning down a massive audience in an election year — and also skipped an appearance in 2023, when efforts by his team to have Biden speak with a Fox Corp. streaming service instead of the main network failed. During his first term, Trump participated three out of four years.Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attends-super-bowl-ae879e4f0a905b103e9059245f2887e2">the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person</a>&nbsp;— something he told Baier he was surprised to learn.“I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president at the game,” he said.During his flight to New Orleans, Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 “the first ever Gulf of America Day" as Air Force One flew over the body of water that he renamed by proclamation from the Gulf of Mexico.Trump in the interview, also defended the work of billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-secrecy-68a66370cbc67c457e0a1c6edb08c5ef">Elon Musk</a>, whose so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, or DOGE, has been drawing deep concern from Democrats as he moves to shut down whole government agencies and fire large swaths of the federal workforce in the name of rooting out waste and inefficiency.Musk, Trump said, has “been terrific," and will target the Department of Education and the military next.“We’re going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse,” Trump predicted. “I campaigned on this."He was also asked about his dancing, which has become a popular meme on social media.“I don't know what it is," he said. “I try and walk off sometimes without dancing and I can’t. I have to dance.”___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

Trump says he is serious about Canada becoming 51st state 

SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal threat in Salina.

Just after 11a.m. February 7, police were dispatched to Kansas Wesleyan University, 100 E. Claflin in Salina, following reports of a man making students feel uncomfortable, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

School officials identified the individual as Jonathan Deacon, 35, of Salina.&nbsp; "Campus security escorted him off school property. While doing so, Deacon allegedly made comments about the security of the school," Feldman said.&nbsp;

A 22-year-old student later reported that Deacon had yelled at him not to attend a dance on campus that evening and stated that he would be back. The student's concerns prompted further investigation.

While officers investigated the Kansas Wesleyan incident, officers were called to the VFW, 1108 W. Crawford in Salina, regarding a man acting strangely at the business. Officers arrived and identified the man as Deacon, who confirmed he had been at Kansas Wesleyan earlier. Police&nbsp; took him into custody on requested charges of criminal threat. He is not a student at the university.&nbsp;

KWU Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Brad Salois said the incident was related to an “outside event on campus.”

Salois did not offer additional comments. Salina Post obtained the KWU email, signed by Salois, from an event volunteer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739205609846.jpeg" alt="Deacon -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Deacon -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal threat in Salina.Just after 11a.m. February 7, police were dispatched to Kansas Wesleyan University, 100 E. Claflin in Salina, following reports of a man making students feel uncomfortable, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.School officials identified the individual as Jonathan Deacon, 35, of Salina.&nbsp; "Campus security escorted him off school property. While doing so, Deacon allegedly made comments about the security of the school," Feldman said.&nbsp;A 22-year-old student later reported that Deacon had yelled at him not to attend a dance on campus that evening and stated that he would be back. The student's concerns prompted further investigation.While officers investigated the Kansas Wesleyan incident, officers were called to the VFW, 1108 W. Crawford in Salina, regarding a man acting strangely at the business. Officers arrived and identified the man as Deacon, who confirmed he had been at Kansas Wesleyan earlier. Police&nbsp; took him into custody on requested charges of criminal threat. He is not a student at the university.&nbsp;KWU Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Brad Salois said the incident was related to an “outside event on campus.”Salois did not offer additional comments. Salina Post obtained the KWU email, signed by Salois, from an event volunteer.

Police: Man accused of threat at Kansas Wesleyan University

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.

Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.

Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.

Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.

He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”

Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.

Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”

“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.

The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.

Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”

“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.

“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.

“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”

“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.

Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”

“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739206873043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.<h2>Restoring ‘common sense’</h2>Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.<h2>‘We will fight any attempt’</h2>Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

U.S. House members battle over eliminating Dept. of Education 

On Monday, Judge Christopher Magana followed the plea agreement and sentenced Gage Kaiser, 20, Mulvane, to 43 months in prison and ordered him to pay $2,962 in restitution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In December, Kaiser pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under influence, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work has will learn his fate Monday afternoon.

In December, 20-year-old Gage Kaiser pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under influence, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;

The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, 2024, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;

Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver, later identified as Kaiser, was not injured.

Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year. On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser.

Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726259901569.png" alt="Kaiser from his arrest in Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Kaiser from his arrest in Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Judge Christopher Magana followed the plea agreement and sentenced Gage Kaiser, 20, Mulvane, to 43 months in prison and ordered him to pay $2,962 in restitution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;In December, Kaiser pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under influence, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;--------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work has will learn his fate Monday afternoon.In December, 20-year-old Gage Kaiser pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter while driving under influence, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710681634704.png" alt="Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater" />
 <figcaption>Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater</figcaption>
 </figure>The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, 2024, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver, later identified as Kaiser, was not injured.Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year. On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser.Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;

Sentencing Day: For DUI crash that killed Kansas police officer

WASHINGTON —Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran reported some "good news" over the weekend on his effort to get Secretary of State Marco Rubio to distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stalled in U.S. ports to reach those in need. On Feb. 3, Moran wrote on social media, "Time is running out before this life-saving aid perishes."

On Saturday night Moran wrote, "The State Dept. has approved shipping to resume,&nbsp;allowing NGOs or non governmental organizations to distribute&nbsp;the $560 million of American-grown food aid sitting in US and global ports to those in need." 

"Thanks to Secretary Rubio for helping make certain this life-saving aid gets to those in need before it spoils."

Moran was the co-founder of the Senate Hunger Caucus. "The caucus&nbsp;raises awareness about issues surrounding hunger, including the importance of international food aid programs and agriculture research and development initiatives to end hunger and promote stability in the world," according to a statement on the senator's web site.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726760316172.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran -courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran -courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran reported some "good news" over the weekend on his effort to get Secretary of State Marco Rubio to distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stalled in U.S. ports to reach those in need. On Feb. 3, Moran wrote on social media, "Time is running out before this life-saving aid perishes."On Saturday night Moran wrote, "The State Dept. has approved shipping to resume,&nbsp;allowing NGOs or non governmental organizations to distribute&nbsp;the $560 million of American-grown food aid sitting in US and global ports to those in need." "Thanks to Secretary Rubio for helping make certain this life-saving aid gets to those in need before it spoils."Moran was the co-founder of the Senate Hunger Caucus. "The caucus&nbsp;raises awareness about issues surrounding hunger, including the importance of international food aid programs and agriculture research and development initiatives to end hunger and promote stability in the world," according to a statement on the senator's web site.

Sec. of State takes action on Moran's food distribution request

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.

“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” Trump wrote in a post Sunday night on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”

The move by Trump is the latest in what has been a rapid-fire effort by his new administration to enact sweeping change through executive order and proclamation on issues ranging from immigration, to gender and diversity, to the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump had not discussed his desire to eliminate the penny during his campaign. But Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency raised the prospect in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1881928086305870127">a post on X last month</a>&nbsp;highlighting the penny’s cost.

<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">The U.S. Mint reported losing</a>&nbsp;$85.3 million in the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September on the nearly 3.2 billion pennies it produced. Every penny cost nearly $0.037 — up from $0.031 the year before.

The mint also loses money on the nickel, with each of the $0.05 coins costing nearly $0.14 to make.

It is unclear whether Trump has the power to unilaterally eliminate the lowly one-cent coin. Currency specifications -- including the size and metal content of coins -- are dictated by Congress.

But Robert K. Triest, an economics professor at Northeastern University,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/01/29/discontinue-the-penny-trump-administration/">has argued that</a>&nbsp;there might be wiggle room.

“The process of discontinuing the penny in the U.S. is a little unclear. It would likely require an act of Congress, but the Secretary of the Treasury might be able to simply stop the minting of new pennies,” he said last month.

Members of Congress have repeatedly introduced legislation taking aim at the zinc coin with copper plating. Proposals over the years have attempted to temporarily suspend the penny’s production, eliminate it from circulation, or require that prices be rounded to the nearest five cents, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Proponents of eliminating the coin have cited cost savings, speedier checkouts at cash registers, and the fact that a number of countries have already eliminated their one-cent coins. Canada, for instance,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mint.ca/en/blog/2022-06-legacy-of-the-penny?srsltid=AfmBOoqlKa_MtqmMEKdwsx8tKPRlFV-cbFrEsHAsm1W-xYh2ooN29ekU">stopped minting its penny</a>&nbsp;in 2012.

It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. eliminated its least valuable coin. The half-cent coin was discontinued by Congress in 1857.

Trump's new administration has been sharply focused on cutting costs, with Musk, who has been brought on to lead the task, targeting entire agencies and large swaths of the federal workforce as he tries to identify a goal of $2 trillion in savings.

“Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” Trump wrote in his post.

Trump sent the message as he was departing New Orleans after watching the first half of the Super Bowl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739192025836.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” Trump wrote in a post Sunday night on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739192207660.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move by Trump is the latest in what has been a rapid-fire effort by his new administration to enact sweeping change through executive order and proclamation on issues ranging from immigration, to gender and diversity, to the name of the Gulf of Mexico.Trump had not discussed his desire to eliminate the penny during his campaign. But Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency raised the prospect in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1881928086305870127">a post on X last month</a>&nbsp;highlighting the penny’s cost.<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">The U.S. Mint reported losing</a>&nbsp;$85.3 million in the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September on the nearly 3.2 billion pennies it produced. Every penny cost nearly $0.037 — up from $0.031 the year before.The mint also loses money on the nickel, with each of the $0.05 coins costing nearly $0.14 to make.It is unclear whether Trump has the power to unilaterally eliminate the lowly one-cent coin. Currency specifications -- including the size and metal content of coins -- are dictated by Congress.But Robert K. Triest, an economics professor at Northeastern University,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/01/29/discontinue-the-penny-trump-administration/">has argued that</a>&nbsp;there might be wiggle room.“The process of discontinuing the penny in the U.S. is a little unclear. It would likely require an act of Congress, but the Secretary of the Treasury might be able to simply stop the minting of new pennies,” he said last month.Members of Congress have repeatedly introduced legislation taking aim at the zinc coin with copper plating. Proposals over the years have attempted to temporarily suspend the penny’s production, eliminate it from circulation, or require that prices be rounded to the nearest five cents, according to the Congressional Research Service.Proponents of eliminating the coin have cited cost savings, speedier checkouts at cash registers, and the fact that a number of countries have already eliminated their one-cent coins. Canada, for instance,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mint.ca/en/blog/2022-06-legacy-of-the-penny?srsltid=AfmBOoqlKa_MtqmMEKdwsx8tKPRlFV-cbFrEsHAsm1W-xYh2ooN29ekU">stopped minting its penny</a>&nbsp;in 2012.It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. eliminated its least valuable coin. The half-cent coin was discontinued by Congress in 1857.Trump's new administration has been sharply focused on cutting costs, with Musk, who has been brought on to lead the task, targeting entire agencies and large swaths of the federal workforce as he tries to identify a goal of $2 trillion in savings.“Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” Trump wrote in his post.Trump sent the message as he was departing New Orleans after watching the first half of the Super Bowl.___

Trump orders end to minting of new pennies

RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.

Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.

Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186807284.png" alt="File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers" />
 <figcaption>File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186532436.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

Former Kansas State basketball star arrested at Manhattan airport

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 29-year-old Chavis Collins, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

Just after 1:00 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim, later identified as Collins, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, Collins dies of his injuries.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

This is the city’s 2nd homicide in two days.&nbsp; On Friday, police responded to a fatal shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.&nbsp;

First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. One was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 29-year-old Chavis Collins, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.Just after 1:00 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a local hospital in reference to a victim, later identified as Collins, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. A short time later, Collins dies of his injuries.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.This is the city’s 2nd homicide in two days.&nbsp; On Friday, police responded to a fatal shooting in the 2700 Block of SW Burnett Road.&nbsp;First responders found three individuals who had life-threatening injuries. One was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel, and the other two were taken to a local area hospital.

Police ID victim in 2nd homicide over two days in Topeka

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%20and%20ANDREW%20DALTON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE SKRETTA and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press</a>

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.

Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.

The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.

That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.

Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.

So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.

By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.

“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”

Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.

Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.

That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.

This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.

On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.

The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.

That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.

The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.

“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.

Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.

Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.

“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.

“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739184858755.png" alt="Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)" />
 <figcaption>Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%20and%20ANDREW%20DALTON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE SKRETTA and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press</a>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”___

No on-field kisses for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at this Super Bowl

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.

Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."

Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.

Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."

Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures.

"This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.

The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.

Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."

The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.

During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.

The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.

Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.

Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.

Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations.

"Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.

Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks.

"I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.

Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.

AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738891651773.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures."This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations."Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks."I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.___AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

Trump administration orders consumer protection agency to stop work

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for deliberately ramming his vehicle into a federal law enforcement officer who was attempting to take the passenger of the vehicle into custody.

According to court documents, Diego Almaguer, 19, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.

On February 23, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to a home in Kansas City, Kansas, to execute an arrest warrant. They watched the person they were seeking and Almaguer get into a vehicle that had been backed into the driveway with Almaguer in the driver’s seat. Agents pulled up in their law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights flashing. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, wearing a ballistic vest with police markings, positioned himself in front of the vehicle. Almaguer struck the officer causing him to bounce over the windshield before hitting the ground.

Almaguer led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across the state line into Missouri, at times reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. He and the second person were ultimately arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, hiding in an outbuilding behind a residence

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738165572105.png" alt="Almaguer-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Almaguer-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for deliberately ramming his vehicle into a federal law enforcement officer who was attempting to take the passenger of the vehicle into custody.According to court documents, Diego Almaguer, 19, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.On February 23, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to a home in Kansas City, Kansas, to execute an arrest warrant. They watched the person they were seeking and Almaguer get into a vehicle that had been backed into the driveway with Almaguer in the driver’s seat. Agents pulled up in their law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights flashing. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, wearing a ballistic vest with police markings, positioned himself in front of the vehicle. Almaguer struck the officer causing him to bounce over the windshield before hitting the ground.Almaguer led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across the state line into Missouri, at times reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. He and the second person were ultimately arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, hiding in an outbuilding behind a residence

Kansas man going to prison for striking federal officer with car

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a stolen vehicle being pursued by Jefferson County on NW US 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Our deputies responded and took over the pursuit as it entered Shawnee county. The driver of the U-Haul refused to stop and continued southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. The pursuit ended when a K-9 Unit pinned the vehicle against a curb near SW 6th Street and SW Fairlawn Road.

During the investigation, illegal narcotics and numerous stolen items were located. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Lawrence.

The driver, Ranetta J. Jackson, 41, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requested charges of Aggravated battery (3 counts), Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (6 counts), Felony possession of stolen property, Felony flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana , Possession of drug paraphernalia, Reckless driving, Failure to stop at an accident, Failure to stop at a stop sign, Transporting an open container of liquor, Driving while license suspended and Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol&nbsp;

The passenger, Jeffrey Mitchell, 54, was also arrested and booked into the SNDOC on 10 felony warrants and one misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739039002938.png" alt="Mitchell-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mitchell-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a high speed chase.Just before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a stolen vehicle being pursued by Jefferson County on NW US 24 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Our deputies responded and took over the pursuit as it entered Shawnee county. The driver of the U-Haul refused to stop and continued southbound on NW Topeka Boulevard. The pursuit ended when a K-9 Unit pinned the vehicle against a curb near SW 6th Street and SW Fairlawn Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739038923804.png" alt="Jackson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jackson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, illegal narcotics and numerous stolen items were located. The vehicle was reported stolen out of Lawrence.The driver, Ranetta J. Jackson, 41, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requested charges of Aggravated battery (3 counts), Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (6 counts), Felony possession of stolen property, Felony flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana , Possession of drug paraphernalia, Reckless driving, Failure to stop at an accident, Failure to stop at a stop sign, Transporting an open container of liquor, Driving while license suspended and Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol&nbsp;The passenger, Jeffrey Mitchell, 54, was also arrested and booked into the SNDOC on 10 felony warrants and one misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.

2 jailed in Kansas after high-speed chase with stolen U-Haul

NEW ORLEANS —Donald Trump is set to make history as the first president to attend the Super Bowl while in office.

On Sunday afternoon, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared a photo of a group of Senators ready to board Air Force One for the trip to New Orleans for the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739137208965.png" alt="Photo Senator Roger Marshall." />
 <figcaption>Photo Senator Roger Marshall.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS —Donald Trump is set to make history as the first president to attend the Super Bowl while in office.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> boards Air Force One en route to Super Bowl LIX! 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/2WnRx5Yqi0">pic.twitter.com/2WnRx5Yqi0</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888681271561253116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> en route to Caesars Superdome 🏈🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ERZxrtT1EY">pic.twitter.com/ERZxrtT1EY</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888714004194906257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A few minutes until kick-off! Here in New Orleans with <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, let&#39;s go <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowl</a> <a href="https://t.co/bnpJtCV8xC">pic.twitter.com/bnpJtCV8xC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1888730036318183880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Sunday afternoon, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared a photo of a group of Senators ready to board Air Force One for the trip to New Orleans for the game.

Kan. U.S. Senator joins Trump for historic Super Bowl trip

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/abrown/">ALEX BROWN</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;

The federal agency’s role is irreplaceable, emergency managers say.

State and local emergency managers are facing a serious question in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office: When disaster strikes, will they be able to count on the federal government?

Trump has called the Federal Emergency Management Agency a “disaster” and suggested it might “go away.” He said states would best take care of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires on their own, with the federal government reimbursing some of the costs. He convened a council to review FEMA and recommend “improvements or structural changes.”

But leaders in states that have been hit by disasters say they need more than the promise of an eventual federal check to manage catastrophic events. They say they’re not equipped to handle the roles FEMA currently plays — such as marshaling emergency resources from multiple federal agencies, providing flood insurance, conducting damage assessments and distributing billions of dollars in recovery funds.

“FEMA has been an absolute lifesaver for people,” said Vermont state Sen. Anne Watson, a Democrat who has been involved in the state’s recovery from devastating 2023 floods. “I don’t see [states and municipalities] as being able to replicate what FEMA does. The possibility of it going away leaves millions and millions of Americans in a very vulnerable position.”

Meanwhile, Trump said last month that he wanted to make federal wildfire recovery aid to Los Angeles conditional on California enacting new laws requiring voter identification, adding further uncertainty about whether states can expect help from the feds.

Trump and his allies also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html" target="_blank">targeted the agency</a>&nbsp;in the wake of Hurricane Helene, spreading lies that FEMA, under President Joe Biden, was diverting disaster money to immigrants without legal status; failing to provide helicopters; limiting aid to $750 per person; and cutting off support for Republican areas.

State officials say that while there’s room for a conversation about state and federal roles in disaster response, eliminating FEMA altogether would be shortsighted.

“I don’t think it makes sense&nbsp;to get rid of FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, said in an interview with Stateline. “There are economies of scale [that a nationwide agency provides]. States don’t have that capability built to handle a disaster every single year.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639393151807.png" alt="File photo Tornado damage in Kansas" />
 <figcaption>File photo Tornado damage in Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/abrown/">ALEX BROWN</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;<h2>The federal agency’s role is irreplaceable, emergency managers say.</h2>State and local emergency managers are facing a serious question in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office: When disaster strikes, will they be able to count on the federal government?Trump has called the Federal Emergency Management Agency a “disaster” and suggested it might “go away.” He said states would best take care of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires on their own, with the federal government reimbursing some of the costs. He convened a council to review FEMA and recommend “improvements or structural changes.”But leaders in states that have been hit by disasters say they need more than the promise of an eventual federal check to manage catastrophic events. They say they’re not equipped to handle the roles FEMA currently plays — such as marshaling emergency resources from multiple federal agencies, providing flood insurance, conducting damage assessments and distributing billions of dollars in recovery funds.“FEMA has been an absolute lifesaver for people,” said Vermont state Sen. Anne Watson, a Democrat who has been involved in the state’s recovery from devastating 2023 floods. “I don’t see [states and municipalities] as being able to replicate what FEMA does. The possibility of it going away leaves millions and millions of Americans in a very vulnerable position.”Meanwhile, Trump said last month that he wanted to make federal wildfire recovery aid to Los Angeles conditional on California enacting new laws requiring voter identification, adding further uncertainty about whether states can expect help from the feds.Trump and his allies also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html" target="_blank">targeted the agency</a>&nbsp;in the wake of Hurricane Helene, spreading lies that FEMA, under President Joe Biden, was diverting disaster money to immigrants without legal status; failing to provide helicopters; limiting aid to $750 per person; and cutting off support for Republican areas.State officials say that while there’s room for a conversation about state and federal roles in disaster response, eliminating FEMA altogether would be shortsighted.“I don’t think it makes sense&nbsp;to get rid of FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, said in an interview with Stateline. “There are economies of scale [that a nationwide agency provides]. States don’t have that capability built to handle a disaster every single year.”Budd said she doesn’t believe Trump intends to terminate FEMA, calling such a move “not realistic.” She also serves as president of the National Emergency Management Association, a nonprofit comprising state and territorial emergency officials. Budd called on Trump to include state emergency managers on the council that will consider FEMA’s future.Emergency management experts say that Trump cannot unilaterally dissolve FEMA, which would require congressional action. However, Trump already has&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/06/trump-wants-states-to-handle-disasters-without-fema-they-say-they-cant/Emergency%20management%20experts%20say%20that%20Trump%20cannot%20unilaterally%20dissolve%20FEMA,%20which%20would%20require%20congressional%20action.%20However,%20Trump%20already%20has%20taken%20actions%20that%20exceed%20his%20executive%20authority,%20including%20an%20attempt%20to%20freeze%20trillions%20of%20dollars%20in%20federal%20funding%20that%20had%20already%20been%20approved%20by%20Congress.">taken actions</a>&nbsp;that appear to exceed his executive authority, including an attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding that had already been approved by Congress.FEMA does have some support from Trump’s Republican allies, especially given that red states have needed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-disaster-aid-fema-wildfire-hurricane-money-84e1db303b8abead10a26b95392cd980" target="_blank">more aid</a>&nbsp;in recent years. Since 2015, residents in Florida, Louisiana and Texas have received the highest amounts of individual assistance payments from FEMA, exceeding $2 billion in each state.But experts see much to fear in cost-cutting efforts by Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, which so far have focused on slashing the federal workforce and forcing out officials with decades of experience. Such actions could cripple FEMA, even if it’s not officially “abolished.”“Senior people who don’t want to put up with this nonsense are going to walk away,” said Craig Fugate, who served as FEMA’s administrator under President Barack Obama. “It’s one thing to talk tough, it’s another to govern and provide services.”<h2>FEMA’s role</h2>Over the past decade, FEMA has responded to nearly 1,400 disasters, including wildfires, severe storms, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. The agency coordinates the federal response during emergency situations, such as calling the Pentagon to get rescue helicopters in the air or trucking in generators in the aftermath of a storm.But the agency’s larger purpose is focused on recovery, assessing the damage to communities and distributing funding to help them rebuild. Over the last four years, FEMA has provided more than $12 billion to individuals and $133 billion to state and local governments, tribal nations, territories and some nonprofits to help in recovery efforts.FEMA also provides much of the nation’s flood insurance coverage, as the private market has largely pulled back from flood policies.Some governors, including Democrat Andy Beshear of Kentucky, have said Trump’s threats to dismantle FEMA are dangerous.“[I]t would be disastrous in and of itself for the FEMA organization to be dissolved,” he said, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/01/30/beshear-says-dismantling-fema-would-be-disastrous-though-improvements-need-to-continue/" target="_blank">Kentucky Lantern</a>.Beshear noted that replicating FEMA’s administrative functions in each state would be far more costly than a single national agency.FEMA, which was established in the 1950s, has taken on a larger role as Congress has added to its recovery mission, populations have grown in disaster-prone areas, and climate change has increased the frequency and severity of disasters.The agency has faced criticism at times — most famously after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — for an overly bureaucratic system that has gotten bogged down in red tape. Some conservative groups have long argued that states should shoulder more of the burden of responding to disasters.<a href="https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf" target="_blank">Project 2025</a>, a hard-right blueprint that Trump distanced himself from during the campaign but which appears to have guided many of his actions since he took office, aims to limit states’ eligibility for disaster assistance or set a deductible that states must meet before the feds step in. Such cutbacks would incentivize states to “take a more proactive role in their own preparedness and response capabilities,” it said. The document also calls for states to take on much more financial responsibility for recovery efforts.Emergency managers say that there are opportunities to make FEMA more efficient.Fugate, the former FEMA chief, said the underlying problem is that the agency was not designed to replace insurance coverage, but is increasingly taking on that role as private insurers abandon disaster-prone areas. And increasing the pace of payouts also increases the risk of misspent funds, he said.“Nobody is saying we shouldn’t look at these programs and figure out how we move this money through faster,” he said. “But you’ve got that dual tension of, ‘I want to be fast but I’m a steward of the taxpayer’s dollars.’”Amid that discussion, experts say that rushing to dismantle the federal agency would be catastrophic.“The consequences [of dissolving FEMA] would be life-threatening,” said Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a former Obama administration official. “The states are not built for that right now.”<h2>Local experience</h2>Local leaders who have experienced disasters say FEMA is essential.After an EF5 tornado swept through Moore, Oklahoma, in May 2013, the federal agency provided recovery support.“Sometimes I think people have a misconception of the purpose of FEMA. And it’s not to provide lots of equipment or manpower — they can do a little bit of that, but that’s not their primary function,” said Moore Mayor Mark Hamm, whose office is nonpartisan.Hamm was on the city council when the mile-wide tornado killed 24 people, including seven students at an elementary school. Moore said FEMA provided crucial financial resources, reimbursing the city’s exorbitant overtime costs for police and fire crews.Moore is a bedroom community of about 63,000 people situated between Oklahoma City and Norman. The city’s annual budget is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cityofmoore.com/sites/default/files/flipbooks/2025-city-budget.pdf" target="_blank">about $133 million</a>. The National Weather Service calculated the 2013 storm’s damage across the region at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/tornado-report_moore-oklahoma_2013.pdf" target="_blank">$2 billion</a>. The city has been hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadodata-ok-f5tornadoes" target="_blank">two F5 tornadoes&nbsp;</a>since 1999.“When you have a natural disaster like the couple of F5 tornadoes that have come to our city — that would bankrupt our city, our budget,” he said. “That is a huge burden that this city just could not afford.”Hamm said he would be open to Trump’s talk of realigning FEMA, particularly if it allowed more funds to stay directly with states like his. But he said federal disaster funding must remain intact in some way.“When you need a lifeline, it’s reassuring to know that one is there and you can grab onto that rope, and there’s somebody on the other end pulling you to safety,” he said. “And the federal government was a lifeline, not so much in the recovery, but in providing the finances. I can’t emphasize that enough.”Eaton County, Michigan, was hit hard in August 2023, as tornadoes, severe storms and flooding struck the mid-Michigan region. FEMA’s response helped the community navigate aid and recovery programs and apply for federal assistance.“That federal support piece is critical to us to be able to respond and recover from disasters,” said Ryan Wilkinson, the county’s emergency manager. “Yes, we need reform for emergency management nationwide — at all levels — but shifting complete responsibility to the states would do greater harm in the long term.”