Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in April, as elevated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-95f1c23b38700f5ca41f337cc130e766">mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;and rising prices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-affordability-home-prices-real-estate-f17aa54776a04e4622d0c5afa9f09ff8">discouraged prospective homebuyers</a>&nbsp;during what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for the housing market.

Existing home sales dropped 0.5% last month, from March, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. The sales decline marks the slowest sales pace for the month of April going back to 2009 in the wake of the U.S. housing crisis. March’s sales pace was also the slowest for that month going back to 2009.

Sales fell 2% compared with April last year. The latest home sales fell slightly short of the 4.10 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 22nd consecutive month, although at the slowest rate since July 2023. The national median sales price rose 1.8% in April from a year earlier to $414,000, an all-time high for the month of April.

“The affordability condition is clearly hurting the market, particularly higher mortgage rates,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

For the past three years, sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been at about 75% of what they were before the pandemic. The market slump began in early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Homes sales fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has remained relatively close to its high so far this year of just above 7%, which it set in mid-January, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. The average rate’s low point so far was five weeks ago, when it briefly dropped to 6.62%.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-ff8d703da59633be0cdd3b7fe04c65b2">This week, it averaged 6.86%,</a>&nbsp;its highest level since mid-February.

Homes purchased last month likely went under contract in March and April, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ranged from 6.62% to 6.83%.

High mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have frozen out many would-be homebuyers struggling to find a home they can afford.

Homeownership is out of reach for many Americans after years of surging home prices. The median U.S. home sales price has jumped 53% over the past six years.

Home shoppers who can afford to buy at current mortgage rates are benefiting from more homes on the market when compared with recent years.

There were 1.45 million unsold homes at the end of last month, a 9% increase from March, and 20.8% higher than April last year, NAR said. That’s the most homes on the market since September 2020, but it’s still well below the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the pandemic.

The latest unsold inventory snapshot translates to a 4.4-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 3.5-month pace at the end of April last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

One reason the inventory of homes for sale has been rising is that properties are taking longer to sell. Homes typically remained on the market for 29 days last month before selling, up from 26 days in April last year, NAR said.

The wider selection of homes on the market likely helped boost sales among first-time homebuyers. They accounted for 34% of sales last month, the highest level since July 2020, but that is still down from the historical norm of 40%.

Home shoppers who can afford to sidestep mortgage rates and pay all cash for a home accounted for 25% of sales last month, down from 28% a year earlier. Investors, who account for many all-cash purchases, made up 15% of homes sold last month, down from 16% a year earlier, NAR said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEX VEIGA Associated PressSales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in April, as elevated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-95f1c23b38700f5ca41f337cc130e766">mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;and rising prices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-affordability-home-prices-real-estate-f17aa54776a04e4622d0c5afa9f09ff8">discouraged prospective homebuyers</a>&nbsp;during what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for the housing market.Existing home sales dropped 0.5% last month, from March, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. The sales decline marks the slowest sales pace for the month of April going back to 2009 in the wake of the U.S. housing crisis. March’s sales pace was also the slowest for that month going back to 2009.Sales fell 2% compared with April last year. The latest home sales fell slightly short of the 4.10 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 22nd consecutive month, although at the slowest rate since July 2023. The national median sales price rose 1.8% in April from a year earlier to $414,000, an all-time high for the month of April.“The affordability condition is clearly hurting the market, particularly higher mortgage rates,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.For the past three years, sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been at about 75% of what they were before the pandemic. The market slump began in early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Homes sales fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has remained relatively close to its high so far this year of just above 7%, which it set in mid-January, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. The average rate’s low point so far was five weeks ago, when it briefly dropped to 6.62%.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-ff8d703da59633be0cdd3b7fe04c65b2">This week, it averaged 6.86%,</a>&nbsp;its highest level since mid-February.Homes purchased last month likely went under contract in March and April, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ranged from 6.62% to 6.83%.High mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have frozen out many would-be homebuyers struggling to find a home they can afford.Homeownership is out of reach for many Americans after years of surging home prices. The median U.S. home sales price has jumped 53% over the past six years.Home shoppers who can afford to buy at current mortgage rates are benefiting from more homes on the market when compared with recent years.There were 1.45 million unsold homes at the end of last month, a 9% increase from March, and 20.8% higher than April last year, NAR said. That’s the most homes on the market since September 2020, but it’s still well below the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the pandemic.The latest unsold inventory snapshot translates to a 4.4-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 3.5-month pace at the end of April last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.One reason the inventory of homes for sale has been rising is that properties are taking longer to sell. Homes typically remained on the market for 29 days last month before selling, up from 26 days in April last year, NAR said.The wider selection of homes on the market likely helped boost sales among first-time homebuyers. They accounted for 34% of sales last month, the highest level since July 2020, but that is still down from the historical norm of 40%.Home shoppers who can afford to sidestep mortgage rates and pay all cash for a home accounted for 25% of sales last month, down from 28% a year earlier. Investors, who account for many all-cash purchases, made up 15% of homes sold last month, down from 16% a year earlier, NAR said.

Home sales slowest in over a dozen years

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

The massive tax and spending bill passed by U.S. House Republicans would likely result in 3.2 million people losing food assistance benefits, and saddle states with around $14 billion a year in costs, according to a new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Democrats have argued the bill, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-massive-tax-and-spending-bill-slashing-medicaid" target="_blank">the House passed</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025145" target="_blank">215-214</a>&nbsp;early Thursday without any Democrats in support, would cut programs for the needy to fund tax breaks for high earners.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-05/Klobuchar-Craig-Letter-SNAP_5-22-25.pdf" target="_blank">CBO document, issued late Thursday,&nbsp;</a>responded to a request to the office from the top Democrats on the Senate and House Agriculture committees, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Angie Craig, both of Minnesota, and somewhat bolsters that claim. The panels oversee federal food aid programs.

“This report is truly devastating,” Craig said in a Friday statement to States Newsroom. “As a mother and someone who at times relied on food assistance as a child, these numbers are heartbreaking. It is infuriating that Republicans in Congress are willing to make our children go hungry so they can give tax breaks to the already rich.”

A provision in the bill to tighten work requirements, including by excluding single parents of children older than 6 and by raising the age of adults to whom the work requirements apply, of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would result in 3.2 million people losing access to the program in an average month, the CBO report said.

Of those, 1.4 million would be people who currently have a state waiver from work requirements that would be disallowed under the bill and 800,000 would be adults who live with children 7 or older, the report said.

In a Friday statement, Ben Nichols, a spokesman for the House Agriculture Committee led by Pennsylvania Republican Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, said the proposed change would be more fair to the people SNAP is supposed to help and noted the program is the only state-administered entitlement program that is paid fully by the federal government.

“No one who is able-bodied and working, volunteering, or training for 20 hours a week will lose benefits,” Nichols wrote.

Republicans want to use the legislative package to extend the 2017 tax law and its cuts, increase spending on border security and defense by hundreds of billions of dollars, overhaul American energy production, restructure higher education aid and cut spending.

The cost-share changes, which would require states for the first time to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits, would also limit participation and add a massive line item to state budgets, according to the CBO.

Starting in 2028, states would be responsible for paying 5% to 25% of SNAP benefits, with a state’s share rising with its payment error rate. The federal government currently pays for all SNAP benefits.

Under the House bill, which will likely undergo substantial changes as the Senate considers it in the coming weeks, states collectively would be responsible for just less than $100 billion from 2028 to 2034, about $14 billion per year.

States would respond in a variety of ways, CBO Director Phillip Swagel wrote, including potentially dropping out of the program.

“CBO expects that some states would maintain current benefits and eligibility and others would modify benefits or eligibility or possibly leave the program altogether because of the increased costs,” he wrote.

The office took a “probabilistic approach to account for a range of possible outcomes” to determine what the effect on households would be and estimated that 1.3 million people would lose benefits because of state responses to the new cost-share.

Nichols, with the House Agriculture Committee, disputed the CBO’s estimate regarding the cost share change. The lowest state cost-share of 5% would be available for states with error rates below 6%. Every state has hit that mark at some point in the last decade, he said.

With that favorable of a cost-share, the Republican committee members did not believe states would drop out of the program, he added.

“We reject the hypothetical assumption that some states may not chip into 5 percent of a supplemental nutrition program,” Nichols wrote. “Every state is capable of paying for a portion SNAP… Federal policy should encourage states to administer the SNAP program more efficiently and effectively, and this bill does just that.”&nbsp;

CBO’s forecasters determined the impacts of the work requirements and cost-share provisions separately, meaning some people potentially losing benefits could have been counted in both categories.

The House vote Thursday sent the measure to the Senate, where the debate over SNAP benefits may fall along similar party lines.

Republicans who hold control in that chamber are planning to employ the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to skirt the Senate’s usual 60-vote requirement for legislation.

During the House Agriculture Committee’s debate over its portion of the legislation, Republicans on the panel said the work requirement and state cost-share measures were needed reforms to SNAP that would protect the program for those it was meant to serve, while limiting the costs associated with benefits to adults who were able and unwilling to work or in the country illegally.

In a Friday statement, Sara Lasure, a spokeswoman for Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican, also said the panel would seek reforms to the program but did not offer specifics.

“The Senate Agriculture Committee is in the process of crafting its budget reconciliation package and will work as good stewards of taxpayer dollars to make commonsense reforms to SNAP that encourage employment,” she wrote in an email.

Klobuchar, in a statement after House passage Thursday, blasted the House bill and indicated she would oppose efforts to cut SNAP benefits.

“House Republicans are pulling the rug out from under millions of families by taking away federal assistance to put food on the table,” she said. “They’re doing that even as President Trump’s tariff taxes raise food prices by more than $200 for the average family, all to fund more tax breaks for the wealthy. That’s so very wrong —and we will fight against it in the Senate.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689674819900.png" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>The massive tax and spending bill passed by U.S. House Republicans would likely result in 3.2 million people losing food assistance benefits, and saddle states with around $14 billion a year in costs, according to a new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.Democrats have argued the bill, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-massive-tax-and-spending-bill-slashing-medicaid" target="_blank">the House passed</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025145" target="_blank">215-214</a>&nbsp;early Thursday without any Democrats in support, would cut programs for the needy to fund tax breaks for high earners.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-05/Klobuchar-Craig-Letter-SNAP_5-22-25.pdf" target="_blank">CBO document, issued late Thursday,&nbsp;</a>responded to a request to the office from the top Democrats on the Senate and House Agriculture committees, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Angie Craig, both of Minnesota, and somewhat bolsters that claim. The panels oversee federal food aid programs.“This report is truly devastating,” Craig said in a Friday statement to States Newsroom. “As a mother and someone who at times relied on food assistance as a child, these numbers are heartbreaking. It is infuriating that Republicans in Congress are willing to make our children go hungry so they can give tax breaks to the already rich.”A provision in the bill to tighten work requirements, including by excluding single parents of children older than 6 and by raising the age of adults to whom the work requirements apply, of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would result in 3.2 million people losing access to the program in an average month, the CBO report said.Of those, 1.4 million would be people who currently have a state waiver from work requirements that would be disallowed under the bill and 800,000 would be adults who live with children 7 or older, the report said.In a Friday statement, Ben Nichols, a spokesman for the House Agriculture Committee led by Pennsylvania Republican Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, said the proposed change would be more fair to the people SNAP is supposed to help and noted the program is the only state-administered entitlement program that is paid fully by the federal government.“No one who is able-bodied and working, volunteering, or training for 20 hours a week will lose benefits,” Nichols wrote.Republicans want to use the legislative package to extend the 2017 tax law and its cuts, increase spending on border security and defense by hundreds of billions of dollars, overhaul American energy production, restructure higher education aid and cut spending.<h2>Toll on states</h2>The cost-share changes, which would require states for the first time to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits, would also limit participation and add a massive line item to state budgets, according to the CBO.Starting in 2028, states would be responsible for paying 5% to 25% of SNAP benefits, with a state’s share rising with its payment error rate. The federal government currently pays for all SNAP benefits.Under the House bill, which will likely undergo substantial changes as the Senate considers it in the coming weeks, states collectively would be responsible for just less than $100 billion from 2028 to 2034, about $14 billion per year.States would respond in a variety of ways, CBO Director Phillip Swagel wrote, including potentially dropping out of the program.“CBO expects that some states would maintain current benefits and eligibility and others would modify benefits or eligibility or possibly leave the program altogether because of the increased costs,” he wrote.The office took a “probabilistic approach to account for a range of possible outcomes” to determine what the effect on households would be and estimated that 1.3 million people would lose benefits because of state responses to the new cost-share.Nichols, with the House Agriculture Committee, disputed the CBO’s estimate regarding the cost share change. The lowest state cost-share of 5% would be available for states with error rates below 6%. Every state has hit that mark at some point in the last decade, he said.With that favorable of a cost-share, the Republican committee members did not believe states would drop out of the program, he added.“We reject the hypothetical assumption that some states may not chip into 5 percent of a supplemental nutrition program,” Nichols wrote. “Every state is capable of paying for a portion SNAP… Federal policy should encourage states to administer the SNAP program more efficiently and effectively, and this bill does just that.”&nbsp;CBO’s forecasters determined the impacts of the work requirements and cost-share provisions separately, meaning some people potentially losing benefits could have been counted in both categories.<h2>Move to the Senate</h2>The House vote Thursday sent the measure to the Senate, where the debate over SNAP benefits may fall along similar party lines.Republicans who hold control in that chamber are planning to employ the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to skirt the Senate’s usual 60-vote requirement for legislation.During the House Agriculture Committee’s debate over its portion of the legislation, Republicans on the panel said the work requirement and state cost-share measures were needed reforms to SNAP that would protect the program for those it was meant to serve, while limiting the costs associated with benefits to adults who were able and unwilling to work or in the country illegally.In a Friday statement, Sara Lasure, a spokeswoman for Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican, also said the panel would seek reforms to the program but did not offer specifics.“The Senate Agriculture Committee is in the process of crafting its budget reconciliation package and will work as good stewards of taxpayer dollars to make commonsense reforms to SNAP that encourage employment,” she wrote in an email.Klobuchar, in a statement after House passage Thursday, blasted the House bill and indicated she would oppose efforts to cut SNAP benefits.“House Republicans are pulling the rug out from under millions of families by taking away federal assistance to put food on the table,” she said. “They’re doing that even as President Trump’s tariff taxes raise food prices by more than $200 for the average family, all to fund more tax breaks for the wealthy. That’s so very wrong —and we will fight against it in the Senate.”

More than 3 million would lose SNAP benefits under GOP bill, nonpartisan report says

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 30-year-old&nbsp;Levon J. Quinn, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just after 4p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to Westport and Broadway on a reported accident. The call was updated to a shooting.

First responders located a Quinn in a vehicle near 43rd and Broadway unresponsive and suffering from gunshot trauma. EMS responded and transported him to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary information indicates an argument took place inside of a business. The argument continued as both Quinn and an adult male suspect walked outside of the business. The argument then escalated to gunfire. 

Quinn left the area in a vehicle before coming to a stop near 43rd and Broadway. Initial responding officers located a man at Westport and Broadway that had been involved in an accident when the victim was driving out of the area and subsequently struck his vehicle.

&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Just before 9p.m. Friday police reported they had taken a suspect into custody.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748052749455.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 30-year-old&nbsp;Levon J. Quinn, according to&nbsp;KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just after 4p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to Westport and Broadway on a reported accident. The call was updated to a shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748052715240.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located a Quinn in a vehicle near 43rd and Broadway unresponsive and suffering from gunshot trauma. EMS responded and transported him to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Preliminary information indicates an argument took place inside of a business. The argument continued as both Quinn and an adult male suspect walked outside of the business. The argument then escalated to gunfire. Quinn left the area in a vehicle before coming to a stop near 43rd and Broadway. Initial responding officers located a man at Westport and Broadway that had been involved in an accident when the victim was driving out of the area and subsequently struck his vehicle.&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide. Just before 9p.m. Friday police reported they had taken a suspect into custody.&nbsp;

Police ID KC homicide victim involved in car crash after shooting

The new complex will enable physicians and researchers to collaborate in real time on personalized treatment options and make them available to patients more quickly.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center broke ground on the future site of a new complex Friday that will bring research and patient care into one complex for the first time in KU Cancer Center’s history.

The new building realizes a long-time vision of KU Cancer Center’s leadership to bring together the entire cancer community — from physician-scientists to researchers to physicians and clinical staff — side by side in one complex.

“Today marks a pivotal moment in&nbsp;our efforts to&nbsp;address one of the greatest health challenges of our time: cancer,” said Roy Jensen, M.D., vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center. “This new center will unite researchers, clinicians&nbsp;and&nbsp;patients&nbsp;side-by-side&nbsp;in one&nbsp;facility, supporting&nbsp;the&nbsp;real-time collaborations&nbsp;that&nbsp;are&nbsp;essential for groundbreaking discoveries. We intend to create a global destination for patient care and research.”

The groundbreaking, which was followed by a celebratory event at KU Medical Center, was attended by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and a host of other dignitaries.

The new facility, which will be located on the 39th and Rainbow campus in Kansas City, will enable the whole patient experience — from nutrition and social workers to pathology and imaging, and everything in-between — to happen in one place. It also will give patients access to groundbreaking clinical trials and therapies developed on site. Physicians and researchers will be able to collaborate in real time on personalized treatment options and make them available to patients more quickly.

In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/">The University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>&nbsp;was designated as a “Comprehensive” cancer center by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute</a>&nbsp;(NCI). This is the highest level of recognition awarded by the NCI and is the gold standard for cancer centers.

“We knew that (the comprehensive designation) wasn’t the culmination of our work,” said Douglas A. Girod, M.D., chancellor of the University of Kansas. “Rather, it was an important milestone along the way to our next goal – which was to develop the facilities necessary to bring clinical and research capabilities together in the same place to provide better patient care and facilitate the development of new treatments and cures.”

The new complex will support cellular therapy, which&nbsp;uses the body’s own cells to fight each person’s individual cancer with fewer side effects than traditional treatments. It will also house a cellular therapeutics Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory that will expedite CAR T-cell therapy, a novel treatment that uses genetically re-engineered immune cells known as T-cells to find and destroy cancer. By bringing a cellular therapeutics GMP laboratory in-house, the costs and wait time for the creation of these specialized cells will be reduced. &nbsp;KU Cancer Center is the only cancer center in the region offering all seven FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies.

The complex is funded by multiple sources, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/ku-cancer-center-receives-100-million-gift.html">a $100 million lead gift from the Sunderland Foundation</a>, the largest ever received by the University of Kansas and The University of Kansas Health System. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran secured federal funding and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly supported the appropriation of state funds. Other funding came from private foundations and donors.

“All recovery from this dreaded disease starts with the power of hope.,” Moran said. “Today we celebrate hope.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748124360509.png" alt="Rendering of the new KU Cancer Center complex, to be located in Kansas City." />
 <figcaption>Rendering of the new KU Cancer Center complex, to be located in Kansas City.</figcaption>
 </figure>The new complex will enable physicians and researchers to collaborate in real time on personalized treatment options and make them available to patients more quickly.By Kristi BirchThe University of Kansas Cancer Center broke ground on the future site of a new complex Friday that will bring research and patient care into one complex for the first time in KU Cancer Center’s history.The new building realizes a long-time vision of KU Cancer Center’s leadership to bring together the entire cancer community — from physician-scientists to researchers to physicians and clinical staff — side by side in one complex.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748124412477.png" alt="KU Chancellor Douglas A Girod, M.D., and KU Cancer Center Vice Chancellor and Director Roy Jensen, M.D., participate in the groundbreaking for a new cancer center building on May 23, 2025." />
 <figcaption>KU Chancellor Douglas A Girod, M.D., and KU Cancer Center Vice Chancellor and Director Roy Jensen, M.D., participate in the groundbreaking for a new cancer center building on May 23, 2025.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Today marks a pivotal moment in&nbsp;our efforts to&nbsp;address one of the greatest health challenges of our time: cancer,” said Roy Jensen, M.D., vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center. “This new center will unite researchers, clinicians&nbsp;and&nbsp;patients&nbsp;side-by-side&nbsp;in one&nbsp;facility, supporting&nbsp;the&nbsp;real-time collaborations&nbsp;that&nbsp;are&nbsp;essential for groundbreaking discoveries. We intend to create a global destination for patient care and research.”The groundbreaking, which was followed by a celebratory event at KU Medical Center, was attended by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and a host of other dignitaries.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I joined <a href="https://twitter.com/KUMedCenter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KUMedCenter</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHospital?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KUHospital</a> yesterday to break ground on its new world-class cancer center. The cutting-edge research conducted at KU has already saved so many lives. This new building means researchers and clinicians will be able to do more — and they’ll do it faster. <a href="https://t.co/lRS0vU1tfB">pic.twitter.com/lRS0vU1tfB</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1926326101585830187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new facility, which will be located on the 39th and Rainbow campus in Kansas City, will enable the whole patient experience — from nutrition and social workers to pathology and imaging, and everything in-between — to happen in one place. It also will give patients access to groundbreaking clinical trials and therapies developed on site. Physicians and researchers will be able to collaborate in real time on personalized treatment options and make them available to patients more quickly.In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/">The University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>&nbsp;was designated as a “Comprehensive” cancer center by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute</a>&nbsp;(NCI). This is the highest level of recognition awarded by the NCI and is the gold standard for cancer centers.“We knew that (the comprehensive designation) wasn’t the culmination of our work,” said Douglas A. Girod, M.D., chancellor of the University of Kansas. “Rather, it was an important milestone along the way to our next goal – which was to develop the facilities necessary to bring clinical and research capabilities together in the same place to provide better patient care and facilitate the development of new treatments and cures.”The new complex will support cellular therapy, which&nbsp;uses the body’s own cells to fight each person’s individual cancer with fewer side effects than traditional treatments. It will also house a cellular therapeutics Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory that will expedite CAR T-cell therapy, a novel treatment that uses genetically re-engineered immune cells known as T-cells to find and destroy cancer. By bringing a cellular therapeutics GMP laboratory in-house, the costs and wait time for the creation of these specialized cells will be reduced. &nbsp;KU Cancer Center is the only cancer center in the region offering all seven FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies.The complex is funded by multiple sources, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/ku-cancer-center-receives-100-million-gift.html">a $100 million lead gift from the Sunderland Foundation</a>, the largest ever received by the University of Kansas and The University of Kansas Health System. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran secured federal funding and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly supported the appropriation of state funds. Other funding came from private foundations and donors.“All recovery from this dreaded disease starts with the power of hope.,” Moran said. “Today we celebrate hope.”

KU Cancer Center breaks ground for new complex

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was just past 3 a.m., a few hours before the House vote on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-23-2025">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;top priority in Congress, his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-breaks-bill-medicaid-80b5781377bcd0870a1dccb3c7b8dc05">“big, beautiful bill.”</a>&nbsp;House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;was rushing through the Capitol halls with his security guards and aides in tow. For a moment, he paused.

Would you like to see&nbsp;<a href="https://chaplain.house.gov/religion/prayer_room.html" target="_blank">the prayer room</a>? he asked an Associated Press reporter.

The question was in response to another question about his leadership style: whether his religion, his Christian faith, had been guiding him through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-tax-cuts-trump-f2c60ae5c7c1313de69446f9ac7176e6">tumultuous process</a>.

“This is like a cathedral at night,” he said, walking toward an almost-hidden door. “It’s the most beautiful thing in the Capitol.”

He punched in the key code and stepped inside.

The room, transformed in the 1950s, sits just off the suite of second-floor offices of the House speaker, centered in the Capitol, on its west end closest to the National Mall.

“Been here a lot this week, right there on my knees,” Johnson said. “Just praying. ... That’s what the founders did.”

As Wednesday night had melted into Thursday morning, none other than George Washington, the first president himself, watched over the room, his tall figure bent on one knee in the stained-glass image high above a small altar.

“In times of great challenge, they got on their knees and they sought divine guidance, and that’s what we do,” Johnson was saying. “Because I’m convinced that God’s given us a chance to save this great republic.”

Johnson is a conservative Christian and among the more outwardly religious of House speakers. He was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/johnson-house-speaker-trump-elected-ed9fd1d574eafb6373e667e110a0f989">accidental choice</a>&nbsp;to lead Republicans, selected after his GOP colleagues ousted their previous speaker almost two years ago. When Johnson emerged as the pick, Republicans gathered around him and prayed. He considers himself a “servant” leader.

Determined to push Trump’s bill to House passage, the speaker set his intention. He created a self-imposed deadline, Memorial Day, that seemed overly optimistic. And he just kept moving forward, despite robust opposition from Democrats and skeptics within his own GOP ranks.

As the deadline neared, he did not let up. He prayed.

“I feel like I have sort of a vision of where we’re supposed to go, and you just set the course and you just patiently get everybody there,” he explained.

The speaker is sometimes in a question-answering mood. A conversation unfolded.

Aren’t you afraid of flopping? he was asked.

“I don’t really have fear,” he said. “I mean, I know that we have to accomplish this mission in order to save the country.”

The speaker was explaining how this is “the greatest nation” and his own belief in its “foundational principles.”

“And what I think we’re trying to do here is restore them,” he said. “Piece by piece, that’s what we do here every day.”

But your legislation is being criticized, hammered for doing so many things. People will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-snap-states-house-trump-abortion-work-1556d8a594dc5668b298641081b759c9">lose access to Medicaid and food stamps.</a>

The Congressional Budget office estimates that under proposals in the bill, some 8.6 million people will no longer have health care, and 3 million a month will stop receiving the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

“They’re counting the people the work requirements are going to apply to,” he said. “They would be, would be choosing, you know, not to work.”

But some of the people — particularly older, single men — may not be able to find work or go back to work.

The new 80-hours-a-month work requirements or community service would be for able-bodied adults without dependents through age 64, with various exceptions. Some parents of children older than 7 would also need to fulfill the work requirement to receive SNAP food stamp assistance.

“We have finite resources,” he said. “So the vulnerable populations are who we’re trying to take care of.”

Do you worry that’s counter to your own beliefs?

“We are helping people,” he said. For an able-bodied man to work, “it’s good for his own personal dignity. It’s good for his purpose. It’s a win-win-win.”

The debates in Congress come during a time of great soul-searching in the United States and the world. People are divided as ever, politically and economically, yet also yearning for a sense of community and togetherness that seems to be slipping further out of reach.

House Democrats, who have fought Johnson and his party every step of the way in opposing what they call the “big, ugly bill,” were not about to cede any moral ground to Republicans or to Trump.

“This is the United States of America — the wealthiest country in the history of the world. It is indecent to rip food out of the mouths of children and everyday Americans,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;said during his own lengthy floor speech ahead of the vote.

Before invoking the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40, Jeffries said Congress could do better than this “unconscionable” and “un-American” bill.

“I do believe that there are people of faith on both sides of this chamber,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hakeem-jeffries-religious-faith-politics-mike-johnson-bf64b91ffc34c74a0cd2f7662d1a3e9f">Jeffries, of New York</a>.

“Jesus talks about the importance of standing up for the least, the lost, the left behind, the poor, the sick, the afflicted, the homeless, the people who are confined, strangers in a foreign land,” he said. “It cannot be the case that one goes to synagogue or goes to the mosque — or one goes to church, as I do — but one goes to church to pray on Sunday and then comes to Washington, D.C., to prey on the American people the rest of the week.”

All of that would come hours later, spoken as the bill was on its unstoppable path toward passage. For now, at this late moment, Johnson’s reflections were drawing to an end. He was shutting the prayer room door behind him.

So how did you do it? How did you get your Republicans to fall in line?

“Just a lot of patience,” Johnson said.

What about your meetings with Trump at the White House?

That would be for another day, he indicated. With the room closed, the speaker of the House had shared the keycode so others could seek out prayer in the Capitol if needed. He headed around the corner, through the side halls of the Capitol, back to his office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748175142555.png" alt="Stained Glass Window of the Congressional Prayer Room-photo Office of the Chaplain" />
 <figcaption>Stained Glass Window of the Congressional Prayer Room-photo Office of the Chaplain</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA MASCAROWASHINGTON (AP) — It was just past 3 a.m., a few hours before the House vote on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-5-23-2025">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;top priority in Congress, his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-breaks-bill-medicaid-80b5781377bcd0870a1dccb3c7b8dc05">“big, beautiful bill.”</a>&nbsp;House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;was rushing through the Capitol halls with his security guards and aides in tow. For a moment, he paused.Would you like to see&nbsp;<a href="https://chaplain.house.gov/religion/prayer_room.html" target="_blank">the prayer room</a>? he asked an Associated Press reporter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744300109988.png" alt="FIle photo House Speaker Mike Johnson" />
 <figcaption>FIle photo House Speaker Mike Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>The question was in response to another question about his leadership style: whether his religion, his Christian faith, had been guiding him through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-tax-cuts-trump-f2c60ae5c7c1313de69446f9ac7176e6">tumultuous process</a>.“This is like a cathedral at night,” he said, walking toward an almost-hidden door. “It’s the most beautiful thing in the Capitol.”He punched in the key code and stepped inside.<h2>‘Just praying’</h2>The room, transformed in the 1950s, sits just off the suite of second-floor offices of the House speaker, centered in the Capitol, on its west end closest to the National Mall.“Been here a lot this week, right there on my knees,” Johnson said. “Just praying. ... That’s what the founders did.”As Wednesday night had melted into Thursday morning, none other than George Washington, the first president himself, watched over the room, his tall figure bent on one knee in the stained-glass image high above a small altar.“In times of great challenge, they got on their knees and they sought divine guidance, and that’s what we do,” Johnson was saying. “Because I’m convinced that God’s given us a chance to save this great republic.”Johnson is a conservative Christian and among the more outwardly religious of House speakers. He was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/johnson-house-speaker-trump-elected-ed9fd1d574eafb6373e667e110a0f989">accidental choice</a>&nbsp;to lead Republicans, selected after his GOP colleagues ousted their previous speaker almost two years ago. When Johnson emerged as the pick, Republicans gathered around him and prayed. He considers himself a “servant” leader.Determined to push Trump’s bill to House passage, the speaker set his intention. He created a self-imposed deadline, Memorial Day, that seemed overly optimistic. And he just kept moving forward, despite robust opposition from Democrats and skeptics within his own GOP ranks.As the deadline neared, he did not let up. He prayed.“I feel like I have sort of a vision of where we’re supposed to go, and you just set the course and you just patiently get everybody there,” he explained.<h2>‘I don’t really have fear’</h2>The speaker is sometimes in a question-answering mood. A conversation unfolded.Aren’t you afraid of flopping? he was asked.“I don’t really have fear,” he said. “I mean, I know that we have to accomplish this mission in order to save the country.”The speaker was explaining how this is “the greatest nation” and his own belief in its “foundational principles.”“And what I think we’re trying to do here is restore them,” he said. “Piece by piece, that’s what we do here every day.”But your legislation is being criticized, hammered for doing so many things. People will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-snap-states-house-trump-abortion-work-1556d8a594dc5668b298641081b759c9">lose access to Medicaid and food stamps.</a>The Congressional Budget office estimates that under proposals in the bill, some 8.6 million people will no longer have health care, and 3 million a month will stop receiving the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP.“They’re counting the people the work requirements are going to apply to,” he said. “They would be, would be choosing, you know, not to work.”But some of the people — particularly older, single men — may not be able to find work or go back to work.The new 80-hours-a-month work requirements or community service would be for able-bodied adults without dependents through age 64, with various exceptions. Some parents of children older than 7 would also need to fulfill the work requirement to receive SNAP food stamp assistance.“We have finite resources,” he said. “So the vulnerable populations are who we’re trying to take care of.”Do you worry that’s counter to your own beliefs?“We are helping people,” he said. For an able-bodied man to work, “it’s good for his own personal dignity. It’s good for his purpose. It’s a win-win-win.”<h2>‘A lot of patience’</h2>The debates in Congress come during a time of great soul-searching in the United States and the world. People are divided as ever, politically and economically, yet also yearning for a sense of community and togetherness that seems to be slipping further out of reach.House Democrats, who have fought Johnson and his party every step of the way in opposing what they call the “big, ugly bill,” were not about to cede any moral ground to Republicans or to Trump.“This is the United States of America — the wealthiest country in the history of the world. It is indecent to rip food out of the mouths of children and everyday Americans,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;said during his own lengthy floor speech ahead of the vote.Before invoking the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40, Jeffries said Congress could do better than this “unconscionable” and “un-American” bill.“I do believe that there are people of faith on both sides of this chamber,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hakeem-jeffries-religious-faith-politics-mike-johnson-bf64b91ffc34c74a0cd2f7662d1a3e9f">Jeffries, of New York</a>.“Jesus talks about the importance of standing up for the least, the lost, the left behind, the poor, the sick, the afflicted, the homeless, the people who are confined, strangers in a foreign land,” he said. “It cannot be the case that one goes to synagogue or goes to the mosque — or one goes to church, as I do — but one goes to church to pray on Sunday and then comes to Washington, D.C., to prey on the American people the rest of the week.”All of that would come hours later, spoken as the bill was on its unstoppable path toward passage. For now, at this late moment, Johnson’s reflections were drawing to an end. He was shutting the prayer room door behind him.So how did you do it? How did you get your Republicans to fall in line?“Just a lot of patience,” Johnson said.What about your meetings with Trump at the White House?That would be for another day, he indicated. With the room closed, the speaker of the House had shared the keycode so others could seek out prayer in the Capitol if needed. He headed around the corner, through the side halls of the Capitol, back to his office.

At 3 a.m. in the Capitol, the Speaker of the House shares his place for prayer

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

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

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

GEARY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 2a.m. Sunday in Geary County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Fusion driven by Richard B. Roberts, 20, Sebring, Florida, was northbound on U.S. 77 at Old Milford Road at a high rate of speed. The car entered into the east ditch, struck a tree and caught fire.Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Johnson Funeral Home. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KHP: Man dies after car crash and fire

KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri,

Just before 5a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported house fire in the 500 block of Booth, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single-story home. Initially it was not clear if the home was vacant or occupied. Interior operations were initiated using multiple hand lines. Crews encountered heavy fire in the basement of the structure that burned through to the first&nbsp;floor. Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported at this incident.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748095088833.jpeg" alt="Photo KC&nbsp; Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC&nbsp; Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Officials are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri,Just before 5a.m. Saturday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a reported house fire in the 500 block of Booth, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748094979366.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a single-story home. Initially it was not clear if the home was vacant or occupied. Interior operations were initiated using multiple hand lines. Crews encountered heavy fire in the basement of the structure that burned through to the first&nbsp;floor. Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported at this incident.&nbsp;

Fire burned from basement through to first floor of KC home

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

TOPEKA — State officials have denied a federal request to disclose personal information of Kansans using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

On May 6, the Kansas Department for Children and Families received a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that demanded “unfettered access to comprehensive data from all State programs that receive federal funding.” DCF spokeswoman Erin LaRow shared a copy of that letter and other communications in response to an inquiry from Kansas Reflector.

The USDA letter specified that information to be collected for each SNAP applicant or recipient included name, Social Security number, date of birth, personal address and records to calculate the amount of SNAP benefits participants received over time. It was signed by Gina Brand, senior policy advisor for integrity at USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services division.

The requested data would cover the time period from Jan. 1, 2020, to the present, the letter said.

DCF’s SNAP data is held by a third-party database administrator, Fidelity Information Services LLC. That company notified DCF on May 9 that a formal request for Kansas SNAP records had been made from USDA and that because of federal guidance, they were required to disclose that information.

“As such, FIS intends to fully cooperate with the USDA in facilitating its request for information, as required by applicable law and the guidance,” wrote Prashant Gupta, FIS senior vice president. He then asked for DCF’s written consent.

DCF stopped the process in a letter dated May 14, sent by Carla Whiteside Hicks, the DCF director of economic and employment services.

“Please be advised that we&nbsp;do not consent&nbsp;to your providing the USDA the requested information at this time,” Whiteside Hicks told FIS. “As you know, our obligation to maintain these records in confidence is paramount and may only be disclosed to the USDA for specific program-related reasons. At this time, we are unsure as to the reason for the USDA’s request. As such, we are unable to consent to your turning the information over.”

Whiteside Hicks also said DCF will be asking the USDA to contact DCF directly in the future. She asked FIS to turn over any information that they may have already provided to the USDA and to also provide DCF with any written communications the company has received from USDA.

LaRow said DCF is reviewing the request from USDA related to the personally identifiable data of Kansans.

“Security of Kansans’ personal information is paramount to the agency, and we are committed to maintaining confidentiality consistent with state and federal law,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748016604613.png" alt=" Kansas Department for Children and Families denied a request by the federal government for access to personal data of a food assistance program. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Department for Children and Families denied a request by the federal government for access to personal data of a food assistance program. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — State officials have denied a federal request to disclose personal information of Kansans using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.On May 6, the Kansas Department for Children and Families received a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that demanded “unfettered access to comprehensive data from all State programs that receive federal funding.” DCF spokeswoman Erin LaRow shared a copy of that letter and other communications in response to an inquiry from Kansas Reflector.The USDA letter specified that information to be collected for each SNAP applicant or recipient included name, Social Security number, date of birth, personal address and records to calculate the amount of SNAP benefits participants received over time. It was signed by Gina Brand, senior policy advisor for integrity at USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services division.The requested data would cover the time period from Jan. 1, 2020, to the present, the letter said.DCF’s SNAP data is held by a third-party database administrator, Fidelity Information Services LLC. That company notified DCF on May 9 that a formal request for Kansas SNAP records had been made from USDA and that because of federal guidance, they were required to disclose that information.“As such, FIS intends to fully cooperate with the USDA in facilitating its request for information, as required by applicable law and the guidance,” wrote Prashant Gupta, FIS senior vice president. He then asked for DCF’s written consent.DCF stopped the process in a letter dated May 14, sent by Carla Whiteside Hicks, the DCF director of economic and employment services.“Please be advised that we&nbsp;do not consent&nbsp;to your providing the USDA the requested information at this time,” Whiteside Hicks told FIS. “As you know, our obligation to maintain these records in confidence is paramount and may only be disclosed to the USDA for specific program-related reasons. At this time, we are unsure as to the reason for the USDA’s request. As such, we are unable to consent to your turning the information over.”Whiteside Hicks also said DCF will be asking the USDA to contact DCF directly in the future. She asked FIS to turn over any information that they may have already provided to the USDA and to also provide DCF with any written communications the company has received from USDA.LaRow said DCF is reviewing the request from USDA related to the personally identifiable data of Kansans.“Security of Kansans’ personal information is paramount to the agency, and we are committed to maintaining confidentiality consistent with state and federal law,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748016694528.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Kansas denies USDA request for personal data of residents receiving food assistance

DICKINSON COUNTY — Four people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Dickinson County.

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

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

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

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

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

DICKINSON COUNTY — Four people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Dawn Rae&nbsp;Peel, 30, Herington, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 4 four miles west of Kansas 15 Highway.The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2025 Chevy Traverse driven by Adam Gerhart&nbsp;Henely, 23, Salina, head-on.Peel, and 2 passengers in the car including 71-year-old Peggy Ann Sutton of&nbsp;Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and an 8-year-old boy from Herington were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.&nbsp; A passenger in the SUV identified as 57-year-old Denise Renee&nbsp;Henely of Herington also died at the scene and was transported to Martin Becker Carlson Funeral Home.EMS transported an 8-year-old male passenger from the car and a 14-year-old male passenger from the SUV, both of Herington to Wesley Medical Center.Henely and and a third passenger in the SUV were not transported for treatment. All eight were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

3 adults, 8-year-old dead after head-on Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City man faces felony charges in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in Independence, Missouri.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2621/IPD25-28266-Afterhours-Complaint-Packet---Stump-Jadon">Jadon Stumph faces</a>, 28, is charged with&nbsp;2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On May 13, police were dispatched to an Independence, Missouri address regarding a shooting and located the deceased victim in the driveway with two gunshot wounds.

Witnesses reported the victim was sitting in a vehicle with another witness when a black vehicle with tinted windows pulled into the driveway. Stumph exited the vehicle and walked toward the witness in the vehicle, asking where his ex-girlfriend was. The witness told him they didn’t know. Stumph began opening the door of the vehicle and the victim exited, walking around the front of the vehicle toward Stumph. A brief argument ensued, and Stumph fired at the victim.&nbsp;

The defendant has a history of several municipal domestic assault offenses. He is being held on a $250,000 cash only bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747771179858.png" alt="Stumph photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Stumph photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City man faces felony charges in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in Independence, Missouri.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2621/IPD25-28266-Afterhours-Complaint-Packet---Stump-Jadon">Jadon Stumph faces</a>, 28, is charged with&nbsp;2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.On May 13, police were dispatched to an Independence, Missouri address regarding a shooting and located the deceased victim in the driveway with two gunshot wounds.Witnesses reported the victim was sitting in a vehicle with another witness when a black vehicle with tinted windows pulled into the driveway. Stumph exited the vehicle and walked toward the witness in the vehicle, asking where his ex-girlfriend was. The witness told him they didn’t know. Stumph began opening the door of the vehicle and the victim exited, walking around the front of the vehicle toward Stumph. A brief argument ensued, and Stumph fired at the victim.&nbsp;The defendant has a history of several municipal domestic assault offenses. He is being held on a $250,000 cash only bond.&nbsp;

KC man accused in fatal shooting over ex-girlfriend

COFFEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Saturday in Coffey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Dallas R.&nbsp;Reeves, 20, Janesville, Wisconsin, was southbound on U.S. 75 just north of 8th Road.

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

The Camry driver also steered to the northbound shoulder and collided with the pickup.

After impact, the car spun and came to a rest in the northbound lane and shoulder. The pickup came to a rest in the north ditch.

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

COFFEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 10a.m. Saturday in Coffey County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Dallas R.&nbsp;Reeves, 20, Janesville, Wisconsin, was southbound on U.S. 75 just north of 8th Road.The car was&nbsp;passing another vehicle. A northbound 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by Charles L&nbsp;Jarrell, 46, Leroy, Kansas, attempted to avoid a collision, slowed and steered to the northbound shoulder. The Camry driver also steered to the northbound shoulder and collided with the pickup.After impact, the car spun and came to a rest in the northbound lane and shoulder. The pickup came to a rest in the north ditch.Reeves was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Jones Funeral Home. EMS transported&nbsp;Jarrell and a 6-ear-old passenger from the pickup to the Coffey County Hospital.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man and 6-year-old injured in fatal car, pickup crash

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Pawnee County Health Department are reporting a positive case of measles in a Pawnee County resident, according to a media release from the KDHE.

It is unknown if this case is associated with the ongoing outbreak of measles in Southwest Kansas.  KDHE, along with the Pawnee County Health Department, are actively notifying persons potentially exposed to this case of measles.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. It spreads easily when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs. 

People who are not vaccinated or lack immunity are especially at risk of becoming infected. Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a skin rash develops and usually starts on the face and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms and legs. 

If you have been exposed to measles you should take the following steps:Understand if you are susceptible to infection. Check if you’ve received a measles-containing vaccine, like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, have medical documentation of past measles infection, or have laboratory evidence of immunity. People who are not vaccinated and have not previously had measles are especially vulnerable to becoming infected. 

 Monitor yourself for 21 days after your exposure. Look out for any symptoms—especially a fever and a new or unexplained skin rash—and contact your healthcare provider or local health department if symptoms develop. Avoid high-risk settings. If you are not immune, consider staying home to prevent the spread of measles. If you cannot remain home, stay away from large gatherings and people that might be susceptible to measles, including those who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants, or people who are immunocompromised. 

If you need medical care, call your provider ahead of time and let them know you may have been exposed to measles so they can take any necessary steps to protect others from potential measles exposure.  Talk to a healthcare provider. If you have any questions about your health or your immunity status, contact your healthcare provider. If you are not immune to measles, a healthcare provider can determine whether you need treatment to help prevent or lessen the severity of infection.  The best way to prevent measles is to get the MMR vaccine.

 If you have had measles or have been vaccinated, your risk of contracting the disease is very low. However, a few people (about three out of 100) can still get measles even after two MMR vaccine doses if they are near someone who is sick. 

For questions, call the Pawnee County Health Department at 620-285-6963 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).For more information about measles, how to find your vaccine records, and answers to common questions, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Measles Resource Hub at <a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeVl1UHJyWW5sOHI5TnVwMgEeawLlIP89m3dZJiemtRfkcAfND4YZiwJp3FKVdHLr0tNEnIgzQ1uPsVSecX0_aem_BcL16psGuoDdhXlh1fJXMA" target="_blank">www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Pawnee County Health Department are reporting a positive case of measles in a Pawnee County resident, according to a media release from the KDHE.It is unknown if this case is associated with the ongoing outbreak of measles in Southwest Kansas. KDHE, along with the Pawnee County Health Department, are actively notifying persons potentially exposed to this case of measles.Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. It spreads easily when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs. People who are not vaccinated or lack immunity are especially at risk of becoming infected. Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a skin rash develops and usually starts on the face and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms and legs. If you have been exposed to measles you should take the following steps:Understand if you are susceptible to infection. Check if you’ve received a measles-containing vaccine, like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, have medical documentation of past measles infection, or have laboratory evidence of immunity. People who are not vaccinated and have not previously had measles are especially vulnerable to becoming infected. Watch for symptoms. Monitor yourself for 21 days after your exposure. Look out for any symptoms—especially a fever and a new or unexplained skin rash—and contact your healthcare provider or local health department if symptoms develop. Avoid high-risk settings. If you are not immune, consider staying home to prevent the spread of measles. If you cannot remain home, stay away from large gatherings and people that might be susceptible to measles, including those who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants, or people who are immunocompromised. If you need medical care, call your provider ahead of time and let them know you may have been exposed to measles so they can take any necessary steps to protect others from potential measles exposure. Talk to a healthcare provider. If you have any questions about your health or your immunity status, contact your healthcare provider. If you are not immune to measles, a healthcare provider can determine whether you need treatment to help prevent or lessen the severity of infection. The best way to prevent measles is to get the MMR vaccine. If you have had measles or have been vaccinated, your risk of contracting the disease is very low. However, a few people (about three out of 100) can still get measles even after two MMR vaccine doses if they are near someone who is sick. For questions, call the Pawnee County Health Department at 620-285-6963 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).For more information about measles, how to find your vaccine records, and answers to common questions, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Measles Resource Hub at <a href="http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeVl1UHJyWW5sOHI5TnVwMgEeawLlIP89m3dZJiemtRfkcAfND4YZiwJp3FKVdHLr0tNEnIgzQ1uPsVSecX0_aem_BcL16psGuoDdhXlh1fJXMA" target="_blank">www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles</a>.

KDHE reports case of measles in another Kansas county

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says making cents doesn't make sense anymore.

The U.S. Mint has made its final order of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coins-and-medals/circulating-coins/penny?srsltid=AfmBOorp-P0PbOJ5jRYvigQlRIm4B-3l4zGXxjxQJQtTp0bE4wPjPh8E">penny</a>&nbsp;blanks and plans to stop producing the coin when those run out, a Treasury Department official confirmed Thursday. This move comes as the cost of making pennies has increased markedly, by upward of 20% in 2024, according to the Treasury.

By stopping the penny's production, the Treasury expects an immediate annual savings of $56 million in reduced material costs, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the news.

In February, President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-penny-treasury-mint-192e3b9ad9891d50e7014997653051ba">announced</a>&nbsp;that he had ordered his administration to cease production of the 1-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 at that time in a post on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”

There are about 114 billion pennies currently in circulation in the United States — that's $1.14 billion — but they are greatly underutilized, the Treasury says. The penny was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins">first coins made</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792.

The nation's treasury secretary has the authority to mint and issue coins “in amounts the secretary decides are necessary to meet the needs of the United States.”

Advocates for ditching the penny cite its high production cost — almost 4 cents per penny now, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">the U.S. Mint</a>&nbsp;— and limited utility. Fans of the penny cite its usefulness in charity drives and relative bargain in production costs compared with the nickel, which costs almost 14 cents to mint.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the news.

Pennies are the most popular coin made by the U.S. Mint, which reported making 3.2 billion of them last year. That’s more than half of all the new coins it made last year.

Congress, which dictates currency specifications such as the size and metal content of coins, could make Trump’s order permanent through law. But past congressional efforts to ditch the penny have failed.

Two bipartisan bills to kill the penny permanently were introduced this year.

Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lee.senate.gov%2F2025%2F5%2Flee-merkley-bill-would-save-taxpayers-millions-by-ending-penny-production&amp;data=05%7C02%7CFHussein%40ap.org%7C0654612ecd2d4ec3808408dd9942af9f%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638835233891671752%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Bzu01aKqBRZ%2FA8JUhDlqQx9lGZmEakeg5R1X4Fz2mwE%3D&amp;reserved=0">Make Sense Not Cents Act</a>&nbsp;this month. In April, Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., along with Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced the Common Cents Act.

Jay Zagorsky, professor of markets, public policy, and law at Boston University, said that while he supports the move to end penny production, Congress must include language in any proposed legislation to require rounding up in pricing, which will eliminate the demand for pennies.

Zagorsky, who recently published a book called “The Power of Cash: Why Using Paper Money is Good for You and Society,” said otherwise simply ditching the penny will only increase demand for nickels, which are even more expensive, at 14 cents to produce.

“If we suddenly have to produce a lot of nickels — and we lose more money on producing every nickel — eliminating the penny doesn't make any sense.”

Mark Weller, executive director of the Americans for Common Cents group — which conducts research and provides information to Congress and the Executive Branch on the value and benefits of the penny — says “there has been an evolution over the past six months that inevitability the production of the penny will be halted.”

His group advocates for the U.S. to find ways to reduce the cost of producing the nickel, especially since it will be more in demand once the penny is totally eliminated from circulation.

“It's incumbent on Treasury to come up with a cheaper way to make the nickel,” Weller said. “Let's make sure we're making our coins as least expensively as possible and maintaining the option to use cash in transactions.”

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22FATIMA%20HUSSEIN%20and%20ALAN%20SUDERMAN%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By FATIMA HUSSEIN and ALAN SUDERMAN Associated Press</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says making cents doesn't make sense anymore.The U.S. Mint has made its final order of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coins-and-medals/circulating-coins/penny?srsltid=AfmBOorp-P0PbOJ5jRYvigQlRIm4B-3l4zGXxjxQJQtTp0bE4wPjPh8E">penny</a>&nbsp;blanks and plans to stop producing the coin when those run out, a Treasury Department official confirmed Thursday. This move comes as the cost of making pennies has increased markedly, by upward of 20% in 2024, according to the Treasury.By stopping the penny's production, the Treasury expects an immediate annual savings of $56 million in reduced material costs, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the news.In February, President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-penny-treasury-mint-192e3b9ad9891d50e7014997653051ba">announced</a>&nbsp;that he had ordered his administration to cease production of the 1-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 at that time in a post on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”There are about 114 billion pennies currently in circulation in the United States — that's $1.14 billion — but they are greatly underutilized, the Treasury says. The penny was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins">first coins made</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792.The nation's treasury secretary has the authority to mint and issue coins “in amounts the secretary decides are necessary to meet the needs of the United States.”Advocates for ditching the penny cite its high production cost — almost 4 cents per penny now, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">the U.S. Mint</a>&nbsp;— and limited utility. Fans of the penny cite its usefulness in charity drives and relative bargain in production costs compared with the nickel, which costs almost 14 cents to mint.The Wall Street Journal first reported the news.Pennies are the most popular coin made by the U.S. Mint, which reported making 3.2 billion of them last year. That’s more than half of all the new coins it made last year.Congress, which dictates currency specifications such as the size and metal content of coins, could make Trump’s order permanent through law. But past congressional efforts to ditch the penny have failed.Two bipartisan bills to kill the penny permanently were introduced this year.Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lee.senate.gov%2F2025%2F5%2Flee-merkley-bill-would-save-taxpayers-millions-by-ending-penny-production&amp;data=05%7C02%7CFHussein%40ap.org%7C0654612ecd2d4ec3808408dd9942af9f%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638835233891671752%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Bzu01aKqBRZ%2FA8JUhDlqQx9lGZmEakeg5R1X4Fz2mwE%3D&amp;reserved=0">Make Sense Not Cents Act</a>&nbsp;this month. In April, Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., along with Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced the Common Cents Act.Jay Zagorsky, professor of markets, public policy, and law at Boston University, said that while he supports the move to end penny production, Congress must include language in any proposed legislation to require rounding up in pricing, which will eliminate the demand for pennies.Zagorsky, who recently published a book called “The Power of Cash: Why Using Paper Money is Good for You and Society,” said otherwise simply ditching the penny will only increase demand for nickels, which are even more expensive, at 14 cents to produce.“If we suddenly have to produce a lot of nickels — and we lose more money on producing every nickel — eliminating the penny doesn't make any sense.”Mark Weller, executive director of the Americans for Common Cents group — which conducts research and provides information to Congress and the Executive Branch on the value and benefits of the penny — says “there has been an evolution over the past six months that inevitability the production of the penny will be halted.”His group advocates for the U.S. to find ways to reduce the cost of producing the nickel, especially since it will be more in demand once the penny is totally eliminated from circulation.“It's incumbent on Treasury to come up with a cheaper way to make the nickel,” Weller said. “Let's make sure we're making our coins as least expensively as possible and maintaining the option to use cash in transactions.”__Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia.

US Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in vehicle crash that left another man dead made his first court appearance in the case Thursday.

Christian Sheppard, 33 of Wichita, is charged with 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Dec. 29, police responded to a collision in the 200 block of N. Charles Street in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found the vehicle that struck a tree and fence and caught fire. A passenger, identified as 32-year-old Chekiel Wright, died, and the driver, later identified as Sheppard was seriously injured.

On May 21, police arrested Sheppard.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is scheduled back in court on June 5,&nbsp; before Judge Tyler Roush, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747917397070.png" alt="SHEPPARD Sheppard photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>SHEPPARD Sheppard photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in vehicle crash that left another man dead made his first court appearance in the case Thursday.Christian Sheppard, 33 of Wichita, is charged with 2nd degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Dec. 29, police responded to a collision in the 200 block of N. Charles Street in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found the vehicle that struck a tree and fence and caught fire. A passenger, identified as 32-year-old Chekiel Wright, died, and the driver, later identified as Sheppard was seriously injured.On May 21, police arrested Sheppard.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is scheduled back in court on June 5,&nbsp; before Judge Tyler Roush, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

Kan. driver accused in deadly crash, fire faces a judge

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — President Donald Trump used the first military commencement address of his second term Saturday to congratulate West Point cadets on their academic and physical accomplishments while veering sharply into politics, taking credit for America's military might while boasting about the "mandate" he says he earned in the 2024 presidential election.

"In a few moments, you'll become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history," Trump said at the ceremony at Michie Stadium. "And you will become officers of the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military. And we rebuilt it like nobody has ever rebuilt it before in my first term."

Wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, the Republican president told the 1,002 graduating cadets that the U.S. is the "hottest country in the world," boasted of his administration's achievements and underscored a distinct America First ethos for the U.S. military, which he called "the greatest fighting force in the history of the world."

"We're getting rid of distractions and we're focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America's adversaries, killing America's enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before," Trump said. He later said that "the job of the U.S. Armed Forces is not to host drag shows or transform foreign cultures," a reference to drag shows on military bases that former President Joe Biden's administration halted after Republican criticism.

Trump said the cadets were graduating at a "defining moment" in the Army's history, as he criticized past political leaders for leading soldiers into "nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us." He said he was clearing the military of transgender ideas, "critical race theory" and trainings he called divisive and political.

"They subjected the armed forces to all manner of social projects and political causes while leaving our borders undefended and depleting our arsenals to fight other countries' wars," he said of past administrations.

Several points during his address at the football stadium on the military academy's campus were indistinguishable from a political speech. Trump claimed that when he left the White House in 2021, "we had no wars, we had no problems, we had nothing but success, we had the most incredible economy." He noted that he won all seven swing states in the November election, arguing that those results gave him a "great mandate" and "it gives us the right to do what we want to do."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748101992053.png" alt="After his address, President Trump was given a photo of the class of 2025 -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After his address, President Trump was given a photo of the class of 2025 -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By SEUNG MIN KIM and ALI SWENSON&nbsp;WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — President Donald Trump used the first military commencement address of his second term Saturday to congratulate West Point cadets on their academic and physical accomplishments while veering sharply into politics, taking credit for America's military might while boasting about the "mandate" he says he earned in the 2024 presidential election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump Addresses the Army Academy’s Class of 2025 <a href="https://t.co/fmzvdGxCUx">https://t.co/fmzvdGxCUx</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1926277258576085165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Panaromic photo of West Point Class of 2025 presented to President Trump as class gift after commencement address <a href="https://t.co/A7aYOBcsBf">pic.twitter.com/A7aYOBcsBf</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1926347848766927164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"In a few moments, you'll become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history," Trump said at the ceremony at Michie Stadium. "And you will become officers of the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military. And we rebuilt it like nobody has ever rebuilt it before in my first term."Wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, the Republican president told the 1,002 graduating cadets that the U.S. is the "hottest country in the world," boasted of his administration's achievements and underscored a distinct America First ethos for the U.S. military, which he called "the greatest fighting force in the history of the world."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WestPoint_USMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WestPoint_USMA</a>🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/17qWJjNzE2">pic.twitter.com/17qWJjNzE2</a>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1926364115561255162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"We're getting rid of distractions and we're focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America's adversaries, killing America's enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before," Trump said. He later said that "the job of the U.S. Armed Forces is not to host drag shows or transform foreign cultures," a reference to drag shows on military bases that former President Joe Biden's administration halted after Republican criticism.Trump said the cadets were graduating at a "defining moment" in the Army's history, as he criticized past political leaders for leading soldiers into "nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us." He said he was clearing the military of transgender ideas, "critical race theory" and trainings he called divisive and political."They subjected the armed forces to all manner of social projects and political causes while leaving our borders undefended and depleting our arsenals to fight other countries' wars," he said of past administrations.Several points during his address at the football stadium on the military academy's campus were indistinguishable from a political speech. Trump claimed that when he left the White House in 2021, "we had no wars, we had no problems, we had nothing but success, we had the most incredible economy." He noted that he won all seven swing states in the November election, arguing that those results gave him a "great mandate" and "it gives us the right to do what we want to do."But Trump also took several moments to acknowledge specific graduates' achievements. He summoned one cadet, Chris Verdugo, on the stage, noting that he completed an 18.5-mile march on a freezing night in January in just two hours and 30 minutes. He had the top-ranking lacrosse team stand to be recognized. Trump also brought West Point's football quarterback, Bryson Daily, to the lectern, praising his "steel"-like shoulder. He later used Daily as an example to make a case against transgender women participating in women's athletics.In a nod to presidential tradition, Trump also pardoned about half a dozen cadets who had faced disciplinary infractions."You could have done anything you wanted, you could have gone anywhere," Trump told the class, later continuing: "Writing your own ticket to top jobs on Wall Street or Silicon Valley wouldn't be bad, but I think what you're doing is better."The president also ran through several pieces of advice for the graduating cadets, urging them to do what they love, think big, work hard, hold onto their culture, keep faith in America and take risks."This is a time of incredible change and we do not need an officer corps of careerists and yes men," Trump said, going on to note recent advances in military technology. "We need patriots with guts and vision and backbone."Trump closed his speech by calling on the graduating cadets to "never ever give up," then said he was leaving to deal with matters involving Russia and China."We're going to keep winning, this country's going to keep winning, and with you, the job is easy," he said.Just outside campus, about three dozen demonstrators gathered before the ceremony and were waving miniature American flags. One in the crowd carried a sign that said "Support Our Veterans" and "Stop the Cuts," while others held up plastic buckets with the message: "Go Army Beat Fascism."Trump gave the commencement address at West Point in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He urged the graduating cadets to "never forget" the soldiers who fought a war over slavery during his remarks, which came as the nation was reckoning with its history on race after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.Trump also paid tribute to the military academy's history and its famed graduates, including Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ceremony five years ago drew scrutiny because the U.S. Military Academy forced the graduating cadets, who had been home because of COVID-19, to return to an area near a pandemic hot spot.Trump traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, earlier this month to speak to the University of Alabama's graduating class. His remarks mixed standard commencement fare and advice with political attacks against his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, musings about transgender athletes and lies about the 2020 election.On Friday, Vice President JD Vance spoke to the graduating class at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Vance said in his remarks that Trump is working to ensure U.S. soldiers are deployed with clear goals, rather than the "undefined missions" and "open-ended conflicts" of the past.—Swenson reported from Bridgewater, New Jersey.